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The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) is calling on Congress (and voters who elect Senators and Congressmen) to back off a pair of bills that take direct aim at the freedoms of bloggers, independent journalists and small media outlets to gain access to information while protecting their sources.
Introduced in May, the pair of bills (H.R. 1962 and S.B. 987) attempt to define who “journalists” are in such a way that favors the mainstream media while excluding just about everybody else. That’s accomplished with the phrase “covered person,” which the legislation goes on to define as someone who makes his living from researching and reporting the news or who regularly researches and reports news.
The problem with that, says EFF, is that the legislation seeks to endorse a professional class of journalists — ironically so, since the professional class of journalists is often most ineffectual, as industry maverick Gay Talese once observed. Why can’t Congress just do the Constitutional thing and submit to the idea that anyone, at any time, can be a “journalist?” If today’s lawmakers just have to fill their time in Washington by drafting more legislation, why can’t they at least do a little less harm by simply defining the practice of journalism instead of the person engaged in it?
If these bills–support for which the White House reaffirmed in its DOJ report–pass without change, Congress effectively will create two tiers of journalists: the institutional press licensed by the government, and everyone else. That’s a pretty flimsy shield if what we are really trying to protect is the free flow of information. …So what’s the solution? Congress should link shield law protections to the practice of journalism as opposed to the profession. Not only does this fix ensure that bloggers and freelancers are not categorically denied access to the protections to which they should be entitled under the law, but also it addresses lawmakers’ concerns, recently voiced by Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) in a June 26 op-ed, that in the absence of a legal definition of journalist anyone can claim to be one, thereby diluting the law by stretching it beyond any relevant boundaries. We can have a line in the sand; it simply needs to be one that is meaningfully tied to what journalism actually is…
It won’t be long before each bill comes up for a vote. The Senate Judiciary Committee is expected to begin marking up its version of the bill within a week. The House already has referred its version to two judiciary subcommittees. And the legislation, of course, has President Barack Obama’s full support. | {
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The crew opens the hatch.
The Habitat is a production of Gimlet Media. It’s produced by Lynn Levy, Peter Bresnan, and Megan Tan. Our editors are Alex Blumberg, Jorge Just, Caitlin Kenney, and Blythe Terrell. Music, sound design, and mixing by Haley Shaw. Music supervision by Matthew Boll. Our credits music in this episode is performed by Pavo Pavo, and written by David Bowie. Our fact checker is Michelle Harris. Thanks to Kaitlin Roberts for her help. And a very special thanks to the HI-SEAS crew: Andrzej, Christiane, Cyprien, Carmel, Shey, and Tristan. | {
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Brazilians flocked to social media this week to apologize for remarks that President Jair Bolsonaro made about France’s first lady Brigitte Macron that were deemed sexist and inappropriate.
The back and forth between France and Brazil over an international aid package meant to combat the quick-spreading Amazon fires escalated over the weekend when Bolsonaro replied to a Facebook comment made by a supporter that criticized French President Emmanuel Macron’s wife.
BRAZILIAN GOVERNORS SAY NOW IS ‘NOT THE MOMENT TO TURN DOWN MONEY’ AS AMAZON WILDFIRES RAGE
The comment --posted next to a picture of Brigitte Macron, 66, and Michelle Bolsonaro, 37-- read "now do you understand why Macron is persecuting Bolsonaro?" France 24 reported.
"Do not humiliate the guy, ha ha," a translation of Bolsonaro’s reply read.
Macron slammed the comment himself at a press conference Monday, saying he felt sad, “first for him and for the Brazilians.”
He continued that Brazilian women "are doubtless ashamed to read that about their president" and that he hoped the country would soon have a president who could behave according to the standards of the office.
BRAZIL’S BOLSONARO WILL CONSIDER $40M G-7 AMAZON AID PACKAGE - IF MACRON APOLOGIZES TO HIM
Macron’s guesses were accurate as many Brazilians quickly flocked to social media Tuesday to condemn their president.
“I'm shamed to be a Brazilian in this moment! Most of us are really sorry to have him as a president!” one user wrote on Twitter.
“Sorry about our president, he’s an idiot,” another person said in a post.
Most of the sentiment was that Bolsonaro's view did not “represent” the vast majority of the Brazilian people. The movement on social media saw the hashtag #DesculpaBrigitte and #PardonBrigitte, which translate to “Sorry Brigitte,” trend.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Many Brazilian women shared in this, tweeting that they were “ashamed” of their president.
Bolsonaro has remained silent on the issue but said Tuesday that he would not accept $20 million in international aid meant to combat the Amazon fires unless Macron apologized for calling him a liar - a move governors in Brazil have urged against.
Fox News' Nicole Darrah and The Associated Press contributed to this report. | {
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NEUROTOKEN (NTK)
2 001 members, 63 online
Twitter:
twitter.com/neuromation_io
Reddit:
https://www.reddit.com/r/Neuromation/
Linkedin:
https://www.linkedin.com/company/15208924/
Facebook:
facebook.com/neuromation/
TG stickers:
t.me/addstickers/neuromationdataset
If you have Telegram, you can view and join
NEUROTOKEN (NTK) right away. | {
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A Unicode Presentation slide deck is available here
Introduction to Character Set Encoding and Data Collisions
Occasionally you may find a web page that renders a series of nonsense characters in the midst of otherwise sensible text. The nonsense characters may be question marks inside black diamonds, or inverted question marks, or things that look like à (the A-Tilde) or Š(the A-Ring) followed by some other characters. Whenever you see this, it's the signature of a character set encoding error. While there are many ways to botch character set encoding, as a practical matter these errors almost always arise when Extended-ASCII data and UTF-8 data are intermixed.
Extended-ASCII and UTF-8 collisions are becoming more and more common as UTF-8 encoding becomes the preferred form. Older systems that had support for only 8-bit characters are being modernized. In the process, we are uncovering stored data sets with characters that can be represented in both Extended ASCII and UTF-8, but that are represented differently in Extended-ASCII and UTF-8. It is this difference that leads to the collision. The collisions can occur on any one-byte character that resides above decimal code point 127 (binary 0111 1111, hexadecimal code point 7F). Characters that can be troublesome, and are common in existing files, include the Euro and other currency symbols (but not the Dollar), superscripts, fractions and Western European accented characters.
This article will tell some of the history of character encoding and explain some of the ways to deal with older data sets, including MySQL data bases.
A Brief History of ASCII Code
Once upon a time, computer memory and storage was very expensive. And all of the computers in the world (for practical purposes) were in the hands of English-speaking countries. ASCII stands for American Standard Code for Information Interchange. The original 128 ASCII characters were numbered from zero to 127. The first 32 numeric positions and position 127 were control characters. The remaining positions were used to identify Arabic numbers, Latin letters, and some punctuation. The original 7-bit ASCII codes and the 8-bit Extended-ASCII codes are shown in this table:
http://www.ascii-code.com/
Extended ASCII
With an additional bit at the leftmost position of the 7-bit code, we gained an additional 128 characters. The use of these additional characters to represent printable glyphs began in the mid-1980's and varied from one implementation to the next. Some standards attempted to use language-specific information (not encoded into the character set) to represent the mapping of the code point to the glyph. That eventually failed and what emerged was commonly called Latin-1 or ISO-8859-1. ISO-8859-1 provided complete character coverage for many western languages and it was compatible with the 7-bit ASCII codes. Microsoft had a mostly-compatible mapping in the Windows-1252 character set.
While this was an improvement over ASCII, the 8-bit codes were still wanting. For example, ISO-8859-1 is missing the Euro sign at code point 128, but Windows-1252 renders the Euro at code point 128. Windows-1252 has characters that often get converted to unassigned glyphs. And the non-Western languages including Chinese and Korean are unrepresented (and unrepresentable) in only 256 total characters. Clearly we needed a universal character set, but that need had to incorporate the reality that an overwhelming amount of programming and data was based in the ASCII and Extended-ASCII encoding schemes.
Emergence of UTF-8
Many versions of a universal character set emerged. All of them shared some common features - preservation of the ASCII primitives and multibyte representations for a wide variety of characters. But there were problems, too. Byte Order Marks at the beginning of documents were required in some implementations. The programs used these BOMs to understand the encoding. Like the language-specific ambiguity in Extended ASCII, this was unwieldy - you always had to read documents from the very beginning to understand the encoding.
In 1992, Thompson and Pike brought forth the self-synchronizing coding scheme that became UTF-8. It preserved the one-byte ASCII characters and provided a multibyte extension that allowed characters to be represented by zero, one, two or three additional bytes. The number of additional bytes was given in the high-order bits of the leading byte. The encoding scheme was an instant success and grew rapidly in popularity. In November 2003, RFC 3629 limited UTF-8 to a maximum of four bytes per character in order to match the constraints of the UTF-16 character encoding. In 2008, Google reported that UTF-8 had become the most common encoding for HTML files. Today, some files require UTF-8 encoding, for example, JSON strings. For more information on JSON and UTF-8, look for "Detecting JSON Errors" near the end of this article.
Here is what the encoding scheme looks like UTF-8 Encoding bytes bits* representation 1 7 0bbb bbbb 2 11 110b bbbb 10bb bbbb 3 16 1110 bbbb 10bb bbbb 10bb bbbb 4 21 1111 0bbb 10bb bbbb 10bb bbbb 10bb bbbb *bits used in character representation, aside from the UTF-8 signal bits
Part of the genius of UTF-8 is that ASCII can be considered a 7-bit encoding scheme for a very small subset of Unicode/UCS, and seven-bit ASCII (when prefixed with 0 as the high-order bit) is valid UTF-8. Thus it follows that UTF-8 cannot collide with ASCII. But UTF-8 can and does collide with Extended-ASCII.
The UTF-8 Dead Zone
If you look carefully at the UTF-8 encoding scheme, you will see that any UTF-8 multibyte character begins with a byte with the two leftmost bits set to 11. And the continuation bytes have the two leftmost bits set to 10. Because of this, you would never have a UTF-8 character with a pattern like 10bb bbbb, unless it was one of the continuation bytes of the multibyte characters. So there are no UTF-8 characters with the bit patterns 1000 0000 to 1011 1111 (decimal 128 to 191, hexadecimal 80 to BF). The presence of any single-byte character in this range means that the document cannot be valid UTF-8.
Where the Collisions are Commonplace
Extended-ASCII, with numeric code points between 128 to 255 decimal (80 to FF hexadecimal, 1000 0000 to 1111 1111 binary), collides with UTF-8 because it has the leftmost bit set to one, and this tells the interpreter that one (at least one) additional byte is required to form the character. A common collision occurs when data with western-European special or accented characters has been stored in ISO-8859-1. In the one-byte encoding, the Æ (AE Ligature) character is represented by decimal code point 198, which is hex C6, binary 1100 0110. Since the two high-order bits are set, the UTF-8 interpretation of the AE Ligature would imply a two byte character, and the interpreter would look at the next byte to render the AE Ligature character (the UTF-8 AE Ligature is hexadecimal C386). Similar collisions occur with accents, umlauts, tildes, rings and some currency symbols.
How to Detect Potential Collisions in PHP
PHP has a bit of a conundrum over one-byte versus multibyte characters. To quote the PHP manual about the string data type, "A string is series of characters, where a character is the same as a byte. This means that PHP only supports a 256-character set, and hence does not offer native Unicode support. See details of the string type."
Thud! In UTF-8 a character is not the same as a byte!
Given that PHP does not dictate a specific encoding for strings, one might wonder how string literals are encoded. For instance, is the string á equivalent to one-byte hexadecimal E1 (ISO-8859-1) or two-byte hexadecimal C3A1 (UTF-8)? Unfortunately the answer is "it depends." The answer will be whatever character encoding was in use at the time the string literal was created. As you may have guessed, your settings of your text editor or IDE are in play here. Are your PHP source code files written with UTF-8 in mind? To make matters worse, PHP's mb_detect_encoding() function will be able to tell that this is not an ASCII character, but will be unable to distinguish between ISO-8859-1 and UTF-8.
At this writing, PHP's most frequently used character encoding is Extended ASCII rendered in ISO-8859-1. That is about to change.
PHP's Changing Posture at Release 5.4+
PHP htmlentities() and htmlspecialchars() are changing their default functionality. Since these functions are widely used as security measures to prepare browser output, you may want to read the important note on the man pages, "Like htmlspecialchars(), htmlentities() takes an optional third argument encoding which defines encoding used in conversion. If omitted, the default value for this argument is ISO-8859-1 in versions of PHP prior to 5.4.0, and UTF-8 from PHP 5.4.0 onwards [ed.note: changed again at PHP 5.6]. Although this argument is technically optional, you are highly encouraged to specify the correct value for your code."
Some Test Data, Our Expectations, and Symptoms of Collision
Test data is the programmer's most important tool, so we need some samples to work with. These strings contain ISO-8859-1 characters that collide with UTF-8. They will help us when we want to create the SSCCE test cases.
// TEST CASES $arr = array ( 'Françoise' , 'Å-Ring' , 'ßeta or Beta?' , 'Öh löök, umlauts!' , 'ENCYCLOPÆDIA' , 'ça va! mon élève mi niña?' , 'A stealthy ƒart' , 'Ðe lónlí blú bojs' ) ;
Here is what we would expect to see. What do these ISO-8859-1 characters look like when they are rendered in the browser, and the browser has been told it's getting UTF-8 characters? What if we write these strings in UTF-8, but the browser has been told to render Extended ASCII (ISO-8859-1 or Windows-1252)?
What to Do to Convert Extended ASCII to UTF-8
PHP provides the utf8_encode() function. It recognizes the Extended ASCII character set to be ISO-8859-1 and converts the single-byte characters above code point 127 into UTF-8 multibyte characters. The conversion is a "mung" that cannot be done more than once (see the code snippet in "Pitfalls" below). If any characters are converted, the strlen() of the output string will be greater than the strlen() of the input string.
What to Do to Convert UTF-8 to ISO-8859-1
PHP provides the utf8_decode() function. It tries to convert UTF-8 characters into one-byte ISO-8859-1 characters. Obviously this has its shortcomings, since there are many more UTF-8 characters than ISO-8859-1 characters. If the function cannot create an accurate mapping, the resulting text may be garbled or characters may go missing. And beware of the Euro, which is missing in ISO-8859-1. A good strategy might be to use the character entity €.
Potential Pitfalls in PHP
The function utf8_encode() assumes that its input is a string in ISO-8859-1 encoding. If a script accidentally feeds this function a UTF-8 string, an "interesting" result will appear. Try this little script to see what happens.
<?php // RAY_EE_Character_Collisions_recode.php error_reporting(E_ALL); // SET THE INTERNAL ENCODING $charset = 'iso-8859-1'; mb_internal_encoding($charset); mb_http_output($charset); // MAKE A TEST STRING $str = 'Öh löök, umlauts!'; // "ACCIDENTALLY" UTF8_ENCODE() IT MORE THAN ONCE $new = $str; $new = utf8_encode($new); $new = utf8_encode($new); $new = utf8_encode($new); // GET THE STRING LENGTHS $str_strlen = strlen($str); $new_strlen = strlen($new); // SHOW WHAT HAPPENDED $html5 = <<<ENDHTML5 <!DOCTYPE html> <html dir="ltr" lang="en-US"> <head> <meta charset="$charset" /> <title>CHARACTER ENCODING STRING LENGTHS</title> </head> <body> <pre> ORIGINAL STRING POS 1...5...10...15...20...25... ORIGINAL STRING IS: $str ENCODED STRING IS: $new THE ISO STRLEN() IS: $str_strlen THE UTF STRLEN() IS: $new_strlen ENDHTML5; echo $html5;
The function utf8_decode() assumes that its input is a string with UTF-8 encoding and the function utf8_encode() assumes an ISO-8859-1 encoding. This is a reasonable assumption, given the history of PHP, but this means that Windows-1252 strings may produce incorrect output if they are passed into utf8_encode(). A better solution may be found in iconv(), but even this has its flaws and risks.
Since PHP string functions assume that one byte == one character, the PHP substr() function may cause a failure by choosing a byte-boundary in the middle of a multibyte character. A better solution for UTF-8 text would be mb_substr(), which does not make assumptions about the byte:character relationship but instead obeys the setting of mb_internal_encoding().
PHP cannot convert characters outside of the ISO-8859-1 character set, even if your browser can display them correctly. Case in point: The Euro and the Florin are lost when PHP performs the conversion. To see the symptom, install a script with those characters and look at it with charset=iso-8859-1 then look again with charset=utf-8.
BOM is Decidedly Not Da Bomb
Byte Order Marks are not necessary or appropriate in UTF-8 documents. Don't use them. PHP has a way to remove the BOM from a document. Beware that some text editors, including Notepad, may actually create and insert BOMs into your UTF-8 documents. This is unfortunate, since it encourages a dependency on a legacy artifact that is no longer needed nor appropriate with UTF-8. The best you can do is be aware of BOMs, avoid them when possible and remove them when you encounter them. A signature of the BOM is something like this at the start of your document: 
Character Sets in MySQL
You really want consistency across your server files, your PHP scripts, your browser meta-charset and your data base. To that end, MySQL has settable character sets. In a perfect world, the proper character set will be set at the server level. See MySQL Character Set Configuration for more on this. In addition, each MySQL API offers a method to set the character set at run time.
How not to do it: mysql_query('SET NAMES utf8'); This should be avoided if possible for the reason that it does not play well with the escape functions and PDO::quote(). Details here.
Instead, choose one of the recommended ways that are documented on the appropriate man pages.
// MySQL (DEPRECATED) // MAN PAGE https://php.net/manual/en/function.mysql-set-charset.php mysql_set_charset('utf8mb4'); // MYSQLi // MAN PAGE https://php.net/manual/en/mysqli.set-charset.php $mysqli = new mysqli("localhost", "my_user", "my_password", "test"); $mysqli->set_charset("utf8mb4"); // PDO (RELEASE-DEPENDENT) // MAN PAGE https://php.net/manual/en/ref.pdo-mysql.connection.php $pdo = new PDO("mysql:host=localhost;dbname=world;charset=utf8mb4", 'my_user', 'my_pass');
If you need to convert an existing MySQL table to UTF-8, you might want to use ALTER TABLE to change the width of the columns so that the multi-byte characters will fit into the table. It is advisable to back up the table first. The change made by CONVERT TO CHARACTER SET does not change the contents of the table, nor the data that is returned by the query.
https://php.net/manual/en/mysqlinfo.concepts.charset.php#109884
https://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.1/en/alter-table.html
This script demonstrates how Extended-ASCII characters can be stored in a MySQL table and subsequently retrieved in UTF-8 format. Some discussion is in order. The URL parameter charset= is used to set the browser display character set. This has no effect on the internal data, but it affects the way you see the output. If you set this to ISO-8859-1 you will see correct output from the Latin1 data, but the UTF-8 data may be garbled. If you set this to UTF-8, you will see missing characters in the Latin1 data, but the UTF-8 data will be correct.
MySQL has a gotcha lurking in the way it handles UTF-8 information. The encoding you want to use is not simply called utf8. MySQL uses a three-byte encoding scheme if you tell it to use utf8. What you really want instead is utf8mb4, giving you full four-byte capabilities.
Annotation of the code follows.
Line 9: Choose the display character set and use the <meta> tag to tell the browser
Line 18: Connect and select the data base
Line 40: This is probably the default character set
Line 44-104: Create and load a test data set
Line 107-134: Retrieve the data set using the Latin1 character set and PHP single-byte mode
Line 137: Change MySQL and PHP to UTF-8 mode
Line 142-169: Retrieve the data set using the UTF-8 character set and PHP multi-byte mode
Line 173-206: A utility function that will show us the hexadecimal byte values.
Note that to retrieve UTF-8 data you must run the query after set_charset(). A data_seek() will simply retrieve the Latin1 strings again.
<?php // demo/mysqli_latin1_to_utf8.php error_reporting(E_ALL); // EXTENDED-ASCII CHARACTERS COLLIDE WITH UTF-8 ENCODINGS AND CANNOT BE RENDERED CORRECTLY // DEMONSTRATE HOW TO CONVERT A DATA BASE TABLE TO UTF-8 // CHOOSE A BROWSER-DISPLAY CHARSET VALUE FROM THE URL ARGUMENT utf-8, windows-1252, iso-8859-1, iso-8859-15, etc. $charset = !empty($_GET['charset']) ? $_GET['charset'] : 'ascii'; echo <<<EOD <meta charset="$charset" /> <pre> <h3>VIEWING THE DATA WITH CHARSET = $charset</h3> EOD; // DATABASE CONNECTION AND SELECTION VARIABLES - GET THESE FROM YOUR HOSTING COMPANY $db_host = "localhost"; // PROBABLY THIS IS OK $db_name = "??"; $db_user = "??"; $db_word = "??"; // OPEN A CONNECTION TO THE DATA BASE SERVER AND SELECT THE DB $mysqli = new mysqli($db_host, $db_user, $db_word, $db_name); // DID THE CONNECT/SELECT WORK OR FAIL? if ($mysqli->connect_errno) { $err = "CONNECT FAIL: " . $mysqli->connect_errno . ' ' . $mysqli->connect_error ; trigger_error($err, E_USER_ERROR); } // THIS IS PROBABLY THE DEFAULT CHARACTER SET $mysqli->set_charset('latin1'); // CREATE THE TEST DATA IN EXTENDED ASCII $iso = array ( '1' => 'Öh löök, umlauts in the Encyclopædia!' , '2' => 'At Ðe lónlí blú bojs concert, Françoise ƒlew a paper airplane' , '3' => 'For €3 (or £2) you can order ½ martini with ± 1 olive: Ý' ) ; // CREATING A TABLE FOR OUR TEST DATA $sql = " CREATE TEMPORARY TABLE iso_table ( id INT NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT PRIMARY KEY , fname VARCHAR(128) NOT NULL DEFAULT '' ) " ; if (!$res = $mysqli->query($sql)) { $err = 'QUERY FAILURE:' . ' ERRNO: ' . $mysqli->errno . ' ERROR: ' . $mysqli->error . ' QUERY: ' . $sql ; trigger_error($err, E_USER_ERROR); } // LOADING OUR EXTENDED ASCII DATA INTO THE TABLE foreach ($iso as $fname) { // ESCAPE THE DATA FOR SAFE USE IN A QUERY $safe_fn = $mysqli->real_escape_string($fname); // CONSTRUCT THE QUERY USING THE ESCAPED VARIABLES $sql = "INSERT INTO iso_table ( fname ) VALUES ( '$safe_fn' )"; if (!$res = $mysqli->query($sql)) { $err = 'QUERY FAILURE:' . ' ERRNO: ' . $mysqli->errno . ' ERROR: ' . $mysqli->error . ' QUERY: ' . $sql ; trigger_error($err, E_USER_ERROR); } // GET THE AUTO_INCREMENT ID OF THE RECORD JUST INSERTED $id = $mysqli->insert_id; echo "MySQLI INSERTED ROW $mysqli->insert_id CONTAINING <b>$safe_fn</b>" . PHP_EOL; } echo PHP_EOL; // CONSTRUCT A SELECT QUERY $sql = "SELECT id, fname FROM iso_table ORDER BY id"; if (!$res = $mysqli->query($sql)) { $err = 'QUERY FAILURE:' . ' ERRNO: ' . $mysqli->errno . ' ERROR: ' . $mysqli->error . ' QUERY: ' . $sql ; trigger_error($err, E_USER_ERROR); } // ITERATE OVER THE RESULTS SET AS AN OBJECT TO SHOW WHAT WE FOUND echo PHP_EOL . 'VIEWING MySQLi_Result::Fetch_Object() WITH LATIN1: '; echo PHP_EOL; while ($row = $res->fetch_object()) { $bytes = strlen($row->fname); $chars = mb_strlen($row->fname); echo PHP_EOL . "ID=$row->id $bytes BYTES, $chars CHARACTERS"; echo hexdump($row->fname); } echo PHP_EOL; // SWITCH OVER TO UTF-8 $mysqli->set_charset('utf8mb4'); mb_internal_encoding('utf-8'); // CONSTRUCT A QUERY TO RETRIEVE THE DATA FROM THE TABLE $sql = "SELECT id, fname FROM iso_table ORDER BY id"; if (!$res = $mysqli->query($sql)) { $err = 'QUERY FAILURE:' . ' ERRNO: ' . $mysqli->errno . ' ERROR: ' . $mysqli->error . ' QUERY: ' . $sql ; trigger_error($err, E_USER_ERROR); } // ITERATE OVER THE RESULTS SET AS AN OBJECT TO SHOW WHAT WE FOUND echo PHP_EOL . 'VIEWING MySQLi_Result::Fetch_Object() WITH UTF-8: '; echo PHP_EOL; while ($row = $res->fetch_object()) { $bytes = strlen($row->fname); $chars = mb_strlen($row->fname); echo PHP_EOL . "ID=$row->id $bytes BYTES, $chars CHARACTERS"; echo hexdump($row->fname); } echo PHP_EOL; // UTILITY FUNCTION TO SHOW US THE HEX BYTE VALUES function hexdump($str, $br=PHP_EOL) { if (empty($str)) return FALSE; // GET THE HEX BYTE VALUES IN A STRING $hex = str_split(implode(NULL, unpack('H*', $str))); // ALLOCATE BYTES INTO HI AND LO NIBBLES $hi = NULL; $lo = NULL; $mod = 0; foreach ($hex as $nib) { $mod++; $mod = $mod % 2; if ($mod) { $hi .= $nib; } else { $lo .= $nib; } } // SHOW THE SCALE, THE STRING AND THE HEX $num = substr('1...5...10...15...20...25...30...35...40...45...50...55...60...65...70...75...80...85...90...95..100..105..110..115..120..125..130', 0, strlen($str)); echo $br . $num; echo $br . $str; echo $br . $hi; echo $br . $lo; echo $br; }
Using UTF-8 with PDO
You can store and retrieve UTF-8 data in a MySQL data base through PDO if you use the right settings for PHP and PDO. I found that this worked out well.
Line 30-33: Set the PHP encoding
Line 38: Set the Character Set in the DSN
Line 50: Set the MySQL "names"
Line 73: Set the table character set
<?php // demo/pdo_latin1_to_utf8.php error_reporting(E_ALL); echo '<pre>'; // EXTENDED-ASCII CHARACTERS COLLIDE WITH UTF-8 ENCODINGS AND CANNOT BE RENDERED CORRECTLY // DEMONSTRATE HOW TO USE PDO WITH A DATA BASE TABLE IN BOTH EXTENDED-ASCII AND UTF-8 // CHOOSE A BROWSER-DISPLAY CHARSET VALUE FROM THE URL ARGUMENT utf-8, windows-1252, iso-8859-1, iso-8859-15, etc. $charset = !empty($_GET['charset']) ? $_GET['charset'] : 'utf-8'; $self = $_SERVER['PHP_SELF']; echo <<<EOD <meta charset="$charset" /> VIEWING THE DATA WITH BROWSER CHARSET = $charset <a href="$self?charset=iso-8859-1">ISO-8859-1</a> <a href="$self?charset=utf-8">UTF-8</a> EOD; // DATABASE CONNECTION AND SELECTION VARIABLES - GET THESE FROM YOUR HOSTING COMPANY $db_host = "localhost"; // PROBABLY THIS IS OK $db_name = "??"; $db_user = "??"; $db_word = "??"; // SWITCH PHP ENCODING TO UTF-8 $mbie = "utf-8"; mb_internal_encoding($mbie); mb_http_output($mbie); echo PHP_EOL . "MULTIBYTE ENCODING($mbie)"; echo PHP_EOL; // OPEN A NEW CONNECTION TO THE DATA BASE SERVER AND SELECT THE DB $dsn = "mysql:host=$db_host;dbname=$db_name;charset=utf8mb4"; try { $pdo = new PDO($dsn, $db_user, $db_word); } catch(PDOException $e) { var_dump($e); die(' NO PDO Connection'); } // SET PDO TO USE UTF-8 $pdo->setAttribute( PDO::MYSQL_ATTR_INIT_COMMAND, 'SET NAMES utf8mb4'); // SET PDO TO TELL US ABOUT WARNINGS OR TO THROW EXCEPTIONS $pdo->setAttribute( PDO::ATTR_ERRMODE, PDO::ERRMODE_WARNING ); $pdo->setAttribute( PDO::ATTR_ERRMODE, PDO::ERRMODE_EXCEPTION ); // CREATE THE TEST DATA IN UTF-8 $iso = array ( '1' => 'Öh löök, umlauts in the Encyclopædia!' , '2' => 'At Ðe lónlí blú bojs concert, Françoise ƒlew a paper airplane' , '3' => 'For €3 (or £2) you can order ½ martini with ± 1 olive: Ý' ) ; // CREATING A TABLE FOR OUR TEST DATA - NOTE THE CHARACTER SET $sql = " CREATE TEMPORARY TABLE iso_table ( id INT NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT PRIMARY KEY , fname VARCHAR(128) NOT NULL DEFAULT '' ) CHARACTER SET=utf8mb4 " ; // RUN QUERY TO CREATE THE TABLE try { $pdos = $pdo->query($sql); } catch(PDOException $e) { var_dump($e); } // PREPARE THE QUERY TO LOAD THE DATA ("PREPARE" ONLY NEEDED ONCE) $sql = "INSERT INTO iso_table ( fname ) VALUES ( :fname ) " ; try { $pdos = $pdo->prepare($sql); } catch(PDOException $e) { var_dump($e); } // LOADING OUR DATA INTO THE TABLE foreach ($iso as $fname) { $fname = utf8_encode($fname); // USE THE ARRAY OF KEYWORD => VALUE TO ATTACH fname STRING try { // RUN THE QUERY TO INSERT THE ROW $pdos->execute( array('fname' => $fname) ); } catch(PDOException $e) { var_dump($e); die(); } // GET THE AUTO_INCREMENT ID OF THE RECORD JUST INSERTED $id = $pdo->lastInsertId(); echo "PDO INSERTED A ROW CONTAINING <b>" . $fname . "</b> WITH AUTO_INCREMENT ID = $id" . PHP_EOL; } // CONSTRUCT AND RUN A SELECT QUERY $sql = "SELECT fname FROM iso_table ORDER BY id"; try { $pdos = $pdo->query($sql); } catch(PDOException $e) { var_dump($e); } // ITERATE OVER THE RESULTS SET TO SHOW WHAT WE FOUND echo "USING PDOStatement::FetchAll(PDO::FETCH_OBJ) WITH $mbie: "; echo PHP_EOL; while ($rows = $pdos->fetchAll(PDO::FETCH_OBJ)) { // ROW BY ROW PROCESSING IS DONE HERE foreach ($rows as $obj) { $chars = mb_strlen($obj->fname); $bytes = strlen($obj->fname); echo PHP_EOL . "$chars $mbie CHARACTERS; $bytes BYTES: "; echo PHP_EOL . '1...5...10...15...20...25...30...35...40...45...50...55...60...' . PHP_EOL; print_r($obj->fname); echo PHP_EOL; } }
Some Code to Experiment With
You might want to install this script on your server and run it. You can adjust the character settings to see the different outcomes (and symptoms of success or failure). Just set the desired character set in the URL like this:
http://iconoun.com/demo/entitize_western_letters.php?charset=windows-1252
<?php // demo/entitize_western_letters.php error_reporting(E_ALL); // SOME ASCII CHARACTERS COLLIDE WITH UTF-8 ENCODINGS AND CANNOT BE RENDERED CORRECTLY // DEMONSTRATE HOW TO TRANSLATE SOME WESTERN CHARACTERS INTO ENGLISH-PRINTABLE, UTF-8 OR ENTITIES // SEE http://www.joelonsoftware.com/articles/Unicode.html // CHOOSE A CHARSET VALUE FROM THE URL ARGUMENT utf-8, windows-1252, iso-8859-1, iso-8859-15, etc. $charset = isset($_GET['charset']) ? $_GET['charset'] : 'ascii'; // START WITH HTML5 DOCTYPE AND WHATEVER CHARSET $html5 = <<<ENDHTML5 <!DOCTYPE html> <html dir="ltr" lang="en-US"> <head> <meta charset="$charset" /> <title>CHARACTER SET $charset</title> </head> <body> <pre> YOU MIGHT WANT TO USE "VIEW SOURCE" TO LOOK AT THESE THE ORIGINAL CHARACTER SET IS <b>$charset</b> ENDHTML5; echo $html5; // TEST CASES $arr = array ( 'Françoise' , 'Å-Ring' , 'ßeta or Beta?' , 'Öh löök, umlauts!' , 'ENCYCLOPÆDIA' , 'ça va! mon élève mi niña?' , 'A stealthy ƒart' , 'Ðe lónlí blú bojs' ) ; // DISPLAY EACH TEST CASE USING ENTITIZED CHARACTERS echo PHP_EOL . 'USING NUMERICALLY ENTITIZED CHARACTERS'; foreach ($arr as $str) { echo PHP_EOL . $str . ' = ' . '<strong>' . mungstring($str, 'ENT') . '</strong>' ; } echo PHP_EOL; // DISPLAY EACH TEST CASE USING TEXT TRANSLATIONS echo PHP_EOL . 'USING TEXT TRANSLATIONS'; foreach ($arr as $str) { echo PHP_EOL . $str . ' = ' . '<strong>' . mungstring($str, 'TXT') . '</strong>' ; } echo PHP_EOL; // DISPLAY EACH TEST CASE USING UTF-8 TRANSLATIONS echo PHP_EOL . 'USING UTF-8 CONVERSIONS'; foreach ($arr as $str) { echo PHP_EOL . $str . ' = ' . '<strong>' . mungstring($str, 'UTF') . '</strong>' ; } echo PHP_EOL; // EXAMPLE SHOWING HOW TO TURN A PORTUGESE NAME INTO PART OF A URL STRING $str = 'Armação de Pêra'; $new = mungString($str); $new = strtolower($new); $new = str_replace(' ', '-', $new); // SHOW THE URL STRING echo PHP_EOL . '<strong>' . '<a target="blank" href="http://lmgtfy.com?q=' . $new . '">' . mungString($str, 'Ent') . '</a>' . '</strong>' ; // EXAMPLE SHOWING HOW TO TURN A STRING INTO A NUMERICALLY ENTITIZED STRING echo PHP_EOL; $str = 'Armação de Pêra'; $new = mungString($str, 'ENTITIES'); echo PHP_EOL . $new . ' = ' . '<strong>' . htmlentities($new) . '</strong>' ; // EXAMPLE SHOWING ALL THE ORIGINAL LETTERS echo PHP_EOL; print_r( mungstring(NULL, NULL) ); // A FUNCTION TO RETURN THE WESTERNIZED/ENTITIZED STRING function mungString($str, $return='TEXT') { // OUR REPLACEMENT ARRAY OF ENTITIES static $entity = array(); // OUR REPLACEMENT ARRAY OF UTF-8 CHARACERS static $utf8 = array(); // OUR REPLACEMENT ARRAY OF CHARACTERS (YOU MAY WANT SOME CHANGES HERE) static $normal = array ( 'ƒ' => 'f' // http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C6%91 florin , 'Š' => 'S' // http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%A0 S-caron (voiceless postalveolar fricative) , 'š' => 's' // http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%A0 s-caron , 'Ð' => 'Dh' // http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eth (voiced dental fricative) , 'Ž' => 'Z' // http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%BD Z-caron (voiced postalveolar fricative) , 'ž' => 'z' // http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%BD z-caron , 'À' => 'A' , 'Á' => 'A' , 'Â' => 'A' , 'Ã' => 'A' , 'Ä' => 'A' , 'Å' => 'A' , 'Æ' => 'E' , 'Ç' => 'C' , 'È' => 'E' , 'É' => 'E' , 'Ê' => 'E' , 'Ë' => 'E' , 'Ì' => 'I' , 'Í' => 'I' , 'Î' => 'I' , 'Ï' => 'I' , 'Ñ' => 'N' , 'Ò' => 'O' , 'Ó' => 'O' , 'Ô' => 'O' , 'Õ' => 'O' , 'Ö' => 'O' , 'Ø' => 'O' , 'Ù' => 'U' , 'Ú' => 'U' , 'Û' => 'U' , 'Ü' => 'U' , 'Ý' => 'Y' , 'Þ' => 'Th' // http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thorn_%28letter%29 (Capital Thorn is smaller) , 'ß' => 'Ss' , 'à' => 'a' , 'á' => 'a' , 'â' => 'a' , 'ã' => 'a' , 'ä' => 'a' , 'å' => 'a' , 'æ' => 'e' , 'ç' => 'c' , 'è' => 'e' , 'é' => 'e' , 'ê' => 'e' , 'ë' => 'e' , 'ì' => 'i' , 'í' => 'i' , 'î' => 'i' , 'ï' => 'i' , 'ð' => 'dh' // http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eth , 'ñ' => 'n' , 'ò' => 'o' , 'ó' => 'o' , 'ô' => 'o' , 'õ' => 'o' , 'ö' => 'o' , 'ø' => 'o' , 'ù' => 'u' , 'ú' => 'u' , 'û' => 'u' , 'ý' => 'y' , 'ý' => 'y' , 'þ' => 'th' // http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thorn_%28letter%29 , 'ÿ' => 'y' ) ; // THE EXPECTED RETURN $r = strtoupper(substr($return,0,1)); // RETURN THE "TRANSLATED" TEXT if ($r == 'T') return strtr($str, $normal); // RETURN THE "ENTITIZED" TEXT if ($r == 'E') { if (empty($entity)) { foreach ($normal as $key => $nothing) { $entity[$key] = '&#' . ord($key) . ';'; } } return strtr($str, $entity); } // RETURN THE UTF-8 TEXT if ($r == 'U') { if (empty($utf8)) { foreach ($normal as $key => $nothing) { $utf8[$key] = utf8_encode($key); } } return strtr($str, $utf8); } // MIGHT BE USEFUL TO GET THE LIST OF ORIGINAL LETTERS return array_keys($normal); }
UTF-8 in Microsoft Applications
Most Microsoft "Office Productivity" applications make the assumption that your data is in ANSI format, generally rendering the data in CP-1252 or a similar character set, without regard to the fact that the data may be UTF-8 encoded. As a result, you will see the garbled data strings that are emblematic of UTF-8 data rendered in ISO-8859-1 encoding. This comes into play if your scripts write CSV files that need to be opened in Excel. Although the Excel software is almost universally associated with the .csv file suffix, it appears that Excel does not yet recognize UTF-8 data, unless you tell Excel that the data is UTF-8. Since UTF-8 is self-evident, this ability should be built into Excel some day. And the good news is that it appears that the Microsoft applications preserve the data values, even though they garble the screen rendering (I have only tested this Excel .csv and .xlsx files). Until then you can use this workaround from Princeton University Institute of Advanced Studies.
http://www.itg.ias.edu/content/how-import-csv-file-uses-utf-8-character-encoding-0
Copy-and-Paste From Microsoft Word®
If you have an HTML form with a <textarea> input control, eventually someone is going to create a document in Word, copy some or all of the document, and paste it into your <textarea>. If your web site is using the ISO-8859-1 character set, the special quotes and other quirky characters that Word creates will go through unalloyed. But if your site is using UTF-8, there will be a character collision and the display of the <textarea> data will look awful. Fortunately there is an easy way around this issue, via a built-in PHP function. Get_HTML_Translation_Table() can be used to turn the special Word characters into named HTML entities. These entities will be displayed correctly in any browser. Here is a sample script that shows how it works. You can install this on your server and run it to see the translation in action. It comes with a gentle warning, however. When your script turns special characters into entities, single bytes are expanded into something that looks like » and the data string gets longer. This means that you incur a risk of data truncation if your script translates the data before storing it in your data base. Check your column widths carefully to avoid data loss.
<?php // RAY_fixWord.php error_reporting(E_ALL); // REF http://www.w3.org/TR/WD-html40-970708/sgml/entities.html // REF http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_XML_and_HTML_character_entity_references // REF http://php.net/manual/en/function.strtr.php#23384 // REF http://php.net/manual/en/function.get-html-translation-table.php (SEE ENCODING) function fixWord($str, $enc='UTF-8') { $ent = get_html_translation_table(HTML_ENTITIES, ENT_QUOTES, $enc); return strtr($str, $ent); } // SET THE CHARACTER SET ENCODING FOR THE WEB PAGE AND FOR THE TRANSLATION TABLE $charset = !empty($_GET['charset']) ? $_GET['charset'] : 'utf-8'; // DEFINE AND CLEAR SOME VARIABLES $s = $o = $e = NULL; // IF THERE IS SOME TEXT if (!empty($_POST['t'])) { $o = $_POST['t']; $s = fixWord($_POST['t'], $charset); $e = htmlentities($s); } // CREATE OUR WEB PAGE IN HTML5 FORMAT $htm = <<<HTML5 <!DOCTYPE html> <html dir="ltr" lang="en-US"> <head> <meta charset="$charset" /> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow" /> <title>Entitize WORD® for Windows Cut/Paste</title> </head> <body> <p> ORIGINAL: $o <br/>TRANSLATED: $s <br/>ENTITIES: $e </p> <form method="post"> Copy and paste from a Microsoft Word® document: <br/> <textarea name="t">$o</textarea> <br/> <input type="submit" value="Entitize Microsoft Word® Characters" /> </form> </body> </html> HTML5; // RENDER THE WEB PAGE echo $htm;
Errors Introduced by Text Editors
Consider the following code snippet, created using a Mac program called TextWrangler. At first glance it looks OK, but try installing the HTML and rendering the web page. It fails, and depending on your character set encoding, you may see something like this:
The requested URL /genealogy/Letters/“1890-Dec-7.jpg" was not found on this server
The reason for this failure is the leading quotation mark before 1890-Dec-j.jpg. It's not the quotation mark at decimal code point 34! It looks a lot like a quotation mark, enough so that it's visually confusing. But it's actually a multibyte symbol, akin to the left-angle and right-angle quotes that Microsoft Word often creates. Browsers look for a quotation mark to encapsulate the attribute values in HTML tags, but if they find no quote, they try to degrade "gracefully" by acting as if the quote had been included. (It would be so much easier to get this right if the browsers would enforce strict standards and issue error messages, but that's a conversation for another day). As a result, the HTML document cannot be rendered correctly and the links are broken. You may want to check your text editor to see that it renders quotation marks in a way that is compatible with the meaning of the HTML tags.
<tr> <td>7 Dec 1890</td> <td><a href=“1890-Dec-7.jpg" target=“_blank”>Original</a></td> <td>Ericksen</td> <td> </td> </tr>
Detecting JSON Errors
At this writing (Early 2014) JSON has eclipsed XML as the transport mechanism of choice. This makes sense; JSON is substantially more compact than XML because the end tags are omitted. And JSON can readily be consumed in most programming languages, including JavaScript on the client machine and PHP on the server.
One of the nagging problems with malformed JSON in PHP is the PHP error reporting scheme. When the JSON-related PHP scripts fail you can find a message in the function json_last_error() and you can retrieve the message text with json_last_error_message(). But the error messages are notoriously terse and do not tell you anything beyond the type of error.
At some point you will find yourself dealing with a very long JSON string (several thousand bytes is commonplace) that contains a malformed UTF-8 character. When this happens PHP json_decode() returns NULL instead of an object and you will need to find the malformed character. That needle-in-the-haystack problem is a troubling issue, because finding a single malformed character in thousands of characters is not easy. To try to illustrate the problem, consider these images (enlarged to make the type easier to read). The first image shows the malformed JSON string rendered with ANSI encoding. Notice the A-circumflex? That is a malformed UTF-8 character. The correctly formed JSON UTF-8 multibyte characters are garbled. The second image shows the malformed JSON string rendered with UTF-8 encoding. In this image we see a marker in place of the malformed character, and the UTF8 multibyte characters appear correctly (dollar, cents, Euro and something Chinese). When it's shown in enlarged type and in a short character string it's relatively easy to spot the error, but finding a bad character in thousands of lines of JSON is a time consuming task. So I wrote a script to automate the process. The script output will look something like this, with clickable links to the byte positions of each of the malformed characters. You should be able to put the URL of your JSON document (or for that matter, any UTF-8 document) on line 20 and run this script. If you're not looking at JSON, you would probably want to modify the script to remove the JSON tests.
The script attempts to decode the JSON string (line 24) and will die with a happy message if it is successful. If the decode fails, the script will tell you the JSON error and continue processing. Beginning at line 55, the script will test each byte of the input string, looking for characters with byte values above 127. These are the characters that need to be tested for UTF-8 compliance. Each of these characters is given an anchor tag with an id= attribute equal to the character offset in the string. Lines 66-138 perform these tests, looking for appropriate multi-byte character formation. If any of these characters fail the UTF-8 test, the failing character offset is recorded in an array $sig (line 137).
Finally we check the $sig array and if it not empty we produce a set of links to the locations of the bytes that failed UTF-8 validation. With this sort of setup, it is easy to find the errant characters, even in very large UTF-8 documents. Feel free to copy this script and tailor it for your own use.
<?php // RAY_utf8_errors.php error_reporting(E_ALL); // SEE http://www.experts-exchange.com/Web_Development/Web_Languages-Standards/PHP/Q_28354239.html // REF http://php.net/manual/en/function.utf8-encode.php // REF http://php.net/manual/en/function.ord.php // REF http://php.net/manual/en/function.decbin.php // REF http://php.net/manual/en/function.json-last-error.php // REF http://www.json.org/ // REF http://www.asciitable.com/ // REF http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UTF-8 // TRY THE SCRIPT BOTH WITH AND WITHOUT THIS STATEMENT echo '<meta charset="utf8" />'; // GARBLES NON-UTF-8 // PREFORMAT FOR EASY VISUALIZATION echo '<pre>'; // READ THE JSON TEST DATA $url = 'path/to/json.txt'; $jso = file_get_contents($url); // IF THE JSON IS VALID $obj = json_decode($jso); if ($obj) die("THE JSON AT $url IS VALID"); // IF THE JSON IS NOT VALID switch (json_last_error()) { case JSON_ERROR_NONE: $err = 'No errors'; break; case JSON_ERROR_DEPTH: $err = 'Maximum stack depth exceeded'; break; case JSON_ERROR_STATE_MISMATCH: $err = 'Underflow or the modes mismatch'; break; case JSON_ERROR_CTRL_CHAR: $err = 'Unexpected control character found'; break; case JSON_ERROR_SYNTAX: $err = 'Syntax error, malformed JSON'; break; case JSON_ERROR_UTF8: $err = 'Malformed UTF-8 characters, possibly incorrectly encoded'; break; default: $err = 'Unknown error'; break; } echo $err . PHP_EOL; // LOOK AT THE JSON STRING BYTE-BY-BYTE (NOT THE SAME AS CHARACTER-BY-CHARACTER) $arr = str_split($jso); $sig = array(); ob_start(); foreach ($arr as $ptr => $chr) { // GET THE NUMERIC VALUE OF THE BYTE $ord = ord($chr); $hex = strtoupper(dechex($ord)); $err = FALSE; // FLAG THIS CHARACTER IF THE BYTE-CODE IS GT 127 if ($ord > 127) { $bin = decbin($ord); echo PHP_EOL . '<a id="' . $ptr . '">' . "<b>BYTE: $ptr</a>, CHR: $chr, ORD: $ord, HEX: $hex, BIN: $bin</b>"; // GET POINTERS TO THE NEXT CHARACTERS $pp1 = $ptr + 1; $pp2 = $ptr + 2; $pp3 = $ptr + 3; // IF A FOUR-BYTE UTF-8 CHARACTER, NEXT 3 BYTES MUST START WITH '10' $sub = substr($bin, 0, 5); if ($sub == '11110') { $chs = array(); $chs[$pp1] = $arr[$pp1]; $chs[$pp2] = $arr[$pp2]; $chs[$pp3] = $arr[$pp3]; foreach ($chs as $ppp => $nxt) { $cod = decbin(ord($nxt)); $cod = str_pad($cod, 8, '0', STR_PAD_LEFT); $utf = substr($cod,0,2); if ($utf !== '10') { echo ", ERROR IN BYTE $ppp: $cod"; $err = TRUE; } } } // IF A THREE-BYTE UTF-8 CHARACTER, NEXT 2 BYTES MUST START WITH '10' $sub = substr($bin, 0, 4); if ($sub == '1110') { $chs = array(); $chs[$pp1] = $arr[$pp1]; $chs[$pp2] = $arr[$pp2]; foreach ($chs as $ppp => $nxt) { $cod = decbin(ord($nxt)); $cod = str_pad($cod, 8, '0', STR_PAD_LEFT); $utf = substr($cod,0,2); if ($utf !== '10') { echo ", ERROR IN BYTE $ppp: $cod"; $err = TRUE; } } } // IF A TWO BYTE UTF-8 CHARACTER, NEXT 1 BYTE MUST START WITH '10' $sub = substr($bin, 0, 3); if ($sub == '110') { $chs = array(); $chs[$pp1] = $arr[$pp1]; foreach ($chs as $ppp => $nxt) { $cod = decbin(ord($nxt)); $cod = str_pad($cod, 8, '0', STR_PAD_LEFT); $utf = substr($cod,0,2); if ($utf !== '10') { echo ", ERROR IN BYTE $ppp: $cod"; $err = TRUE; } } } // SAVE THE ERROR CHARACTER AND ITS APPROXIMATE LOCATION if ($err) $sig[$ptr] = $chr; } // IF THE BYTE-CODE IS LE 127 else { echo PHP_EOL . "BYTE: $ptr, CHR: $chr, ORD: $ord, HEX: $hex"; } } $out = ob_get_clean(); // IF THERE WERE ANY CHARACTERS FLAGGED if (!empty($sig)) { echo PHP_EOL . '<b>POSSIBLE UTF-8 ERRORS IN $url</b>'; foreach ($sig as $ptr => $chr) { $ord = ord($chr); echo PHP_EOL . '<a href="#' . $ptr . '">' . "BYTE: $ptr</a>, CHR: $chr, ORD: $ord"; } echo PHP_EOL; } echo PHP_EOL . '<b>ENTIRE STRING IN SINGLE BYTES</b>'; echo $out;
Summary
This article has shown us some of the ways to move from the restrictive encoding of Extended ASCII (ISO-8859-1 and Windows-1252) to the more inclusive and increasingly popular UTF-8. As more and more of the world comes online, we must provide support for languages that require multibyte characters. UTF-8 encoding is, at present, the best way to achieve that.
References
https://www.compart.com/en/unicode
http://www.w3.org/MarkUp/html3/latin1.html
http://www.w3.org/wiki/Common_HTML_entities_used_for_typography
http://www.joelonsoftware.com/articles/Unicode.html
http://www.fileformat.info/info/unicode/utf8.htm
http://www.alanwood.net/demos/ansi.html
http://www.htmlhelp.com/reference/html40/entities/symbols.html
http://www.phptherightway.com/#php_and_utf8
http://www.itg.ias.edu/content/how-import-csv-file-uses-utf-8-character-encoding-0
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latin_alphabet
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ASCII
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISO/IEC_646
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISO_8859-1
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UTF-8
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unicode
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Character_Set
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_typefaces#Unicode_fonts
http://php.net/manual/en/language.types.string.php
http://php.net/manual/en/language.types.string.php#language.types.string.details
http://php.net/manual/en/mbstring.supported-encodings.php
http://php.net/manual/en/ref.mbstring.php
http://php.net/manual/en/book.iconv.php
http://php.net/manual/en/mysqlinfo.concepts.charset.php
http://php.net/manual/en/function.mysql-set-charset.php
http://php.net/manual/en/mysqli.set-charset.php
http://php.net/manual/en/mysqli.character-set-name.php
http://php.net/manual/en/ref.pdo-mysql.connection.php
http://docs.oracle.com/cd/E17952_01/refman-5.5-en/charset-unicode.html
http://docs.oracle.com/cd/E17952_01/refman-5.5-en/charset-connection.html
http://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.7/en/charset.html
http://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.7/en/charset-unicode-utf8mb4.html | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
Rosemary Collyer, one of the DC federal judges overseeing the US Copyright Group's tens of thousands of file-sharing lawsuits, is open to one of the main arguments made by groups like the Electronic Frontier Foundation and by ISPs: the DC court doesn't have jurisdiction over random individuals from all over the country.
In a ruling today, Collyer pointed to several recent "motions to quash" the US Copyright Group subpoenas targeting ISPs. (The subpoenas ask ISPs to connect a specific IP address to a name and physical location.) The motions came from several different states.
"These defendants appear to live outside of Washington, DC," she noted. "Mr. Ansell lists an address in Pennsylvania, and Mr. Wright lists one in Oregon. Because they live elsewhere, it is questionable whether Mssrs. Ansell and Wright have had sufficient contact with the District of Columbia to warrant this Court’s exercise of personal jurisdiction over them. Accordingly, it is hereby ORDERED that Plaintiff shall SHOW CAUSE, no later than September 30, 2010, why this case should not be dismissed against Mr. Ansell and Mr. Wright for lack of personal jurisdiction."
The ruling speaks for itself, but there are three brief points to be made. First, Collyer's willingness to hear these arguments means nothing about how she will rule. She said the same thing when the EFF objected to the initial subpoenas; after a hearing, she allowed the subpoenas to proceed, though EFF could help draft a letter explaining the rights of those being targeted.
Second, even if Collyer accepts the argument over jurisdiction, US Copyright Group can simply filed its named lawsuits in various local jurisdictions. Collyer supports the current practice whereby groups can file massive Doe lawsuits in one court and obtain subpoenas and initial user identifications. Once people are identified, however, and their location known, the question is where they can be sued. Filing named lawsuits locally would certainly cost more money for the lawyers, though, and it's noteworthy that no actual named lawsuits have yet been filed, even though several of the subpoenas have been fully executed.
Third, Collyer also denied everyone's "motions to quash" today, largely because they all made inappropriate arguments (telling a court in a letter that "I didn't do it" is no reason to quash a subpoena; the actual defense comes later, after the identification is made). She also pointed out something we've been saying for months: don't send the court a letter with your name, address, and phone number if you're trying to remain anonymous.
"It must be noted that by filing their motions to quash on the public record of the Court, Messrs. Anselm and Wright and Ms. Buel provided the most critical information sought by the subpoenas — their names and addresses," said Collyer. "Their motions to quash could be deemed moot, at least with regard to this information." | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
WILKINSBURG (KDKA) – A person was shot and killed, and a K-9 officer was stabbed and killed in Wilkinsburg on Sunday.
Port Authority Police say it began when Bruce Kelley Jr. and his father, Bruce Kelley Sr., got into a fight around 3:30 p.m.
They escaped officers once, and eventually Port Authority Police caught up with them near the Hamnett Place bus stop on the East Busway.
Police say Bruce Kelley Jr. refused orders and when using a stun gun didn’t work, they released K-9 Officer Aren in an effort to capture Kelley.
“At the time they released the dog on him, he had a knife and he stabbed the dog and the dog went down. Then officers shot and killed the man,” said Supt. Charlie Moffat with County Police.
Police do not yet know how many times Aren was stabbed or how many times Kelly was shot.
One witness told KDKA she heard what happened between the suspect and police.
“First they pulled out the taser, and they used the taser on him, and I heard someone say ‘you don’t have to kill him, you don’t have to kill him,’ then the shots happened and I think it was like six or seven,” the witness said.
Aren, a 4-year veteran of the Port Authority Police force, was rushed to a nearby veterinary facility, where he was pronounced dead.
The Pittsburgh Police K-9 Unit posted on Facebook, mourning the loss.
The dog was not wearing a protective vest.
“It’s a horrible thing. He’s a member of that officer’s family. He’s a member of the law enforcement family,” said Chief Matt Porter with Port Authority Police.
The killed suspect’s father, Bruce Kelley Sr. Was captured. It is not clear if he will face charges.
Police bid a solemn farewell to Aren late Sunday night. An autopsy will be performed this week by the County Medical Examiner.
Nearly two years ago, a K-9 officer named Rocco died after being stabbed in Lawrenceville.
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The latest in a series of upgrades to facilities on Filbert Way in recent years, the new system will put King Power Stadium’s pitch lighting on par with the world’s elite sporting venues – enhancing the matchday experience for supporters in attendance and providing brilliant broadcast quality for the Premier League’s audience of billions around the world.
Final calibration and testing of the new system will take place in the week building up to the season curtain-raiser against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday 11 August. While installation of the permanent system is completed during the coming days, temporary floodlights will be in operation for Friday’s pre-season friendly against Atalanta.
Investment in top-of-the-range pitch lighting for 2019/20 follows the installation of two giant LED screens in the King Power Stadium bowl less than a year ago, shortly after a major renovation of the Foxes Fanstore in the summer of 2018.
As has been the case with the new screens, among the largest and most immersive in the Premier League, the new LED pitch lighting will add a new dimension to matchday entertainment, with instant illumination creating the opportunity for lighting special effects ahead of matches after dark.
Leicester City’s Premier League season opener against Wolves has now sold out, but Foxes fans can see the team’s final preparations for the campaign on Friday night, with tickets for the friendly against Atalanta at King Power Stadium still on sale.
To purchase your tickets, simply visit tickets.LCFC.com or visit the Foxes Fanstore at King Power Stadium. | {
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Have you ever heard of Glen Rogers?
Probably not because Glen Rogers is one of America’s least-known serial killers (70, possibly 80 people). But wait. He is also most likely the real murderer of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman.
ID’s feature-length documentary goes back over Rogers’ life and his crimes through interviews with police, prosecutors and with his family —most notably his former non-murderous partner-in-crime, brother Clay Rogers, who taught Glen how to steal at an early age.
Not only did Clay cooperate fully in this documentary, but he is the person who turned Glen in when he discovered a rotting corpse in the family’s broken down cabin in the woods in Hamilton, Minn.
The corpse was that of an elderly male neighbor, one of the very few men it turned out Glen had killed. At that moment, Clay realized that all those tall tales his brother had telling about killing 50 people were tragically true.
Since killing 50 people isn’t the kind of thing most people brag about, you’d have thought his brother would have figured it out, but he didn’t.
Then again, the whole family thought Glen was lying when the then-handsome lunatic told his family that he was “partying” with a woman in LA named Nicole Brown Simpson — just before she was murdered.
When Rogers phoned his family in 1994, according to the film, he actually said he was working and partying with her and that she was rich, and that he was “going to take her down.”
A few years after the murders, when Rogers was already on death row for other murders, he admitted to a criminal profiler that he’d killed Simpson and Goldman.
And there is at least some proof to back him up, including receipts that show Rogers had been working construction in the area at that exact time.
Rogers seemed to know things about the murder that only the killer could have known including a step-by-step description of the exact sequence of the killings which had eluded prosecutors and cops.
And OJ did in fact know the killer, the film says.
So why didn’t OJ bring all that out at the trial — or even before he was charged?
Because, according to Rogers, OJ had paid him to break into her house and steal a pair of $20,000 earrings the football star had given her.
Rogers claims OJ also told to kill “the bitch” if necessary.
After that murder (hardly his first), Rogers embarked on a cross-country killing spree.
So how does someone become such a psychopath?
Clay Rogers tries to explain it by talking about their horrific childhood with half a dozen siblings.
It was so awful in fact that chances were good that at least one of them would go from petty crime to murder at some point.
But 70 killings?
True or not. frightening, well done and riveting. | {
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PHOENIX, Ariz. -- Nate Diaz's return to the limelight got off to a precarious start, as the popular and outspoken UFC lightweight was a noticeably absent presence from Wednesday's UFC on FOX 13 open workouts event at Phoenix's U.S. Airways Center.
As one of the four featured fighters on the Dec. 13 card, Diaz (17-9) was scheduled to appear at the fan event alongside headliners Junior dos Santos and Stipe Miocic, and upcoming opponent, Rafael dos Anjos. All three other fighters showed. Diaz was expected to as well, however he never did.
UFC representatives did not offer an official reason for Diaz's absence. Diaz is currently scheduled to appear before reporters at Thursday's UFC on FOX 13 media day.
Diaz's fight against dos Anjos will be his first in over a year, following a lengthy and self-imposed hiatus over a contract dispute with the UFC. The 29-year-old Stockton native was removed from the promotion's official rankings in May after officials deemed him inactive.
Diaz ultimately announced his return this past September, agreeing to fight dos Anjos under the terms of his old contract. His name was re-entered into the rankings, and he now stands at No. 14. | {
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The nature of initial coin offerings (ICOs) makes it harder to catch fraudsters compared to penny-stock scams, the chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) told a Congressional committee today.
Jay Clayton appeared before the House Financial Services Committee during a session dedicated to the SEC. The event covered a range of topics, including a hack of the ageny’s corporate filing system, EDGAR, last year.
Yet just after the recess, Congressman Ed Perlmutter (D-CO) asked about Clayton’s position on ICOs, remarking that “it reminds me of the old days with these penny stocks.”
Clayton – who said last week that he is “concerned” about the risk of the funding use case being used to facilitate pump-and-dump frauds – echoed those comments, stating that he believes his agency is up to the task of policing token sales.
He told the committee:
“I’m cautiously optimistic about the division’s enforcement of this. They know this is a ripe area for pump-and-dump. Pump-and-dump – it’s actually easier here than it is in the penny stock area, because it’s all electronic, it’s all anonymous, [and] it’s harder to catch the bad guys at the end of the day.”
The SEC chair also suggested that the prevalence of potential fraud could hamper wider adoption of the tech in capital markets. Outside of the ICO use case – through which startups or other parties can issue cryptographic tokens in an effort to fund or bootstrap a new blockchain network – market operators have looked at the tech as potential replacements for existing trading and post-settlement systems.
But according to Clayton, that work could be impaired – particularly in the absence of wider education on the risks involved with ICOs.
“It’s going to be a lot harder to get the benefits of this kind of technology, technological advancement,” said Clayton.
Image via YouTube | {
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Rep. Maxine Waters Maxine Moore WatersPowell, Mnuchin stress limits of current emergency lending programs Pelosi: House will stay in session until agreement is reached on coronavirus relief Omar invokes father's death from coronavirus in reaction to Woodward book MORE (D-Calif.) knocked President Trump Donald John TrumpSteele Dossier sub-source was subject of FBI counterintelligence probe Pelosi slams Trump executive order on pre-existing conditions: It 'isn't worth the paper it's signed on' Trump 'no longer angry' at Romney because of Supreme Court stance MORE on Monday for the cost she said his golf trips carry for U.S. taxpayers.
Waters said that Trump criticized former President Obama for golfing, but that Trump's trips to the course have cost millions.
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“Remember Trump’s criticism of Obama golfing? The cost of Trump’s golfing is now $108M,” Waters tweeted, though she did not cite a report behind the dollar figure.
HuffPost reported Friday that Trump’s golf outings during his tenure in the White House have cost taxpayers more than $108 million, largely due to travel and security costs.
“Big spender Trump, disregarding the national debt only adds to his dishonesty. Trump should have been impeached a long time ago.”
Remember Trump’s criticism of Obama golfing? The cost of Trump’s golfing is now $108M. Big spender Trump, disregarding the national debt only adds to his dishonesty. Trump should have been impeached a long time ago. — Maxine Waters (@RepMaxineWaters) July 8, 2019
Waters has long been a proponent of impeaching Trump, a divisive topic within the Democratic House caucus. Waters at one point urged Trump to resign so the country could avoid a lengthy impeachment proceeding.
Trump spent the July 4th weekend in New Jersey and reportedly played a few rounds of golf at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster.
Trump’s three-day weekend reportedly cost taxpayers at least $1 million, according to HuffPost.
Since taking office, Trump now mainly golfs at golf clubs bearing his name, spending dozens of days at his clubs in New Jersey, Virginia and Florida. | {
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Newark, NJ — A police officer in New Jersey was arrested by the FBI after he was caught selling drugs out of his patrol car and near the police department, in a sting set up by undercover agents.
Ruben McAusland, 26, reportedly sold roughly $12,000 in drugs to an undercover buyer who was working with the FBI, US Attorney Craig Carpenito said in a statement. McAusland is accused of selling at least 35 grams of marijuana, 48 grams of heroin, 31 grams of cocaine and 31 grams of crack between October 2017 and April 2018.
According to the statement from the FBI:
“In February 2018, McAusland offered to sell the individual one kilogram of cocaine. Then, on multiple occasions between February 2018 and April 2018, McAusland allegedly sold the individual pills that were made to resemble Percocet doses but were actually made of heroin. McAusland sold the pills to the individual for approximately $7 per pill. On Feb. 11, 2018, McAusland met the individual in his police vehicle at a supermarket parking lot near the Paterson Police Department headquarters. McAusland handed the individual approximately four sample heroin pills. Afterwards, on various dates in 2018, McAusland sold heroin pills to the individual, including a sale of 1,010 pills on April 1, 2018 for $7,000.”
“It’s a surprising case—that an officer, who is supposed to be preventing the sale of drugs, did just the opposite,” FBI spokesman Will Skaggs said.
However, police corruption in the war on drugs is more than a matter of just “a few bad apples.” In fact, the conditions that are created by prohibition guarantee that police will take advantage of their position to act outside of the law since they are less likely to get caught or face any consequences if they do. Police are often unsupervised when finding large amounts of drugs or money that far surpass the value of their paychecks, so there is no wonder that stories of drug dealing cops are a common occurrence.
McAusland is not the first cop to get caught selling drugs out of his car either—back in 2015, The Free Thought Project reported on the story of Officer Donald Jordan from Anderson Indiana, a cop that worked security at a local school who was caught selling drugs.
Jordan was corrupt in many more ways than just selling drugs. In one of the reports against him, it was said that he gave a woman three hydrocodone pills and demanded that she touch his genitals instead of giving him money. When she refused, he reportedly exposed himself and physically forced her hand into his lap.
According to one of the witnesses, Jordan said that he was a “better criminal than he is a cop” and even admitted that he was “corrupt.”
In the case of McAusland, most of the deals he made were extremely high value, and if convicted of all of the charges against him, he faces up to 40 years in prison. Although, it is rare for an officer to see the type of sentencing that the average person would—they often end up getting a slap on the wrist.
In another case from 2015, Perry Betts, one of the most corrupt narcotics officers in the history of the Philadelphia Police Department, was fired for selling drugs, rehired and then fired again. His rehiring came after he was acquitted in a federal corruption case, in which he was accused of 47 different charges including extortion, robbery, kidnapping, and drug dealing.
Betts was acquitted of all of those charges along with six co-defendants who were also Philadelphia Police Officers implicated in the conspiracy. The officers were not only acquitted on all 47 counts, but they also got their jobs back and were even given a parade.
Meanwhile, people who are caught with these same substances have their lives torn apart, sometimes to the point of disrepair, and the country’s drug abuse problem has only gotten worse.
According to a U.S. government study, released by the National Center for Health Statistics, drug overdoses in the U.S. have increased by 23 percent between the years of 2010 and 2014.
In certain areas of the world, like Portugal, where all drugs have been decriminalized, there are far fewer overdoses than there are in prohibition countries. The Washington Post reported earlier this year that drug overdoses are extremely rare in Portugal, and they have some of the lowest rates of addiction in the world. Also, there is growing evidence that a person’s social, economic and personal factors have a much larger impact on their probability of getting addicted than we previously thought.
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Image copyright NHS Scotland Image caption The ban on smoking at the State Hospital at Carstairs was introduced in December 2011
A patient at the State Hospital at Carstairs who won a court ruling that a smoking ban at the facility breached his human rights has seen the decision overturned.
Charles McCann challenged the ban at the Court of Session in Edinburgh after it was introduced in December 2011.
His case was supported by judge Lord Stewart who said the blanket ban was "flawed in every possible way".
But three judges reversed the decision after hospital authorities appealed.
Lord Carloway, who heard the appeal with Lady Paton and Lord Brodie, said: "The decision about whether patients, or indeed staff and visitors, should be permitted to smoke within the boundaries of the State Hospital was, and is, one of management.
"It is not for the court to review the merits of the decision and to substitute its own views on the desirability of imposing a comprehensive smoking ban in the State Hospital."
Craving consumables
Mr McCann, who suffers from schizophrenia, has spent 18 years detained in the Lanarkshire institution.
He successfully argued that he would be allowed to smoke if he was a prisoner or if his condition could be treated in the community.
But Lord Carloway said: "Many persons have cravings for different consumables from tea or coffee, alcohol in a variety of different forms, through to chocolate and other foodstuffs.
"However, in the context of an institution such as the State Hospital, it is a question for management to decide what is to be made available to the patients."
Lord Carloway said the smoking ban was "proportionate to the legitimate aim of promoting the health of those detained and those at work". | {
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Buzz Aldrin
Let's just crown Buzz Aldrin King of National Selfie Day. We can celebrate our ongoing and passionate love affair with snapping photos of ourselves, but our Earth-bound snaps can't possibly achieve the same glorious heights as Aldrin's first space selfie.
The former astronaut responded to a fan's wish that he tweeted from space by reminding us of his photographic feat.
"I would have loved to see @TheRealBuzz tweeting from the moon. That alone would have made the trip worthwhile," wrote Twitter user Fred Bones.
Last year, the 89-year-old former astronaut was quick to respond.
No tweets but I did take the first selfie! In, from space! That was one expensive selfie stick! https://t.co/bSjSh1t7M4 — Buzz Aldrin (@TheRealBuzz) June 21, 2018
"No tweets but I did take the first selfie! In, from space! That was one expensive selfie stick!" he tweeted.
Aldrin took the shot during NASA's 1966 Gemini 12 mission, which was his first spaceflight and focused on extravehicular activity (EVA). In 2015, a vintage print of the selfie sold for around $9,200 at an auction in London.
Now playing: Watch this: Everything we know about NASA's Space Launch System
He took part in the more famous Apollo 11 mission -- during which he became the second man to walk on the moon and the first to urinate there -- in 1969. The 50th anniversary of that historic mission is now just weeks away.
Originally published June 21, 2018.
Update, June 21, 2019: Adds reference to National Selfie Day and the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11. | {
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Photo: Getty
An article in the Yale Daily News today gives us more insight into the life of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. And boy, is it exciting stuff.
Kavanaugh attended Yale Law School from ‘87 to ‘90, during which time, according to classmates, he enjoyed playing devil’s advocate in conversations with his black friend, eating pasta with ketchup, and looking down his nose at friends who enjoyed watching Jeopardy. What a fun dude.
His friends also remember his painfully dull taste in food.
[W]hen it came to food, the future Supreme Court pick found hardly anything palatable, Christmas said. Kavanaugh was a “bland eater,” his roommate explained, who never ate his pasta with anything more exotic than tomato sauce or ketchup on top. [...] “When he had spaghetti sauce, it was ragu — he didn’t want anything spicier than that,” Hartmann added.
Kavanaugh’s fellow Yalies have mostly positive memories of the former law student, who they note, rarely spoke about politics. Kenneth Christmas, however, remembers discussing a few issues with him:
Christmas, who is African-American, recalled conversations with Kavanaugh about protections for minorities. The two often discussed minority rights, he said, and the role of the state and federal governments in determining those rights. “He was sort of the guy that would argue both sides,” Christmas said. “I don’t think he sees himself as an ideologue in any way. I think he sees himself as someone who has intellectual rigor in how he looks at the law.”
Another friend, Jim Brochin, told the Yale Daily News that over their 25 year friendship, they discussed politics less than five times.
This shouldn’t surprise anyone. Kavanaugh is exactly the kind of debate club nerd who sees politics as irrelevant to his life—because they are. As a rich white guy, the political realities of the world have little to no bearing on him. He’s free to debate interpretations of the Constitution to his heart’s content, without worrying that the laws he upholds or overturns may negatively impact him or someone he loves. Must be nice!
While writers like Akhil Reed Amar may see Kavanaugh’s lack of apparent ideology (read: his investment in the status quo) as something to recommend him to power, anyone with an actual stake in what the Supreme Court decides on issues like abortion or affirmative action knows better. Once you understand the impacts that politics can have on actual human beings, your ability to play “both sides” greatly diminishes. | {
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The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture today announced that Michael Jordan will donate $5 million to support the new museum, which will open Sept. 24. In addition, Jordan will donate a game-worn 1996 NBA Finals home jersey to the museum’s permanent collection.
In recognition of his generosity, a section of the museum’s Sports Gallery will be named “The Michael Jordan Hall: Game Changers.” The hall is dedicated to the people and institutions whose actions changed their sport, transcended their game and transformed society. Jordan is featured as a “game changer” along with 16 others, including tennis great Althea Gibson and Olympic gold medalist Jesse Owens.
“We are extremely grateful to Michael Jordan for his game-changing support,” said Lonnie G. Bunch III, founding director of the museum. “His gift will enable our visitors to explore how sports were used to break barriers as a way to gain full participation in American society. The Sports Gallery will celebrate how African Americans have changed sports—and how African Americans in sports have changed America.”
“I am grateful for the opportunity to support this museum,” Jordan said. “I also am indebted to the historic contributions of community leaders and athletes such as Jesse Owens, whose talent, commitment and perseverance broke racial barriers and laid the groundwork for the successful careers of so many African Americans in athletics and beyond.”
The release of this announcement commemorates the historic achievements of American track and field star Owens, who won his fourth gold medal at the Summer Olympics in Berlin Aug. 9, 1936. Eighty years later, his achievement remains one of the most iconic moments in African American history. Owens’ victories refuted Hitler’s intention to use the Games to promote Aryan racial superiority and helped shatter stereotypes about the inferiority of people of African descent.
Jordan played 15 seasons in the NBA and is a six-time NBA champion, a five-time regular season MVP and a two-time Olympic gold medalist. He was inducted twice into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, first in 2009 and again in 2010 as a member of the “Dream Team”—the 1992 U.S. Olympic basketball team. Jordan is also a successful businessman whose Jordan line of footwear and apparel revolutionized sports marketing. He is the principal owner and chairman of the Charlotte Hornets, and he is the first former player to hold a majority interest in an NBA franchise.
About the Museum
The National Museum of African American History and Culture was established as the 19th Smithsonian museum by an Act of Congress through legislation signed into law by President George W. Bush in 2003. Groundbreaking occurred in 2012. President Barack Obama will participate in the museum’s Sept. 24 dedication ceremony.
The nearly 400,000-square-foot museum will be the nation’s largest and most comprehensive cultural destination devoted exclusively to exploring, documenting and showcasing the African American story and its impact on American and world history.
For more information about the museum and its opening celebrations, visit the museum’s website.
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Image copyright Getty Images
Foreign officials in Washington are struggling to get to know the president-elect's transition team and are experiencing a sense of anxiety about the incoming administration.
But none of them, as an Obama White House official told me, are as worried as the Mexicans.
Recently, a New York City panel on Mexican infrastructure, featuring Gerardo Ruiz Esparza, Mexico's secretary of communications and transportation, and other officials from Mexico City was abruptly cancelled.
The panel had been planned long before the election, when most anticipated a very different outcome.
"This is quite a tense moment," said Shannon O'Neil, a Mexico expert at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York. "It's very hard to go out and talk about infrastructure."
Image copyright FREDERIC J. BROWN Image caption The president-elect's wall would stretch across the border, including parts of Arizona
Cabinet members in Mexico City sent a letter to Foreign Affairs, which was hosting the conference at the Council on Foreign Relations, and said they were cancelling because of "unforeseen circumstances", a Mexican official told me.
The Mexican officials didn't say anything in their letter about the election of Donald Trump. But his victory played into their decision to call off the event.
Michael Camunez, a former Obama White House official who was planning to speak at the event, said he understood the reasons. "It's a time of uncertainty," he said.
In international relations, there's almost nothing worse than uncertainty, as the people of Taiwan and China know. They've been wondering over the past several days about President-elect Trump's decision to speak on the phone with the Taiwanese leader - and what this means for US policy.
It was the latest in a series of ambiguous signals that have been a hallmark of Mr Trump and his team. This has created profound uneasiness for diplomats.
In both a pragmatic and a philosophical sense, Mexican officials are wondering about infrastructure. "What kind of North America are we going to see in the next three months?" the official said, talking about the conference and their future. "Who knows?"
Image copyright RONALDO SCHEMIDT Image caption Hillary Clinton ,shown in Mexico City in 2014, was expected to win the election
The event was set up with the implicit understanding that the Democratic nominee, Hillary Clinton, a frontrunner in the polls, would be the next president.
She'd already served as secretary of state, and her views about foreign policy were widely known.
The officials may not have agreed with everything she said, but they knew what to expect from her.
Mr Trump is different. A businessman, he's never served in public office.
His view of Mexico contrasts sharply with those held by previous presidents. During the campaign, he called Mexicans "rapists" and criminals. He said he'd deport millions of them.
He's also spoken in a negative way about the North American Free Trade Agreement (Nafta), which provides the infrastructure for industries spread across the US, Canada and Mexico.
The people of Mexico have built their economy on the trade agreement, and they rely on the US for about one third of their income. Last year they sent goods and services worth approximately $316bn to the US, and the importance of their relationship to the US - in both commercial and personal terms - is woven into the fabric of their nation.
More than 11 million people who are originally from Mexico now live in the US.
Ties between the two governments became especially close after the 2001 terrorist attacks. Security officials deepened their relationship as they tried to combat militant groups and drug trafficking.
Image copyright TIMOTHY A. CLARY Image caption The president-elect visited Carrier, which will keep factories in the US
The election of Mr Trump means that the relationship between the US and Mexico is likely to change.
He said he'd build a wall - and that Mexicans would pay for it. The wall would stretch across the 2,000-mile border, making it the biggest infrastructure project since the construction of the US highway system in the 1950s and 1960s.
Mexico's president, Enrique Pena Nieto, compared Mr Trump's rhetoric to the kind that was used by Mussolini - and said Mexicans would not fund the wall.
Now the two leaders will have to work out an understanding. They'll meet shortly before the US presidential inauguration on 20 January, according to experts who are close to the Mexican officials.
Until then the Mexican officials are watching the situation closely.
"They've moved beyond the panic stage," said Duncan Wood, director of the Mexico Institute at the Wilson Center in Washington. "They're now in the evaluation stage."
Image copyright John Moore Image caption Mexico's president, Enrique Peña Nieto, compared Trump to Mussolini
Since the election, the situation has changed - and so have some of Mr Trump's views. He said in a television interview that the wall wouldn't have to cover the entire border: some sections could have a fence.
On Thursday he announced that a company, Carrier, would keep its Indianapolis factory open, saving 1,100 US jobs, instead of moving work to Mexico, as its executives had once planned.
It was a victory for Mr Trump, who'd campaigned on a promise to help American workers and save jobs.
"It gives Trump an early win," said Camunez. This could mean that he'll decide to soften his positions on trade and Nafta - and will become less savage in his attacks.
Analysts at conservative think tanks in Washington believe that in principle he'll stand by his claim that the trade agreement is flawed, however, and that it must be changed.
As the American Enterprise Institute's James Pethokoukis said: "I don't think this is going to go away."
In the meantime officials from the foreign ministry, treasury and other government departments in Mexico City are travelling to the US and speaking with people about diplomacy, immigration and other matters that are crucial to their relationship.
The Mexican official who told me about the conference - and its cancellation - said they're trying to work out issues as best they can.
But they're also preparing for change - and surprises - in the coming months as the Trump administration takes office.
"We are in for a rough time, but that doesn't mean you stop doing everything," the Mexican official said. "On some issues it will be business as usual. On others - we'll have to wait and see."
Follow @Tara_Mckelvey | {
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The United States government has concluded that a new leaker has been supplying members of the media with classified documents, CNN reported on Tuesday.
Earlier that day, The Intercept published a new article based off of disclosures provided to them by an unnamed source pertaining to the US government’s use of watchlists to monitor known and suspected terrorists.
Previously, The Intercept has worked closely with top-secret National Security Agency documents admittedly provided to journalists by Edward Snowden, a former contractor for the NSA. Tuesday’s leak, however, is of a document dated August 2013 — weeks after Snowden chose to identify himself as the source of the NSA leak and had already arrived in Moscow where he later received asylum and remains today.
“An August 2013 slide from the National Counterterrorism Center called ‘TIDE By The Numbers’ lays out the scope of the Obama administration’s watchlisting system, and those it is targeting,” Jeremy Scahill and Ryan Devereaux wrote for The Intercept. “The documents, obtained from a source in the intelligence community, also reveal that the Obama administration has presided over an unprecedented expansion of the terrorist screening system.”
Tuesday’s Intercept article came one day after the agency reported on previously unpublished NSA documents, but also barely two weeks after Scahill and Devereaux wrote of another NCC document provided to them by “a source within the intelligence community.”
In the 14 months since Snowden’s documents first began to surface online, the US intelligence community has time and time again condemned the leaking of classified information, charging the ex-contractor with espionage and reportedly going to great lengths to prevent another major breach on par with the NSA disclosures, or the release of documents a few years earlier by WikiLeaks source Chelsea Manning. In less than three weeks’ time, however, The Intercept has managed to obtain government documents without authorization from most presumably another source.
Sources asides, the latest documents prepared by the NCC and leaked to The Intercept cast a rare light on the US government’s use of ever-expanding federal watchlists by making public the information about the Uncle Sam-sanctioned rosters of suspected terrorists that have previously not been disclosed to wide audiences.
On their part, Scahill and Devereaux wrote that the leak provides “the most complete numerical picture of the watchlisting system to date.”
According to the journalists’ report, more than 40 percent of the 680,000 individuals listed in the US Terrorist Screening Database shared with local police agencies, contractors and governments around the globe — or around 280,000 people — have “no recognized terrorist group affiliation.”
Additionally, the documents reveal that the number of people barred from flying in the US — entrees on the infamous “no-fly list” — has increased by 10-times since President Barack Obama entered the White House in 2009 to a total of around 47,000.
“You might as well have a blue wand and just pretend there’s magic in it, because that’s what we’re doing with this—pretending that it works,” former FBI agent Michael German, now a fellow at New York University’s Brennan Center for Justice, told The Intercept. “These agencies see terrorism as a winning card for them. They get more resources. They know that they can wave that card around and the American public will be very afraid and Congress and the courts will allow them to get away with whatever they’re doing under the national security umbrella.”
Tuesday’s Intercept story contains a trove of previously unreported details concerning the administering of federal watchlists and its massive expansion under the Obama administration. As of 2013, the website reported, the main terrorism database operated by the US contains more than 860,000 biometric files on 144,000 people, who are but a sliver of the 680,000 individuals on the lists.
“When US officials refer to ‘the watchlist,’ they typically mean the TSDB [Terrorist Screening Database], an unclassified pool of information shared across the intelligence community and the military, as well as local law enforcement, foreign governments and private contractors,” The Intercept reported. Furthermore, watchlisting guidelines published by The Intercept last month revealed that officials don’t need ‘concrete facts’ or ‘irrefutable evidence’ to place someone on the list, but rather “only a vague and elastic standard of ‘reasonable suspicion.’” | {
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Cheyenne police are once again asking for the public's help in locating a 15-year-old girl who they say ran away.
Officer Kevin Malatesta says Hailey Vigil was last seen getting into a newer, silver, four-door sedan import in front of Triumph High School on the afternoon of April 13.
"We believe she's in the area (and) that she's being harbored by friends or family," said Malatesta. "We believe she's safe, but obviously she's still a runaway and we want to get her back to her legal guardians."
Vigil is a 5-foot-5, Hispanic female weighing 110 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. Anyone with information on her whereabouts is asked to call police dispatch at (307) 637-6525. | {
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BY LAURA MORSCH, CAREERBUILDER.COM
Put a few thousand business executives in a room and you likely won't find many with the same educational backgrounds, industry experience or job descriptions. But about two-thirds of executives do have one thing in common.
Thirty-one percent of executives speak two languages, according to a poll of 12,562 visitors to the Korn/Ferry International Web site. An additional 20 percent speak three languages, 9 percent speak four languages and 4 percent speak more than four.
Whether companies are conducting business overseas or trying to grab a larger market share at home, employers are increasingly seeking out bilingual workers, or people with the ability to speak and communicate in more than one language. In fact, a recent CareerBuilder.com keyword search turned up more than 6,000 job postings seeking bilingual applicants.
Employees who are bilingual in English and Spanish are particularly in demand. Latinos are now the nation's largest minority group, accounting for half of the nation's population growth since April 2001, according the U.S. Census Bureau.
This group brings big potential for profits. Hispanic buying power reached nearly $700 billion last year, according to estimates by HispanTelligence, a division of Hispanic Business, Inc. That buying power could reach as much as $1 trillion by 2010.
The need for bilingual workers is most pronounced in the South and West, where the concentration of non-English speaking residents is highest.
Benefits of being bilingual
To find and keep valuable bilingual workers, employers are willing to pay big. On average, bilingual pay differentials range between 5 and 20 percent per hour more than the position's base rate, according to Salary.com.
For example, government workers in California who hold bilingual positions earn an extra $.58 an hour, according to the state's Department of Personnel Administration Web site. In Washington County, Ore., employees in "bilingual positions" who spend 15-20 percent of their time in "regular and frequent use" of their bilingual skills earn an extra $30 per pay period.
Federal government employees may also see a sizable jump in bilingual pay under a provision of the 2005 Defense Authorization Act. According to the National Association for Bilingual Education, the law approves up to $1,000 in monthly proficiency pay for bilingual active-duty military personnel. Civilians may earn special pay up to 5 percent of their base salary.
The bottom line: Being bilingual literally pays off.
Want more money?
So you speak another language? Before you barge into your boss' office demanding extra pay, do your research. In some jobs, it's the position -- not the employee -- that's considered bilingual. That means if you are not required to use your bilingual skills for a significant portion of your job, you may not be entitled to differential pay.
Also be prepared to take a competency exam. You may be able to carry on a decent conversation in the language, but companies want to be sure you can fully and effectively communicate the business' policies and technical terms. The tests may be written or oral, and vary widely from employer to employer.
>>>Next: 10 Best Cities for Job Growth
Copyright 2005 CareerBuilder.com. All rights reserved. The information contained in this article may not be published, broadcast or otherwise distributed without prior written authority. | {
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MONTREAL—A researcher monitoring belugas in the St. Lawrence estuary is warning of a looming "catastrophe" after another difficult calving season for the endangered whale.
The belugas have been in a slow population decline for the past decade, according to Robert Michaud, the scientific director of Quebec's Marine Mammals Research and Education Group.
His team has found the carcasses of at least five baby belugas so far during the calving period, which officially ends on Oct. 15. The number of dead beluga calves turning up on the shore has been unusually high since 2008, Michaud said.
"It's a catastrophic trajectory we're observing, and we don't yet know exactly what are the causes for that," he said.
"The only way this population can reverse its trajectory would be to increase the survival rate and the birth rate, and what we've been observing for the last years is totally the opposite.
If the population is to recover, Michaud said there must be a concerted effort to reduce the sources of stress on animals, particularly in areas frequented by beluga mothers and their calves.
The latest figures on beluga calves come amid a debate over whether to allow exploratory drilling off shore of Cacouna, Que., near the breeding ground at the mouth of the St. Lawrence.
A judge suspended drilling for the TransCanada oil terminal last Tuesday following objections from environmental groups.
The marine terminal would allow the company to export oil transported from the Alberta oilsands as part of its Energy East pipeline project, which has been submitted to the National Energy Board.
TransCanada has argued it had all the proper permits and was sensitive to the belugas in the area.
Michaud is among those opposed to the oil terminal.
He said its construction, along with "all the phases that are preliminary to the construction, and then afterward the exploitation of such an activity," could be detrimental to the whales.
Researchers don't have an exact count on the number of belugas in the St. Lawrence estuary, but the population was estimated at 889 in 2012, according to a recent Fisheries and Oceans Canada report.
The population was stable or increasing at a slow rate after unregulated hunting closed in 1979 until the early 2000s, when it reached approximately 1,000, but it has declined in the years since, according to the report.
The worst year for dead calves was 2012, when 16 were found dead, said Stephane Lair, a veterinary professor at the University of Montreal who has conducted autopsies on the carcasses.
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Whales were found to be dying of cancer at an unusually high rate in recent years as well, according to a study led by Lair.
Lair said it's difficult to know the exact cause of the calves' deaths, but the findings are troubling.
"What we think is that either the calf is too weak to follow the mother, or there is a bonding problem between the calf and mother," said Lair. | {
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telecinco.es
Creen que las coletas son para hippies, pero le toman por cristiano. También le critican por no llevar corbata, aunque advierten y reconocen que “las apariencias engañan”. No te pierdas mañana a las 22.00 h. '26J Quiero gobernar' en el que los niños participaran y comentarán el panorama político actual con el líder de 'Unidos Podemos'
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Beyond Sausage Sandwich. Approximately 99% of the recipes that I have on this blog are vegetarian, vegan or dairy free. In consideration of that fact, I definitely was super interested in the latest wave of plant based meat products because for some recipes, I like to have a meat substitute.
If you have eaten a meat diet, there is something to the composition and texture of meat that gives the dish substance. It is like you need something weighty to bite into. For many soups, stews and tacos, I have created recipes with jackfruit, which accomplishes that goal somewhat. Personally, I don't eat red meat, rarely eat chicken or pork, eat salmon and eggs, but I like to have plant based protein alternatives.
I wanted to try the latest meatless products for myself--to hear what all the press is about, and to see if these products are viable substitutes for meat. I have 3 reasons for seeking a meat substitute:
1) health 2) environment 3)animal rights
Nutrition Information
As you can see by the package, the manufacturers of Beyond Sausage advise that the product is soy and gluten free, contains 16 grams of protein and 190 calories per sausage and is 38% lower in fat than pork sausage. This is definitely an improvement, but can you substitute it for sausage and still feel fulfilled.
Are Beyond Meat Products Healthier Than Meat?
According to the American Heart Association, there isn't much good news about meat. Meat diets increase your risk of developing heart disease and red meat is tied to some of our "most prevalent chronic diseases" like type 2 diabetes. Processed meats like sausage, bacon, and hot dogs could also increase the risk of stomach and bowel cancers.
In researching this article, it is almost humorous how experts approach suggesting to consumers that they can start with one meatless meal a week---like it will be such a struggle that one should only try it slowly. Yes, that is hilarious, considering that 375 million people across the world are vegetarian..it won't kill you.
But, I digress.
The reality is that 160 million Americans are overweight or obese, so it is obvious that we are not willing to sacrifice very much in order to be healthy. If there is a meatless alternative that might be healthier, it better be good. Like, we better not have to sacrifice taste, flavor or the pure enjoyment of eating, just to be healthy.
Many companies have undertaken the challenge of developing a healthy alternative to meat that will satisfy even the most committed meat eater, in part because of other considerations like the environment and animals. The jury is still out on how much healthier meatless products are than meat, but nutritionists do report that meatless meat is healthier than meat, despite being processed. Even if the fat and calories are the same, the other benefits to the environment and animals are significant.
How Do Meatless Products Help The Environment?
Experts agree that red meat production plays a role in the climate crisis, and this has been referred to as the real "major public health risk." The World Resources Institute estimates that cutting the world's beef consumption by 70% could reduce greenhouse-gas emissions by around 35%.
As a result of factory farming and the side effects of satisfying the American appetite for beef, the greenhouse gas emissions from livestock make up an estimated 14.5 percent of all global greenhouse gas emissions, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization.
Animal Rights
I don't consider myself an avid animal rights advocate, but I too have seen the videos of meat processing plants, chicken farms and packing houses. They range from gross to horrific, so basically, if we can avoid killing animals, I think that would be a great thing. In my opinion, as far as assessing advantages for meatless products, letting animals live the life they were born to live (which doesn't include being my dinner) counts for something.
You know who will get this? Kids. Kids are concerned about the environment and animals, so in that sense...the children are the future.
Recipes Using Beyond Meat
I am going to prepare several traditional recipes that include meat, and substitute Beyond Meat Products. I have chosen Beyond Meat because their protein source is pea protein isolate (and not soy) and that it is gluten free. My first recipe is Beyond Sausage Sandwich.
What Are The Ingredients In Beyond Sausage Sandwich?
If you think about a sandwich or burger, rarely are they enjoyed without some condiment, sauce or other added enhancement, like cheese. For this recipe, this sandwich has the Beyond Sausage, grilled red peppers, greens and grilled garlic aioli on toasted ciabatta bread. Pretty simple sandwich and for each sandwich you will need:
4 Beyond Sausages
1 cup mixed greens
1 grilled red pepper
4 ciabatta rolls, sliced
Fresh basil
Grilled Garlic Aioli
12 cloves of garlic, grilled
1/2 cup raw cashews
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp sea salt; pinch of black pepper
1/2 cup water
Steps For Beyond Sausage Sandwich
It is November 2019 and in Southern California today, it is 80 degrees. For that reason, I was able to prepare this sandwich outside, on the grill, and pretend that it is June. For those of you who don't have that option, the Beyond Sausage instructions include baking, pan frying or toaster oven. (Check out my review of the grill that I used, the George Foreman Grill.)
Brush the grill with olive oil. Place the sausages on the grill, on medium high heat for approximately 8-10 minutes. Add the red pepper to the grill. Turn the sausages periodically, so that it is grilled on all sides. Add the garlic to the grill, flipping frequently so that they don't burn. When the sausages, peppers and garlic are nearly done, toast the ciabatta buns on the grill for 1 minute on each side.
Tips For Beyond Sausage Sandwich
I noticed that the label on the product had a "use by" date, so I would suggest treating this product as perishable, just like you would meat.
I made this sandwich with basics--greens, red pepper and garlic aioli. The possibilities for this sausage are endless--feel free to experiment with other condiments, vegetables, sauces or cheeses.
I tried the sausage plain to see what the actual flavor was. Because it was sausage, I was somehow expecting it to be spicy, but it wasn't. It was somewhat bland, resembled a veggie sausage, but with more of a meat texture. Since it was grilled, it had a little crisp on the outside as well. I probably would not eat these sausages plain though because who does that anyway. I look forward to trying them with other options like I would meat sausage, hot dogs or hamburgers. In my opinion, this product is perfect in dishes that I feel need a meat replacement because it actually has protein and nutritional value.
In the end, I felt like it was an excellent sandwich, and a tiny win for the environment and the animal who might have been that sausage. | {
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For Democrats, particularly those running in red states, gun control used to be a no-win political issue. But after a string of deadly mass shootings, Democrats are touting their pro-gun control credentials — even in conservative districts.
“For many years, it was the third rail of politics,” said Jim Manley, a longtime Democratic strategist who spent 21 years working in the U.S. Senate. “What I find fascinating this year is that supporting gun control isn’t hurting many people.”
According to a Reuters analysis of candidates’ campaign websites, 38 of the 59 Democrats running in “vulnerable” Republican districts for House seats — or seats that the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has deemed flippable — have made gun control part of their official platform. In Ohio’s 1st Congressional District, for example, Democratic candidate Aftab Pureval, an outspoken proponent of gun control, is looking to unseat incumbent Republican Rep. Steve Chabot, who’s won the district handily four times since 2011 with financial support from the NRA. (They’ve given him more than $100,000 over the years).
"There’s always a middle ground possibility for someone to say, 'I’m for common sense gun laws. I’m not here to take away your guns.'"
Pureval, 35, has campaigned alongside former congresswoman Gabby Giffords, who started an organization to combat gun violence after she was severely injured in 2011 in a mass shooting, which left her with brain damage. Two other major players in the gun control lobby, Giffords: Courage to Fight Gun Violence, and Everytown for Gun Safety, have also backed Pureval. And neither of those endorsements seem to be working against him. Polling so far suggests that Pureval is Chabot’s toughest challenger yet but still unlikely to win.
Outside gun control groups have poured money into this midterm election season. The number of pro-gun control political ads have soared from 4,500 in 2014 to more than 100,000 by Sept. 2018. That far outnumbers gun rights ads (around 63,000 by September, compared to 24,000 in 2014), according to the Wall Street Journal. Many of those ads have been concentrated in Nevada and Florida, both of which saw deadly mass shootings.
One notable beneficiary of those funds is Lucy McBath, who’s running in Georgia’s 6th Congressional District against Rep. Karen Handel, who won the seat in a special election last year.
McBath, whose teenage son was shot and killed at a gas station in 2012, has made guns a central issue of her platform. By campaigning as a grieving mother, McBath has sought to connect with voters in a district that hasn’t elected a Democrat since 1979. She’s received more than $1 million from Everytown, and like Pureval, that doesn’t seem to be damaging her chances too badly. A recent FiveThirtyEight poll analysis showed McBath lagging Handel by only a few points.
Then there’s Texas, where a serious candidate for statewide office talking about gun control would have once been unthinkable. In this year’s Senate race, however, Democratic challenger Beto O’Rourke, who’s running against incumbent Sen. Ted Cruz, has openly flaunted his “F” grade from the NRA.
O’Rourke has tried to toe the line between calling for gun control and showing he’s not totally out of step with the state’s culture. “This is as politically charged as it comes in Texas,” O’Rourke said at an event in September. “We have the Second Amendment, and it's incredibly important, but the Second Amendment is not unlimited. You cannot carry a bazooka down the street.”
Still, Cruz has continued to call O’Rourke a “big government gun-grabbing liberal” to try to stoke gun rights activists fears. But with midterms just around the corner, O’Rourke is trailing him by just five points, according to a recent Quinnipiac poll.
“Democrat and gun control positions have become increasingly tied to each other,” said Matt Grossman, an associate political science professor at Michigan State and Director of the Institute for Public Policy and Social Research. “And there’s always a middle ground possibility for someone to say, ‘I’m for commonsense gun laws. I’m not here to take away your guns.’”
Texas has been the site of two mass shootings in the last year, at a church in Sutherland Springs last November that left 27 dead, and at a high school in Santa Fe in April that left 10 dead. Many other Democratic candidates have taken those tragedies on the campaign trail, like in Texas’ 14th Congressional District, where the high school shooting happened. A Democrat hasn’t won there since 1995, and even then, it was a conservative Democrat who decided to run for re-election as a Republican and won.
Nonetheless, Democratic newcomer Adrienne Bell, a teacher running against incumbent GOP Rep. Randy Weber, has made guns a central part of her campaign.
“We want an America where we can worship, play, shop, dine, and attend school without the fear of gun violence,” Bell said in a statement on Facebook after the Pittsburgh shooting.
Running as a pro-gun control Democrat in a red state may have also gotten easier for politicians in the last several months. Just one month after the Parkland shooting in March, a Gallup poll found that voters listed guns as one of most important non-economic problems in the country, second only to dissatisfaction with the government. But six months later in September, the same Gallup poll on “the biggest problem” that wasn’t economy-related found that guns had sank to the eighth most pressing concern among voters, tied with education, the judicial system and “moral decline.” Instead, immigration and healthcare dominated the conversation.
Then came the massacre at the Pittsburgh synagogue, a little more than a week before the midterms. That mass shooting, which left 11 dead, has thus far generated more focus on political polarization and extremism than on guns.
Like other candidates on both sides of the aisle, Stacey Abrams, a Democratic state representative running for governor in Georgia, focused her response to the Pittsburgh shooting on overcoming hate and fighting intolerance. Her state hasn’t elected a Democrat since Roy Barnes in 2003, who touted his A+ rating from the NRA.
“As the flames of such hate have increasingly threatened our country and our loved ones, we have an obligation to combat such ideology,” Abrams tweeted. “We must also commit ourselves to finding commonsense solutions to end gun violence and ensure our right to safe communities.”
On Tuesday, Abrams also trotted out a story she’s told numerous times on the campaign trail, about learning to shoot with her great-grandmother while growing up in Mississippi. “Just to be clear, I am not anti-gun,” Abrams said during an appearance on "The View," adding that she supported background checks, laws that keep guns out of the hands of domestic abusers, and a ban on AR-15s, like the one that the Pittsburgh shooter used. “I do not believe that weapons of mass destruction like the AR-15 belong in civilian hands,” she said.
Even if the conversation post-Pittsburgh has centered around hate, rather than guns, they dominated the national conversation during the primaries earlier this year. That may have had an impact on Democrats’ support of gun control in red states. “Primary elections have served as a litmus test,” Gallup noted in its analysis of a recent poll, “ensuring that most Republican candidates are opposed to stricter gun control, while most Democratic candidates support increased regulation.”
During the Georgia gubernatorial primaries, for example, Democrat candidates tried to outdo each other on gun control, while Republicans competed for the NRA’s stamp of approval.
“I am proud to have an “F” rating from the @NRA,” Abrams tweeted in May. By contrast, Georgia’s Republican Secretary of State Brian Kemp, now Abrams’ opponent for the governorship, positioned himself as a Trump-loving, Second Amendment supporter with an A+ from the NRA. In the months since, however, their focus has shifted to other issues, like healthcare, the economy, and education.
“It was more of a salient issue back then, because of Parkland,” said Alan Abramowitz, a national expert on polling and elections and a political scientist professor at Emory University. “Even in the red states, Democrats are generally tilting toward stronger gun control measures. That hasn’t been the case historically.”
A recent NBC News/Marist poll showed Kemp and Abrams virtually tied.
In red state Indiana, which voted for Trump by 56.9 percent, incumbent Democrat Sen. Joe Donnelly has struggled to strike the same balance between keeping gun control as a part of his platform and keeping his seat.
Donnelly is a moderate known for voting against his party on a number of issues, including guns. In 2013, he was one of 15 Democrats who helped tank a proposed ban on AR-15-like assault rifles, which was introduced in the wake of the 2012 Sandy Hook elementary school shooting.
But after the Parkland shooting, Donnelly — who has a “D” rating from the NRA — called for two specific pieces of gun control legislation: improved background checks and banning guns for people on terrorist watchlists. And this year, his opponents won’t let him forget that.
In a statement announcing a seven-figure ad campaign in support of Donnelly’s opponent, Mike Braun (who describes himself as “an avid hunter, NRA member, and 100% pro-2nd Amendment), the NRA accused Donnelly of being dishonest to his constituents.
“Contrary to what Joe Donnelly says in Indiana, he has supported the gun control agenda of Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi by voting in favor of gun control in Washington, D.C.,” said Chris W. Cox, chairman of the NRA’s Political Victory Fund, in a statement. Recent polls show the two candidates virtually neck and neck, though just days ago, other polls showed Braun in the lead.
Even though, experts have observed a pattern of red-state Democrats warming to gun control, there are, of course, outliers.
In the contested Senate race in Tennessee, Democratic candidate Phil Bredesen is doing what Democrats in red states used to do: bend over backwards trying to assure voters that he’s down with guns. Exactly one day after the NRA announced their endorsement of his Republican opponent, Marsha Blackburn, Bredesen rolled out a new campaign ad titled “No Matter What,” which shows him shooting clay pigeons, decked out in flannel, jeans and a hunting vest.
“I was taught to always think for myself, and my support for the Second Amendment is a good example. It’s definitely not always popular, but it's a way of life I grew up with,” Bredesen says in the ad. “I’ve been a lifelong gun owner, and as governor, I had an A-rating from the NRA. Real independence, and not party politics — that’s what’s best for Tennessee.” | {
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Photo : Getty
The reaction to last night’s election results has been mostly along the lines of “so much for that big blue wave we were promised,” but at least the Democrats took back control of the House. The former isn’t entirely wrong, although there were so many bright spots at the state level, but the latter is cold comfort in its purest form.
The Democrats needed 218 seats to take the House, where Nancy Pelosi will almost certainly be elevated to Speaker. As it currently stands, the party has 220 seats to the Republicans 193, meaning they’ve crossed that critical threshold by a measly two seats. Overall, The New York Times’ tally—again, there are still races that haven’t been called yet—puts the Dems’ gains at 27 seats. That’s hardly even in spitting distance of their forecasted gains which, depending on who you wanted to listen to, ranged from somewhere in the neighborhood of 40 seats to as many as 60. But still, they won.
Things get much darker when you look at the Senate, the dominion of Chuck Schumer. The Republicans were always expected to keep their majority, but Schumer’s party managed to actually lose ground: Sen. Claire McCaskill fell to Josh Hawley in Missouri, Joe Donnelly lost in Indiana, and Heidi Heitkamp was voted out in North Dakota. We couldn’t have the Beto O’Rourke victory in Texas that we were pining for—another six years of Ted Cruz forcing his college debate team captain smarm on us all—so we were forced to celebrate far-too-close wins by awful Democrats like New Jersey’s Bob Menendez, an avatar of old school corruption, in New Jersey and West Virginia’s Joe Manchin, who supported Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination.
There will be plenty of time for other outlets to dissect turnout demographics and rake voters (and non-voters) over the coals, but I favor another approach: blame those at the top. Lop off the head of this beast. Make getting Schumer and Pelosi out of their respective chambers a priority, now.
In her “victory” speech last night at the DCCC—an organization so out of touch and self-indulgent that they were reportedly blasting “Fight Song” before the returns came in last night—Pelosi had the gall to call the blue trickle a “new day in America,” a phrase which, on Wednesday morning, was true only in the most literal sense. Things did not improve from there: Pelosi vowed to “strive for bipartisanship” and, even worse, hyped something called the “bipartisan marketplace of ideas.” This is the next House Speaker’s idea of a victory speech; this is the elected official charged with leading the Democrats into battle once more. Trump and the Republicans will continue to stoke white America’s fear of a black and brown country until they stop drawing breath, but at least we’ll be armed to hilt with uh, the “bipartisan marketplace.” We could all find ourselves in one internment camp or another and there will be Nancy Pelosi, still asking for civility and compromise in this moment of adversity. It’s nice to have one singular thing to count on from her, and it’s obvious that she’s not the person who should be in charge going forward.
All of this comes before this terrible duo takes the stage again to show us more of the same. They have nothing new to offer. Pelosi in particular wants Republicans to know she’s open to horse trading—that’s how things work in Washington!—before she’s even officially in power, but we can also expect the added flavor of any move Pelosi does makes dying in the Republicans’ Senate.
Setting aside their individual political ills, which we’ve documented at length on this site and are so numerous that they’d require posts all their own, Pelosi and Schumer have failed time and time again to resist the Trump administration’s agenda in meaningful ways. They were left sputtering over the president’s recent gesture at doing away with birthright citizenship, they’ve let Trump judges slide on through, they bumbled about, issuing fiery statements while immigrant children were being kept in cages, until the administration finally tweaked the policy so people would stop being mad and forget all about it.
This morning, their latest failures are laid bare for all to see: They are the top-ranking members of their party and are responsible for its (increasingly rare) wins and monumental losses. Both are hailed as Politics Geniuses with decades of experience pulling the levers of power behind the scenes and using their high profiles to be tireless fundraisers for the Democrats. But what good is all that when they can’t satisfy their most basic mandates? It’s depressingly stunted, futile, and useless, just like both of them. Get rid of them. | {
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Last week, the seven most MISGUIDED attempts at Gay Characters in comics. This week: The Seven Best Gay Characters in Comics – Because the glass is half full, and I know how to swirl it around.
Who am I to make such a list? What are my credentials?
I’ve read more comics than you have – (Unless you’re Mark Waid, and then I’m sorry for being presumptuous, my superior master) – And because I have a blog and you don’t. I found this one on the street near my friend Kevin’s house, and now it’s mine , so no one can stop me.
THE SEVEN BEST GAY CHARACTERS IN COMICS.
7) Wiccan
(BILLY KAPLAN) – (and his boyfriend Hulkling (TED ALTMAN)
Wiccan is part of a Mighty Marvel Royal Family.
He is (more or less) the son of mutant Wanda Maximov (the Scarlet Witch), making him the grandson of Magneto (X-Men bad guy), nephew to Quicksilver (X-Men/Avenger asshole), twin brother of SPEED (Young Avengers teen), and step-son (?) to the Silver Age Vision, who used to be the golden age Human Torch – also Wiccan is first cousin to Luna, daughter or Crystal, who was the ex-girlfriend of the CURRENT Human Torch, which makes Billy Kaplan part of the extended families of the Fantastic Four, the X-Men and the Avengers – requiring every Marvel hero but Daredevil to let him crash on the couch for two days, unannounced.
And Wiccan’s boyfriend, Hulkling, is the son of Captain Mar-vell and a Skrull Princess named Analee. So he’s an Avengers brat too.
It’s often said that there’s someone gay in every extended family in America (whether you know it or not) and Marvel finally acknowledged it with one of the main families of the Marvel U.
But what really lands BILLY on the list are these scenes from YOUNG AVENGERS PRESENTS Issue #3…. Wiccan has spent the issue with his brother, trying to find his missing, presumed dead mom, the Scarlet Witch, and along the way, they’re told she’s not going to be found, and handed this piece of advice….
-and when he’s home later, with Hulkling, he realizes how wonderful THAT moment with his boyfriend is…
Notice, the gay boyfriend isn’t a temptation to deny, or a problem to solve, or a secret to hide from his family – the boyfriend is a magical blessing in Wiccan’s life. There’s yer hopeful ending, right there, and it comes from someone in the family… the “Dick Cheney’s daughter” of the Marvel Universe, if I may use a metaphor bluntly and badly.
6) Batwoman
-KATE KANE
After the first few Batwoman issues of Detective I found I liked the comic, but didn’t love the protagonist. It was BEAUTIFULLY illustrated by J.H. Williams III, over an action -packed Greg Rucka plot about a weird Alice in Wonderland cult -all entertaining as hell — but I hadn’t had that “moment” where I was won over by Batwoman, (or Kate Kane), as a character in her own right. There was much butt kicking and leaping, but ALL the bat-gang do that.
–
But then, we came to this scene in Detective 856, where Ms. Kane arrives at a charity function dressed in a formal tuxedo, rocking a post-goth, post-Patrick Nagel thing, and strutting like it was her palace.
Her confidence in facing down disapproving relatives and openly flirtatious police captains, won me over but good.
I love her body language, her dialog, that touch of arrogance, all while working clues to a super-crime in her head. Dare I say it, it reminded me of Bruce Wayne – in a way that Dick Grayson, Tim Drake or Barbara Gordon never did – the way Kate just OWNED that room and the story.
So as of ‘Tec 856, Kate Kane had “it” for me.
As the next few issues followed, and we learned of Kate’s bizarre back story, her brutal family tragedy, her “honorable” discharge from the Army, and her wonderful, complex relationship with her father, this comic became the surprise hit of the year for me. More of this, thanks!
And oh, yeah. She’s gay. Just part of the overall weave, my friends.
5) Mark Slackmeyer
From Doonesbury.
Mark is one of the four founding characters of one of the five best comic strips of the 20th Century (Pogo, Calvin and Hobbes, Peanuts and L’il Abner are the other four) and DECADES into Mark’s story in the strip, he turns out to be gay. It seemed a little forced when the idea first arrived, but I never should have doubted Mr. Garry Trudeau, Lord of the Doonesbury. In fairly short order, Megaphone Mark, the ultra liberal student radical turned NPR radio host settles down with a man who is his opposite in nearly every way – a log cabin Republican, conservative money-pusher named Chase Talbot III (who is the embodiment of Mark’s much hated, ultra-conservative father) and they become a bickering married couple on the radio. BRILLIANT comics, great satire and very real human comedy for anyone with a passing recognition of the Oedipal Complex or the tropes of 70s family sitcoms.
Mark and Chase are separated now, but their time together was a high water mark in what is still the best comic strip running in American papers.
4) Midnighter
-(and his lovely husband, Apollo)
From the ultra right wing, ultra violent Wildstorm series, STORMWATCH, comes the most militant homosexual “super-hero” in history.
What’s not to LOVE about Midnighter? He’s Gay Batman, for god’s sake. PLUS he’s got a special instant super-healing power, and a murderous temper which makes him gay Wolverine-Batman. Which is really gay Dark
Claw, and that’s the whole enchilada right there. Gay Dark Claw. Dark Claw, only gay. And his boyfriend is essentially gay Superman, only named Apollo. It makes me wish I was gay, so I could love Midnighter even more.
What started off as a Warren Ellis one-joke about a long believed super-hero subtext, became an actually interesting pair of characters over the next few years of Stormwatch, and then, AUTHORITY. Midnighter and Apollo were a little more bloodthirsty than you expected, more fiercely loyal to each other than you expected, and more physically affectionate with each other than any other gay characters in comics were at the time, but they were written with wit and cleverness, even if the dialog tended towards sneering British ‘tude, And they were a genuine couple, in love and committed to each other, even adopting a child together. (A reincarnation of a teammate, but let’s not go THERE).
When MIDNIGHTER launched in his own monthly series, the first couple of story lines included one of the BEST time travel adventures ever, and some of the best done-in-one comic tales being published.
He’s Gay Dark Claw. Does this need to be explained again?
–
3) Lawrence Poirier
FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE
Coming out to your family or friends was a dangerous thing to do in 1993. Lynn Johnson, creator of FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE, discovered it was a dangerous thing to do on the comics pages of your local newspaper.
When Michael Patterson’s life long friend Lawrence told Michael he was gay, Lynn Johnson received countless hate letters and death threats from around the world….just for showing the comic strip pages that a gay person simply existed. Over one hundred newspapers in the United States dropped her very popular comic strip until the offendingly gay Lawrence was out of the spotlight … And the intolerance wasn’t just in the real world for this poor teen – As his fictional story continued, Lawrence told his stepfather he’d met a college boy and fallen in love, and that bit of honesty got Lawrence thrown out of his house.
Now, in the middle of all that abuse and hatred, Lawrence does something remarkable: He remains polite. He rages very little, he tells Michael how much he appreciates his friend’s support, and quietly waits for the rest of the world to realize how badly they’re behaving towards him. He makes this an epic story of dignity in the middle of intolerable behavior from damn near everyone else. All from a small, slightly terrified 17 year old boy.
THAT’s a Super-hero in my book.
2) Toland Polk
Stuck Rubber Baby
Toland Polk is a fictionalized character, very loosely based on the early life of writer/ artist HOWARD CRUSE, one of comics’ more notably “out” underground cartoonists of the 70s and 80s. The 1995 graphic novel STUCK RUBBER BABY is a dense narrative about Toland’s early adulthood, living in the American South in the 1960s, and slowly discovering that he’s slightly racist, and very gay, and that he can only learn to stop being ONE of those things.
One of the best novels I’ve ever read about growing up. It won the Harvey and the Eisner for best Graphic Novel in 95, as well as a bunch of other best thing-on-Earth awards that year. Stuck Rubber Baby, stands with Maus, Barefoot Gen or Contract with God, as a rare comic life story that NEVER leaves you. By the time it’s over, Toland Polk is one of your favorite people.
–
1) Esperanza “Hopey” Glass.
LOVE AND ROCKETS.
Ahh….Love and Rockets – the 80s comic book you could give your date, and she would “get it”. QUICK HISTORY LESSON: Fangirls started hanging around comic shops because of Jaime Hernandez’ “LOCAS” series in Love and Rockets, long before Sandman was a gleam in VERTIGO’s creepy eye.
Though it started as the sci-fi story of two giggling, pro-solar mechanics named Maggie and Hopey (and Maggie’s major crush, RAND RACE), the series, LOCAS, quickly became about two unemployed EX-pro-solar mechanics/ slackers who hang around the LA Hispanic 80s Punk Rock / Wrestling world, falling in and out of trouble (and love) while picking up an ASTOUNDINGLY complex and interesting supporting cast.
What holds the series together, is that EVERYBODY loves the adorable lead character, Maggie Chascarrillo —
Ray loves Maggie. Speedy loved Maggie. Penny loves Maggie. Izzy loves Maggie, and the readers love Maggie, but MOST of all, HOPEY loves Maggie.
Hopey really, really loves her. It makes Hopey’s jackboot-wearing street-cynic party-girl butch-punk lesbian heart melt every time she’s in a room with Mags, and Maggie loves Hopey right back, except Mags couldn’t give up men forever, even for Hopey….which is the basis for much of the drama in the first decade of their relationship.
We’ve all watched Hopey’s heart break a few times, and along the way, I think we all fell in love with the abrasive little bitch who couldn’t play the bass worth a damn. She was annoyingly human, after all.
The stunning artwork by author/artist Jamie Hernandez didn’t hurt the reader’s enjoyment of the series either.
THERE WAS NO ROOM for MORE
I didn’t write about Anole, or Graymalkin, or any of the gay X-Men, because I confess I rarely read X-Men books (there’s simply too many), and I’m not familiar with their stories, sorry. Krazy Kat was strongly considered, but Kat went from being male to female so regularly, that Ignatz may have been bisexual, instead of gay, without knowing it, and who needs that confusion? There was simply no room for Bitchy Butch (Roberta Gregory’s wonderfully awful dyke character from Naughty Bits ), or Element Lad, or Constantine, or any from the legion of lesbian detectives, wonderful characters all.
-And finally…
… I never brought up Peppermint Patty and Marcie because they aren’t lesbians, all right? Get over it people. They both had a crush on “Chuck”, and ONLY Chuck, never each other… and you can’t tell a person’s orientation simply because of how they wear pants. Marcie didn’t even LIKE softball. Good GRIEF! Don’t be such a hater.
TY THE GUY OUT!
Here now, your comic book moment of zen:
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Torch 7 is a GPU accelerated deep learning framework. It had been rather obscure until recent publicity caused by adoption by Facebook and DeepMind. This entirely anecdotal article describes our experiences trying to load some data in Torch. In short: it’s impossible, unless you’re dealing with images.
UPDATE: PyTorch, a Python version of Torch made available in January 2017, seems to solve many problems mentioned in this article.
We had great expectations about Torch. It seemed like a dream come true, especially with endorsement by DeepMind and LeCun’s group at Facebook (the latter includes some of the creators of the framework). The reality turned out to be a little hairier.
Image credit: Adventure Time with Finn and Jake
The Torch tutorial deals with images and random tensors. These only get you so far; we’d like to load some simple, numeric data. Generally it comes in two flavours: dense (few zeros) and sparse (mostly zeros). For dense data CSV is probably the most popular format, for sparse - Libsvm.
What we’d like to achieve is to get data into Torch’s native tensors, suitable for use with various Torch functions. Tensors are analogous to Numpy arrays; they generalize matrices to three and more dimensions, also covering 1D vector case.
Libsvm
We selected the adult dataset for playing. It’s sparse and readily available in Libsvm format. The torch-svm package provides an interface to the Libsvm library and has facilities for loading files in the libsvm format.
th> d = svm.ascread( 'train.txt' ) Reading train.txt # of positive samples = 7841 # of negative samples = 24720 # of total samples = 32561 # of max dimensions = 123 Min # of dims = 11 Max # of dims = 14
But what you get is not a tensor, or two tensors, like you would get from scikit-learn:
x, y = load_svmlight_file( 'train.txt' )
What you get is this:
th> d <14 seconds of printout, 32k entries> th> d[1] { 1 : -1 2 : { 1 : IntTensor - size: 14 2 : FloatTensor - size: 14 } }
It’s a table where the first entry of each row is a label and the second entry is a table containing indexes and values of non-zero elements.
th> d[1][2][1] 3 11 14 19 39 42 55 64 67 73 75 76 80 83 [torch.IntTensor of dimension 14] th> d[1][2][2] 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 [torch.FloatTensor of dimension 14]
Probably it wouldn’t be that difficult to write some code to convert it to tensors, the point is that nobody has done it before, at least publicly.
By the way, apparently there are no sparse tensors in Torch (only some budding attempts), so there is no computational bonus for using sparse data.
CSV
CSV is the bread and butter of data. All popular environments (Python, R, Matlab, …) have a single function that loads CSV into a table - for example loadtxt() in Numpy or csvread() in Matlab. While one could argue (as people do in the comments) that you can’t put mixed-type data in a tensor, this doesn’t stop Numpy and Matlab from reading CSV into tensor-like, single-type structures. Objection overruled.
We’ll be using this sample file:
col1,col2,col3 4,5,6 7,8,9
Torch has a package named csvigo. And sure, there’s a function for loading and a function for saving. What you get, though, is not a tensor. It’s a table of columns:
th> f = csvigo.load{ path='test.csv' } <csv> parsing file: test.csv <csv> tidying up entries <csv> returning tidy table th> f { col2 : { 1 : "5" 2 : "8" } col3 : { 1 : "6" 2 : "9" } col1 : { 1 : "4" 2 : "7" } }
Access to documentation is a bit difficult, but it turns out that you can load the data into a table of rows using the raw mode:
th> f = csvigo.load{ path = 'test.csv', mode = 'raw' } <csv> parsing file: test.csv <csv> parsing done th> f { 1 : { 1 : "col1" 2 : "col2" 3 : "col3" } 2 : { 1 : "4" 2 : "5" 3 : "6" } 3 : { 1 : "7" 2 : "8" 3 : "9" } }
Still not a tensor, though. Most probably there’s a simple way to get a tensor from this but at the moment we don’t know it.
Matlab
What about the Matlab format? You can save a .mat file from Python using scipy.io.savemat. And there’s the mattorch package. It has two shortcomings: first, it needs Matlab installed. The second is more serious: mattorch.load() caused a segmentation fault when loading a file saved by scipy.
But wait. There’s fb-mattorch from Facebook, and it doesn’t need Matlab. It needs, however, Facebook’s entire Torch stack, and we’re in no mood for installing it.
HDF5
HDF5 is a binary format from NASA, used for scientific data. It’s popular enough. So far, so good - binary means compact. A tad sophisticated, but simple enough if one doesn’t need advanced functionality. It’s fine if you’re OK with binary.
Guys from DeepMind have provided a Torch package for reading and writing HDF5: torch-hdf5. And it comes with instructions! What’s the catch? Well, we followed the instructions in the manual and after some confusion from trying to get it to work we discovered that the thing we installed is a different package with the same name.
This has been since cleared so HDF5 looks like the best bet so far.
Torch native
Torch has functions for serializing data, meaning you can save a tensor in a binary or text file. Scott Locklin has put together a shell script for converting CSV to Torch format: csv2t7.sh. Basically it slaps a header to the rest, which is just space-separated numbers, and it works.
There’s also this more complicated set of two scripts called csv2torch, which we haven’t tried.
The big picture
For a piece of software in development for a few years now and in version 7 (after 3 and 5), Torch’s utilities for loading data aren’t impressive. In fact, to us they’re downright disappointing. They also give a glimpse of a wider picture, meaning rough edges in other places.
For example, the documentation is sparse and scattered. Installation with curl -s will just fail silently if curl’s handling of SSL certificates is not properly configured, as seems to be the default case on Ubuntu. And things like that.
Perhaps the most obvious difficulty for a newcomer is a new language (Lua), and its strange ecosystem. Lua is simple and quite similiar to Python, however you still need to learn a number of things. For example, how do you print a working directory? How do you change a working directory? Prepare for discovery.
On top of that, there’s the new tensor handling syntax. And it’s not Julia’s syntax, which is almost identical to Matlab (comparison), no sir (or ma’am).
All this is why in our opinion Torch at the moment is most suitable for brave adventurers. | {
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Our resident cartoonist takes a look back at the weekend’s goalless draw which, disappointingly for some, did not feature any pyrotechnics. You can find David’s archive of Australian sport cartoons here and he also has a book out – order it here | {
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13.05.2018
Söder-Effekt bereits verpufft? CSU verliert deutlich in Umfrage
Die CSU hat den Amtsbonus von Ministerpräsident Markus Söder offenbar wieder eingebüßt. In unserer Umfrage fällt sie zurück auf Werte vor dem Machtwechsel.
Das Umfrage-Hoch nach dem Amtsantritt von Ministerpräsident Markus Söder war für die CSU nur von kurzer Dauer. Zwei Monate nach dem Wechsel liegt die Partei in einer repräsentativen Umfrage des Meinungsforschungsinstituts Civey im Auftrag unserer Zeitung nur noch bei 42,1 Prozent. Das sind 2,4 Prozentpunkte weniger im Vergleich zum Vormonat. Damit nähert sich die CSU wieder den Werten vor Söders Amtsantritt an. Für eine absolute Mehrheit im Landtag würde es nach diesen Zahlen nicht mehr reichen.
Die SPD rutscht ebenfalls ab. Mit 13,7 Prozent liegt sie nur noch 0,2 Prozentpunkte vor den Grünen. Die Alternative für Deutschland (AfD), die CSU-Generalsekretär Markus Blume gerade als „braunen Schmutz“ attackiert hatte, verliert nur geringfügig und erreicht 12 Prozent. Die FDP legt 0,9 Punkte zu und würde mit 5,1 Prozent hauchdünn den Sprung in den Landtag schaffen, ebenso die Freien Wähler mit 6,6 Prozent.
Söder polarisiere und spalte viel zu sehr, um eine absolute Mehrheit hinter sich versammeln zu können, betonte der Spitzenkandidat der Landes-FDP, Martin Hagen, gegenüber unserer Redaktion. Wörtlich sagte er: „Ich glaube nicht, dass ein Bündnis mit SPD oder Grünen unser Land voranbringt. Bayern braucht eine moderne, bürgerliche Politik.“ Eine Koalition mit der FDP schließt Söder bisher aber aus.
Der Bundesvorsitzende der AfD, Jörg Meuthen, hat die Frontalattacke von Blume gegen seine Partei scharf gekontert. Meuthen sagte unserer Redaktion: „Die AfD ist klar konservativ, bürgerlich-freiheitlich und patriotisch. Die Verzweiflung in der CSU muss sehr groß sein, wenn sie das als unbayerisch bezeichnet. Das erstaunt angesichts der desolaten Verfassung der CSU aber auch nicht mehr.“
CSU nennt AfD "unbayerisch"
Blume hatte zuvor in einem internen Strategiepapier die AfD als „Feind von allem, für das Bayern steht“ bezeichnet und hinzugefügt: „Brauner Schmutz hat in Bayern nichts verloren.“ Weiter heißt es in dem Papier: „Wir sind entschlossen, die AfD als zutiefst unbayerisch zu bekämpfen.“ Die AfD, das seien „Feinde Bayerns“, die man „stellen“ wolle – und zwar mit einem „harten Kampfkurs“. Zugleich will die CSU „allen bürgerlichen Stimmen im Land“ eine politische Heimat geben. „Zum Bayern-Gen gehört, dass wir die bürgerliche Mehrheit in unserem Lande wieder hinter einer politischen Kraft vereinigen“, heißt es in dem Papier.
Nur in Bayern gebe es so viele Menschen, die Leistungsfreude, Wertebindung, Sicherheit und Ordnung und eine christliche kulturelle Prägung des Landes wünschten. „Wir haben den Alleinvertretungsanspruch für das bürgerliche Lager“, gibt Blume als Losung für den Wahlkampf aus.
CSU-Querdenker Peter Gauweiler erklärt sich den Erfolg der AfD in Bayern mit der „Diskrepanz zwischen Worten und Taten der CSU in der Flüchtlingspolitik“. Die AfD zu wählen, sei eine Möglichkeit gewesen, sein Ungehaltensein zum Ausdruck zu bringen, betonte Gauweiler im Interview mit unserer Redaktion. „Und dieses Ungehaltensein ist so lange nicht verschwunden, solange die Probleme nicht gelöst sind. Aber mit jedem Schritt, der die Probleme praktisch angeht und nicht nur rhetorisch, wird es besser.“
Bei repräsentativen Umfragen des Meinungsforschungsinstituts Civey zählen nur die Stimmen registrierter und verifizierter Internetnutzer, die Daten wie Alter, Wohnort und Geschlecht angegeben haben. Jeder kann einmal abstimmen. Die Stimmen werden nach einem wissenschaftlichen Verfahren gemäß der Zusammensetzung der bayerischen Bevölkerung gewichtet. Für die Sonntagsfrage wurden die Antworten von 5082 Teilnehmern berücksichtigt. Befragungszeitraum: 24. April bis 12. Mai.
Das ist unser Bayern-Monitor
Wir möchten wissen, wie Bayern tickt. Mit Blick auf die Landtagswahl im kommenden Jahr untersuchen wir in Zusammenarbeit mit dem Meinungsforschungsinstitut Civey in Umfragen, wie die Menschen im Freistaat über bestimmte Themen denken.
Die Ergebnisse werden regelmäßig in unserer Zeitung und in unserem Online-Portal veröffentlicht. Zusätzlich zu den vier dauerhaft laufenden Umfragen befragen wir Sie in einzelnen Umfragen zu aktuellen Themen - wie zur Frage, ob Seehofer und Söder gut zusammenarbeiten werden. Was es mit unserem Bayern-Monitor auf sich hat, warum wir das Ganze machen und wie die Civey-Umfragen funktionieren, erklären wir Ihnen an dieser Stelle. Alle Informationen auf einen Blick finden Sie hier.
Zu den Fragen des Bayern-Monitors gelangen Sie auch hier:
Hinweis zu den Umfragen des Bayern-Monitors: Da wir mit unserem Bayern-Monitor die Stimmung in Bayern langfristig betrachten, laufen unsere Umfragen weiter. Es ist also möglich, dass sich die Umfrageergebnisse zu einem späteren Zeitpunkt von den im Text thematisierten Ergebnissen unterscheiden.
Themen folgen | {
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A Liberal National Party state government would dump the Safe Schools program in Queensland, after it was accused of being "ideologically-driven".
Opposition education spokeswoman Tracy Davis said the LNP wanted to withdraw from Safe Schools and create an alternative anti-bullying program.
Opposition Education spokeswoman Tracy Davis said the LNP would dump Safe Schools. Credit:Harrison Saragossi
"We want an anti-bullying program that is far-reaching and addresses issues faced by all children," Ms Davis said.
"It's become the focus of one particular group and what we want to see is a program that delivers for all of our kids in schools. | {
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There’s a good reason for that!!!
Here’s an explanation literally no one asked for, and OP probably already knows, but I like talking about all my hyperfixations, and this covers like four of them. (Now, I’m going off the top of my head and its been a few years since I took an art history class) but the jist of it is that the “new” cathedral style that ended up being called Gothic, was called so, because the flying buttresses and pointed arches, and other pointy, overdramatic details were considered kind of barbaric compared to the older style. I want to say this was the point where cathedrals went from being ‘ornate’ to ‘dear god what the fuck are you even doing?!”
So basically we have gothic as this word that means, big and old and overdramatic and vaguely threatening. Which goes perfectly with the mood needing to be set by authors who place characters dealing with a crisis of faith, or a crisis of morality, in this big old mouldering expansive tomb of a house that represents everything of the distant past and the dark secrets rotting the foundations of polite society. But…the Victorians worshipped the austere version of the greeks and neoclassical, and all that neat white marble. But also an austerity as far as people went, there was this Christian ideal to aspire to.
So the decrepit tomb aesthetic, the doom and gloom and the decaying manor house, The Fall of Usher thing, it was popular for the same reason anything creepy is popular now. That love for the morbid and forbidden has never not existed. I mean…Bram Stoker’s Dracula was a best seller when it come out because it had all of the above and THEN some.
So far we’ve got Gothic as old and decaying and overdramatic and threatening but also kind of sexy (see gothic romances, or the use of gothic romance/gothic horror to explore Victorian fears and anxieties about sex and death and immorality).
Fast forward to the late 1970s when Siouxsie and the Banshees distilled that into a look and a performance. They were a punk band, but Siouxsie dressed like a vamp, she had the Theda Bara makeup and wore Victorian lingerie on the outside, but also fishnets and pointy boots. She was the femme fatale. She had the sex and death of both Vampira and Theda Bara, but her and the band had the theatrics of Screamin Jay Hawkins. A journalist described their music as gothic, as an insult, and exploded outward from there. But…they weren’t the sole band to be described this way, or necessarily the first to sound like that or dress like that. But they had enough of all these things to have that word linked to them. And their fans, and The Cure’s fans, and Sister’s of Mercy’s fans, and Bauhaus’ fans, created the subculture and look that we call Goth now. And much of the look has fanned out and expanded from years and years of the world’s most dramatic people trying to outdo each other at the club.
That’s how we got from A to B. Thanks for coming to my TED talk. | {
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Article content
With duelling Liberal and Conservative caucus retreats underway this week, the government’s proposed tax changes are quickly taking centre stage as each party tries to frame the debate.
The Conservatives are describing it as a debilitating punishment on small business owners and everyone else who gets tax advantages by owning a private corporation. The Liberals, meanwhile, argue it will only affect the wealthy who are using the corporations to avoid paying their fair share of income tax.
We apologize, but this video has failed to load.
tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Scheer calls tax proposal 'crippling,' but Trudeau insists it won't affect those making less than $150,000 Back to video
“If they knew, if they understood, if they cared, the Liberals would not be punishing local businesses and their employees with crippling new taxes,” Conservative leader Andrew Scheer told his caucus in Winnipeg, arguing the tax changes could lead to layoffs.
“We’re talking about the mom and pop businesses that sustain our communities. The cashier working at the hardware store down the street, or the college kid who just got his first job with the local landscaper.” | {
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20.04.2019 - 10:24 | Quelle: Bild/Kicker/Transfermarkt | Lesedauer: unter 2 Min.
Keine schnelle Einigung
„Bild“: Gladbach und BVB trennen 15 Mio im Poker um Hazard-Ablöse
Dass Thorgan Hazard (Foto) Borussia Mönchengladbach in Richtung Dortmund verlassen wird, scheint den übereinstimmenden Medienberichten zufolge so gut wie sicher. Einzig die Frage nach dem Zeitpunkt des Transfers soll im Poker um den Belgier noch offen sein. Der „Kicker“ berichtete zuletzt, BVB-Manager Michael Zorc wolle „nicht einmal im Ansatz auf Eberls (Anm. d Red.: Gladbach-Manager) Vorstellungen einsteigen“ und er werde den Gladbachern in diesem Sommer „ein Angebot vorlegen, das deutlich unter den kolportierten 40 Millionen Euro liegt.“
Nach Informationen der „Bild“-Zeitung trifft dies zu und zwischen den Vorstellungen der beiden NRW-Klubs herrscht noch eine große Diskrepanz. Die Schwarz-Gelben sollen demnach aktuell bereit sein, knapp 25 Mio. Euro Ablöse für Hazard, dessen Vertrag bei Gladbach noch bis 2020 gültig ist, zu bezahlen – 15 Mio. Euro weniger als die „Fohlen“ sich erhoffen. Eine Einigung ist daher zurzeit nicht in Sicht.
Community Hier über den BVB diskutieren Los geht's! Gut möglich daher, dass Hazard noch ein Jahr in Mönchengladbach bleibt und seinen Kontrakt aussitzt. Dann würde der Offensivspieler im Sommer 2020 ablösefrei wechseln und auch ein entsprechendes Handgeld kassieren. „Wenn es am Ende eben nicht passt, dann haben wir nächste Saison einen Top-Spieler hier bei uns. Natürlich sind wir auf Transfereinnahmen angewiesen bei Borussia Mönchengladbach – aber wenn wir einen Top-Spieler behalten können, ist das auch nicht so verkehrt. Deshalb bin ich da sehr entspannt“, so Max Eberl.
Hazard, Götze & Co.: BuLi-Profis mit Vertragsende 2020
Die belgischen Zeitungen „Het Nieuwsblad“ und „La Dernière Heure“ berichteten zuletzt auch, dass der FC Liverpool sogar ein Angebot jenseits der 40-Millionen-Euro-Marke abgegeben habe. Dass Hazard offenbar auf alle Fälle nach Dortmund will, spielt aktuell beim Transferpoker dem BVB in die Karten.
Anzeige:
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Soluţie inedită aplicată de Prefectura Bihor pentru a evita fraudarea sistemului de programare online pentru înmatricularea vehiculelor. Instituția a decis ca persoanele care au făcut programări multiple pentru aceeași mașină să nu se mai poată înscrie în sistem timp de 10 zile. În plus, în caz de recidivă, numele celor care se programează de mai multe ori sunt trecute pe o "listă neagră", publicată pe pagina de internet a Prefecturii.
Sistemul de programări online pentru înmatricularea vehiculelor este disponibil în Bihor din 1 februarie. A fost introdus pentru a face faţă aglomeraţiei apărută la ghişee o dată cu renunţarea la taxa de primă înmatriculare. Imediat au şi observate primele tentative de fraudă.
"Am constatat că unele persoane încearcă să se programeze în zile diferite cu aceeşi serie de şasiu. Ori o maşină nu poate fi înmatriculată decât o singură dată", explică Eugen Antal, consilier IT al Prefecturii Bihor.
Alţii se programau pe internet doar ca să testeze sistemul. În acest fel s-a ajuns ca din cei înscrişi online, doar jumătate să se prezinte la ghişee. Munca funcţionarilor era dată peste cap, iar timpul de aşteptare ajungea la câteva ore.
"Asta făcea ca sistemul să meargă greu, să aglomereze practic celelalte ghişee cu oamenii care nu-şi făceau programare online şi se stătea câteva ore bune", susţine Eugen Antal.
Soluţia găsită de autorităţi este drastică: toţi cei care făceau programari pentru mai multe zile au fost eliminaţi din sistem. Aceştia sunt identificaţi automat, la anumite intervale de timp, de către un program, iar ştergerea programării se face de un operator. Timp de 10 zile cei care ncalcă regulile nu-şi mai pot face programare online la Serviciul de Înmatriculări.
"Deoarece o maşină nu se poate înmatricula de mai multe ori, tentativa de a rezervare online pe baza aceleaşi serii se penalizează prin pierderea priorităţii dobândite prin rezervare, toate rezervările cu aceeaşi serie de şasiu urmând a fi anulate FĂRĂ NOTIFICARE prealabilă."
sursa: serviciicomunitare.eu
"Dacă recidivează şi am avut cazuri de persoane care au recidivat de trei ori le publicăm şi numele la fel cum se publica mai demult pe gazeta de perete", completează consilierul IT al Prefecturii Bihor.
"Pentru a reuşi o programare online, cel care o face rebuie să respecte politica de rezervări online, un set de 12 reguli ce trebuie urmate întocmai", atrage atenţia Bogdan Costea, reporter Digi24 Oradea.
Acestea pot fi consultate pe pagina serviciicomunitare.eu Prin aceste măsuri, autorităţile speră ca ritmul de preluare şi procesare a documentelor va fi mult mai rapid.
Reporter: Bogdan Costea
Operator: Gabor Szilagyi
Editor web: Adrian Laboş | {
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The stock market's six-day winning streak is over.
Walmart had its worst day in three decades, bond yields inched up again, and the Dow closed down more than 250 points.
Disappointing online sales drove Walmart (WMT) stock down more than 10%, its worst day since January 1988. Online sales were up 23% from a year ago, but that was much slower than the previous nine months — a sign that Walmart is finding it more difficult than expected to compete with Amazon.
The yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury note rose to 2.91%, the highest in four years. Rising yields coupled with interest rate hikes from the Fed to stave off inflation could make bonds more attractive to investors, and thus drag down stocks.
The Treasury Department is auctioning off $258 billion of debt this week to help pay for tax cuts and increased spending.
Related: Why the bond market is freaking out Wall Street
February has been one Wall Street's most volatile months in recent memory.
Inflation fears sparked the market sell-off that began February 2, when the Labor Department reported that wages grew at the fastest pace in nine years. The Dow fell 1,000 points twice in a week.
But the Dow staged a comeback, recording six straight days of gains. The S&P 500 soared 4.3% last week, its best in five years.
"Some type of a near-term give back makes sense," said Ryan Detrick, LPL Research's senior market strategist.
Investors are resetting and will shift their attention to the corporate earnings home stretch.
On Wednesday, the Federal Reserve will release its minutes from January that may also provide clues about creeping inflation and the Fed's planned interest rate path.
"This week should allow for a degree of 'relative' temperance to take hold in markets," said Peter Kenny, an independent market strategist and founder of Kenny's Commentary.
--CNN's Matt Egan contributed to this report. | {
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Just as Justin Bieber seems to be in the midst of a superstar meltdown, so is his waxwork figure at Madame Tussauds.
The Bieber likeness on display at Tussauds New York on West 42nd Street has been groped, fondled and grabbed by so many excited fans that exhibit organizers have had to withdraw his dummy from display.
One source said of the Bieber figure, which was installed in his younger, more innocent days, “With no ropes or barriers to stop them, thousands of fans have had their photographs taken with him since then — but it has taken its toll.”
Madame Tussauds New York says the figure has been damaged over the years, and despite regular maintenance, “it no longer does justice either to the star or to the attraction,” and so it has reluctantly decided to remove it.
Madame Tussauds general manager, Bret Pidgeon, acknowledged, “This is disappointing, but hopefully we can welcome a new ‘grown-up’ Justin back to the attraction in the near future.”
The world also awaits to welcome a real-life new “grown-up” Justin. | {
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Melissa Rosenberg tells The Hollywood Reporter that the news came soon enough for the show's writers to craft an ending for the series.
[This story contains spoilers for Marvel's Jessica Jones season three.]
For the final season of Marvel's Jessica Jones, showrunner Melissa Rosenberg found herself and her fellow writers revisiting a key part of her career: several seasons on Showtime's serial killer drama Dexter.
"Our show is very noir; we've always approached it that way. So this was a really good opportunity to do that," Rosenberg told The Hollywood Reporter. "Plus my fellow showrunner was Scott Reynolds [who also worked on Dexter], and so we really had a lot of that background in our approach to stuff."
This meant that in developing the storyline surrounding Sallinger (Jeremy Bobb), a new foe for Jessica (Krysten Ritter) who doesn't have superpowers but does use his hyper-intelligence and training to kill repeatedly and get away with it, they were on familiar turf. "We would stop and go, wait a minute, didn't we do that story on Dexter?" she said. "We were constantly to trying to do something new."
Rosenberg came into the third season knowing that it would be her last on the show, thanks to a reported eight-figure overall deal with Warner Bros., but she began to sense that it would be the last season for the show after the cancellation of Daredevil, a decision made by Netflix soon after the launch of that show's third season.
"That's when we knew that this was clearly a business decision and that we would be on the chopping block as well," she said. "But that was quite early on, so we were able to make adjustments to really finish the storytelling, and it ended really quite perfectly, actually."
Jessica Jones, whose third season debuted June 14, is the last of Netflix's Marvel series to air following the streamer cutting ties with Disney-owned Marvel. Netflix is making a push to own more of its content, and Disney is preparing to launch its Disney+ streaming service in November. There has been speculation that some of the Marvel series could end up on Disney+, something hinted at by Marvel TV head Jeph Loeb when Jessica Jones and The Punisher were canceled to complete Netflix's purge of the Marvel shows.
"Our network partner may have decided they no longer want to continue telling the tales of these great characters — but you know Marvel better than that," Loeb said. "As Matthew Murdock's dad once said, 'The measure of a man is not how he gets knocked to the mat, it's how he gets back up.' To be continued."
As part of bringing the series full circle with the finale, Jessica Jones was able to bring back Mike Colter as Luke Cage, a fitting choice given that the character made his debut in the show's first season before going on to lead his own spinoff. The writers came up with the idea during the story breaking process, and Rosenberg said that "we would have been prepared to try to re-break it without him. But fortunately it all worked out."
Rosenberg said they didn't consider bringing in other established Marvel characters for the finale, "because the group is an organic fit within our world. And our world's so different from the other characters' worlds that it can become jarring to our show, to have someone step in from another world. But because Mike Colter was part of the conception of our world, he blends quite perfectly."
Another even tinier cameo from a past castmember comes in the final moments of the series, as the taunting voice of Jessica Jones' greatest foe, the deceased Kilgrave (David Tennant), can be heard applauding her choice to leave New York behind (which then spurs her to change her mind).
Rosenberg said that as soon as it became clear that this would be the final season, she knew they would want at least a touch of Kilgrave. "It was then that we thought, 'Oh, you know, that would be perfect and he exists in her mind.' So it's the completion of a story as well," she said.
In order to get Tennant involved, episode director Neasa Hardiman had to work remotely with the actor, Rosenberg said: "He recorded it in London, and [Hardiman] was in New York, directing him over the phone. He went and he gave us many different takes. He's so hilarious and versatile."
And then Le Tigre's "Keep On Livin'" kicks in as the final credits roll. "I love that song. That was in editing — we were in post and realizing we really wanted an anthem of sorts that played in tune with Jessica's character, and [Reynolds] turned me onto that song," Rosenberg said. "It was like, 'Oh my God, that's perfect.' Female rockers. It was just absolutely the way to go."
In moving forward, Rosenberg said what attracted her to moving to Warner Bros. was what she'd heard about "what a great working environment it is, first of all. And they have a lot of really interesting projects and the opportunity to tell, to push myself into, new territory, is exciting. It's anxiety-provoking as well. You always hope you're gonna rise to the challenge. But I think a writer can get stale if you just keep telling the same story over and over again. So, you know, I'm looking forward to shaking it up a little bit."
She does anticipate continuing to work with pre-established IP (a long-time trend for her career), and noted that "I love character-driven genre, that's sort of where I live and breathe. So I'll probably always play in that sandbox."
That said, despite joining its corporate family, she doesn't think the DC Comics universe is one she'll dive into right away: "I need to like separate things out because I'm such a Marvel fan. I really need to, because it's a very different animal."
She is excited about the prospects of continuing to write and create for streaming platforms, because, as she said, "I'm not a natural fit for network television. I really thrive on continuing storylines and digging into the darker recesses of the human experience. And I think that network is at its best when it's got a case-of-the-week thing happening, which is just not who I am. The streaming services really lend themselves to the kind of stories I like to tell. So I'll probably spend a lot of time there."
That doesn't mean she's opposed to the idea: "I mean, never say never. I would love to have some series that ran for, you know, 18 years and I could retire, save a small country. That would be awesome. For sure. I just don't think that's what is in my wheelhouse."
Funnily enough, Rosenberg originally developed Jessica Jones as a broadcast TV show, beginning back in 2010 under a deal she had with ABC Studios. "The network bought it, and I said to them going in, 'Are you sure, because this is pretty dark?' And they're like, 'Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.' And then I wrote the pilot for them and they're like, 'Wow, this is pretty dark,'" she said. "So it just kind of sat there for a bit, then Jeph Loeb created this behemoth over at Netflix with Marvel, and it was the absolute perfect place for it. So sometimes the biggest letdowns are a blessing."
The original pilot Rosenberg wrote for ABC ended up being "not wildly different" from what would eventually make its debut on Netflix in November 2015. "I always knew I wanted to tell the Kilgrave story, I wanted her background to be coming out of trauma, and I knew I wanted the Luke Cage character," she said. "Some of the surrounding characters evolved over time — that was a first draft, so it took on a slightly different shape, but it was all there."
She did, however, plan on building a case-of-the-week element into the series when it was intended for broadcast, which wasn't necessary for streaming. "When I went to Netflix it's like, 'Oh no, no, no, we want the cliffhanger. We want it,'" she said. "People are watching these things 30 seconds later, so it's a very different kind of storytelling."
Rosenberg, while leaving Marvel behind, is happy that Jessica Jones feels like a complete series. "I'm proud of our series. You know, the three seasons feel to me like a really complete journey for our characters. We've really had the opportunity to just take them to a place that was satisfying. It's been a really exciting ride, both for the characters and for me," she said.
"There's always a million stories that you can tell with really rich characters. We had our fair share of those. But you want to be careful about overstaying one's welcome. You can keep characters going well beyond when they should. I've been on those shows as well." | {
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eBay with adidas has the adidas Ultra Boost 4.0 Primeknit Men's Running Shoes (select Noble Red only) for $110 - 20% off automatically in cart = $88 with free shipping. | {
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A Wisconsin security guard had to call police for help last week because he couldn't break free from his restraints after handcuffing himself because, he said, he was "bored."
The unidentified man was reportedly working at a Bath and Body Works in Waukesha around 2 a.m. Friday when he put the cuffs on for his own apparent amusement. Authorities said he quickly had to call the police, however, when he realized he left the handcuff keys at home.
MAN TRIED WALKING 351 MILES TO HAVE SEX WITH DEPUTY HE THOUGHT WAS 14-YEAR-OLD GIRL, PROSECUTORS SAY
A police officer who responded to the scene at the store, located roughly 22 miles southeast of Milwaukee, used his own handcuff key to free the security guard, WDJT-TV reported.
The officers said after they helped free him, he hid his cuffs from himself so that he wouldn't be tempted to put them on again.
CLICK TO VISIT THE ALL-NEW FOXBUSINESS.COM
It was reportedly not the first time the security guard handcuffed himself without having the key. | {
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An employee of Russia's Internet giant Yandex, Dmitry Korobov, stole the source code of its search engine and tried to sell it on the black market to fund his own startup, according to a report by the Russian newspaper Kommersant. A Russian court has found Korobov guilty and handed down a suspended sentence of two years in jail.
The Kommersant investigation revealed that Korobov downloaded a piece of software codenamed Arcadia from Yandex's servers, which contained the source code and algorithms of the company's search engine. Later on, he tried to sell it to an electronics retailer called NIX, where a friend of his allegedly worked. Korobov also trawled the darknet in search of potential buyers.
Korobov put a surprisingly low price on the code and algorithms, asking for just $25,000 and 250,000 Russian rubles, or about £19,000 in total. There's no information on Korobov's position within the company, but it appears that he wasn't aware that the data he had in his possession could be worth much more.
According to local industry experts, it's not likely that Yandex's direct rivals like Google or Rambler, another Russian Internet company, would be interested in the source code.
"The market is small, and it would've been easy to single out the thief," said Aleksey Lukatskiy, an Internet security analyst at Cisco. The algorithms, however, could've been used for advanced search engine optimisation purposes.
Kommersant's sources said that Yandex estimated the value of the code and algorithms at "billions of rubles," or north of £10 million. At court, a Yandex representative said that the software in question "is a key part of our company, it was related directly to Yandex's search engine, which is the main source of the company's income."
"Our management took this incident very seriously," she added.
Another source told Kommersant that Korobov planned to use the money to launch a startup of his own. Looking for a buyer, he went to darknet hacker forums and attracted the attention of Russia's Federal Security Service. Korobov was arrested when he came to a meeting with a potential buyer.
Yandex is the most popular search engine in Russia, where its market share in November reached 57.2 percent, compared to Google's 35.2 percent. Over the past few years the company has been trying to expand to the Turkish search market, where it had a 7 percent share as of October.
Correction: The story was updated to correct a currency conversion error. The original story had a total amount asked by Korobov at £27,000, but actually it's just £19,000. | {
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Millie McKenzie is fast becoming one of the most recognisable names on the UK wrestling scene and for all the right reasons. The 17 year old has had an incredible few months working for the likes of Revolution Pro, PROGRESS, Fight Club Pro & Pro Wrestling Eve to name but a few.
Like most, Millie recalls falling in love with the business at an early age and never looking back from there.
“Well I used to watch it on TV. I just remember one day it was on and I recorded it and just got into it from there. None of my family liked it but I was really invested in the storylines and became more and more loyal from there.”
“It must of been about 2008, I remember the first match I ever saw was John Cena Vs Dolph Ziggler on a SmackDown show.”
Her initial fandom centered around CM Punk and the Shield and she had an interesting encounter with Shield member, Dean Ambrose which only made her a bigger fan.
“I love them (The Shield) because everyone hated them, I just thought they were cool. CM Punk was unique and I hadn’t seen anything like him before. So I started followed him more closely and looking into his past.”
“I was also a massive fan of Dean Ambrose when he was Jon Moxley and was with Sami Callihan. I am a massive fan of Callihan and have been lucky enough to train with him. But yeah I was a huge Ambrose fan and when I went to see WWE I made a sign and he gave me his shirt after the match. I framed it and put it on my wall.”
Millie started her training at the age of fourteen and was fortunate enough to have very supportive parents, although to start with they were also slightly hesitant to let their little girl enter into such a male dominated world.
“I think my mum initially thought that I would grow out of it. But I am very lucky to have very supportive parents. When I first started training my mum was shocked. I would turn up and there would be these big scary men and then little 14 year old me.”
“I think my mum thought that I would be scared but I am so determined and I stuck at it. Now they absolutely love it. My Dad is an expert and likes to tell me what I am doing wrong and they make an effort to come to as many shows as they can.
The PWA (Phoenix Wrestling Association) in Coventry was the first school that Millie attended to learn the ropes and it was also the promotion which hosted her first professional match (You can watch the match in the video below). A match that with the benefit of hindsight she isn’t overly fond of.
“I remember everything about my first match. It was at PWA against TJ Sky and I was so nervous. I had ordered some gear but the top didn’t fit so I was running around my bedroom trying to find a top I could wear.”
“At the time I didn’t think the match was too bad and I was just glad to get through it because I was so nervous. But watching it back it is not great.”
The evolution of her character has come on leaps and bounds in such a short time, something that she gives full credit to her new coaches Travis Banks & Martin Zaki at Fight Club Pro.
“Travis is ridiculously intense, his sessions hurt. Like for example the warm up we have to do 250 squats, 100 press ups and carry men on our shoulders. But its the best way to learn.”
“We have also been working a lot on reacting to stuff in training which makes it so much easier when it comes to doing a match. It becomes second nature and is one less thing to think about. Travis and Zaki are just the best though they have taught me so much.”
Whilst Millie’s rise to her current position has been a huge testament to her hard work and the team she surrounds herself with, she has not found every aspect of the industry a walk in the park.
“I was quite shy, I mean I suppose I still am really. I used to struggle making noise and stuff in my matches. At training its hard because there is no audience so I kind of didn’t do it. But I am now working on that and making more noise in my matches.”
“With promos I’ll happily speak about anything if I have something to talk about. I struggle if there isn’t a specific thing to talk about. When I trained at Kamakize at the end of each session we would have to cut a promo on the person behind us in the line. But it was all off the cuff and I struggled with that a bit.”
One thing that Millie hasn’t struggled with has been working with both men and women and has started to make a bit of a name for herself working inter gender matches, something she is very happy with.
“Its nice to be able to have a mixture of both because I try to mix up what I do a bit with men and women. I do love wrestling the men because I think with the moves that I do such as german suplexes can look better if I am doing them on men.”
“For example if I give Chris Brookes and german suplex it looks more impressive because he is so much bigger than me. Its even more unbelievable and I think that works well.”
At just 17 years old it really is incredible to take into account what Millie has achieved and its almost a formality that she will only continue to improve with age. In an environment which demands professional wrestlers to perform at such high levels, pressure can be a huge challenge but one in which Millie fully embraces and uses to her advantage every time she steps inside the squared circle.
“I have been very lucky because I have got to where I am quite quickly. I forget I’m quite young sometimes, I’m not very patient. From June last year its really taken off and I put lot of pressure on myself.”
“Before then I had no expectations because I was so young and small, people assumed I was going to be bad. But pressure is a good thing, it makes you perform at a high standard.”
Be sure to follow Millie on twitter @MillieMcKenzie0
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In a beautiful ceremony with family and friends in attendance, former Bengals player (and now Texans defensive end) Devon Still married Asha Joyce on Friday night in New York City at the New York Public Library. The wedding was thrown by The Knot as Still and Joyce were selected for their annual Dream Wedding.
In Still's acceptance speech during the 2015 ESPY awards, he vowed to give Asha "the wedding of her dreams". When The Knot heard his remarkable speech, they offered to host the wedding and provide a charity registry on TheKnot.com for the couple to raise money for pediatric cancer research.
"We couldn’t think of a more deserving pair than Devon and Asha as our Dream Wedding couple and they have been an absolute pleasure," said Kellie Gould, editor in chief of The Knot. "We’re excited to make their dream wedding a reality with the help and gracious support of the best wedding professionals in the industry."
Bengals including Brandon Thompson (who was a groomsman), Will Clarke and Carlos Dunlap were in attendance as well as many of Still's teammates from Penn State.
Living a Dream!!! #stillinlove2016 A photo posted by Asha Adore (@ashaadore) on May 13, 2016 at 9:29pm PDT
Slaying with my ladies #stillinlove2016 A photo posted by Asha Adore (@ashaadore) on May 13, 2016 at 11:07pm PDT
"After we got engaged we put off on the wedding because my daughter was supposed to be the flower girl," Devon Still said. "When the doctors gave her a 50/50 chance of surviving, we were not sure that we were ever going to get to that point where I was able to watch her walk down the aisle. Now that we are going into the wedding, I think it’s finally hitting us that we are over that hump. She really beat cancer."
Groomsmen Still wedding #NYC #library #stillinlove2016 A photo posted by j_trout63 (@j_trout63) on May 13, 2016 at 4:14pm PDT
Leah Still of course stole the show, like only she could, and looked adorable in the process.
Killin it. #Stillinlove2016 #theknotdreamwedding @man_of_still91 @ashaadore #LeahStrong A video posted by JoAnn Esposito (@jespo25) on May 13, 2016 at 10:08pm PDT
Leah was the flower girl and gave a short but sweet speech during the party.
And the award to the most beautiful flower girl goes to miss Leah Still congratulations to @man_of_still91 his beautiful bride #stillinlove2016 #stillstrong A video posted by Arrow + Phoenix (@arrowandphoenix) on May 13, 2016 at 11:20pm PDT
Bengals defensive end Will Clarke was among the guests.
Congratulations to the Still's. Love you guys #stillinlove2016 A photo posted by Lucia Cunningham (@sadie_cakess) on May 13, 2016 at 5:33pm PDT
Walking to our new beginnings #theknotdreamwedding #stillinlove2016 A photo posted by Devon Still (@man_of_still91) on May 13, 2016 at 10:04pm PDT
Carlos Dunlap also looked great while attending his former teammates wedding.
Looking good, Carlos! #TheKnotDreamWedding #stillinlove2016 #WHODEY A photo posted by Lauren Nolan (@laurennolan) on May 13, 2016 at 10:30pm PDT
And he knows how to make an entrance.
I'll Be A Witness Today. #stillinlove2016 #theknotdreamwedding A photo posted by Carlos Dunlap (@employee96) on May 13, 2016 at 4:10pm PDT
Nobody deserves a happy ending more than these two amazing people and little Leah! It's been an honor getting to know Devon, Asha + Leah these past few months thanks to @xogroupinc! Cheers to the Still family and a very happy future ahead! #TheKnotDreamWedding #stillinlove2016 A photo posted by Lauren Nolan (@laurennolan) on May 13, 2016 at 7:03pm PDT
Everything about last night was perfect ❤️ #StillInLove2016 #TheKnotDreamWedding @ashaadore @man_of_still91 A video posted by Lish (@cachenicole) on May 14, 2016 at 7:09am PDT
Joe Buck, Michelle Beisner (who has covered Leah's story for ESPN) and Holly Peete were among the guests in attendance.
Wishing nothing but the best for @ashaadore @man_of_still91 #amazingwedding so fun seeing @michellebeisner and hubby Cool @boejuck !! #theknotdreamwedding A photo posted by Holly Robinson Peete (@hollyrpeete) on May 13, 2016 at 7:24pm PDT
Check out the cake!!
We wish nothing but the best for the happy couple! | {
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Jordan J Wilson
IndyStar
INDIANAPOLIS — There were only two people sitting courtside clad in green Boston Celtics shirts Thursday night at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
The middle-aged couple — David and Beth Whitfield — sit together and chat with a nearby usher with a folksy, Midwestern charm you might not expect to find from traveling Bostonians. Probably because the Whitfields aren't from Boston. They grew up in Mishawaka near South Bend, met each other in high school — high school sweethearts.
But on a night like this, sitting about midcourt in a sea of riled Indiana Pacers fans, the Whitfields are happy to dress full Boston for their son, former Notre Dame standpoint Demetrius Jackson, who sits on the Celtics bench.
Behind that bench sits another of their six children, Michael Whitfield, who also proudly cheers along for his brother’s team. So do three of Michael’s other four biological siblings from up in a suite, with their grandparents.
This night was special, and not because of anything Jackson would do for the Celtics that game. He was actually inactive. It was because, for the first time since September, nearly the entire Whitfield clan was reunited again, and just in time for the holidays.
“The holidays are always a time that bring us all back to when it first happened, reminds us of everything we went through and our parents did to make it happen,” Michael Whitfield said. “It’s not every day you can meet someone and feel a connection like they’re your family. And every holiday just reminds us of what we did, what we were able to do.”
Jackson is not the Whitfields’ biological son. But never once talking to them would you think he was anything less than a brother, a son, a grandson, a Whitfield.
Jackson was about 13 when he first met Michael while playing AAU basketball, living in his second foster home in less than two years. He still doesn’t talk much publicly about the details that thrust him into foster care, but the short version, according to what Jackson told the Chicago Tribune in 2013, is he left in the interest of “taking some of the burden off of my biological mother” while she coped with his father serving a jail sentence.
For the first few months Michael Whitfield knew Jackson, they were just seventh-grade boys playing basketball together. He knew nothing about the situation until they grew closer, when Jackson started spending weekends at the Whitfield house. David Whitfield would drive the boys to games out of town. Before long, the entire family got to know Jackson, calling him "D" for short.
It was around the holidays when Michael, understanding Jackson’s second foster home was an essentially revolving door for boys if they got in trouble, asked his parents if Jackson could live with them.
“Once Michael asked and we talked to each other and talked to the rest of our kids, there was never a point where, ‘No, we’re not going to do this.’” Beth Whitfield said. “It’s just our life. We were just doing what we thought was right. Other people make a big deal out of it: ‘Oh, we don’t know if we could do that.’ But it’s just normal life for us.”
Of course, there was an adjustment period, where the Whitfields felt they needed to earn Jackson’s trust before he could feel comfortable in their home. As Michael says, it fell more on him understanding that things weren’t the same as in his foster home. If he messed up with the Whitfields, “he was never going to leave.”
Judy Burmeister, Beth’s mother, smiles when she remembers the first Christmas Eve she saw Jackson in church with them all. Jackson wasn't Catholic when he joined the family, but seeing him in the pews, becoming more comfortable with his new family every day, made everything feel whole.
“He was Michael’s buddy, our grandson’s buddy, our buddy,” said Tom Burmeister, Beth’s father. “Everybody was thrilled to have Demetrius join the family. And we’re more impressed with him every day.”
The Whitfields repeat it every time they talk about Jackson: They never knew he would go on to play for Notre Dame and lead the Irish through the NCAA tournament, never knew he would be sitting on the Celtics bench. He was a boy that needed help, and they were a family that could give it. Simple as that.
Though, now that he has reached the highest level, the Whitfields admit it can be hard being away from him. Beth shed a tear on Thanksgiving seeing all of her children at home except for Jackson, who was traveling for Boston. They all FaceTime and text as often as they can, but there is a huge difference from him playing in their backyard for the Irish and playing halfway across the country.
Some things are not different. Whether Jackson can make it home for Christmas Eve, there will still be presents for him waiting underneath the tree in the Whitfield home — although, not too soon, or else Jackson’s 120-pound Mastiff living with the Whitfields might tear them up.
And whenever he does make it home next, it will be like nothing has changed.
“Our lives have changed and that’s for sure, but when he walks in the room, it’s like he’s our brother,” Michael Whitfield said. “It’s not, here’s an NBA player. It’s our brother, the same person we mess around with, same person we joke with. It hasn’t changed at all.”
Follow IndyStar reporter Jordan J. Wilson on Twitter: @Wilsonable07. Email him [email protected].
Doyel: Emotional end for Demetrius Jackson | {
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Alcoa To Pay $384 Million Penalty For Bahrain Bribes
Alcoa and a subsidiary of the the U.S. aluminum giant, will pay $384 million to the U.S. government for engaging in corrupt practices. The payment is part of a settlement in a bribery case involving the royal family of Bahrain.
STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:
And let's keep talking about international trade here. The American aluminum giant Alcoa and one of its subsidiaries will pay $384 million in fines to the United States government for engaging in corrupt practices overseas.
The payment is part of a settlement in a bribery case involving the royal family of Bahrain.
NPR's John Ydstie reports.
JOHN YDSTIE, BYLINE: Alcoa World Alumina, joined venture majority owned by Alcoa, admitted that it paid tens of millions of dollars in kickbacks through shell corporations to members of the Bahraini royal family. The bribes were made to insure the company's right to supply alumina, a raw material used to make aluminum, to a state-owned company in Bahrain.
The companies made separate settlements with the U.S. Justice Department and the Securities and Exchange Commission. The charges came under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act which prohibits the bribery of foreign officials.
Alcoa CEO, Klaus Kleinfeld, told CNBC he welcomed the resolution of the matter.
KLAUS KLEINFELD: We have been able to negotiate it in such a way that it puts less on financial stress on the company, it's getting paid over four years. So that's good.
YDSTIE: Kleinfeld called the situation a legacy legal issue which the company can now put behind it. The bribes were paid as far back as 1989 and Alcoa has already settled another legal suit involving the corrupt activity.
Alcoa shares slipped following news of the settlement and an earnings report that was slightly below Wall Street's expectations.
John Ydstie, NPR News, Washington.
Copyright © 2014 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information.
NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by Verb8tm, Inc., an NPR contractor, and produced using a proprietary transcription process developed with NPR. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record. | {
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Fine Gael's Eoghan Murphy was interested to see how many people filled in 'Jedi Knight' as their religion in last year's Census forms.
Fine Gael's Eoghan Murphy was interested to see how many people filled in 'Jedi Knight' as their religion in last year's Census forms.
THE DÁIL’S Public Accounts Committee has been asked to provide with statistics on the number of people who affirmed their religion as ‘Jedi Knight’ in last year’s Census.
The stats will be sought after Fine Gael TD Eoghan Murphy queried the number of people who had written in a religion other than those which were included in last year’s Census form.
“How do we know that the data we get is accurate,” Murphy asked, querying whether there had been examples like active campaigns for people to indicate a religion which was not their true faith.
The CSO’s Aidan Punch said Census figures showed remarkable stability over time, offering: “If you compare it at a detailed level of geography… you’ll get a remarkable consistency.
“I can tell you it didn’t happen, because this is Ireland… I’m not convinced that people just tick boxes.”
Piqued, Murphy asked whether there had been any note taken of the number of people who had indicated their religion as Jedi Knight, in line with other international campaigns to have Jedi recognised as an official religion by including it in their Census returns.
“I don’t think on this particular occasion we didn’t come up against any of those,” he was told in response, though CSO chief Gerry O’Hanlon added:
If somebody wishes, under ‘religious denomination’, to consider themselves a Jedi Knight, well the CSO is quite willing to accept it as Jedi Knight, because it’s self-declaration… whether such a thing exists is immaterial or not.
#Open journalism No news is bad news Support The Journal Your contributions will help us continue to deliver the stories that are important to you Support us now
Murphy’s Fine Gael colleague Paschal Donohoe said if the CSO supplied the Jedi stats, their submissions would probably be “the most unusual piece of correspondence the Public Accounts Committee has ever received.”
Perhaps coincidentally – or maybe not – the request comes a day before Star Wars Day, as in, “May the Fourth be with you.” | {
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Clinton: Devote Surplus To Social Security President Clinton begins his State of the Union address Tuesday night. (Reuters)
Related Links
Text: State of the Union Text of GOP Response Audio & Video Highlights '93-'99 Index: Issue by Issue Full Coverage: State of the Union Full Coverage: Clinton Accused
By John Harris
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, January 20, 1999; Page A1 President Clinton appeared before a joint session of Congress last night to present an ebullient vision of a nation enjoying vast prosperity after six years under his leadership, a newfound abundance that he said should be used to prepare for the burden of a rapidly aging population in the next century. At a moment of maximum personal travail, Clinton opened his annual State of the Union address with a boast that "America is working again" before announcing a policy barrage that includes one of the more ambitious initiatives of his presidency: a plan to devote some $2.7 trillion in projected budget surpluses over the next 15 years to Social Security. Speaking in personal terms about the obligations of his baby-boom generation, Clinton proposed allowing the 64-year-old retirement program to invest a portion of its money for the first time in the stock market. And he pledged a new program that would spend billions to create individual accounts designed to coax Americans to invest more for their retirement. Clinton also proposed directing billions of the surplus to the Medicare health insurance program for seniors. Cumulatively, the president anticipates spending nearly 90 percent of the surplus on programs for the aged. In his latest assault on Big Tobacco, Clinton disclosed he is directing the Justice Department to prepare litigation to sue cigarette companies seeking hundreds of billions of dollars in smoking-related costs borne by Medicare and other federal programs. Simply by appearing in the House chamber last night, Clinton was making history of a sort he never hoped for – becoming the first president to deliver his annual message before a Congress deliberating whether to evict him from office. Clinton's response was to make no reference to impeachment in the 77-minute speech. Instead, he struck a relaxed, genial tone. Speaking to a Congress that has been riven for months by the most vituperative brand of partisanship, Clinton opened his address by recalling the admonition of new House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) for Republicans and Democrats to work in a spirit of bipartisanship and civility. "Mr. Speaker, let's do exactly that," the president said. At a time of doubts about the vitality of his presidency, Clinton tried to silence critics by turning his State of the Union into an extravaganza of policy and theater. Instead of recognizing one or two honored guests in the crowd, he recognized a half-dozen, including baseball star Sammy Sosa and civil-rights heroine Rosa Parks. And he peppered the audience with literally dozens of policy ideas big and small on subjects from adult literacy to parks protection, from regulating health maintenance organizations to imposing new teaching and discipline standards on local schools. He called for affordable drugs for senior citizens, and drug-testing for prisoners. The response was decidedly mixed. Clinton was interrupted by applause some 100 times, occasionally for bipartisan ovations. But, most of the times, Republicans were coolly polite, staying in their seats silently or clapping perfunctorily. Clinton made light of the divergent receptions on the two sides of the aisle on one occasion when Republicans did clap lustily – for Clinton's appeal that women be given equal pay for equal work. "That was encouraging, you know?" Clinton joked. "There was more balance on the seesaw. I like that. Let's give them a hand." Beyond the humor, advisers said, Clinton was trying to make the most of a strange and contradictory moment – appearing as a president high in the polls but fighting to remain in office. He intended to send a message not merely about the state of the union but also about the state of his presidency, serving notice to Congress and a television audience projected to be at least 50 million people that Clinton intends to remain in office for the next two years as the dominant force in Washington's policy debate. The recurring theme in last night's speech was an appeal that Americans not simply celebrate prosperity but use it to meet long-term challenges. "The promise of our future is limitless," he said. "But we cannot realize that promise if we allow the hum of our prosperity to lull us into complacency. . . . So, with our budget surplus growing, our economy expanding, our confidence rising, now is the moment of this generation to meet our historic responsibility to the 21st century." One of the more striking ways Clinton proposed to do this was through a new idea he dubbed "Universal Savings Accounts." Under the administration's plan, which officials yesterday acknowledged was still in the formative stages, each American would receive an identical chunk of money from the government to be invested as seen fit. In addition, the government would match a percentage of any additional money a person chose to invest (the match would be larger for lower- and middle-class earners and gradually fade out the more someone earned). The president's speech, and the Republican response that followed, affirmed the widespread expectation that – once the impeachment drama comes to a close – the capital's policy agenda in 1999 will be dominated by two intertwined subjects. One is the politics of aging, the other the politics of prosperity. After nearly two decades during which chronic deficits shadowed nearly all domestic policy discussions, the debate now is what to do with a prosperity-driven surplus that last fiscal year exceeded $70 billion. Starting at last year's State of the Union address, Clinton fended off GOP plans to use the surplus for an across-the-board tax cut with his vow to "Save Social Security First." This year, Clinton bowed to GOP demands that he provide some detail as to how he might do this. What he unveiled last night was a classically Clintonesque response to a delicate political problem: He is seeking to defeat the opposition by borrowing part of their agenda, in the hopes this will leave him in a stronger position to oppose other parts. While some conservatives have said the answer to soaring costs for Medicare and Social Security is trimming benefits, Clinton said he is prepared to direct billions more to to preserve entitlements. But he has responded to pleas that the only way to save the 64-year-old Social Security system is by doing something that was anathema to an earlier generation of Democrats – putting money in the stock market. By investing no more than a quarter of the Social Security trust fund in the markets, Clinton said, the government can achieve higher returns on its money and extend the life of the system from about 2030 to 2055. Republicans are arguing that individuals should have direct control over how their Social Security money is invested – an idea that Clinton and Democrats have steadfastly resisted. But the so-called USA accounts will allow Clinton to say that he too supports more individual control. By the end of his speech, Clinton made clear that his administration has completely divided up a 15-year surplus his administration predicts will total $4.2 trillion. Sixty-two percent would go to Social Security, 15 percent to the Medicare program, 15 percent to the USA accounts, and the rest to various spending initiatives, the largest of which is an extra $110 billion over five years for the Pentagon. In the GOP response, Reps. Jennifer Dunn (Wash.) and Steve Largent (Okla.) said Social Security could be fixed while still enacting their party's plan for a 10 percent across-the-board cut in income tax rates and eliminating the "marriage penalty" paid by many two-income couples. "Mr. President, give it back," Dunn said of the surplus. While the opening passages of Clinton's speech dealt with the problems of caring for the aged, he pivoted into what he said was the other great 21st century challenge – how to improve the care and education of young people. Promoting a plan that his advisers had laid out earlier this week, Clinton said the federal government needed to start demanding more results in exchange for the $15 billion annually it spends in aid to public schools. What he called an "Education Accountability Act" would require that schools end "social promotion" of students who are flagging academically; increase funding for after-school and summer programs; insist that schools adapt tougher discipline policies; promote "performance exams" for teachers; and require local districts to identify failing schools and either improve or shut them down. Clinton's announcement that the Justice Department was preparing plans to take the tobacco industry to court comes as the president is also planning to seek a new 55-cent-per-pack tax on cigarettes in his budget. Both measures are an attempt to salvage Clinton's failed effort to pass far-reaching tobacco legislation last year. After that measure was blocked by Senate Republicans, the administration began searching for other avenues to reduce teen smoking. One option was higher taxes. Another was a federal lawsuit seeking to recover billions spent to treat smoking-related diseases in the Medicare program and other government health plans for veterans and federal employees. Such a lawsuit would follow in the path of risky and ground-breaking lawsuits filed by more than three dozen states, which last year spurred the tobacco industry to agree to a $206 billion settlement. On trade, Clinton appealed for a new consensus on what is traditionally among the most divisive issues. "I think trade has divided us and divided Americans outside this chamber for too long," he said. "Somehow, we have to find a common ground on which business and workers and environmentalists and farmers and government can stand together." His solution was a call for lower trade barriers but also a vow to get tough on Japan if it does not reverse what the administration suspects is a pattern of dumping steel in this country. Clinton called for launching a new round of global negotiations later this year aimed at lowering trade barriers worldwide, especially in agriculture. Up to now, the administration has shied from acceding to European and Japanese requests for a new trade round, largely because of fears that it may prove difficult to rally American public opinion behind moves to reduce trade barriers further. To complete a successful round of talks the White House will have to win special trade negotiating authority from Congress – something lawmakers have so far refused to give Clinton. But the president opted for advancing the free-trade agenda in part to counteract protectionist forces that have gained strength amid the global financial crisis. Clinton said strains on troop readiness and weapons modernization required reversing a trend toward declining defense spending that began in 1985. America's military men and women, the president said, "always come through for America; we must come through for them." In the most concrete foreign-policy initiative, Clinton called for a two thirds increase in U.S. assistance to Russia, Ukraine and other former Soviet republics to "safeguard nuclear materials and technology so they never fall into the wrong hands." His request would raise spending on nuclear security programs in those countries to $4.2 billion over the next five years, from the $2.5 billion already budgeted. Clinton also pledged to combat terrorism, keep Iraq contained and press Serbia to end repression of ethnic Albanians in the Kosovo province. He also called for ratification of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, a long-sought goal. He also reaffirmed his administration's commitment to the United Nations, saying he would again ask Congress for money to pay off this country's $1 billion debt to the organization. And he said the federal budget he will unveil next month proposes increases to help U.S. communities prepare against terror attacks on critical infrastructure such as power grids or computer networks, and to support immunizations against biological weapons. Among the policy proposals Clinton presented in a rapid-fire style, were a revival of the health care bill of rights that failed last year, and an increase in the minimum wage by a dollar to $6.15 an hour. He won bipartisan applause for a tax credit of up to $250 to help parents who stay home to care for infants. Vice President Gore got several of his policy priorities addressed, including a new "clean-air fund," with aid for localities and tax incentives for clean-energy technologies. Clinton also threw a rhetorical bouquet to first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton, who stood for a wide round of applause for her work in preserving historic sites and helping children. Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist, who is presiding over the Senate trial deciding whether to remove Clinton from office, did not join his court colleagues at the speech. His aides reportedly questioned whether it was appropriate for him to attend. While Clinton did not mention the Senate debate about whether he should remain in office, Republicans did in their response. "Our country is not in crisis. There are no tanks in the streets," Dunn said in the nationally televised GOP response to the president. "No matter what the outcome of the president's situation, life in America will go on," Dunn said. "Our lives will continue to be filled with practical matters, not constitutional ones." Staff writers Paul Blustein, Thomas W. Lippman and Saundra Torry contributed to this report. © Copyright 1999 The Washington Post Company Back to the top
| {
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Flyability drones are going to advance a perception of drones as service angels as opposed to attack agents. Switzerland-based Flyability is all about making robots to support search and rescue operations. Their product is a small, lightweight drone which can collide on obstacles without losing stability and is safe to fly in contact with humans.
Ensuring drones can do the job they set out to do for search and rescue has not been easy, with collision risks. Patrick Thevoz, co-founder, said the company vision involves service drones that can be safely deployed even in populated areas. He said the team was aiming to empower search and rescue technicians with robot partners which truly fit their needs, in scenes such as entering a building to assess smoke; entering an accident site to identify the source of a chemical leak; and entering an unstable structure to further assess its safety. The company promotes its work in developing a "collision-tolerant" robot. The machine makes use of obstacles to find its way instead of avoiding them. Its flight-control algorithms keep the robot stable. Designed to go everywhere, the insect-inspired machine, in addition to flying, can roll on walls, ceilings and on the ground.
The company, founded last year, is a spinoff from the Swiss Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL). The "Gimball" is protected by an external spherical frame decoupled from the avionics. Thanks to its design, it can be sent to hard-to-reach locations during a disaster, for example, to film the environment with its onboard camera and provide information to rescuers. With its surrounding small spherical cage shape, it bounces off obstacles; a rotating cage gives it the ability to meet obstacles in challenging environments without losing stability.
Greg Kumparak, Mobile Editor at TechCrunch, explained how the cage is held in place by a multi-axis gimbal system, allowing the cage to rotate and roll independently of the propeller/camera rig at its core. He also remarked that, "rather than hunt down rebels, this thing is meant to save lives—and between the IR camera (for seeing through smoke) and that crash resistant shell, it's easy to imagine it doing just that in the not-too-distant future." It's also easy to see that Flyability is making headway in impressing people with their work. Earlier this month, it was announced that Flyability won a $1 million grant in the International Competition of the UAE Drones for Good Award (billed as the "World Cup" for drones).
Flyability co-founder Thevoz said, "We struggled to find funding to develop our search and rescue drone, but this UAE Government Summit initiative, Drones for Good, means we can commercially develop our project within a year, and with Flyability capable of going anywhere that is too dangerous for rescuers, it can save lives." He said the Drones for Good award was inspirational "because while there are many awards for academic research there aren't many for the social application of new technology."
Explore further Chinese company limits US drone use after White House crash
© 2015 Tech Xplore | {
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As smog and pollution hits an all-time high on the streets of Beijing, one Chinese entrepreneur is looking to the skies.
Chen Guangbiao, whose wealth is reportedly valued at $740 million, is selling canned fresh air -- and it's available in different flavors.
The cans, priced at 5 yuan each (80 cents US), come in flavors that include pristine Tibet, post-industrial Taiwan and revolutionary Yan'an, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.
Chen hopes to call attention to the ongoing air quality problem in China.
"If we don't start caring for the environment, then after 20 or 30 years our children and grandchildren might be wearing gas masks and carry oxygen tanks," said Chen, according to the paper.
The off-the-scale smog has been so thick in recent days that Beijing has been forced to temporarily shut factories and curtail fleets of government cars, while airlines canceled flights because of poor visibility, according to The Associated Press.
The U.S. Embassy reported an hourly peak level of PM2.5 -- tiny particulate matter that can penetrate deep into the lungs -- at 526 micrograms per cubic meter, or "beyond index," and more than 20 times higher than World Health Organization safety levels over a 24-hour period.
Visibility was less than 100 yards in some areas of eastern China, the official Xinhua News Agency reported. More than 100 flights were canceled in the eastern city of Zhengzhou, 33 in Beijing, 20 in Qingdao and 13 in Jinan.
Air pollution has long been a problem in Beijing, but the country has been more open about releasing statistics on PM2.5 -- considered a more accurate reflection of air quality than other pollutants -- only since early last year. The city hit its highest readings on Jan. 12, when U.S. Embassy readings of PM2.5 reached as high as 886 micrograms per cubic meter.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Click for more from the Sydney Morning Herald. | {
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Pakistan's new leaders tell US: We are no longer your killing field
The Bush administration is scrambling to engage with Pakistan's new rulers as power flows from its strong ally, President Pervez Musharraf, to a powerful civilian government buoyed by anti-American sentiment.
Top diplomats John Negroponte and Richard Boucher travelled to a mountain fortress near the Afghan border yesterday as part of a hastily announced visit that has received a tepid reception.
On Tuesday, senior coalition partner Nawaz Sharif gave the visiting Americans a public scolding for using Pakistan as a "killing field" and relying too much on Musharraf.
Yesterday the new prime minister, Yousaf Raza Gilani, said he warned President George Bush in a phone conversation that he would prioritise talking as well as shooting in the battle against Islamist extremism. "He said that a comprehensive approach is required in this regard, specially combining a political approach with development," a statement said.
But Gilani also reassured Bush that Pakistan would "continue to fight against terrorism", it said.
Since 2001 American officials have treasured their close relationship with Musharraf because he offered a "one-stop shop" for cooperation in hunting al-Qaida fugitives hiding in Pakistan.
But since the crushing electoral defeat of Musharraf's party last month, and talk that the new parliament may hobble the president's powers, that equation has changed. Now the US finds itself dealing with politicians it previously spurned.
The body language between Negroponte and Sharif during their meeting on Tuesday spoke volumes: the Pakistani greeted the American with a starched handshake, and sat at a distance .
In blunt remarks afterwards, Sharif said he told Negroponte that Pakistan was no longer a one-man show. "Since 9/11, all decisions were taken by one man," he said. "Now we have a sovereign parliament and everything will be debated in the parliament."
It was "unacceptable that while giving peace to the world we make our own country a killing field," Sharif said, echoing widespread public anger at US-funded military operations in the tribal belt.
"If America wants to see itself clean of terrorism, we also want our villages and towns not to be bombed," he said.
US officials have long paid tribute to the virtues of democracy in Pakistan. But, as happened in the Palestinian Authority after the 2006 Hamas victory, policymakers are racing to catch up with the consequences of a result that challenges American priorities.
The US has long been suspicious of Sharif, whom it views as sympathetic to religious parties. Unlike Benazir Bhutto, whose return from exile was negotiated through the US, Sharif came under the protection of Saudi Arabia. But now Sharif's party, which performed well in the poll, is an integral part of the new government.
Yesterday Negroponte and Boucher travelled to the Khyber Pass in North-West Frontier Province, the centre of a growing insurgency. They met with the commander of the Frontier Corps, a poorly equipped paramilitary force that the US has offered to upgrade. The US has earmarked $750m (£324m) for a five-year development programme in tribal areas. At least 22 military instructors are due to start training the corps this year.
The timing of the American visit - before the new cabinet is announced - has offended Pakistanis. "It flies in the face of normal protocol at a time when public opinion is rife that they are making a last ditch effort to save Musharraf," said Talat Hussain, a prominent journalist.
It is unclear how Pakistan's foreign policy will be formulated in future. Musharraf's power may have been cut but the strong army is lurking in the shadows, and the coalition is wrangling over cabinet posts, including that of foreign minister.
Gilani must manage other tensions, particularly over whether to reinstate Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, the deposed chief justice who was freed from house arrest on Monday. Chaudhry has become a folk hero but is viewed with suspicion by Gilani's Pakistan People's party. | {
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Police use tear gas to maintain control of crowds or cause them to disperse. For citizen survival scenarios, you can use tear gas to ward off enemies, disengage dangerous animals, or to make a location temporarily inhabitable by people.
Commercial forms of tear gas are often designated CN (chloroacetophenone) or CS (chlorobenzylidenemalononitrile) and require complicated chemical processes to produce. However, an equivalent tear gas can be made using Oleoresin Capsicum (OC) as the critical component. OC is the eye-stinging oil in red and green peppers. Oleoresin Capsicum irritates nasal passages, forces a victim to breathe through their mouth, and causes choking. It irritates the eyes causing severe tearing and difficulty seeing, and irritate a victim’s skin causing a sensation that feels like the skin is on fire. Although quite painful, tear gas is not lethal and produces no permanent side effects.
How to make tear gas
To make tear gas, we must extract the Oleoresin Capsicum from peppers. To do this, follow these steps.
Chop up 1 lb. of dried red or green peppers. Throw away stems but try to retain as many veins and seeds as possible (where the OC oil is most concentrated). Blend peppers in a blender or crush using a pestle. Add enough denatured ethyl alcohol (vodka will work in a pinch) to cover the peppers. Place the contents in a pan. Place the pan in another pan of water. Do not heat the ethyl alcohol mixture directly and keep it away from flames. Alcohol fumes can easily ignite and cause serious injury. Heat the water, then allow it to cool. Repeat this process three times. Pour the alcohol off into a glass jar (leaving the peppers behind). Heat the alcohol until it evaporates to about 100 milliliter. Filter off any residual grains or pepper seeds. Place mixture in an open container and allow to evaporate overnight.
You’ll be left with a thick, reddish oil. This is concentrated Oleoresin Capsicum.
Alternative methods of making tear gas
With a coffee percolator
It’s a little easier to create tear gas using peppers and alcohol but the resulting oil will not be as concentrated. Still, pepper-based tear gas can be produced using this method in about an hour.
Grind 4 ounces of red or green pepper into a fine powder. Place ground-up peppers in a coffee percolator. Add 16 ounces of alcohol. Percolate for 30 minutes. Distill off the alcohol until only the reddish oil remains. Strain off any residual grains or seeds.
With vinegar
Creating tear gas with vinegar is very easy but as with the coffee percolator method, will produce a weaker OC oil.
Mix chopped-up peppers with white vinegar in a bowl. Store the mixture in the refrigerator overnight. The vinegar will leach out the capsicum. Add water and mix well.
Acrolein tear gas
To create “acrolein” tear gas, mix 2 ounces of glycerin with 3 ounces of sodium bisulfate (the Sani-flush product works fine). Heat the mixture in a flask. Don’t allow it to froth. If the mixture beings to froth, turn down the heat.
When solids being to form in the bottom of the flask, remove the mixture from the heat source.
If you have chemical apparatuses available, you can use a condenser setup to collect the fumes emitted during cooking of the mixture. The fumes are an excellent source of tear gas vapor.
Peppers, alcohol, vegetable oil and salt tear gas
Tear gas can also be made with alcohol and vegetable oil. Blend about 2 dozen peppers, then combine with 1 ½ cup alcohol and ½ vegetable oil. Let the mixture sit for a day. Filter out any residual pepper pieces, then heat on low heat or set on a windowsill until the alcohol evaporates and the mixture begins to thicken slightly. Finally, mix ¼ cup salt into the mixture to produce an eye-irritating liquid.
“Mace” tear gas
The “mace” tear gas recipe can be made quickly with limited resources. Combine 3 cups of iodine with ½ isopropyl alcohol. Mix in ½ cup salt. In a second container, mix 2 cups glycerin with 2 cups vinegar. Finally, slowly combine the two mixtures. Be careful to not inhale the fumes or let them get into your eyes.
Formaldehyde
A Formaldehyde-based tear gas does not require preparation. Simply obtain formaldehyde from a drug store and place in a squirt gun. Formaldehyde irritates eyes and the nose similar to tear gas. It evaporates quickly and can make a room uninhabitable for several hours.
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How to use homemade tear gas
Pepper spray bomb
Tear gas can be placed in a breakable glass container and thrown to disperse the gas. First, cut down (dilute) the tear gas mixture with mineral oil. Use a ratio of 5% pepper oil and 95% mineral oil.
Place the mixture in a glass container. Perfume bottles make excellent distribution devices.
Throw the container to disperse the gas. Make sure you test in an open area with plenty of ventilation. Once thrown, you can slowly approach the container until you begin to feel the effects of the tear gas.
Spray bottles
Pepper spray can be dispersed from spray bottles too. This method is good for close quarter distribution but of course, is riskier to the attacker. Nasal spray bottles work well and are portable and easy to carry in your pocket. Large spray canisters, the ones you use for bug spray, are extremely effective but unwieldy to transport.
What to do if attacked by tear gas
Tear gas is difficult to defend against if you do not have a gas mask available. Still, there are a few things you can do to minimize tear gas’ effects. | {
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Originally published on the Doomstead Diner on August 23, 2014
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Your Robot Overlord Does Not Love You
The Three Laws of Robotics, a set of rules devised by science fiction author Isaac Asimov:
A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
A robot must obey the orders given to it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.
― Isaac Asimov, “I Robot”
In the process of preparing last week’s overheated screed, I came across an article that, after nearly 4000 words, consideration for my audience bade me defer to another day. That was the fact that Elon Musk, he of Tesla and Space-X, and widely regarded as one of the smartest guys in the room, had concluded that one of the gravest dangers to the continuation of the human race was not nuclear power so much as artificial intelligence.
Consider that for a moment. Or better yet, read the article in the original here. In a couple of reported Tweets, Musk urged that we be “super careful with AI. Potentially more dangerous than nukes,” and “Hope we’re not just the biological boot loader for digital super intelligence. Unfortunately that is increasingly probable.” Musk’s concern was spurred by a book by Nick Bostrom of Oxford’s Future of Humanity Institute entitled “Superintelligence: Paths, Dangers, Strategies.”
The book addresses the prospect of an artificial superintelligence that could feasibly be created in the next few decades. According to theorists, once the AIis able to make itself smarter, it would quickly surpass human intelligence. What would happen next? The consequences of such a radical development are inherently difficult to predict. But that hasn’t stopped philosophers, futurists, scientists and fiction writers from thinking very hard about some of the possible outcomes. The results of their thought experiments sound like science fiction—and maybe that’s exactly what Elon Musk is afraid of.
So what are some of these thought experiments? Bostrom says,
“We cannot blithely assume the super intelligence will necessarily share any of the final value stereotypically associated with wisdom and intellectual development in humans – scientific curiosity, benevolent concern for others, spiritual enlightenment and contemplation, renunciation of material acquisitiveness, a taste for refined culture for the simple pleasures of life, humility and selflessness, and so forth.”
Your mileage may vary, but from Gaza to Ferguson, we find these so-called human values already lacking in much of what passes for humanity. What worries Musk and his oracles are the unintended consequences of building artificial intelligence detached from ordinary human ethics. Future AI might find more value in computing the decimals of pi or insuring its own survival than solving human problems in ways that we might recognize as helpful.
Put another way by AI theorist Eliezer Yudkowsky of the Machine Intelligence Research Institute:
“The AI does not love you, nor does it hate you, but you are made of atoms it can use for something else.”
Without recapitulating the entire article, its point is that it is difficult for programmers to anticipate the instructions necessary to program the ethical dimension and problem solving capability to safeguard human life. On the other hand, we find that in other parts of our military-industrial complex, our tax dollars are already working overtime to create artificial creatures whose purpose is ostensibly benign, but the implications of which are terrifyingly apparent to anyone who has seen Terminator movies.
In a breezy article on Geek Pride entitled, “5 Apocalypses You Are Probably Not Ready For” the authors consider not only technology that enables one monkey to control the actions of another monkey by simply thinking, but also a device they call, “Human Powered, Googlezon Big Spider DroneBotcalypse.”
Now, a robot that can’t be knocked over is terrifying enough. It can also climb stairs and is allegedly powered by your hopes and dreams. Why google are doing this is anyone’s guess, but we can only be lead to assume that it is to take over the world. “Well,” you say “It’s not like they’re trying to watch our every move or anything!” Well… So we have a company that watches everything you do online, records video of you when you’re offline and robots that can walk up the stairs. The only way we can hide is the removal of stairs, and living in treehouses. Wrong. Enter delivery giants Amazon and their patented new delivery system: drones. The drones have been initially designed to eliminate the day long waiting period for Amazon deliveries, shortening the time to a possibility of just 30 mins. Currently the plan is to have them manned remotely by human pilots. so we’re safe, for now. The main problem is what is known in the drone world as “SWaP — size, weight and power. This is essentially a physics problem: The larger your payload, the more lift you need. The more lift you need, the larger your battery has to be, which further adds to the weight, which adds to the power requirements, and so on” (Washington Post, 2013). Essentially what this boils down to is a matter of time and money before drones can carry a bigger payload, such as a 500lbs Big Dog robot. This may seem a long way off, but all Amazon probably needs is a massive cash-injection for the advances to be put into effect. Cash the likes of which Google might have. I give you Googlezon, probable merger of the late 2020s and new owners of the world.
The motorized bison is a creature called “Big Dog” currently developed by Boston Dynamics, under a DARPA grant generously provided by you and me. The ostensible purpose is search, rescue and supply, but…
BigDog is a rough-terrain robot that walks, runs, climbs and carries heavy loads. BigDog is powered by an engine that drives a hydraulic actuation system. BigDog has four legs that are articulated like an animal’s, with compliant elements to absorb shock and recycle energy from one step to the next. BigDog is the size of a large dog or small mule; about 3 feet long, 2.5 feet tall and weighs 240 lbs.
BigDog’s on-board computer controls locomotion, processes sensors and handles communications with the user. BigDog’s control system keeps it balanced, manages locomotion on a wide variety of terrains and does navigation. Sensors for locomotion include joint position, joint force, ground contact, ground load, a gyroscope, LIDAR and a stereo vision system. Other sensors focus on the internal state of BigDog, monitoring the hydraulic pressure, oil temperature, engine functions, battery charge and others.
BigDog runs at 4 mph, climbs slopes up to 35 degrees, walks across rubble, climbs muddy hiking trails, walks in snow and water, and carries 340 lb load.
Development of the original BigDog robot was funded by DARPA. Work to add a manipulator and do dynamic manipulation was funded by the Army Research Laboratory’s RCTA program.
And the news keeps getting worse. Rather than embrace the high ground of “robot morality” imagined by Asimov, we find that the Pentagon is in early days of raising a robot army. The justification is that ostensibly the military is rapidly creating weapons systems that will need to make moral decisions. Current military regs prohibit armed systems that are fully autonomous. Yet the increasing sophistication of military technology demands greater and greater autonomy, and where lives are at stake, machines capable of weighing moral factors. What could possibly go wrong?
The U.S. military is trying to develop and deploy a real life terminator. A research agency associated with the Pentagon has unveiled pictures of a robot that looks and walks like a man. The ATLAS robot is being developed by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and a Massachusetts company called Boston Dynamics. DARPA, known as “the Pentagon’s weird science agency,” is the organization that is stated to have invented the internet. DARPA now has an intensive effort to create robots such as ATLAS underway at their facilities, and a new video reveals some of the latest developments. DARPA has told the press that ATLAS is designed to enter disaster areas such as places contaminated by radiation or toxic chemicals and provide relief. Yet it would also function perfectly on the battlefield.
David Swanson imagines a brave new world of Pentagon robotics:
The Pentagon has hired a bunch of philosophy professors from leading U.S. universities to tell them how to make robots murder people morally and ethically.
Of course, this conflicts with [Asimov’s] first law above. A robot designed to kill human beings is designed to violate the first law.
The whole project even more fundamentally violates the second law. The Pentagon is designing robots to obey orders precisely when they violate the first law, and to always obey orders without any exception. That’s the advantage of using a robot. The advantage is not in risking the well-being of a robot instead of a soldier. The Pentagon doesn’t care about that, except in certain situations in which too many deaths of its own humans create political difficulties. And there are just as many situations in which there are political advantages for the Pentagon in losing its own human lives: “The sacrifice of American lives is a crucial step in the ritual of commitment,” wrote William P. Bundy of the CIA, an advisor to Presidents Kennedy and Johnson. A moral being would disobey the orders these robots are being designed to carry-out, and — by being robots — to carry out without any question of refusal. Only a U.S. philosophy professor could imagine applying a varnish of “morality” to this project.
The Third Law should be a warning to us. Having tossed aside Laws one and two, what limitations are left to be applied should Law three be implemented? Assume the Pentagon designs its robots to protect their own existence, except when . . . what?
Now Big Dog has a buddy to take him for a walk. And in terms of reaction and tone, at least to my taste, these guys have it about right
No, it’s not a souped-up version of Robby the Robot — it’s ATLAS, DARPA’s latest attempt at creating a humanoid robot. Unlike the super-realistic Petman , which was designed to test chemical protection clothing, this 330-pound monster is meant to assist in emergency situations. Riiiight... We’ve seen a proto-version of ATLAS before, but this updated unit can perform a host of new tricks, like walking through rugged terrain and climb using its hands as feet. It has 28 hydraulically actuated degrees of freedom, and of course, two hands, arms, legs, feet, and a torso with some kind of fancy-ass monitor on it that probably goes “ping!” every once in a while. Its head is equipped with stereo cameras and — ahem — a laser finder. Eventually, DARPA says the 6-foot robot will use its articulated and sensate hands to use tools designed for humans. Hmmm, by “tools” I wonder if they mean “machine gun.”
No one who watched some of the best legal minds of a generation labor for the Bush administration to create legal justification for torture should be surprised that the Pentagon can hire ethicists and philosophers to determine under what circumstances a robot may commit murder. Paging Dr. Mengele…
Here are the three laws David Swanson posits will replace Asimov’s:
1. A Pentagon robot must kill and injure human beings as ordered.
2. A Pentagon robot must obey all orders, except where such orders result from human weakness and conflict with the mission to kill and injure.
3. A Pentagon robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.
Behaving in much the same manner as some of our all-too-human military today, to say nothing of SWAT-gear hungry cops, those Barney Fifes in military drag making up for their dateless high school weekends and various manhood inadequacies by pointing loaded rifles at unarmed civilians to express their inchoate rage.
As anyone not living in a cave knows full well, the foreign-policy of this country, as conducted by the neocons who staged a silent coup to control it (and control it yet despite the nominal change in political administration), operates in a conscience free zone. So perhaps Elon Musk is correct to be worried about artificial intelligence, or more precisely, the lack of ethics that guides its technological development. Our culture has technology in spades. What it lacks is a moral dimension other than materialism and the quest to power to inform its use.
Thus no one should be surprised by developments like these technological fruits, or their subornation to the worst uses imaginable. In a manner analogous to that in MRAPS, SWAT equipment, LRADs and other excess military equipment helpfully provisioned by the Defense Logistics Agency and transferred to local cops, so too are the military populace suppression techniques. Thus the police becomes an armed militia whose sole purpose is to protect the property of the .1% and to keep the rabble in line, as we have seen repeated from Oakland to ferguson to New York City.
Clearly Big Dog and Atlas are just two projects in the robot pipeline, and these are the most visible and showy. For every ostensible “humanitarian use,” there are dozens of less humanitarian uses that don’t make the press releases.
What about the less sexy projects, the smart computers that control systems, that will make decisions based on whatever parameters are fed into it by the best hired “ethicists and philosophers” that Pentagon money can buy? Perhaps that’s what’s keeping Elon Musk up at night. What could be next: Machine-animal hybrids?
Or, other the other hand, nothing to worry about, citizen. Pass the Doritos.
***
Surly1 is an administrator and contributing author to Doomstead Diner. He is the author of numerous rants, articles and spittle-flecked invective on this site, and has been active in the Occupy movement. He shares a home in Southeastern Virginia with Contrary, and every day remarks at his undeserved good fortune at having such a redoubtable woman in his life. | {
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A hearing examining the alleged misconduct of a Cape Breton doctor became tense in its first day as one of the complainants said repeatedly she had nothing to gain by coming forward.
The accusations against Dr. Manivasan Moodley are being heard in front of a five-person panel by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia in Bedford.
Moodley, a Sydney-based obstetrician, was the focus of media attention when a January rally was held in support of him with respect to licensing issues he faced. The rally was held on the same day allegations from two female patients regarding inappropriate touching and incompetence became public.
The identities of the complainants are being protected by a publication ban, so they're being referred to as A.B. and C.D.
A.B. was the first to testify Monday. The woman in her 30s was referred to Moodley in 2017 and met him for her appointment on July 13, 2017.
'I was shocked'
She said as soon as she arrived, Moodley greeted her and questioned why a young, beautiful woman would be one of his patients.
What followed, she said, was an increasingly uncomfortable hour-long appointment.
As he reviewed her medical history, she said he asked if she had anal sex, if she used sex toys, what kind of orgasms she was having and how often she had sex with her husband. She said he asked if she knew she could be stimulated by rubbing her nipples. She said he asked if she was "tight."
A.B. told the panel she's had various medical appointments over the years and has met with several specialists.
"That's street slang," A.B said. "Not a term a doctor should be using. I was shocked."
Dr. Naeem Khan, Dr. Erin Awalt, Raymond Larkin, Gwen Haliburton and Dr. Gisele Marier are the panel members for the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia's hearing looking into misconduct and incompetence allegations against Dr. Manivasan Moodley. (Carolyn Ray/CBC)
She said Moodley then performed an ultrasound. She said everything about that procedure was similar to her previous exams, until he commented that her tattoos on her lower hips were very nice.
"No one has ever commented on anything about my body, ever," she said.
A.B. then had a pap test. She said the doctor told her he was going to put lubricant on something, but she had never heard the word before and assumed it was a piece of equipment. Instead, he used his fingers to rub lubricant directly on her vagina.
"I was disgusted. I've had lots of pap tests," she said. "I've never had anyone physically touch me with their hands ... I was very uncomfortable. Angry."
Texting a colleague
When questioned by Moodley's lawyer, A.B. said the doctor did not massage her, but again said he used his gloved fingers to put the lubricant on her.
At one point during the appointment, she texted a colleague who had also seen Moodley, asking if she found him creepy. The other patient laughed it off and said no.
A.B. left the appointment, spoke to Moodley's assistant about booking a follow-up appointment and left.
When asked why she didn't speak up or show emotion at that time, she said was probably in shock, and noted she felt violated and disrespected.
"You're in with a doctor, you put your trust in them," she said.
Inconsistencies
Throughout A.B.'s testimony, Moodley sat nearby with his wife, taking notes. Neither showed emotion.
His lawyer, Robin Cook, focused on two key points in her testimony.
A.B. confirmed that at that time, they were investigating if she had a possible prolapse.
"Are you aware that one of the symptoms of prolapse is the inability to have orgasms?" asked Cook.
The patient did not know that. Cook then asked if she had possibly misinterpreted Moodley's line of questioning.
She said if that was the case, she takes offence to the language he used and repeated that she did not consent to him touching her.
Questions over previous interview
Cook also focused on apparent inconsistencies between her testimony Monday and an interview she gave the college two years ago. He questioned if the appointment was actually much shorter than an hour. He referred to a time she stated during the previous interview. She said she was mixed up and had accidentally said the time of her college interview, instead of the time of her appointment.
When questioned again about it, A.B. took aim at the process, saying she had to tell strangers about intimate details of her life.
"I was rattled about going into a room full of men and talking about things I'm very uncomfortable talking about," she said.
The college has said the process is flawed, and has since announced significant changes to how patients can report sexual misconduct.
A.B. was also asked if she knew the other complainant. She said she does not. She was asked if her complaint was rooted in racism, or if it was a way to eventually get access to a white, female specialist. A.B. firmly rejected those accusations, saying the process has taken a great toll on her family.
Since the public rally, she said she's had anxiety attacks and frequently thought about quitting the process.
Testimony from husband
A.B.'s husband was then asked to testify. The man was clearly emotional and nervous about speaking before the panel. At times, his exchange with Cook was hostile, with the two men repeatedly butting heads, and the husband accusing Cook of trying to twist his words.
He talked about A. B.'s excitement when she learned she would see a specialist about her ongoing condition. He said she didn't care who it was: "She was just so excited it's a doctor."
He said he knew something was wrong as soon as he heard the tone of his wife's voice after the appointment. And in the 2½ years since the alleged incident, he said her story hasn't changed.
"In my opinion, it was an abuse of power," he said.
Hearing resumes Tuesday
The hearing is not like a court, where a decision is made beyond a reasonable doubt. Instead, the panel will weigh the balance of probabilities.
The second complainant is expected to testify Tuesday, while Moodley's defence begins on Wednesday.
A decision will not be made any time soon. One witness was not available this week, so the hearing will be put over until the end of March when the panel will finish hearing testimony.
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There are several species of animals who change their sex at some point during their lives. You may remember that the plot of Jurassic Park hinges on it. This trait is called sequential hermaphroditism, and it can be spotted in worms, fish, and gastropods. One species of snail, called the slipper limpet (don't look at me; I didn't name it), always begins life as male, but at some point, may become female. This week, the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute announced that it has figured out why.
To understand why it's so mind-bending that slipper limpets could change from male to female, you have to know a little about their private parts. There's no easy way to say this: the slipper limpet has, according to the Smithsonian's unapologetic press release, "a comparatively enormous penis." The sex organ has to be this long in order for the male to loop it all the way around a female's shell and sneak up from underneath, annoying every female who's trying to take a nap.
If a male turns female, that penis has to go somewhere, so it gradually shrivels up and disappears, while at the same time, the body begins to produce female organs. This might all sound rather disturbing and impossible, but remember that all male humans started out female themselves.
What scientists didn't know until now is that the snails actually turn female only after they rub up against other males. If two males are placed in close proximity, the larger one will immediately begin shape-shifting into female, to accommodate the other. The evolutionary logic at play here is that the larger snail will be able to hold more eggs than the smaller, while size has no effect on sperm production.
So, much like my ex-boyfriend, male snails will be whatever their partner wants them to be. But then two years down the line, you realize they were just doing it to impress you, and that's not who they really are, and you're sorry you ever got involved with this ... snail.
The news comes as a surprise to researchers, because these animals are slow and have poor vision, so it was long believed that they relied on chemical cues to determine when to change sexes.
"I was blown away by this result," said co-author Rachel Collin, staff scientist at the Smithsonian. "Slipper snails don't move around much, so you don't really think of them having complex reactions to each other, but this study shows that there is more going on there than we thought."
The research was published in The Biological Bulletin.
ⓒ 2018 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. | {
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Advocates will begin confronting representatives at hearings and public events. Immigration groups turn to anger
Immigration reform advocates are done playing nice with House Republicans.
After holding their fire for years at the urging of the Obama administration, several immigration reform groups now plan to unleash their anger at the right.
A new, more aggressive campaign kicks off Tuesday, when these groups say they will begin confronting Republican lawmakers at public appearances, congressional hearings and events back in home districts. The goal: Shame Republicans in swing districts into taking up the issue — or make them pay at the ballot box in November.
( Also on POLITICO: Bill Gates: U.S. immigration ‘incredible’)
It’s unclear if the strategy will truly damage Republicans with their constituents. Or worse, whether it might backfire and oust some of the movement’s best potential allies across the aisle.
Still, the groups believe it’s time to try something new. The movement embraced a distinctly positive message when Barack Obama took office in 2009 and stuck with it publicly even until last month, when the groups applauded House Republican leaders for releasing a set of immigration reform principles at a GOP winter retreat.
But things changed last week when Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) dashed hopes that a major immigration overhaul could happen this year — leaving immigration groups to say enough is enough.
“Obviously, persuasion only got us so far,” Kica Matos, a spokeswoman for the Fair Immigration Reform Movement, said Monday. “What we are now doing is to switch tactics from persuasion to punishment.”
Matos declined to say which members of Congress are at risk for the in-your-face treatment but warned that the campaign would be “relentless and constant.” America’s Voice and CASA in Action are also leading the effort. The plan for now is to engage in daily confrontations for at least the next two months, Matos said.
( WATCH: Chuck Schumer proposes immigration work-around)
The groups also plan to target House Republicans in swing districts with a wide section of Latino voters — even if they’ve expressed support for immigration reform before. That means that lawmakers such as Rep. Jeff Denham (R-Calif.), who has gone as far as to sign onto a Democratic-backed comprehensive bill, aren’t safe from the wrath of the pro-reform groups.
The strategizing extends to allies on Capitol Hill. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and House Democratic Caucus Chairman Xavier Becerra have been in talks with key advocacy groups such as America’s Voice, Alliance for Citizenship, and two powerful pro-reform labor unions — the AFL-CIO and the Service Employees International Union — among other faith-based, Latino and Asian organizations. The focus of those conversations is to figure out how best to put pressure on House Republicans to move on immigration reform this year, according to a Democratic aide familiar with the talks.
“We’re not going to go away,” added Kevin Appleby, director of migration policy for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. “The speaker’s comments were a reality check that we have to redouble our efforts. We need to translate the overwhelming support of the American public for this into public power, and I think it would be a mistake to let Congress — and especially the House — off the hook.”
Another Catholic bishops event being planned for the coming weeks, most likely along the Arizona border, will highlight the dangers that immigrants face while crossing the U.S-Mexico boundary, Appleby said. That is meant to be a domestic version of Pope Francis’s first official trip outside Rome to Lampedusa, Italy, last summer — where the pope commemorated immigrants who tried to cross into Italy from North Africa.
Appleby said the bishops will also be “focusing like a laser” on key House Republicans who are Catholic to see whether they can persuade the lawmakers in favor of reform.
There’s also a split in the pro-reform coalition over whether it would be wise for Obama to use his executive discretion to defer deportations for a broader subset of undocumented immigrants in the United States — particularly those who would likely qualify for legalization.
( Also on POLITICO: Rand Paul warns Texas could turn blue)
Some groups, like the AFL-CIO and longtime reform advocate Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.), have urged Obama to use his executive authority on deportations. So far, the White House has not threatened to take unilateral executive action, wanting to give House Republicans space to bring forward their own proposal.
While this latest salvo will only increase the amount of pressure advocates put on the White House, taking any action could play into Republicans’ hands. GOP lawmakers have long said Obama does not enforce current immigration laws and used that as a reason to stop any momentum on the issue. Some proponents, like Appleby, think that Obama taking unilateral action would kill chances of an immigration deal in Congress.
Follow @politico
Immigration reform proponents believe there is still a window for House Republicans to take up a package in May or June and that it’s time for business groups, the high-tech industry and evangelicals to gin up pressure.
“We’re just not going to take a press statement by John Boehner and say I guess it’s over,” said Frank Sharry of America’s Voice and a veteran of the reform movement. “It’s not for John Boehner to tell us when we are alive or dead.”
Not everybody is throwing down the gauntlet against House Republicans yet.
Several immigration reform lobbyists said their clients are reviewing what else can be done to try and force Republicans to take up the issue and discount arguments that the party should wait until 2015 to take up any legislation.
“They’re evaluating a change in tactics,” said one lobbyist working the issue. “Discussions are happening everywhere.”
National Immigration Forum’s Ali Noorani said the group is “ignoring the national chatter and really making sure members of Congress are hearing from their constituents.”
FWD.us, which recently did an ad supportive of House Republicans, has also not publicly changed its posture.
Randy Johnson, the senior vice president for labor and immigration at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, said the issue of trust in the administration to execute laws “is not a new one.” In terms of the Chamber’s strategy on pushing immigration reform over the finish line this year, “we are proceeding as before,” Johnson said Monday.
Other groups have already been engaged in mobilizing Latino voters to wield their influence in this year’s midterm elections and beyond.
Building out their ground game in states like Nevada, California, central Florida and Colorado, among others, where there is a large Latino population and they can take out elected officials, is of particular focus for Mi Familia Vota.
“I appreciate Valadao and Denham and others coming forward and being supportive. That is good, but not good enough,” said Mi Familia Vota Executive Director Ben Monterroso. “At the end of the day, they are the ones who elect who the leader is.”
Monterroso said his group and others are focused on voter registration to grow the number of Latino voters. As the election nears, Monterroso said their campaign will include mailings, media ad buys and partnering with Spanish media to inform the Latino community.
Clarissa Martinez de Castro, the director of immigration and national campaigns for National Council of La Raza, said the group has set out a goal of registering 250,000 new Latino voters in a wide-scale campaign launched last month with Mi Familia Vota. They are up to roughly 10,000 new voters registered in states such as Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Nevada, Colorado, Utah and Oklahoma, Martinez said.
“The leaders in the Republican Party know that they need immigration reform,” Martinez said Monday. Or “it will be irrelevant. What they do in the next 10 months is going to shape the political map for at least the next decade.” | {
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Source:
Immediately following the acquittal of President Donald Trump on Wednesday, Senate Republican leaders Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Ron Johnson (R-WI) sent a letter demanding Hunter Biden’s travel records from the Secret Service.
They issued a letter to Secret Service Director James Murray to get clarification on “whether Hunter Biden used government-sponsored travel to help conduct private business.”
In their letter, Grassley and Johnson wrote the following:
Trending: Bye Mitt? Utah Legislature Prepares Senator Recall Process Accordingly, to help the committees better understand Hunter Biden’s travel arrangements to conduct business related to his dealings in Ukraine and China, among other countries, while he received a protective detail, please provide the following information no later than February 19, 2020:
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Another Great moment in Republican Party History.
On this day in 1863 Republicans freed the slaves.
Republicans rejoiced. Democrats cursed.
Grand Old Partisan reported:
On New Year’s Day in 1863, the Republican Party’s Emancipation Proclamation came into effect. While Republicans rejoiced, Democrat politicians and newspapers denounced President Abraham Lincoln (R-IL) for freeing slaves. Demonstrating their depravity, New York’s Gov. Horatio Seymour, who would be the 1868 Democrat presidential nominee, denounced the Emancipation Proclamation as “a proposal for the butchery of women and children.” The Louisville Daily Democrat called it “an outrage of all constitutional law, all human justice, all Christian feeling.” | {
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Rainbow Dash. Coloured pencil test By SerenePony Watch
43 Favourites 2 Comments 173 Views
Got some new pencils and drawing paper I have been dying to try out!
I drew this up while I was away, this is one of many (Some need colour, either traditional or digital, I havent decided yet).
Cutie mark drawn with Gels to make things look a little different, though I may just stick with coloured pencils in general, regrettably, the CM looks ugly here.
But for now, tell me what you think and maybe ways to improve!
IMAGE DETAILS Image size 1810x1528px 4.36 MB Show More | {
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The Sentinel building in Sandyford Business District in south Dublin has lain idle for a decade. Inset, Shane Ross who has objected to plans relating to its development
A plan by the Comer brothers to complete the development of the Sentinel building and an adjoining apartment block in the Sandyford Business District in south Dublin has been met with an objection from Transport Minister Shane Ross.
While welcoming a proposal for the completion of the 14-storey Sentinel which he said “has been a visible scar on the Sandyford skyline for so long”, Mr Ross has told planners at Dun Laoghaire County Council that the addition of two floors to the six-storey building immediately beside it would “be totally out of sync with the local area”.
A resident of Enniskerry, Co Wicklow, Mr Ross, wrote to the council’s planners on February 3 last in his capacity as a TD for Dublin South to voice both his and his constituents’ concerns in relation to the Comers’ proposal for the Sentinel.
Referring to their application to increase the height of the existing six-storey shell structure adjoining the main Sentinel tower, he said: “It is submitted that the structure that is in place (the shell) is already two [sic] imposing in height, and the additional two storeys proposed in the application make this proposal totally out of sync with the local area. There will be obvious privacy concerns for local residents if this development is granted permission”.
While the Transport Minister’s objection reflects the concern of residents in the neighbouring housing estates of Lakelands and Stillorgan Wood, it would appear to be in conflict with the view now being expressed by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar on the need for high-rise development in certain areas of Dublin and other cities around the country.
Writing in the Sunday Independent last Sunday, Mr Varadkar included the development of high-rise housing as one of 13 areas that he sees as being “significant” for the delivery of the Government’s oft-stated aim to make Ireland a ‘Republic of Opportunity’.
“The next area is redeveloping our cities. We are currently tackling a serious housing shortage, — and I suspect a large part of the solution lies in redevelopment of our cities for high-rise quality apartment living, not further urban sprawl,” Mr Varadkar wrote.
The Comers acquired the unfinished Sentinel structure in 2011 for just €850,000. The building had previously formed part of the Rockbrook scheme which had been assembled and partially developed by developer John Fleming prior to the crash.
The Galway-born developers are currently in the process of seeking permission for 294 ‘live-work’ office units and retail space at the Sentinel and its adjoining building. Elsewhere within the wider Rockbrook campus, Ires Reit is awaiting the outcome of its appeal to An Bord Pleanala of Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council’s refusal of its application for the development of 467 apartments. Planners at Dun Laoghaire said that the proposal for three 14-storey apartment blocks would detract from the visual dominance of the unfinished Sentinel building,
Last month, Pearse Farrell of receivers Duff Phelps sought a pre-planning consultation with An Bord Pleanala for 482 apartments on the Rockbrook site.
Online Editors | {
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Tens of thousands of Chinese from mainland China have been entering the Philippines as tourists before obtaining short-term special permits to work in online gambling operations, a Senate panel learned on Monday.
At a hearing of the Senate labor committee, Sen. Joel Villanueva expressed alarm and indignation after immigration and labor authorities admitted that more than 119,000 “tourists,” most of them from mainland China, were able to skirt labor regulations to gain temporary employment in the country.
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These tourist visa holders technically remain tourists even during the three-to-six-month duration of their work assignment in the country.
Thus, their employers need not prove that the jobs cannot otherwise be performed by locals, which is the usual policy for alien workers.
‘Stealing’ jobs
“It’s very clear. Chinese nationals have been stealing our jobs, taking away our homes and pilfering opportunities from Filipinos,” Villanueva said.
He called for stringent regulation of foreign workers in the country.
The Senate panel is looking into the proliferation of presumed illegal workers from China, whose numbers have risen around Metro Manila to a degree that do not match official employment numbers from the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole).
Dole figures show that since 2015, close to 116,000 foreigners have been issued an alien employment permit (AEP), which allows them to work legally in the Philippines.
An AEP will be issued by Dole only if there is no Filipino willing or competent enough to do the job being offered to a foreigner.
Requirement for visa
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The permit is one of the major requirements for the issuance of a work visa for aliens, but officials acknowledge that virtually all AEP holders have been able to get work visas.
Chinese nationals account for the bulk of foreign workers holding AEPs, numbering almost 52,000, or about 45 percent of the total, mostly working in manufacturing, information and communications, and administrative and support services.
But Labor Undersecretary Ciriaco Lagunzad III told the Senate committee that there was another way the Chinese had been able to gain employment even without an AEP by obtaining special work permits from the Bureau of Immigration.
“This is beyond AEP … because it is intended for short-term assignments for six months … or three months extendible by another three months,” he said.
Lagunzad explained that the status of these permit holders remained tourists. “Is this covered by an AEP? The answer is no,” he said.
He said there were more than 119,000 of such permits issued by the immigration bureau from 2017 to 2018. But the actual number could be bigger, considering some 1.6 million tourist visas were issued to Chinese citizens in 2018 alone by the Department of Foreign Affairs, and only 18 preemployment visas.
Massive presence in Metro
Villanueva also described anecdotal evidence of massive Chinese presence in major real estate developments in Metro Manila, especially in the south.
Demand for offices and housing by the Chinese workers has buoyed the real estate market in Metro Manila, pushing rents up in many condominium buildings.
Reports of unruly behavior of these workers in residential buildings also have been increasing.
“There’s definitely more than the official numbers,” Villanueva said.
Homer Arellano, head of the immigration bureau’s Prosecution and Legal Assistance Section, said the special work permits were typically granted to foreign basketball players to play in the local league and to international entertainers holding a concert.
Offshore gaming operators
But when Villanueva noted that there couldn’t be 119,000 of such type of workers, Arellano said: “Most of them are Chinese and they work in firms run by Pogos (Philippine offshore gaming operators).”
To which Sen. Grace Poe reacted: “Shouldn’t that be a red flag to us? They shouldn’t enter here under false pretenses.”
Poe also wondered if immigration authorities had kept track of these permit holders’ background and whether they had any criminal record in their home countries.
Mandarin
Arellano said one factor that put Filipinos at a disadvantage with the Chinese for this type of job was lack of fluency in speaking Mandarin.
This prompted Poe to retort that Filipinos could be hired as understudies to learn from the Chinese in Pogo jobs.
Villanueva followed up by suggesting that language skills training of Tesda (Technical Education and Skills Development Authority) focus on teaching Mandarin to Filipinos.
Speaking to reporters after the hearing, Villanueva said it was not his intention to spread anti-Chinese sentiment but only to make sure that Filipino jobs were protected.
“It is unfortunate but we’re not trying to single out any nationality, but we’re talking of illegal workers stealing jobs from Filipinos,” he said.
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"It should be my choice if I smoke pot and where i smoke it. No one else's." "We should ban cigarettes in public places. I think they're gross."
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Dry skin is the most common clinical manifestation of dermatologic diseases, and it presents with itching, redness, and desquamation—signs and clinical manifestations that are not only physically uncomfortable but also affect patients psychologically. The water content in the stratum corneum is largely dependent on the composition and amount of the intercellular lipids, which regulate the loss of water from the skin, and on the levels of hygroscopic substances of the natural moisturizing factors, which are responsible for retention of water in the stratum corneum. Prevention of water loss and penetration of potentially toxic substances and microorganisms into the body are the most important functions of the skin, which acts as a natural frontier between the inner organism and the environment. Skin barrier defects occur in several skin diseases, but the influence of aging on the skin barrier function is largely unknown and conflicting results have been reported. In this review, the structure and function of the barrier in relation to the aging process are discussed. | {
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AP photo
Rady Ananda, Contributing Writer
Activist Post
After the New York Police Dept. arrested over 700 protesters on the Brooklyn Bridge last Saturday, six of those arrested filed a class action lawsuit on Oct. 4, alleging constitutional violations for intentional entrapment and false arrest.
“The NYPD engaged in a premeditated, planned, scripted and calculated effort to sweep the streets of protesters and disrupt a growing protest movement in New York,” plaintiffs charged in the complaint.
After escorting and leading a group of demonstrators and others well out, the NYPD suddenly and without warning curtailed further forward movement, blocked the ability of persons to leave the Bridge from the rear, and arrested hundreds of protestors in the absence of probable cause.
This contradicts police statements to the media: “They were warned not to walk on the roadway — the people that walked on the pedestrian walkway, there was no issue — the ones on vehicular roadway, they chose to anyway, and they were arrested.”
However, in this video, police can be seen leading protesters onto the Brooklyn Bridge roadway.
“This was a form of entrapment, both illegal and physical,” plaintiffs asserted.
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The suit describes the entire event as a charade by the cops who filmed their use of a bullhorn to warn protesters to leave the bridge. Problem is, the bullhorn was inaudible and the cops had blocked both ends of the protest line.
Plaintiffs cite case law affirming that “the Constitution requires that any ostensible command must be heard by those who are expected to be bound by it.”
Instead, the suit clarifies that “the NYPD engaged in a performance, videotaped it, and sprang their trap. They then set their PR machine into motion, distributing widely edited videos of events to spin a false narrative of events to the public and media.”
Mayor Michael Bloomberg applauded the events, saying, “The police did exactly what they were supposed to do.”
Not only do such illegal arrests chill free speech, but they also invade the privacy of citizens engaged in free speech and assembly. Police collected the names, fingerprints and DNA of lawful protesters for the massive police state database. Each of those arrested can now worry their name will find its way onto the federal Terrorist Watch List, since the government considers lawful protest a form of terrorism.
Representing the entire class of those arrested, plaintiffs claim damages for violations of their 1st and 4th Amendment rights. In addition to seeking an undisclosed amount in compensatory and punitive damages, they also seek to have their arrests declared null and void and all records pertaining to the arrest sealed and expunged. If asked if ever arrested, plaintiffs demand the right to respond in the negative, given the arrest was illegal and unconstitutional.
Of note, a post on the JP Morgan Chase website confirms an unprecedented $4.6 million gift to the New York City Police Foundation, made prior to the mass arrest. The money was donated ostensibly as a “gift … to strengthen security in the Big Apple.”
Tod Fletcher and Fred Burks of PEERS and WantToKnow.info ask, “Now why would this huge bank be donating millions for security in New York City?”
Yves Smith of Naked Capitalism also questioned the donation. “While this effort to supplement taxpayer funding has a certain logic, it raises the nasty specter of favoritism, that if private funding were to become a significant part of the Police Department’s total budget, it would understandably give priority to its patrons.”
Represented by the Partnership for Civil Justice Fund, the suit against Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly and the City of New York was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, Case No: 11 CIV 6957 (Garcia, et al. vs. Bloomberg, et al.).
PCJF recently won $8.25 million for a class action settlement in a similar case. During protests in 2000 and 2002, Washington, D.C. police arrested over 1,000 people using the same trap and detain tactic.
The NY Daily News reports that Mayor Bloomberg “has suggested the city is starting to grow weary of the protesters.”
Too bad. We grow weary of Wall Street crimes and our own joblessness, homelessness and exploitation-level wages for those who do have jobs.
Hail! Hail! Karina Garcia, Marcel Cartier, Yari Osorio, Benjamin Becker, and Cassandra Regan for fighting for our inalienable right to assemble and protest.
Rady Ananda specializes in Natural Resources and administers the sites, Food Freedom and COTO Report. | {
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The seven NFL officials on the field have specific roles and responsibilities that make it possible to correctly and consistently call games at football’s highest level. Proper training and positioning prepare officials to be in the right place to make the right call. Hover your cursor over the officials to see where they line up, what they watch for on every play and what they do between plays to keep the action moving. | {
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“Few Places in the United States are tougher ground for building an environmental-justice movement than the Appalachian counties of central Pennsylvania,” writes Barry Yeoman in a remarkable piece of reporting in The American Prospect’s Storyscapes. The region is “politically conservative, temperamentally reticent, and historically reliant on resource extraction.”
Yeoman takes readers on an extended tour of the region, long mired in poverty, that is now surrendering its once-pristine environment in exchange for an economic boost from the extraction — through hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking” — of natural gas believed to be valued at $500 billion. He introduces us to those who rely on the dollars pouring into their communities from big energy companies and to a group of unlikely activists who were dragged into a fight against overwhelming odds when they saw what these processes were doing to their communities, and in some instances, to their families’ health.
The piece opens with a profile of one such activist…
Six months before she helped organize the protest known as Hands Across Riverdale, the word “fracking” didn’t mean much to Deb Eck. “Not a damn thing,” says the 52-year-old dollar-store manager. A single mother of twins, she was putting in crushing hours to provide a decent life for her daughters, who are now 12. On good days, she arrived home from work in time to help the girls with their schoolwork, tuck them into bed, and spend the rest of the night cooking and cleaning. There was no time to read about the natural-gas boom unfolding in her backyard.
One consolation for Eck’s hard work was the tranquility of her home. Riverdale Mobile Home Park’s 32 trailers sat on a leafy bank of the Susquehanna River in Piatt Township, Pennsylvania, in the state’s mountainous center, three hours from any major city. “The kids would play with the ducks in the field and had all kinds of friends,” she says. “I never had to worry about them going outside.” Nor did she worry about rent: The $200 Eck paid for her lot was well within her monthly budget.
In February 2012, she learned that her landlord had sold the property to a joint venture called Aqua-PVR Water Services, which planned to build a water-withdrawal facility for local gas-drilling operations. Piatt Township sits atop the Marcellus Shale, a 95,000-square-mile rock formation stretching from New York to West Virginia. The shale contains an estimated $500 billion worth of recoverable natural gas in Pennsylvania alone and has attracted a rush of energy companies into the region. The fuel is accessed by drilling thousands of feet down and then horizontally across a layer of sedimentary rock. Chemical-laced water is pumped underground to “fracture” the rock, creating fissures that free up the gas. The extraction process, including the horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing, is colloquially known as “fracking.”
Building the new plant meant evicting Riverdale’s residents. Eck and her neighbors were offered $2,500 apiece—well below the cost of moving a trailer—if they agreed to leave two months before their June 1 deadline. That figure would taper down to zero if they delayed. Eck’s main worry was where she and her daughters were going to live. But then she went online and learned about the toxic chemicals used in fracking, which have been linked to water contamination. She read about how gas development destroys the integrity of forests, wreaking havoc with resident wildlife. “The more I found out, the worse it got,” she says. “They’re going to turn this peaceful, quiet community into an industrial area, suck water out of the Susquehanna, and ruin the habitat for how many different animals. It just made you sick to your stomach.”
As Eck kept reading, she learned about the political power of the natural-gas industry. “There’s no way we’re going to be able to fight this,” she concluded. But then one of her neighbors told her that he had been talking with some environmental activists who wanted to help Riverdale’s residents. “Help us do what?” she asked.
“They want to stop this because of the fracking,” she recalls him saying.
Hearing that, Eck felt a bit encouraged. “We’ve got to all stick together, though,” she told him. “If we stick together, we can fight this. Maybe we’ll beat them.” | {
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Frequently called the Julia Child of Mexican cuisine, celebrated author Diana Kennedy has written nine cookbooks of recipes she’s gathered during her extensive travels throughout every region of Mexico, from Chihuahua to the Yucatán. In April Kennedy, who is originally from the U.K., traveled from her home in Zitácuaro, Michoacán, to personally deliver her archives to the University of Texas at San Antonio. The UTSA Libraries Special Collections is receiving her personal papers and research documents as well as her collection of cookbooks—including eleven Mexican cookbooks from the nineteenth century. Those tomes will strengthen the school’s already impressive collection of Mexican cookbooks, which, at 1,900-plus titles, is one of the country’s largest. Kennedy, who is 96 years old, was also recently the subject of the documentary Nothing Fancy, which was directed by Austin native Elizabeth Carroll and earned a special jury prize at its premiere earlier this year at South by Southwest.
Kennedy is a traditionalist who has developed a reputation for her harsh critiques (she’s not a fan of Tex-Mex, to put it simply) and firm opinions on cooking. She’s spent more than half her life in kitchens, restaurants, markets, and forests across Mexico, learning directly from the people creating the food she writes about. During her recent visit to Central Texas, Kennedy discussed her legacy and the challenges she’s faced.
Texas Monthly: What do you think are some of the biggest misconceptions Americans have about Mexican cuisine?
Diana Kennedy: Well, what is Mexican cuisine? There are 31 states, and each of those states has different ingredients, different ways of treating them. You can’t just call it Mexican cuisine—it’s from Veracruz, from Hidalgo, places where the difference in the way you cook the beans will change the dish completely.
TM: How do you think your writing has changed those perceptions?
DK: When [The Cuisines of Mexico] was published, in 1972, it made waves. People realized there was more to Mexican food than tacos and guacamole. People were becoming aware of a country that we shared a two-thousand-mile border with, and maybe a small percentage only knew Puerto Vallarta and Acapulco.
TM: The documentary really highlights the lengths that you go to learn about and record recipes from the people making them. Throughout your career, why was achieving that level of accuracy important to you?
DK: I always stop and say thank-you and give credit. [The people I visit] have cooked these meals for generations, and I was very proud that they would welcome me into their kitchens, their neighborhoods, the forests near their houses. I’ve loved the people I’ve met with and the recognition I’ve gotten from so many generous people who are excited to see their recipe in print with their name.
TM: When you first moved to Mexico with your husband, in 1957, what were your first impressions of the food?
DK: I started trying traditional Mexican food that the cleaning lady would prepare. She showed me how to make tamales, and I started recording her recipes. Some of those recipes appear in my first book.
TM: You later moved back to Mexico from New York in the seventies and started traveling throughout the country to learn more about the cuisine. Were there any dishes or ingredients that stood out to you right away?
DK: The pipián mole that was thickened with pumpkin seeds—that was the biggest surprise. The food was very regional, more than regional. At fiesta time, they would have tamales based off of what food was growing at the time. The way they grew the corn, how they treated it, the different types of masa that were made, it was extraordinary to me.
TM: You’ve done extensive research for your books and traveled to every state in Mexico. What are some of the challenges you’ve faced in your travels?
DK: I wish my little truck could talk, because it has accompanied me to situations that you wouldn’t believe—landslides after a hurricane, water up to the floorboards, a burst tire. I would stay places for weeks at a time to see how people did the things they did, how they would have kids grind up the corn or how they’d go into fields to pick the hoja santa. It took years of traveling. I didn’t have a lot of money, but I’ve worked my ass off, and I’ve loved it. | {
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一眼レフに比べて小型軽量ながら、一眼レフと同じように綺麗な写真が撮れることから人気が高まっているミラーレスカメラ。その中でも注目されている機能のひとつに「瞳AF」があります。 瞳AFとは、顔認識の技術を使って人物の瞳を追いかけながらピントを合わせてくれる機能です。今回は、進化した高速・高精度を特徴とする「リアルタイム瞳AF」を搭載するソニーα6400を試してみました。最新世代の瞳AFとソニーαの売りである高速連写を使って、軽快な自分撮りを楽しんでみようというのが今回のテーマです。 レンズは、パワーズームレンズキットとダブルズームキットに付属する「E PZ 16-50mm F3.5-5.6 OSS」をメインに使いました。軽くて小さなレンズのため、女性の私でも片手でカメラを持つのが楽でした。
最新世代の瞳AFと180度反転モニターを装備 α6400は最新世代のリアルタイム瞳AFと共に、自分撮り用に液晶モニターが180度反転してこちらを向く機能も装備されました。ピントを合わせたい被写体に直接タッチしてピントを合わせたりシャッターを切ったりもできるので、わかりやすい操作です。 まずは初期設定の「自分撮りセルフタイマー」を使ってみます。初期設定のα6400では、液晶モニターを起こすと「自分撮りセルフタイマー」がオンになります。シャッターボタンを押し込んでから3秒のカウントダウンがあって、1枚だけ撮影されます。 この「自分撮りセルフタイマー」は、片手にカメラを持って自分撮りする場合に、シャッターボタンを押してからレンズに視線を向けて、自然な表情を作るまでの時間が確保できます。 ※屋内カットは一部ストロボ使用。 | {
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Глава Нацполіції Одеської області Лорткіпанідзе подав у відставку 7 листопада 2016, 09:38 Вы также можете прочесть этот материал на русском языке
Начальник Головного управління Нацполіції в Одеській області Гіоргі Лорткіпанідзе подав у відставку
Відповідне звернення він оприлюднив на сайті відомства.
"Для мене було великою честю працювати начальником поліції Одеської області. У житті все має логічний початок, продовження і кінець. Через півтора року з мого призначення на посаду керівника Одеської поліції я прийняв рішення покинути займану посаду", - сказав Лорткіпанідзе.
Читайте также:
За словами начальника обласної поліції, після проведеної оптимізації обласне управління залишилося без 40% особового складу.
"На сьогоднішній день некомплект поліції складає більше тисячі осіб. При цьому за рішенням атестаційної комісії треба звільнити ще до 400 поліцейських", - підкреслив він.
Лорткіпанідзе приступив до своїх обов'язків у червні 2015 року.
Раніше він заявляв про протидію реформ і боротьби з корупцією з боку свого начальства в Києві | {
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Sexual assaults on aircraft usually involve unwanted touching by men, the FBI says. (Representational)
The man seated next to her started by touching the woman's arm not long after takeoff, a criminal complaint says. She pushed him away.
Then the woman's fellow passenger on American Airlines flight 807 grabbed her "by the crotch" as she sat with her daughter, the complaint says she told crew members. "Sorry," the man reportedly said, throwing up his hands when the woman pushed him off again and told him to stop.
James Clayton Cholewinski-Boy, 32, now faces a charge of abusive sexual conduct for the alleged groping that led a plane headed for Salt Lake City to divert to Oklahoma earlier this week.
The FBI has sought to raise awareness about sexual assault on flights, warning the public of "a serious federal crime that is on the rise." Passenger reports of on-flight sexual assault increased from 38 in 2014 to 63 in 2017, according to the agency, and authorities have said they believe many crimes go unreported.
It wasn't immediately clear if Cholewinski-Boy has a lawyer. The Washington Post was unable to reach him Saturday.
An FBI agent said flight crews moved the woman and her daughter to another part of the plane after they learned of Cholewinski-Boy's alleged actions. In a statement, American Airlines thanked its employees for "immediately" separating the passengers.
"The quick actions of our crew ensured the safety and well-being of our customers on the flight," the company said.
The plane, which left Tuesday from Charlotte, North Carolina, landed at Tulsa International Airport so that Cholewinski-Boy could be removed, according to the criminal complaint.
Cholewinski-Boy was quickly arrested in Tulsa on public intoxication, an FBI agent states in the court filing. He was released a day later, the Tulsa Municipal Jail told CNN. Then, on Friday, he was charged by federal prosecutors in the Northern District of Oklahoma.
Sexual assaults on aircraft usually involve unwanted touching by men, the FBI says. Women and unaccompanied minors are the typical victims.
"Unfortunately, people don't think things like this happen on airplanes," said Caryn Highley, a special agent in the FBI's Seattle Division, said in a news release from the agency last year. "There is a perception on an airplane that you're in a bubble of safety." | {
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Lifeway® kefir, a fermented milk product containing 12 probiotic organisms, is reported to show promise as an alternative to fecal microbiota transplantation for recurrent Clostridium difficile infection (CDI). We employed a murine CDI model to study the probiotic protective mechanisms and unexpectedly determined that kefir drastically increased disease severity. Our results emphasize the need for further independent clinical testing of kefir as alternative therapy in recurrent CDI. | {
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If you’re not familiar with the words to “O Canada,” here’s how the first few lines of the English version originally read: O Canada! / Our home and native land! / True patriot love in all thy sons command.
The bill changes the phrase “in all thy sons command” to “in all of us command.”
It must now receive “royal assent” from the governor general before it becomes law.
The move, sponsored by late politician Mauril Bélanger, was praised by prominent Canadians, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and “The Handmaid’s Tale” author Margaret Atwood. | {
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Article content
The Quebec government has identified three schools in the east end of the island that it intends to take away from the English Montreal School Board to resolve an overcrowding problem at a French-language board.
In a letter that arrived at the EMSB on Thursday, Education Minister Jean-François Roberge says his government will order the transfer of General Vanier elementary school and John Paul I junior high school in St-Léonard and Gerald McShane elementary school in Montreal-North to the Commission scolaire de la Pointe-de-l’Île.
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tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Quebec identifies three schools to be taken away from EMSB Back to video
“Considering our current orientations, we count on you to rapidly inform the parents as well as the personnel of the schools concerned,” Roberge says in the letter, a copy of which was obtained by the Montreal Gazette.
The letter is addressed to EMSB chairperson Angela Mancini, who did not respond to messages on Thursday.
A message posted late in the day on the EMSB’s website said Mancini plans to comment on the matter on Friday. As well, it says the board’s elected commissioners will hold a special meeting on the school transfers at its headquarters on Fielding Ave. on Monday evening. | {
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We live in the age of the Celebrity Chef. Portraits of the crisp white jacket and dental-advertisement smile assail us at every turn. Bookstore shelves heave under the voguish glut of cookbooks, the covers gleaming with photo-shopped images of a foodies wet dream. Sexed-up dishes artfully manipulated by food stylists defy the imperfect genius of nature while the Chef (sometimes dressed down in jeans and a t-shirt so as not to intimidate the home cook) poses self-consciously for the camera like a slogan-chanting, baby-kissing politician on the campaign trail. Notice the healthy glow and clear complexion. Notice the lack of burns on their wrists and cuts on their hands.
There is, of course, a simple explanation for this.
They are not behind their stoves. They are not cooking.
Surely, though, you’d be a bitter naysayer to begrudge any chef’s hard-won success and wealth, if, in fact, they’ve slogged it out in award-winning kitchens for the majority of their adult lives. Writing cookbooks, shooting commercials, hosting television shows and opening restaurants is a far less brutal existence than actually cooking for a living.
Gastronomy is big business, and those who have risen proud and tall from the ramekin like a perfectly executed soufflé have reaped the rewards. Wealth, fame, and social influence await the technically-skilled and the media-savvy. Chefs, despite a reputation for foul mouths, drug habits and poor educations – and, lately, a penchant for hipster beards and forearm tattoos – have become the rock stars, the sex-symbols and cultural purveyors of our time. Once regarded as one of the lowliest of occupations (sweaty hordes of degenerates and dropouts confined to the breathless, hellish bowels of restaurant kitchens while the people with REAL jobs enjoy their nights, weekends and public holidays dining out in relative nirvana), cooking has now entered the polished and portentous realms of 21st-century pop culture.
If wealth is a measure of status, and it most often is, a cursory Google search of the net worth of the world’s top celebrity chefs will prompt even the most ardent, self-proclaimed foodie to spit their vegan quinoa bircher with almond milk across the breakfast table.
Take, for example, Jamie Oliver, the chef/author/restaurateur most often topping the celebrity rich lists. Everyone knows Jamie Oliver. He’s that theatrically chirpy, pukka English lad with the mockney accent slopping his way through an endless stream of TV specials, his crosshairs set squarely on the enthusiastic, if somewhat unskilled, home cook. According to several reputable websites (and, hey, if it’s on the internet, it MUST be true) the darling Mr Oliver is worth 400 million dollars.
Yes, you read that correctly. 400. Million. Dollars.
Why, then, have chefs become an endangered species? Why, according to the persistent wailings of industry folk and a recent smattering of media focus, is there a chronic shortage of skilled and experienced chefs? Shouldn’t they be lining up to be the next culinary god cashing in on the fact that most people these days seem to be bereft of one of the most basic skills essential to survival? Bereft, or simply too busy?
Why, as the curators of sustenance, of life, are chefs abandoning the profession in droves, downing their knives and hanging up their imitation butcher’s aprons in favour of a less glamorous occupation?
Pay/Hours
This may come as a shock to the ignorant and/or the uninitiated, but the vast majority of cooks and chefs are grossly underpaid. The likes of Jamie Oliver, Gordon Ramsay, Marco Pierre White and Mario Batali are among a select few enjoying the bountiful fruits of their seasoned labour. For every jet-setting, book-flogging, Ferrari-driving, celebrity-schmoozing, camera-crew-toting idol of the culinary arts, there are, perhaps, a quarter of a million anonymous grunts sweating it out on the line, day in, day out, for (and sometimes less than) the minimum wage. According to several online articles and statistical websites, the median full-time Australian wage for 2016 tipped the scales at the 80k mark. Compare this to the national average wage of a chef, which, according to Pay Scale, is $46, 133.
Now, getting excited about statistics is a dangerous business. Interpretations of correlated facts often lead to inaccurate assumptions. Numbers (emphasised and ignored) can be manipulated to sway a predisposed purpose. But, if almost twenty years in the cooking business has taught me anything, it’s that the 46 grand per annum is pretty much bang on. That’s a staggering discrepancy when you consider the intense physical, mental and emotional fortitude required by those who choose to cook for a living.
It’s common for chefs to work 10, 12 or 14 hour days (sometimes more in chef-owned businesses and high-end restaurants) and get paid for 7 or 8. Big deal, I hear you say. Plenty of people work overtime. And, yes, I agree. The 80-grand-Aussie will (and does) bemoan their average lot in life.
Perhaps you have an office job. Perhaps you crunch numbers, write reports, make phone calls, and seal, if you’re lucky, multi-million dollar deals. Think about that job. Then imagine doing that job, on your feet, in 40 to 50 degree heat, day after day, all year round.
Imagine a cramped, suffocating workspace with open flames, 200-degree-oven-blasts, scorching metal, scolding liquids, razor sharp knives, and cleaning products potent enough to blister your skin and vaporise your lungs. Imagine cuts and gashes, stitches and partial amputations. Imagine rashes, boils and festering lesions. Imagine bruises, burns of all degrees, and calluses on which you could extinguish cigarettes. Imagine blood. Imagine intestines, hearts, ears, tongues, livers, kidneys, bones, breasts, fat, tendons, scales, and any other part of a once-living beast staining your work surface, your hands and clothes.
Imagine sweat. Image chafe between your legs to rival that of a marathon runner. Imagine dehydration. Imagine dizziness, cramps and perpetual diarrhoea. Imagine a timeframe of precise and manifold tasks broken down into seconds and minutes rather than hours or days. Imagine noise. Imagine a relentless barrage of scrapping, slamming, shouting, buzzing, crashing and booming, military-chorus-like affirmations of, “Yes, chef!” Imagine an ingrained, foul-mouthed dialect of abuse, intimidation, cruelty, sexual innuendo and harassment shared between co-workers with casual aplomb.
Imagine no lunch breaks. Imagine coffee, sugar and nicotine, hurriedly ingested during rare lulls in the action, as your primary source of fuel and nutrition. Imagine working nights, weekends and public holidays. Imagine no social life, little or no time spent with friends and family. Imagine sick days are reserved only for the hospitalised. (Hungover? Tired? Got the flu? Fuck off. Get your arse to work.) Imagine holidays are when you either quit or get fired.
Sound enticing for 12 hour days at an average of 46 grand a year?
No, I didn’t think so.
Sure, an average is exactly that, an average. An Executive/Head Chef, perched atop the apex of the gastronomic hierarchy, will earn significantly more. But like a General in some faraway war, the Executive/Head will most likely spend more time in the relative comfort and safety of their command centre than they will engaged on the culinary battlefield.
Executives/Heads are the brains of the operation, the strategists and the pen-pushers. They’ll write the menus, the recipes, the rosters, haggle with producers and wrangle the percentages. A day in the life of an Executive/Head will, unavoidably, involve a tedious, mind-scrambling, arse-numbing, belly-swelling succession of meetings, appraisals, costings, maintenance requests, hiring and firings. Time on the ground, so to speak, is largely ceremonial. Maybe, if they’ve got a spare ten minutes between sampling a local supplier’s finger limes and quoting a price for a new Rational combi oven, they’ll emerge from the office in their starched and spotless whites to inspect the troops, taste a sauce, or ravage a trembling apprentice for taking too long to fillet 20kg of snapper. The work is hardly physical, but the pressure is immense. Submit a less than satisfactory monthly stocktake or receive a damning report from the Health Department, and the incensed Owner/General Manager will come looking for their blood. Perhaps financing that new Mitsubishi Triton wasn’t such a good idea, after all.
The sous chef, however, runs the kitchen. As second in command, the sous (meaning “under” in French), is considered to have the toughest, most demanding role in the traditional kitchen hierarchy. When the Executive/Head conceives, say, a seasonal menu or a cleaning roster, it’s up to the sous to make it happen. At once a skilled technician, manager, craftsman, artist, motivator, punisher and prep grunt, the dedicated sous has few equals in any kitchen. The best sous chefs I’ve known are the battle-hardened veterans, the infallible badass warriors with deadly knife skills, infinite culinary knowledge, superhuman stamina, and, more often than not, a hair-trigger temperament. Their mission is to ensure that every chopped onion, every julienne of carrot, every fillet of salmon, every stock, every sauce, every soup and every sprig of chervil is prepared, cooked and plated with precision and consistency. If, say, an irate customer complains that their humble Caesar salad was served without the traditional croutons, therefore ruining their lunch, their week, their life, the sous will take it as a personal insult and kick the sorry arse of the absent-minded larder chef accordingly.
The sous must be all-knowing and all-seeing. They must lead from the front, be able to outcook, outlast and outwit even the most gifted of underlings. They must know every ingredient of every recipe, every portion size and plating technique. They must coordinate prep, cleaning, stock rotation, equipment maintenance, and the gruelling, all-important service. They must teach. They must inspire. They must push. They must punish. Needless to say, they must turn up to work every day. Often working 60-80 hour weeks in top restaurants, on their feet, sweating alongside the chef de partie, commis, apprentice and dishwasher, they’ll be doing well to earn 60k a year.
This, remember, is still some 20 grand short of the median Australian salary.
Okay. Don’t get me wrong. I’m well aware that preparing, cooking, and plating food for a living is hardly the requisites of, say, a Victoria Cross or a Nobel Prize. Chefs are not saving lives on the operating table. Nor are we risking them on the battle field. There are plenty of tough jobs out there, and people making a true difference in the world. We are not surgeons. We are not soldiers. We are not police officers (or emergency workers), who, rather ironically, are criminally underpaid for their service to a community that far too often exposes them to unimaginable incidences of abuse, scrutiny and violence.
And, no, chefs are not discovering the cure for cancer or the molecular properties of the universe.
Chefs are, despite contemporary illusions of glamour and prestige, the quintessential exponents of the real working-class. Forget about builders, plumbers, electricians, mechanics, and most other labour-intensive trades. Compared to the humble chef, those lucky bastards are living like princes. Unless you make it to the bigtime, snare that Corporate Executive gig after 20+ years of torment and squalor, the comfortable, middle-class dream for the average chef is lamentably a pay bracket beyond reach.
While other tradies are buying family homes, putting in swimming pools, driving late model V8s and 4x4s and taking the kiddies for a spin in the tinnie on weekends, the average chef (ranging from the raw apprentice to the experienced sous) will be doing well to keep up the rent of a modest 2 bedroom apartment, eat a couple of nutritious, home-cooked meals a week, afford to get the brake pads replaced on their shit-box 95 Ford Laser, visit the dentist once a decade, pay the electricity bill on time, and maintain, if they’re very lucky, a lasting and intimate relationship – let alone raising children with any semblance of presence and normality.
No, now that I think about it, chefs are not working-class. That’s too generous a categorisation. They are, in many cases, the working-poor.
To put it bluntly (and with a decent measure of hyperbole aside), most chefs work exceptionally hard for shit money. And it’s even tougher in fine dining, the glorified pinnacle of the trade. Many apprentices and cooks working in the nation’s top kitchens couldn’t afford, if they had the time, to eat in their own restaurants. The privilege of their punishment is the acquisition of skills, knowledge, and an impressive name to add to their resume. Money, or the lack of it, is a neglected postscript.
To give you some perspective…
Some years ago, in my early thirties, I was sous chef at the Caxton Hotel, an iconic, family-run Brisbane venue. It was, and I hope, still is, a go-to place for a good steak, some fresh local seafood, and a few cold beers. The food was simple pub grub, granted, but high volume. The owners (two brothers) had a cold-blooded fetish for the number of meals – usually a couple of hundred – served during each dinner service.
On the busiest of nights, the General Manager was ordered to stand at the pass, permanent marker in hand, with the sole mission of tallying up the official count (breads, entrees and desserts excluded) of meals served as hand-written dockets, waiters, garnished dishes and empty plates flew in and out of the kitchen. From memory, a Tuesday night, our record for a single, 3 hour rush was 517 meals. (The reason I remember this number is because each record-breaking service was recorded for posterity in permanent marker on the metal casing of a fuse box positioned opposite one of the walk-in fridges.) Not bad, considering the feat was achieved by a team of 7 chefs. When you break it down by the numbers, that’s 7 chefs pumping out 2.8 main meals (an array of quality steaks, fish, salads and pastas cooked and plated to order) every minute. Or, if you look at it another way, 1 chef contributing 73.8 dishes to the service total.
Not your average weekend dinner party, I’m sure you’ll agree.
The daily challenge of high volume aside, the Caxton was a decent, steady gig for any chef – a place to master the basics while striving for speed, precision and efficiency. We butchered and portioned our own steaks from whole joints of beef (literally tonnes a week). We made our own salad dressings, emulsions, stocks, sauces, compound butters and marinades (none of that prepacked, bought in shit). We sourced fresh fish, bugs, prawns, oysters and scallops from local suppliers (no room for the frozen variety, as our only freezer, reserved for the thick-cut chips and miscellaneous surpluses, was the size of a large broom closet).
In essence, we prepared and cooked a simple, honest, and satisfying menu. As an added bonus, cooks and chefs were paid reasonably well, slightly above the award rate, and except for occasions during peak season, we rarely toiled beyond the 40-hour working week. Well-run, well-organised, we were a tightknit crew that often got together for a beer or six after a particularly brutal service. Put simply, it was everything a chef or cook would hope (and expect) from a casual, inner-city restaurant catering to 1000+ ravenous punters a week.
But, for some ambitious cooks, the pub scene will never be enough. We had one such apprentice (let’s call him Toby), who, at 18, dreamed of white tablecloths and culinary glory. Toby, in all fairness, was a hardworking kid. He turned up every day. He followed directions. He got things done. All, I must say, for his paltry 300-400 dollars a week.
Despite his dedication and loyalty, Toby made it unashamedly known (to me, at least) that he didn’t see a future for himself hurriedly assembling Caesar salads, half-burning Kilpatrick oysters, or slinging 300 steaks a night for a drunken, pre-game rugby crowd. What Toby wanted was precision and finesse. He wanted exceptional flavours and textures. He wanted skills and techniques that would set him apart from the average cowboy. He wanted, as it turned out, a job at Aria. Recently opened at Eagle Street Pier by a certain interstate celebrity chef, the fine dining restaurant with a lush interior and sweeping million-dollar views of the Brisbane River and Story Bridge, was said to set a new standard of elegance and sophistication in a city (and state) much-criticised for its lack of culinary flair.
Toby wanted class. And I knew what he was talking about.
Before the Caxton, in my mid-to-late twenties, I spent a handful of years in the UK and Europe. From London to Paris, Istanbul to Madrid, Florence to San Sebastian, Nice to Santorini – and just about everywhere in between – I worked, travelled, and absorbed as much of the culture and cuisine as I could. During that time, I was fortunate enough to have worked under some experienced, classically-trained chefs, who introduced me to the exotic wonders of foie gras, truffles, venison, turbot, monkfish, pigeon, caviar, and a dizzying array of French, Spanish and Italian dishes I had no clue how to pronounce correctly.
In one particular multiple AA Rosette kitchen (the rough equivalent of Chef Hats in Australia) in a Scottish 5 star hotel, we changed the menu on a daily basis. A meeting was held each morning to discuss the fresh produce we had ordered the night before. With each chef assigned a particular section, amuse-bouches, appetisers, mains, desserts and petits fours were planned for the intimate 40 pax dinner service. Creativity, as you’d imagine, was encouraged. As was the experimentation with traditional flavour combinations and presentations. It was, to say the least, a rewarding and challenging experience, especially for a young Aussie cook a world away from home.
That’s why, years later at the Caxton, I encouraged the ambitious Toby to go for the Aria job, confident that he’d learn more in six months of fine dining than he ever could in five years of pumping out tens of thousands of satisfying but imperfect meals in a casual restaurant. Albeit, I must say, with a solemn warning of immense sacrifice and discipline ahead.
As it turned out, Toby got the Aria gig. We shipped him off one night post-service at the Caxton with handshakes, well-wishes and a belly full of Bundy rum. No one heard from him for six months, until late one Monday night, when he returned for a few catch-up drinks with his former comrades. (Now, to give you the full picture, it’s important to illustrate Toby’s physical appearance. He was tall, about 6’3”, and before he’d left the Caxton, possessed, for his height, the characteristic teenage male physique: thin-limbed, underdeveloped – soft in the belly from a few too many late night munchies and gaming sessions – with shoulder-length dark hair and a plump, rosy-cheeked wholesomeness.)
As he joined our table, slumped into a chair with the weary grunt of a man three times his age, it was obvious that Toby’s six months at Aria had so far proved an ordeal. He was wacked, a late afternoon shadow of his former self. Gone was the pot belly, the shoulder-length locks, the ruddy complexion, and the dreamy glint of a doe-eyed innocent. He was gaunt-faced, head-shaven, sallow-skinned, and his once puppy-fat physique was reduced to that of a decommissioned, malnourished greyhound. Fresh burns bloomed on his arms. His hands were raw, cut and blistered.
As predicted, he had become a high-end culinary slave. Arriving at work at 7 in the morning and leaving well past midnight each day, Toby was now toiling for twice as many hours as he did at the Caxton. That’s 80 hours a week for $300. He was surviving on 2 or 3 hours sleep a night. He was working through his breaks, fuelled by a diet of energy drinks and hastily consumed scraps. He was subject to constant verbal and physical abuse, performing the most intricate and laborious of tasks while expected to produce perfection on every plate. He was threatened with instant dismissal if he turned up late or called in sick. He was, in essence, a lackey, wallowing on the lowest rung of the high-end kitchen ladder. Overworked and underpaid, he was to never question the authority of a senior chef, never offer an opinion or deviate from the status quo. He was to obey, sweat, bleed, burn, and fucking like it.
What, I hear you say, is the point of this little anecdote? A common example – or perhaps a warning – for any wannabe cook chasing the haute cuisine dream because they’ve watched a few episodes of Master Chef, seen a pretty dish on Pinterest, or wreathed their coffee table with the latest celebrity chefs’ cookbooks.
Commercial cooking, if executed with the required sum of dedication and professionalism, is not a hobby or a hyped curiosity. It’s not even a job. It’s a lifestyle. A calling. An obsession. It’s a masochistic willingness to sacrifice one’s health, sanity and relationships for half the median Australian wage so you, the diner, can enjoy your birthday, your anniversary, your business lunch or casual Sunday brunch in contrived comfort. Truth be told, many chefs earning a barely liveable wage will already be in their kitchens when you arrive at your average office job in the morning. They will be working through your lunch break. They will be working when you pick up the kids from school. They will be working during your gym session. They will be working during the 6 o’clock news. They will be working when you sit down to dinner with the family. They will be working during your Netflix chill.
And they will still be working when you retire to bed, flick absentmindedly through the day’s Facebook posts, and eventually nod off to sleep.
Read Part 2 at The Desperate and the Insane: 3 Reasons Why Chefs are a Dying Breed – Part 2
We understand this is quite long and most of us only have a few minutes here and there so please share it to your timeline so you can come back to it at anytime. It is really is worth it!
This 3 part series is written by Luke Thomas and is published with consent, please check him out!
Create your very own website to showcase your Chef skills FREE at www.ChefsR.com
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See all of our Tees and Hoodies at teespring.com/stores/heard-uk | {
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One of the more interesting things about the government's gun buy-back is whether talk will turn to reality.
There is allegedly much upset from the gun community, whatever that is. Or is it a community just because you own a gun? Or are gun owners so wide and varied they're just ordinary every day New Zealanders you wouldn't look twice at, they just happen to own a gun? Like library cards, is that a community?
Anyway, the gun community is angry at NZ First for the support they have given for the buy-back. The inference being, NZ First is strong in the rural parts of this country, and a gun buy-back is a direct attack on that sector. Same sort of thing came out of the Nats supporting the government's zero carbon bill.
The claim, and I have received much correspondence on it, is that all the angry farmers who hate the zero carbon bill and the trouble it brings to their business will be now voting Act. They were the only ones who didn’t vote for it.
Here's my guess, none of it will change anything. Act's vote won't go up. New Zealand First's vote won't go down. And if it does, it will be foundations and donations, not guns that sink them. The same way Labour's vote for Damien O'Connor might be affected a bit, given their actions on the coast. But for all the anger you saw last weekend with the protest, the reality is Damien O'Connor has a 6000 vote majority.
What you say during the term of a government is not what you do when you vote.
And so to the gun buy-back. A month this week to go, and the numbers are unquestionably, indisputably low. 33,620 guns bought back according to the police website. They’ve handed over $70m to buy them back. The gun lobby said it would be hundreds of millions.
The reason it isn't, of course, is that most of the guns they want haven't been handed in. Most of the people who have the guns they want, aren't the 'hand them in or co-operate with the police' kind.
As an exercise in ridding the country of the weaponry used in Christchurch, thus leading to the chances of another similar attack ever happening again, this programme has been an abject failure.
It was badly conceived, it was a rushed reaction to a tragedy, it was an example of decision-making designed not to solve anything other than make the government look like they were actually doing something.
It gets neither all the guns nor anywhere close. Nor does it make us any safer from crazies. Most of the guns bought are already being replaced by guns that still shoot a lot of bullets, certainly enough bullets to cause mayhem.
When you are dealing with one person, with one aim; a broad-based political solution targeting innocent, law-abiding people solves nothing. All it does it cause resentment.
But, and here is where the rubber hits the road, has it or does it shift votes? Has it damaged the government, either Labour or New Zealand First? A lot of stuff happens between votes that gets a lot of noise around it and with a month to go this has been a good example. But let's see in 10 months what the tangible effect is. My bet, is next to none. | {
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Recreational fishing tends to be one of those sports people either love of hate, either because of the tranquil nature of the activity or for the exact same reason. That hasn’t stopped virtual reality (VR) developers bringing fishing into the virtual realm, with Resolution Games’ Bait! proving to be popular. Then there are upcoming titles like Metricminds’ Catch & Release to consider. South Korean developer MirageSoft has recently released early details for its fishing experience, Project VR Fishing.
Unlike Bait! or Catch & Release, Project VR Fishing goes for a far more realistic looking experience as MirageSoft is using photogrammetry alongside high-resolution horizontal 8K panoramic textures. As the screenshots and video below showcase, Project VR Fishing isn’t going to be your average arcade VR videogame with some incredibly detailed – and real – South Korean fishing spots.
To begin with Project VR Fishing will feature freshwater lure fishing, with MirageSoft confirming to VRFocus via email that three different versions are currently in development. A theme park version which supports four players using custom built reel controller, will be completed in May 2018 for South Korean attractions.
The second version will be for mobile and the mobile standalone devices, designed more towards casual players who are not familiar with fishing. The studio plan to release this version around the middle of 2018. The final version will be for Oculus Rift and HTC Vive, designed to be a fishing simulator that’ll be playable by the end of the year.
Players will also have the opportunity to create their own aquarium, presumably filled with fish that they’ve caught.
MirageSoft’s future plans for Project VR Fishing also include ideas for sea fishing as well as other fishing spots from locations around the world.
Check out the demo video below which was created using actual in-game footage, and for any further updates on Project VR Fishing keep reading VRFocus. | {
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A balloonist, doing a 'splash and dash' along the Rio Grande coasted along and greeted some kayakers out for a morning ride, high-fiving them along the way. | {
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2. NERDY IS COOL
One of the biggest draws of Stranger Things is how they make science and nerdiness so cool. From playing Dungeons & Dragons to being members of the school’s AV club. From dressing up as Ghostbusters to building a DIY radio tower. The kids in the show are excellent role models for anyone who is curious and loves to learn.
3. FAMILY IS EVERYTHING
are loved . Whether it is the bond between Joyce and Will, Karen and Nancy or Hopper and El, some moments melt our hearts. Especially in Stranger Things 3, the moment where El reads Hopper letter. One can’t help but cry at the unconditional love a Home is your refuge. A happy place for you to dwell in. It’s a place where you love and. Whether it is the bond between Joyce and Will, Karen and Nancy or Hopper and El, some moments melt our hearts. Especially in Stranger Things 3, the moment where El reads Hopper letter. One can’t help but cry at the unconditional love a father has for her daughter.
4. BE BRAVE
Stranger Things tells us that fear is your worst enemy. It can weaken you and hinder your progress. When a problem comes your way, don’t cower and run away, fight with everything you have. The characters in the show teach us that courage and determination can slay all the monsters
5. KEEP YOUR INNER CHILD ALIVE
It becomes difficult to keep the inner child alive while growing up. We try to appear matured to appease society. But one must not forget that every person is different and nobody has the right to judge you. Explore, create, try something new, make time for play, be honest, worry less, and laugh a lot. Do things that make you free and joyful like a child.
READ NEXT: AN IDEAL WIFE ACCORDING TO A MAN | {
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NEW YORK – The head of France’s largest Jewish organization called on Americans to combat online hate speech, in an advertisement in The New York Times.In the advertisement in Monday’s paper, titled “An appeal to our American Friends,” Roger Cukierman, who heads the Representative Council of French Jewish Institutions, an umbrella group, wrote that following the deaths of four of his co-religionists in a terrorist attack in Paris in January, “French Jews fear for their safety, their integrity, their dignity, and their future.”This is widely known in the United States and many have asked how they can help, he continued, asserting that the best way to do so would be to “help us defuse the hate where it moves most freely – on the Internet.”“On the Internet, anti-Semitic ravings, rooted in centuries old myths such as the rich Jew and the powerful Jew go unchecked,” he wrote, averring that both resentment of Jews and jihadism thrive online.Only several clicks on Google can bring one to pages full of conspiracy theories, including ones linking Jews to the 9/11 attacks and old canards like The Protocols of the Elders of Zion, which can be “liked” with impunity, he said.Given that the hosts of much of this content are American firms that are subject to American law, France’s friends here must “convince them to set a limit to this swarm of hate.”Cukierman added that, while freedom of speech is a core American value, it must be possible to crack down on online hate “without inhibiting” free expression.The French communal leader called on Internet corporations to remove anti-Semitic content as soon as it is flagged and for the technology sector to “conform, in each country they are present, to the laws of democracies faced with anti-Semitism.”Many European nations maintain much stricter controls on hate speech than the United States. In France “we have many ways to fight hatred directed at Jews” in the local press, but very little recourse against a “web woven across the Atlantic,” he added.“Freedom of speech is not freedom to hate” or to “incite murder,” he concluded, likening the battle against anti-Semitism to efforts made to ban child pornography. | {
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Commerce Kickstart 2.0 is now available as a developer release on Drupal.org. We’ve been working since March on this completely new distribution and we're now asking you, the Commerce developer community, to help us add the final touches. There's a lot left to do, but a full release – worthy of building your next mission critical eCommerce site – will be ready by DrupalCon Munich, in August (see Ryan's session on the topic).
The new version of Kickstart is a complete eCommerce website for selling physical goods through an online store. It shows all of the best practices for setting up and managing a Drupal Commerce store, including a greatly simplified user experience for store managers. It also features a beautiful new theme with out-of-the-box responsive design.
Features for store managers or site builders:
Features for customers:
Augustin Delaporte and I will be presenting a sneak peek of the new Commerce Kickstart 2.0 at the Drupal Developer Days in Barcelona this weekend. Hope to see you there!
Simplified product entry and creation
If you’re already familiar with Drupal Commerce, or the previous version of Kickstart, you’re familiar with the many steps that were needed to first create products and then separately create product displays. Kickstart 2.0 has addresses this head-on, and offers simplified on-site product entry and management. The creation of products has been combined with the creation of product displays and consolidated onto one form. See the Inline Entity Form module for more details.
Simplified product and order management screens
New product overview and order history screens have been added to simplify the work of shop administrators. Search and filter masks are combined with bulk updates to facilitate dealing with large numbers of products and orders.
Products:
Orders:
Discounts and coupons
Coming soon: A new user interface for offering Rules-based discounts on products, such as “15% off for the month of July”, or “Free shipping for orders over $99”.
Commerce Analytics
Commerce Guys Commerce Analytics provides realtime analyatics integration tracks products, campaigns, affiliates, and social channels to help you learn what is driving the most returns and contributing to profitability.
Social logins
Customers can authenticate with Facebook, Google, or Twitter. The system is extensible to include any OAuth based authentication system.
Product slideshows
Show off your products in the best way by easily adding them to a slideshow, like the one featured on the Kickstart front page.
Faceted product search
Customers will find exactly the products they're looking for with the new faceted product search. Conditional facets and a graphical product grid help people drill down to the items they are looking for.
Address book has been rebuilt
Customers now have great tools for managing their billing and shipping addresses right from their user profile.
Image zoom feature
Customers can inspect the fine details of product photos with the nifty image zoom feature.
Fancy product attributes
Color attributes on products render as actual colors, making product displays look crisp and clean. | {
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$ 29.98
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VINYL
Weight: Standard
Color: Red and blue split color
PACKAGING
Gatefold Jacket with Insert
TRACK LISTING
Side A
1. Relentless
2. Elevator
3. Love Is For The Middle Class
Side B
4. So Far Away
5. God Save The Foolish Kings
6. Salt In The Sea
Side C
7. Independence Day For A Petty Thief
8. Somebody Knows
9. Disappear
Side D
10. She Mighty Mighty
11. Constant
12. Burn Me Down | {
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Petersburg resident Richard Burke says he gets frustrated looking out the window at his all-terrain vehicle that he paid $7,000 for, knowing he can't ride it anywhere in town.
Burke wants that to change, so he passed around a petition that garnered enough attention to make it onto the city's October ballot.
KFSK-FM reports that on Oct. 3, Petersburg residents will have the opportunity to vote for allowing ATVs and other off-road vehicles to be driven on low-speed streets.
Opponents of the law are concerned with the safety of driving ATVs next to vehicles, while backers say it would help with downtown parking problems and would make it easier to live in Petersburg.
The law would include off-highway vehicles but not snow machines. | {
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Does Xenu know no shame? The Church of Scientology, which is neither church or science, have obtained the medical records of protesters who have demonstrated against the cult and, after finding out that two of the regular protesters are HIV positive, are seeking a public ordinance that would prevent further protests because they would pose a health risk to cult members.
Because it’s a well established fact that HIV is transmissible only through loud chanting and speeches given on bullhorns.
Boston’s Edge Magazine explains:
“Worldwide pickets against Scientology have surged in the last year, and Scientology has been fighting to stop them, especially near the Hemet compound. According to the protesters, Scientology has used tactics ranging from physical attacks, false reports to police, and the emission of a loud organ note from loudspeakers in an attempt to drown out the protesters’ chants. Attorney Graham Berry and activists who call themselves “Angry Gay Pope” (AGP) and “Happy Smurf” (a former Scientologist) are openly gay. Scientology, which policy states that homosexuals are “low on the tone scale” and should be “disposed of quietly and without sorrow,” has obtained AGP and Happy Smurf’s private records and discovered that they are HIV positive. Scientology is lobbying for the passage of a county-wide ordinance in Riverside County that would result in restricting protesting at “Gold Base.” Scientology lawyers are advocating that the presence of the two HIV-positive men presents a threat to the well-being of the alleged 500 workers at the Base, and is seeking to restrict protests. “
And here’s a video of a “Gold Base” protest. The tone in the background is the Church pumping noise out on speakers to drown out protesters. | {
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First-ever Fuxxx
When Eva Notty hammer SCORE for the first-ever time, response used to be hasty and Jeff’s electronic mail to SCORECard’s letter discussion board is a great instance of the mail that got here in. “I ass’t get sufficient of Eva Notty! Descendant is really luxurious! Does baby have any further vid or image shoots popping out? Descendant’s the principle reason why I take a look at the website on a daily basis, simply to witness if baby has anything else fresh! Stay her on deck! Descendant’s a knockout!” So all of you must in finding reason why to have a good time as a result of this is Eva’s first-ever full-sex gig! After you witness the vid and try the images, you can agree. This honey enjoys to smash and baby’s were given fervor, sensuality and zeal! Descendant’s now not a intercourse system, baby’s a intercourse queen! | {
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The municipal bonds that help finance a major portion of the nation’s water supply may be riskier than investors realize because their credit ratings do not adequately reflect the growing risks of water shortages and legal battles over water supplies, according to a new study.
As a result, investors may see their bonds drop in value when these risks become apparent, and water and electric utilities may find it more expensive to raise money to cope with supply problems, the study warned.
Looking at significant water bond issuers across the southern part of the country, the report concluded that Wall Street’s rating agencies had given similar ratings to utilities with secure sources of water and to those whose water sources were dwindling or were threatened by legal battles with neighboring utilities.
Among the seven cities and agencies examined in the report, Los Angeles and Atlanta were identified as the ones whose water systems faced the greatest risk in the years ahead. | {
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Researchers say loot boxes could cause overspending and lead to ‘more conventional forms of gambling’
Australian psychiatrists and researchers have called for greater regulation of video games that encourage players to purchase chance-based items, also known as loot boxes, likening them to poker machines and warning they can lead to overspending.
A Senate inquiry, which was moved by the Greens senator Jordon Steele-John and passed unanimously by the Senate in June, begins in Melbourne on Friday, and has already drawn written submissions from industry advocates, health professionals and members of the public.
Games with loot box mechanics have long proven controversial, with critics and gamers alleging similarities to gambling and warning of their appeal to younger audiences. Some players have shared stories of their own descents into unwittingly addictive behaviour, including the UK player who discovered via GDPR that he had spent over $10,000 in just two years.
In recent months, politicians around the world, including in the US and Belgium, have called for or begun taking action. The current inquiry is the first major government movement in Australia on the subject, beyond advisories.
Q&A What are loot boxes? Show Hide Loot boxes, usually embedded in games based on popular licences like Star Wars or Fifa, are roughly similar to baseball cards or other collection-based blind boxes: players pay a small fee for a chance to obtain a random assortment of virtual items. These rewards can be cosmetic (such as ‘skins’ that change the look of in-game objects) or affect gameplay (perhaps through higher stat numbers or unlocking abilities). Items usually have differing levels of rarity in proportion to their power or aesthetic desirability. Players could open a box and get an extremely rare and useful item, or get a bunch of junk – seemingly at random, especially because publishers rarely disclose the odds of winning certain items. The fee that players pay to open a loot box is usually in in-game currency that can be earned slowly through regular play. However, games are often structured to encourage players to buy the virtual currency for real money, especially for those short on time, or who feel a compulsion that has been likened to pulling a slot machine’s handle. Microtransactions, especially loot boxes, represent a continual revenue stream for publishers in addition to the initial one-off transaction of buying the game. While it is estimated that only a small proportion of total players spend any money on microtransactions, a subset of those that do spend astronomical amounts. An estimated 0.15% of players provided 50% of all revenue in the free-to-play mobile market according to research conducted in January 2014.
To fall under legal definitions of gambling, as defined by the states, a common element is that a game be played “for money or anything else of value”. This has commonly been interpreted as requiring an ability to “cash out” your virtual items, which most video games do not permit, although many games have (generally unauthorised) secondary markets where players can trade items or accounts for real currency.
Both the New South Wales and Victorian government submitted that most loot box systems do not currently fall under the legal definition of gambling, though a few submissions noted that items could still be “of value” to players in terms of prestige or other non-monetary forms of utility.
However, the majority of responses focused on the psychologically addictive elements of loot box systems, with many labelling the practice “simulated gambling”.
Academics and gambling research groups paid particular attention to the “variable ratio reinforcement schedule” – the fact that players do not know when exactly they will get a reward, driving them to acquire and repeat behaviours frequently in the hopes of winning.
“The variable ratio reinforcement schedule which underpins many gambling models similarly underpins the model of chance-based items,” said the Royal Australia & New Zealand College of Psychiatrists in a submission. “Concurrent with these behaviours are the adaptation of neural dopamine pathways which further encourage these behaviours.”
Dr James Sauer and Dr Aaron Drummond, authors of a paper cited in the Senate motion referring the inquiry, said in a joint submission: “It is plausible that those engaging with these loot box systems could have short-term consequences (eg, overspending on accessing loot box systems) and longer-term consequences (eg facilitating migration to more conventional forms of gambling).”
It is extremely difficult to compete in the contemporary games market with any other revenue model. Marcus Carter
Meanwhile, the Interactive Games and Entertainment Association – an industry representative group – likened loot boxes to football trading cards or Kinder Surprises, citing a pre-existing “surprise and delight” element.
“The same element of surprise in these other consumer products has simply been adopted with loot boxes,” the IGEA submission said.
Concerns were also raised regarding ease of access of loot box systems and microtransactions to children and other vulnerable groups, as well as the relative lack of information provided to parents and guardians.
The Office of the eSafety Commissioner estimated that 34% of young people made in-game purchases in the 12 months before June 2017, while the Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia cited research finding that around 20% of simulated gambling players moved on to online commercial gambling and 5% of young Australians would develop gambling problems before they were 25 years old.
Dr Marcus Carter, a former president of the Digital Games Research Association of Australia, argued that “predatory” practices were “pervasive”, citing potential variable odds manipulation, push notifications about limited-time offers and other player retention mechanics. It is, he said, like “having [a] slot machine in your pocket that actively encourages you to gamble at your most vulnerable moment”.
Carter also cautioned, however, that “it is extremely difficult to compete in the contemporary games market with any other revenue model than [loot box type monetisation mechanics]”.
“Consequently, recommendations should balance protecting consumers with how to protect Australian-based game development and the potential impact of restricting this market on an important and growing creative industry in Australia.”
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Some groups called for the Australian Classification Board to ensure that games with loot box systems were placed in age-restricted categories, or refused classification. Photograph: Blizzard Entertainment
Queensland’s attorney general and justice minister, Yvette D’Ath, noted that certain features of games such as jurisdictional issues and convergent online communities made state-level regulation impracticable, and recommended amendments at the federal level.
Submissions called for solutions including requirements for companies to publish the odds of winning items, greater and more specific content warnings, notifications to account holders at time of purchase and the ability to “opt-out” or apply a parental lock to in-game microtransactions.
Some groups called for the Australian Classification Board to ensure that games with loot box systems were placed in age-restricted categories, or refused classification all together. Australian video game classification is already regarded as among as the harshest in the world, with multiple high-profile games initially refused classification over the past few years.
The majority of individual submissions were also broadly in favour of regulation. | {
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Beinahe jeder dritte Bundestagsabgeordnete verdient neben dem Mandat noch dazu. Dies berichtet die „Süddeutsche Zeitung“. 188 der 651 Volksvertreter, die es in dieser Wahlperiode gab, hatten demnach nennenswerte Nebeneinkünfte. Zusammen kamen sie in den vier Jahren auf Einnahmen von schätzungsweise 32 Millionen Euro. Rechnerisch wären dies mehr als 170 000 Euro pro Parlamentarier – und dies bei Diäten, die sich im Lauf einer Wahlperiode bei jedem auf knapp 400 000 Euro summieren.
Zu diesem Ergebnis kommt eine Studie der Otto-Brenner-Stiftung der IG Metall, die an diesem Samstag veröffentlicht wird. Die Abgeordneten der Koalition sind demnach nebenberuflich deutlich erfolgreicher als die der Opposition: „Zumindest zu 70 Prozent“ entfielen die Nebeneinkünfte auf sie, heißt es in der Studie.
Nebeneinkünfte sind kein Ausnahmefall
Vor allem Anwälte und Redner
Nach der Debatte um die Nebeneinkünfte von SPD-Kanzlerkandidat Peer Steinbrück wollte die Stiftung ermitteln, ob Abgeordnete nur im Ausnahmefall Nebeneinkünfte erzielen, wie hoch sie sind und welche Bedeutung dem beizumessen ist. Der Autor Herbert Hönigsberger – ein Berliner Sozialwissenschaftler, der sich seit Jahren mit der Unabhängigkeit von Abgeordneten befasst – hat sich auf die individuellen Angaben der Parlamentarier auf der Bundestags-Website gestützt und anschließend Schätzungen vorgenommen.Hönigsberger ermittelte die 32 Millionen Euro als „brauchbaren Mittelwert“. Der Betrag sei angesichts einzelner Honorare, die bekannt geworden seien, eine „konservative Schätzung“. Nach den Verhaltensregeln des Bundestags müssen die Abgeordneten bislang nur angeben, ob sie für eine Nebentätigkeit 1000 bis 3500 Euro, bis 7000 Euro oder mehr als 7000 Euro erhalten. Von der nächsten Wahlperiode an müssen zwar vor allem Großverdiener genauere Angaben machen: Dann wird es sieben Stufen für Einkünfte zwischen 7000 und 250 000 Euro geben. Aber auch künftig muss niemand exakte Beträge verraten.Zu den Ergebnissen der Studie zählt auch, dass die Abgeordneten unterschiedliche Tätigkeiten ausüben, je nachdem, welcher Partei sie angehören. So entfielen auf die Regierungsfraktionen 75 Prozent der Nebeneinkünfte von Anwälten im Bundestag. Insgesamt erzielten 66 Anwälte im Parlament zwischen 3,8 und vier Millionen Euro. Hingegen lassen sich Sozialdemokraten stärker als Redner buchen. Hönigsberger taxiert die Einnahmen aus Vorträgen insgesamt auf „zwischen 1,7 und 1,9 Millionen Euro“. Fast 70 Prozent davon entfielen auf fünf Abgeordnete der SPD.Namen nennt die Studie nicht. Der Chef der Otto-Brenner-Stiftung, Jupp Legrand, sagte, er wolle keine einzelnen Personen an den Pranger stellen, sondern auf ein grundsätzliches Problem aufmerksam machen. Autor Hönigsberger kam zu dem Fazit, trotz der vielen Nebeneinkünfte sei das Parlament „nicht gekauft“. Doch manche Aktivitäten von Abgeordneten erregten Verdacht, und die Regelungen für Nebentätigkeiten seien unzulänglich, schreibt Hönigsberger: „Das Parlament ist töricht genug zu suggerieren, es könne käuflich sein.“ | {
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Everyone knows wages are stagnant. That's been one of the dominant (and most frustrating) economic stories of recent years. And now as the job market is limping its way back to health, we're all waiting for wages to pick up, which should be a sign that labor market slack is tightening.
But many workers really have been getting more from their bosses without realizing it. Data released earlier this month from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that while wages have been flat, benefits have grown quickly over the last decade.
Over the last 10 years, employer spending on inflation-adjusted wages and salaries has held steady, slipping slightly from $22.45 per hour in 2004 to $22.13 in 2014. But the hourly cost of benefits has gone up by nearly 9 percent. One big component of that is employer health insurance payments, which has increased from $2.30 to $2.75 per hour — a nearly 20-percent jump.
inflation-adjusted wages and salaries have slipped since 2004, but health insurance premiums grew by nearly 20 percent.
Wages do make up the biggest part of compensation, of course — wages and salaries make up $22.13 of the total $32.20 in hourly compensation that employees earn. But wages and salaries as a percentage of the total compensation that employees earn has slowly slid as benefits have taken up a bigger and bigger share. Today, wages and salaries make up 68.7 percent of workers' total compensation, compared to 70.8 a decade ago, as benefits have taken up an ever-growing share.
Of course, it's not that employers are deciding to buy more or better plans for their workers. Health insurance premiums have grown at more than four times the rate of inflation since 2000, as the Wall Street Journal's Anna Wilde Mathews wrote earlier this year, and workers' contributions to those premiums have grown even faster. Meanwhile, the share of employers offering those benefits has fallen off over that same period. Healthcare just has had some out-of-control cost growth.
But there's some good news: the speed at which those costs are growing has slowed to historically low levels, as Sarah Kliff wrote earlier this month, and per-person Medicare spending has even started to fall in the last few years. And there are signs that this slower growth could be a permanent change. Obamacare is a factor, but so is offering narrower plans. Slower cost growth in health care might mean employers will be able to spend more on workers' wages in the near future. | {
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FLINT, MI -- Mayoral incumbent Karen Weaver’s most recent campaign finance report states she paid a business listed as owning a Flint gentlemen’s club $7,500 for “consulting.”
Repeated attempts to reach the mayor’s campaign and the club for explanation were unsuccessful, however a flyer circulating online shows Weaver’s reelection campaign hosted an anti-violence event at Flint’s Club 69 on Sunday, June 30.
The expense is listed in public campaign finance reports for the campaigns for the nonpartisan mayor’s seat.
The reports show mayoral candidates Weaver, state Rep. Sheldon Neeley and Gregory Eason have been spending thousands of dollars on signs, air time, advertisements, office supplies and legal aid leading up to the general election on Nov. 6. A report for a fourth candidate, Don Pfeiffer, was not available at the Genesee County Clerk’s Office.
Michigan’s Campaign Finance Act states a qualified campaign expenditure means spending for services, materials, facilities or other things of value by the candidate committee to further the candidate’s nomination or election to office.
Neeley has raised $23,465 and spent $17,615, according to the Committee to Elect Sheldon A. Neeley’s July 25 campaign finance report.
Neeley’s largest single expenditure was $3,205 for yard signs from Sawicki and Sons on July 3.
The July 25 report reflects Neeley’s largest campaign contribution was $5,000 from himself.
Eason has raised $10,250 and spent $10,250 this election cycle.
Eason’s only contribution was $10,250.06 from himself. Eason’s largest expenditure was $6,005 spent on campaign material from The Print Shop.
Weaver, who was elected to office in 2015, has raised $279,593 and spent $203,292 so far this election cycle. The incumbent raised $55,549 her first election cycle.
Weaver’s largest single expenditure listed on a July 23 campaign finance report was paying Power Team 69 LLC for consulting services. The payment is listed as occurring on June 26, a few days before the “Guns Down, Mics Up” event was held at Club 69, an establishment that is ordinarily operated as a gentleman’s club in Flint at 1410 S. Saginaw Street.
The “Young Flint” movement and the Dayton Family’s Ira Dorsey were involved with the event, according to the flyer.
State records show the resident agent for Power Team 69 is Deonta Brown and the company’s address listed with the state is Club 69. Deonta Brown could not be reached for comment.
Montez Brown, who co-owns The Scoop and Courtside Cuts on North Chevrolet Avenue, is part of Power Team 69. He stated Power Team 69 is a promotional company he’s worked with to open new businesses in Flint.
Friends of Karen Weaver, Weaver’s campaign committee, did not respond to MLive-The Flint Journal’s requests for comment.
“Michigan’s policies for how you describe expenditures is very broad,” Craig Mauger, executive director for Michigan Campaign Finance Network, stated.
Listing an expenditure as consulting hasn’t been questioned by the Secretary of State in the past, Mauger said.
Between July 17, 2018 and July 23, 2019 Weaver has spent $11,250 in campaign contributions to be on WFLT an AM radio show. Charles Winfrey, who manages the McCree Theatre, hosts the show.
City Chief Finance Officer Tamar Lewis and Flint’s Police Chief Timothy Johnson have also been on the show.
More than 39 percent of Weaver’s contributions on or before Oct. 24, 2018 came from businesses, some of which are contracted to perform work in the wake of the water crisis. Weaver’s largest single contribution this election cycle was $10,000 from the American Federation of State and Municipal Employees on Oct. 17, 2018.
Mauger previously stated that it’s not unusual for an incumbent to raise more money during their second campaign or from interest groups and businesses that have matters before elected officials to donate large sums of money. | {
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Mentally ill inmates in prisons and jails across the United States are subjected to routine physical abuse by guards, including being doused with chemical sprays, shocked with electronic stun guns and strapped for hours to chairs or beds, according to a report by Human Rights Watch to be released on Tuesday.
The mistreatment, the study says, has led to deaths, though the number of casualties is unclear in part because jails and prisons classify them in various ways. Also, jails and prisons are not uniformly required to report the use of force by guards, the study found.
Jamie Fellner, a senior adviser at Human Rights Watch and the report’s author, said the study was the first to take a comprehensive look at use of force by guards against mentally ill prisoners, to try to understand the dynamics behind the violence. Ms. Fellner said she spent more than a year interviewing some 125 officials and mental health experts and reviewing hundreds of cases across the country.
The review found that prisoners suffering from serious mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, are often punished with physical force for commonplace behaviors including using profanity and banging on cell doors. | {
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i draw things
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contact me through my tumblr or discord: Dino_Horse#4051
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guide for blog: hover over the date/time to get notes, click pink things to get stuff | {
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Right now I am creating a game. For this game I wanted to create a good input system. The thing is I didn’t know where to start. I am a big fan of Ori and the Blind Forest, so I decided to decompile the game and see how the big guys did it. As expected, their code was huge, but I took only the parts for my needs.
Interfaces
There are 2 basic interfaces for taking raw input: IAxisInput and IButtonInput.
public interface IAxisInput { float GetAxis(); } public interface IButtonInput { bool GetButton(); // When the button is held down bool GetButtonDown(); // Executed once on button down bool GetButtonUp(); // Executed once on button up }
For the next interface you need to know exactly what the character can do. In my case the character can only move horizontally and jump, so the interface looks like this.
public interface IInputProvider { IAxisInput HorizontalAxisInput { get; } IButtonInput JumpButtonInput { get; } }
This interface provides us with input from different sources. For example, we can create a KeyboardAndMouseInputProvider, or a MobileInputProvider. Lets actually implement those two.
KeyboardAndMouseInputProvider
public class KeyboardAndMouseInputProvider : IInputProvider { private IAxisInput horizontalAxisInput; private IButtonInput jumpButtonInput; public KeyboardAndMouseInputProvider() { this.horizontalAxisInput = new CHorizontalAxisInput(); this.jumpButtonInput = new CJumpButtonInput(); } public virtual IAxisInput HorizontalAxisInput { get { return this.horizontalAxisInput; } } public virtual IButtonInput JumpButtonInput { get { return this.jumpButtonInput; } } private class CHorizontalAxisInput : IAxisInput { public float GetAxis() { return Input.GetAxis("Horizontal"); } } private class CJumpButtonInput : IButtonInput { public bool GetButton() { return Input.GetButton("Jump"); } public bool GetButtonDown() { return Input.GetButtonDown("Jump"); } public bool GetButtonUp() { return Input.GetButtonUp("Jump"); } } }
MobileInputProvider
public class MobileInputProvider : MonoBehaviour, IInputProvider { [SerializeField] private VirtualJoystick leftJoystick = null; private IAxisInput horizontalAxisInput; private IButtonInput jumpButtonInput; public virtual IAxisInput HorizontalAxisInput { get { return this.horizontalAxisInput; } } public virtual IButtonInput JumpButtonInput { get { return this.jumpButtonInput; } } public void Init() { this.horizontalAxisInput = new CHorizontalAxisInput(this.leftJoystick); this.jumpButtonInput = new CJumpButtonInput(); } private class CHorizontalAxisInput : IAxisInput { private VirtualJoystick leftJoystick; public CHorizontalAxisInput(VirtualJoystick leftJoystick) { this.leftJoystick = leftJoystick; } public float GetAxis() { return this.leftJoystick.GetAxes().x; } } private class CJumpButtonInput : IButtonInput { private int lastJumpTouchId; public bool GetButton() { if (Input.touchCount > 0) { foreach (var touch in Input.touches) { if ((touch.phase == TouchPhase.Stationary || touch.phase == TouchPhase.Moved) && (touch.position.x > Screen.width / 2f) && (touch.fingerId == this.lastJumpTouchId)) { return true; } } } return false; } public bool GetButtonDown() { if (Input.touchCount > 0) { foreach (var touch in Input.touches) { if (touch.phase == TouchPhase.Began && touch.position.x > Screen.width / 2f) { this.lastJumpTouchId = touch.fingerId; return true; } } } return false; } public bool GetButtonUp() { if (Input.touchCount > 0) { foreach (var touch in Input.touches) { if (touch.phase == TouchPhase.Ended && touch.position.x > Screen.width / 2f && touch.fingerId == this.lastJumpTouchId) { return true; } } } return false; } } }
Another layer of abstraction
In Unity if we want to get an axis we just do it like this.
float horizontalAxis = Input.GetAxis("Horizontal");
But we can’t get the the horizontal axis like that if we are on a mobile device. We have a MobileInputProvider, we just need a class that uses it.
public static class PlayerInput { public static IInputProvider InputProvider { get; set; } public static IAxisInput HorizontalAxisInput { get { return InputProvider.HorizontalAxisInput; } } public static IButtonInput JumpButtonInput { get { return InputProvider.JumpButtonInput; } } }
Now we can get the horizontal axis from a mobile device like this.
PlayerInput.InputProvider = mobileInputProvider; float horizontalAxis = PlayerInput.HorizontalAxisInput.GetAxis();
Compound Input Provider
But what if we want to be able to get input both from a keyboard and from a mobile device. Well we need a provider that gets input from both, but that will be kinda stupid, because we have them in separate, why create a third provider that is copy-paste from the first two? We just need to think of a smart way to combine both input providers. That is how we do it.
First we create an axis input that can get axes from many sources. We will call this one CompoundAxisInput. Here is the implementation.
public class CompoundAxisInput : IAxisInput { private const float AXIS_DEAD_ZONE = 0.2f; private IAxisInput[] axisInputs; private int lastPressedIndex; public CompoundAxisInput() { } public CompoundAxisInput(params IAxisInput[] axisInputs) { this.axisInputs = axisInputs; } public virtual float GetAxis() { float positiveAxis = 0f; float negativeAxis = 0f; if (this.axisInputs != null) { for (int i = 0; i < this.axisInputs.Length; i++) { float value = this.axisInputs[i].GetAxis(); if (Mathf.Abs(value) > AXIS_DEAD_ZONE) { this.lastPressedIndex = i; } else { continue; } if (value < 0f) { negativeAxis = Mathf.Min(negativeAxis, value); } else { positiveAxis = Mathf.Max(positiveAxis, value); } } } return positiveAxis + negativeAxis; } public IAxisInput GetLastPressed() { return this.axisInputs[this.lastPressedIndex]; } public void AddAxisInput(IAxisInput axisInput) { if (this.axisInputs == null) { this.axisInputs = new IAxisInput[1]; this.axisInputs[0] = axisInput; } else { Array.Resize(ref this.axisInputs, this.axisInputs.Length + 1); this.axisInputs[this.axisInputs.Length - 1] = axisInput; } } public void ClearAxisInputs() { this.axisInputs = null; } }
It’s an axis input that internally has an array of axis inputs. When we call the GetAxis() method, we find the most negative one and most positive one from all of the axis inputs and return the sum of them. That way if we press left on a keyboard and right on a joystick for example, the character will stay in one place, because the horizontal axis will be zero.
Now we have to do the same for the button input. Lets call the class CompoundButtonInput.
public class CompoundButtonInput : IButtonInput { private IButtonInput[] buttonInputs; private int lastPressedIndex; public CompoundButtonInput() { } public CompoundButtonInput(params IButtonInput[] buttonInputs) { this.buttonInputs = buttonInputs; } public virtual bool GetButton() { if (this.buttonInputs != null) { for (int i = 0; i < this.buttonInputs.Length; i++) { if (this.buttonInputs[i].GetButton()) { this.lastPressedIndex = i; return true; } } } return false; } public virtual bool GetButtonDown() { if (this.buttonInputs != null) { for (int i = 0; i < this.buttonInputs.Length; i++) { if (this.buttonInputs[i].GetButtonDown()) { this.lastPressedIndex = i; return true; } } } return false; } public virtual bool GetButtonUp() { if (this.buttonInputs != null) { for (int i = 0; i < this.buttonInputs.Length; i++) { if (this.buttonInputs[i].GetButtonUp()) { this.lastPressedIndex = i; return true; } } } return false; } public IButtonInput GetLastPressed() { return this.buttonInputs[this.lastPressedIndex]; } public void AddButtonInput(IButtonInput buttonInput) { if (this.buttonInputs == null) { this.buttonInputs = new IButtonInput[1]; this.buttonInputs[0] = buttonInput; } else { Array.Resize(ref this.buttonInputs, this.buttonInputs.Length + 1); this.buttonInputs[this.buttonInputs.Length - 1] = buttonInput; } } public void ClearButtonInputs() { this.buttonInputs = null; } }
Finally we create a CompoundInputProvider
public class CompoundInputProvider : IInputProvider { private IInputProvider[] inputProviders; private CompoundAxisInput horizontalAxisInput; private CompoundButtonInput jumpButtonInput; public CompoundInputProvider() : this(null) { } public CompoundInputProvider(params IInputProvider[] inputProviders) { this.horizontalAxisInput = new CompoundAxisInput(); this.jumpButtonInput = new CompoundButtonInput(); if (inputProviders != null) { for (int i = 0; i < inputProviders.Length; i++) { this.AddInputProvider(inputProviders[i]); } } } public virtual IAxisInput HorizontalAxisInput { get { return this.horizontalAxisInput; } } public virtual IButtonInput JumpButtonInput { get { return this.jumpButtonInput; } } public void AddInputProvider(IInputProvider inputProvider) { if (this.inputProviders == null) { this.inputProviders = new IInputProvider[1]; this.inputProviders[0] = inputProvider; } else { Array.Resize(ref this.inputProviders, this.inputProviders.Length + 1); this.inputProviders[this.inputProviders.Length - 1] = inputProvider; } this.horizontalAxisInput.AddAxisInput(inputProvider.HorizontalAxisInput); this.jumpButtonInput.AddButtonInput(inputProvider.JumpButtonInput); } public void ClearInputProviders() { this.inputProviders = null; this.horizontalAxisInput.ClearAxisInputs(); this.jumpButtonInput.ClearButtonInputs(); } }
All that’s left is to provide our PlayerInput class with the right CompoundInputProvider. I do this in an InputManager script.
public class InputManager : MonoBehaviour { [SerializeField] private MobileInputProvider mobileInputProvider = null; protected virtual void Awake() { this.InitInputProvider(); } private void InitInputProvider() { CompoundInputProvider compoundInputProvider = new CompoundInputProvider(); if (this.mobileInputProvider != null) { this.mobileInputProvider.Init(); compoundInputProvider.AddInputProvider(this.mobileInputProvider); } #if UNITY_EDITOR compoundInputProvider.AddInputProvider(new KeyboardAndMouseInputProvider()); #endif PlayerInput.InputProvider = compoundInputProvider; } }
Now we are ready to use our PlayerInput class instead of the Input class that Unity gives us. | {
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This is the last chance to ask a question about the phenomenal Polish model Abbi Secraa. Then we choose the best ones for our interview and send them to Abbi. And her impatient fans will have to wait more because communicating with Abbi Secraa is a bit difficult.
New photo-set “Just in Trousers” (39 HQ pics & 134 screenshots) + full HD video “Another Early Morning” at her personal website.
ALL exclusive pics & videos @ Abbi Secraa Website»
Abbi Secraa in Another Early Morning 4.71 (94.12%) 17 votes | {
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On Tuesday, Marvel and Freeform announced that a new series featuring the New Warriors is in development. We don’t know much about the series yet, but here’s what we do know: the show will be a 30 minute comedy, and it will feature Marvel’s Squirrel Girl — a unique character whose powers mimic the abilities of a squirrel (she can climb, jump, and chew like a squirrel, and also has the ability to communicate with them). While not traditionally a member of the New Warriors, the character is comedic by nature and is a great choice for Marvel’s move into comedy.
Details about the other characters have not yet been released, so at this point, we can only speculate about who may be included in the crime fighting team.
Here are the characters we’d most like to see brought to life, and who we think would be perfect to play them:
Squirrel Girl
We already know Squirrel Girl will play a role in New Warriors, and most likely a big one, considering she’s the only character announcement we’ve gotten so far. Stellar acting skills aside, Shannon Purser is a dead ringer for Doreen Green, and would be a perfect choice for the role. The Stranger Things and Riverdale actress has even expressed interest, tweeting “So who do I talk to about being Squirrel Girl?”
Night Thrasher
The popular vigilante Night Thrasher would be a terrific character to feature. Dwayne Taylor created the original New Warriors group and could serve a similar purpose in the show. Kofi Siriboe would make a perfect skateboarding vigilante. He’s got the acting chops (not to mention the looks) to really make the part work.
Nova
As one of the more popular New Warriors, Nova deserves a place on the new show. The New Warrior comics have featured two different characters under this mantle, with Sam Alexander as the more recent version. Dylan O’Brien would be the perfect actor to play Sam, he looks the part and has a pre-existing audience in the target demographic from his time on Teen Wolf.
Namorita
As one of the founding ladies of the New Warriors, Namorita definitely deserves a spot in the Freeform comedy. She has superhuman strength and durability which increase underwater, where she can survive indefinitely. Hunter King (The Young and the Restless, A Girl Like Her) would be a perfect fit as the mutant clone, with her blonde locks and impressive acting range.
Justice (AKA Marvel Boy)
Vance Astrovick, the mutant superhero known by both ‘Marvel Boy’ and later ‘Justice’ has the power of telekinesis. He manipulates these powers in such a way that allows him to fly (by levitating himself). He also had a romantic relationship with Firestar, and you can’t have a Freeform show without a romance! Dave Franco would make the ultimate Justice, with his sandy brown hair and strong brows. He’s also got plenty of comedic experience to bring to the part.
Firestar
A founding member of the New Warriors, Firestar is an absolute must for the show. Her ability to store and manipulate electromagnetic energy makes her a force to be reckoned with, as she can instantly engulf whatever she chooses in flames. She can also manipulate the energy around her in a way that allows her to fly. With her long red locks, Riverdale‘s Madelaine Petsch strongly resembles Angelica Jones, and could bring her to life seamlessly.
Speedball (AKA Penance)
Speedball’s powers have changed over time, but he’s most well known for his kinetic force fields that take a bubble-like form. He has spent more time with the New Warriors than most, which is why he deserves a spot on the show. Glee alum Chord Overstreet could bring a comedic angle to this already fun character.
These choices were primarily based on the founding members of the New Warriors, but any of the heroes that have been on the team over the years would make fantastic TV characters. The New Warriors show is sure to be exceptional, coming from Marvel Studios. For more on this and your other favorite Marvel shows, be sure to check out our Marvel page!
Featured images via comicvine.com | {
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The 7 prisoners from Sukorharjo in Central Java province charged for involvement in the riots outside the PT. RUM synthetic textiles factory faced their final hearing last Tuesday.
The conflict between RUM and the local residents began in October last year, when RUM opened the factory. Since then, the inhabitants of 16 nearby villages reported putrid smell: a smell so bad that dozens of villagers were forced to leave their homes. Moreover, since the factory opened, Sukoharjo Health Agency reported that each day on average 80 local residents seek medical help for headaches, nausea and respiratory problems.
On 22nd February, thousands of residents protested in front of the Sukoharjo regent’s office, demanding that Regent Wardoyo Wijaya halt RUM’s operation. The demonstration descended into a chaotic riot that led to the torching of security posts and clashes with the police and soldiers, and arrest of seven activists, who have been kept in custody since then.
The sentences of the 7 prisoners are as follows:
Muhamad Hisbun Payau (Iss), a member of left-wing student organization Pembebasan, sentenced to two years and three months imprisonment. Sutarno, a resident of Karanganyar, sentenced to two years imprisonment. Brilian, a resident of Nguter, sentenced to two years imprisonment. Bambang, a resident of Bulakrejo, sentenced to three years imprisonment and fined 10 million Rupiah. Kelvin, a resident of Plesan, sentenced to two years and three months imprisonment. Sukemi, a resident of Celep, sentenced to two years and three months imprisonment. Danang, a resident of Nguter, sentenced to two years imprisonment and fined 10 million Rupiah.
The first 3 defendants were convicted for violating Article 406, paragraph (1) of the Indonesian Criminal Code regarding “the destruction of property belonging to another person”. The judge’s sentencing was lighter than the demands of Prosecutor Rohmadi who was seeking 4 years and two months imprisonment for Iss and 4 years imprisonment for Sutarno and Brilian.
The remaining 4 defendants were charged and convicted for violating Article 187, paragraphs (1) and (2) along with Article 170, paragraph (1) of the Criminal Code: hate speech and vandalism. The sentences for Danang and Bambang were lower than what the Prosecutor was seeking – the Prosecutor was seeking 4 years imprisonment and a fine of 50 million Rupiah for Danang and 5 years imprisonment along with a 50 million Rupiah fine for Bambang. | {
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Broad Spectrum UVA / UVB Sunscreen Offers Eight Hours of Photostability
VANCOUVER, April 30, 2019 /CNW/ - Ovation Science Inc. (CSE: OVAT) ("Ovation" or the "Company"), a topical and transdermal cannabis product development company with a patented skin delivery technology and backed by over twenty years of research and development, today announced it has received the results of its successful completion of independent testing of its broad spectrum CBD sunscreen to be sold under its recently announced ARLO Beauty brand of skincare and anti-aging products.
There are two very important claims that a sunscreen can make: broad spectrum and water resistance. The SPF value of a sunscreen refers to protection from UVB rays. A sunscreen however that is "broad spectrum" means the sunscreen provides protection from both UVB as well as UVA rays; protecting the skin from ultraviolet rays that penetrate deeper, go through glass and clouds and can cause more severe skin damage. Only sunscreens with a critical wavelength above 370 nm are allowed to make the claim that they provide UVA protection. Ovation's ARLO Beauty sunscreen surpasses this criterion, allowing it to be labeled as having "broad spectrum" UVA and UVB protection. In addition, this independent testing also validated that Ovation's sunscreen achieved the highest level of water resistance allowed; 80 minutes.
The essential benefits of Ovation's sunscreen formulation are derived from its patented Invisicare® delivery technology. Along with the claims mentioned, ARLO Beauty sunscreen is also protected by a US patent for stabilizing sun filters (United States Patent and Trademark Office: "Sunscreen Composition with Enhanced UVA Absorber Stability and Methods", Patent Number 8128913). The sun filter avobenzone typically breaks down in the sun in less than two hours. Ovation's sunscreen formulation was granted a US patent as studies verified that it stabilized avobenzone for over eight hours, a unique advantage for ARLO Beauty sunscreen. (https://ovationscience.com/arlo-beauty-sunscreen)
"What distinguishes Ovation's products from other topical products on the market is our science, and this recent completion of independent testing of our ARLO Beauty CBD sunscreen is just further proof of that," said Doreen McMorran, Chief Operating Officer of Ovation. "Our sunscreen can not only make the highest claims allowed by the FDA: broad spectrum and 80 minutes water resistance, it is patent protected. This is an amazing product! People are going to love our sunscreen because it works phenomenally well, it doesn't run in your eyes, it doesn't make you sweat because your skin can still breathe and it's enhanced with the power of CBD. We believe this product will be a winner in the important sun care market, especially for those who do outdoor activities for hours in the sun like golfing, cycling or swimming."
BENEFITS OF ARLO BEAUTY SUNSCREEN - SPF 30 BROAD SPECTRUM
Protects from harmful UVA and UVB rays (Broad Spectrum validated)
80 minute water resistance (The highest FDA designation obtainable)
Glides on smoothly without any residue
Won't run or perspire into your eyes
No alcohol / No parabens / No fragrances
Your skin can still breathe
The Company recently unveiled the launch of its new topical skincare product line infused with hemp-derived cannabidiol ("CBD") called ARLO Beauty (https://ovationscience.com/arlo-beauty/). This sunscreen, which will be the fifth product in the ARLO Beauty product line, is entering the US sun care market which is forecasted to reach US$2.7 billion by 2025 (Source: Grand View Research). In addition, the Company also recently announced the formation of an International Medical Dermatology Advisory Board focused on Ovation's scientific and product development. These key dermatology-focused opinion leaders will provide the Company with their expertise in topical dermatology-focused products while assisting in clinical studies.
About Ovation Science Inc.
Ovation Science Inc. is a research and development company that develops topical and transdermal cannabis and hemp formulations made with patented Invisicare® skin delivery technology. The technology enhances the delivery of cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) to and through the skin and is protected by patents in eleven countries. With over twenty years of topical and transdermal drug delivery experience in the pharmaceutical market, Ovation's management and science team have created a unique pipeline of over twenty-five patent-protected medical / wellness topical and transdermal cannabis products incorporating CBD, THC and combination products along with a line of anti-aging / beauty products made with CBD. Ovation's business model is to develop product formulations powered by Invisicare® and market directly to consumers as well as license-out these topical and transdermal formulations to cannabis companies globally. Ovation earns income from licensing and development fees, royalties, the sale of Invisicare to its licensees and now revenue from its own product sales. Ovation trades on the CSE under the symbol OVAT. Visit our website www.ovationscience.com.
Statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Forward-Looking Statements
Information set forth in this news release contains forward-looking statements that are based on assumptions as of the date of this news release. These statements reflect management's current estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations. They are not guarantees of future performance. Ovation Science Inc. cautions that all forward looking statements are inherently uncertain and that actual results may be affected by a number of material factors, many of which are beyond Ovation Science Inc.'s control.
Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
SOURCE Ovation Science Inc.
For further information: FOR INVESTOR RELATIONS: Dave Ryan, [email protected], Phone: 604-283-0903 ext. 2; FOR BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT & CORPORATE INQUIRIES: Doreen McMorran, [email protected], Phone: 604.283.0903 ext. 4
Related Links
https://ovationscience.com/
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Donald Trump and the rest of the Miss Universe organization are not taking allegations claiming the Miss USA competition is fixed lightly. In fact, "The Donald" called in to "Today" Wednesday morning to announce that the he and the organization plan on suing the Pennsylvania woman guilty of making such allegations.
Miss Pennsylvania USA Sheena Monnin, 27, resigned Tuesday, calling the Miss Universe organization "trashy" and claiming the top five finalist were selected before the Miss USA competition even began.
Monnin posted the following on her facebook page:
"I have decided to resign my position as Miss Pennsylvania USA 2012. Effective immediately I have voluntarily, completely, and utterly removed myself from the Miss Universe Organization. In good conscience I can no longer be affiliated in any way with an organization I consider to be fraudulent, lacking in morals, inconsistent, and in many ways trashy. I do not support this system in any way. In my heart I believe in honesty, fair play, a fair opportunity, and high moral integrity, none of which in my opinion are part of this pageant system any longer. Thank you all for your support and understanding as I walk a road I never dreamed I'd need to walk, as I take a stand I never dreamed I'd need to take. After 10 years of competing in a pageant system I once believed in, I now completely and irrevocably separate myself in every way and on every level from the Miss Universe Organization. I remove my support completely and have turned in the title of Miss Pennsylvania USA 2012."
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
After announcing her resignation, Monnin posted another facebook message:
“I witnessed another contestant who said she saw the list of the Top 5 BEFORE THE SHOW EVER STARTED proceed to call out in order who the Top 5 were before they were announced on stage. After it was indeed the Top 5 I knew the show must be rigged; I decided at that moment to distance myself from an organization who did not allow fair play and whose morals did not match my own."
In a statement, the Miss Universe Organization dismissed Monnin’s accusations as false. They claimed Monnin told pageant officials she was actually resigning because she did not agree with the organization’s recent decision to admit transgender contestants.
Pageant officials released an email message they said they received from Monnin on Monday that read, “I refuse to be part of a pageant system that has so far and so completely removed itself from its foundational principles as to allow and support natural born males to compete in it. This goes against ever (sic) moral fiber of my being.”
On her Facebook page, Monnin describes herself as “conservative” and sums up her religious views by citing the Bible verse John 3:16.
Olivia Culpo, a 20-year-old cellist from Rhode Island, won the Miss USA crown on Sunday night after voicing her support for transgender beauty queens. Culpo will go on to represent the United States in this year’s Miss Universe pageant.
“We are disappointed that [Monnin] would attempt to steal the spotlight form Olivia Culpo of Rhode Island on her well-deserved Miss USA win,” the Miss Universe Organization said in its statement. “The contestant she privately sourced as her reference [of pageant-fixing] has vehemently refuted her most recent claim.”
The Miss Universe Organization, which includes Donald Trump, tell "Today" Monnin can expect a lawsuit.
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Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- A U.S. drone strike killed six suspected militants Sunday night in northwest Pakistan, two Pakistani intelligence officials told CNN.
The drone strike targeted an alleged militant hideout in a village in South Waziristan, one of seven districts in Pakistan's tribal region along the Afghan border, the officials said.
The attack was the first in a month in Pakistan, one of the longest stretches without a strike from the unmanned drones over the past two years.
It was also the first since an American official shot and killed two Pakistani men in Lahore on January 27, sparking a diplomatic face-off between Islamabad and Washington.
Journalist Nasir Dawar contributed to this report | {
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