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The question of what Kenya needs to do to bring down the cost of power has rightly dominated debate. With the injection of almost 900 megawatts of geothermal, solar and the Lake Turkana Wind Power project to the national grid over the past five years, Kenyans are justified in expecting a drop in their electricity bills.
The reality, however, is that this increased supply of cheaper power alone is not enough to reduce the cost of electricity; there is need to address the demand side of the equation.
With a total installed electricity generating capacity of approximately 2,700MW, Kenya’s peak demand for power is roughly 1,859MW. This means that at present, there is 900MW of unutilised capacity. Even after allowing for spinning reserve equal to the largest generator, approximately 600MW of power are not being consumed.
This should be addressed. It is time to start plugging this gap in the electricity sub-sector through more strategic and longer-term economic planning and policy, and resisting the temptation (or practice) to try and use short-term political dictates as the preferred solution – it won’t work.
Kenya’s energy policy provides a universally accepted take-or-pay principle. This is pragmatic and indeed encourages investors to risk their money in setting up expensive electricity generating plants while counting on expected future returns. Without this, there would be no incentive to invest in infrastructure projects. Unfortunately, this is not the area to focus on, even though (mistakenly) we seem to dwell on this.
The question must be asked; how do we quickly address latent demand and at the same time spur economic growth and industrialisation?
The balance is in increasing consumption of existing (surplus) supply while increasing supply of lower cost power so that the overall cost of power reduces whilst growing the industrial and manufacturing base in the medium-term.
Consumer bills
When the Government set a target to grow power generation by 5,000MW in the next few years, the assumption was that the economy would grow at a brisk pace, snapping up all the extra megawatts the moment they were injected into the grid. Peak demand was projected to hit 2,300MW by 2020. But the country is nowhere near this target, and the reality is having an adverse effect on consumer bills. If, according to the 2010 – 2031 Least Cost Power Development Plan (LCPDP) the additional 18,000MW of generation capacity comes on-stream, how and where will this be used?
Many of the projects cited on the demand side of the Least Cost Power Development Plan (LCPDP) have not materialised. That means that only a small group of consumers is shouldering the energy tariffs burden, instead of it being spread across a larger customer base.
But how can you develop industry and grow manufacturing if the distribution and transmission network is lagging (or absent)? There are over 70 transmission related projects that are incomplete or whose implementation has been delayed.
Technical constraints
Using the statistics from the LCPDP, a transmission plan was developed for the period 2011- 2031 indicating the need to develop approximately 10,345 kms of new lines at an estimated present cost of $4.48 billion.
The grid system is very weak and without major system enhancements, you cannot transmit and/or distribute power and if you could (which you cannot), the technical constraints render the system vulnerable – resulting in a low-quality or unreliable supply of the power.
Who is addressing these challenges in a coherent, coordinated and robust manner so that Kenyans are not just looking at the energy producers to solve all national power problems?
The recent announcement of plans to freeze new power purchase agreements, while understandable in the short term, could have an adverse future effect of creating a power deficit when economic growth gathers speed and could see the return of the expensive power, or load shedding as is seen in South Africa.
The current oversupply of electricity in the system poses a challenge to policymakers who must decide whether to wait for demand to grow organically, or to find ways of actively spurring the growth of consumer demand.
President Uhuru Kenyatta’s ‘Big Four Agenda’ of enhancing manufacturing, ensuring food security and nutrition, improving access to affordable healthcare and affordable housing is one example of a bold economic blueprint.
But focus must move to the expansion of the transmission and distribution infrastructure as well as network enhancements so that we can raise the consumption of power and spread the benefits of cheaper electricity across the economy.
Mr Fazal is Executive Director at Lake Turkana Wind Power Ltd. | {
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WASHINGTON — NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine’s surprise announcement March 13 that NASA is considering moving Exploration Mission 1 off of the Space Launch System took many in the industry by surprise, but some have reacted by defending the use of the SLS.
Bridenstine, testifying before the Senate Commerce Committee, said the agency was looking at using a pair of commercial launch vehicles, likely provided by SpaceX and/or United Launch Alliance, to launch the Orion spacecraft and an upper stage that would propel the uncrewed spacecraft to the moon. A decision on the feasibility for doing so could come in the next few weeks, he said.
Bridenstine said the study was prompted by continued delays in the development of the SLS, which NASA no longer expects to be ready for launch by the middle of 2020 as previously planned. The goal would be to fly the EM-1 mission on those commercial vehicles by June of 2020, he said, while continuing to develop SLS for EM-2 and later missions.
Senators at the hearing made little reaction to the plan, other than a comment by the committee’s chairman, Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) that he’d “sure like to keep us on schedule.” Later in the day, though, the Senate’s most influential advocate for the SLS weighed in against a plan to shift EM-1 off that rocket.
“While I agree that the delay in the SLS launch schedule is unacceptable, I firmly believe that SLS should launch the Orion,” Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) said in a statement to SpaceNews.
Shelby is chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee and his state is home to the Marshall Space Flight Center, which is NASA’s lead center for SLS development. He noted in a March 6 speech at a Space Transportation Association luncheon here that he has “more than a passing interest in what NASA does” and “a little parochial interest, too.”
The Coalition for Deep Space Exploration, an industry group whose members include companies involved in development of both SLS and Orion, also defended the use of the SLS for Orion missions. “No launch vehicle other than the SLS can enable the launch of a fully-outfitted Orion, including the [service module], to the moon,” it said in a March 14 statement. “As a result, the Administrator noted that this approach would require at least two launches of heavy-lift vehicles.”
The group added that it “is also clear that this approach would require additional funding, since the idea is to undertake both this mission and to continue development of the SLS apace.” Bridenstine, in his Senate testimony, offered no estimate of the cost of this alternative approach to EM-1 but said it “might require some help from the Congress.”
The announcement, which took many in the industry by surprise, overtook other debates about NASA exploration plans and SLS funding. At the same time as the Senate held its hearing, the House Science Committee was holding its own hearing on the future of American space exploration that featured several former government officials.
“Getting SLS and Orion on track for Exploration Mission 1 and 2 is critical to the long-term viability of these programs, as they are the systems that will push us farther into the cosmos,” said Rep. Frank Lucas (R-Okla.), ranking member of the committee, in his opening remarks.
Lucas later asked one of the witnesses, former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, about development of more powerful versions of the SLS and plans in the administration’s fiscal year 2020 budget proposal, released March 11, to defer work on the Block 1B version of the SLS with its more powerful Exploration Upper Stage. Whitson said it would be better for NASA launch vehicle experts to answer those questions.
Lucas argued that without larger boosters NASA would need a “piecemeal” approach to exploration, with more launches of smaller vehicles, which Whitson agreed carried some risk. “There’s a lot of risk with multiple missions,” answered Whitson.
The future of the SLS also came up later March 13 during the Apollo 50+50 symposium at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. An industry panel was asked it was “still worthwhile” to develop the SLS given its schedule and cost problems and the availability of commercial alternatives. The panel’s moderator noted that audience members submitted several questions about the SLS to the panel, although it wasn’t clear if they were prompted by news of Bridenstine’s testimony earlier in the day.
Panelists largely defended the SLS. “To me it’s not clear there is a commercial alternative” to SLS, said Keoki Jackson, chief technology officer of Lockheed Martin.
Larry James, deputy director of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, noted the potential use of SLS for other missions. “It opens up the outer planets for exploration,” he said. “From a science perspective, you open up a whole new domain of rapid exploration of the outer planets with the SLS.”
James didn’t note that the administration’s budget proposal for 2020 proposed moving the Europa Clipper mission, one such outer planets mission that had been planning to use the SLS, to a commercial launch vehicle, citing a savings of more than $700 million.
An exception came from Bob Smith, chief executive of Blue Origin, a company with its own ambitions to develop heavy-lift launch vehicles. “You build a bespoke government system if you have sufficient bespoke government missions,” he said. “If there’s enough demand there for SLS, then you should go build SLS. If not, you should do what you do on anything else: you go rely on the commercial alternatives available.” | {
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A Sydney Muslim psychologist and ABC religion contributor writer has called on her 'brothers and sisters in Islam' to keep reproducing so their religion can one day overtake Christianity.
Hanan Dover made the seemingly tongue-in-cheek comments on Facebook next to a story predicting that Islam will surpass Christianity to become the most popular religion in the world by 2070 - along with the hashtag #creepingsharia.
The Pew Research Centre, based in Washington DC, this week released research forecasting Islam's share of the the world's population will equal the Christian share - at roughly 32 per cent in 53 years' time.
Sydney Muslim psychologist Hanan Dover encouraged Muslims on Facebook to reproduce
Hanan Dover's Facebook post says Muslims should 'exercise our Weapons of Mass Reproduction'
Ms Dover, who works as a psychologist at Bankstown in Sydney's south-west and is a court-appointed psychologist for terror suspects, posted a Facebook message about those findings.
'Dear brothers and sisters in Islam,' she wrote.
'We need not do anything except exercise our Weapons of Mass Reproduction.
'The most non-violent approach of taking over the No. 1 spot through love making.'
Hanan Dover said Islam could become the world's No. 1 religion 'through love making'
Next to the word 'takbir', which an Arabic Islamic term for 'God is the greatest', she included the hashtag: 'creepingsharia'.
Ms Dover is the founder of the Mission of Hope charity for Muslims and runs eight psychology practices in Sydney, known as Psych Central.
She is also a controversial figure.
The Australian Federal Police last year alleged she knew of plans by Islamist sympathisers to leave Australia and fight with Islamic State but she had said nothing, the Herald Sun reported in September 2016. Ms Dover denied the allegations.
Hanan Dover told a forum at the University of Western Sydney in 2002 that homosexuality was forbidden in Islam
The psychologist says Lebanese Muslim GP Jamal Rifi has 'zero expertise in radicalisation'
The court-appointed psychologist slammed Lebanese Muslim GP Dr Jamal Rifi who is praised by both sides of politics for his work tackling radicalisation
The psychologist has a history of attacking secular Muslims in Facebook posts.
She has previously slammed Sydney-based Lebanese Muslim GP Dr Jamal Rifi, who has been praised by both sides of politics for his work to tackle Islamic radicalisation.
'For crying out loud a million times, Dr Jamal Rifi who has zero expertise in radicalisation and extremism should not be given air time,' she said on Facebook in October 2015, after he received an honorary doctorate from the University of Canberra.
'Since when do radicalised youth, whatever that is supposed to mean, need medical doctors?
'Far out. Only a narcissistic type chameleon will try their very best to keep themselves relevant. He is the perfect example.'
This was also in the days after 15-year-old schoolboy Farhad Jabar shot dead accountant and father-of-two Curtis Cheng outside the New South Wales Police headquarters at Parramatta, in Sydney's west.
Hanan Dover in October 2015 accused A Current Affair host Tracy Grimshaw of doing a journalistic beat-up about the Parramatta shooting
The psychologist also accused A Current Affair of misreporting the Parramatta shooting in October 2015
In another post, Hanan Dover described A Current Affair as 'racist journalistic vomit'
Ms Dover, who has written opinion pieces for the ABC's Religion and Ethics website, attacked A Current Affair host Tracy Grimshaw during that same week.
She had objected to an initial Nine Network report which said the gunman was of Middle Eastern appearance, even though the killer, who police shot dead, was born in Iran.
'This is the level of racist moronic journalist beat-up that we have to live with,' she said on Facebook.
'Tracy is not "possibly" a moron, she is one.'
She added A Current Affair was 'racist journalistic vomit' in another Facebook post from October 2015.
Farhad Jabar was 15 when he shot dead accountant Curtis Cheng outside the New South Wales police headquarters at Parramatta, in October 2015
The psychologist said one of her colleagues knew Farhad Jabar, before he shot dead an accountant in Parramatta
During that same week, she published another Facebook post which said a colleague of hers knew Farhad shortly before he was shot dead.
'My community colleague is the person who had close contact with him before his death,' she said.
In 2002, she told a forum at the University of Western Sydney's Bankstown campus that homosexuality was forbidden, or haram, under Islamic law.
'If Allah loves homosexuals, he will also loves thieves, murderers, liars, hypocrites, criminals,' she said.
'How can Allah accept a behaviour that he has told us is not permissible?'
'Did Allah make a mistake and say that homosexuality is haram for about 1400 hundred years and when humans are ready, they can start disobeying my laws, being a progressive civilisation, and I will start accepting all evils? C'mon.'
Despite that, she signed a media statement with other Islamic community leaders in June 2016 expressing sympathy for the 49 people killed at the Pulse gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida. | {
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Four more actors are suiting up for the upcoming Kingsman prequel.
According to a new report, The Amazing Spider-Man‘s Rhys Ifans is in talks to join the Ralph Fiennes and Harris Dickinson-led Kingsman prequel as the potential villain. Joining alongside him are several other genre vets: Game of Thrones‘ Charles Dance and Captain America: Civil War‘s Daniel Brühl, while Watchmen‘s Matthew Goode is reportedly being eyed for a role.
Collider reports that Rhys Ifans, best known recently for playing the Lizard in The Amazing Spider-Man, is circling a role as a “dangerous and manipulative Russian mystic” in the Kingsman prequel set during World War I.
Also joining the cast are Dance and Brühl in undisclosed roles, though it’s notable that all three of these actors are known for playing villains — Dance as Tywin in Game of Thrones, and Brühl as Zemo in Captain America: Civil War plus as literally every Nazi in the past decade. The outlet also reports that Goode may be in talks for another undisclosed role.
All four would join the already-cast Fiennes and Dickinson, who will play the two leads in a dynamic echoing the original pairing of Colin Firth and Taron Egerton. But according to Collider, the prequel is “more of a period drama than a spy thriller,” and centers around “the man who would be Kingsman.” That confirms reports that film will be titled The Great Game and depict the formation of the clandestine spy organization. Dickinson is playing Conrad, described as a “cocky yet charming young hero who’s eager to serve his country and fight in World War I.” He and Fiennes are set to start filming in London this January.
Director Matthew Vaughn is keeping busy with his Kingsman universe, developing the third Kingsman film concurrently with the prequel that would supposedly conclude the Harry Hart-Eggsy saga. Vaughn is also planning several spin-offs, including a film focusing on the Statesmen introduced in Kingsman: The Golden Circle and an eight-hour Kingsman TV show. | {
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Google image search results for “DrupalCamp”
Like so many of you in our community, I have been consumed by the awful, messy events unfolding before our eyes in the last week, the “Crellpocalypse”. I’ve lost sleep, been upset, and fielded a lot of questions from friends, colleagues, and others. It’s been pretty awful. Now, I’ve decided to take sides.
Whose side am I taking? Yours. Ours. I am for the Drupal community in this. We and our project are worth it and we have a lot that is worth fighting for. Are you upset, too? Do you need to take some time to calm down? I totally get that. But, as awful as it’s been, it’s not time to abandon ship.
I’ve been talking about this with my officemate and DrupalCon Prenote partner-in-crime, Campbell Vertesi. Read his thoughts about the situation and why we need a Prenote at Baltimore more than ever.
This is bigger than any individual
Our community is bigger than any one member, any one company, or any one group. And for me, the reasons to stay and contribute and work in the community far outweigh any individuals, incidents, or actions.
We — tens of thousands of us — have worked and fought and struggled on every front for 15 years:
to get people to accept this crazy idea that open source software is reliable and safe to use
to figure out how to make a living while giving our best work away for free
to build a community of commercial competitors who turn around and cooperate to create their key technology. As Campbell points out in his post, “No one has ever done this before.” This is a powerful and unique ecosystem.
to enable anyone with access to the web to communicate, build community, and realize their vision for improving the world.
… and to build a community that we want to be a part of … tens of thousands of us. Thousands of developers, thousands of companies, making stuff benefitting uncountable millions of end users. By my reckoning, the overwhelming balance of Drupal is good.
Hussain Abbas at DrupalCon New Orleans via https://www.axelerant.com/blog/see-drupal-community-differently
We’ve poured our hearts and souls and billions of hours of coding into building an incredible toolset. And we’ve shared it; anyone can use it to make a difference:
Drupal powers online presences for governments, educational institutions, nonprofits, and companies of every size … communities, activism, doing good in the world. If it is online, we’re doing it somewhere. And WE built it.
Drupal literally enables how many of us to feed, clothe, and house our families. How many people is that? 100,000? 200,000 people?
We are a large, diverse force for good. My good friend Hussain put it in numbers in his See the Drupal Community Differently session at DrupalCon New Orleans. We’re spread around the globe, speak so many languages, and combine so many skillsets into this thing we call Drupal.
Drupal Camp Chongquing, China, 2016 via https://it-consultis.com/blog/drupal-camps-china-we-were-there
Now is when community counts
Remember when you came for the code, and stayed for the community?
The community needs you now, maybe in ways it never has before. Your efforts, your contribution, your spirit. Don’t stay/leave for [this person] or [that person] or the Drupal Association or whomever. Now is the time to stay, engage, iterate, improve, (re)define who we are, what we stand for — together — because of what we’ve all built and accomplished together in the last 15 years.
Now is also the time to keep this terrible event from ever happening again. And now is the time that we need to bounce back from this together. Our killer app was never the code. Our killer app is a global community of smart people solving hard problems together — in tech, online, and between humans.
What now?
It’s up to all of us to be the community we want to be. I will be posting more over the next few days … when do I ever not post? :-) I’d be keen to hear your thoughts, suggestions, and ideas about what we can do for our community, too. Ping me. [email protected], @horncologne
— Jeffrey A. "jam" McGuire | {
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While the Bears fend for scraps, the Red Bulls averaged 18,796 fans for their first 12 home games this season — and that does not include the sellout for the M.L.S. All-Star Game and other exhibition matches.
Although the Newark-Harrison story is an extreme and somewhat unusual case, it reflects an urban cultural shift on which soccer hopes to capitalize as an emergent and faster-paced sport in 21st-century America. Still enormously popular in many markets, baseball has lost traction with young people, especially African-Americans, with a 26 percent decline in youth participation between 2000 and 2009, according to the National Sporting Goods Association.
“In terms of drawing people, the soccer stadium in Harrison has been a success,” said Rick Cerone, a former Yankees catcher and the Bears’ original owner, who grew up in Newark and lobbied county and city politicians for the return of the Bears, a popular Yankees farm team more than half a century ago.
He acknowledged that misjudgments might have been made about the Newark of then and now.
“Probably the best thing to do would have been a soccer stadium or maybe coordinate one stadium that could have been used for both,” Cerone said. “But, you know, it’s easy to look back.”
According to Cerone, the original plan for the baseball revival included a 12,000-seat soccer stadium in the area of Riverbank Park in the Ironbound. But neighborhood opposition to the complex mounted, and Cerone preferred the less-congested and more easily accessible site along McCarter Highway where the ballpark was built.
On the subject of a clear vision for which sport Newark’s population was best suited to support, Jim Hague, a longtime Newark-area sportswriter and the Bears’ publicist and stadium announcer until this season, said: “No one could see the forest through the trees. If they had built a soccer stadium in Newark, it would have been a huge success. But you also have to remember that at that time M.L.S. had grand glories of selling out bigger stadiums.”
The league has since opted for smaller, soccer-specific arenas that have fueled hopes for sustained growth and long-term profitability. Meanwhile, the baseball project in Newark went forward with the blessing of Sharpe James, then the city’s mayor. | {
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Rockford Fosgate R2S-1X10 Review
Rockford Fosgate R2S-1X10 is another shallow mount subwoofer that you would be happy to put in your truck or SUV. It has a mounting depth of just a little over 5 inches. Its enclosure is made of a thick, medium density fiberboard.
It is protected by a rugged black carpeting that gives it a premium look, aside from making it slip and scratch resistant.
The subwoofer itself is capable of handling up to 200 watts RMS. It is wired for 2-ohm impedance. It has quick release compression terminals; and backed by a one year warranty.
Sealed, truck-style enclosure:
The sealed, truck style enclosure houses the 10-inch prime subwoofer. Rockford Fosgate R2S-1X10 is designed to fit in tight spaces with its dimensions of 3.25 inches depth on the top and 5.25 inches on the bottom.
This unit has a wedge design that is optimized for placement in single cab trucks that have very limited space. It fits in the rear seats and trunks of most cars, SUVs, and mini trucks.
Produces clean, clear bass:
This Rockford Fosgate R2S-1X10 subwoofer can handle 100 to 200 watts RMS, with 400 watts of peak power. It is capable of producing clear and clean bass. This speaker hits the bass drum clearly, with lower tones perceived with lots of clarity and power. It is also very efficient, not needing lots of power to get to respectable bass levels.
Voice coil former designed to resist heat:
The voice coil former of this subwoofer is made of anodized aluminum. It is designed to dissipate heat efficiently. Compared to plastic which is traditionally used in voice coil former of subs,
aluminum has the ability to quickly dissipate heat as it acts like a heat-sink. This results to the subwoofer able to maintain low temperature, improving its durability in the process.
High quality parts:
This subwoofer is also protected by a stamped seal basket for added rigidity. Rockford Fosgate R2S-1X10 has stitched tinsel leads that are designed to reduce fatigue and minimize the chances of shorting by spreading stress and strain over a greater area. These parts all make the subwoofer durable and high performing.
Compliant with CEA-2031 industry standards:
The power handling specs of this subwoofer conform to CEA-2031 industry standards. Simply put it, the sub can handle power under continuous demand. It isn’t unlike other subs that can handle instantaneous power handing that can damage voice coils over time.
Pros:
Decent bass level despite its size
Fit easily in vehicles with limited space
Durable and reliable
It is made of quality materials
Cons:
It won’t blow you away or wake up the neighbors with its decent bass levels
Some screw holes have damage
FAQs:
Q. How long is the warranty for this product?
A. Rockford Fosgate backs it up with a one year warranty.
Q. What’s the recommended amp for this sub?
A. It should work well with a mono amp with 200-300 watts RMS.
Verdict:
Rockford Fosgate amp has established a reputation as one of the brands with decent quality subs sold at reasonable prices. This sub is affordable and fits in most trucks and SUVs with limited space.
It has a rugged black carpeting which gives it a scratch resistant and non-slip surface. It also looks like a premium speaker from afar.This subwoofer won’t shatter your windows though as it delivers decent bass levels at best. But that should be enough for you to hear and feel the low notes while you are driving.
This is one of the top rated shallow mount subwoofers on Amazon.com, and something I can recommend to budget-conscious motorists. | {
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The Academy of Television Arts and Sciences is making some dramatic changes to the Emmy rulebook — and hourlong “comedies” such as Orange Is the New Black and Shameless stand to be the most affected.
Among the major tweaks announced Friday: a comedy series will now be defined as a program that clocks in at 30 minutes or less, and the drama and comedy categories will include seven nominees, up from six.
Additionally, the Miniseries category has been renamed Limited Series, now defined as a “complete, non-recurring story” told in at least two episodes totaling at least 150 minutes. Further, a Limited Series must feature “no ongoing story lines or main characters” in any subsequent seasons. (In turn, Drama and Comedy series are defined as telling ongoing stories in runs of at least six episodes.)
Lastly, the Variety Series category has been split in two: Variety Talk (to be handed out during the big show) and Variety Sketch (to be awarded at the Creative Arts ceremony). Oh, and to qualify for a Guest Actor nomination, a performer must appear in less than 50 percent of a program’s episodes.
The new rules do allow for some wiggle room. For example, if the folks behind Jane the Virgin make a strong enough case that the show belongs in the comedy category versus drama, an exception can be made. Producers can also petition for a certain category in Limited Series versus Drama.
The 2015 Emmy ceremony will air live Sunday, Sept. 20 on Fox. | {
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Successful people know that investing time and effort wisely, developing productive habits, and using systems to increase efficiency, are the secrets to creating more time. When you learn to prioritize properly, and to use time effectively, you can create more space in your schedule for the things that matter most.
Here are ten tips to maximize your effectiveness and make every moment count, including top time management tips from some of the most successful people on the planet.
1. Get an Early Start
It is easier to focus on important tasks in the early hours of the morning, when there are fewer distractions and interruptions. While everyone else is asleep, your phone is less likely to ring, your inbox will be emptier, and you will have peace and quiet to get on with what you need to do. The same is true of the late-night hours, when most people have finished work for the day.
Use these special pockets of time for tasks where you need to focus, so you can double your productivity and create more time. US President Barack Obama is known for working late at night to get a head-start on business for the coming day.
2. Energize Yourself
Many successful people swear by having an early-morning workout or meditation session, to help them stay productive later on. Energizing yourself for the day ahead means you can work more quickly and focus better. Michelle Obama is an example of an early riser who hits the gym before turning attention to her daily responsibilities.
Eat a good breakfast every morning to keep your blood sugar stable. Protein can give you the energy you need to stay productive without flagging or losing concentration. Good fats help your brain to work better, and slow-release carbs can sustain your strength. America’s First Lady opts for scrambled eggs, turkey sausage and grapefruit to start her day.
3. Speed Up by Using Systems
Creating systems and templates for recurring tasks can save you lots of time over weeks, months and years. Invest a little time in creating a system to save yourself hours on an ongoing basis.
Your system can be as small as setting up an email signature to attach to every message, or as large as automating an entire business. Create templates and macros for documents you are likely to produce more than once. Use speed dial for numbers you call often. Many minutes and hours can be freed up by setting up useful short-cuts such as these.
4. Make Time by Multi-tasking
Doing too many things at once can be problematic, because you tend to lose focus on your tasks; but there are some types of multi-tasking that create more time without negatively impacting on the quality of your work.
Check your emails or read a book while on the train. Listen to audio programs in the car. Take your business cards to social gatherings. Schedule meetings over dinner, rather than during the workday. Hold a group meeting, rather than briefing people separately, and use Skype rather than traveling across town.
5. Prioritize Properly
People can wrongly believe they are being productive just because they are making phone calls or attending meetings, according to Stephen Covey. But many tasks are unimportant in the grand scheme of things, the author of “7 Habits of Highly Effective People” says. To be successful and create more time, focus on preparation and personal development above being busy, he advises.
Structure your day to account for both meeting deadlines and improving yourself. Say “no” to things that don’t serve you. Create a daily schedule to keep yourself on track, leaving an extra hour for emergencies if they should arise. If no crises emerge, you’ve just created another free hour.
6. Play the Long Game
Look at what you need to do to save more time in the future — and do it now. Don’t put off getting an assistant if that would save you time on an ongoing basis. When deciding what needs to be done today, look at the long game, rather than your short-term aims.
Getting an assistant, a more efficient computer, or a new app, are all ways that you can continue saving time in weeks and months to come, so make these things a priority.
7. Be Smart about Your Smartphone
You can lose many hours by constantly checking your Smartphone. It may seem like you’re only checking it for short periods of time, but they all add up, making you wonder where your day went. Virgin founder Richard Branson warns against being chained to your Smartphone, which he says is bad for concentration and decision-making.
Set aside chunks of time to check messages, emails, and social media — and focus on just doing that for a set period. When you’re not constantly reaching into your pocket, you’ll find it much easier to focus on the task at hand, and will save yourself a lot of time.
8. Consider the Bigger Picture
Many people get bogged down by ‘busyness’ without seeing that what they’re doing isn’t effective. Failing to check if what you’re doing works can lead to dead ends and wasted time.
Regularly set aside time to consider the bigger picture, and evaluate what is proving helpful when trying to reach your goals. Create more time by letting go of the things that don’t sit well with your overall aims, and stop doing things that do not enhance your life.
9. Only Learn Skills That Won’t Be Wasted
If you’re never going to need to do it again, ask or pay someone else to do it. Learning new skills can be beneficial, but if you’re not going to be using them regularly, it’s a waste of your time.
Why learn how to create your own website, if that’s not your field of expertise, and never will be? It would take you much longer than asking an expert to do it, and the skills that you painstakingly learn will go to waste. Outsource tasks that will not teach you anything advantageous, and save your time for learning things you can use again.
10. Delegate to Superstars
Knowing when to delegate to others is useful, but getting others to help you can cause additional problems. Unskilled people may need micro-managing, training, reassuring or correcting — and that just takes up more of your time.
The late Steve Jobs said that to be at the top of your game, you need to hire superstars. Get someone else as passionate about your project as you are, someone who can take a task and run with it. Using highly-skilled people with expertise and passion, can not only free up your time, but will ensure your tasks are completed excellently, too. | {
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This spring, Clare Bronfman, the 31-year-old heiress to the multi-billion-dollar Seagram liquor fortune, would describe to a New York court the extortion letter that was sent to her on April 24, 2009. Intended for her 33-year-old sister, Sara, as well, it was signed by several women, including the sisters’ financial planner, a masseuse, and a hairstylist, and demanded that “they be paid $2.1 million by midnight,” Clare said in a sworn declaration, “or else they would go to the press with information they deemed harmful to my sister and I.” What that information was, the letter didn’t say, but Clare viewed the threat as alarming. The daughters of the billionaire philanthropist and former Seagram chairman, Edgar Bronfman Sr., and the half-sisters of Edgar junior, the chairman of Warner Music Group, Sara and Clare were not simply heiresses to a global empire built by their grandfather Samuel Bronfman. As they would describe themselves, they were also important, wealthy entrepreneurs and philanthropists in their own right—women who bankrolled a web of investments and humanitarian foundations based in the Albany region, where they lived. Indeed, as Clare would tell a court this spring, the extortion demand arrived when she and Sara “were two weeks away from hosting the Dalai Lama in Albany for an event on humanitarian issues.”
The alleged threat would have been disturbing if it occurred. But among the many allegations that have been made about Sara and Clare Bronfman in recent months was the charge that Clare was lying about the “extortion” letter. Made in hundreds of pages of court documents that began to leak out to the press this spring, they have stunned friends of the Bronfman family. Many knew that Edgar Bronfman’s daughters were involved in a secretive organization called nxivm (pronounced “nexium”), a group that he himself had openly referred to as “a cult.” But only a few were aware of what the court documents would reveal—the massive gutting by the Bronfman daughters of their family trust funds to help finance nxivm and the alleged investment schemes of its leader, a 50-year-old man by the name of Keith Raniere. The amount—reportedly $100 million—was staggering and made for eye-popping headlines. But according to legal filings and public documents, in the last six years as much as $150 million was taken out of the Bronfmans’ trusts and bank accounts, including $66 million allegedly used to cover Raniere’s failed bets in the commodities market, $30 million to buy real estate in Los Angeles and around Albany, $11 million for a 22-seat, two-engine Canadair CL-600 jet, and millions more to support a barrage of lawsuits across the country against nxivm’s enemies. Much of it was spent, according to court filings, as Sara and Clare Bronfman allegedly worked to conceal the extent of their spending from their 81-year-old father and the Bronfman-family trustees.
But Edgar Bronfman knew at least some of what was going on, according to those who have spoken to him. And he was deeply concerned, says one ex-nxivm member who met with him last year. “He wanted to know how his girls were. He was worried about them,” this person says. “He saw them, but only the façade.” They were distant and secretive. “I was afraid,” this person says, “to tell him what was really happening.” Like many former members of nxivm, this person was afraid of the consequences of speaking out. But in the last few months, people have begun to come forward with stories about nxivm. Stories about private detectives allegedly obtaining bank and phone records of nxivm opponents; stories of its critics being followed and threatened and, in one case, reportedly run off the road by a black limousine; accounts of a motherless three-year-old boy, brought into the group as a newborn under mysterious circumstances, and about the circumstances behind the Dalai Lama’s visit to Albany. Suddenly darker questions were being raised about how the Bronfmans’ money was being used. Indeed, today, in the multiple lawsuits involving the Bronfman sisters, there are serious allegations being lobbed—not just of possible blackmail and perjury but also of other “potentially illegal” activities, including theft and “a conspiracy to forge documents.”
What seems clear, from court documents and interviews with ex–nxivm members—and those who have come into conflict with the group and its mysterious guru—is that Sara and Clare Bronfman could be in serious trouble. And yet, despite his wealth and power, their father, at least publicly, appears to be doing nothing to help. According to some family friends and advisers, however, there may be nothing he can do, in part because, some say, he may have been the one who set all this in motion. Sara and Clare, says a friend of theirs, “are not completely brainwashed. . . . They’re more cognizant than you’d think, given the amount of money involved. I think there are personal reasons regarding the conflict they have with their family that keep them affiliated with nxivm. On some level, I think they feel the affiliation is reinforcing their version of things, in opposition to the opinion of their family. I think all the legal, litigious craziness is all about them trying to win this battle with their father.”
Bronfman Gold Dust
Of the two sisters, Sara is the more outgoing, which comes across in photographs. In one taken just after the Dalai Lama’s Albany speech, in May 2009, Sara is beaming. Wearing sandals, an ankle-length blue dress, and a silky white scarf around her neck, her curly brown hair hanging loose down her back, she is walking outside Albany’s Palace Theatre next to Pamela Cafritz. A longtime acolyte of Raniere’s and the daughter of the Washington socialites Bill and Buffy Cafritz, Pamela is wearing a suit and heels. On her left is Clare. She has a worried, almost dour expression. Wearing an ill-fitting knee-length burgundy dress, she is barefoot. Both Bronfmans resemble their father far more than their 60-year-old mother, Georgiana. | {
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Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-27 22:47:09|Editor: yan
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BEIJING, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- The report delivered by Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, to the 19th CPC National Congress on Oct.18, has been published by People's Publishing House.
The report, "Secure a decisive victory in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and strive for the great success of socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era," was available at Xinhua Bookstores across the country from Friday. | {
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The ascension of Uzbekistan’s new ruler, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, has placed the country at a crossroads. Down one path lies continuing oppression and authoritarianism, while down the other lies potential prosperity and regional influence. Having now been in power for a year, Mirziyoyev must now carefully weigh the nation’s options and carefully balance the demands of a reforming economy with the security threats posed by radical Islam and a new Great Game taking place among the great world powers across Central Asia.
One year ago, on 2nd September 2016, Islam Karimov was declared dead following a stroke three days prior. He was the first—and until that point, the only—president of Uzbekistan. One of many authoritarian rulers in Central Asia since independence in 1991, Karimov ruled Uzbekistan with an iron fist, suppressing the opposition, restricting human rights and press freedom, and imposing restrictions on religious groups to the extreme extent that men were even forbidden to wear beards. He pursued an isolationist foreign policy based on suspicion of great powers seeking to gain influence in the region.
An isolationist policy is not the easiest thing to accomplish; Karimov himself was born in Samarqand, one of the great Silk Road cities at the midpoint between Beijing and Constantinople. Centuries later, where once Britain and Russia played the Great Game, jockeying for influence in Central Asia, now the same game is being played between China, Russia, and the United States. Karimov was more than happy to play off these three sides against each other. Uzbekistan joined the Shanghai Cooperation Organization but has kept out of the Eurasian Economic Union, and is currently not a member of the Collective Security Treaty Organization, after being a member twice, in 1994–1999 and 2006–2012. Shared hostility to radical Islam helped establish the United States as an ally following the 9/11 attacks in New York and Washington, but American and European sanctions on Uzbekistan after the Andijan massacre in 2005 led to Karimov expelling U.S. forces from the Karshi-Khanabad Air Base 250 kilometers from Mazar-i-Sharif in Afghanistan.
Much of the blame for Central Asia’s problems falls on Josef Stalin, drawing lines through the Soviet Union’s newly conquered lands and forming borders in a region which had never known them. What became the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic had previously been home to more than ninety ethnic groups living a nomadic lifestyle which hardly changed when the borders were drawn in Moscow. It was during Karimov’s presidency that an independent Uzbek identity started to coalesce and the new borders started to pose problems.
The most notable dispute emerged in the fertile and diverse Fergana Valley, a region shared by Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan. The valley is a stronghold of religious conservatism, and reacted harshly when Karimov legislated the secularization of the country and closed the borders with Kyrgyzstan in 2003. This eventually led to the unrest in 2005 in Andijan, two months after the Tulip Revolution across the border in Kyrgyzstan. By ordering the massacre in Andijan, Karimov made it clear that he would tolerate no opposition and no instability in Uzbekistan, blaming Islamists and unnamed Western interests for orchestrating a coup against him.
Perhaps ironically, the repressive government then helped create a country safe for foreign tourists; many visitors to the country looking to explore an exotic corner of the world have provided an estimated $29 billion to the Uzbek economy in 2016 alone. And so, Uzbekistan carried on, maintaining its other major industry; cotton. This is a particularly thirsty crop in a region predicted to host one of the world’s first water wars.
As is the case in any authoritarian state, the death of the sovereign is an event which causes analysts to raise their eyebrows and imagine something different. Karimov’s death was no different. Shavkat Mirziyoyev became acting President not long after Karimov’s death was announced, and was “elected” formally in December, passing over Karimov’s daughter Gulnara who had been groomed for leadership but placed under house arrest in 2014 on charges of corruption. Mirziyoyev had been the Prime Minister since 2003, and had been governor of Samarqand region before that, and thus was a familiar part of Karimov’s inner circle.
Given the authoritiarian nature of the state, there were strong doubts that any new leader would provide much in the way of real change in Uzbekistan. Central Asia analyst, Daniil Kislov, remarked that the party apparatus would ensure that nothing significant would change. Considered to have an iron-fist management style identical to Karimov’s, Mirziyoyev pledged to “strengthen the security of the state”, though that may have been meant as a warning to Islamist groups such as Hizb ut-Tahrir and the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, both terrorist groups with connections to al Qaeda.
Despite Karimov’s isolationist policies, Uzbekistan has been labelled by The Nixon Center as the main ideological battlefield in Central Asia; if an Islamist regime were to take control in Tashkent then consequences would not be isolated within Uzbekistan. In that regard, although Uzbekistan has been criticized for violations of basic freedoms, the authoritarian state acts as a bulwark against the spread of radical Islam, and it is thus in the interests of China, Russia, and the United States to support the state against the possibility of a spillover of Islamism from Afghanistan.
In his speech to the nation, Mirziyoyev made his priorities clear: alongside security he wants to stimulate Uzbekistan’s economy. In 2016 the IMF reported that Uzbekistan’s GDP growth had fallen to its lowest mark in a decade. The fact that growth was “only” 5% shows the strength of the Uzbek economy in spite of its repression. From 2008–2015, growth was never below 8%, a remarkable surge but due for inevitable decline, which finally happened as the effects of the recession in Russia reached Central Asia. Remittances from Russia also reached their lowest point since 2009.
The recession hit Uzbekistan hard, but Mirziyoyev’s government soon created a fiscal plan based around six priority areas: improving financial stability, expanding metals and food processing, increasing export potential, helping small businesses, creating one million jobs in 2017, and investing in infrastructure. The IMF has lent is support to these policies, and is ready to provide the requisite advice and cooperation to support the reforms. The World Bank is also active in the country, having discussed a strategy with Karimov prior to his death on how to achieve the goal of upper middle income status by 2030. The involvement of both organizations in Uzbekistan is a welcome sign of a shift towards modernization and economic liberalization.
Mirziyoyev has also shown a willingness to move away from the isolationist policies of Karimov. Relations with Russia may well improve; related by marriage to Alisher Usmanov, an Uzbek-Russian ally of Putin. Mirziyoyev has, however, pledged to maintain the sovereignty of the nation, meaning no new or renewed participation in multilateral organizations such as the EEU and no foreign military bases on Uzbek soil. Nevertheless, the threat of terrorism may force the president’s hand and convince him of the value of cooperation and collaboration with Russia, and potentially with China as well, though Tashkent still appears to be of the opinion that Uzbek participation in multilateral organizations would be more beneficial to the great powers around them than for Uzbekistan itself, as well as with the other Central Asian states. Restoration of relations with Tajikistan and renewal of transport links have also provided reason for optimism, while border conflicts with Kyrgyzstan are slowly moving towards peaceful resolution.
The nation’s foreign policy is also showing a new dynamism, as Mirziyoyev has made eight foreign visits in his first year alone, including to Moscow, Beijing, and Riyadh. In Saudi Arabia, he was reported by the Uzbek media to have impressed Donald Trump over his economic reforms, but in American media this fact was ignored if noticed at all. All the same, the visits are bearing fruit, leading to investments of $1 billion from Kazakhstan and $12 billion from Russia. Perhaps less lucrative but more impressive, Mirziyoyev and Turkmen president Berdimuhamedov signed documents on the strategic partnership of their two nations, cooperation in economic, agricultural, and cultural spheres, showing that even highly isolated Turkmenistan is being pulled into the new Uzbek foreign policy. The combination of economic reforms and foreign investment could well accomplish the goal of raising Uzbek GDP growth back to the 8% that had been standard prior to the Russian recession. The country also has substantial reserves of gold and foreign currency, worth about $20 billion, which will enable the country to reform its foreign exchange system. This system is in dire need of reform; in 2016 one dollar bought two times more Uzbek Som on the black market than in official banks, creating a sizeable shadow economy which will need to be brought under control in order to properly reform the economy.
Despite the continuing policy of restrictions on civil freedoms, the steps toward economic liberalization suggest that in time, Uzbekistan could possess a vibrant modern economy and ultimately open up to political liberalization in the same way that Chile has now become one of South America’s success stories, with the highest GDP (PPP) on the continent. It is far too early to say that Uzbekistan can become the Central Asian equivalent of Chile, but Mirziyoyev’s policies are the right start. Economic liberalization can foster the kind of environment which will lead to a strong middle class, and a strong middle class can demand the political and civil freedoms that are currently denied them. More economic opportunities can also help mitigate the risk of Islamic terrorism, giving young men the chance to earn money and build a future instead of radicalizing. More critically, Uzbekistan’s position at the core of Central Asia means that the region automatically revolves around Tashkent. If liberalization succeeds in opening up and developing the Uzbek economy and society while expanding trade and relations with its neighbors, then it could create spillover effects across the region in a way that Kyrgyzstan’s liberalization was unable to accomplish.
For Mirziyoyev’s moves to succeed, Uzbekistan will need foreign investment and support over the long-term. This is likely to come from the states participating in the new Great Game: China, Russia, and the United States. All three are involved in the region to varying degrees: Chinese investment, Russian hegemony, and American military power all have their roles to play in a region which has always been the plaything of empires. Any of these states wishing to play a role in the development of Central Asia needs to play its hand now; for the United States it is critical to foster political liberalization alongside economic liberalization, but it may turn out to be more effective if the first follows the second. China has already invested in the new Silk Road through the “One Belt, One Road” initiative. If the reforms accomplish their aims, then China will be well-positioned to take advantage of the rising tide. Russia’s investment may also pay dividends and together with Mirziyoyev’s personal links to Russia, could restore Russian influence and strengthen relations. The United States has not increased its involvement in Uzbekistan to levels prior to the Andijan massacre, but USAID does provide technical assistance and support.
During Karimov’s long reign Uzbekistan found itself increasingly isolated from the world, but his death and the ascension of Mirziyoyev may turn out to be the spark that ignites true reform in the nation and the wider Central Asian region. Depending on the pace of reforms and their success, economic liberalization may come fully over the next two or three decades, with political liberalization a further possibility if the former succeeds in establishing a healthy middle-class. Thus far, all signs seem to be pointing towards an Uzbek renaissance, though Mirziyoyev is still an authoritarian ruler. Ultimately, regional events may have more bearing on the success of reforms than anything else; if Islamist radicals are seen to pose a greater threat to national stability then reforms could easily be derailed if the regime chooses to crack down. Although there is a wide range of possibilities for Uzbekistan’s future, Mirziyoyev’s first year as president is showing that the country could well become a regional powerhouse, and will be one of the most quietly interesting regions of the world over the next twenty years.
Eamon Driscoll is a graduate of the University of Ilinois who is currently completing his postgraduate studies in Geopolitics, Territory and Security at King’s College, London. Eamon has experience living and working in both Ukraine and Russia, and now focuses on issues in Russia and the wider Commonwealth of Independent States. His current academic focus is on the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad and how its unique position has forced the region to develop differently from other Russian territories, especially in the shadow of the ongoing crisis in Ukraine.
For an in-depth, bespoke briefing on this or any other geopolitical topic, consider Encylopedia Geopolitica’s intelligence consulting services.
Photo credit: Fulvio Spada | {
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On Monday October 15 2018, the US Treasury Department released figures showing that the federal budget deficit had widened by 17% in the 2018 fiscal year, to $779 billion.
Most experts see this widening in the deficit as the result of the tax cuts, which went into effect in January this year.
Note that the corporate tax rate was lowered from 35 percent to 21 percent while the income tax rate was reduced from 39.6 percent to 33 percent.
The 12-month moving average of the budget had a deficit of $64.9 billion in September against a deficit of $55.5 billion in September last year. In the chart below we can observe that the underlying budget deficit displays a visible widening.
Some commentators are of the view that in the midst of strong economic growth a widening in the budget deficit could be bad news once the economy falls into an economic slump. Hence, these commentators are of the view that the lowering of taxes was a wrong policy at this point in the economic cycle.
Some other commentators hold that the lowering of taxes is going to boost economic activity, which in turn is going to boost government revenues and thus shrink the budget deficit.
However for the time being the 12-month moving average of the annual growth rate of government revenue continues to display a visible decline (see chart).
The budget deficit is not the key issue
The key focus should not be on the budget deficit as such but rather on government outlays: it is not possible to effectively lower taxes without a reduction in government outlays.
This is because the government as such is not a wealth generating entity. In order to fund its activities it has to take resources from the wealth-generating private sector. Various individuals employed by the government expect compensation for their work. The government can pay these individuals by taxing others who are still generating real wealth. By doing this, the government weakens the wealth-generating process and undermines prospects for genuine economic growth. (We ignore here borrowings from foreigners).
To activate any government plan or any investment plan real wealth must be allocated for this. If during the execution of a plan, the current infrastructure does not generate an adequate flow of final goods and services, then the plan would have to be aborted.
Any attempt to go ahead with the plan will lead to an economic impoverishment (this is because part of the pool of real wealth is going to be absorbed by various non wealth generating activities. Now, if the current infrastructure does not adequately compensates for this, then this is going to put pressure on the overall pool of real wealth thereby weakening economic growth).
Fiscal Stimulus and Economic Growth
Since the government is not a wealth generating entity, then any tax cuts while government outlays continue to increase is not going to support a strengthening in genuine economic growth.
Now, fiscal stimulus could “work” if the flow of real savings is large enough to support i.e. fund, government activities while still permitting a growth rate in the activities of the private sector.
Hence, what is going to determine the growth rate in the months ahead is whether the pool of real wealth is still expanding? Irrespective of the tax cuts if the pool is stagnant or declining, then no sustainable economic growth is going to emerge.
Obviously, if the lowering of taxes is accompanied by the lowering of government outlays then less real wealth is going to be diverted from the wealth generators and this in turn is going to provide support for genuine economic growth. For the time being, this is not the case.
The 12-month moving average of the annual growth of government outlays still displays buoyancy (see chart). We do not have any indications that the Trump administration is planning to curb government outlays.
If anything, the government is likely to boost its outlays to keep economic activity going. The possible widening in the budget deficit is likely to be monetized thereby reversing the presently observed weakening in the growth momentum of money supply, all other things being equal. This is likely to undermine the state of the pool of real wealth further thereby setting the economy for a serious economic shock.
Currently, the pace of economic activity in the US continues to display buoyancy. Some commentators argue that this is a direct result of the cut in taxes. Because most Americans are filling tax returns for 2017, then the impact of tax cuts will not be felt until next year.
Also, some experts are suggesting that many US companies as a rule take advantage of various loopholes — like being able to deduct the interest paid on loans — to lower their overall tax bill. So from this perspective the lowering of corporate taxes is hardly going to produce an effective result in terms of setting in motion an economic boost.
More likely, the observed strengthening in economic data is predominantly because of the past money growth rate.
For instance, the yearly growth rate of industrial production climbed from minus 4 percent in December 2015 to 5.1 percent by September this year (see chart).
We hold that a major negative for the pace of economic activity in the months ahead is the declining trend in the annual growth rate of money supply since 2012 (see chart).
If the pool of real wealth is in trouble then the declining trend in the money growth momentum could trigger a major economic shock when least expected. | {
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Based on the S340 Elite mid-tower chassis, NZXT has teamed up once again with graphic artist Brock Hofer to bring you the S340 Elite Hyper Beast. This is a one-time production of 1,337 units (Get it? It's leetspeak for elite!), and each comes with a numbered, limited-edition metal badge. A company representative told us the fancy artwork on the front and side of this limited edition chassis is not a wrap or sticker. In fact, the artwork is actually printed onto the case using a method similar to silk screening.
Review: NZXT S340 Elite
Johnny Hou, NZXT’s founder and CEO said:
We love CS:GO and share the same passion that the community has when it comes to showcasing their prized possessions with the coolest artwork. The S340 Elite Hyper Beast is an extension of this and truly allows the dedicated CS:GO fan to turn one of the game’s most popular weapons skins into a one-of-a-kind build.
The open-interior design features seven expansion slots, which is ideal for enthusiasts and gamers with multi-GPU set-ups. The case supports mini-ITX, MicroATX, and ATX motherboards. The enclosed PSU area and cable management bar not only improve airflow, they help hide components and wires to give your system an extremely clean look with minimal effort. There is also a new clamping system behind the motherboard tray for easy cable management. This of course is important considering this chassis has a full cover, 4mm thick tempered glass side panel.
The chassis features support for a wide range of water cooling options as well as CPU heatsinks up to 161mm. The S340 Elite Hyper Beast can accommodate graphics cards as long as 364mm, and power supplies up to 275mm. The case sports mounting locations for up to four fans in total: Two 120 / 140mm fans can be mounted in the front of the chassis, one 120 / 140mm fan in the top, and a single 120mm fan in the rear. Only the latter two fans are included from the factory. The intake fan mounting locations in the front of the chassis are covered by a large washable magnetic filter. The S340 Elite Hyper Beast has mounting locations for up to four 2.5" hard drives and three 3.5" spinning disks. Those of you still using optical drives are out of luck.
If you have a VR headset, you’ll like the fact that this chassis was designed with VR in mind. There is an HDMI port on the top of the case and a magnetic cable management puck that allows users to store VR cables, or split the puck apart for longer cable coverage. The other I/O ports on the front of the case include two USB 2.0 ports, two USB 3.0 ports, and headphone and microphone jacks.
The NZXT S340 Elite Hyper Beast has a suggested MSRP of $199.99 and will be available in late May.
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A woman has called for a dog to be put down after she says it savagely attacked her cat in the front yard of her Burnside home last week.
Enrica Baldwin, said her cat, Tiger, was attacked by an American Pit Bull Cross last Thursday afternoon.
Tiger subsequently died after the incident.
Ms Baldwin wants the dog, which had to be OC-sprayed by police to be subdued at the time, to now be put down.
“The police attended and had to capsicum spray the dog, they put it into the back of their van and it’s been at the pound ever since.
“It was micro-chipped so they’ve notified the dog’s owner’s.
“It could have been a child, I have an eight-year-old son who could have been out there with our cat.”
Click PLAY below to hear the details
Phil Lovelace from Melton City Council told 3AW, via a statement, the council is investigating.
“Once the investigation is complete, Council will prepare a brief that will be presented at Sunshine Magistrates’ Court, at a time yet to be determined. This hearing will determine the outcome of the case. Council will then consider the fate of the dog to ensure the community is safe. Council has been in contact with the dog owner, who is aware of the prosecution being prepared about the incident.”
Victoria Police confirm they did attend at Enrica’s address and used OC-spray to subdue the aggressive dog. | {
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Donald J. Trump won the white working-class vote over Hillary Clinton by a larger margin than any major-party nominee since World War II. Instead of this considerable achievement inspiring introspection, figures from the heights of journalism, entertainment, literature and the Clinton campaign continue to suggest that Mr. Trump won the presidency by appealing to the bigotry of his supporters. As Bill Clinton recently said, the one thing Mr. Trump knows “is how to get angry white men to vote for him.”
This stereotyping of Trump voters is not only illiberal, it falsely presumes Mr. Trump won because of his worst comments about women and minorities rather than despite them.
In fact, had those people who agreed that Mr. Trump lacked “a sense of decency” voted for Mrs. Clinton, she would have been elected the next president.
Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Trump equally won over party loyalists. Yet about one in five voters did not have a favorable view of either candidate. These voters overwhelmingly backed Mr. Trump. Exit polls demonstrated that if voters who disapproved of both candidates had divided evenly between them, Mrs. Clinton would have won. | {
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Eye for an eye
The Navy does it better. You won’t even see this one coming…
Boomcircle! Now that you’re here how about you leave behind a memory or two of your loved one? Immortalize them forever and share the story of their life, for free!
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Guvernul vrea să împrumute în această lună 4,7 miliarde de lei pe piaţa internă, cea mai mare sumă de la începutul anului şi până acum. Potrivit analiștilor, e nevoie de acești bani pentru a rostogoli vechile datorii şi pentru a finanţa deficitul bugetar.
Ministrul de Finanțe, Eugen Teodorovici, spune că acest împrumut va fi folosit pentru a asigura cheltuieli curente și pentru a finanța deficitul bugetar, astfel încât acesta să rămână sub 3%.
Teodorovici a mai spus că acest împrumut era prevăzut în strategia de împrumut pentru 2018.
„Nu e o schimbare de plan. E o straregie, pentru finanțarea curentă, să spunem, și pentru finanțarea unor scadențe planificate pentru 2018. Este o strategie care a fost prezentată de anul trecut, nu e nimic anormal”, a spus Teodorovici.
Întrebat ce înseamnă finanțarea cheltuielilor curente, Teodorovici a avut o reacție nervoasă:
Eugen Teodorovici: Finanțările pe care le are statul, lună de lună. Ce vreți să știți, că sigur aveți un subiect pe care îl urmăriți.
Alice Iacobescu, jurnalist Digi24: Finanțăm niște investiții cu acești bani sau finanțăm niște salarii pe care nu mai avem cu ce să le plătim?
Eugen Teodorovici: Avem să finanțăm și salariile, și pensiile, dacă asta era problema dvs.
Alice Iacobescu: Dar ce finanțați cu acești bani împrumutați?
Eugen Teodorovici: Dacă vreți, vă trimit o situație exactă, ce finanțează România lună de lună, ca să știți exact pe cine finanțăm.
Alice Iacobescu: Spuneți-ne să audă și telespectatorii, nu mă interesează doar pe mine această informație.
Eugen Teodorovici: Când îmi cereți o intervenție telefonică, îmi spuneți înainte ce anume date doriți, să pot și eu, din minister, exact situația pe care o avem și să o prezint în mod public. Dacă mă sunați și spuneți că pe împrumuturi, crezând că mă întrebați de împrumuturile pe care vrem le facem pe acea ordonanță care e pe site-ul Ministerului de Finanțe era una, ce ne împrumutăm noi în mod curent e altceva. Dacă vreți date exacte și pe ce anume cheltuim, cu mare drag vă spun, numai spuneți-mi dinainte ca să pot să prezint situația.
Alice Iacobescu: Fiind strategia aprobată pe întreg anul, împrumutul de 4,7 miliarde de lei în această lună nu e ceva surprinzător, deci m-am gândit că știți despre ce e vorba.
Eugen Teodorovici: Și v-am dat două exemple: fie să plătim scadențele pe care le avem de onorat, și finanțarea noastră curentă. Adică nu e nimic intervenit peste noapte, nu e nicio cheltuială pe care nu am anticipat-o când am făcut bugetul pe 2018, și să avem un deficit sub 3% în 2018. Asta înseamnă: ai deficit, te finanțezi.
Alice Iacobescu: Și deficitul acesta de unde vine?
Eugen Teodorovici: Cheltuielile pe care le-am avut în acest an cu fel de fel de... de la investiții, cheltuieli de tot felul, că sunt venituri pentru populație, salarii, sunt lucrurile estimate deja de la începutul anului.
Ministrul mai spune că ROBOR nu va fi afectat de acest împrumut.
„Eu spun că nu. Așa cum am planificat până la sfârșitul anului să ne împrumutăm pe piața internă, nu aduce influență față de ceea ce e estimat până la final de an vizavi de ROBOR. BNR a dat public și vizavi de ROBOR, de inflație, care sunt estimările până la sfârșitul anului. Ambii indicatori scad”, a spus Teodorovici.
Ministrul este contrazis însă de profesorul de economie Mircea Coșea: „Ministrul Teodorovici spunea că totul este sub control, însă o atragere a unei sume așa importante nu are cum să nu influențeze ROBOR. Neavând alte date în plus, nu am reușit să aflăm de la ministru la ce vor fi folosiți acești bani, cred că vor fi folosiți la rostogolire bugetară.”
Împrumutul vine în condițiile în care statul a cheltuit mai mulţi bani pe salariile pentru angajaţii din sectorul public, în primele opt luni ale acestui an, potrivit Ministerul Finanţelor. Mai exact creşterea este de 25 de procente faţă de anul trecut. Veniturile angajaţilor de la stat au crescut fie din ianuarie, fie din martie cu 25%, o data cu aplicarea legii salarizării.
Teodorovici spune că aceste creșteri erau prevăzute în bugetul pe 2018.
„Statul a cheltuit cum a planificat de la începutul anului. Legea spune clar care au fost efectele acelor creşteri de salarii. Nu e nimic în afara planului”, a spus el. | {
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Burned yourself? Cut a tomato and rub it on it. It will relieve the sting.
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It was an incredibly tight race at the box office this weekend, with Sony’s The Equalizer 2 ($35.8 million) barely squeaking out a victory over Universal’s Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again ($34.4 million). Since the movies are just $1.4 million apart, it’s possible they could swap places when the box office actuals roll in on Monday. Until then, we’re breaking down the debuts for both these sequels and see how they stack up to the originals, 2014’s The Equalizer and 2008’s Mamma Mia.
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It’s actually quite uncanny how close The Equalizer and The Equalizer 2 were in their box office debuts. The Equalizer pulled in $34.1 million in its opening weekend in late September 2014, down a bit from the estimated total of $35 million, which is just $800,000 off of The Equalizer 2’s $35.8 million estimate. This action-packed adaptation of the 1980s TV series of the same name opened in 3,236 theaters, earning a solid $10,549 per-screen average, en route to a domestic total of $101.5 million domestic and $192.3 million worldwide, from a $55 million budget. While these certainly aren’t blockbuster numbers, it was profitable enough to warrant a sequel, which seems to be following a very similar path as its predecessor.The Equalizer 2’s $35.8 million estimate comes from 3,388 theaters, an increase of 152 theaters from its predecessor, earning a $10,574 per-screen average, an increase of just 25 dollars over the original. The sequel was produced with a $62 million budget, so it will need to do a bit more work to be just as profitable as the original, although it didn’t get too much help from overseas. It opened in eight additional worldwide markets this weekend, but it earned just $3.3 million in these territories, with most of its international rollout not happening until August, and there are no plans for a Chinese release yet, with the country’s annual “blackout” of non-local films currently in effect. While it may take a hit internationally, The Equalizer 2 is on pace to have a similar domestic turnout as the original.While the opening weekends of The Equalizer and The Equalizer 2 were almost identical, Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again showed quite a bit of improvement over the original. 2008’s Mamma Mia opened to $27.7 million, en route to an impressive $144.1 million domestic and a wonderful overseas showing with $465.7 million for a worldwide total of $609.8 million from just a $52 million budget. The sequel’s $34.4 million debut proves that there is still a demand for this franchise, and the enduring music of ABBA. The original debuted in 2,976 theaters, pulling in a $9,325 per-screen average, but the sequel improved on both of those figures, opening in 3,317 theaters (a 341-theater increase) to a $10,365 per-screen average (a $1,040 increase).Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again is also on pace for another big showing overseas with an international opening weekend of $42.4 million. The musical sequel opened in 41 international markets over the weekend, out-grossing the opening of the original in 34 of those markets, while taking the top spot in 24 markets including the U.K. ($13.1 million), Australia ($5 million) and Germany ($4.44 million). It has still yet to open in a number of key territories like France (July 25), Poland (July 27), India (August 3), South Korea (August 8), Singapore (August 9), Russia (August 16), Japan (August 24) and Italy (September 6). Both South Korea and Japan were among the top 5 international markets for the original, so there still could be some big international numbers to be put up. The original musical didn’t have the benefit of a Chinese release, and barring some early fall scheduling, it doesn’t seem Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again will find its way to the Middle Kingdom this summer.Regardless, both Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again and The Equalizer 2 managed to put up solid numbers, proving that counter-programming movies of vastly different genres can turn out to be a win-win scenario for everyone involved. The only possible exception could be the third sequel to debut this weekend, Unfriended: The Dark Web, which debuted in ninth place with just $3.4 million. Then again, while that number may not be great, it still more than tripled its miniscule $1 million budget. | {
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AP
At a time when Saints owner Tom Benson faces a bitter family legal challenge to his plan for the franchise after his passing, Saints coach Sean Payton has made it clear that the franchise is firmly behind Tom Benson.
Via Larry Holder of the New Orleans Times-Picayune, Payton has placed a large photo of Benson celebrating the team’s Super Bowl XLIV championship at the team’s indoor practice facility.
“I mentioned it to [G.M.] Mickey [Loomis] and he thought it was a great idea,” Payton said. “You try to think of things that will send a message or make an impact on our staff, our players seeing something every day, while we practice. We have photos up on the walls of our indoor facility of our Super Bowl game, Steve Gleason’s blocked punt — great team images that have captured what we have built here and what we continue to build.
“The guy that has meant the most to our organization and our success is Mr. Benson. No one deserves that more. It is a simple but important gesture. We could not have had the success that we have enjoyed without Mr. Benson. He has one goal every year, to win a championship for our fans. . . . I think putting that image of him up there reminds us daily of what we are working for.”
Saints quarterback Drew Brees needs no explanation for the move.
“This is a great gesture by coach Payton to honor a man that has played such a big part in not only my success individually but also the success achieved by the organization as whole,” Brees said. “Mr. Benson played an important role in my decision to come to New Orleans and join the Saints and I treasure the relationship I have had with him over the past nine years and look forward to tightening that bond in the years to come.”
As Holder notes, Payton is the favor to Benson, sort of. During Payton’s suspension in 2012, Benson put a giant photo of Payton on the wall of the practice facility with the saying that traces to his mentor, Bill Parcells: “Do Your Job.”
Plenty of Saints players, coaches, and executives have done their jobs pretty well in recent years, taking a team that struggled for decades to find success and making it a consistent contender. | {
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Daniel Bice
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Like many judicial candidates, state appeals court Judge Brian Hagedorn isn't eager to discuss his positions on some of the most controversial issues of the day.
But that wasn't always the case.
Hagedorn, who is running for the state Supreme Court, wrote a blog beginning in 2005 in which he addressed readers as "fellow soldiers in the culture wars" while posting sometimes provocative comments on homosexuality and abortion.
For example, Hagedorn twice wrote that a landmark gay rights ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court striking down a Texas anti-sodomy law could lead to the legalization of bestiality, sex with animals, in America.
"The idea that homosexual behavior is different than bestiality as a constitutional matter is unjustifiable," he wrote in October 2005.
Lawmakers could draw a distinction between same-sex relationships and bestiality as a matter of public policy, Hagedorn wrote. But he called the Supreme Court's decision overturning anti-sodomy laws a travesty that "should render laws prohibiting bestiality unconstitutional."
"There is no right in our Constitution to have sex with whoever or whatever you want in the privacy of your own home (or barn)," he wrote.
Some other conservatives argued at the time that the Supreme Court case would also lead to the legalization of bigamy and incest. This has not happened in the 14 years since the ruling.
Planned Parenthood a 'wicked organization'
The Journal Sentinel's review of all of Hagedorn's blog posts from April 2005 to August 2006 turned up equally passionate posts about abortion rights.
In one titled "Another reason why I hate Planned Parenthood," Hagedorn called it a "wicked organization" that was more devoted "to killing babies than to helping women." He said his litmus test for voting in an election was a candidate's position on abortion.
Hagedorn said he had committed himself to praying and lobbying to stop abortion. He went on to say his convictions on this issue and others were given to him by God.
"The Lord has laid three fundamental passions on my heart: 1) Protecting the dignity and sanctity of human life, 2) Defending and preserving the institution of marriage, and 3) Promoting racial reconciliation in the church and culture," he wrote in November 2005.
Hagedorn, an evangelical Christian, wrote that he favored having someone who believes like him on the Supreme Court.
"All things being equal, someone who acknowledges the true God, seeks wisdom from Him, and cares about all people because they have been made in His image is better than someone who is not a Christian," he wrote in October 2005.
Hagedorn, former chief legal counsel for former Gov. Scott Walker, appeared to qualify the point a day later by writing that he'd prefer a brilliant, conservative, non-Christian jurist to a moralizing evangelical on the bench.
Hagedorn squares off against state appeals court Judge Lisa Neubauer, who has the support of liberal groups and individuals, in the April general election.
One highly regarded expert in legal ethics told me that Hagedorn's ideological blog posts are likely to open Hagedorn to requests for recusal on issues he wrote about or from groups he criticized,such as Planned Parenthood and the ACLU, if involved in a case before the court. Judges are to recuse themselves if a reasonable person would likely question their ability to be impartial knowing their past comments on an issue.
But Charles Geyh, a professor at the Indiana University Maurer School of Law, said he also expects Hagedorn, if elected, to decline sitting out cases on the grounds that he can set his views aside in the courtroom.
Geyh said there is another, more important issue at stake.
"What concerns me is not his views per se, but his characterization of those views as God-given 'fundamental passions,' which raises questions as to whether he can set those passions aside as the law requires," Geyh said. "If he had made those statements in the last couple of years, I would doubt his fitness for judicial office."
Geyh, who has no record of donating to candidates, said it would be up to voters to decide to their satisfaction that a dozen years after writing his blog Hagedorn "has his passions under control and can be counted upon to do his best to set his urges aside and follow the law."
"I should add that I am not so naïve as to suppose that the judge’s ideological orientation won’t influence his interpretation of what the law is in difficult cases," Geyh concluded. "But that is quite different from a judge who is prepared to disregard the law in pursuit of his 'fundamental passions.'"
Asked about the blog posts, Hagedorn's campaign issued a lengthy statement from political adviser Stephan Thompson.
Thompson said Hagedorn's personal views would not affect his actions on the high court.
Thompson, however, would not say where Hagedorn now stands on the issues raised in his blog, which was named "Anno Domini" (Latin: "In the year of our Lord"). At the time he was writing the blog, Hagedorn was a 27-year-old father of two, intern at Foley & Lardner law firm and student at the prestigious Northwestern University law school.
"When he put on the robe, Judge Hagedorn took an oath to be impartial and apply the law on every case, and he will always be faithful to that oath and to the people he serves," Thompson said in the statement. "He believes personal political values have no place on the Supreme Court and his job is to say what the law is, not what he thinks the law should be."
Thompson saidthe blog items were written "long before he put on a robe and took an oath."
Not surprisingly, the liberal advocacy group One Wisconsin Now and Planned Parenthood have doubts about Hagedorn's ability to be objective.
"Judge Hagedorn's extreme statements make it clear that the people of Wisconsin can't trust him to be fair and impartial on issues related to women's health," said Mel Barnes of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin, which hasn't endorsed in the race.
Neubauer's camp responded with a statement from Tyler Hendricks, her campaign manager, who criticized Hagedorn's "personal, extreme and radical agenda." Neubauer doesn't appear to have written a blog in the past.
Echoes of Rebecca Bradley writings
Hagedorn's blog posts are reminiscent of the controversy over state Supreme Court Justice Rebecca Bradley's columns and letters to the editor for the Marquette Tribune. In them, Bradley criticized gays and compared abortion to slavery and the Holocaust.
Bradley, who first had been appointed by Republican Gov. Scott Walker, won a full term after One Wisconsin Now publicized these writings.
Hagedorn's old writings are more mature and nuanced than Bradley's college columns. When he shut down his blog, he was 7 years older than Bradley was when she was writing pieces for the student newspaper.
In one post, Hagedorn noted that his views on race had evolved over the years and that he leaned in favor of thinking the U.S. Constitution does not block states from enacting affirmative action programs to address racial inequality.
Hagedorn also wrote a letter to the editor of the Kenosha News in 2008 in which he said he believed the nation had taken a "great leap forward" by electing Barack Obama president, although he noted he had voted for Republican nominee John McCain.
But he also said in his blog that the NAACP, the national civil rights group, was a "partisan hack" and a "disgrace to America" that should be repudiated by all who want racial reconciliation in the nation. He wrote the item after the NAACP president had, among other things, compared some Republican judicial nominees to the Taliban.
View on gay rights
According to one post, Hagedorn said he worked at a firm that posted pictures of gay and transexual teenagers, along with their stories, during Gay & Lesbian Pride Month. He said he went to his human relations supervisor, who he noted was lesbian, to complain about what he said was indoctrination.
"What was being sold was not tolerance, but homosexual propaganda," Hagedorn wrote on his blog. "Moreover, this served to create a hostile work environment for Christians. In the end, I was told too bad."
Both posts saying the Supreme Court decision on anti-sodomy statutes could lead to the legalization of bestiality were prompted by stories in which individuals had sex with animals.
"What if the dog liked it and frequently initiated it? Shouldn't the ACLU come to the rescue of the man for having sex in the privacy of his own home (or here, his own doghouse)?" Hagedorn asked on Dec. 26, 2005. "Doesn't the idiotic attempt at reasoning, or more properly, the sweeping, grandiose, unsupported generalizations about 'liberty' that was Lawrence v. Texas cover precisely this sort of thing?"
He called the Supreme Court's ruling in Roe v. Wade "the worst and most unjustifiable decision in history."
"We are now 45 million Americans short. That's right, 45,000,000 human beings," he wrote in January 2006, estimating the number of abortions that had taken place since the Supreme Court ruling legalizing the practice. "For me, I highly resolve again today that these lives shall not have died in vain."
Hagedorn said he liked former U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold but couldn't vote for the Wisconsin Democrat because of his support of abortion rights. "A candidate's position on abortion is my litmus test as it is for most conservative Christians," he wrote in June 2005.
Rick Esenberg, the head of the conservative Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty, said any criticism of Hagedorn for his old blog posts on gay rights and abortion represent a "tired trope."
Esenberg said many scholars consider the Supreme Court's decisions on abortion and the Texas anti-sodomy law to be "constitutionally problematic." Beyond that, he said, Hagedorn's perspective would fall in line with that of most evangelical Christians, who are highly critical of Planned Parenthood.
Esenberg said a judge can oppose a group — on either the left or the right — and still be able to rule fairly on its legal rights.
"Brian is a well-trained and careful lawyer who understands the difference between his religious and political views and what the law requires," Esenberg said. "To deny that any such distinction exists is a bad faith reading of what he wrote and fundamentally misunderstands the role of courts and judges."
Esenberg made a $500 donation to Hagedorn's campaign in December.
RELATED:Bice: Mayor Tom Barrett sees his numbers slip but still leads two potential foes by wide margin, poll shows
Thompson said Hagedorn had no regrets about writing the sometimes provocative and personal blog, turning the question into one about his religious beliefs.
"Judge Hagedorn is not ashamed by his faith. It has shaped his commitment to his family and the dignity of all people throughout his life," Thompson wrote.
"It also doesn’t mean he will fashion the law to fit his own beliefs. His whole campaign is based on the premise that a judge’s job is to say what the law is, not what the judge thinks the law should be."
Contact Daniel Bice at (414) 224-2135 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @DanielBice or on Facebook at fb.me/daniel.bice. | {
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Paolo Miamoto may be known for fixing human teeth, but he is perhaps most proud of giving Vitória the goose her smile back.
When the greylag goose was dropped off at a animal rescue center near São Paulo, Brazil, in December 2015, she was missing most of her bill. Volunteers at Friends of the Sea fed her baby food, but the process was time-consuming and left the bird completely dependent on her human caregivers.
So the rescue center contacted Miamoto, a local dentist who specializes in 3-D facial and dental reconstructions, to make Vitória a prosthetic beak made from a 3-D printer. (Also see "Amputee Tortoise Gets Moving With Wheels.")
Miamoto is part of a group called Animal Avengers, which consists of an all-volunteer crew of veterinarians, 3-D computer modeling experts, and Miamoto, who create custom prosthetics for wild and domestic animals using 3-D printers.
Second Chance
View Images The goose's first surgery, in which she was fitted with a prosthetic beak, went well. Courtesy Animal Avengers 3D
The first beak wound up being too big and falling off. So the Avengers returned to the drawing board on their computer and designed a second prototype, also printed with a type of biodegradable polymer made from corn and sugarcane.
Vitória’s new beak fit perfectly after a second surgery to attach it, and the goose has now returned home to the sandy beaches of Ilha Comprida.
“We give many animals a second chance. Without these prosthetics, most would have been euthanized because there was nobody to care for them,” Miamoto says.
View Images Vitória's first prosthetic, which was too large, eventually fell off, leaving her injury exposed. Courtesy Animal Avengers 3D
It sounds expensive and high-tech, but the process is actually substantially cheaper than building each prosthetic by hand, he adds. All the Avengers need are cell phone photos, open-source computer software, and a 3-D printer. (See "Improving 3-D Printing by Copying Nature.")
And they make sure their creations fit with the animal's behavior and habitat.
“If you give a toucan a white beak, it might be rejected by other toucans. So it needs to be orange,” he says.
View Images After the first prosthesis (left) failed, the modelers and veterinarian went back to the drawing board and created a better fit. Courtesy Animal Avengers 3D
More and more, veterinarians worldwide are turning to 3-D printing as a way to make customizable prosthetics or orthotics for pets and wild animals. Here are a few animals who, like Vitória, are back on their feet with their own printed prosthetics.
Holly the Horse
In Australia, Holly had developed laminitis, a painful, potentially crippling inflammation of the tissues that connect the hoof to the foot bone. Her veterinarian contacted John Barnes, then director of high-performance metals technologies at CSIRO, who 3-D printed the horse a titanium curved horseshoe.
“I had no idea if it would work. I had only ridden a horse once,” Barnes says. But his horseshoe worked, taking the pressure off the inflamed area and letting the horse walk again.
Scientists 3-D Printed a Tortoise Shell Fred the tortoise battled starvation and pneumonia after losing her shell in a bushfire. See how scientists stepped in.
Cyrano the Cat
The 10-year-old orange tabby, which lives in Virginia, survived bone cancer, but the disease severely weakened his knee joint, causing pain. Veterinarians at North Carolina State University used 3-D printing to create a full knee implant. A team attached a new knee—the size of a tube of lip balm—to bones in his upper and lower leg, giving him a full range of motion.
View Images Denis Marcellin-Little explains how he will give Cyrano a replacement knee. Photograph by Becky Kirkland, North Carolina State University
Derby the Dog
Derby, a Malamute, was born without fully formed front legs. The dog couldn’t walk, let alone run. With the help of Derby’s foster parents, a Virginia-based company, Animal OrthoCare, created a special set of 3-D printed prosthetics for the canine. Now Derby races through his neighborhood just like a normal pup. | {
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– Olen aina ajatellut, että jos tekee parhaansa, sen pitäisi riittää. Mutta nyt se ei enää riittänyt.
Pitkään maatalousyrittäjänä toiminut keskipohjalaisnainen otti yhteyttä maanviljelijöiden tukihankkeeseen jo vuosi sitten, tuolloin vielä yksin. Arkeen on kuulunut parisuhdeongelmia, masennusta ja lasten murrosikään liittyviä haasteita. Nainen halusi estää ongelmien pahenemisen tai uusiutumisen, sillä uhkakuvia oli ilmassa.
Maanviljelijät hakevat yhä useammin ulkopuolista apua. Talousvaikeuksien sijaan keskiöön ovat nyt nousseet jaksamis- ja parisuhdeongelmat.
Melan Välitä viljelijästä -projektin vetäjä Pirjo Ristola kuvailee tilannetta huolestuttavaksi.
– Tilanne on jaksamisen osalta todella paha, mutta tämä ei oikeastaan yllättänyt. Jo syksyllä osattiin arvioida, että koko vuodesta tulee haasteellinen.
Työnteko ei enää taannut toimeentuloa
Viljelijöiden ongelmiin on monia syitä. Yksi on saattanut uupua ensin ja ajautua sitten talousongelmiin, toisella talouden vaikeudet ovat ajaneet uupumukseen. Monella väsymisen takana ovat viime kesän hankaluudet.
– Kesällä uuvuttiin, kun työmäärä oli olosuhteisiin nähden tosi haasteellinen. Se aiheutti myös taloudellista haastetta, projektinvetäjä Pirjo Ristola kertoo.
Toni Pitkänen / Yle
Keskipohjalaispariskunta pyörittää yli sadan eläimen maatilaa kahdestaan, mikä tietää paljon työtä.
– Sitä tekee iloiten niin kauan kun siitä tulee toimeentulo. Se palkitsee, sanoo tilallinen.
Pari on ollut naimisissa 30 vuotta. Kun lapset olivat pieniä, perhe tuli verrattain hyvin toimeen. Muutama vuosi sitten tapahtui käänne huonompaan: tulot pienenivät, mutta menot lähtivät hiljalleen nousuun. Kovempi työnteko ei enää tarkoittanut isompaa tiliä.
Tuotannollisesti mikään ei ole muuttunut: maitoa ja lihaa tuotetaan saman verran kuin ennenkin. Mutta kun maidon hinta lähti alaspäin ja tukien siirtymäkaudet ovat jääneet taakse, pitää pärjätä lihasta ja maidosta saatavalla tulolla.
Olen aina ajatellut, että jos tekee parhaansa, sen pitäisi riittää. Mutta nyt se ei enää riittänyt Keskipohjalaisviljelijä
– Ei ole kyse siitä, etteikö meillä jaksettaisi tehdä työtä. Sohvalla makaamisesta ei ole päädytty tähän tilanteeseen. Molemmat ovat antaneet parhaansa maatilan hyväksi: ammattitaitonsa, kokemuksensa ja tietämyksensä, yrittäjä kuvaa.
Laskuja alkoi jäädä rästiin, maksuajat pitenivät. Tulot ja menot eivät pysyneet tasapainossa. Nainen päätti katsoa tilanteen kehittymistä vuoden loppuun saakka. Kun se ei parantunut, hän otti uudestaan yhteyttä tukihankkeen tuttuun vetäjään ja kertoi ongelmien kasautuneen. Omat neuvot olivat lopussa.
– Kyllä se toivo tuli silloin pöytään: jollain on naru, jolla voi vetää meidät pois täältä.
Eniten tarvetta psyykkiselle avulle
Avuntarve näkyy siinä, että reilu vuosi sitten aloittanut Välitä viljelijästä -projekti on myöntänyt maatalousyrittäjille tänä vuonna jo 200 ostopalvelusitoumusta. Niillä voi hakea asiantuntijapalveluita esimerkiksi uupumisen ja masennuksen hoitamiseen tai taloudelliseen ja lainopilliseen apuun.
Määrä on suuri, sillä pelkästään koko viime vuonna sitoumuksia kirjoitettiin 660. Sitoumuksia haetaan yhtä vilkkaasti lähes koko maassa, hiljaisinta on Uudellamaalla.
Petri Lassheikki / Yle
Talousneuvontaa tarvitsee nyt silti vain pieni osa apua hakeneista. Yli 80 prosenttia ostopalvelusitoumuksista on myönnetty psyykkisen avun tarpeeseen. Viljelijät kärsivät esimerkiksi uupumuksesta, ylirasittumisesta ja parisuhdeongelmista.
Ostopalvelusitoumukset ovat vain yksi osa hankkeen tarjoamasta avusta. Hanketyöntekijät ohjaavat viljelijöitä hakemaan apua myös julkiselta puolelta, ja läpi käydään lisäksi esimerkiksi eläinsuojeluasioita ja hoitamattomia talousasioita.
Viljelijän tilanne on omanlaisensa
Myös MTK Keski-Pohjanmaan Myötätuulta tuottajalle -hankkeen projektipäällikkö Suvi Lempiälä on huomannut, että moni hankkeeseen yhteyttä ottanut viljelijä painii ihmissuhdeongelmien kanssa.
Tässä näkyy yrittämismuodon erityislaatuisuus: maanviljelijän läheisin työkaveri on oma puoliso, jonka kanssa vietetään aikaa vuorokauden ympäri. Silloin pienikin ristiriita voi näkyä elämän kaikilla osa-alueilla.
– On parisuhteen ja perheen sisäisiä vuorovaikutuksen ongelmia. Lisäksi anoppi ja appiukko saattavat vielä sekaantua asioihin, eikä se useinkaan auta kommunikointia, Lempiälä toteaa.
Parisuhteeseen on tullut armeliaisuutta
Tukea ja ratkaisuja keskipohjalaispariskunta hakee nyt yhdessä: niin rahaan kuin jaksamiseenkin.
– Kyllä totuuden kohtaaminen yhdessä on tosi tärkeää.
Nyt päällimmäisenä ovat rahahuolet, mutta parisuhdettakin on koeteltu. Ongelmat eivät iske molemmille rintamille yhtäaikaa.
– Yleensä meitä kuormittaa elämä vähän vuorotellen.
YLE / Toni Pitkänen
Vaikeudet ovat myös tuoneet armollisuutta toista kohtaan.
– Nuoruuden vaatimukset ovat jääneet taakse, syvät synnyt on tongittu ja parisuhteen kuopat etsitty. Aina on päädytty siihen, että on parempi olla yhdessä.
"Suunta on oikea"
Projektipäällikkö Suvi Lempiälä näkee, että avun pyytäminen on viljelijöille nyt entistä helpompaa.
– Maatalousyrittäjät ottavat yhteyttä yhä aikaisemmassa vaiheessa. Silloin ongelmat eivät ole päässeet ihan hirvittävän pahoiksi, ja vyyhdit ovat vielä katkaistavissa. Suunta on selkeästi oikea, Lempiälä iloitsee.
Myötätuulta tuottajalle -hanke aloitti Keski-Pohjanmaalla viime keväänä. Pienessä maakunnassa apua on annettu jo suurelle joukolle, yli 80 yrittäjäperheenjäsenelle.
Valtakunnallinen Melan Välitä viljelijästä -projekti alkoi tammikuussa 2017.
Niklas Gabrielsson / Yle
Apua ennemmin ennemmin kuin liian myöhään
Keskipohjalaisen viljelijäpariskunnan tulevaisuus on vielä auki. Avun pyytäminen ja johdateltavaksi hyppääminen vaati rohkeutta. Nainen uskoo, että luvassa on vuoristorataa ja tunteiden myllerrystä. Tilanpidon jatkaminen selviää aikanaan. Nyt kantaa tukihenkilön antama toivo: että tästä selvitään, tavalla tai toisella.
Yrittäjä pohtii, onko ylpeyttä joskus liikaakin.
– Onko huonoutta pyytää apua? Sehän voi olla viisautta. Jos ei enää keksi keinoja eikä selviä omin neuvoin, silloin on avun etsimisen paikka. Ennemmin ennemmin kuin liian myöhään.
Hän toivoo olleensa liikkeellä ajoissa. Niin hän sanoi myös tukea hakiessaan.
– Ajattelin, että otan nyt yhteyttä, ettei kukaan voi syyttää, miksi en kertonut aikaisemmin.
Keskipohjalaisviljelijä esiintyy jutussa nimettömänä asian arkaluontoisuuden takia. | {
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If you didn't want me to wipe my ass with it You should have ordered your custom business cards from staples. Only $4.99 for a 250 pack after savings. While supplies last. May not be valid in combination with other offers. Offer subject to change.
719 shares | {
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動物愛護活動に積極的に取り組んでいる、俳優の浅田美代子さん。活動を始めたきっかけは、「犬に救われた」体験だったそうです。そんな浅田さんに、犬への思いや保護犬との暮らしについて聞きました。
――もともと、犬は好きだったんですか？
そうですね。物心ついた頃から、犬はいつもそばにいてくれた存在です。
――積極的に動物愛護の活動に関わるようになったきっかけは。
２００１年に母が亡くなったとき、当時飼っていた犬に救われた……という思い出です。犬に癒やされ、支えられた。だからこそ、今度は自分も犬たちに何か恩返しがしたいと感じたのです。
以前から、ペットを巡る課題として「殺処分」があげられることは知っていました。そこで、保護犬の飼い主を募集している動物愛護団体をインターネットで調べて、まず１匹引き取りました。
――保護犬との暮らしはいかがでしたか？
保護犬と暮らすことは大変だ、と思われる方は多いかもしれません。私も、最初は「心を開いてくれるまでに相当な時間がかかるだろうなぁ」と覚悟していました。引き取ったのは５歳の犬だったので、５年はかかるかな、と。
家に来た当初は、ご飯をあげても絶対に私がいるところでは食べてくれなかったし、部屋の隅に隠れてばかりだった。でも、あえてその状態で、好きなように過ごしてもらうようにしたんです。すると、犬もだんだん心を開いてくれるようになり、尻尾が上がってきました。１年もたたないある日、帰宅した私を玄関まで迎えに来てくれたんですよ。あのときはうれしくて涙が出ました。「愛情が通じたんだ」って。
――いまは何匹と暮らしていますか。
保護犬が４匹います。繁殖業者のところから連れてきた犬もいます。繁殖業者のあの環境は、いま思い出してもつらいです。
――どんな環境でしたか。
誤解を恐れずに言えば、「地獄」そのものでした。建物のなかにはケージが何段も積み重ねられています。狭いケージに入れられ、背中を丸めた姿勢で身動きが取れない犬、毛が伸び放題で汚物が付いたままの犬……。この犬たちは、一生をこの環境で終わるのかと思うと、なんとかしなければと強く思いました。
――いま、インターネット上や街頭で、繁殖業に免許制を導入することなどを求める署名活動をしていますね。
はい。最初は２月末まで……という期限を考えていました。ですが１５万人を超える多くのみなさまにご協力をいただけているので、期間を３月中旬まで延長しました。
動物は、しゃべることができない存在であるからこそ、私たちが声を上げ続けなければと思っています。
ペットブームもあり、多くの小さな犬や猫がペットショップで「モノ」のように取引されています。その背後には、劣悪な環境のもとで多くの命が生み出されている実態があることを知ってほしい。
ペットショップで買う人がいるから、繁殖業者が必要とされてしまう構造とも言えます。日本のように、ペットショップでこれほど大規模に犬や猫が売られている状況は、世界でもごくまれなことです。ペットショップの店頭でガラス越しに子犬や子猫を「かわいい」と眺めるだけでなく、一度考えてみてほしいのです。もし、その子犬や子猫が売れ残ったら、どうなるのかを。動物は「モノ」ではなく「命」なのです。（聞き手・中井なつみ） | {
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On Friday’s broadcast of CNN’s “Cuomo Primetime,” Representative David Cicilline (D-RI) stated that the media should point out that Attorney General Bill Barr is acting like President Trump’s personal attorney and “has lost credibility as an attorney general for the United States.”
Cicilline said, “Well, we need the media to be sure that they point this out, that this is an attorney general who is clearly acting like President Trump’s own Roy Cohn, who thinks he’s there to defend the president and help facilitate his distraction.”
He added, “[I]n the reporting, it should be pointed out that Mr. Barr has lost credibility as an attorney general for the United States. He’s behaving as President Trump’s defense counsel, like his own private attorney rather than an attorney for the people of this country.”
Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett | {
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MONTREAL — Less than an hour after reports surfaced that the Montreal Alouettes had released Jovan Olafioye, the veteran left tackle had already found a new home.
The BC Lions announced late Saturday night that they have signed Olafioye to a new deal, with the ninth-year veteran expected to be present on Monday after the team opens camp in Kamloops, B.C.
“Jovan is an experienced and talented offensive lineman who will further strengthen the right side of our line,” said General Manager Ed Hervey.
Olafioye’s release was first reported by the Montreal Gazette‘s Herb Zurkowsky, and later by TSN’s Farhan Lalji.
Being told #AlsMTL have released @jolafioye63, their starting LT. But he had back problems last season and missed many games — Herb Zurkowsky (@HerbZurkowsky1) May 20, 2018
After seven straight seasons without missing a single game, Olafioye was held to 12 starts in his first year in Montreal due to injury. The Alouettes acquired the eight-year veteran before training camp last year, moving the rights to former CFL Draft pick David Foucault to the BC Lions.
Olafioye was long considered one of the best offensive tackles in the CFL over his first several years in the league, earning CFL All-Star honours in six of his first seven seasons.
The 30-year-old is likely to compete with several other international tackles on the Lions’ roster for the starting job opposite off-season signing Joel Figueroa.
The Lions missed Olafioye’s presence last season, surrendering the most sacks in the CFL while missing the playoffs for the first time in two decades, finishing last in the West Division.
The move for Olafioye comes on the eve of training camps opening across the league. The Als open camp at Olympic Stadium in Montreal, while the Lions report to Kamloops, B.C. | {
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Preaching hate in higher education.
I had always looked upon my six-year-old son as a blessing.
But now I realize that he is a disease.
My wife, my parents, my grandparents, and every member of my family, both living and deceased, are likewise a disease.
But if you are reading this right now, and you are white, you should know that your children and all of your loved ones are also a disease.
So implies a University of Colorado education professor, Cherly E. Matias, in the most recent edition of Teaching Education, a peer-reviewed journal.
In “‘Why Do You Make Me Hate Myself?’: Re-teaching Whiteness, Abuse, and Love in Urban Teaching Education,” the author insists that “the racial achievement gap” and other racial disparities are “symptoms” of “the underlying diseases of racism and Whiteness” (italics added).
Whiteness is a disease.
Matias explains that while the “inclusion of socially just philosophies in the curriculum is indeed essential” in order “to meet the needs of a growing urban populace,” such philosophies “can mask the recycling of normalized, oppressive Whiteness.”
Thus, it is imperative, Matias maintains, to “deconstruct Whiteness, abuse, and love in teacher education.”
The problem, Matias assures us, is that by “denying race during white childhood via a color-blind ideology,” whites leave “lasting emotional scars, impressions that perpetuate the institutional silencing of race in teacher education.” Urban students of color are made to “endure a racist educational system and daily racial battle fatigue.”
But the difference between this “racism” and that faced by students and other “people of color” in the past is that the former is “color-blind racism.”
The author maintains that “until teacher education programs make confronting and exploring Whiteness a priority, they cannot truly love their urban students of color as complete beings and so deny humanity full and just consideration” (italics added).
Whiteness is a disease.
And it is a disease that whites spread through their embrace of….color-blindness.
Let this sink in.
Matias is hardly an anomaly in today’s academy. In fact, her thought is quite typical of the hard-left zeitgeist that passes for enlightened thinking among liberal arts and humanities professors at institutions of “higher learning” all over the country (and beyond).
Matias draws on what’s known as “critical race theory” (CRT). Given the heavily politicized nature of the contemporary academy, it should come as no surprise that CRT is a racialized version of Marxism and all of the rage among legions of academics.
Just as Marx and Engels sought to supply a comprehensive vision—an ideology—of the world by explaining (or explaining away) all of history and culture in terms of impersonal economic processes and the relations of “power” that they generate, proponents of CRT as well endorse a similar form of reductionism.
Only here, it is primarily race that serves as the “substructure” of society, and while economics continues to play a vital role in determining asymmetries of “power” between social groups, race and “racism” are the determining factors.
As such proponents of CRT as Richard Delgado and Jean Stefancic inform us in the introduction to their Critical Race Theory: An Introduction, CRT differs from more “traditional civil rights” approaches inasmuch as it “questions the very foundations of a liberal order, including equality theory, legal reasoning, Enlightenment rationalism, and neutral principles of constitutional law.”
To put it more exactly, CRT holds that “racism is ordinary, not aberrational[.]” It is “the usual way that society does business, the common, everyday experience of most people of color in this country.” Moreover, “racism” serves the “material” and “psychic” interests of both “white elites” and “working class whites.”
“Racism” is omnipresent.
Yet it is omnipresent not in the sense that all white individuals are consciously “racist”; “racism” is omnipresent in the sense that it is systemic and, hence, largely unconscious.
Another especially noteworthy respect in which CRT reveals both its Marxian impress and its political character is its emphasis on “activism.” Delgado and Stefancic are blunt in expressing their interest in “studying and transforming the relationship among race, racism, and power.”
To repeat what was said above, both parents of college-bound children and taxpayers should know that the Cheryl Matiases and Richard Delgados of the world are not only well-represented in academia; their thought saturates the liberal arts and humanities.
It should also be clear by now that, by design, CRT (not unlike every other department that has been invented for the sake of advancing gender and racial identity politics) is self-immunized against the very possibility of refutation. And this is because it is meant to preempt argument. Consider: If whites think as whites or collectively, then they are guilty of “racism.” Yet so too are whites “racist” if they insist upon judging people by the content of their character, not the color of their skin, i.e. if they endorse a “color-blind ideology.”
No matter what, the game is rigged in advance to convict all whites of “racism.”
Proponents of CRT, in their singular (obsessive) focus upon distributions of “power,” betray their end game: It is they who seek power. In fact, they seek a monopoly on power.
This is the objective of all who rely upon “Newspeak.” The great philosopher Roger Scruton explains: “Newspeak occurs whenever the main purpose of language—which is to describe reality—is replaced by the rival purpose of asserting power over it.”
While Newspeak “sentences sound like assertions,” the truth is that “their underlying logic is the logic of the spell.” Newspeak is talismanic, not persuasive. Its language is meant to blind us to what’s right in front of our faces, to render us oblivious to reality.
Scruton quotes Francoise Thom, who observed that communists used Newspeak “to protect ideology from the malicious attacks of real things.” Ditto with CRT.
Newspeak is notable, Scruton remarks, for its “use of nominalizations instead of direct verbs, the lack of indexicals, the preference for the passive voice and impersonal idioms, the replacement of predications with comparatives, the ubiquitous imperative mood.”
In other words, Newspeak trades in impersonal, highly general abstractions, i.e. “isms.” Critical Race Theory is a textbook illustration of this: The individual is swallowed up, his or her intentions dissolved before the omnipresence of “systemic racism.”
It is with this, parents, that your children are being inundated. Dear taxpayer, it is for the sake of subsidizing this anti-intellectual drivel that you labor.
But let’s get even more exact: White parents and taxpayers are paying the salaries of faculty and administrators so that the latter can turn around and declare to the next generation that they are a “disease.” | {
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Anti-Aging, a Multifaceted Approach:
When it comes to aging, the approach seems to be fairly one sided: we want to increase our lifespans. While increasing lifespan may be possible, the idea of infinitely extending it seems somewhat far-fetched. However, what does not seem far fetched is the idea of facilitating a healthy aging process, rather than trying to completely halt it. The reality is that we will more than likely never be able to fully halt aging, so why don’t we focus our efforts on aging in a sustainable manner?
Think of it like wine, there is no realistic way to fully halt the aging of wine. However, the aging process can be steered in a manner that makes the wine develop properly over time to produce new and unique flavours and textures. So much so that properly aged and extremely old wines sell for enormous amounts of money such as a 1941 bottle of Inglenook Cabernet Sauvignon from the Napa Valley which sold for a whopping $24,675 USD in 2004! That being said, if the wine is aged improperly it will simply turn into vinegar. This concept is of course only loosely related to human aging but there are still a lot of parallels that exist between the two. For example, people who play high impact sports throughout their lives have much higher incidences of knee problems later in life despite possibly living very long lives. The same goes for wine. If you excessively knock wine around, it will likely not age as elegantly as a bottle that is perfectly preserved without any major agitation. Individuals who experience large amounts of neuro-oxidative damage in specific brain areas can develop diseases that impair cognitive function despite being able to live very long lives. Again, the same goes for wine. If a lot of oxygen is getting into your wine while it is aging, it is very likely that the wine will loose much of its flavor and color.
Based on the above, it is in our best interest to take preventative steps during the aging process to ensure healthy aging so that we not only live long lives but that we live long and happy lives. Below you will find a comprehensive guide that we have put together that goes over many of aspects of aging that can be attenuated with a smart natural nootropic supplement regimen in order to potentially stop some of the damaging aspects of aging.
What Causes Oxidative Stress?
One of the most common causes aging is from increased amounts of oxidative stress. One of the reasons why this occurs is because, as we age, enzymes such as glutathione starts to lessen, whereas the production of reactive oxygen species start to increase. This is especially problematic if it starts to affect the energy production center of cells, the mitochondria, which are particularly sensitive to oxidation. If mitochondrion become damaged, then that has a large downstream impact on many biological functions; especially within the brain. Based on this knowledge, it is no surprise that red wine and resveratrol has picked up a lot of traction in anti-aging and longevity circles. This is because resveratrol on paper is an excellent and comprehensive oxidative support supplement. Unfortunately, the bioavailability of resveratrol is lackluster, so to target oxidation we would recommend the following highly efficacious oxidative support supplements:
Polygala tenuifolia: Benefits of polygala tenuifolia are very extensive (we will come back to it later in this article) but most important to note in this section is that the benefits of polygala tenuifolia include its potential ability to increase superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase. The most important of these being polygala tenuifolia’s ability to potentially increase superoxide dismutase - an enzyme that breaks down superoxide to either hydrogen peroxide or free oxygen. Hydrogen peroxide is also an oxidant but to a lesser extent than superoxide. Polygala tenuifolia also increases levels of catalase which is an enzyme that breaks down hydrogen peroxide to water and hydroxyl radicals.
What is Mitochondrial Function and How Can We Improve it?
Once we have oxidation under control, we can now focus on improving mitochondrial function rather than preserving it. It has been found that the more active and healthy our mitochondrion are, the better we age. One major regulator of mitochondrial function and cellular energy is creatine. Surprisingly, creatine supplementation is often overlooked even though it appears to have very potent anti-aging effects.
What Does Creatine Do?
A creatine monohydrate supplement may have the ability to support healthy mitochondrial function whilst also preserving muscle mass and strength. Creatine also has the potential to increase overall vitality due to increasing both mitochondrial function and muscle function.
Mitochondrion
Another great mitochondrial function enhancer is a shilajit extract called Primavie. This is especially true when it is combined with ubiquinol, the reduced form of coQ10. Shilajit extract contains compounds such as fulvic acid and dibenzo-alpha pyrones which also increase ATP production. Shilajit is good for enhancing the effects of ubiquinol, and ubiquinol may reverse aging by itself, thus the combination significantly helps in reducing the negative effects of aging. We could go into a lot more depth about shilajit since it is a very interesting natural extract, but we already did that in this blog post so we will spare you the details here!
Inflammation and the Cholinergic System
Another major troublemaker when it comes to aging is inflammation, both in our bodies and in our brains. Because of this, it is no surprise that turmeric and its beneficial compound curcumin are picking up a lot of traction when it comes to the topic of aging. This is because turmeric and curcumin do a fantastic job at supporting healthy inflammation levels throughout the body, especially formulations such as Longvida curcumin which is designed to specifically regulate inflammation in the brain.
One major pathway by which you may amplify and improve upon the inflammation-regulating effects of turmeric and curcumin is to increase cholinergic signaling. More specifically, increase cholinergic signaling in areas of the brain that have a high density of a particular acetylcholine receptor called the alpha 7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7nACh). The α7nACh receptor is a major regulator in the brain's inflammatory response that works by inhibiting the release of TNF-alpha, a major cytokine. To target this aspect of inflammation we have to inhibit the tetrameric form of the acetyl choline esterase enzyme (AChE) an enzyme which breaks down acetylcholine and is expressed only in the brain and specifically in regions of the brain that have a high density of α7nACh receptors such as the cerebral cortex, hippocampus and the amygdala. To inhibit tetrameric AChE, huperzine a may be used which appears to be a highly selective tetrameric AChE inhibitor. Huperzine a, by inhibiting tetrameric AChE leads to increased levels of acetylcholine which then leads to activation of the α7nACh receptors which, in turn, potently regulates inflammation in key areas of the brain prone to inflammation.
Another popular supplement for supporting healthy inflammatory responses' are fish oil supplements. Fish oil's beneficial effects include not only regulating inflammation but also the maintenance of brain membranes. However, just like curcumin and turmeric, this is already fairly well known so we decided to find a synergistic and potentially improved addition and/or alternative to fish oil supplements. Our top candidate for this is palmitoylethanolamide, which may regulate inflammation.. In fact, you can read more about that in this comprehensive blog we wrote about palmitoylethanolamide. A potentially-effective combination of ingredients to regulate both inflammation throughout the body and the brain would be palmitoylethanolamide and huperzine a.
Additionally, a fish oil supplement may also be added to this combination and will be especially beneficial if it is paired with a phosphatidylserine complex called ‘ Smart PS’. Phosphatidylserine benefits brain health by both increasing cell membrane synthesis, making it highly synergistic with fish oil. It also downregulates acetylcholine esterase and thus it should also work synergistically with huperzine a to regulate inflammation.
Cleaning Up the Brain
The brain is metabolically active which causes the production of a lot of waste products that need to be adequately dealt with. One of the ways our brains deals with containing, neutralizing and eliminating damaging metabolic waste, is by sleeping. However, sleep tends to become worse and worse as we age and one reason for this could be decreased melatonin production. This is a quick and easy fix, simply take 300mcg of a melatonin supplement once per night which may improve overall sleep quality.
Sleep Stages
To be more specific, it appears that our brain clears the most metabolic waste during slow wave sleep (SWS), thus by increasing slow wave sleep we could potentially clear more metabolic waste products from the brain during sleep which should lead to more restorative processes taking place in the brain as we sleep. It has been found that rosmarinic acid, which is found in both of our lemon balm extracts, speeds up the time it takes to fall asleep and once asleep, enhances slow wave sleep. Theoretically this could mean that lemon balm extract leads to more restorative sleep and, in conjunction with a melatonin supplement, could make sleep come on more readily. A clinically-trialed lemon balm extract called Cyracos has a very high amount of rosmarinic acid. This would likely be the best lemon balm extract for promoting slow wave sleep.
Regulating Nitric Oxide with Agmatine Sulfate
Nitric oxide is a gaseous neurotransmitter, that is an important regulator of blood flow and brain health. Nitric oxide is produced by three different synthase enzymes, neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS). The only synthase that can be beneficial when it is more active is eNOS, which prevents some of the damage produced by iNOS and nNOS by producing vasodilation. As we age it appears that specifically the activity of iNOS and nNOS gets upregulated which could be caused by decreasing levels of agmatine. Agmatine, inhibits both iNOS and nNOS whilst preserving eNOS activity. Based on this, the best way to regulate NOS function as we age, is likely by using an agmatine supplement to replenish declining agmatine levels. Agmatine effects are not just limited to preventing excess nitric oxide levels, as it has been shown that an agmatine supplement can help preserve and optimize memory.
Polygala tenuifolia and Healthy Aging
As was mentioned earlier, we would be coming back to polygala tenuifolia as it appears to be very useful at promoting healthy aging as one of the main benefits of polygala tenuifolia is increased neuroplasticity. In addition to that, it may also increase cholinergic function which is highly important in maintaining and enhancing cognitive function.It is unsurprising that in traditional Chinese practices, polygala tenuifolia is highly regarded for its ability to improve cognitive function as it has many mechanisms by which it may do this.
What are Telomeres and Why Are They Important?
Finally, the last part of the equation: telomeres. This is where we really start to get into the actual idea of life extension, so we thought it was appropriate to end things here and keep it brief, since our aim is more focused on improving the aging process rather than extending life span. That being said, there does seem to be some solid evidence behind telomere lengthening leading to extended lifespan. Telomere length testing has become widely available at reasonable costs recently, so a lot of people are focusing their efforts on optimizing their telomere length as they now have access to a concrete way of testing how their telomere length is changing. Often forgotten about, an L-carnosine supplement may have significant anti-aging effects via modulating telomeres. Carnosine benefits telomeres in two ways. Carnosine both protects telomeres from potential damage while also promoting the lengthening of telomeres. Due to this, carnosine is good for supplementation as a potential life extender. In addition to the ability of an L-carnosine supplement to increase life span, carnosine benefits skin health too which is also an important aspect of aging.
List of the best anti-aging supplements covered in this blog:
Polygala tenuifolia
Creatine Monohydrate
Fish oil supplements
Shilajit extract
CoQ10 / Ubiquinol
Lemon Balm extract
Agmatine Sulfate
L-Carnosine
Curcumin extracts
Huperzine A
Phosphatide Complex
View more Nootropics Depot blog articles by clicking the links below:
Ashwagandha Benefits: An Ayuverdic Herb For Stress Support, Immune Health, and Restful Sleep
CoQSol-CF CoEnzyme Q10: The Superior CoQ10 Supplement Over Grocery Store Brands
The Top 5 Milk Thistle Health Benefits
A Closer Look At The Top 5 Taurine Benefits
Melatonin Supplements: Did You Know This Popular Over The Counter Sleep Aid Is Often Overdosed?
How To Boost Your Immune System With the 5 Best Immune Supplements
Nootropics Depot's Guide to the Top 10 Natural Nootropics of 2018
EpiCor Immune Health: The Natural Immune Boost Supplement You May Not Know About
Nigella Sativa: The Top Health Benefits of Black Seed Oil Extract
Magnesium Glycinate vs. L-Threonate: Which Is The Best Magnesium Supplement?
Cognizin Citicoline: A Choline Supplement That Supports Healthy Brain Function
7,8-Dihydroxyflavone: A Brain Health Supplement That May Support Neuroplasticity
How to Find the Best Curcumin Supplement and What to Know Before You Buy
Comparing Rhodiola rosea Extracts: Rosavins vs. Salidroside
Berberine: A Look at the Potential Benefits of this Versatile Supplement
Lion's Mane Mushroom: Comparing our 1:1: and 8:1 Extracts
Nitric Oxide Boosters Reviewed: L-Citrulline, Agmatine and AAKG
Red Reishi Mushrooms: Comparing our 1:1 and 8:1 Extracts
Comprehensive Guide to the Best Anti-Aging Supplements
Cordyceps Militaris Mushrooms: Comparing our 1:1 and 10:1 Extracts
Bacognize vs. Synapsa: Which Ayurvedic Herb is Right for You?
The Nootropic Synergy of Caffeine + L-Theanine
L-Citrulline vs. L-Citrulline DL-Malate: Which is Best?
Shilajit: A Look at this Amazing Ayurvedic Compound
The Ultimate Guide to Nootropics
Mushroom Extracts: Whole Fruiting Bodies vs. Mycelium On Grain
Teacrine: The Alternative to Caffeine
Zembrin: A Natural Way to Boost Your Mood
Ashwagandha: KSM-66 vs. Sensoril
Panax Ginseng: What You Might Not Know
Palmitoylethanolamide: Known for its Pain Reducing Qualities
Put to the Test: A Look at Nootropics Depot's Purity Testing
Browse More From Nootropics Depot
Ayurveda | Adaptogens | Amino Acids | Choline Supplements | Fitness Supplements | Immune Support | Metabolism Supplements | Mushroom Extracts | Natural Plant Extracts | Natural Nootropic Capsules | Natural Pain Support | Patented Nootropic Extracts | Sleep Support Supplements | Softgels | Solutions + Sublinguals | Enteric Coated Tablets | Nootropic Samples
Attention: These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. | {
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Wal-Mart Exercise Equipment on Black Friday Deals 2016 - Fitness Tracker Sale
So what about this black Friday deals? You already planned for shopping on thisor still remains. I think you are nervous because of previous year’s bad shopping experience. But don’t be sad for this year because Wal-Mart came with new exciting offers. They offer different types of discount programs and deals in exercise equipment and fitness tracker Wal-Mart is an American public retailer corporation. They operate approximately 11088 locations among the all over world. This chain is count in world’s largest retailer company. They also provide their service through online process. They provide online shopping and direct shipping facility to their customers. They provide different types of offers on occasions and festivals. But they offer special discount and reward programs on every Black Friday Black Friday is a celebration day in United States of America. It is celebrating on fourth Friday of the November. This is the day regarding for “Thanks giving Day”. On this day, government holiday for their employees. This is also known for starting of Christmas season. On this day people can do shopping as much as possible. On regular days shops open at 10 o’clock but on this day most probably shop opens from morning 4 o’clock and people can start shopping.Exercise is a very important thing for everyone’s life. Exercise will maintain our health and fit. There are so many different types exercise equipment available in market. There are so many brands and stores are available in market they provides different varieties exercise equipment. But should you compare products of different companies. Compare it with quality and price. I want to recommend Wal-Mart for buying best qualities exercise equipment andIf you want to check discount offers of Wal-Mart for exercise equipment black Friday 2016, visit atSo starts shopping for your health with Wal-Mart’s best offers of Black Friday 2016. And make planning for your family’s health. Always be feet and healthy. Good wishes for healthy life. | {
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Is “ugly” the right word?
By Caroline Gray, Senior Economics Editor, Focus Economics:
After dragging Greece kicking and screaming through a never-ending vicious cycle of fiscal adjustment and output decline, the European Commission seems to be softening in its attitude towards other struggling Eurozone economies.
France, Italy, Portugal and Spain, among others, have all repeatedly been given extensions to reduce their debt and deficit levels after recurrent breaches of EU targets have gone unpunished, and the trend looks set to continue as our forecasts show that those economies will underperform again this year and next.
Does this mark a shift in mindset within the Commission as to whether the Growth and Stability Pact is fit for purpose? Or rather just tactical maneuvering—or indeed resigned acceptance—in tough political times, as the EU faces unprecedented challenges to its legitimacy and survival?
Under the EU’s Growth and Stability Pact, all Eurozone countries are required to bring their deficits below 3% of GDP and to work towards reducing debt down to 60% of GDP, and any country failing to do so is subject to strict deficit reduction targets under the corrective arm of the Excessive Deficit Procedure. Certainly, widespread acknowledgement of the self-defeating Catch-22 whereby austerity lowers growth and thereby weighs further on public finances has encouraged the EU authorities to allow leniency in a number of instances, but this is only part of the explanation.
The political and social crises that years of fiscal adjustment have unleashed across Europe have contributed to a wave of anti-EU populism and unprecedented electoral gains for far-right parties in some countries, and the emergence of anti-austerity far-left parties in others. The EU is therefore not in a position to rock the boat any further, as the potential political costs of taking an inflexible stance on debt and deficit reduction measures are now too high in many cases.
In what follows, we examine the outlook for France, Italy, Portugal and Spain, and the political and economic obstacles that are set to see them breach their debt and deficit reduction targets again in 2016 and/or 2017.
Click on the image to open a full-size version
FRANCE
Debt levels: France’s public debt has reached almost 97% of GDP—the seventh highest in the Eurozone.
Deficit targets: Last year, the European Commission gave France an extra two years again, this time until 2017, to bring its deficit below 3% of GDP. To achieve this, the French government targets a deficit of 3.3% of GDP in 2016 and 2.7% in 2017.
Our Consensus Forecast: France’s budget deficit will come in at 3.4% of GDP in 2016 and 3.1% of GDP in 2017, according to average estimates we produced after polling 34 leading macroeconomic analysts on the French economy. This means that France will not only overshoot by far its government’s own targets, but it will also fail to meet the EU’s requirement by 2017. French public debt is seen increasing slightly from an estimated 96.7% of GDP at the end of 2016 to 97.1% of GDP by the end of 2017.
France’s problem: The French economy has long suffered from a lack of competitiveness and is stuck on a weak growth trajectory, which prevents it from meaningfully reducing its debt and deficit levels. Like its Eurozone neighbors to the South, it is also completely failing to reduce its structural deficit—the part of the overall deficit which is adjusted to exclude the impact of temporary measures and cyclical variations.
The economy recovered in Q3 this year from an unexpected contraction in Q2, but growth still disappointed and forced the government to finally admit that its 1.5% growth target for this year looked overly ambitious, long after our analysts had downgraded their outlook. Our Consensus Forecast sees French GDP growing a mere 1.3% in 2016 and 1.2% in 2017—forecasts which have been gradually revised downwards throughout this year from 1.5% and 1.6% respectively back in January.
Beleaguered Socialist President François Hollande has come under attack this year by France’s independent fiscal watchdog, which foresees a high risk that spending will be more than planned—especially ahead of the 2017 presidential elections—and revenues less than expected this year and next. This, in turn, puts France at risk of ever greater fiscal incompliance.
Hollande, whose approval rating in France has fallen as low as 4% at times this year, has seriously struggled to make progress with structural reforms. Those that he has pushed through—such as the labor reform approved in July—have invariably ended up being rather a damp squib after intense political and social opposition forced him to water down initial proposals.
With the French left in the doldrums, right-wing sentiment has surged, though arguably more on account of the anti-Islam rhetoric of the French right in the wake of terrorist attacks than support for a right-wing economic reform agenda. Opinion polls suggest far-right populist Front National leader Le Pen is set to face the conservative candidate François Fillon in the second-round run-off of the presidential elections next May, following Fillon’s emergence as surprise winner of the Republican party nominations.
Fillon is currently expected to win, and is much more likely than the Socialist Party to be able to attract voters away from Le Pen with his anti-immigrant and socially conservative rhetoric. Happy to be branded a “Thatcherite”, he is promising radical structural reform in France and has announced his commitment to take on the infamous French trade unions, though whether this would prove viable in practice is entirely another question—thwarted reform attempts during his previous life as prime minister when Nicolas Sarkozy was president might suggest otherwise. Moreover, his detractors point out that his headline plans to reduce France’s debt and deficit by slashing government spending and axing public sector jobs are not accompanied by any concrete supply-side proposals to boost French competitiveness and innovation and create jobs.
ITALY
Debt levels: Italy has the second highest level of public debt in the Eurozone after Greece, at approximately 132% of GDP—broadly the same level that Greece had at the outset of the crisis in 2009.
Deficit targets: In May this year, the European Commission granted Italy particularly generous leeway over its 2016 budget but warned in return that it must tighten its fiscal policy next year. It set a 2017 budget deficit target for Italy of 1.7%, arguing that this this target—which is lower than the goal for several other Eurozone countries—is necessary in order to reduce the country’s huge debt pile.
Our Consensus Forecast: After polling 33 leading economists on Italy this month, we see the country’s budget deficit declining only slightly to 2.4% of GDP in 2017, after an estimated 2.5% in 2016. This means that Italy will overshoot by far the 2017 target set by the Commission. Italian public debt is forecast to remain broadly stable at 132.7% of GDP in 2016 and 132.6% in 2017.
Italy’s problem: Italy is failing to reduce its heavy debt burden and the structural part of its overall deficit has been rising since 2014, rather than falling by the 0.5% of GDP each year that the EU authorities ostensibly require until a country balances its books in structural terms. Italy has attributed its poor deficit performance this year to extraordinary spending on migration and post-earthquake reconstruction, though other ongoing structural features such as a weak banking sector and poorer-than-expected growth have also contributed, with our Consensus Forecast putting GDP growth at only 0.8% both this year and next. Ultra-low inflation has also hindered Italy’s debt reduction efforts.
The European Commission could potentially reject Italy’s 2017 budget proposal, under which the country is set to infringe its debt and deficit targets by a long way next year, but no decision is expected before the constitutional referendum called by Prime Minister Matteo Renzi on 4 December.
The proposed constitutional reform would reduce the power of the Senate (upper house) in order to make parliamentary decision-making more efficient, but Renzi has also repeatedly made his political future conditional on a win for the “Yes” vote, stating that he will resign if he is defeated—a strong possibility. A number of analysts are skeptical as to whether Renzi would actually resign, but if he does, any new prime minister, though likely to be supported by a similar parliamentary majority, would be focused mainly on carrying the country over to the next elections due to be held by May 2018. This risks further delays in implementing structural reforms, which have already been paralyzed for months since Renzi has sought to avoid negative consequences for the referendum vote.
Both Renzi’s future and Italy’s debt sustainability are also on the line due to the risk of an imminent collapse of the country’s third-largest bank, Monte dei Paschi di Siena. As we anticipated, investors are reluctant to throw more money into an institution that has already been bailed out several times previously to no avail, and the bank is rapidly running out of time to meet a year-end deadline to raise an extra EUR 5 billion of capital—five times its current market value—and offload scores of NPLs.
PORTUGAL
Debt levels: Portugal has the third highest level of public debt in the Eurozone after Greece and Italy (in that order), at not far off 130% of GDP—broadly the same level that Greece had at the outset of the crisis in 2009.
Deficit targets: In August this year, the European Commission decided to waive a budgetary fine on Portugal for missing its deficit target last year, at the same time as it did so for Spain, and in Portugal’s case it gave it an extra year, until 2016, to bring its deficit down to 2.5%. Last year, Portugal had missed its 2.5% deficit target by far, coming in at 4.4% instead, mainly since it had to rescue its failed lender Banif.
Our Consensus Forecast: Portugal is expected to miss its 2.5% deficit target again this year with a projected deficit of 2.7% of GDP, according to the average forecast of a panel of 19 local and international macroeconomists that we surveyed on the Portuguese economy this month. Next year, in 2017, our analysts see Portugal’s deficit finally reducing to 2.4%. Portuguese public debt is seen decreasing slightly from an estimated 128.1% at the end of 2016 to 126.5% at the end of 2017.
Portugal’s problem: Portugal’s slow economic growth is hindering its debt and deficit reduction efforts. The Portuguese government is basing its deficit reduction projections on the assumption that the Portuguese economy will grow 1.2% in 2016 and 1.5% in 2017, but these forecasts are far more optimistic than our Consensus Forecast for growth of 1.0% in 2016 and 1.2% in 2017. Weaker-than-expected growth therefore looks set to prevent Portugal from meeting its deficit target this year, and any further downgrades to the Consensus Forecast for near-term GDP growth going forward could even put Portugal’s ability to achieve the 2.5% deficit in 2017 in jeopardy too.
Portugal was praised by the European Commission for its austerity efforts under its three-year bailout program in 2011-2014, during which time the country was led by a center-right government, but the political landscape has since changed. A new Socialist government took office in late 2015 which only has a minority of seats in parliament and is therefore dependent on the support of three far left parties. Socialist Prime Minister António Costa may have somewhat softened his attack on his predecessor’s austerity measures since taking office, but the need to agree policies with radical left parties complicates any reform agenda.
SPAIN
Debt levels: Spain’s public debt remains stubbornly high at around 100% of GDP—the fifth highest level in the Eurozone.
Deficit targets: After deciding in August to waive a budgetary fine on Spain for missing its deficit target in 2015, the European Commission set a new series of targets from 2016 to 2018 in order to finally bring Spain’s overall deficit below the long-targeted 3% of GDP that year. In 2016 it now expects Spain to meet an overall deficit target of 4.6% of GDP, followed by 3.1% in 2017 and 2.2% in 2018.
Our Consensus Forecast: On average, the 33 macroeconomic analysts that we surveyed on the Spanish economy this month expect the country to meet its revised deficit target reasonably comfortably this year, with the Consensus for a deficit of 4.3% of GDP. In 2017, however, our panel sees Spain breaching its targets again, with an average deficit forecast of 3.4%. In both years, Spain is forecast to have the largest deficit of all Eurozone countries, while Spanish public debt is seen at 100.2% of GDP in 2016 and 99.9% in 2017.
Spain’s problem: The resilience of Spain’s GDP growth in recent quarters—the country is growing at one of the fastest rates among EU countries—is key to its deficit reduction efforts. However, the country’s persistent structural deficit (the part of the overall deficit which is adjusted for temporary measures and cyclical variations) still renders its economy particularly vulnerable to future changes in economic climate and puts the country on a collision path with Brussels over the required fiscal consolidation trajectory.
Both Spain’s Independent Authority for Fiscal Responsibility (Airef) and the European Commission have warned that Spain is relying too heavily on GDP growth to reduce its deficit while neglecting much-needed progress with structural reforms to reduce its sizable structural deficit. Achieving this will depend on whether the new minority conservative government led by returning conservative Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy is able to secure sufficient support from other parties in parliament to push through a reform agenda. The weak government was finally formed in November after two inconclusive elections and ten months of a caretaker government, but it faces an exceedingly tough challenge ahead to successfully build alliances to govern effectively. By Caroline Gray, Focus Economics.
Big Trouble in Emerging Markets is doing a number on Spanish banks. Read… Hit by Global Turmoil, Banks in Spain Get Jittery (Again)
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(ANTIMEDIA) Google announced Friday that it’s adding a special feature to its news service — Fact Check. Searchers will now know who checked the validity of a news story and the conclusion they arrived at.
The Fact Check tag “identifies articles that include information fact checked by news publishers and fact-checking organizations.” Each Fact Check snippet “will display information on the claim, who made the claim, and the fact check on that particular claim.”
The rating system will rank stories from “true” to “false” but will also denote stories it finds “partly true” and “partly false.” Searches will also have the option, via hyperlink in the snippet, to review the fact-checkers’ content on the same subject.
This, of course, begs the question: Who are the fact-checkers?
Anyone can volunteer to be one, says Google, cautioning that “Only publishers that are algorithmically determined to be an authoritative source of information will qualify for inclusion.”
Currently, the growing list of 115 organizations includes the likes of CNN, The Washington Post, NBC, CBS, and The New York Times, to name a few.
So now, not only will the corporate media be able to deem which content is acceptable and which isn’t, it’ll also be able — again, the link will be right there in the snippet — to guide readers toward their own view on the matter.
Fact Check: A rating system for the corporate media and by the media corporations.
Incidentally, there’s already a mechanism in place for calling out bullshit. It’s called the independent media.
Creative Commons / Anti-Media / Report a typo | {
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He has spent his entire professional career being cocky and defiant. That’s the way it goes when you are 5-foot-nothing and clubhouse security guys won’t let you into the room because they don’t believe you’re a big leaguer. So now that his offensive numbers are sliding, now that he is 30, there is speculation that Dustin Pedroia might never again be the same player.
“I’ll be the same player that I am — the same player that you’ve seen — until I’m dead, OK?’’ Pedroia said while sitting in front of his locker before Friday’s Red Sox-Yankees series opener at Yankee Stadium. “That’s basically the bottom line.’’
NEW YORK — Dustin Pedroia has a message for those who believe he is in steady, irreversible decline.
“Not true,’’ Pedroia said calmly. “I haven’t even hit my peak yet. Everybody has their own opinions. I haven’t even gotten started yet.’’
When he was American League MVP in 2008, Pedroia batted .326 with 17 homers, 83 RBIs, 54 doubles, and 213 hits. But his slugging percentage has gotten lower in each of the last four seasons and he went into Friday’s game hitting .265 with an on-base percentage of .338.
“I haven’t got hot yet,’’ he explained. “That’s basically it.
“You look back at every game, there’s one pitch that doesn’t go your way sometime. That’s frustrating. But when the hot streak comes, it maintains.
“Obviously, I get down on myself. I know that when the hot streak comes I’ll be right back at where I am.’’
Challenging Pedroia on anything is a fool’s errand. He is still one of the Sox’ best players and is hardly the cause of the team’s woeful underachievement.
Still, Pedroia has been part of the problem, and while it’s easy to bash pinatas like Stephen Drew, Grady Sizemore, Jackie Bradley Jr., Daniel Nava, and A.J. Pierzynski, Pedroia is no longer above criticism.
He plays hard every day. No one can doubt his team-first attitude or his willingness to play hurt. But it’s fair to ask him if we have seen his best.
He is in the first year of an eight-year, $110 million contract extension and his OBP is at a career low, while he is hitting only .206 with runners in scoring position. His OPS puts him 11th among big league second basemen. He is usually somewhere in the top four.
Pressed to explain his declining numbers, Pedroia said, “In 2012, I played 141 games and hit 15 homers with 39 doubles and I tore a muscle in my top hand. Last year, I hit nine homers with 84 RBIs and 30-something doubles [actually 42] with a bottom-hand UCL torn.
“I got that fixed. I’m getting healthy. I’ve had 300 at-bats, not obviously to where I like, but there’s no decline by any means. There’s going to be a hot streak, and when it comes I’ll be back to where I am.’’
Sometimes it looks as though he is still injured. Would he tell us if he were playing through pain now?
“No, unless you’re a doctor or a physical therapist,’’ he answered with a chuckle. “I’m OK. I’m fine. They’re pitching me tough. Pitching’s better now than when I first got in the league. Everybody in the bullpen throws 100 miles an hour.
“It’s only a matter of time. Obviously when you don’t win and you don’t swing the bats well as a team, I put that on me. David [Ortiz] does, too.
“But if you hit the ball at somebody and you don’t get a hit, if you have 300 at-bats, that’s 10 hits. Have I lined out 10 times this year? I’ve lined out a lot more than 10 times. So any of those fall, I’m not hitting .265, I’m hitting .295 and everyone thinks I’m the greatest player ever.
“It all evens out over 162. It doesn’t even out over 78.
“I’ve hit the ball fine. Right at people, man. I had three replay home runs that weren’t. That’s seven [instead of four homers]. People don’t know that. They just look at the overall numbers and say, ‘This guy stinks.’ Well, the reality is, the storm’s coming.’’
Meanwhile, commentators and fans are wondering.
“I don’t really care,’’ Pedroia said. “I don’t have any feelings . . . My main focus is to help us win the World Series.
“I’ve been around here long enough to know that that stuff doesn’t bother me.
“It changes. It can change overnight. I’ve had games where I go 5 for 5 with three homers. If I do that, I’m slugging .420 right now and you can’t write this article. So if that happens tonight, you’re going to be a mess.’’
Pedroia went 0 for 4 in Friday’s 6-0 rollover loss to the immortal Vidal Nuno and is now batting .262.
The Red Sox are a mess.
Dan Shaughnessy can be reached at [email protected]. | {
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On Twitter, many journalists are rapidly reaching the point of maximum credulity — they’ll immediately believe virtually anything negative about Donald Trump, not matter how thinly-sourced or implausible. Take the kerfuffle that erupted last night in response to this Reuters report where unnamed defense officials blamed the losses in last weekend’s Yemen raid on, you guessed it, Trump:
U.S. military officials told Reuters that Trump approved his first covert counterterrorism operation without sufficient intelligence, ground support or adequate backup preparations. As a result, three officials said, the attacking SEAL team found itself dropping onto a reinforced al Qaeda base defended by landmines, snipers, and a larger than expected contingent of heavily armed Islamist extremists.
Journalists spread the Reuters report far and wide, but anyone with the slightest experience in complex special operations missions should have been instantly skeptical. The anonymous attacks on Trump look a lot more like ass-covering than whistle-blowing. Absent truly extraordinary circumstances not outlined in the report, these officials seem to be relying on reporters’ ignorance and willingness to believe anything about Trump to cover to deflect criticism of a dangerous operation that turned out to be even more dangerous than anticipated. That happens in war. It happened all the time when I was in Iraq.
While the president is often the ultimate approval authority for raids in sovereign countries, he does not design or plan the operation. Do you really want any modern American president not named Dwight Eisenhower checking, say, to make sure that the Navy has tasked a sufficient Super Hornets for support? More than fifteen years after 9/11, our military knows how to plan and carry out special ops missions, and a prudent president leaves the planning to military officials.
Indeed, a more in-depth New York Times report shows that the operation was actually planned during the Obama administration but held over to Trump because the need for a dark night to minimize enemy visibility:
President Barack Obama’s national security aides had reviewed the plans for a risky attack on a small, heavily guarded brick home of a senior Qaeda collaborator in a mountainous village in a remote part of central Yemen. But Mr. Obama did not act because the Pentagon wanted to launch the attack on a moonless night and the next one would come after his term had ended.
CNN’s reporting agrees with the New York Times:
Both defense and Obama administration officials said the operation was never vetoed by Obama and that “operational reasons” were why it was pushed back after January 20 and why Obama left the task of authorizing the raid to his successor.
As the Times makes clear, there were “months of detailed planning” that took place under Obama, and the Department of Defense had conducted a legal review that Trump approved. Oh, and it turns out that Trump approved the raid at a dinner attended not just by General Mattis, but also by the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the vice president, and his national security adviser (a man who has enormous experience with special forces operations).
Then, war happened. The element of surprise was lost, perhaps because of low-flying drones:
Through a communications intercept, the commandos knew that the mission had been somehow compromised, but pressed on toward their target roughly five miles from where they had been flown into the area. “They kind of knew they were screwed from the beginning,” one former SEAL Team 6 official said. With the crucial element of surprise lost, the Americans and Emiratis found themselves in a gun battle with Qaeda fighters who took up positions in other houses, a clinic, a school and a mosque, often using women and children as cover, American military officials said in interviews this week.
People who haven’t been exposed to war with jihadists tend to think of firefights as precise affairs. Instead, they’re extraordinarily destructive, and the battle is waged against an enemy who intentionally and flagrantly violates the laws of war:
The commandos were taken aback when some of the women grabbed weapons and started firing, multiplying the militant firepower beyond what they had expected. The Americans called in airstrikes from helicopter gunships and fighter aircraft that helped kill some 14 Qaeda fighters, but not before an MV-22 Osprey aircraft involved in the operation experienced a “hard landing,” injuring three more American personnel on board. The Osprey, which the Marine Corps said cost $75 million, was badly damaged and had to be destroyed by an airstrike. The raid, some details of which were first reported by The Washington Post, also destroyed much of the village of Yakla, and left senior Yemeni government officials seething. Yemen’s foreign minister, Abdul Malik Al Mekhlafi, condemned the raid on Monday in a post on his official Twitter account as “extrajudicial killings.”
None of this sounds unusual. All of it resonates with my own experience in Iraq. One deadly evening, al Qaeda ambushed our troopers from inside a mosque (law of war violation), blended in with the civilian population (law of war violation), and fought a day-long gun battle with an armored cavalry troop that ultimately destroyed most of a village. Thankfully, there were no civilian casualties in that incident, but if there had been, each of those casualties would have been the legal and moral fault of an enemy who uses human shields and tries to hide amongst innocent women and children. Similarly, in this instance, the blood of the innocents is on jihadist hands.
The Pentagon of course study the Yemen raid closely to determine why American forces lost the element of surprise and misjudged the amount of enemy firepower. We should also grieve the SEAL who gave his last full measure of devotion for his country, but let’s not lose the forest for the trees — it’s an impressive feat of arms to assault an alert enemy in a prepared defensive position, defeat that enemy, and leave with valuable intelligence.
So, no, don’t believe claims that Trump botched the raid in Yemen. He didn’t plan the operation, and we don’t want him planning operations. We want presidents to rely on professionals. But those same professionals will tell you that war is terrible by its very nature, and no president can guarantee victory without cost. | {
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The same scandal behind the arrest and indictment of Samsung exec and heir Lee Jae-yong has resulted in the removal of South Korean president Park Geun-Hye. Parliament impeached Park on December 9th over charges including bribery and corruption for allegedly trying to squeeze money out of large companies in return for favors. Today's unanimous court decision by eight judges ends the 92-day leadership crisis (the country's prime minister had assumed her duties) and triggers the process for a new election to take place within 60 days. | {
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Israel’s ambassador to the Netherlands made a formal complaint over a sketch show version of Israel’s winning Eurovision entry. The spoof song included references to Israeli violence in Gaza and has been called anti-Semitic.
Israel's ambassador to the Netherlands Aviv Shir-On has lodged an official letter of protest to BNNVARA, the public broadcaster that aired the show, the Foreign Ministry and the Central Jewish Board group in the country.
The ‘Samme Wallis de Vries Show,’ created a spoof of the winning Eurovision performance, with comedian Martine Sandifort playing the part of singer Netta Barzilai. The lyrics of the female empowerment anthem “Toy” were changed to something more politically relevant: “The world’s leaders are eating out of my hand… we’re throwing a party, are you coming? Later, at the al-Aqsa mosque, which will be empty soon anyway.” The al-Aqsa Mosque is one of Islam’s most holy places, located in a part of Jerusalem that Israel claims for its own.
The video also features footage of protesting and wounded Palestinians, as well as a reference to the US Embassy opening on Israel’s 70th anniversary, to which Sandifort sings, “the Palestinians aren’t invited to her party.” Instead of the lyrics, “I’m not your toy,” the comedic version says, “look how beautifully I launch missiles.” On the day of the embassy opening on May 14, almost 60 Palestinian protesters were killed by Israeli forces at the border.
READ MORE: ‘War crimes’: Palestine calls on ICC to investigate Israeli ‘human rights violations’
The letter said that while freedom of speech, the press and satire are important to Israel, the show went “too far.” Israelis "don't rejoice when Palestinians are killed,” the letter went on to say. “When people lose their lives, and it doesn’t matter on which side, we don't laugh. You shouldn’t either!"
I haven’t heard about you until today. Your version of Toy is a disgrace. Antisemitic and full of hate. I wish you will lose all you fans and that you won’t be able to make a living out of this business.Shame shame shame. Israel forever!!!🇮🇱 — navit babai(nevnev) (@navitbabai) May 21, 2018
"Israel has to defend itself since it was founded 70 years ago because the Arabs have rejected, until today, every square centimeter of Jewish independence,” the letter claimed. “Ever since we have to fight wars and terror attacks by organizations like Hezbollah, ISIS and Hamas in which tens of thousands of Israelis, of Arabs and Palestinians were killed.”
Disgusted to see the dutch @bnnvara come up with a "parody" picturing israel in the most #antisemitist manner as a sneaky country led by cash lust to rob and kill palestinians.Feels like too many secret #nazis were triggered by the #eurovision win: https://t.co/uABXdFLz9u — Nivva (@nivva) May 22, 2018
The letter said it was “wrong and disgraceful” to show “sad and depressing” videos in the background. “It was not only biased against Israel, it included unfortunately also some anti-Semitic hints like mocking kosher food or referring to money in the old anti-Jewish way," it said.
READ MORE: Israel releases Palestinian protesters as footage of arrest goes viral (VIDEO)
The song references kosher satay and fireworks “from Haifa to the Dead Sea,” following the lyrics about a party. References to “ching-a-ling and your ping-a-ping, with your dollars and cents” are also referenced by the accusers as anti-Semitic.
Go on the Dutch and thanks Israel for making a complaint highlighting this to the world. Evil murders — annefinnegan (@anne12262550) May 22, 2018
BNNVARA released a statement defending the show and saying it was not “an indictment against the Jewish community.” It explained the show’s format, which discusses the week’s events in a satirical way, and said, “last week the winning song of Israel happened to coincide with the flaring conflict in the Gaza Strip. The parody questions Israel’s policy and is emphatically not an indictment against the Jewish community."
Criticising a violent apartheids-regime is not antisemitic. Pls dont use the 'antisemite!' card it does'nt work anymore.Stop Israeli violence! — TR (@utwitt2me) May 22, 2018
The video garnered a lot of attention from Israelis and pro-Israel accounts, who largely said the video was anti-Semitic. Israel’s recent actions in Gaza have made it the target of both criticism and satire. The Onion, a satirical news site, has published an array of articles which highlight the violence perpetrated by the Israeli Defence Forces in response to the Great Return March protests, which have seen over 100 killed. | {
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A 39-year-old man has died after contracting the new coronavirus – the first confirmed fatality in Hong Kong since the start of the outbreak.
The man went to Wuhan in China – where the virus was first detected – on January 21 via a high-speed train and returned to Hong Kong two days later. He did not visit a wet market or medical facility during his trip, according to information he provided to the government. He said he had experienced muscle pain since January 29 and fever since January 31.
Whampoa Garden being cleaned. Photo: Apple Daily.
The man, a resident of Whampoa Garden’s Phase 11 Block 1, was declared the 13th confirmed case of the coronavirus in Hong Kong on January 31. He was sent to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Yau Ma Tei for treatment and transferred to the Princess Margaret Hospital in Kwai Chung, where he died.
He was a long-term diabetic, Ming Pao cited a source as saying.
The Department of Health and Hospital Authority will reveal more details about the case at a press conference at 4:30pm on Tuesday.
The novel virus has infected at least 17,391 and led to 362 deaths globally as of Monday, according to the World Health Organisation. It bears symptoms similar to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), which killed over 300 people in Hong Kong in 2003. Hong Kong has confirmed 15 cases of the coronavirus as of Monday noon.
More to follow. | {
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The introduction of the Mac App Store, at least for the Mac’s biggest game publisher Aspyr Media, hasn’t been entirely smooth. Aspyr recently outlined some issues with bringing multiplayer to Mac games due to Game Center and sandboxing restrictions of the Mac App Store, and developing separate versions of games for Steam and the Mac App Store continues to be a hurdle. An example is Borderlands 2. It took Aspyr just two months to ship the Mac version, but the Game Center multiplayer won’t arrive until sometime early this year. However, executives at the company promise Apple’s enthusiasm toward gaming on Mac is stronger than ever thanks to the Mac App Store. Aspyr also said it has much planned for 2013 in Apple’s store and remains platform agnostic, despite running its own competitive GameAgent store.
9to5Mac recently had the chance to speak with Aspyr Vice President of Publishing Elizabeth Howard, with input from CEO Michael Rogers and other execs, about the process of porting games to the Mac App Store, the company’s relationship with Apple and publishers, and the possibility of bringing iOS titles to OS X.
In case you’re unfamiliar, Aspyr is one of the biggest Mac game publishers bringing PC and console titles to OS X. It regularly leads many of the top paid and grossing charts on the Mac App Store thanks to high-profile releases such as Borderlands 2, RAGE, Call of Duty: Black Ops, and much more. Go below for the full interview and a chance to win Borderlands 2 for Mac.
Many of the major titles on Mac are released months after initial releases on PC, Xbox, etc. But many do not know what it takes for a publisher like Aspyr to bring these games to Mac. Can you briefly describe the steps you have to take to bring a game to Mac?
I guess first I’d like to point out that we’ve actually been shipping things much more quickly than in previous years. Civilization V was within 2 months, Borderlands 2 was within 2 months, Duke Nukem Forever was within weeks, Rage within 2 months, and we released the Civilization V: Gods and Kings expansion day-and-date worldwide on both Steam and the Mac App Store. I’m proud of how we’ve been able to respond with timely Mac versions despite growing difficulties technically. If it’s a common goal of the developer, license holder and Aspyr, then shipping simultaneously is an option. But, to answer your question….
Step 1: Get all parties to agree that a Mac version is a good idea. This includes us convincing partners, new and old, that we’re the best solution in bringing content to the Mac. We sort of never stop Step 1. We are always talking to our partners on what’s next and what that could look like on the Mac from a business and product perspective. Step 2: Everyone agrees this is a good idea, so then we get source code. Aspyr natively ports games to the Mac, meaning we rely on source code and not emulation. Depending on the project, this step alone can take some time. Also depending on the project, the code is either at a good place to start or changing so rapidly there is less progress to be made. This is often a good time to learn more about the nuances of the product, middleware, and understand what the dev effort might be. Step 3: Active development begins, which includes developing and testing the game on the Mac (which in turn often means creating two “versions” – one for the Mac App Store and one for Steam/rest of digital). We now are seeing DirectX 11-only titles come through that offer new challenges and will invariably add some time to our ship windows. Step 4: Approvals. Approvals can include Aspyr approval (we think it’s done), partner approval (our licensing and studio partners agree that it’s done; sometimes this is two groups) and then platform approval (Apple in the case of the Mac App Store). At best this is a 4–week period, so you can understand why this is difficult to manage and simultaneously launch with a PC counterpart. It means at some point we have to call code “Final,” even if the PC version is still in active development in order to accommodate approvals. Step 5: Release! We coordinate the launch with distribution partners and do everything we can to bring attention to the fact that the Mac version is available! We do this through featuring on relevant stores in addition to engaging press and community.
Can you share some info on Aspyr’s Dev team. How many programmers/employees usually work on bringing a game to Mac? Does the team use Macs in the development process?
Aspyr is a company of around 40 people, with a large chunk in QA, about 10 engineers, and the rest in Sales, Marketing, Finance and IT; and everyone uses Macs! A typical game requires some or all of our engineering staff, and it’s infrequent that we have two titles in development at the same time and at the same point in their development cycle. Getting a game to “First Playable” is reliant on Engineering only. After that point it’s a series of builds and testing to identify and fix bugs. The rest of the company takes on the support of those games with QA staffing potentially ramping up in response to more products.
How does Aspyr select a title to bring to Mac? Do you approach developers/publishers?
Almost always we reach out to engage licensors regarding new content. This is either managing an existing relationship or making new ones. The relationship is a very important part of the equation since we’re so closely tied to our partners throughout the process, and their support is integral in a product’s success. We typically look for PC content the industry would call the “Best”, based on community, metacritic and sales data, and lots of time these are proven games, i.e. sequels.
What are some of the common roadblocks the dev team runs into when porting games to Mac?
This varies widely from game to game. As I mentioned above, DirectX 11 will be a new challenge because it’s new technology. Other challenges are often the existence of middleware and if there is a version existing on the Mac. Frame rate and performance is something that can take a lot of time depending on the game, and in general games where we’ve seen the base engine before are going to be easier than a brand-new game engine.
How would you describe the current state of Mac gaming? Was business good in 2012?
Mac gaming is definitely healthy and growing. Business has been good and growing over the last few years with the help of increased distribution channels and less reliance on boxes in retail stores. That being said, it’s also become a more complex platform with the introduction of Steam and Apple’s Mac App Store. I recently talked in-depth about this in a special post on our GameAgent Blog.
Having a franchise/title like Call of Duty/Black Ops is a pretty big deal for Mac gamers. Can you describe Aspyr’s relationship with Activision (or Treyarch)? Why aren’t more big publishers/developers pushing for a Mac release?
Activision and Treyarch are great people who are a pleasure to work with. They are communicative and supportive of what we’re doing on the Mac, and we hope to continue working with them and the Call of Duty brand for years to come. As for why more big developers/publishers aren’t pushing for a Mac release, I’ll interpret that to mean why don’t they do it themselves, and I can only offer speculation. As I’ve mentioned supporting the Mac means essentially creating two Mac versions in most cases, one for the Mac App Store and one for Steam/retail/other digital. This is not a small effort, but it’s essential to support the whole audience to see a positive ROI in bringing content to market. The effort in supporting the Mac and what it ultimately means in real revenues is likely too big a hurdle for a major publisher who is used to selling millions of copies of a single game on the PC, and many millions on console. We’re still talking about maybe 12-14% of the total “PC” market – doing triple the work to support an install base the size of Dell as a single vendor. Aspyr is a company that ships 20-40 releases a year including the original releases, patches and updates, and DLC. We’re 40 people who work all-day, every day, and have a great catalog of content that we’ve amassed over years which represents many of the very best games ever made. But we’re still very small in comparison to the volumes and revenues of major game publishers. Now more than ever I believe we’re the best solution for supporting the Mac market. We are passionate about it, we are experienced at it, and we always are trying to be better.
As to why more publishers perhaps don’t come to us, I’d say that most do! We work with most of the major gaming publishers and brands in the industry. And for publishers who we may not be actively publishing with, we’re likely still in talks and discussions about potential future collaborations. We’re always trying :D
Apple officially opened up the Mac App Store almost two years ago in January 2011 with 1000 apps. Since Apple has added a lot of apps, but the store doesn’t appear to have exploded like on iOS. Is the Mac App Store a big focus for Aspyr going forward? Does it pose any issues?
Certainly the Mac App Store has been an incredible addition to the Mac ecosystem, and we love being a part of the Apple movement. The store has been a meaningful addition to how we expose our games to Mac customers, and we will continue to do everything we can to support the store with Aspyr content.
I believe the lack of “explosion” is due to a few things. For one, Mac customers have been able to consume Mac products for years via other channels and even digitally prior to the launch of the Mac App Store, whereas on the iOS customers only have the one channel for acquiring content, and it’s always been the only channel. Existing Mac users have to essentially be re-trained to go to the Mac App Store and engage with it frequently.
The explosion is also relative to the install base. iOS has 400 Million users vs. 20-40 Million on Mac OS. Additionally, the nature of Apple’s Mac App Store guidelines means there are product disparities for many products and many developers. This may mean that more seasoned Mac consumers are continuing to purchase their content directly from developers or through alternate channels since those channels have fewer barriers.
We’re learning more and more about the customers of the Mac App Store and other stores, and it’s very interesting to see how the digital landscape is changing.
Some might argue that gaming isn’t as much of a focus for Apple as it maybe should be… How is Aspyr’s relationship with Apple these days?
Our relationship with Apple is at an all-time high. The emergence of the Mac App Store has given us the opportunity to engage more deeply regarding our roadmap, ideas, successes and hurdles. I’d argue that the relevance of gaming on the Mac specifically is that users have expectations of how they can engage with their computers. I think that having meaningful content available on a device and meeting a customer’s expectation of what that device will offer is intrinsic to the device’s success, and on the Mac that means something different than it means on the iOS. I don’t imagine that Mac gamers will be satisfied if all they can consume on their MacBook Pros are iOS ports. They expect to play Call of Duty, Borderlands 2 and Civilization V, and so far they are saying that with their pocketbooks on the Mac App Store with Aspyr games leading on Paid and Grossing charts. Therefore gaming should be important – the audience wants to do it, we feel our success in providing that type of content illustrates the audience demand for it, and we help service Apple’s customer’s expectation and satisfaction with their device.
Has Apple’s attitude towards Mac gaming changed since the introduction of the Mac App Store and success of gaming on iOS? what about developers/publishers?
The people we work with at Apple have enthusiasm and support for what we do, and our success helps bring more awareness of Mac gaming within Apple.
Aspyr has released a lot of big titles for Mac this year (Borderlands 2, Black Ops, Rage, etc), can you share any stats on the best selling game? or sales by platform (Mac App Store vs GameAgent)?
I can’t share many specifics, but I can say that we’ve seen growth across all channels, with Steam and other distributors growing at the fastest rate. Our goal now with GameAgent.com is to help people discover Mac gaming and make better game purchase decisions. We’ve become agnostic on where that purchase happens. We want people to come to GameAgent.com to find out about games, make sure you’ve got a computer capable of playing them, then purchase that game from the place you feel most comfortable. Some surprises for us have been the ongoing success of catalog content like Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare and Rollercoaster Tycoon 3: Platinum. People continue to purchase and enjoy these experiences, and we think there is likely a repurchase phenomenon much like getting the digital version of the Beatles that you already owned on CD. Having a big and diverse catalog is a big part to our continued success.
Apple TV- There have been a ton of rumors surrounding Apple’s` next move in the TV space…ranging from an updated set-top box of sorts, to a full-blown HDTV set. The possibility of Apple bringing its app/gaming distribution ecosystem to the living room has to be something that’s on Aspyr’s radar as one of the biggest game publishers on the Mac App Store…
Gaming in the living room isn’t going away, and many Mac experiences can be great in that environment. Steam is doing some really interesting and cool stuff with Big Picture mode and Steam boxes to enable PC/Mac gaming from your couch, and we, as game developers, will need to take into more consideration things like improved controller support to accommodate that capability. We’ve played with AirPlay gaming via Apple TV, and right now that experience is acceptable for a slower paced game but isn’t something you’d want to do for full multiplayer shooters like Call of Duty. I’m not sure we have a lot of speculation on what set-top gaming or Smart TV gaming really could mean. So far it feels like consumers aren’t saying, “I want to do everything everywhere,” but are instead saying, “Each thing I interact with has unique features, and I want unique content for those devices.” We’ll have to be creative and flexible to see how that applies to core gaming experiences.
Does Aspyr have any interest in iOS going forward? Bringing games to iPhone/iPad or maybe popular iOS titles to Mac?
Great question! Our core business is extending brands to unexplored platforms, which historically has been bringing PC -> Mac. We are certainly exploring alternatives to that model with both iOS -> Mac opportunities, and Mac -> iOS opportunities, with the continued focus on great brands and experiences. We hope to be able to talk about this more very soon.
We have also published a few original Aspyr created games on the iOS, Sushi Mushi and Poker Pals, as a way to learn more about the platform, community, engagement and business model.
We have yet to see a new, original title become a hit as a Mac App Store exclusive. Aside from Aspyr, most of the Mac App Store games were previously available Mac and iOS titles. Is developing new IPs and original content for Mac something that Aspyr will consider?
A way we see this could work would be something very unique on the Mac App Store, that maybe talks to an iOS version via GameCenter and has specific capabilities and features on each device. That is certainly interesting and something we’re exploring, but I don’t know that it would be an entirely new IP.
Does Aspyr have anything big planned for 2013? New releases in the first half of the year?
The question we hate to not answer! I can say 2012 was one of our strongest years yet. We continued to support Civilization V with new content in the Gods and Kings launch; we launched Borderlands 2 on Steam within weeks of the PC, and we love working with Gearbox and 2K; we brought the Call of Duty: Black Ops experience to the Mac which was the first Call of Duty release on the Mac in many years and reinvigorated our relationship with Activision and the Call of Duty brand; we were able to work on the Company of Heroes brand allowing us to touch one of the most critically acclaimed strategy games of all time and get to know the talented people at Relic; we got to work with id again in bringing RAGE and some of our great Aspyr/id catalog titles out digitally; we supported more of our Star Wars catalog digitally with Mac App and Steam releases; and we finally (folks begged us on this one for years) got Rollercoaster Tycoon 3 out digitally. I can say I believe that 2013 is going to be even better, and we’ll continue to touch these, and other, fantastic brands while exploring new ways to work with Apple on both Mac and iOS.
Thanks for taking time to speak with us!
Aspyr and 9to5Mac will be giving away Borderlands 2 for Mac to lucky 9to5Mac readers at the end of the week. Comment below to enter for a chance to win!
Update, Jan. 19: @9to5Forums members Flenville, ikir, henrycc265, Torchwood, & jerryponmac win Borderlands 2 + all DLC thanks to @AspyrMedia and @9to5mac. We’ll be contacting you guys via 9to5Forums with codes. We also have 5 more copies of Borderlands 2 and all the DLC to give away. Winners will be announced here next week. Comment below to enter.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
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In many ways, Vancouver exudes an ineffable nature. She's beautiful yet aloof, highly livable yet unaffordable, Canadian yet Asian, and affluent despite the dearth of head offices. Yes, Vancouver is a study in contrasts and this is exactly what makes her an evasive market for marketers. It's true -- many marketers don't understand Vancouver. This is only exacerbated by distance as many national marketers and budgets are domiciled in the east.
So, what makes Vancouver so different? Forget weather, housing prices, lifestyle, green initiatives and other external factors and complaints. Yes, they are all variables but when it comes to consumer spending, there's one big variable driving the market almost to the exclusion of anything else: China and the Chinese.
Admittedly, this is not a new phenomenon. The Chinese consumer in Vancouver has been a differentiating factor since before 1997 when Hong Kong was repatriated with Mainland China. At that time, tens of thousands of Hong Kongers fled the region with Vancouver and Toronto being beneficiaries of this migration. After that, the Taiwanese made their way over due to political overtures from China. And in the last decade, the Chinese from China have introduced themselves with aplomb. Seen in another way: for two decades Metro Vancouver has been buoyed by the influx of customers and capital that have redefined the local market.
Today, that market phenomenon continues unabated with China's burgeoning middle class continuing to discover the wonders of Vancouver, including the best Chinese food in North America. Significantly, it's important to note that this migration of population and capital is not stopping, fostering a pipeline of consumers the West has rarely seen. The last 20 years has reshaped Vancouver in a way that's distinctive and unique, unlike any market on the continent. Here are just a few interesting tidbits:
36,000 Chinese millionaires have landed in Vancouver in the past eight years
One third of all real estate in Vancouver last year was bought by Chinese
Vancouver is the number one market for ultra-luxury vehicles in North America
Based on the work my agency does for our clients, we believe that as much as 80 per cent of premium products sold in Vancouver are bought by Chinese and that practically all of the commercial areas of #3 Road in Richmond is owned by Chinese. The list goes on of similar statistics that would make heads spin but suffice to say, Vancouver's demographic dynamics are a study unto themselves that cannot be characterized by any PMB study. (The business and corporate landscape is equally impressive but I'll save that for a future post.) Plus, the market changes so quickly that most studies are rendered out-of-date upon publication. For smart marketers, this flow of customers presents a golden opportunity.
Unfortunately, many marketers don't understand the frontier called Vancouver. Instead, they bring the same lens to Vancouver as they do to other markets but the lens doesn't fit. Further confusing the puzzle, there's no correlation between market size and spending patterns, with Vancouver consumers punching higher than their weight in many consumer-spending categories. And dare we say, many multicultural agencies carry outdated ideas of who the Chinese customer is and how to reach them, clinging to the methods they knew when they were themselves immigrants to Canada. The new Chinese customer is transforming Vancouver -- and the world -- and marketers need to change their paradigm, or be comfortable with having a smaller share of market. It's that simple.
So, what are some hallmarks of this new customer?
Premium -- As mentioned above, Chinese seek premium products and premium brands. Ultimately, these customers are open to new brands, services and experiences but it must satisfy their status-seeking nature. And environmental freedom is also a status attribute!
They have time and money -- Shopping and entertainment are pastimes for this customer. Likely, she doesn't work at a regular 9-5 job, if at all. Thus, time is plentiful (as is boredom) which is filled with entertainment and retail therapy.
Individuality versus collectivism -- China's affluent middle class is creating a new customer motivated by individuality and celebratory of achievement. This contrasts with the collectivism of older generations, fearful of authority. This growing aspiration for individuality is also fueled by China's now-defunct one-child policy that spawned an entire generation of individuals. Guess what? These single children have now come of age and they've come to know little else but money, privilege, exaltation, idealization and the spoils bestowed upon single children. Many of them frequent luxury car dealerships.
Social media savvy -- This new customer over-indexes in social media. In fact, they rarely engage in traditional media which places the digital media channels as top priority in addressing the media habits of this changing market.
Bicultural -- With international sensibilities but still beholden to the Chinese language and traditions, this new customer in Vancouver is experiencing a bicultural awakening. By embracing her new North American home and all the experiences that come along with it, this new customer is quickly adapting to local customs, relationships and expectations. She is becoming bicultural and this sense of biculturalism will only grow over time.
As a market, Vancouver is a mash-up. She is the focus of much international attention but the local market finds this unsettling. As a one-child policy friend from China said to me recently, "Vancouver is cheap compared to San Francisco." While true, it's not the pricing fact that is noteworthy. Rather, it's the fact that Vancouver is even being compared to San Francisco at all!
These people have a choice and this commoditization of cities and living spaces is endemic to this new consumer who can live anywhere in the world but has chosen Vancouver. Indeed, this growing international reputation, especially in China, will continue to be a beacon for new consumers and capital. We can complain about it or we can recognize how it's reshaping the consumer markets and benefit from it.
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Federal agencies billed taxpayers millions for lobster tail, alcohol, standing desks, golf carts, and more frivolous expenditures before budgets ran out at the end of the fiscal year.
A new analysis released by OpenTheBooks.com found 66 agencies spent $97 billion last September, the final month of fiscal year 2018. The end of the year taxpayer-funded spending spree included contracts with Coors, millions on iPhones, furniture, and CrossFit equipment.
"In the final month of the fiscal year, federal agencies scramble to spend what's left in their annual budget," OpenTheBooks.com said. "Agencies worry spending less than their budget allows might prompt Congress to appropriate less money in the next fiscal year. To avoid this, federal agencies choose to embark on an annual shopping spree rather than admit they can operate on less."
Resulting government expenditures included $4.6 million on lobster tail and crab; $673,471 on golf carts; $1.7 million on pianos, tubas, and trombones; $9.8 million on workout and recreation equipment; and $7.7 million iPhones and iPads.
A Wexford Leather club chair cost taxpayers $9,241. The government spent $293,245 on rib eye, top sirloin, and flank steak.
Before budgets ran out national security agencies, including the Department of Defense, Department of State, and Department of Homeland Security spent $412,008 on paint and artist's brushes.
The federal government spent $2.1 million on games, toys, and wheeled goods, $490.6 million on furniture, and $62.1 million on household furnishings. Bureaucrats spent $1.1 million on standing desks, as well as $2.7 million on ergonomic chairs, $643,833 on sofas, and $40,379 on clocks.
The government's PR budget also did not suffer, as agencies spent $462 million on public relations and marketing in the final month of the fiscal year.
Agencies spent $402 million on food, including the Pentagon, which spent $2.3 million on snow crab, Alaskan king crab, and crab legs, and $2.3 million on lobster tail. The Pentagon and Department of State spent $308,994 on alcohol, including a $76,173 contract with Coors Brewing Company.
The total $97 billion spent in September 2018 amounts to a 16 percent increase from the previous year. Similarly, last year's end of the budget spending binge included millions spent on cars, scooters, fidget spinners, and shuffleboards.
More than half of the spending came during the final week before budgets ran out.
"In the final seven days of the fiscal year, agencies ramped up their spending to a total $53 billion—that's more than they spent in the entire month of August," OpenTheBooks.com said.
"As the national debt surpasses $22 trillion, it's time to end Washington's use-it-or-lose-it spending culture," the watchdog group concluded. "Ending this wasteful phenomenon would go a long way toward generating big savings and winning the public's trust." | {
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india
Updated: Jul 17, 2019 08:50 IST
India is hoping the UK will approve its request to interview Jabir Siddiq, aka Motiwala, considered one of Dawood Ibrahim’s closest aides, because it believes this will help get some insights into the drugs and extortion operations the main accused in the 1993 Mumbai terror attacks still runs in the country, and perhaps even provide some proof of the fugitive’s presence in Pakistan.
According to Jabir’s dossier with Indian security agencies, which has been reviewed by Hindustan Times, he is the only one of Dawood’s associates who is a trustee in the Karachi-based Islam Baba Trust, where Ibrahim, his wife, his son and two sons-in-law are trustees. This trust is described by the Indian national security establishment as a religious front to manage properties of the D-company.
India is also working with US enforcement agencies to get access to Siddiq – he is currently in Wandsworth jail in south-west London, awaiting extradition to the US on charges of drug smuggling, extortion, blackmail and money laundering dating back to a 2011-12 Federal Bureau of Investigation operation. His case comes up for hearing on July 22. It is believed that Siddiq may be able to provide the first real evidence of Ibrahim’s involvement in the trade of drugs originating from Afghanistan. Siddiq, 53, a Pakistani national, is believed to be one of Ibrahim’s most trusted men, and someone who has full knowledge of the latter’s finances, investments, and the shell companies through which the so-called D-company (as Ibrahim’s operation is called) operates around the world.
Siddiq was arrested by Scotland Yard on August 17, 2018 at the behest of US enforcement agencies. According to counterterror operatives based in New Delhi and Washington, he has been entrusted with the financial affairs and investments of the D-company in Pakistan, West Asia and countries across Asia, Africa and Europe. His proximity to Ibrahim is evident from the fact that he owns properties adjacent to his palatial bungalow in D-block of Defence Housing Authority in Clifton, Karachi. According to the Indian security dossier, he is very close to Ibrahim’s family, including the latter’s wife, son and two sons-in-law. Islamabad has repeatedly denied that it has knowledge of Ibrahim’s location.
The real worries for Islamabad are the likely disclosure of Ibrahim’s presence in Karachi, details of his activities and, most importantly, his strong links with the Pakistani spy agency ISI. These prompted the Pakistan High Commision in London’s direct intervention in the case at the first day of hearing. Although the counsel representing the US prosecution team (through UK’s Crown Prosecution Service) told the UK court that Siddiq was a top henchman of Ibrahim, the defence produced a letter from the Pakistan High Commission stating that the drug smuggler is, in fact, a well-known and respectable businessman (a stock broker) with a Pakistani passport, and only that. Siddiq’s lawyers have now opposed his extradition to US citing that he is not mentally stable and has been suffering from depression since 2008.
The real reason of the High Commission’s intervention may have been to hide Siddiq’s links with Ibrahim, people familiar with the matter said. That may be difficult, they added, because the Ibrahim link is in-built in the FBI undercover operation, and even the drug deal for which he was arrested involves discussions about the deal being on behalf of Ibrahim, who is on top of India’s list of most wanted. They add that there is also strong evidence of at least $1.2 million being laundered too.
Ironically, Jabir Siddiq holds various important positions at companies such as M/s MAC Securities (Pvt) Ltd, Karachi and M/s Zaffar Moti Capital Securities (Pvt) Ltd, Karachi as director, and M/s Siddiqui Moti Capital Securities and SM Securities (Pvt) Ltd as chief executive officer. He became CEO of SM Securities in 2013.
It is understood that the US authorities sent a new note to the UK court last year, alleging that Siddiq was involved in setting up a sale of 4kg of Class A drugs in the US. The D-company has been involved in large-scale shipments of narcotics in the past – prompting the US to include the syndicate and Dawood Ibrahim individually in the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act in January 2006. The other two top D-company operatives under this Act are Chhota Shakeel and Ibrahim Abdul Razaaq Memon aka Tiger Memon, the principal instigator of the 1993 Mumbai blasts in which 257 people died.
Siddiq, whose is married for the third time to a Pakistan International Airlines cabin crew member, has two sons and two daughters. Before he was arrested, Siddiq was trying to acquire the citizenship of known tax havens of Antigua, Dominican Republic, St Kitts , Nevis, and even permanent residency in Hungary for his family, according to Indian security agencies.
During the court proceedings, the prosecution argued that Siddiq was a senior member of the D-company, terming this an organised crime syndicate with links to terrorism, and engaged in arms and narcotics trafficking and money laundering.
Siddiq’s lawyer Edward Fitzgerald was not immediately available for comment, but he used the CPS-US claim of Siddiq’s link to Ibrahim to build his case that, if extradited, his client would be subjected to “special administrative measures” (SAMs) in a correctional centre in New York, which means a risk to his human rights under Article 3 of the Human Rights Act of the UK. (Courts in the UK are bound to refuse extradition if there is a risk of human rights being violated). He has also claimed that Motiwala suffers from depression and has suicidal tendencies, while arguing against his extradition.
The court will rule in August whether to seek a sovereign assurance from the US that Motiwala’s human rights will not be violated in jail there. India provided a similar one over the rights of bookie Sanjeev Chawla on three occasions in the past, most recently in 2018 to the England and Wales high court. | {
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Check out our new site Makeup Addiction
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Scarborough tore into what he characterized as a complacent Republican Party unwilling to stand up to President Trump.
“You have to ask yourself, what exactly is the Republican Party willing to do?” Scarborough said to Colbert. “How far are they willing to go? How much of this country and our values are they willing to sell out?”
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“Aren’t you a Republican?” Colbert asked.
“I am a Republican, but I’m not going to be a Republican anymore,” Scarborough said to loud applause from the audience. “I’ve got to become an independent.”
Scarborough and Brzezinski came under fire from President Trump and his administration in recent months for their sharp criticism of his leadership skills and conduct in the White House. The two, who announced their engagement in the spring, once considered Trump a close friend but distanced themselves from the president during his campaign.
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They’ve become even more critical since the inauguration in January.
The tension escalated in the last several weeks when Brzezinski called into question Trump’s mental competency in a segment on their show. The president responded in a series of harsh tweets, calling the co-hosts “Psycho Joe” and “low-I. Q. Crazy Mika.” Trump also claimed that Brzezinski “was bleeding badly from a facelift” when he saw her and Scarborough during a brief visit to Mar-a-Lago last year.
In a commentary the hosts wrote and published in The Washington Post, they called the president’s allegations false and offensive and said that they “have noticed a change in his behavior over the past few years.”
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“Perhaps that is why we were neither shocked nor insulted by the president’s personal attack,” they wrote. “The Donald Trump we knew before the campaign was a flawed character but one who still seemed capable of keeping his worst instincts in check.”
In the “Late Show” segment, Scarborough and Brzezinski addressed their complicated relationship with the president and his intense dislike of “Morning Joe.”
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Colbert asked the duo what specific change they had seen in Trump since he announced his candidacy because, in the “The Late Show” host’s words, the business mogul has always been a “primo tool.”
“He used to know he was a tool,” Brzezinski replied, explaining that they believe Trump used to be aware and in control of the game he was playing. Now, Scarborough said, he is in over his head.
Scarborough said the modern day Republican Party was “not a party that Ronald Reagan could associate with,” and not one he wants to claim any longer either. He told Colbert that he still believes in the core values of conservatism — lower taxes, small government — but that the party’s silence in the face of Trump’s racism is unacceptable.
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His dissatisfaction, though, has been building for some time, Scarborough said.
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“I think it’s inexplicable. This was well before Donald Trump was elected president that my party has betrayed their core values,” he said, criticizing Trump’s so-called Muslim ban and the party’s reluctance to admonish comments perceived as racist, including the president’s assertions that Indiana-born District Court Judge Gonzalo P. Curiel could not be impartial because of his “Mexican heritage.”
“It was disturbing through the entire campaign,” Scarborough said. “In February, when he talked about David Duke and pretended he didn’t know who David Duke was and didn’t know what the Ku Klux Klan did. You didn’t have Republicans coming out, saying ‘I can never support Donald Trump because he’s racist.’ They had 1,000 other excuses why.”
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Republicans, he said, turned the other way.
“They’re doing the same thing now and it’s actually disgusting,” Scarborough said, referring to investigations into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russian government.
“What have you heard from Republican leaders today?” Scarborough said. “Nothing. There’s always silence.”
Scarborough has been the conservative voice of “Morning Joe” for a decade, often sparring alongside Brzezinski. He was a U.S. congressman from Florida from 1995 to 2001, and part of a “small group of young Republican congressmen called the ‘New Federalists’ who were said to possess a surprising amount of power given their youth and lack of years in Congress,” according to his MSNBC biography page
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That group of hard-line freshman Republicans brought Newt Gingrich to power, though Scarborough told New York magazine in 2008 that the two “never really clicked.” Scarborough had a “visceral dislike” for President Bill Clinton in the 1990s and supported his impeachment, according to the New York Magazine. He was a staunch fiscal conservative who supported abolishing the Department of Education and cutting off AIDS funding for the Ryan White Act.
During the 2016 election cycle, a Vanity Fair profile called Scarborough the most influential Republican in America for being both among the first to predict Trump’s political rise and rebuke him.
Trump regularly called into “Morning Joe” during the early days of his candidacy and speak at length with Scarborough and Brzezinski, as The Washington Post has reported. One such time was in February 2016, after Trump won the New Hampshire primary.
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“You guys have been supporters, and I really appreciate it,” Trump said. “And not necessarily supporters, but at least believers. You said there’s some potential there.”
Early Wednesday, Michael Cohen, one of Trump’s attorneys, tweeted: “Now that I have officially become a #republican, happy to report @JoeNBC has left the @GOP. Thank you!”
Some early critics of Scarborough’s announcement were quick to point out his longtime friendship with Trump and willingness to give him a platform during the campaign. | {
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Jack de Mello, a giant in native Hawaiian music and composer for various Hanna-Barbera Productions animated series, including “The Flintstones” and “The Jetsons,” has died. He passed Saturday in Las Vegas at 102.
A composer, arranger, producer and recording artist, de Mello melded Hawaiian melodies with orchestral arrangements. He recorded close to 160 albums, including almost 500 Hawaiian songs.
Born Nov. 15, 1916, in Oakland, Calif., de Mello joined the staff band at the CBS radio network and later served as a musical director at ABC and NBC. He then entered the Army as a bandmaster at Camp McQuaide in California.
As musical director of Mutual Network top-rated radio show, “Beat The Villian,” de Mello hired the Society Band, led by Joe Reichman. They went on to perform together at major US hotels After performing at a Hawaiian hotel, he decided to stay in the state, founding the the Aloha Record Co. and recording the song that became his first island hit, “Coconut Willie.” He later changed the name of his record company to Music of Polynesia. De Mello’s biggest productions were commissioned projects, including “Songs of Hawaii’s Golden People” and “The Wonderful World of Aloha.” In 1966, he issued a multi-record project, “The Music of Hawaii: From the Missionaries through Statehood,” that inspired sequels that continued the story. His arrangements were performed by the London Philharmonic, the Tokyo Symphony, the Victor Concert Orchestra and the NHK Orchestra, among others, and he developed the careers of local musicians Emma Veary, Nina Keali‘iwahamana, Marlene Sai. He also released the first albums by Keola & Kapono Beamer, Jon & Randy, the Brothers Cazimero and Hokule‘a. “He was the dad of dads,” son Jon de Mello said in a statement. “He was always able to explain anything with wit and humor and was an encyclopedia on any subject. When it came to music, I saw him compose music on the kitchen table with no piano during a conversation over dinner. His talent was limitless.” de Mello was given a Hoku Award in 2004 for his work as producer of an anthology of recordings by Keali‘iwahamana. He received the Sidney Grayson Award — the predecessor of the Hawai‘i Academy of Recording Arts Lifetime Achievement Award — in 1982. In addition to his son, de Mello is survived by his wife, Ilse, and granddaughter Kamokila de Mello. Service information is pending. | {
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Description: Natalie Joy Johnson (30 y.o.) from fully nude scenes in High Maintenance (s02, 2018). From first scene we have a fantastic full nudity in Natalie as she smokes from a bathrobe and then gets double teamed by two guys. From next video Natalie lays naked from bed with two guys and we get a nice look at her tits as she gets up. Third clip brings some great looks at Natalie's boobies as she gets soaped up from the shower. Slow motion scene. | {
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SIGNS OF CHANGE
by William Morris
What is the state of parties in England to-day? How shall we enumerate them? The Whigs, who stand first on the list in my title, are considered generally to be the survival of an old historical party once looked on as having democratic tendencies, but now the hope of all who would stand soberly on the ancient ways. Besides these, there are Tories also, the descendants of the stout defenders of Church and State and the divine right of kings.
Now, I don't mean to say but that at the back of this ancient name of Tory there lies a great mass of genuine Conservative feeling, held by people who, if they had their own way, would play some rather fantastic tricks, I fancy; nay, even might in the course of time be somewhat rough with such people as are in this hall at present(3). But this feeling, after all, is only a sentiment now; all practical hope has died out of it, and these worthy people CANNOT have their own way. It is true that they elect members of Parliament, who talk very big to please them, and sometimes even they manage to get a Government into power that nominally represents their sentiment, but when that happens the said Government is forced, even when its party has a majority in the House of Commons, to take a much lower standpoint than the high Tory ideal; the utmost that the real Tory party can do, even when backed by the Primrose League and its sham hierarchy, is to delude the electors to return Tories to Parliament to pass measures more akin to Radicalism than the Whigs durst attempt, so that, though there are Tories, there is no Tory party in England.
On the other hand, there is a party, which I can call for the present by no other name than Whig, which is both numerous and very powerful, and which does, in fact, govern England, and to my mind will always do so as long as the present constitutional Parliament lasts. Of course, like all parties it includes men of various shades of opinion, from the Tory-tinted Whiggery of Lord Salisbury to the Radical-tinted Whiggery of Mr. Chamberlain's present tail. Neither do I mean to say that they are conscious of being a united party; on the contrary, the groups will sometimes oppose each other furiously at elections, and perhaps the more simple-minded of them really think that it is a matter of importance to the nation which section of them may be in power; but they may always be reckoned upon to be in their places and vote against any measure which carries with it a real attack on our constitutional system; surely very naturally, since they are there for no other purpose than to do so. They are, and always must be, conscious defenders of the present system, political and economical, as long as they have any cohesion as Tories, Whigs, Liberals, or even Radicals. Not one of them probably would go such a very short journey towards revolution as the abolition of the House of Lords. A one-chamber Parliament would seem to them an impious horror, and the abolition of the monarchy they would consider a serious inconvenience to the London tradesman.
Now this is the real Parliamentary Party, at present divided into jarring sections under the influence of the survival of the party warfare of the last few generations, but which already shows signs of sinking its differences so as to offer a solid front of resistance to the growing instinct which on its side will before long result in a party claiming full economical as well as political freedom for the whole people.
But is there nothing in Parliament, or seeking entrance to it, except this variously tinted Whiggery, this Harlequin of Reaction? Well, inside Parliament, setting aside the Irish party, which is, we may now well hope, merely temporarily there, there is not much. It is not among people of "wealth and local influence," who I see are supposed to be the only available candidates for Parliament of a recognized party, that you will find the elements of revolution. We will grant that there are some few genuine Democrats there, and let them pass. But outside there are undoubtedly many who are genuine Democrats, and who have it in their heads that it is both possible and desirable to capture the constitutional Parliament and turn it into a real popular assembly, which, with the people behind it, might lead us peaceably and constitutionally into the great Revolution which all THOUGHTFUL men desire to bring about; all thoughtful men, that is, who do not belong to the consciously cynical Tories, i.e., men determined, whether it be just or unjust, good for humanity or bad for it, to keep the people down as long as they can, which they hope, very naturally, will be as long as they live.
To capture Parliament and turn it into a popular but constitutional assembly is, I must conclude, the aspiration of the genuine Democrats wherever they may be found; that is their idea of the first step of the Democratic policy. The questions to be asked of this, as of all other policies, are first, What is the end proposed by it? and secondly, Are they likely to succeed? As to the end proposed, I think there is much difference of opinion. Some Democrats would answer from the merely political point of view, and say: Universal suffrage, payment of members, annual Parliaments, abolition of the House of Lords, abolition of the monarchy, and so forth. I would answer this by saying: After all, these are not ends, but means to an end; and passing by the fact that the last two are not constitutional measures, and so could not be brought about without actual rebellion, I would say if you had gained all these things, and more, all you would have done would have been to establish the ascendancy of the Democratic party; having so established it, you would then have to find out by the usual party means what that Democratic party meant, and you would find that your triumph in mere politics would lead you back again exactly to the place you started from. You would be Whigs under a different name. Monarchy, House of Lords, pensions, standing army, and the rest of it, are only supports to the present social system--the PRIVILEGE based on the wages and capital system of production--and are worth nothing except as supports to it. If you are determined to support that system, therefore, you had better leave these things alone. The real masters of Society, the real tyrants of the people, are the Landlords and Capitalists, whom your political triumph would not interfere with.
Then, as now, there would be a proletariat and a moneyed class. Then, as now, it would be possible sometimes for a diligent, energetic man, with his mind set wholly on such success, to climb out of the proletariat into the moneyed class, there to sweat as he once was sweated; which, my friends, is, if you will excuse the word, your ridiculous idea of freedom of contract.
The sole and utmost success of your policy would be that it might raise up a strong opposition to the condition of things which it would be your function to uphold; but most probably such opposition would still be outside Parliament, and not in it; you would have made a revolution, probably not without bloodshed, only to show people the necessity for another revolution the very next day.
Will you think the example of America too trite? Anyhow, consider it! A country with universal suffrage, no king, no House of Lords, no privilege as you fondly think; only a little standing army, chiefly used for the murder of red-skins; a democracy after your model; and with all that, a society corrupt to the core, and at this moment engaged in suppressing freedom with just the same reckless brutality and blind ignorance as the Czar of all the Russias uses(4).
But it will be said, and certainly with much truth, that not all the Democrats are for mere political reform. I say that I believe that this is true, and it is a very important truth too. I will go farther, and will say that all those Democrats who can be distinguished from Whigs do intend social reforms which they hope will somewhat alter the relations of the classes towards each other; and there is, generally speaking, amongst Democrats a leaning towards a kind of limited State-Socialism, and it is through that that they hope to bring about a peaceful revolution, which, if it does not introduce a condition of equality, will at least make the workers better off and contented with their lot.
They hope to get a body of representatives elected to Parliament, and by them to get measure after measure passed which will tend towards this goal; nor would some of them, perhaps most of them, be discontented if by this means we could glide into complete State- Socialism. I think that the present Democrats are widely tinged with this idea, and to me it is a matter of hope that it is so; whatever of error there is in it, it means advance beyond the complete barrenness of the mere political programme.
Yet I must point out to these semi-Socialist Democrats that in the first place they will be made the cat's-paw of some of the wilier of the Whigs. There are several of these measures which look to some Socialistic, as, for instance, the allotments scheme, and other schemes tending toward peasant proprietorship, co-operation, and the like, but which after all, in spite of their benevolent appearance, are really weapons in the hands of reactionaries, having for their real object the creation of a new middle-class made out of the working-class and at their expense; the raising, in short, of a new army against the attack of the disinherited.
There is no end to this kind of dodge, nor will be apparently till there is an end of the class which tries it on; and a great many of the Democrats will be amused and absorbed by it from time to time. They call this sort of nonsense "practical;" it SEEMS like doing something, while the steady propaganda of a principle which must prevail in the end is, according to them, doing nothing, and is unpractical. For the rest, it is not likely to become dangerous, further than as it clogs the wheels of the real movement somewhat, because it is sometimes a mere piece of reaction, as when, for instance, it takes the form of peasant proprietorship, flying right in the face of the commercial development of the day, which tends ever more and more towards the aggregation of capital, thereby smoothing the way for the organized possession of the means of production by the workers when the true revolution shall come: while, on the other hand, when this attempt to manufacture a new middle-class takes the form of co-operation and the like, it is not dangerous, because it means nothing more than a slightly altered form of joint-stockery, and everybody almost is beginning to see this. The greed of men stimulated by the spectacle of profit-making all around them, and also by the burden of the interest on the money which they have been obliged to borrow, will not allow them even to approach a true system of co-operation. Those benefited by the transaction presently become eager shareholders in a commercial speculation, and if they are working-men, as they often are, they are also capitalists. The enormous commercial success of the great co- operative societies, and the absolute no-effect of that success on the social conditions of the workers, are sufficient tokens of what this non-political co-operation must come to: "Nothing--it shall not be less."
But again, it may be said, some of the Democrats go farther than this; they take up actual pieces of Socialism, and are more than inclined to support them. Nationalization of the land, or of railways, or cumulative taxation on incomes, or limiting the right of inheritance, or new factory laws, or the restriction by law of the day's labour--one of these, or more than one sometimes, the Democrats will support, and see absolute salvation in these one or two planks of the platform. All this I admit, and once again say it is a hopeful sign, and yet once again I say there is a snare in it--a snake lies lurking in the grass.
Those who think that they can deal with our present system in this piecemeal way very much underrate the strength of the tremendous organization under which we live, and which appoints to each of us his place, and if we do not chance to fit it, grinds us down till we do. Nothing but a tremendous force can deal with this force; it will not suffer itself to be dismembered, nor to lose anything which really is its essence without putting forth all its force in resistance; rather than lose anything which it considers of importance, it will pull the roof of the world down upon its head. For, indeed, I grant these semi-Socialist Democrats that there is one hope for their tampering piecemeal with our Society; if by chance they can excite people into seriously, however blindly, claiming one or other of these things in question, and could be successful in Parliament in driving it through, they would certainly draw on a great civil war, and such a war once let loose would not end but either with the full triumph of Socialism or its extinction for the present; it would be impossible to limit the aim of the struggle; nor can we even guess at the course which it would take, except that it could not be a matter of compromise. But suppose the Democratic party peaceably successful on this new basis of semi-State Socialism, what would it all mean? Attempts to balance the two classes whose interests are opposed to each other, a mere ignoring of this antagonism which has led us through so many centuries to where we are now, and then, after a period of disappointment and disaster, the naked conflict once more; a revolution made, and another immediately necessary on its morrow!
Yet, indeed, it will not come to that; for, whatever may be the aims of the Democrats, they will not succeed in getting themselves into a position from whence they could make the attempt to realize them. I have said there are Tories and yet no real Tory party; so also it seems to me that there are Democrats but no Democratic party; at present they are used by the leaders of the parliamentary factions, and also kept at a distance by them from any real power. If they by hook or crook managed to get a number of members into Parliament, they would find out their differences very speedily under the influence of party rule; in point of fact, the Democrats are not a party; because they have no principles other than the old Whig- Radical ones, extended in some cases so as to take in a little semi- Socialism which the march of events has forced on them--that is, they gravitate on one side to the Whigs and on the other to the Socialists. Whenever, if ever, they begin to be a power in the elections and get members in the House, the temptation to be members of a real live party which may have the government of the country in its hands, the temptation to what is (facetiously, I suppose) called practical politics, will be too much for many, even of those who gravitate towards Socialism; a quasi-Democratic parliamentary party, therefore, would probably be merely a recruiting ground, a nursery for the left wing of the Whigs; though it would indeed leave behind some small nucleus of opposition, the principles of which, however, would be vague and floating, so that it would be but a powerless group after all.
The future of the constitutional Parliament, therefore, it seems to me, is a perpetual Whig Rump, which will yield to pressure when mere political reforms are attempted to be got out of it, but will be quite immovable towards any real change in social and economical matters; that is to say, so far as it may be conscious of the attack; for I grant that it may be BETRAYED into passing semi-State- Socialistic measures, which will do this amount of good, that they will help to entangle commerce in difficulties, and so add to discontent by creating suffering; suffering of which the people will not understand the causes definitely, but which their instinct will tell them truly is brought about by GOVERNMENT, and that, too, the only kind of government which they can have so long as the constitutional Parliament lasts.
Now, if you think I have exaggerated the power of the Whigs, that is, of solid, dead, unmoving resistance to progress, I must call your attention to the events of the last few weeks. Here has been a measure of pacification proposed; at the least and worst an attempt to enter upon a pacification of a weary and miserable quarrel many centuries old. The British people, in spite of their hereditary prejudice against the Irish, were not averse to the measure; the Tories were, as usual, powerless against it; yet so strong has been the vis inertiae of Whiggery that it has won a notable victory over common-sense and sentiment combined, and has drawn over to it a section of those hitherto known as Radicals, and probably would have drawn all Radicals over but for the personal ascendancy of Mr. Gladstone. The Whigs, seeing, if but dimly, that this Irish Independence meant an attack on property, have been successful in snatching the promised peace out of the people's hands, and in preparing all kinds of entanglement and confusion for us for a long while in their steady resistance to even the beginnings of revolution.
This, therefore, is what Parliament looks to me: a solid central party, with mere nebulous opposition on the right hand and on the left. The people governed; that is to say, fair play amongst themselves for the money-privileged classes to make the most of their privilege, and to fight sturdily with each other in doing so; but the government concealed as much as possible, and also as long as possible; that is to say, the government resting on an assumed necessary eternity of privilege to monopolize the means of the fructification of labour.
For so long as that assumption is accepted by the ignorance of the people, the Great Whig Rump will remain inexpugnable, but as soon as the people's eyes are opened, even partially--and they begin to understand the meaning of the words, the Emancipation of Labour--we shall begin to have an assured hope of throwing off the basest and most sordid tyranny which the world has yet seen, the tyranny of so- called Constitutionalism.
How, then, are the people's eyes to be opened? By the force evolved from the final triumph and consequent corruption of Commercial Whiggery, which force will include in it a recognition of its constructive activity by intelligent people on the one hand, and on the other half-blind instinctive struggles to use its destructive activity on the part of those who suffer and have not been allowed to think; and, to boot, a great deal that goes between those two extremes.
In this turmoil, all those who can be truly called Socialists will be involved. The modern development of the great class-struggle has forced us to think, our thoughts force us to speak, and our hopes force us to try to get a hearing from the people. Nor can one tell how far our words will carry, so to say. The most moderate exposition of our principles will bear with it the seeds of disruption; nor can we tell what form that disruption will take.
One and all, then, we are responsible for the enunciation of Socialist principles and of the consequences which may flow from their general acceptance, whatever that may be. This responsibility no Socialist can shake off by declarations against physical force and in favour of constitutional methods of agitation; we are attacking the Constitution with the very beginnings, the mere lispings, of Socialism.
Whiggery, therefore, in its various forms, is the representative of Constitutionalism--is the outward expression of monopoly and consequent artificial restraints on labour and life; and there is only one expression of the force which will destroy Whiggery, and that is Socialism; and on the right hand and on the left Toryism and Radicalism will melt into Whiggery--are doing so now--and Socialism has got to absorb all that is not Whig in Radicalism.
Then comes the question, What is the policy of Socialism? If Toryism and Democracy are only nebulous masses of opposition to the solid centre of Whiggery, what can we call Socialism?
Well, at present, in England at least, Socialism is not a party, but a sect. That is sometimes brought against it as a taunt; but I am not dismayed by it; for I can conceive of a sect--nay, I have heard of one--becoming a very formidable power, and becoming so by dint of its long remaining a sect. So I think it is quite possible that Socialism will remain a sect till the very eve of the last stroke that completes the revolution, after which it will melt into the new Society. And is it not sects, bodies of definite, uncompromising principles, that lead us into revolutions? Was it not so in the Cromwellian times? Nay, have not the Fenian sect, even in our own days, made Home Rule possible? They may give birth to parties, though not parties themselves. And what should a sect like we are have to do in the parliamentary struggle--we who have an ideal to keep always before ourselves and others, and who cannot accept compromise; who can see nothing that can give us rest for a minute save the emancipation of labour, which will be brought about by the workers gaining possession of all the means of the fructification of labour; and who, even when that is gained, shall have pure Communism ahead to strive for?
What are we to do, then? Stand by and look on? Not exactly. Yet we may look on other people doing their work while we do ours. They are already beginning, as I have said, to stumble about with attempts at State Socialism. Let them make their experiments and blunders, and prepare the way for us by so doing. And our own business? Well, we- -sect or party, or group of self-seekers, madmen, and poets, which you will--are at least the only set of people who have been able to see that there is and has been a great class-struggle going on. Further, we can see that this class-struggle cannot come to an end till the classes themselves do: one class must absorb the other. Which, then? Surely the useful one, the one that the world lives by, and on. The business of the people at present is to make it impossible for the useless, non-producing class to live; while the business of Constitutionalism is, on the contrary, to make it possible for them to live. And our business is to help to make the people CONSCIOUS of this great antagonism between the people and Constitutionalism; and meantime to let Constitutionalism go on with its government unhelped by us at least, until it at last becomes CONSCIOUS of its burden of the people's hate, of the people's knowledge that it is disinherited, which we shall have done our best to further by any means that we could.
As to Socialists in Parliament, there are two words about that. If they go there to take a part in carrying on Constitutionalism by palliating the evils of the system, and so helping our rulers to bear their burden of government, I for one, and so far as their action therein goes, cannot call them Socialists at all. But if they go there with the intention of doing what they can towards the disruption of Parliament, that is a matter of tactics for the time being; but even here I cannot help seeing the danger of their being seduced from their true errand, and I fear that they might become, on the terms above mentioned, simply supporters of the very thing they set out to undo.
I say that our work lies quite outside Parliament, and it is to help to educate the people by every and any means that may be effective; and the knowledge we have to help them to is threefold--to know their own, to know how to take their own, and to know how to use their own.
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If you've ever eaten a whole pint of ice cream in one sitting, you probably know what it's like to want to travel back in time fifteen minutes and tell yourself to quit being such a fatass. This is a blog of a bunch of gifs of people un-eating their food just to make you feel better. You're welcome.
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Photo: Courtesy
Raising children of character is a daunting task, so there’s no better time to start than when they’re young! As a parent, you’re right at the centre of that process. It’s impossible to overestimate how important a role you play in rearing your child.
Most parents feel overwhelmed by the complexity of the job. With so many things to worry about, how do you know the real tasks and goals of parenting?
Many mothers and fathers become discouraged or don’t know where to start. However, there is a road map for creating character in your children to function properly in the world.
The first step is to realise that:
*Your task is to develop a little person into an adult. The issue along the way is not simply about the child being good, but about having good character.
*Character is the sum of our abilities to deal with life.
*As a child grows up, parents transfer more and more freedom and responsibility from their shoulders to their child’s.
There are three fundamental factors in effective parenting:
1. The value of love:
Relationship is central to parenting. To develop, your child is going to need to be deeply related to you and others, and you are going to have to keep relationship as a goal of her development.
2. The value of truth:
Children cannot be loved too much, but they can be disciplined too little. As a parent, you’re a dispenser of truth and reality. The goal is to have your child become a person of truth, living in wisdom.
3. The value of freedom:
You must require responsibility from your children. Then you’ll be helping them grow into free people who have learned how to use their freedom to choose good things -- things like love, responsibility, service and accomplishment.
You have to appreciate, though, that because children have free will, there is no guarantee they will turn out right. You’re responsible for the process.
Aspects of character
Connectedness is the most basic and important character ability. This is the ability to form relationships. Children need to learn to need, trust, depend, and have empathy for others. When your child falls down and bruises her knee, your comfort helps her to experience and learn the value of reaching out.
The second important aspect of character is responsibility. Your child is born thinking her life is your problem. But part of growing character is helping her to take ownership over her life and to see her life as her problem.
Reality is the ability to accept the negatives of the real world. You need to help her deal with loss, failure and evil, not only in herself, but in others and in the world.
Another important aspect of character is competence.
Children need training to develop their gifts and talents. They need to develop their skill not only in specialty areas such as art, sports or science, but also in everyday matters, such as decision making, judgment and work ethics. | {
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PARIS — Emmanuel Macron’s attempt to fix the French economy, boost growth and create jobs is a race against time.
But the French president may not reap the rewards from one of the biggest tasks he has set out to accomplish during his first term in office.
As a participant in our Global Policy Lab brainstorm noted last week, the French unemployment rate has only fallen below 7 percent once in the last 30 years — in the first quarter of 2008, just a few months before the financial crisis hit full force.
The country suffers from severe so-called structural unemployment — people unlikely to get jobs in the absence of a deep overhaul of the way the economy is structured — no matter how strong a recovery.
Macron warned throughout his campaign that his performance should be judged over time. But even the time he has left in his term — four-and-a-half years — may not be enough for him to produce decisive results on which he can campaign for reelection.
The emphasis put on math in education, as early as primary school, allows the country to train top-notch engineers and managers.
As a result, the French president is racing on two tracks. He's looking for measures that can produce immediate results (and political gains) but also the long-term reform on which his legacy will depend.
Ahead of the next election, he can goose the economy with short-term measures that have immediate impact — like cuts to payroll taxes — to reassure business that he will pursue a predictable pro-growth policy. But Macron's most important, long-lasting economic reform will have a much more extended gestation period — with little political upside in the short term.
Overhauling the country’s education system will require a lot of energy, not least because it goes to the heart of some of France’s ingrained cultural problems.
France is characterized by a big educational chasm. The emphasis put on math in education, as early as primary school, allows the country to train top-notch engineers and managers. The math wizards have turned from engineers to bankers in the last 20 years, and the City of London is peopled with French financial whiz kids.
As for business schools, France occupies three slots in the Financial Times’ top 10 ranking of the best executive MBAs. German business schools, on the other hand, are nowhere to be seen — but who needs business schools when your businesses are strong enough as they are?
Last and increasingly least, France has long been known for training top-echelon civil servants — some of whom have ended up managing big world organizations like the International Monetary Fund or the World Trade Organization. But the country’s civil service isn’t what it used to be, and even the once-famed ENA (École Nationale d’Administration) is now running into trouble recruiting the best and the brightest.
France’s higher education problem is that, as another participant in our roundtable discussion noted, its system “sometimes trains engineers only to see them go work abroad.” That wouldn’t be a problem in itself if the movement went both ways and skilled specialists came to work in France as well. Since France’s top companies in recent years have tended to relocate abroad, this has become less likely.
Below the top-level math and business whiz kids, the general skill level of the working population, however, drops abruptly — as confirmed year after year by the regular OECD survey on adult skills.
Those who fall out of the education system have trouble ever entering the workforce. And people with low qualifications tend to lose jobs faster during downturns, and remain longer on the welfare rolls.
This French disease is well documented. Macron stands out less for the ideas he promotes than for his apparent decisiveness in wanting to implement them. “It’s no longer possible to know at age 20 what one will do at 50,” his campaign platform proclaimed, arguing that workers should receive the right to “whole-life” training, helping them to adapt to a job market increasingly characterized by mobility.
Macron’s idea is to take some of the training powers away from companies to empower workers.
Even if Macron implements the long list of measures he advocates, he will be faced with the daunting task of fighting some of France’s deep-rooted archaisms. Take the modest idea of shaking up the inefficient vocational training system — where some 70,000 players fight over a €30 billion-a-year business in total opacity, allowing for a healthy dose of fraud.
The mere idea of setting up a system to evaluate and rank the training organisms — as is routinely done in Germany — is bound to trigger a turf war between competing lobbies.
Macron’s idea is to take some of the training powers away from companies to empower workers, who will have to take some responsibility for their own so-called permanent education. The long overdue reform has been welcomed by independent experts.
Mathilde Lemoine, an economist, insisted recently in a Figaro interview that the French system had put much too much emphasis on training people for specific jobs and not competences. That turned into a major obstacle to workers' mobility, she argued.
Lemoine is the co-author of a report on the matter, published and presented to the government in 2010. Seven years later, she has some reason to note: “Precious time has been wasted.”
Macron will be judged in no small part on whether he can stop time from slipping away.
The POLITICO Global Policy Lab is a collaborative journalism project seeking solutions to challenges faced by modern economies in an age of political disruption and technological transformation. Join the community. | {
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The 2017 BHoF application season is now officially open! Apply now to compete in the 27th Annual Tournament of Tease or showcase your act in Movers, Shakers & Innovators.
As in previous years, we will be using the fabulous online application system hosted on TroupeIT. Be sure to read the Rules of Entry and Judging Criteria, then head to www.troupeIT.com/bhof and get your application started TODAY!
Did you apply last year? Use the same login to access the system. If not, sign up for an account today – simply enter your email address and create a password.After you have logged in, the dashboard will guide you and show your progress towards completing your application for submission.
As a reminder, membership in the Burlesque Hall of Fame is now a prerequisite for performance application. If you have not yet joined as a member, you can do so easily here. Your year-long membership will help our non-profit organization continue to preserve, share, celebrate and inspire the art of burlesque!
Here are the important deadlines for the application season:
EARLY BIRD DEADLINE: Submit your application in full by Monday, December 19, 2016 and your application fee will be discounted to $29.
The final deadline for application submission is Monday, January 16, 2017.
Questions? Contact us at [email protected] | {
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Unfortunately for those of us with crappy internet, digital downloads of PS4 games will clock in at around 50 gigabytes.
Sony Worldwide Studios boss Shuhei Yoshida has been debunking rumours left and right in the wake of Sony's big PlayStation 4 reveal event, and this time he has told The Guardian that all PS4 games will be available as digital downloads. He said that users downloading PS4 games might want to take advantage of the PS4's ability to download games and updates in standby mode, as they will clock in at a massive 50 gigabytes. For contrast, new release PC games downloaded via Steam average anywhere from 5-15 gigabytes. Those of you who still prefer to buy physical, worry not, for the PS4 will still focus on discs for the next few years.
"We're shifting our platform more and more to the digital side - PS4 will be similar to PS Vita in that every game will be available as a digital download, and some will also be available as a disc," Yoshida said, in response to a question about how the PS4 will better support smaller development studios. "The Witness will be a digital release and because of the flexibility of the digital distribution scheme, we can have more small games that might be free or available for a couple of dollars, or different services like free-to-play or subscription models."
Yoshida claims that the focus on digital downloads and cloud computing is to make the gaming experience more instantaneous. He wants playing a game to be like watching a TV show. You should be able to turn it on and play straight away without having to sit around waiting for patches and downloads. "Waiting for downloads - That's ridiculous, that's crazy! We want to get out of this madness with PlayStation 4. The games are big, they're 50GB; download isn't instantaneous. So we're making purchase available from any device, so when you're at work, you can spend a couple of moments looking at PlayStation Store and choosing a game, and straight away it starts to download at home."
PS4 downloads will utilize a "progressive download" system, says Yoshida, which means you won't have to wait for the whole thing to download before you start playing. "Once you have the minimum amount of data downloaded you can begin the game, and while you play, the remaining data downloads."
Currently, a large number of PS3 games are available as digital downloads at a cheaper price than their physical retail versions. The success of PSN, Xbox Live Arcade and Steam have pushed digital distribution into the forefront this generation. Downloaded titles on the PS3's PSN, including full PS3 games and digital-only titles like Castle Crashers and Fat Princess, won't transfer to the PS4.
Source: The Guardian | {
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“Antik Yunanistan’ı anlamak istiyorsanız, Sicilya’ya gelin.” (Douglas Sladen, 1901)
Sicilya 10 bin yıldan uzun süredir çok sayıda etnik gruptan etkilenmiş olup, adeta İtalya’nın erime potası olmuştur. MÖ 9 binlerden MÖ 1200’lere dek adada kökeni henüz bilinmeyen tarımcı topluluklar ikamet etmiştir. Siculi veya Secel adı verilen halkın adanın doğu kıyılarına İtalyan yarımadasından, Sicani halkının ise adanın batı kıyılarına İspanya veya Kuzey Afrika’dan gelip yerleştiği sanılmaktadır. MÖ 2. Binlerde Miken hâkimiyetine giren ada, MÖ 1.000 yılından sonra Fenike, Kartaca, Yunan ve Roma yerleşimine sahne olmuştur. Roma İmparatorluğu‘nun yıkılmasından sonra ada Vandallardan Bizans, Araplar, Fransız Normanlar, Alman Hohenstaufen, İspanyol Aragon, Avusturya Hapsburg, İspanyol Bourbon, Napolyon Fransası ve son olarak İtalyan Birliliğinin eline geçmiştir. II. Dünya Savaşı sırasında İngilizler ve Amerikalılar adayı kısa süreliğine yönetmiştir. Sicilya, modern İtalya devletinin en büyük bölgesi ve Akdeniz’deki en büyük ada olup, konumu, doğal kaynakları ve Akdeniz ticaret yolları üzerinde önemli bir stratejik üs olduğundan tarih boyunca çok sayıda işgal yaşamıştır. Romalı devlet adamı Cicero (MÖ 106-43) Syracuse’yı Yunan dünyasının, Arap gezgin ve haritacı Muhammed Şerif el-İdrîsî (1100 Septe – 1166 Palermo) ise Palermo’nun ve Orta Çağ’ın en büyük ve en güzel şehirleri olarak tanımlamıştır.
Sicilya’nın Kolonizasyonu
Yunanlılar, MÖ 800’lerden itibaren Sicilya’nın küçük adaları ve kıyı bölgesine yerleşmeye başlamış, Magna Graecia (Megara Hellas) olarak anılan Sicilya ve Güney İtalya bir süre sonra Yunanistan’ın kendisinden daha fazla Yunanlıya ev sahipliği yapmıştır. Yunan kolonistler birkaç yüzyıl içerisinde Sicani, Sicel (Siculi) ve Elymia (Elimi) gibi adanın yerli halklarını asimile etmenin ötesinde adanın hâkimiyeti için Kartacalılara meydan okumuşlardır. MÖ 700’de Yunanistan ana karasında bile birleşik bir devlet olmayıp, Atina ve Sparta arasındaki rekabet örneğindeki gibi Yunan şehirleri sık sık kendi aralarında savaşıyordu. Bu dönemde Sicilya’nın en büyük Yunan kentleri Yunanistan, Ege ve Doğu Akdeniz’deki çeşitli şehirlerden gelenlerin yanı sıra Sicilya’nın Helen kültürüne adapte olmuş yerlilerini barındırmaktaydı ve çoğunlukla Kartacalılar ile savaş durumundaydı. Yunan toplumu, Doğu Akdeniz kültürlerinden (özellikle Asurlular, Babiller ve Mısırlılar) etkilenmişse de aynı şekilde Yunan kültürü, en azından Etrüskler kadar eski Roma toplumunu geliştirmiş ve etkilemiştir. Roma kültürünün temelini oluşturan Yunan sanatı ve felsefesi, Roma İmparatorluğu döneminde asırlar boyunca Akdeniz dünyasına egemen olmuştur. Yunan kültürü bir yere dek Pers, Fenike ve Roma kültürleriyle birleşmişse de aynı zamanda kendi başına benzersiz bir fenomeni temsil etmiştir. Yunanlılar doğudan batıya doğru tüm adayı kolonileştirmiş, Kuzeybatı Sicilya’daki Elymia (Elimi) halkını da kısa sürede asimile etmiş, adada arkeologların bile birini diğerinden ayırt edemeyeceği denli hâkim bir kültür ortaya koymuşlardır. Sicilya, Yunan mitolojisindeki pek çok efsaneye, büyük Yunan tapınak ve amfitiyatrolarına ev sahipliği yapacak denli Yunan kimlik ve tarihinin önemli bir parçası olup, Arşimed’in doğum yeri olan Sicilya kenti Syracuse (Siracusa), Atina’ya rakip olacak denli güç ve prestij sahibi olmuştur.
Sicilya’da Fenikeliler
Yunan dilinin alfabesi Fenike dillerine dayanmakta olup, Orta çağ başlarına dek Sicilya’nın yerel konuşma ve yazı diliydi. Roma döneminde Latince Sicilya’nın “resmi” dili olmuşsa da ancak Sicilya’da ancak eğitimli Romalılar tarafından da konuşulurken halk Yunanca konuşmaya devam etmiştir. Fenikelilerin ve Kartacalıların ada kültürüne katkısı göz ardı edilmemelidir ama bunların siyasi dolayısıyla kültürel hâkimiyetlerin kısa ömürlü ve büyük ölçüde batı Sicilya ile sınırlı olduğunu unutulmamalıdır. MÖ 10. yüzyılda Fenikeliler, Tire’den (Lübnan) Batı Sicilya’ya geldiler. Fenike ‘gauloi’ ya da yuvarlak gemisi bilinen ilk uzun menzilli yolcu gemisi idi ve Lübnan’dan Cebelitarık Boğazı’na (Herkül Sütunları) yelken açabiliyordu. Yuvarlak gövdeli, eğri kıçlı, güverte merkezindeki dev bir dikdörtgen yelkene sahip gauloi tekneleri Fenikeliler’i bilinmeyen topraklara taşımıştır. Fenikeli tüccarlar, Lübnan’dan selvi ve sedir, Kıbrıs’tan bakır, İspanya’dan gümüş, Etiyopya’dan altın, Hindistan’dan Fildişi, Tyre’den cam ve mücevher, Yunanistan’dan çanak çömlek, Mısır’dan tahıl, papirüs ve Anadolu’dan (Kilikya ve Phyrgia) köle aldılar. Yün, keten, pamuk ve ipekle takas ettiler, ancak Antik dünyanın en değerli ve değerli lüks eşyalarından biri, murex bolinus yumuşakça bezlerinin mor rengi boyası (Sur moru)[1] veya onları zengin ve ünlü yapmıştır. (Ayrıca Oku: Argonautlar Karadeniz’e Neden Geldi?). Fenike muhteşem bir biçimde zengin olmasına rağmen, kentlerini savunmada o kadar iyi değildiler ki Tyr kenti MÖ 9. Yüzyılda Asurlularca fethedilince ticari faaliyetlerini Kuzey Afrika’da, Kartaca (Yeni Şehir) olarak adlandırdıkları bir kolonilerine taşımak zorunda kaldılar. Coğrafi olarak, Kartaca[2], Sicilya’nın güneybatısındadır ve dolayısıyla Kartacalılar adanın batı tarafında Zis (Palermo), Himera (Cefalu’nun yanında), Soluntum (Solunto) ve bir ada kalesi olan Motya’nın (şimdi San Pantaleo) ticaret merkezlerini geliştirmiştir. Marsala’da murex bolinus yumuşakçalarını toplayıp değerli sur moru boyalarını üretmişlerdir.
Sicilya’da Miken Varlığı
Sicilya’nın bazı bölgelerinde, özellikle İyonya Denizi kıyılarındaki limanlarda MÖ 1400 öncesinde ticaret amacıyla adaya gelen Miken varlığı kanıtlanmıştır.
Mikenlerin Sicilya’nın kuzey kıyısındaki Aeolian Adaları en büyüğü olan Lipari adasında obsidiyen ile ilgilendikleri sanılmaktadır. Homer’in Odysseia destanında rüzgâr tanrısı Aeolus’un Odysseus’a (Ulysses) rüzgârla dolu olan ve gemisinin Ithaca’ya geri dönmesini sağlamak için rüzgarla dolu bir deri çanta verdiği bir bölüm bulunmaktadır. Odysseia destanı incelendiğinde yazarının Sicilya’ya bizzat gelip görmüş olduğunu düşündüren detaylar bulunmaktadır. Aeolian Adaları Campania‘daki Vezüv Yanardağı‘ndan ve Sicilya’daki Etna Dağı’na uzanan aktif bir volkanik takımada boyunca yer almakta olup, bunlardan Lipari, Monte Pilato volkanına ev sahipliği yapmaktadır. 14.000 yıl önce patlayan Pilato’dan çıkan lavlar adaya, MÖ 2. Binli yılların dünyasında en iyi Obsidyen kaynağı sağlamıştır. Hızlı soğuyup, sertleşen lavlardan nadiren oluşan siyah ve cam gibi yapısıyla obsidyen Neolitik dönemde popüler olan çakmaktaşı silahlardan daha sert ve silah haline getirmesi kolay stratejik bir madde olmuştur.
Yunan Kolonizasyonu
Yunanistan anakarasındaki ardı arkası gelmeyen savaşlar ile açlık tehlikesi İtalya’da Yunanistan’dan daha fazla arazinin olduğunu düşünen Yunanlıların görece daha ilkel kabilelerin yaşadığı Sican bölgesine (Sikelia) göç etmelerine yol açtı. İlk kalıcı Yunan yerleşimin MÖ 735 civarında Naxos’ta (Taormina’nın yakınında şimdi Giardini Naxos) Chalcisli (günümüz Euboea, Yunanistan) kolonist grubu gerçekleştiği sanılmaktadır ki hemen ardından büyük çapta hızlı bir kolonileşme yaşanmıştır. O dönemde iyi havalarda Sicilya’ya anavatandan sadece 12 günlük bir yolculukla ulaşılabiliyordu. Birkaç yıl sonra Corinthli kolonistler Syracuse (Siracusa) kentini kurarken aynı dönemde Zancle’da (Messina) kurulmuştur ki her iki yerleşimde daha önceden Yunanlıların bildiği liman yerleşimleriydi. Kolonistler, Sicilya’nın zengin volkanik toprağını, Yunanistan’ın kurak kurak topraklarından çok daha iyi, mükemmel bir tarım arazisi olarak buldular. Kolonistler ürettikleri tarım ürünlerini Yunanistan’dan gelen çanak çömlek, giysi, baharat, alet ve metal kap ile değiştirmiştir. MÖ 728’de Yunanistan’daki Megara’dan gelen göçmenler İyonya kıyılarında Megara (veya Augusta yakınlarındaki Megara Hyblaea) gibi yerleşimler kurarken Katane (Catania), aşağı yukarı aynı dönemde Rodos ve Girit’ten gelen kolonistlerle Gela kurulmuştur. Bu döneme kadar Yunanlılar Doğu’ya, Kartacalılar Batı’da kalmış, ticaret yoluyla etkileşime girmişlerse de birbirlerinden uzak durmayı tercih etmişlerdir. Selinus (Selinunte) ile Gelalılarca MÖ 580’de kurulan Akragas (Agrigento) ise daha geç Yunan şehirleridir ki bu dönemden itibaren Tyrant Hipokratları (MÖ 498 – MÖ 491) yönetimi altında Gelalılar Sicilya’nın güneydoğusundaki komşu kolonilerin çoğunu fethetmiştir. Hipokrat, savaşta öldürüldüğünde yerini süvari komutanı Gelon devralmış, o da tüm Doğu Sicilya’yı kendi yönetiminde toplamakla kalmamış, vermeyenleri fethetmiştir. Gelon, fetihlerinden ve Akragas’ın kraliyet ailesi ile evlilik yoluyla bağ kurduktan sonra dünyanın en önemli şehirlerinden biri olacak Syracuse’yı inşa etmeye başlamıştır. Sicilya’nın yerlisi Elimi (Elymia) halkının yaşadığı Egesta (Segesta) kenti ise bu dönemde yavaş yavaş Helenleşmiş, Sicel halkı ise asimilasyona bir süre daha direnmiştir.
Yunanlılar Neden Sicilya’ya Geldiler?
Yunanistan’da yaşayan Helenler bağımsız şehir devletlerinde yaşamaktalarsa da ortak dil ve din birliğine sahiptiler. MÖ 3 binlerde Minos (Girit) halkı Ege Denizi’ne
hükmederken, Yunanistan’ın güneyinde Mikenler MÖ 1450 yıllarında Doğu Sicilya’da küçük ticaret kolonileri kurmuşlardır. Tam açıklanamayan sebeplerle MÖ 1200’lerde Miken Krallığı ve Peloponnesus’taki yerleşimler yok olmuş, Kuzey Yunanistan’daki Dorlar bölgeyi işgal ederken Miken halkı Küçük Asya’ya sığınmak zorunda kalmıştır. Yunanistan’da MÖ 800’e dek süren Karanlık Çağ başlamış Yunanlılar Sicilya’ya ve diğer Akdeniz bölgelerine ve Karadeniz’e yerleşerek yeni koloniler kurmuş, aynı dönemde Fenikelilerden etkilenerek geliştirilen Yunan alfabe de yaygınlaşmıştır. Demokratik fikirlere ve sofistike felsefeye rağmen, Yunanlılar genellikle yabancıları barbar olarak adlandırdıkları yabancıları küçümserdi buna karşılık bu terimi Yunanlılardan ödünçleyen Romalılar yabancılara vatandaşlık vermeye ve aralarına almaya daha açıktılar. MÖ 500’den önceki yıllarda Persler, Küçük Asya’daki Yunan şehir devletlerini ele geçirdiyse de Atinalılar Pers ordusunu Marathon’da MÖ 490’da mağlup etti. On yıl sonra da Fenikelilerin desteklediği Pers donanması, Salamis Körfezi’nde yenildi. Sicilya’da bulunan Yunan kolonistler adadaki Fenikelilerin Persleri desteklemesinden memnun kalmadığından ilişkiler iyice gerildi. MÖ 480’de Himera’daki (Ἱμέρα) Kartaca kuvvetlerinin yenilgisi bu antipatinin sonuçlarındandır.
Syracusa Tarihi
Daha önce sözünü ettiğim Yunan kolonilerini birleştiren Gelon’un genişlemesi, adanın batı tarafındaki Kartaca kolonileri tarafından fark edilince Kartaca ve Yunan kolonileri arasındaki ilk büyük ihtilaf olan Himera Muharebesi yaşanmış, Yunan tarafının abartılmış olması muhtemel verilerine göre Gelon komutasındaki 55 bin Yunan, 300 bin Kartacalıyı yenmiştir. Sonuçta Gelon’un elde ettiği ganimetler Siracusae’deki (Syracuse) güç üssünü inşa etmesini sağlamışsa da Syracuse ve Kartaca önümüzdeki 340 yıl boyunca savaşmaya devam etmiştir. Gelon’un yaptığı ilk iş topladığı ganimetle tanrıça Athena’ya Siracusa’da MÖ 6. Yüzyılda Dor sitilinde inşa edilen Apollon Tapınağı’nın tasarımını aşağı yukarı kopyalanarak yeni tapınak inşa ettirmek olmuştur. MS 7. yüzyılda bir kiliseye dönüştürülen ve Syracuse Duomo adı verilen Athena Tapınağı hala ayaktadır. Himera zaferinden sonra Gelon,
Kartacalı mahkumları Tapınak yapımında işçi olarak kullandı ve henüz tamamlanmadan şimdi Galermi Kemeri olarak bilinen 46 kmlik bir Su Kemeri üzerinde çalışmaya başladı. Gelon MÖ 478’de iki projesinin de sonlandığını göremeden ölünce başa geçen erkek kardeşi Hieron, MÖ 474 tarihli Napoli’nin güneyinde Cumae Savaşı’nda istilacı Etrüskleri yenmek için Messina Boğazı’nı İtalya anakarasına geçerek Yunan genişlemesine devam etti. Her zaferle hazineyi daha da doldurunca Hieron servetini kentin refahını arttırmanın yanı sıra, egemen bir sınıf oluşturma, tapınaklar ve kamu binaları inşa etmek ve tarihin ilk gizli polis gücünü oluşturmak için kullandı. Hieron’un Syracuse’ye armağanlarından biri, Ortygia Adası’ndan 20 dakikalık yürüme mesafesinde yer alan Parco Archeologico della Neapolis’te ayakta kalmayı başaran 15.000 seyirci alabilen 59 sıra oturma sırasına sahip güzel yamaç tiyatrosudur.[3] Tiyatronun ilk yıllarında, o sırada Syracuse’de yaşayan Aeschylus, Simonides ve Pindar tarafından yazılan çağdaş oyunlar sahnelenmekteydi. Bu tiyatroda hala her yıl Mayıs-Haziran ayları arasında Aeschylus ve diğerleri tarafından yazılan oyunlar Eski Yunan Tiyatro Festivali’nde seyirciyle buluşuyor. Neyse konuya dönersek Hieron MÖ 467’de öldüğünde, Syracuse Sicilya’nın yarıdan fazlasını kontrol ediyordu.
Atina ile Sparta Rekabeti
Perslerin yenilgisinden sonra Yunan Altın Çağı başlamışsa da kuzey ve güney Yunanlılar arasında bir rekabet sertleşmişi, Atina ile Sparta arasındaki Peloponez Savaşı, MÖ 431’de başlamış ve kalıcı barış ancak MÖ 404’de sağlanmıştır. Atina, savaştan önce Yunanistan’daki en güçlü Şehir Devleti iken Sparta’nın galip gelmesiyle Atina’nın gücü kırıldı. MÖ 416’da Atina ve Syracuse arasındaki bir ateşkes sırasında Atina, kasasını doldurmak ve Sparta’ya ekonomik olarak zarar vermek amacıyla Sicilya’daki en zengin şehir hatta antik dünyanın en zengin şehirlerinden birisi olan Syracuse’yi istila etmeye kalkmıştır. Atina çok daha büyük bir askeri güce sahip olduğundan Syracuse’un kolay bir hedef olacağını düşünüyor, Sicilya’nın en büyük ihracatı olan engin tahıl kaynaklarını kontrol altına alarak Sparta’nın gıda kaynağını kesmeyi amaçlıyordu. MÖ 415’te Atina, 100 gemi ve 5.100 asker, okçular, mızraklılar, piyade ve süvarilerden oluşan sefer kuvvetlerini 2. yılının sonunda 200 gemi ve 10 bin askere çıkarmış hatta yanlarına Sicilyalı Egesta (Segesta) kentini müttefik olarak almayı başarmışlardır. 2 yıllık kuşatmanın ardından beceriksiz Sicilyalı müttefikleri ve Atina kuvvetleri kuşatmayı kaldırma kararı alarak Atina’ya geri çekilmeyi kabul etmiştir. Bununla birlikte MÖ 28 Ağustos 413 gecesi atina kuvvetlerinin komutanı Nicias, kararını rahiplerine danışınca 27 gün beklemesi tavsiye edilmiştir. Syracuse donanması, Atina gemilerini limanda sabitlemeyi başarırken, Syracuse komutanı Hermocrates nihai saldırıya geçerek 7.000’den fazla Atinalı ve Sicilyalı müttefikleri esir almayı geri kalanı öldürmeyi başarmıştır. Hermocrates mahkumları alışageldiği üzere köle olarak satmak yerine şehrin kuzeyindeki taş ocaklarında çalışmaya zorlamış esirlerin çoğu hepsi yetersiz beslenme ve ağır çalışma şartları yüzünden ölmüştür. Bu taş ocağı şimdi Ortygia adasına 20 dakikalık yürüme mesafesinde Riviera Dionisio il Grande’nin sonunda Latomia dei Cappuccini olarak bilinmektedir. Atinalıların yenilgisi, Atina ve diğer Yunan şehir devletlerinin Sicilya şehirleri üzerindeki gücünü etkili bir şekilde sona erdirmişse de Kartaca ile çatışma devam etmiştir. MÖ 409’da Kartacalılar Himera ve Selinus’a saldırarak kentleri yok etmiştir. Hermocrates, Peloponnes Savaşı yeniden başladığında Sparta saflarında savaşmaya devam etmişse de Cyzicus Muharebesinde yenilmiş, rütbesinden azledilince bir darbe ile geri almak istemişse de MÖ 407’de bir sokak kavgasında ölmüştür. MÖ 406’da Dionysius, Syracuse’un yüksek askeri komutanı seçilmiş, kente tiran olarak 39 yıl boyunca hükmetmiştir. Dionysius, Atina ile müttefik olan kuzey kolonilerini yok edip bütün nüfuslarını köle olarak satmış, yerel düşmanlarıyla işini bitirdikten sonra Syracuse çevresine 27 km uzunluğunda bir sur inşa etmeye başlamıştır. MÖ 398’de Batı Sicilya’ya sefer düzenleyen ve Kartaca’ya savaş ilan etmişse de Kartaca, Syracuse filosunu Lilybaeum kıyılarında yok ettiğinde barış istemek zorunda kalmıştır. 22 yıl süren barıştan sona erdiğinde Syracuse ve Kartaca yeniden çatışmışsa ama sonunda Romalılar gelip ikisini de tarih sahnesinden silmiştir. 65 yaşında oğlu II. Dionysius tarafından zehirlenerek öldürülen Dionysius son yıllarını tiyatro ile uğraşmaya adamıştır.
Demokles’in Kılıcı
Dionysius’un tarihe geçen yönü ise genellikle politikacıların kullandığı bir deyim olan ‘Demokles’in kılıcı’öyküsünün kahramanı olmasındandır. Damocles veya Demokles, Dionysius mahkemesinin bir üyesi olup, gücü, serveti ve zengin festivalleri tirana yağ çeken ilginç bir karakterdi ki Dionysos, tiran olmanın rahat ve güzel olduğunu savunan Demokles’e ders vermek için onu yemeğe davet etmiştir. Tiran Dionysius, Demokels’i bir tel at kuyruğuyla tavana bağlanmış, her an düşebilecekmiş gibi duran ağır bir kılıcın altındaki koltuğa oturmuş ve ona iktidarın aslında ne kadar zor olduğunu, her an ölüm tehlikesiyle burun buruna yaşadığını göstermek istemiştir. Dionysius’a bir atıfta 1585 yılında Syracuse’yi ziyaret eden ve 23 metre yüksekliğinde bir kireçtaşı mağarası gören Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio’nun bugün Neapolis Arkeoloji Parkı’nda bulunan kulak formundaki mağaraya ‘Dionysius’un Kulağı’ adını vermesidir. Bir efsaneye göre, Dionysius mağaraya siyasi mahkumlar koymuş, konuşmalarını duymak için kulak şeklinin yankısını kullanmıştır. Magna Graecia döneminde kazıldığı sanılan mağara su deposu için veya taş ocağı olarak kullanılmış olmalıdır ki Dionysius’un düşmanları için bir işkence kampı olarak kullanılmadığı bellidir.
Roma Egemenliği ve Batı Uygarlığının Temelinde Yunan Kültürü
MÖ 338’de, bir dizi savaştan sonra, Yunan şehir devletleri Makedon kralı Büyük İskender tarafından fethedildi. İskender, Yunanistan’dan İran’a uzanan büyük bir imparatorluk kurdu. İskenderin ölümünden sonra ‘Hellenistik Çağ’ gelişti ve Yunan kültürü, İskender’in ele geçirdiği toprakları etkiledi doğuda sınırlı olan bu etki Yunanistan’a yakın bölgelerde daha güçlü oldu hatta Makedonlar bile büyük ölçüde Helenleşti. Roma ve Kartaca, MÖ 508’de barış ve ticaret anlaşması imzalamışsa da MÖ 3. yüzyılda Roma, İtalya Yarımadası’nda bir dizi savaşın ardından güçlü bir ulusa dönüşünce daha çok toprağa sahip olmuş, daha fazla nüfusa sahip olunca da insanları beslemek için daha fazla tahıla ihtiyaç duyduğundan tahıl deposu Sicilya’ya doğru genişlemek istemişlerdir. Kartaca ve Roma arasındaki ilk Pön Savaşı 23 yıl sürdü. Roma deniz savaşlarında acemi olduğundan birkaç feci mağlubiyetten sonra, nihayet denizde ile nasıl savaşılacağını öğrendi ve MÖ 241’de kazanmayı başardı. 1. Pön Savaşı’ndan 23 yıl sonra, Hannibal Alpleri geçti ve Roma’ya saldırdı. Böylece 2. Pön Savaşı başladı. Bu savaş 17 yıl sürdü ve MÖ 201’de zafer bir kez daha Roma’ya gitti. 10 yıl sonra Yaşlı Cato “Carthago delenda est” (Carthage yok edilmeli) dedikten sonra Roma uzun savaşı bitirdi ve MÖ 146’da Carthage’ı tamamen yok etti. Sicilya’nın en büyük Yunan şehri olan Syracuse, MÖ 212’de Romalılarca ele geçirildi.
Arşimet
Romalıların Syracuse Kuşatması MÖ 214 – 212 yılları arasında tam 2 yıl sürmüştür. Roma çok daha büyük bir savaş gücü olmakla birlikte Syracuse’un Arşimet adında gizli bir silahı vardı. Aristokrat bir astronomun oğlu, tüm zamanların en büyük zihinlerinden biri olan Arşimet filozof, matematikçi, fizikçi, astronom ve mucit olup, Arşimet Prensibi adıyla bilinen yoğunluk hesaplamasını keşfettikten sonra sarf ettiği ‘Eureka’ (Buldum) sözüyle popüler kültüre geçmiştir. Arşimet’İn yaptığı savaş makineleri yüzünden kudretli Roma’nın Syracuse’u yenmesi 2 yıl sürmüştür. Romalılar şehre girdiğinde, General Marcus Claudius Marcellus, askerlerine Arşimed’e zarar vermemeyi emretmişti Roma’ya onu esiri oalrak götürmek kendisi için en büyük ödül olacaktı. Maalesef bir Romalı asker evine girdiğinde, Arşimed yeni bir tasarım üzerinde çalışıyordu ve çizimlerden uzaklaştırmak için askere bağırınca asker tarafından öldürülmüştür. Böylece MÖ 212’de Magna Graecia’nın sonu geldi ki Roma İmparatorluğu’na daha fazla direnmek mümkün değildi.
Sonuçta MÖ 146’da Romalıların Kartaca’ya karşı üçüncü “Pön Savaşı”, Yunanlılara ve ardından Romalılarla yüzlerce yıldır savaşan Fenike ve sonra Kartaca ihtilafına son vermiştir. MÖ 140’a kadar Romalılar Yunanistan’ı hızla genişleyen İmparatorluklarına ekledilerse de Helen kültüründen büyük ölçüde etkilendiler. Eski Yunanistan’ın çok tanrıcı ve köleci yönünün Batı medeniyetinin
temel taşı olduğu söylenemez. Bununla birlikte halkın hükümeti (demokrasi), jüri tarafından yargılanma ve (nihayetinde) kanuna göre eşitlik Yunanistan ve Yunan kolonilerindeki rehber ilkeler olmuştur. Yunanlılar, bilimsel düşünceye veya muhakemeye dayanarak birçok alanda ilerleme göstermiştir ki matematik, geometri, fizik, felsefe ve biyoloji eski Yunanlıların bilgisine çok şey borçludur. Edebiyatta trajedi, komedi ve lirik şiir gelişirken, estetik ve güzellik idealleri Batı sanatını büyük ölçüde etkilemiştir.
Yunan Destanlarında Sicilya
MÖ 388’de Syracuse’u ziyaret eden Plato, Sicilya’yı Ütopya toplumu için mükemmel bir ortam olarak görüyordu. Şehir hayatı, hükümet ve vatandaşlık, Atina ve Korint’te bilinen kavramlara dayanıyordu. Yerli halklar büyük ölçüde Helenize olmuştu. Kolonizasyonun ilk birkaç yüzyılından sonra, Sicilya’daki çoğu Yunan şehri kurucu kentlerinden bağımsızdı. Yunanistan şehirleri Afrika kentiyle resmen savaştayken bile Selinus ve Akragas’ın Kartaca ile ticaret yapıyordu. Dahası Zancle Messina Boğazı’nı ablukaya alarak Yunan gemilerinin liman vergileri ödemesini istemiştir. Belli bir refah hüküm sürmesine karşın Yunan toplumu pek mükemmel değildi ve sosyal problemler eşitsizlikten doğuyordu. Eski Yunanlıların yaşadığı Sicilya, bugün bildiğimiz adadan çok daha fazla ormanlıktı ve nehirlerin mevsimsel değil sürekli olarak akacak denli su doluydu.
Homeros’un Odysseia destanında Sicilya hakkında detaylı bilgi verilmiştir. Diodorus Siculus ve Thucydides Yunanlıların Sicilya’ya göçü hakkında en iyi bilgileri veren Yunan tarihçileridir. Sicilya, Aeschylus ve Arşimed’e, aynı zamanda eli her sanata yatkın olan mitolojik Daedalus’a ve talihsiz kızlar Arethusa ve Persephone’ye ev sahipliği yapıyordu.
Roma Dönemi ve sonrasında Sicilya
Yunan kültürü Roma İmparatorluğu ile bitmemiş aksine Hıristiyanlık döneminde gelişmeye devam etmiştir. Bizanslılar ya da Bizans Rumları Doğu Roma İmparatorluğu’nun başkenti olarak gelişen, Orta Çağ’da bir kültür merkezi olarak ortaya çıkan Konstantinopolis’ten İtalya’nın bazı bölgelerini siyasi ve kültürel olarak etkilemeye devam etmiştir. Romalılar kesinlikle Sicilya’yı etkilemişlerse de mevcut Yunanlıları Romalılaştıracak edecek kadar yeni yerleşim yerleri kurmamışlardır. Sicilya’ya asırlar boyunca İtalya’dan Roma akını yaşanmışsa da adada tam baskın olamamış Sicilya’nın kendine özgü “Greko-Romen” toplumu ortaya çıkmıştır. Ortaçağ’da Sicilya’ya Arap yerleşimi başlayana dek Antik Çağ ve Ortaçağ’da Sicilya’nın Yunan mirası, ada kültürünün belirgin yönünü oluşturmuştur. Roma işgalinden sonra Syracuse (Siraküza veya Sırakuza) kenti, Bizans, Vandal, Ostrogoth, Arap, Fransız Norman ve Angevin ile İspanyol Argonlularının eline geçmiştir.
Sicilya Kukla Tiyatrosu
Sicilya adasının sokaklarında 13. Yüzyıl Kutsal Roma İmparatoru, II. Frederick döneminde geçen öyküleri anlatan büyük kukla gösterileri L’Opera dei Pupi ile düzenlenmektedir. Charlemagne Şövalyesi olan Roland’ın İspanya’da Müslüman Araplara karşı savaşları destansı bir hava ile kukla gösterilerinde canlandırılmaktadır. Roland’ın Şarkısı destanı 12. ve 13. Yüzyıl Haçlı Seferleri sırasında çok popüler olmuş, Fransız versiyonu ile benzer İtalyanca versiyonu Orlando Furioso, 16. yüzyılda yazılmıştır.
Yunan şehirleri, Sicilya’daki antik yerleşimler
Akragas (MÖ 580’da kuruldu)
Camarina (MÖ 589’da kuruldu)
Cozzo d’Apollo, Comiso yakınlarında: şu anda tanımlanamayan bir Yunan yerleşiminin kalıntıları var
Egesta (Segesta)
Entella
Gela (MÖ 689’da kuruldu)
Halaesa (MÖ 403’de, Herbita’nın hanedan hükümdarı Archonides tarafından kurulmuştur). Halaesa Arconidea (Alesa Arconidea) olarak da bilinir
Himera (MÖ 650’de kuruldu)
Katane (MÖ 729’da kuruldu)
Leontinoi (MÖ 730’da kuruldu)
Lipari (Aeolia)
Megara Hyblea
Mozia
Mylae (Milazzo, MÖ 716’da kuruldu)
Naxos (MÖ 734’de Kuruldu)
Panormus (veya Ziz, günümüzde Palermo)
Selinus (Selinunte) (kuruldu 640)
Siracusa
Zancle (veya Messena, günümüzde Messina)
Ziz (veya Panormus, günümüzde Palermo)
Notlar
[1] İngilizce Tyrian Purple, Royal purple veya Imperial purple. Tyrian kırmızısı, erguvan kırmızısı, kraliyet moru. Roma İmparatorluğu döneminde Sur Moru altından daha değerliydi. “Mor’da doğmuş”, Bizans İmparatorluğu döneminde popüler bir deyim olup, Kraliyet ailesinden doğan çocukların kaderini ve üstünlüğünü ifade etmekteydi.
[2] Latince Carthago, İngilizce Carthage. MÖ 814 yılında, Fenike Kraliçesi Elisa (Dido) tarafından Tunus yarımadasında kurulmuş olan bir Fenike kolonisidir. Kartaca, Fenike dilinde Kart-hadaşt yani “Yeni Şehir” anlamına gelmekteydi.
[3] Kıyaslamak gerekirse aynı dönemde inşa edilen Atina Akropol Tepesi’ndeki Dionysos Tiyatrosu 17.000 kişilik bir kapasiteye sahipti. | {
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Kesi Chestnut walks past a home on the 500 block of K Street NE in Washington as real estate agent Natalie Middleton enters it. An extra story was added to the house in a renovation, known as a pop-up.
June 12, 2014 Kesi Chestnut walks past a home on the 500 block of K Street NE in Washington as real estate agent Natalie Middleton enters it. An extra story was added to the house in a renovation, known as a pop-up. Amanda Voisard/for The Washington Post
They’re like skyscrapers in small villages: renovated townhouses — but between 40 and 65 feet high — right next to squat, two-story rowhouses in Washington neighborhoods from Petworth to NoMa to Adams Morgan.
Their common nickname: pop-ups. Their common epithet among neighbors and on local blogs: monsters. Middle Fingers.
These skyward-extending residences are spreading across the city, fueled by small developers eager to cash in on the District’s real estate boom and seize any inch of available real estate, which these days means vertical empty space. Though developers have the right to build upward — and say they are providing needed housing stock — the city is evaluating how it can ensure that pop-ups in some neighborhoods reflect their community’s character.
Cities from Philadelphia to New York to Amsterdam have seen the proliferation of pop-ups. But Washington, which began seeing the first wave about 10 years ago, is now experiencing a rush. What began largely in Adams Morgan has now come to streets all over the city, from 17th Street NW to Sixth Street NW to K Street NE to Kenyon Street NW.
Anyone can drive around the District and find them. The five-story building at 1013 V St. NW dubbed “the Monster” is the most notorious. But the pop-up bible is the PoPville blog, which for several years has chronicled the advance of pop-ups with the same curiosity people had when McMansions began cropping up on old farms in Northern Virginia. (The “PoP” in the blog’s name stands for Prince of Petworth, the Web site’s original name.) Dan Silverman, the site’s publisher, frequently posts his and readers’ comments, along with photographs of some of the more unusual buildings.
Real estate agent Natalie Middleton does a walk through of a home up for sale in Northeast Washington on June 12. The residence had undergone a renovation, which included adding an additional level to the home. (Amanda Voisard/For the Washington Post)
“Dear PoPville — Any way to stop a pop-up?” read one headline in December. A reader sought Silverman’s expertise, saying, “My block in Shaw has fortunately been spared from all the popups . . . until now. . . . Since it has literally just started, is there a way that I can check or even oppose its permits?”
The post received dozens of comments.
“Get employed [by the] DCRA,” wrote the first of more than 100 commenters to the blog post, referring to the D.C. Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs, which enforces zoning rules.
Pop-ups are emerging in parts of the city zoned commercial and residential. In a process analogous to tear-downs in the suburbs, older rowhouses are scooped up by developers with a ready supply of cash. The homes, often dilapidated, are torn down and rebuilt, or remodeled and extended, to the maximum heights allowed by zoning regulations — heights that in the past never needed to be reached because space wasn’t at such a premium.
Now, Washington, teeming with new restaurants and gigantic condo buildings in once-impoverished neighborhoods, has so much more housing demand than supply that, as of May, the average condo or single-family home was selling in about 45 days.
“That’s well below what it should be. It should be six months — that’s what the industry tells us is a stable market for both the buyer and seller,” said Thomas Daley, a board director of the Greater Capital Area Association of Realtors, which released the data recently . “Because the rate’s at about 1.5 months, the advantage goes to the seller. Things are going within days. A lot of times, it doesn’t even get to the open house.”
The tight inventory is pushing prices up. Last month, the median price for a home in the city was about $530,000, an 8 percent increase from the previous May, according to data released by RealEstate Business Intelligence, a subsidiary of MRIS, the Rockville-based multiple listing service.
A developer purchased a two-story row house at 1013 V St. NW and added 3 stories. (Sarah L. Voisin/The Washington Post)
Pop-ups allow builders to tack on new units without having to purchase large blocks of real estate and invest in an enormous, dormitory-style building. Pop-ups also enable incoming residents to squeeze into hot neighborhoods and condo buildings with much smaller fees than those in pricey places such as 14th Street NW.
In the case of the Ava, the so-called “Monster” on V Street NW, the building is in a commercial zone that allows residences to be as high as 65 feet. The five-story aluminum-and-steel structure — topped with a huge eye-shaped window that one Prince of Petworth reader thought was like the evil “Eye of Sauron” from the “Lord of the Rings” — towers over its neighbors.
Despite the building’s modern look and amenities, the middle unit, listed for about $749,000, and the penthouse, listed for about $800,000, have not been sold. Nate Guggenheim, a real estate agent for the Ava, said the bottom unit, listed for about $400,000, is under contract.
“I think the economics are such that it makes sense to do these projects,” Guggenheim said, adding that he’s had “dozens” of potential buyers look at the penthouse suite. “We’ve had people question the design of this, but it would make sense to build a bunch of them and combine several.”
The ownership of some pop-ups is difficult to learn. Guggenheim declined to reveal the individual behind the limited liability company that owns the Ava. Secrecy also hovers over another highly visible pop-up, a five-story building at 1839 Sixth St. NW, next to Shaw’s Tavern. The building is expected to offload its seven units this fall.
According to public records, a District-based entity called the Ella LLC owns the property, but Capital Bank, which is financing the project, and Michael Weisskopf, a former Washington Post staff writer who is the building’s broker, declined to name the owner.
The structure, which replaced an old rowhouse and a vacant lot, is in a commercial zone that permits buildings to be as high as 50 feet. The next-door neighbors don’t mind it. “Maybe I don’t like the black siding,” said John Douglas, who lives in the adjacent rowhouse he bought in 1992. “But it’s the developer’s right to do it and, whether it harmonizes with the community, people will get used to it. There has to be a balance where people have the right to make money.”
Douglas, a retired developer, said he might one day want to have his house turned into a pop-up.
Another neighbor, Laura Gramling, a consultant, feels the new pop-up will make the neighborhood safer. “I am not opposed to pop-ups in principle. It just depends on what they look like. This one is not glaring,” she said. “It’s an improvement over what had been a blighted property.”
But in neighborhoods such as Adams Morgan, pops-up prompt a bit more controversy. D.C. Council member Jim Graham (D-Ward 1), who has criticized pop-ups to fellow council members, said the buildings are geared toward the well-to-do and don’t provide what the District really needs: affordable housing in trendy areas.
“Supporters of pop-ups — otherwise intelligent people — talk about the need for Washington to respond to the great housing demand. That’s patently absurd,” Graham said. “This is about profit. It’s about the historic streetscape in the city. And it’s about, when will it end?”
The D.C. Office of Planning was expected on Friday to publicly release proposals on pop-ups, said Jennifer Steingasser, the office’s deputy director. Her office has been examining whether the current 40-foot maximum height is “appropriate” for some neighborhoods in residential zones.
The Zoning Commission will review the proposal. It would have to approve any new regulations on pop-ups, but a vote isn’t expected to happen for several months.
Steve Callcott, the Planning Office’s deputy preservation officer, said he and his colleagues also might propose the creation of “conservation districts,” a status for which neighborhoods could apply that would force pop-ups to come under city review before getting approval.
Over on K Street NE, Micheal Watson, owner of Taja Investments, believes the phrase “pop-up” is a derogatory label for the three-story building he plans to put on the market late this month or in early July. The bottom unit at 507 K St. NE, with three bedrooms and 3 1 / 2 baths, will be listed for $840,000. The penthouse, with the same number of bedrooms and bathrooms but with rooftop access, will go on sale for $1.2 million.
Watson likes pops-ups so much that he built another one four blocks away on the same street.
Rodney Pais, a retired Army pilot who lives next to the pop-up at 507 K St. NE, calls the new tall building “gaudy” and an “oddball.”
But Watson shrugs off the name-calling.
He said he bought the building last year for more than $400,000 and put almost half that amount into renovations, so selling it as a two-story home — for about $800,000 — wouldn’t have been worth it. To make any money, Watson had to make the building taller and divide it into two units, he said.
But labeling his building a pop-up? He prefers a more nuanced description.
“To me, it’s a simple rowhouse with an extension,” Watson said. “Pop-up? I put too much thought and work into my homes to call it a pop-up.”
Jennifer Jenkins contributed to this report. | {
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La FNSEA déplore que la France ait fait "bande à part"
Le plus important syndicat agricole français, la FNSEA, a salué dans un communiqué le renouvellement du glyphosate pour cinq ans. Cet herbicide est en effet très utilisé chez les agriculteurs. La Fédération nationale des syndicats d'exploitants agricoles regrette toutefois la position de la France, qui souhaitait un renouvellement de trois ans.
"Nous actons ce compromis de cinq ans qui n'a été possible que grâce au pragmatisme d'un grand nombre d'Etats membres européens et nous déplorons que la France ne s'y soit pas ralliée et ait choisi de faire bande à part", écrit le syndicat dans un communiqué.
"Cette décision intervient après des mois d'incertitudes, d'hésitations, de postures idéologiques, laissant les agriculteurs français et européens dans l'expectative car chacun sait bien qu'il faut du temps pour trouver des alternatives crédibles."
Le syndicat rappelle avoir signé avec près de 40 organisations agricoles et de recherche, "un contrat de solutions visant une trajectoire de progrès afin de réduire les usages, les risques et les impacts des produits phytosanitaires", comme le glyphosate. | {
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Vegetarisch & vegan: 5 leckere Proteinquellen ohne tierisches Eiweiß
Dicke Muskeln für Vegetarier? Kein Problem!. Diese fünf Proteinbomben kommen ganz ohne tierisches Eiweiß aus und unterstützen dich beim Workout.
Vegetarier und Veganer haben es schwer, gute und leckere Proteinquellen zu finden? Von wegen!
Als Anregung für deinen nächsten Supermarktbesuch, stellen wir dir fünf Eiweißbomben vor, mit denen du kein Problem hast, deinen täglichen Proteinbedarf zu decken und für extra Muskelkraft beim Workout noch eine Schippe draufzulegen
Vegane Eiweißbomben
Tofu: Das Sojaprodukt eignet sich dank seines Kalzium- und Eisenanteils, Vitaminen und allen acht essentiellen Aminosäuren als vielseitiger Fleischersatz in deinen Mahlzeiten. Mariniert, gebraten oder frittiert schmeckt er nicht nur hervorragend, sondern liefert dir jede Menge Eiweiß! Rund 10 bis 20 Gramm sind in 100 Gramm enthalten. Tipp: Tofu eignet sich auch prima für Diät-Rezepte, da er lediglich 124 kcal pro 100 Gramm enthält. Quinoa: Wer von schnödem Reis die Nase voll hat, sollte sich an Quinoa versuchen. Das glutenfreie Pseudogetreide lässt sich nämlich ganz ähnlich zubereiten. Heißt also: Kaum Mehraufwand beim Kochen. Mit 13 Prozent Protein eignet er sich außerdem hervorragend als Workout-Mahlzeit, um Muskeln auszubauen. Chia-Samen: 21 Gramm Eiweiß pro 100 Gramm schlummern in Chia-Samen. Ihre Power lässt sich bereits beim Frühstück wecken. Mit einem leckeren Chia-Pudding kannst du schon am Morgen bedenkenlos deinen Apettit auf eine süße Leckerei stillen. Getoppt mit Gojibeeren, Bananen oder Nüssen wird daraus eine vitaminreiche Speise mit Antioxidantien, Magnesium und Folsäure. Hanfsamen: Lebensmittel mit Aminosäuren sind für Sportler besonders attraktiv, da sie den Muskelaufbau und die Reperatur der Muskelfasern nach einem harten Training, vorantreiben. In Hanfsamen sind jede Menge Aminosäuren enthalten. 24 Gramm Protein stecken in 100 Gramm der Samen. Spirulina: Die Alge macht mit 57 Gramm Protein pro 100 Gramm auch den letzten Kritiker sprachlos. Die tierfreie Proteinquelle toppt jedes Rindersteak (nur 26 Gramm Eiweiß pro 100 Gramm). Als kleines Extra wirkt die Alge auch noch entgiftend und fängt freie Radikale. Das grün Spirulina-Pulver gibt Säften und Smoothies eine tolle Farbe.
Olivia Samnick | {
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A rowdy bunch of worshippers donning tie-dye T-shirts printed with images of marijuana leaves congregated Wednesday at the inaugural service of the First Church of Cannabis in Indianapolis, a pot-smoking church created to test the limits of Indiana's new Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which went into effect the same day.
Dozens of police officers were stationed outside the church, solemnly awaiting the first puff. But the scene inside was decidedly less serious and resembled a concert or day at the beach more than a religious service, The Indianapolis Star reports. Balloons were batted around as members of the congregation danced in the aisles to the song “Mary Jane” and gave testimonies celebrating their experiences with marijuana.
There was only one thing missing: the cannabis itself.
After authorities threatened arrests last week if the congregation lit up during the service, church founder and longtime marijuana advocate Bill Levin decided to keep pot out of Wednesday’s meeting. He says he wants to ensure that he can test the religious objections law in civil court rather than on criminal grounds. Mr. Levin serves as the “minister of love” of the church and also refers to himself as the “grand poobah,” a reference the character the Lord-High-Everything-Else from Gilbert and Sullivan's opera "The Mikado."
Although some experts say Levin and his followers would have a hard time convincing a judge that their religion is legitimate and not just an excuse to get high, the church was not only recognized by the state shortly after Gov. Mike Pence (R) signed the controversial Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) into law April 2, but was also incorporated as a nonprofit by the Internal Revenue Service in late May.
“I think the government is going to have to make a tough, compelling case [against the church],” attorney and political journalist Abdul-Hakim Shabazz told MSNBC. “Bill and those guys ... they’re creating the paper trail that you need in order to say, ‘Hey, we are a legitimate religion, we are a legitimate faith. Everything we do is aboveboard.’ "
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“I think the more they do that,” he added, “the better the chances they have of a victory.”
This report includes material from the Associated Press. | {
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Has an opinion about religion doesn't feel the need to share them every chance he gets
432 shares | {
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As Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin makes his final campaign push, he has hammered a message that has been central to his effort to win a second term: Elect him because he will do anything and everything to outlaw abortion in the state.
“4 Legislative Sessions > > > 10 #ProLife Bills,” Bevin tweeted from his official gubernatorial account last Wednesday, with a video of the governor holding babies. “The sanctity of human life should NOT be controversial, and our administration is committed to protecting it.” Later that afternoon, he tweeted a video of a 2018 appearance on Fox News, along with a message that read, in part, “we will ALWAYS fight against the barbaric and gruesome practice of live dismemberment abortion, which seeks to undermine and devalue the sanctity of human life.”
Bevin is locked in a toss-up ahead of next week’s election. The only recent public opinion poll of the race showed the Republican incumbent tied with his opponent, current Attorney General Andy Beshear.
“When you are the governor, you are accused of many things. But one of the things that I take great pride [in] is being accused of being the most pro-life governor in America. I love it.”
Democrats long dominated state politics post-Reconstruction, but the political climate there has been trending Republican for decades, and Bevin shouldn’t have to sweat reelection. Yet his political future is on the line largely because he spent the past four years seemingly offending whomever he could in the state—especially the state’s public school teachers, who Bevin has repeatedly clashed with over his effort to overhaul the state’s pension system. He has even tangled with members of his own party. A Republican state senator hosted a “Bullied by Bevin” picnic earlier this summer, and Bevin’s own lieutenant governor filed a lawsuit against him for firing her staff. Morning Consult polls consistently ranked him as the least popular governor in the country, until October when he inched up a spot.
But Bevin is relying on his anti-abortion bona fides to try to win back supporters in the socially conservative state.
Bevin has never been shy about mixing religion and politics, coming out strongly behind Kim Davis during his 2015 gubernatorial campaign when the Kentucky town clerk became a national figure for refusing to grant marriage licenses to same-sex couples. (Once he became governor, Bevin appeased Davis by ending the state’s requirement that the names of county clerks appear on marriage licenses.) In early October, he tweeted support for “Bring Your Bible to School Day,” an event created by Focus on the Family, the James Dobson–founded organization that pushes social conservative causes. In an accompanying video, he said, “I would encourage you, please, don’t just bring your Bible to school, but read your Bible. Bring it, share it with others. If you have an extra Bible, bring it and share it with somebody who doesn’t have one, who maybe has never read this book.”
It’s fighting abortion rights where his zeal most shines through. Since taking over the governor’s mansion, he’s been hell-bent on restricting reproductive rights. Once he was joined by a Republican majority legislature in 2017, they teamed up to pass a wave of anti-abortion restrictions that Bevin eagerly signed into law. “Kentucky Now Has Some of the Toughest Anti-Abortion Laws in the Country,” a Planned Parenthood press release read earlier this year. Bevin has proudly owned that dubious distinction. “When you are the governor,” Bevin said at a Right to Life rally in Frankfort this year, “you are accused of many things. But one of the things that I take great pride [in] is being accused of being the most pro-life governor in America. I love it. Who would want to be anything other than pro-life?”
Shortly after taking office, Bevin exploited regulatory rules to shutter the lone abortion provider in Lexington, Kentucky’s second-largest city. That left EMW Women’s Surgical Center in Louisville as the sole clinic offering abortions in the state. The clinic has persistently fought Bevin in court to remain open. “All the laws that we’ve been challenging are patently and obviously unconstitutional,” says Heather Gatnarek, an ACLU lawyer who has been representing EMW.
The ACLU currently has four pending cases on behalf of EMW. The onslaught of legal challenges dates back to early 2017, “when our general assembly finally had enough members willing to vote for some of these extreme pieces of legislation,” Gatnarek says. The cases challenge new laws that force medically unnecessary narrated ultrasounds; ban dilation and evacuation, the most common form of abortion in the second trimester; and outlaw most abortions after six weeks, a measure Bevin signed into law earlier this year. All of these laws are on hold pending the ongoing litigation.
The ACLU has appealed the ultrasound law to the US Supreme Court, and the other EMW cases are currently or likely to be appealed to the 6th Circuit Court in Ohio (where six of the 16 active judges have been appointed by Trump) and could easily end up before the Supreme Court. Bevin hasn’t been shy about wanting to see Kentucky become the state that sends up the case that strikes down Roe v. Wade now that Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation might provide an anti-abortion majority. “Some of these will go all the way to the…US Supreme Court,” Bevin said during his State of the Commonwealth address earlier this year, “but at the end of the day we will prevail because we stand on the side of right and we stand on the side of life.”
The fourth case the ACLU has challenged poses the most immediate and dire threat for EMW. The state has a law mandating abortion clinics sign ambulance transport agreements, a requirement that EMW easily met for over a decade, only to be told they failed requirements once Bevin’s appointees took office. Beshear, along with 21 other attorneys general, filed briefs arguing against the Bevin administration’s attempts to shut down EWR. “It’s safe to say that it can be quite exhausting,” Gatnarek says of the clinic’s past few years battling the Bevin administration. (EMW referred press requests to the ACLU.) “I know that it is an unfortunate addition to the priorities of the doctors and the staff at the clinic. I know that they’d much rather be focused solely on providing patient care rather than having to put any time or energy or resources towards these lawsuits.”
Those extra legal costs have forced EMW to raise prices, and no one is more aware of the consequences than Marcie Crim, who until recently worked as executive director of Kentucky Health Justice Network, the state’s main abortion fund, which offers funds and assistance for people who can’t afford to pay for their abortions.
Crim started as the group’s executive director two weeks before Trump won the 2016 election, which also swept in a Republican majority in the Kentucky state legislature. It was the first time Democrats had been completely out of power since the 1920s, allowing Bevin and his allies to begin a full-on assault on reproductive rights. “Everything became chaotic and frightening,” she says. “And access was being stripped away on a daily basis. More and more barriers were being erected, and as more barriers were being erected, more people were in need of assistance.” At first, she says, KHJN averaged 10 calls per week from people who needed assistance. But when I met with her at a coffee shop in Lexington in June, she told me the group had received 31 calls the previous week.
Pretty much every request related to abortion comes with an ask to help pay for the procedure itself. “I would say 90 percent of folks, even if they need transportation or lodging or anything else, they need assistance paying for the procedure,” Crim says. Kentucky is one of the most expensive states to get an abortion, and by law predating the Bevin era, no health insurance plan in the state—public or private—can pay for abortions unless the mother’s life is at risk (and unless the person pays for an additional separate policy). Per Crim, it costs $750 to get a pill-induced abortion at EMW, an option only available up through 10 weeks of pregnancy. “And then it shoots up in giant leaps,” she says of the cost.
And that’s only if you get an early-term abortion. Even before Bevin passed the 6-week ban (which is still on hold pending the ACLU lawsuit), the state limited abortions after 22 weeks. Crim says that many people KHJN works with struggled to save up funds, but were not able to pass through the logistical hurdles of getting to Louisville before reaching that limit. So increasingly, her organization has to help arrange travel for people to other states, sometimes sending the as far away as Colorado, New Mexico, and Washington, DC*.
Somewhat paradoxically, the effort to restrict abortion access has prompted more late-term abortions, the thing that Republicans supposedly most decry. “The folks in Frankfort and the Bevin administration, every single time they sign a law and put another barrier in place,” Crim says, “they push people to having to wait to get abortions.”
This spring, abortion rights sprung to the forefront of national politics. Alabama kicked off the wave by outlawing all abortions, and eight other states have passed similar bills. Missouri’s Republican governor tried to revoke the state’s last abortion provider’s license, a move currently embroiled in a legal battle that could, any day now, leave Missouri as the first state without any abortion provider in the era of Roe v. Wade.
Liberals nationwide reacted in horror to the spate of new laws. Hollywood stars called for a boycott of filming in Georgia over the state’s restrictions, and people across the country vowed that the largely male politicians behind these laws would come to regret their decisions when they had to face voters.
Bevin has made fighting abortion one of the central planks of his reelection campaign. After primary night results came in this spring, the governor held a press conference to hammer his opponent for supporting access to abortion. “Andy Beshear is somebody who literally brought NARAL in just in the last couple of days to help push him over the top in this primary; who is strongly and unapologetically pro-abortion. The contrast with [running-mate state Sen. Ralph Alvarado] and myself, who are strongly pro-life, who are supported by President Trump, and are supportive of the values of the people of Kentucky. It will be a binary choice.”
And the uncomfortable reality for Democrats in the state is that playing up social issues could work in Bevin’s favor. A 2014 poll from Pew found that 57 percent of adults in Kentucky think abortion should be illegal in all or most instances, and earlier this year a survey by Public Religion Research Institute found that only 43 percent of the state thought abortion should be legal in most cases. Social “issues continue to have some resonance in certain areas,” says Scott Lasley, a political science professor at Western Kentucky University. “Abortion is the number one. The legislature has been fairly aggressive… Bevin is very strong on those issues.”
And it’s not just Republicans who could be swayed by Bevin. “In Kentucky we have Democrats who are pro-choice and Democrats who are pro-life,” says Ben Self, the state Democratic chair. “We have both in the state. And because of that, obviously the party is the party of both of those folks. So I think, look, we are a big tent party and so it is a tough issue to talk about.” This year’s lieutenant governor candidate reflects that tension. While Beshear ran unabashedly pro-choice in his competitive primary, his running-mate Jacqueline Coleman described herself as a “pro-life compassionate Democrat,” when she ran for state House in 2014, though has since clarified that, while still pro-life personally. she stands by “each individual woman’s constitutional right to make her own reproductive and health care decisions.” Bevin’s campaign will serve as an initial test for whether Southern Republicans will be rewarded or repudiated for that assault on abortion rights.
Correction: An earlier version of this article misstated which states KHJN has sent people outside of Kentucky. | {
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2014 Fall Bourbon Releases
Every fall some of the best best bourbons are released to Bourbonr’s across the country and globe. Problem is there’s never enough to go around. The past few falls have been welcomed with lots of phone calls and long lines at liquor stores but that’s what makes the bourbon hunt more exciting.
Annual Releases:
Pappy Van Winkle and Van Winkle line
Some have come to hate Pappy because of the amount of attention it receives. Like it or not it’s still a great bourbon no matter how sought after it has become. Old Rip Van Winkle will release Pappy Van Winkle 23 year, 20 year and 15 year along with Van Winkle 12 year, 10 year and rye. No word on how many bottles will be released but most Bourbonr’s will probably be lucky just to find a single bottle.
Buffalo Trace Antique Collection (BTAC)
Read more about the release and details…
Four Roses Small Batch Limited Edition
This release comes on the heels of two excellent releases from Four Roses. According to the TTB the 2014 Four Roses Small Batch Limited Edition will be a blend of 4 Four Roses mash bills, OBSK 9 year, OBSV 13 year, OESV12 year and OBSF 11 year. The proof for this release should be around 120.3 proof however this is not set in stone and may vary once all the barrels are dumped.
The 2014 comes with a pretty significant drop in age and increase in proof compared to the 2013 which was a blend of OBSV 18 year, OBSK 13 year and OESK 13 year and 100 proof.
Old Forester Birthday Bourbon
Michter’s 10 Year Bourbon and Rye
Angel’s Envy Cask Strength:
New Bourbons for 2014:
Willett Exploratory Cask:
This release will be a 7 year rye whiskey from MGP/LDI. They will finish the whiskey in Grand Marnier Casks for an undisclosed amount of time. Most likely 3-6 months. Only 6,000 bottles to be released so I would plan on preparing for a tough hunt.
Parker’s Heritage Collection Wheat Whiskey – Mid-September release
This will be a 13 year, cask strength, wheat whiskey. Basically, an older unfiltered, uncut Bernheim…. Sounds excellent!
Makers Mark Cask Strength – Released 9/1/14 at distillery
The highly anticipated Maker’s Mark Cask Strength will finally hit shelves this fall. It will range between 108-114 proof. No word on the age of this bourbon yet.
E.H. Taylor Seasoned Wood
E.H. Taylor Cured Oak
Elijah Craig 23 Year Old
Another year older for this Elijah Craig bottle. I haven’t received confirmation on whether or not this will be a distillery only release (like EC 22) or distributed throughout the country (like EC 21). Either way, it could be an interesting release and would be very cool to try side-by-side with it’s cousin Evan Williams 23 year
Jim Beam Signature Release
Brown Rice Bourbon -11 Years Old Six Row Barley Bourbon -11 Years Old Soft Red Wheat Bourbon -11 Years Old Whole Rolled Oat Bourbon -11 Years Old
Michter’s Toasted Barrel Finish
Additional flavoring seems to be the new normal in the bourbon world.
Barton 1792: Small Batch, Single Barrel, Full Proof, Sweet Wheat and High Rye
Orphan Barrel (Diageo) Strongbox
What release are you most excited about? Let me know in the comments! | {
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Maryland Fishing Report: June 20
June 20, 2018
Fishing offers many things to many people, and they all have their own reasons why it’s so special. For some it’s an adventurous location or pursuit of a certain fish, usually preceded by a lot of study and anticipation before the big trip. For others it may be the unwinding process from a stressful day. One thing many anglers get particular joy out of is sharing the experience with others – often the sign of a true sportsman is when they involve first-time anglers or children. That’s why in these fishing reports we like to show our fishing community holding large, admirable fish, to inspire us all and to highlight the bounty we have available to us here in Maryland. Don’t forget there is one more free fishing day coming up July 4. If you can think of someone you might like to introduce to fishing, this is a great opportunity for someone to try the sport without buying a license.
Weekly Fishing Conditions Forecast Summary: June 20-26
As we enjoy the first day of summer June 21, the recent rainfall continues to impact state waters, with above-average flows reducing surface salinities and clarity in many areas of the upper bay. Besides some rain Friday and Saturday, anglers will experience warm, sunny fishing conditions for most of the upcoming week. Recent warm and sunny conditions have pushed main bay water temperatures to 78 degrees, and will continue to push them toward the low 80s. These warmer temperatures will result in rockfish seeking cooler, deeper waters with adequate oxygen levels. Areas from Gunpowder Neck and Swan Point south to the Bay Bridge are showing poor bottom oxygen conditions below about 13 to 16 feet. However, other portions of the main bay and tidal rivers have much better oxygen conditions so be sure to check the full forecast and the Don’t Fish Below this Depth for conditions in your area. There will be above average tidal currents Saturday through Tuesday as a result of the full moon June 28. For the full weekly fishing conditions summary and more detailed and up-to-date fishing conditions in your area of the bay, be sure to check out Click Before You Cast.
Upper Chesapeake Bay
Fishing for striped bass this week remains good in the upper bay from the lower Susquehanna River to the Bay Bridge. There is good fishing around the Susquehanna Flats and lower part of the river, where live-lining white perch or drifting fresh cut baits is very effective. It’s important to keep in mind that the Conowingo Dam is releasing a lot of water during midday to evening power generation cycles. Down at the areas of Rock Hall, Baltimore and south, chumming is the most popular way to fish. Swan Point, Love Point, the various knolls and shoal areas east of Baltimore Harbor as well as south of Podickory Point are all good places to look for striped bass. Many anglers are reporting they are finding fish in shallower waters at these sites. Some have also been chumming and chunking near the Francis Scott Key Bridge with good success. Salinity content is down due to excessive runoff, and catfish will be picking up baits resting on the bottom. The sewer pipe and Bay Bridge piers have been good places to jig when the tide is running. The rock piles have also been holding fish. Most are using soft plastic jigs and working the bases of the piers. Angler Rich Watts recently decided to take a step back in time and use the old tried-and-true combination of a bucktail dressed with pork rind – a throwback to a practice common from 1940s to the late 1980s. It was durable stuff and would even tough it out with toothy bluefish. Trolling has been an effective way to fish for striped bass on the eastern side of the upper bay where clarity is a little better. Gold spoons have been a favorite as have umbrella rigs. Casting a mix of topwater lures, swimshads and crankbaits has been providing some fun action in the Baltimore Harbor and Eastern Neck Island areas.
Middle Bay Water temperatures are creeping up into the upper 70s this week and salinities are low due to runoff. Chumming and chunking for striped bass at the outside edge of Hacketts Bar in about 20 feet of water has been good and any channel edge where suspended fish can be found with depth finders. The Hill, Tolly Bar, Thomas Point, Diamonds and the area off Chesapeake Beach are a few other locations worth checking. An ebb tide is reported to be the best and allowing larger baits to rest on the bottom at the back of the chum slick is accounting for some larger fish. Jigging has been popular in many locations where fish are suspended. Steep channel edges and prominent points are good places to check out and reports have fish holding shallower than a few weeks ago. Kent Narrows has been a popular place to jig while drifting in a boat or casting from the bulkheads. Most are using jig heads just heavy enough to get to the bottom with dark colored soft plastics. Live-lining white perch and spot has also been a good way to fish for a better grade of striped bass. Trolling is another option and most are pulling gold spoons or umbrella rigs along the edges of main channels, ballast stone piles and lumps. The channel edge from Chesapeake Beach south past Parkers Creek has been a good place to troll as well as the edge on the eastern side of the bay from Bloody Point south to the CR Buoy. The shallow-water striped bass fishery is providing fun light-tackle fishing in the mornings and evenings when a good tide is running. Topwater lures have been the preferred way of fishing due to thick grass in the shallows.
Lower Bay As the lower bay region settles into summer, there are some questions and conversation around the docks about the future of striped bass fishing and whether recent patterns of fish moving toward northern regions of the bay occur again this year. Time will tell. At present chumming is one of the more popular ways to fish for striped bass in the lower Potomac River and the steep channel edge along St. George Island to Piney Point and out at the mouth of the river. The channel edge at Buoy 70 and 72 and the rock piles north of Point Lookout and at Point No Point. Many of the striped bass being caught are less than 19 inches, but larger fish are in the mix.
Trolling offers a good option to catch a better grade of striped bass along channel edges in the bay and the lower Patuxent and Potomac rivers. Small to medium gold spoons have been a favorite as have swimshads or bucktails in tandem or behind umbrella rigs. Jigging along the same areas where chumming and trolling are occurring continues to provide action. The lower Patuxent River channel edges as well as those in the lower Potomac and wherever fish can be found suspended along bay channels. Soft plastic jigs have been popular and some anglers are going to larger soft plastics in the 6-inch to 8-inch size range targeting larger fish. The shallower water striped bass fishery offers some fun fishing opportunities during morning and evening hours. Grassy shallows, marsh edges and stump fields are great places to target with topwater lures or swimshads. Most of the striped bass being found there are small but offer some entertainment. On the eastern side of the bay speckled trout can also be part of the mix. Fishing for croakers has been fair to good, along with a healthy portion of white perch, in the lower Patuxent River, Pocomoke Sound and Tangier Sound. Most of the croakers being caught are from the 2012 and 2013 year classes and medium-sized. Croakers have drifted back to modest numbers since about 2008 or so due to troubled larvae survival. Maryland’s portion of the Chesapeake Bay is the northern edge of their preferred range so when croaker populations are reduced, fewer make the trek to our waters. These fish population patterns are cyclical in nature and common among other species. White perch fishing has been very good in all regions of the bay and tidal rivers. Bottom rigs baited with bloodworms or grass shrimp are a good choice in deeper waters and small jigs, small spinnerbaits and spinners are great choices for shallower fishing around structure. Shoreline rocks, fallen treetops, docks and bulkheads are all great places to fish with small lures and ultra-light tackle. White perch fishing is a great diversion from fishing for striped bass and we are fortunate this year to have a couple of strong year classes of white perch in the 11-inch to 13-inch size range. Recreational crabbing is showing some marked improvement in the past week, and if crabs are on your mind it is definitely worth getting out to catch a half-bushel or better. The price of crabs soared over the Father’s Day Weekend to $300 a bushel or more. The lower bay region along the Eastern Shore is offering the best crabbing; the middle bay region is fair to good and the upper bay is fair at best. Salinities are depressed in the tidal rivers, so the best crabbing is near the mouths of the tidal rivers and creeks. As a result of excessive runoff and hot, sunny weather algae blooms are occurring and there may be depressed oxygen levels in waters deeper than 10 feet.
Freshwater Fishing At Deep Creek Lake, fishing for smallmouth and largemouth bass has settled into a typical summer mode of fishing. The bass are most active in the early morning hours, which is the best time to be out on the lake due to boat traffic later on in the day. The evenings offer good shallow water fishing also. Main lake points, grass bed edges, and structure are good places to target with topwater lures, jerkbaits, buzzbaits and spinnerbaits. Later in the day the bass are looking for shade under fallen treetops and floating docks. Pitching grubs and tubes under the docks or near sunken wood is a good tactic. Trout are holding deep near the dam face, walleye are deep along steep edges and bluegills are holding in 8 to 10 feet of water near docks. The delayed harvest trout management waters are now opened to creel limits of five fish per day through Sept. 30. Other trout management waters offer fun catch-and-release fishing this week. Various aquatic insect hatches are occurring and fly fishing with dry flies or other flies such as an elk hair caddis are fun ways to fish. The upper Potomac is still running strong and boaters and waders should be very careful. Smallmouth bass are being caught on tubes, crankbaits and small topwater lures. Walleye can be caught at dusk to dark on crankbaits and tubes. Catfish are also very active in the evening hours.
Many of the tidal rivers are showing water temperatures in the middle 70s now and largemouth bass are holding to a summer pattern of behavior. It is a bit tough to be out on the water at 5 a.m. this time of the year, with greatest length of daylight peaking on the first official day of summer. The early morning bite usually offers the best shallow-water action. Topwater lures such as poppers and buzzbaits cast into shallow grass is an exciting way to fish. If you can time it right, a falling tide early in the morning will cause largemouth bass to move out of grass beds and spatterdock fields and cruise the edges looking for bait fish doing the same. Spinnerbaits, jerkbaits and small lipless crankbaits are good lures to cast along these edges. During the bright daylight hours, largemouth bass will be holding under thick grass or under the shade of docks and brush. Stick worms and soft plastic are a good bet at these locations. Casting topwater lures near grass in the tidal rivers can also elicit strikes from northern snakeheads when fishing near grass. Another topwater target that often is overlooked is fly-fishing for bluegills with small rubber-legged poppers. Any budding fly-fishing enthusiast can break out a 4 or 5 weight fly rod with a floating line and have a ball enticing these little power houses to smack a popper cast near lily pads on a local pond.
Atlantic Ocean and Coastal Bays Surf fishermen using bottom rigs baited with pieces of bloodworm or small strips of cut bait are enjoying some wonderful fishing for kingfish this week. A few large striped bass are being caught on larger cut baits along with a few bluefish. Sheepshead are beginning to show up at the South Jetty and they are being caught on sand fleas. Flounder are being caught in the inlet and larger striped bass and bluefish at times in the evening hours on bucktails, swim shads or by drifting fresh cut bait or live eels. Flounder fishing in the back bay areas has been very good this week, most likely due to sparkling clear and warm water. Squid, minnows are the classic baits being used but Gulp baits are catching the largest flounder. A falling tide tends to offer the best action. Outside the inlet, sea bass are being caught at various wreck and reef sites and it seems the farther and deeper one goes the better the sea bass fishing. Deep drop anglers are catching some very large sea bass and blueline tilefish.
Trolling for a mix of yellowfin tuna, bigeye tuna, Bluefin tuna and dolphin has been very good at the canyons this week. Some boats have been catching limits of yellowfin tuna, which tend to be on the small side. There are still mako and thresher sharks moving along the 30-40 fathom line locations and fresh skipjack fillets has been one of the better baits to use.
“There is nothing clinical about fishing…there is nothing about it that can be viewed in a clinical vacuum. Everything — as in everything else — relates to everything else; and the deeper down one goes, the nearer the quick of life one draws.” — Brian Clarke, 1975
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Keith Lockwood has been writing the Fishing Report since 2003 and has had a long career as a fisheries research biologist since 1973. Over the course of his career he has studied estuarine fishery populations, ocean species, and over a decade long study of bioaccumulation of chemicals in aquatic species in New Jersey. Upon moving to Oxford on the eastern shore of Maryland; research endeavors focused on a variety of catch-and-release studies as well as other fisheries related research at the Cooperative Oxford Laboratory. Education and outreach to the fishing public has always been an important component to the mission of these studies. Keith is an avid outdoorsman enjoying hunting, fishing, bird dogs, family and life on the eastern shore of Maryland. | {
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Survey Instructions: The following survey is designed to explore your preferences in gifts. Please answer questions to the best of your ability. Failure to pass attention checks will result in disqualification.
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Auto Chess PC client is officially released in the EPIC Store!
Game Goal
Develop strategies in order to deploy the ideal chess piece army to defeat the other players in the lobby. You use the chess pieces from a shared pool to create your own lineup, and then they enter the battle phase and fight each other automatically. You will be facing against seven other chess players during each match, while defending your own chess board. Meanwhile, your troops will also be attacking the enemy's army on their chessboard. Your goal is to be the last person standing.
Starring-up Chess Pieces
In order to form a lineup, your first step should be to strengthen your pieces. Since the pieces in the game have class synergy, and are divided into 1-star, 2-star and 3-star tiered units, you need upgrade your chess pieces' level. The rule of upgrading is usually “3 for 1”, which means three 1-star pieces can be combined into one 2-star piece. Three 2-star pieces can be combined into a 3-star piece. Pick your favorite chess pieces in the Store and try starring them up!
Lineup & Synergies
To defeat your opponent, you also need to achieve the maximum profit with the lineup. In addition to star levels, chess pieces also have the race and class synergies. Different chess pieces with the same race or class will trigger the corresponding synergy which help to make your chess pieces stronger and more powerful. Let's take Cave Clan as an example. When two chess pieces from the Cave Clan are deployed on the chessboard, they will both increase all allies' HP by 100. As more and more chess pieces enter the battlefield, the player can overlap synergies, and create their own unique chess lineup.
Game modes include: Ranked Mode, Casual Mode, Fantasy Mode and Quick Mode. | {
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A student at the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa has condemned the “addiction” progressive activists have for the anti-Israel boycott campaign as “akin to insanity.”
Adam Dison wrote in Haaretz last week that the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement helped define his participation in student politics at Wits, and — following four years of hostile and sometimes violent incidents involving BDS supporters — eventually led him to cut ties with progressive activists in South Africa.
“The number of intelligent fellow students who’ve attempted to deny the Holocaust to me is utterly depressing,” Dison observed. “The level of education about Holocaust history, Zionist history and real thinking about the Israel-Palestine conflict is sub-par.”
Dison noted that throughout the years, the flags of the Islamist terrorist groups Hezbollah and Hamas were waved on campus; a Wits student greeted Jewish peers “with a Hitler salute and goose-stepping”; the Student Representative Council president professed his “love” for Adolf Hitler; representatives from the Congress of South African Students placed a pig’s head in the kosher/halal section of a local shop as an “anti-Israel” protest; a BDS leader defended chants of “Dubula e juda” (“Shoot the Jew”); and graffiti reading “Kill a Jew” and “Fuck the Jews” was found on campus.
Related coverage Germany Earmarks 22 Million Euros to Secure Country’s Jewish Facilities The German government has reached an agreement with the Jewish community to substantially increase funds earmarked for the security of...
“There is no space left for progressive Jews at Wits who don’t support this illogical way of thinking and action,” he warned.
Dison told The Algemeiner that while many of his friends and allies call out antisemitism, there is still “no place for Jews who don’t endorse BDS or who call themselves Zionist.”
“Every progressive Jew I know of and who is part of my generation expresses similar sentiments,” he said. “For most, it keeps them out of student politics all together and a lot of potential allies are lost.”
“I think intellectual Jews tend to be progressive,” Dison added. “Unfortunately, they either endorse BDS or turn to other outlets for their activism.” | {
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Retired US Marine Paul Whelan was detained by Vladimir Putin's secret services because he received an electronic database with a list of 'secret' employees of a Russian agency, it was reported in Moscow.
The 48-year-old had fallen under suspicion on frequent visits to Russia because while saying he went to have 'fun' he shunned 'pretty women' and instead made contacts with males who might have access to confidential information.
Minutes after receiving a flash drive in his five-star hotel room in Moscow, armed Federal Security Service (FSB) operatives moved in and detained him, reported Rosbalt news service, which has close links to the security services.
'The American received an electronic carrier in the room with a list of all employees of one of the secret Russian departments,' said the first of several reports.
'Five minutes after the transfer, FSB officers broke into the room and detained a suspect of espionage.
'On examination, they found a flash card with secret information.'
Russian media claimed retired US Marine Paul Whelan (pictured) was in possession of 'secret information'
Whelan, a resident of Michigan, was arrested on December 28 at the Metropol Hotel in Moscow (pictured)
Minutes after receiving a flash drive in his five-star hotel room in Moscow, armed Federal Security Service (FSB) operatives moved in and detained him, it is claimed. One of the rooms at the hotel is pictured
Rosbalt stated that Whelan, a corporate security executive, was 'caught red-handed immediately after receiving a media with information containing state secrets.
'It was about a list of persons that is not subject to disclosure and has long been the object of keen interest of US intelligence.
'As a source in the special services of the Russian Federation told Rosbalt, the operation to detain Paul Whelan took place in his room at the Metropol Hotel.'
Whelen - whose family insist he is innocent - had been engaged in secret activities for a decade, according to an intelligence source cited by Rosbalt.
'Whelan for 10 years led intelligence activities, and he found 'objects' (sources) to get the necessary information on the Internet,' reported the news outlet.
In a follow-up report, Rosbalt claimed Whelan 'used quite unusual methods in his spying activities'.
The source said that about ten years ago he started registering on the various internet websites and forums attended by large numbers of Russians.
'The American man posted about his love to Russia, his wish to master the Russian language, to visit Moscow,' stated the report.
Some of those Whelan befriended online were of interest to US secret services, it was claimed, and these people 'might have access to secret information'.
The report went on: 'Having established solid contacts with Russians online, Whelan began to visit Moscow in person.
'He pretended he had come to Moscow "to have fun" and he always met his internet friends.
'It was noticeable that Whelan was not at all interested in pretty Russian women but preferred to drink with his male friends.'
In these sessions 'the US citizen tried to understand if they possessed information interesting for US secret services, or if somebody from his close circle might have such access', it is claimed in the report.
If the person looked potentially interesting, Whelan 'aimed to establish maximum trusting relations with them, (and) even attended family parties.
'At the same time the foreigner "worked" with them in order to receive the required information.'
No names were given of people Whelan had allegedly targeted. Nor was any proof given to support the allegations in the Rosbalt reports.
Meanwhile, the Nezygar Telegram channel - seen as having insider information in Moscow - cited a source saying Whelan 'was involved in spying activities since his work in recruiting company Kelly Services that has an office in Moscow'.
The report predicted that law enforcement 'will have to go through the whole database of those recruited by Kelly' over a ten-year period.
Whelan posted these photos in September showing himself on a Bombardier challenger jet
Paul Whelan is seen in a 2006 photo taken outside the Kremlin in Moscow. He visited Russia regularly, and his brother says he was there for a wedding when he was arrested
An archived version of paulnwhelan.com (above) was reviewed by DailyMail.com and describes a 2006 trip to Russia. The site has since been removed from the Internet Archive
It would be necessary 'to check if anybody had been recruited' as a result of Whelan's activities.
'This American company was dealing with recruiting people for top jobs in strategically important Russian companies in Moscow,' stated Nezygar.
Its recruitment was in potentially sensitive sectors such as IT, telecommunications and pharmaceuticals, as well as sales and marketing.
Rosbalt reported that Whelan's lawyer Vladimir Zherebenkov refused to comment on the case.
He said he was under a legal ban preventing him sharing information.
But he said that his client Wheelan 'looks confident, possessed a great sense of humor and hopes that the investigation is not biased', according to Rosbalt.
'We will complain in the Moscow city court on the fact of his arrest,' he was quoted as saying, indicating he was seeking non-custodial detention for the American while the investigation goes on.
'There was no evidence presented that Whelan can hide or put somebody under pressure.
'The defense supposes that Whelan deserves other limitations other than arrest.'
Whelan, a resident of Michigan, was arrested on December 28 at the Metropol Hotel in Moscow and is now being detained in the city.
U.S. ambassador to Russia Jon Huntsman met with Whelan in Moscow on Wednesday as the American government seeks answers about his arrest.
Huntsman said he offered support and assistance to Paul Whelan, and later spoke to the man's family by phone, but he would not discuss the case in detail.
The ambassador said the U.S. complained to the Russian government about the length of time it took them to grant consular access to Whelan, who was arrested Friday.
Whelan is seen on a prior trip to Russia. He visited regularly for work and pleasure
Whelan was in Moscow to attend a wedding when he disappeared, his brother, David Whelan, said Tuesday. He arrived December 22 and was scheduled to stay through Sunday.
Whelan's family, in a statement that David posted on Twitter, said: 'We are deeply concerned for his safety and well-being. His innocence is undoubted and we trust that his rights will be respected.'
The Russian spying charges carry a prison sentence of up to 20 years.
The Marine Corps on Wednesday released details of Whelan's service record. He served in the Marine Corps Reserves from 1994 to 2008 and was convicted of larceny in a special court-martial in January 2008.
The Marine Corps did not immediately provide details of the court-martial conviction beyond saying it was based on 'several charges related to larceny.'
Whelan attained the rank of staff sergeant in December 2004 after the first of two deployments in Iraq. He was an administrative clerk and administrative chief.
He was given a bad-conduct discharge in December 2008 at the rank of private. His last place of duty was at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in California.
David said in an interview that his brother had been to Russia several times previously, so when a fellow former Marine was planning a wedding in Moscow, he was asked to go along to help out.
David said that it was while searching the internet Monday that he learned of his brother's arrest.
'I was looking for any stories about dead Americans in Moscow, so in a way it was better than finding out that he had died,' he said.
David said he has no idea why his brother was targeted by the Russian security services. Paul Whelan had traveled to Russia in the past for work and to visit friends he had met on social networks, his brother said.
'I don't think there's any chance that he's a spy,' David told CNN.
Paul Whelan lives in Novi, Michigan, and is director of global security for BorgWarner, where he has worked since early 2017.
'He is responsible for overseeing security at our facilities in Auburn Hills, Michigan, and at other company locations around the world,' company spokeswoman Kathy Graham said in a statement.
She said BorgWarner does not have any facilities in Russia.
Paul Whelan previously worked for Kelly Services, which does maintain offices in Russia, his brother said.
Whelan's defunct website reveals his enthusiasm for the country and multiple trips there.
His website, paulnwhelan.com, describes a 2006 visit to Russia, which appears to be his first trip to the country. An archived version of the site, which is no longer available, was reviewed by DailyMail.com.
'My recent visit to Russia was a great experience. I had quite an enjoyable time exploring Moscow and Saint Petersburg,' he wrote.
Whelan (above) served multiple tours of duty in Iraq as a Marine
Paul Whelan is seen in a family photo provided by his brother. The Marine veteran was arrested in Russia on December 28 on espionage allegations
'Having grown up during the Cold War, it was a dream of mine to visit Russia and meet some of the sneaky Russians who had kept the western world at bay for so long!!'
'I was fortunate enough to meet nice people and had several pleasant excurisons throughout the country. My language skills are certainly improving!!'
The website describes a 'friend' named Maxim that Whelan made on his travels, who was 'currently serving with the Russian Army in Moscow' at the time.
'We met in Moscow and visited many interesting areas of the city together. We have stayed in touch with one another and have shared many interesting stories and experiences,' Whelan wrote.
'The Russian people were very polite and kind to a stranger who didn't speak the language and spent a lot of time wandering around the Metro without a clue as to where he was going!!'
'The Russian language is very difficult to learn, but I've been slowly studying and learning from my friends,' he continued.
The website's photos have not been preserved, though the captions remain.
In one, Whelan ironically notes: 'This is 'Lubyanka' where the KGB has our spies locked in the basement!!'
Lubyanka is the popular name for the headquarters of the FSB, the same agency that arrested Whelan on December 28. It is the successor agency to the Soviet Union's KGB.
Currently, Whelan has an account on Russian social media site VK, where he has 70 friends and regularly posts updates in rudimentary Russian, including one that said 'President Trump Forward!!'
Experts on the Kremlin quickly speculated that the arrest was bogus, and an attempt to create leverage against America in the case of Russian woman Maria Butina (above)
He also posted a photo of himself on the site wearing a Spartak Moscow football jersey.
Experts on the Kremlin have speculated that Paul Whelan's arrest was bogus, and an attempt to create leverage against America in the case of Maria Butina, a Russian woman who recently pleaded guilty in the U.S. to acting as an illegal foreign agent.
At a press conference last week, Vladimir Putin denied that Butina was a Russian agent, saying that the 'law of retaliation states, 'An eye for an eye or a tooth for a tooth,' but insisting 'we will not arrest innocent people simply to exchange them for someone else later on.' | {
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Trainers throughout the United States gives their horses furosemide, better known by its brand name Lasix, to prevent blood from entering the horse’s lungs. The drug makes horses expel 20-25 liters of urine just hours before racing and, as a result, horses often drop 20-30 pounds. Because of this, the animals race while severely dehydrated, making them more susceptible to muscle failure and collapse. | {
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Download My Free eBook
Sign up to receive my blog posts via e-mail and get a FREE copy of my newest e-book | {
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Everything there is about mobile banking apps. - Comparing banking apps for ios and android.
Your mobile banking product of choice can be difficult to find. The features and a comparision of different mobile banking ios apps can be shown here.
Mobile banking products are constantly being upgraded and having new features coming out but they all feel the same. We wanted to use this blog post to compare Outlet to traditional mobile banking apps. Outlet is not a bank, but we are a new unique way to go about saving money. We are a new product within the mobile banking space. The mobile banking app category is a space that has grown very competitive and people commonly want to know what the best app for them is.
Banking applications have similar features. They are meant to be an electric version of a bank. Banks themselves are a familiar product in America. Mobile banking brings that experience to an iOS or Android device. Banking mobile is a powerful concept and is working very well for both traditional banks and fintech startups alike.
This guide is meant to serve as a way for you to understand what mobile banking app is right for you as well as to compare and contrast the advantages and disadvantages between Outlet and the traditional finance world.
How to pick a mobile banking app
The mobile banking apps on the market are all very similar. Each of which have their pros and cons. Picking the right mobile banking solution for you can be as simple as you want it to be, however this guide will go into detail as to how you can find the perfect solution for your unique solution.
Risk Tolerance - How much are you willing to risk? Typically the more risky investment will have a higher yield and allow you to maximize your returns.
User Experience - User experience is a huge factor when it comes to loving an app and actually using it. The majority of financial technology applications user experience makes or breaks the app itself from being useable.
Compatibility - depending on whether or not you can use the app with your existing accounts and personal finance stack will make a product a yes or no for certain users.
Features of Mobile Banking Apps
Mobile banking applications are increasing their market share over traditional banks. A mobile first bank has several user experience improvements compared to a traditional bank. The growing market share of mobile banking apps is predicting the future of the traditional banking experience. Money needs to be as flexible as possible for users. Traditional fiat paper money is phasing itself out of day to day life. Fintech applications are replacing traditional means of storing value and sending it.
Storing
Storing your value is the essence of what a bank does. Mobile banking is no different. Every application will allow you to essentially store value or dollars in some capacity.
Sending
sending money is different on every single application. Some mobile banking accounts do not even have sending options. A traditional money market will have you agree to lock your funds for a certain period.
Earning
mobile banking applications will most likely have a way for you to earn some type of interest. The interest earned in a mobile banking account vaires by platform. Some of the highest rates on a true mobile bank account will be around 3%. The industry average for traditional bank accounts is around 0.09%
Borrowing
Borrowing is hard to master and do logistically from a banking standpoint. Companies in the borrowing space will often have to be very involved in the underwriting process of loans. Borrowing can be a very good feature within mobile banking applications.
The advantage of Outlet
Outlet will have all of these features within our mobile app. Some of these features will not be released until after we launch. We are working day and night to launch a mobile app that will look feel and act like a bank account from the future. With massive advantages in all of the above categories.
We want to make our application have clear benefits in every aspect of storing, sending, earning, and borrowing your money. Outlet is not a bank, however the flexibility of not being a bank and using blockchain technology built on Ethereum will enable us to have different competitive advantages ahead of what feature sets are listed above.
Different kinds of banking apps
Mobile banking applications come in all shapes. Some would consider different things to be a banking solution than others. Anything that stores value could potentially be considered a banking solution. People save money in alternative ways. Individuals will often say “my stock portfolio is my savings account” these alternative methods are an important mindset to factor in when you think about what mobile banking even means. The most important feature to consider an app a mobile bank would be the store of value.
Bank Accounts - Traditional bank accounts are available in the app store. Bank account applications are backed by real banks. Typical mobile banking applications will be something like the chase mobile app, td mobile app, or citi bank app.
Alternative savings accounts - Alternative methods of savings that will be reviewed in this blog post will be mobile applications that allow you to store some type of value.
Banking apps with financial planning
Financial planning is a great feature to have for certain mobile banking applications. Financial planning can come in many different forms. Planning out your future and allowing anyone to lay out their financial future is an excellent and needed feature for some users.
This is a short list of mobile banking products that have financial planning features.
There are all kinds of financial planning mobile apps on the market. This genre of apps allows you to visualize your savings.
Mint
Mint is a mobile first financial planning application. The majority of people will find Mint to be a leader in the industry. Its beautiful UI provides users with a way to see their finances in a clean and organized way. Mint is most known for its spend tracking features.
Spendee
Spendee is a new and fun savings app. This mobile first savings account allows you to make a financial schedule and stick to it. The financial planner in this app is of the best on the app store. Spendee allows you to forecast your savings seamlessly within a simple mobile app. If planning your own finances on a calendar interests you then spendee could be the app for you.
Monefy
Monefy allows you to instantly see your spending in an easy to read chart. The chart that you see reflects how much money is leaving different accounts and for what.
Monefy is a great option for people who are looking for a way to visualize what's going with their personal finances. The app itself has a rich detail view that will highlight anything you might want to see from a spending point of view.
Clarity Money
Clarity Money is a new way to manage your paid subscriptions. It allows anyone to foresee their monthly expenses in ways like never before. Easily see what you don't use and spend your money on better things.
Banking Apps that Pay Interest
Most banking applications will have some type of financial upside to using them. The majority of people want to earn some type of return on their dollars when they are seeking out a mobile banking solution. Banking mobile apps are an interesting space because you can create something that is not technically a bank but feels like a traditional bank account. Some of the highest interest bearing accounts are alternative banking apps. These applications are very different and deserve their own blog post. We made this custom table below to show you how different mobile banking applications compare to one another.
People always want to earn a return on their money regardless of where they put it. Mobile apps that pay you interest are no different. There are plenty of way to go about earning interest and living a life of passive income using different mobile applications.
Earning passive income with mobile banking apps
Earning passive income using a mobile app is definitely possible. There are plenty of applications on the market that will yield far beyond what a traditional bank account does. These products tend to be more risky and have much more variable interest rates. There are also very popular mobile finance apps that can be very rewarding but carry a high risk. People lose millions of dollars every year investing in the stock market. With all of the different mobile banking accounts available.
Passive income is something people chase their entire lives for. With mobile banking applications earning passive income on your investments becomes super easy. These are some of the best mobile banking apps that pay passive income.
Outlet.Finance
The Outlet app looks acts and feels like a bank account but it also pays users an insanely high interest rate compared to traditional banks. Outlet is a mobile first product and should be considered as one of the best products to use on this list.
Acorns
Acorns is a savings application that allows you to save money in a unique way. You can hook up your traditional bank account to your Acorn account and people can easily save their loose change.
For example, when someone goes to make a purchase for $7.90 Acorns will charge your account a total of $8 and save the extra $0.1 for you. Acorns rounds up and saves the amount over the purchase price. There are a few really good mobile applications that do this for you.
Coinbase
Coinbase is some peoples favorite application. Coinbase allows you to purchase cryptocurrency, cryptocurrency can be a very profitable passive investment for people. Cryptocurrency as a whole is a very volatile asset, holding and buying at the right time are the best strategy.
In Conclusion
Earning passive income with a mobile banking app is one of the many benefits it has compared to a traditional bank account. The products in this category are strongly suited to be the hub of users financial lives. The majority of people will use some type of mobile banking application in the near future. Hopefully you use one of the suggestions we have listed. | {
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Our friends at Cleveland Beer Week are back for their fifth year of bringing amazing beer events to the Cleveland area. Featuring 350+ beer tastings, collaborations, dinners and all the other great events you've come to expect, the 2013 Cleveland Beer Week is sure to be bigger and better. This year's festivities will kick off on October 18th and run through October 26th, so be sure to get out there and enjoy!
This year, we're back with another exclusive badge for those of you checking out the action! Unlock the Cleveland Beer Week (2013) badge by checking in to any beer at at least three (3) participating venues listed here. Be sure to add your location as that will qualify your unlock.
To find a full list of venues and events, checkout http://clevelandbeerweek.org and for the latest updates, follow them on Twitter and Facebook! | {
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Crackdown 3 has once again been delayed, according to a report on Kotaku. Polygon has confirmed the delay with a source close to the project who spoke anonymously to protect their career. Originally scheduled for release in 2017 and more recently set for a vague spring 2018 release window, Crackdown 3 is now scheduled for a 2019 release, with publisher Microsoft giving the project additional development time.
Announced at E3 2014 with a flashy cinematic trailer that promised destruction on a skyscraper scale, Crackdown 3 has faced a number of setbacks throughout its lengthy development. Between 2014 and 2017, the game made few appearances at big game conferences and events. A rare demo at Gamescom 2015, focusing on online multiplayer destruction, seemed to show progress. But at E3 2017, a much-anticipated campaign demo was met with a lukewarm reception.
Co-developed by Reagent Games and Sumo Digital, the project recently saw the departure of series creator David Jones. In January, Epic Games acquired Jones’ cloud tech company Cloudgine, installing Jones as Epic’s director of cloud and esports strategies.
Two sources familiar with the game’s release plan told Kotaku that Microsoft hopes to give the development team the time it needs to avoid yet another disaster, referencing recent cancellations (Scalebound, Phantom Dust) and the closure of Lionhead Studios.
Crackdown 3 is still expected to appear at Microsoft’s E3 2018 press event. Microsoft did not immediately provide comment when contacted.
Update (June 7, 7:30 p.m. ET): In a statement given to Windows Central, Microsoft confirms the release date of Crackdown 3 has been moved to February 2019: | {
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WASHINGTON — Over the past week, congressional Republicans have gotten a glimpse of the President Trump they hoped to never see.
On gun safety and, more significantly to many of them, trade, the president has loudly broken with longstanding party orthodoxy and reminded Republican leaders on Capitol Hill that they can never be 100 percent certain of what they are going to get with the onetime New York Democrat.
Despite such worries, Mr. Trump’s first-year actions on policy and personnel — particularly judicial nominees — provided substantial reassurance to congressional Republicans. They concluded that Mr. Trump was really one of them when it came to bedrock issues and that the anti-Washington, drain-the-swamp cries from the raucous campaign rallies were only so many applause lines.
In the chaos of the early weeks of his administration, Mr. Trump provoked a sigh of relief from Senator Mitch McConnell, Republican of Kentucky and the majority leader, that the president seemed to actually be conservative. “If you look at the steps that have been taken so far, looks good to me,” Mr. McConnell said. | {
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The air in our atmosphere contains water vapor and is around us all the time. We just can’t see it. When this water vapor condenses into tiny liquid water droplets in the air, it forms fog.
In many parts of the world where rainfall is rare, a fog harvesting technique is used to collect water from fog. But only a very small amount of water could be extracted through the existing technique.
Now, MIT and Chilean researchers have worked together to develop a way to vastly increase the amount of water as much as five fold. According to the researchers, the efficiency of harvesting the tiny airborne droplets of fog depends on three parameters:
• Size of the filaments in those nets
• Spaces between the filaments
• Coating applied to the filaments
The researchers explain that by appropriate tuning of the wetting characteristics of the surfaces, they can capture as much as 10% of the moisture in fog as it passes through the mesh. They found that the most efficient design for a fog-collecting net was one made of stainless steel filaments.
This technique promises to relieve water demands in many parts of the world, especially in the areas that get very little rainfall but have regular windblown coastal fog. | {
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As images of President Obama and the first lady, Michelle Obama, with the new Saudi leader, King Salman, circulated online after their brief visit to Riyadh on Tuesday, commentators, observers watching from afar, seized on the fact that Mrs. Obama had not covered her hair during the audience with the new monarch.
Reports that some Saudi bloggers had expressed anger at the first lady’s supposed show of defiance — in refusing to honor the Saudi custom that compels women in the conservative kingdom to wear headscarves or full-body cloaks — were followed by a chorus of online praise for Mrs. Obama. They were joined even by one of the president’s most avid critics, Senator Ted Cruz, the Texas Republican who perhaps hopes to succeed him. | {
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Utils Code Snippet
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 // You can disable this warning by using ' -- mlcompatibility' or ' -- nowarn : 62 # nowarn "62" module Util = open System let iso8601 : int -> int -> int -> string = fun y m d -> ( new DateTime ( y , m , d )) . ToString ( "o" ) + "Z" let byteToHex : byte -> string = fun b -> b . ToString ( "x2" ) let bytesToHex : byte array -> string = fun bytes -> bytes |> Array . fold ( fun a x -> a + ( byteToHex x )) "" let utf8ToBytes : string -> byte array = fun utf8 -> System . Text . Encoding . UTF8 . GetBytes utf8 let sha256' : byte array -> byte array = fun bytes -> use sha256 = System . Security . Cryptography . SHA256 . Create () sha256 . ComputeHash ( buffer = bytes ) (* mon@razerRamon:~$ echo -n 'foo' | sha256sum 2c26b46b68ffc68ff99b453c1d30413413422d706483bfa0f98a5e886266e7ae - *) let sha256 : string -> string = fun utf8 -> utf8 |> ( utf8ToBytes >> sha256' >> bytesToHex ) let ceilPow : uint64 -> uint64 = fun n -> let rec loop : ( uint64 * int ) -> uint64 = function | 0 UL , acc -> 1 <<< acc |> uint64 | m , acc -> let m' = m &&& 1 UL ( m - m' >>> 1 , acc + 1 ) |> loop ( n - 1 UL , 0 ) |> loop
Utils Code output:
> module Util = begin val iso8601 : y:int -> m:int -> d:int -> string val byteToHex : b:byte -> string val bytesToHex : bytes:byte array -> string val utf8ToBytes : utf8:string -> byte array val sha256' : bytes:byte array -> byte array val sha256 : utf8:string -> string val ceilPow : n:uint64 -> uint64 end
JSON Code Snippet
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 module Json = (* http://json.org/ *) type value = | String of string | Number of float | Object of ( string * value ) list | Array of value list | Boolean of bool | Null with override json . ToString () = let rec print : value -> string = function | String s -> sprintf " \" %s \" " s | Number n -> sprintf "%f" n | Object xs -> xs |> objectHelper | Array xs -> xs |> arrayHelper | Boolean b -> sprintf "%b" b | Null -> "null" and objectHelper : ( string * value ) list -> string = function | [] -> "{ }" | xs -> sprintf "{ %s }" ( xs |> List . map ( fun ( name , value ) -> sprintf "%s: %s" ( String name |> print ) ( value |> print )) |> List . reduce ( fun x y -> sprintf "%s, %s" x y )) and arrayHelper : value list -> string = function | [] -> "[ ]" | xs -> sprintf "[ %s ]" ( xs |> List . map print |> List . reduce ( fun x y -> sprintf "%s, %s" x y )) json |> print
JSON Code output:
> module Json = begin type value = | String of string | Number of float | Object of (string * value) list | Array of value list | Boolean of bool | Null with override ToString : unit -> string end end
Merkle Code Snippet
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 module Merkle = open Util type hash = string type json = string type count = uint64 type tree = private | Leaf of json option | Branch of ( hash * count ) * tree * tree with override tree . ToString () = let rec print : ( int * tree ) -> string = function | i , Leaf None -> sprintf "
%s NIL" ( String . replicate i " \t " ) | i , Leaf ( Some json ) -> sprintf "
%s json: %s" ( String . replicate i " \t " ) json | i , Branch (( h , n ) , left , right ) -> sprintf "
%s * hash: %s" ( String . replicate i " \t " ) h + sprintf "
%s * count: %i" ( String . replicate i " \t " ) n + sprintf "
%s - left: %s" ( String . replicate i " \t " ) (( i + 2 , left ) |> print ) + sprintf "
%s - right: %s" ( String . replicate i " \t " ) (( i + 2 , right ) |> print ) ( 0 , tree ) |> print module Tree = let init : json -> tree = fun msg -> let h = msg |> Util . sha256 Branch (( h , 1 UL ) , msg |> Some |> Leaf , Leaf None ) let insert : json -> tree -> tree = fun msg tree -> let helper : tree -> hash option = function | Leaf None -> None | Leaf ( Some msg ) -> msg |> Util . sha256 |> Some | Branch (( h ,_ ) ,_,_ ) -> h |> Some let rec loop : tree -> tree = function | Leaf None -> msg |> Some |> Leaf | Leaf ( Some x ) as l -> let h1 = x |> Util . sha256 let h2 = msg |> Util . sha256 let h = h1 + h2 |> Util . sha256 Branch (( h , 2 UL ) , l , msg |> Some |> Leaf ) | Branch (( h , n ) , l , r ) as b -> match n > 1 UL && n = ( n |> ceilPow ) with | true -> let h' = h + ( msg |> Util . sha256 ) |> Util . sha256 Branch (( h' , n + 1 UL ) , b , msg |> Some |> Leaf ) | false -> let rt = r |> loop let lh = l |> helper let rh = rt |> helper let h' = ( lh , rh ) |> function | None , None -> h | Some v , None | None , Some v -> v | Some h1 , Some h2 -> h1 + h2 |> Util . sha256 Branch (( h' , n + 1 UL ) , l , rt ) tree |> loop
Merkle Code output:
> module Merkle = begin type hash = string type json = string type count = uint64 type tree = private | Leaf of json option | Branch of (hash * count) * tree * tree with override ToString : unit -> string end module Tree = begin val init : msg:json -> tree val insert : msg:json -> tree:tree -> tree end end
Example, see References:
+------------- 6 -------------+ | | +-------- 4 --------+ +-------- 2 --------+ | | | | +--- 2 ---+ +--- 2 ---+ 'e' 'f' | | | | 'a' 'b' 'c' 'd'
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 let a , b , c , d , e = Json . Object [ "name" , Json . String "Bridge Cafe" "rating" , Json . Number 4 . "date" , Util . iso8601 2014 02 20 |> Json . String ] , Json . Object [ "name" , Json . String "Prima Doner" "rating" , Json . Number 2 . "date" , Util . iso8601 2014 04 15 |> Json . String ] , Json . Object [ "name" , Json . String "The Bull" "rating" , Json . Number 3 . "date" , Util . iso8601 2014 06 05 |> Json . String ] , Json . Object [ "name" , Json . String "The Tall Ship" "rating" , Json . Number 5 . "date" , Util . iso8601 2014 10 30 |> Json . String ] , Json . Object [ "name" , Json . String "Roy's Rolls" "rating" , Json . Number 3 . "date" , Util . iso8601 2015 01 10 |> Json . String ] let f = Json . Object [ "name" , Json . String "Prima Doner" "rating" , Json . Number 4 . "date" , Util . iso8601 2015 02 12 |> Json . String ] let mtree = ( Merkle . Tree . init ( a |> string ) , [ b ; c ; d ; e ] ) ||> List . fold ( fun a x -> a |> Merkle . Tree . insert ( x |> string )) let mtree' = mtree |> Merkle . Tree . insert ( f |> string )
> val e : Json.value = Object [("name", String "Roy's Rolls"); ("rating", Number 3.0); ("date", String "2015-01-10T00:00:00.0000000Z")] val d : Json.value = Object [("name", String "The Tall Ship"); ("rating", Number 5.0); ("date", String "2014-10-30T00:00:00.0000000Z")] val c : Json.value = Object [("name", String "The Bull"); ("rating", Number 3.0); ("date", String "2014-06-05T00:00:00.0000000Z")] val b : Json.value = Object [("name", String "Prima Doner"); ("rating", Number 2.0); ("date", String "2014-04-15T00:00:00.0000000Z")] val a : Json.value = Object [("name", String "Bridge Cafe"); ("rating", Number 4.0); ("date", String "2014-02-20T00:00:00.0000000Z")] > val f : Json.value = Object [("name", String "Prima Doner"); ("rating", Number 4.0); ("date", String "2015-02-12T00:00:00.0000000Z")] > val mtree : Merkle.tree = * hash: dc999d3a9b252bebd171775e24668293e0ec1691f8d60331e85eed24ec6ca392 * count: 5 - left: * hash: 1ae6f3cb6407d42c9be994971b46de89b6b5facb53e7d1a01c04a92f74264483 * count: 4 - left: * hash: 28ee16e42affeecfc1b997487e4294f5067ced3bef2ca7c6324dcf86b7961954 * count: 2 - left: json: { "name": "Bridge Cafe", "rating": 4.000000, "date": "2014-02-20T00:00:00.0000000Z" } - right: json: { "name": "Prima Doner", "rating": 2.000000, "date": "2014-04-15T00:00:00.0000000Z" } - right: * hash: 255a0ad108003e34e449159a63306a292357fd0d40f6449f148467ec2532ed0c * count: 2 - left: json: { "name": "The Bull", "rating": 3.000000, "date": "2014-06-05T00:00:00.0000000Z" } - right: json: { "name": "The Tall Ship", "rating": 5.000000, "date": "2014-10-30T00:00:00.0000000Z" } - right: json: { "name": "Roy's Rolls", "rating": 3.000000, "date": "2015-01-10T00:00:00.0000000Z" } > val mtree' : Merkle.tree = * hash: fb8b96a10235da8cc444a0ddf41bdcfef035f743e84d69b15b146c1af48c6848 * count: 6 - left: * hash: 1ae6f3cb6407d42c9be994971b46de89b6b5facb53e7d1a01c04a92f74264483 * count: 4 - left: * hash: 28ee16e42affeecfc1b997487e4294f5067ced3bef2ca7c6324dcf86b7961954 * count: 2 - left: json: { "name": "Bridge Cafe", "rating": 4.000000, "date": "2014-02-20T00:00:00.0000000Z" } - right: json: { "name": "Prima Doner", "rating": 2.000000, "date": "2014-04-15T00:00:00.0000000Z" } - right: * hash: 255a0ad108003e34e449159a63306a292357fd0d40f6449f148467ec2532ed0c * count: 2 - left: json: { "name": "The Bull", "rating": 3.000000, "date": "2014-06-05T00:00:00.0000000Z" } - right: json: { "name": "The Tall Ship", "rating": 5.000000, "date": "2014-10-30T00:00:00.0000000Z" } - right: * hash: dae71b4d5d4f57af9abd8cbf2a621e6d1eb110bef0ed34d0a0356e5dc766eff7 * count: 2 - left: json: { "name": "Roy's Rolls", "rating": 3.000000, "date": "2015-01-10T00:00:00.0000000Z" } - right: json: { "name": "Prima Doner", "rating": 4.000000, "date": "2015-02-12T00:00:00.0000000Z" }
UnitTest for SHA256
mon@razerRamon:~$ echo -n '{ "name": "Bridge Cafe", "rating": 4.000000, "date": "2014-02-20T00:00:00.0000000Z" }' | sha256sum b07cd889093179c2923fa8bfc480bfa153fe74c0b7009c46b33045d1e2d5632b - mon@razerRamon:~$ echo -n '{ "name": "Prima Doner", "rating": 2.000000, "date": "2014-04-15T00:00:00.0000000Z" }' | sha256sum 32128e3d309816c07db4ff4c995aa692c3390b48d23f6ac7429538b57dc2c372 - mon@razerRamon:~$ echo -n 'b07cd889093179c2923fa8bfc480bfa153fe74c0b7009c46b33045d1e2d5632b 32128e3d309816c07db4ff4c995aa692c3390b48d23f6ac7429538b57dc2c372' | sha256sum 28ee16e42affeecfc1b997487e4294f5067ced3bef2ca7c6324dcf86b7961954 -
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 let unitTest = let a' = a |> string |> Util . sha256 let b' = b |> string |> Util . sha256 "28ee16e42affeecfc1b997487e4294f5067ced3bef2ca7c6324dcf86b7961954" = (( a' + b' ) |> Util . sha256 )
> val unitTest : bool = true
References: | {
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Light novels, which are roughly equivalent to young adult fiction in the west, are increasingly being used as the basis for both manga and anime series. Luckily for us, there's been an interest in translating and publishing them for English-speaking audiences. That's good news for both those who want to see the original form of a story and for bibliophiles, and each month brings both new and continuing series so that we've got a respectable catalogue of titles.
Despite the increase in their publication, fewer light novels come out each month than manga volumes, and they also take longer to read. That means that we'll be covering them a bit differently: just one preview for each of the new series. We can't neglect the fact that there are some very interesting continuing volumes as well, so do bear in mind that the final volume of Spice and Wolf comes out in June, along with the first book to go beyond what was adapted into anime for Overlord. (It has a pretty promising title as well – “The Lizardman Heroes.”) Likewise new volumes of The Rising of the Shield Hero and Sword Oratoria are due in June, as well as the next installment of Nisioisin's monogatari franchise. Sadly even I can't read quite that many books and have time to write them up, so here are the new series starting in the months of April, May, and June.
April
Rokka: Braves of the Six Flowers volume 1 by Ishio Yamagata, YenOn $14.00
This mystery/fantasy hybrid is making its debut after its anime adaptation, so the major plot twist may already be known to potential readers. Even if you are aware of it, however, this is still worth reading, if only for the characterization of Adlet and the fact that it is devoid of game-jargon. A straight fantasy novel rather than an isekai story, the plot follows a group of seven people claiming to each be a chosen “Brave,” a special warrior who will drive back evil and protect the kingdom. Since no one is willing to admit to being the fake, this turns all of the Braves against each other, and while they're all suspicious of point-of-view character Adlet, we as readers know that he's not the fake. The result is a solid mix of both genres, with the main gripe being that it really is pretty difficult to solve the actual mystery on a first read-through. (So it's not a cozy, basically.) The art, unfortunately, really doesn't fit with the tone of the writing and the end of the book throws in a wrench that kind of makes you feel like Ishio Yamagata wasn't initially planning to make this a series and needed to give the story a reason to continue. But on the whole this is a good book and just different enough from the other light novel fantasies on the market to merit reading.
May
Your name by Makoto Shinkai, YenOn $20.00
I haven't seen the film yet, but Makoto Shinkai wrote both movie and novel almost concurrently and it was only the differences in publishing a book and releasing a film that gave one any precedence over the other. Although I feel like there are aspects of this story that would work better in an audio/visual medium – specifically point-of-view issues – there's no denying that this is a beautiful story regardless. The story follows Taki and Mitsuha, two high school students who one day suddenly swap lives and bodies, living as each other for random days. Although neither can quite figure out each others’ lives, they do become fond enough of each other that when the switches suddenly stop, Taki grows hysterical. As he tries desperately to find the girl he's realizing he's come to love, he makes a terrible discovery that makes reuniting seem impossible. But really, “impossible” is just another word, and Shinkai's story explores just how lives are tied together across space, time, and hearts. It's both beautiful and teary, and it feels a little bit like reading a dream. It's definitely a dream worth having, and the hardcover format may make the book pricier, but this is the kind of story that deserves a good edition. My only real complaint is that it can be hard to tell whose voice we're reading, both because of font choices and the fact that Shinkai is a better mood-setter than character creator. Fortunately the story is good enough that after a while it doesn't matter if it's Taki's voice or Mitsuha's – because after all, aren't they both reaching for the same future?
Arifureta: From Commonplace to World's Strongest volume 1 by Ryo Shirakome, J-Novel Club, $6.99
J-Novel Club has become the leading purveyor of isekai light novels, and this is one I particularly liked. It isn't especially clever or edgy, but it does take the time to point out that the heroes who show up with all of their amazing superpowers don't actually have anything but their amazing superpowers going for them. In the first volume of Ryo Shirakome's series, Hajime Nagumo and his entire high school class are transported to another world to be heroes in a war against other races, and all but Hajime are instantly gifted with special abilities and ridiculous strength. Hajime, on the other hand, is totally average, and as such the bullying he endured on Earth simply continues, only now his tormenters have the power to, say, push him off a cliff with a well-placed fireball. Left for dead and only really mourned by Kaori, the popular girl whose affections unwittingly got him bullied in the first place, Hajime has to struggle to survive in the depths of a deadly dungeon. In other words, Hajime has to learn how to become superpowered and how to become a hero all on his own. It's a good twist on the genre conventions and really points out (through the parallel character of the class prince) that just having the powers isn't enough to make you a real warrior, much less hero. It has some issues in the main romantic relationship and the translation isn't quite up to J-Novel Club's usual standard, but if you like The Rising of the Shield Hero, you should check this one out.
Bluesteel Blasphemer volume 1 by Ichirou Sakaki, J-Novel Club, $6.99
You may recognize the name of the author of this book – he previously wrote Scrapped Princess and Chaika the Coffin Princess, both of which had at least anime and manga adaptations published in English. (And a few novels in the case of the former.) You may also be able to figure it out by the fact that this book once again features a pair of not-quite-siblings who have a questionable relationship, which really seems to be something of an obsession with Sakaki. Regardless, this book's biggest issue is that it's not hugely different from any other isekai novel – high school age boy gets brought/reborn in new world, has powers, girls try to get him to sleep with them. In this case it's Yukinari, and he is reborn in an artificial body after he and his older sister die in a housefire. After a brief timeskip, Yukinari and his new younger “sister” Dasa are traveling the countryside, on the run from a mysterious entity, when they stumble upon a girl named Berta being sacrificed to a local erdgod, which sounds like the giant animals from Princess Mononoke. Not knowing that they're interrupting an important local ritual, Yukinari and Dasa kill the erdgod, leaving the village unprotected. This forces Yukinari, who has brought his know-how about firearms with him to his new world and put it to good use, to fill in for the deity. Along the way we learn about a very oppressive (and totally not Medieval Christian) religion that is enslaving people in the name of conversion. Needless to say, they're no fans of Yukinari and conflict ensues. When this is the focus of the story, or Yukinari's own uncertainties are, the book is strong and the world-building interesting. The problem arises when Sakaki tries too hard to adhere to genre conventions, such as Berta's unhealthy fixation on Yukinari (and “servicing” him), which teen deputy mayor Fiona also gets in on. It isn't that Sakaki can't write these scenes, but more that they read like virtually any other similar novel rather than something specific to this book, and that drags things down. Other than that, however, this is still enjoyable. If you're already a fan of the author, you've probably already decided to read this, but if you aren't, this really looks like it's going to develop into something interesting.
June
Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash: Whisper, Chant, Prayer, Awaken by Ao Jumonji, Seven Seas, $13.99
This volume was previously released as an ebook by J-Novel Club, and Seven Seas’ paperback edition is simply giving us a physical copy. If you're not an ebook reader, however, this is worth picking up. Covering roughly half of the animated material (although this does precede the anime), Grimgar’s first volume is a much darker, more serious variant of the isekai genre, dealing with the actual consequences of life and death. That said, the death of a major character about halfway through the book is not handled with the same heaviness that its anime adaptation uses – the characters are sad, yes, but there's no prolonged period of mourning. Although that doesn't give us some of the character development – particularly for Yume – it does say a lot about how disposable people are in the story's world, a huge difference for most of the transported characters. This is still about as far from light-hearted fantasy as you can get, so if you're looking for humor or a light romp, look pretty much anywhere else. But alongside The Faraway Paladin, this is also one of the more interesting light novels to come out this year in the way it handles life and death.
Invaders of the Rokujouma?!Volume one by Takehaya, J-Novel Club, free
As of this writing, the first three volumes of this comedy series are available for free streaming on J-Novel Club's website, though in the interest of time, I'll only be covering the first book. Adapted to anime in 2014 and still available streaming on Crunchyroll, Invaders of the Rokujouma follows the misadventures of high school first year Satomi Kotarou and his attempt to live on his own. It seems perfect at first – he's found a room for the unheard-of low price of ¥5,000 a month, enabling him to let his dad follow his job without worrying about his son. But you know what they say – if it looks too good to be true, it probably is, and before long Kotarou learns that the rent is so cheap because the room is haunted by the ghost of a young girl. Oh, and that a magical girl claims that it's the center of an impending evil magical girl attack. And that a girl from a race of people who moved underground centuries ago needs the room to facilitate the invasion of her people. And that the room has been chosen by alien technology for an alien princess to use it for conquering practice. No big deal. By the end of this introductory volume, no fewer than five young women (plus two animated Haniwa figures) have moved into Kotarou's tiny apartment to try to use it for their own purposes, although by the time the aliens show up, ghost-girl Sanae is perfectly willing to let Kotarou live there with her if they can get rid of everyone else. It's a comedy of escalating proportions, and it mostly works. (Especially when everyone learns that you do not piss off the landlady!) Where things suffer a bit is when Takehaya, whose first comedy work this is, relies on tired tropes to carry scenes, such as the seemingly endless boob jokes, which are so rote that it feels like he just cut and pasted them from another source. When all of the girls transfer to his high school class at the very end of the novel, it's kind of groan-worthy, because Takehaya shows enough inventiveness in other places (such as the underground people's culture or everyone's refusal to believe in magical girls when they're okay with literally everything else) that it just feels canned. Despite that, this is light and fun enough to merit checking out, whether or not you watched the anime. It's the equivalent of beach reading - good enough to finish and enjoyable enough to like, but it won't make you think all that hard.
Also Arriving on Shelves
Despite my best efforts, I couldn't read every new or significant release debuting during this time frame, so here's what else you ought to keep an eye out for:
The Seven Deadly Sins: The Scars They Left Behind by Shuka Matsuda, Vertical $10.95. June.
This companion novel to the manga series is about Elizabeth's oldest sister Margaret and her lover, Gilthunder, and what happened back in the castle while Elizabeth was finding the Sins. If you're a fan of the franchise, or just of the Margaret/Gilthunder relationship, this is something to check out. Vertical's edition is pretty great too; the volume is published as a small hardcover with illustrations by the original mangaka.
The Disappearance of Hatsune Miku by Muya Agami and [email protected], Seven Seas $14.99. June.
I suspect that this will appeal strictly to Vocaloid fans, but the premise, that a young man comes to see Miku as more than just a program as they search for lost songs, sounds cute. It is the only licensed Hatsune Miku novel, so that alone may make it worth checking out.
Magical Girl Raising Project by Asari Endou, YenOn $14. June.
The source material for the anime series. While I haven't read it yet, this combination of magical girl story and death match should prove interesting, especially for franchise fans.
Sound! Euphonium: Welcome to the Kitauji High School Concert Band by Ayano Takeda, YenOn $14. June.
Even though this is the source material for the popular anime, it may feel strange to have the story without actual music. Nevertheless, book format should allow for more character details, so fans will want to check this out.
If It's for my Daughter, I'd Even Defeat a Demon Lord by CHIROLU, J-Novel Club $6.99. June.
I'd be lying if I said that this combination dungeon-fantasy/dad story wasn't one of the light novels I'm most anticipating. Adventurer turned single dad Dale adopts an abandoned devil girl he finds in the forest and then has to deal with the consequences, from parenthood to wondering why his new child bears the mark of a criminal. This is ebook only, but hopefully Seven Seas will later give it a print release.
Overlord: The Lizardman Heroes by Kugane Maruyama, YenOn $20. May.
This is the first volume of the novel to go beyond the anime. Fans, rejoice at Lord Momonga's further exploits! | {
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CHARLOTTE, N.C. — In August 2018, when David West retired from the NBA, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr voiced confidence that West would be successful in whatever post-playing career he chose.
West is banking on Kerr being right. West, who won NBA titles with Golden State in 2017 and 2018, is helping establish a basketball league to rival the NCAA.
In a story published Monday by the Wall Street Journal, West, 38, outlined his plans for the Historical Basketball League, of which he is the first Chief Operating Officer. West, who has long had issues with the NCAA model, hopes to launch the league in the summer of 2020 after landing $30 million to $40 million in funding.
The HBL, which aims to boast 12 teams after picking from a pool of 20 cities, would pay players between $50,000 and $150,000 per season. In addition to their salaries, players would receive full college scholarships to attend schools in or around the cities where they play.
To ensure that athletic commitments won’t conflict with players’ schoolwork, the season would run during the summer. Players would also be free to profit off their likeness and sign endorsement deals.
The league is still in the early stages of recruiting elite players, securing funding and broadcasting partners, and selecting home cities. However, it has already put together a high-profile leadership team.
Andy Schwarz, a consultant for the case brought by former UCLA player Ed O’Bannon regarding the NCAA using players’ likenesses for video games, is co-founding the HBL with West. Cleveland attorney Ricky Volante is expected to serve as the league’s CEO.
This is just the latest ambitious endeavor for West, who scored 14,034 points and made two All-Star teams in his 15-year NBA career.
An expert in African American history, he sponsors a summer AAU program in Garner, N.C. His charity, the West Group, has raised college scholarships for more than 400 low-income students in North Carolina. West is also on the advisory board for Zoetic Global, a renewable-energy company.
Injury update: Center Jordan Bell (flu symptoms) was ruled out for Monday’s game against the Hornets. He missed practice Sunday and didn’t join the team at Spectrum Center on Monday, opting to stay at the hotel.
After facing the Hornets, Golden State has a back-to-back in Miami (Wednesday) and Orlando (Thursday). Kerr said that “there’s a good chance we won’t have everyone available for both games.”
DeMarcus Cousins and Andre Iguodala rested the rough end of the Warriors’ last back-to-back, on Feb. 13 in Portland.
Connor Letourneau is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. | {
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Patrick McDermott/Getty Images
In a recent twist of events, the Westboro Baptist Church has decided to protest the Syracuse-Florida game this Friday. This game is a marquee game featured on ESPN as part of the Big East-SEC Challenge.
For anyone going to the game, I urge you not to antagonize this group. I understand that this is a huge game to begin with and that fans will already be riled up, along with those devoted who are already camping outside Gate E.
But it will be best for all parties if everybody simply respects each others' views. I worked at a news station this summer that covered a funeral that was protested by this group. It is best for everyone, regardless of your political and religious views, to simply not engage them.
This is just the beginning of backlash against the university and the basketball program. However, as Jim Boeheim reiterated at his press conference following the Eastern Michigan contest, there are no charges, no arrests nor any grand jury indictment of any kind yet.
No matter what the evidence may point to at this time, it is important to keep that point in mind when talking about this matter. There is still information that has be looked at and examined for the sake of discovering the truth and justice for all involved.
These last two weeks have been completely insane for all on campus thanks to this scandal. The Westboro Baptist Church's protest is going to be an interesting climax to end this week. Syracuse Orange fans on campus will have to get used to these situations as the saga continues. | {
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In the midst of the NFL and college football regular seasons and MLB postseason as well as the start of the NBA season, a couple of ESPN programs hit multi-week highs:
“Highly Questionable” (averaging 501,000 viewers for Oct. 16-20) had its best week in total viewers since Feb. 6-10, the week of after Super Bowl LI (517,000 viewers average); HQ featured the ESPN debut of Katie Nolan on Oct. 19-20;
“Around The Horn” (averaging 536,000 viewers for Oct. 16-20) – best week since Mar. 6-8 and 10, the week of college basketball conference tournaments (631,,000 viewers average);
“First Take” (averaging 507,000 viewers for Oct. 16-20) – best week since June 19-23, the week of the NBA Draft (514,000 viewers average);
“SportsNation” (averaging 450,000 viewers for Oct. 17-20; not counting its ESPN2 telecast on Oct. 16) – best week on solely the ESPN flagship network since Jan. 17-20 (450,000 viewers average); | {
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"Doing the right thing is the key," Riley told Canzano. "What I've learned is that some things that are not negotiable about the opportunity to be on a team. One of those is certain kinds of assault, and one of them is anything to do with guns."
Daniel Van De Riet, the Huskers' associate athletic director for football operations, on Tuesday will book Tracy's airline ticket to Lincoln. Tracy is awaiting an itinerary. This is powerful stuff. Tracy will tell Nebraska's players how those men in the apartment near the OSU campus treated her like garbage. Her story becomes particularly germane in the context of the sexual-assault scandal at Baylor that cost Art Briles his job.
Tracy hopes for a one-on-one meeting with Riley, but that apparently isn't a done deal at this point. Writes Canzano:
Tracy would still like that 1-on-1 meeting with Riley, if only to tell him that his in-action as a coach and leader victimized her, almost as if it happened hand-in-hand with the assault itself. She's hopeful that after Van De Riet finalizes her itinerary that it will include an invitation to speak privately with Riley.
"I don't hate Riley today," Tracy said. "Thank God. That type of anger eats away at your soul. I've found a lot of peace." | {
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A shark attack victim says he is happy to be in one piece after being mauled at a beach south of Perth.
Noah Symmans has told 9News he was surfing with a mate when the shark latched on to his leg.
It was just before 9am yesterday at Pyramids Beach when the 20-year-old was sitting on his bodyboard with his legs dangling in the water when he felt the shark start to drag him down.
Noah Symmans managed to kick a shark until it let go of his other leg. (9news)
The champion bodyboarder managed to kick it with his other foot until it let go – and said he took inspiration from Mick Fanning’s infamous encounter in South Africa.
“I just felt something grab my leg and pull me down,” Mr Symmans said.
“I just went into attack mode I guess. Got my other foot and booted it, I guess. I think it was in the face. And it kind of released and we just gunned it for the rocks.
Mr Symmans was at Pyramids Beach when the incident occurred. (9News)
"It was fairly eerie vibes, a couple salmon were about and it was overcast... super sharky vibes.”
He then got himself to shore - where surf life savers and paramedics gave him first aid before he was airlifted to RPH.
He suffered four deep puncture wounds to his lower left leg.
"I'm just happy to be in one piece and thankful for all the help from the life guards and paramedics and the love from all my family and friends."
This latest attack happened while a nippers competition was underway at the same beach, prompting angry calls for the government to act.
This is the third shark attack at Pyramids beach since 2014.
A 13-year-old boy was bitten on the leg that year. An 18-year-old man also received deep lacerations his foot.
Fisheries Minister Dave Kelly said the WA government is doing everything it can to protect beachgoers.
“We’ve introduced more things in the last 18 months that any other government around Australia can you can eliminate the risk 100 percent…you can’t say that.” | {
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Introduction:A little over a year ago when the RG Sazabi was released, everyone was speculating on a future RG Nu Gundam Release date. A year later, the RG Nu was met with a serious amount of hype and a lot of praise. It's all one-hundred-percent deserved; the RG Nu is a fantastic build. If you haven't picked one up I strongly urge you to stop here, and order the kit (preferably through my link below!).Kit Talk:Much like the RG Sazabi Shin gave me a bit of direction on where he wanted the color scheme to go. It was a pretty broad description "White, with a glowing blue", a "light counter to the nearly black RG Sazabi ". Unfortunately, the glowing blue that we really wanted (Gaia Color AR-01) wasn't available, so instead, we settled on something equally bright, but not 'glowing'.The color scheme features white, and three off white colors including, Nazca 'Steel White', 'Neutral Gray #'1 and 'Pearl Silver', the pearl effect, however, is not visible.The gray inner frame is a combination of 'Neutral Gray #3, 'Nazca Frame Gray' and 'Gunmetal'.The V-fin and crotch marking are both painted with 'Gaia's Pearl Gold'. It's a really neat color that benefits from being moved around in the light. The sensors in the head are 'Mr. Crystal Color Sapphire Blue' over a base of 'Gloss Black'.Decals are a combination of HIQ generic markings, and decals from the HG Unicorn, with a few blue MG Exia and Qan[t] decals thrown in for good measure.Hit the bump to see all the photos of the RG Nu Gundam!Photos:As a commission piece I'm going out of my way to not scratch or chip anything so poses and photos will be limited! Sorry! | {
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Von Stephan Handel, Johann Osel, Ulrike Schuster, Matthias Köpf und Olaf Przybilla
Falls sich mal wieder jemand über den Bierpreis auf dem Oktoberfest beschweren will: 39,50 Euro kostet eine Flasche "Das Neuschwansteiner"; diese beinhaltet 0,75 Liter, also so viel wie eine äußerst schlecht eingeschenkte Mass - dafür aber schaut die Flasche aus wie eine für Champagner und ist von einem Karton umhüllt.
Das Bier in der Flasche ist laut Aufdruck nach einer "Methode royale" gebraut, von der allerdings kein Biertrinker und kein Braumeister jemals gehört hat. Deshalb wurde diese Angabe jetzt vom Oberlandesgericht verboten.
Verhandelt wurde am Donnerstag aber auch über den Namen. Also die Frage: Suggeriert der Name "Das Neuschwansteiner", dass das Bier im Schloss gefertigt wird, im königlichen Schlafgemach womöglich? Immer wieder ist die geografische Herkunftsangabe im Bierland Bayern höchst umstritten - und wenn es nur um ein paar Kilometer geht.
"Was auf dem Etikett drauf steht, muss in der Flasche drin sein", fordert Georg Rittmayer, Vizepräsident im Verband der Privatbrauereien. Der Brauer aus dem oberfränkischen Hallerndorf sagt: Hier gehe es nicht um irgendwas, sondern um Heimat und "mit diesem Gefühl spielt man nicht". Wer das Forchheimer, das Tegernseer, das Hallerndorfer trinkt, verbinde damit Geschmäcker, Gerüche, Gewohnheiten - weshalb die Brauerei in genau dem Ort sitzen und herstellen müsse. Was vorn auf der Flasche drauf stehe, dürfe hinten im Kleingedruckten nicht Kilometer vom Ort weg geschoben werden. "Eine Sauerei" wäre das.
So dachte wohl die Zentrale zur Bekämpfung unlauteren Wettbewerbs. Sie hatte gegen die "World of Neuschwansteiner Holding GmbH & Co KG" geklagt und vor dem Landgericht gewonnen. Am Oberlandesgericht (OLG), in der Berufung, ging es erneut um dieses Luxus-Getränk. Der Erfinder des Hochpreis-Bieres nämlich, Christian Seitz aus dem Allgäu, will "kosmopolitische Genießer" erreichen, die "immer das Teuerste haben wollen". Seit 2014 ist "Das Neuschwansteiner" auf dem Markt. Dann aber fanden die Wettbewerbsschützer, dass die kosmopolitischen Genießer in die Irre geführt werden: Das Bier wird nämlich gar nicht, wie der Käufer glauben könnte, in Neuschwanstein gebraut! Sondern im Ort Schwangau nebenan. Und die "Methode royale" sei hochstaplerisch, eine solche Methode gebe es nicht.
In beiden Fällen bekam die Klägerin vergangenes Jahr recht. Das OLG wollte dem Landgericht jetzt nur teilweise folgen: Der Name des Bieres sei nicht zu beanstanden. Denn niemand könne glauben, dass im Schloss zwischen all den Touristen und Souvenirständen auch noch eine Brauerei Platz habe - deshalb sei der Name "Das Neuschwansteiner" nicht als geografische Herkunftsangabe aufzufassen, durch die der Verbraucher getäuscht werde. In einem anderen Fall 2016 sah das derselbe OLG-Senat anders. Da ging es um ein Bier mit der Bezeichnung "Chiemseer", gebraut in Rosenheim. Urteil damals: Irreführung, weil das Bier nicht von einer Brauerei am Chiemsee stamme. | {
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Three people have been stabbed, one fatally, in a knife attack outside a London Underground train station, according to reports.
The victims, all male, were targeted at the Parsons Green station on Monday around 7:35 p.m. local time as residents were finishing their evening commute.
Authorities told the Daily Mirror that the incident did not appear to be terror related. It comes just weeks after terrorists detonated a bomb on a District line train at Parsons Green tube station, injuring 30 passengers.
Police have yet to make any arrests in connection to Monday’s attack.
One of the victims reportedly died at the scene and the other two were rushed to a local hospital.
Witnesses told the London Evening Standard that they saw medics giving CPR to the men moments after they were stabbed.
“I was on Parsons Green walking my dog when a policeman ran up to us and said to leave the park immediately so that a helicopter could land,” said Holly Eddleston, a passerby.
“I walked towards the station, there were lots of police cars and a section cornered off with fabric — apparently somebody being resuscitated,” she said. “Sounds of a girl screaming and crying were piercing.”
All roads surrounding the Parsons Green tube station have been closed as police continue to investigate. It’s unclear if cops are looking for more than one suspect. | {
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UK Athletics has confirmed to WKYT that the University of Kentucky has "agreed to terms on a long-term contract with Coach Calipari to finish his career at Kentucky."
A report earlier on Monday said that Kentucky head coach John Calipari was offered a lifetime contract to stay with the Wildcats after UCLA showed a renewed interest in the coach.
Terms would be for 10 years along with a promise to be a paid lifetime ambassador when Calipari is done coaching.
UCLA offered Calipari a six-year, $48 million deal, but it has since moved on to other candidates after Calipari squashed any rumors of leaving.
Calipari has made the NCAA Tournament in all but one year since coming to Kentucky in 2009. He won a national championship in 2011-12 and reached the Final Four three other times. | {
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Norway’s third largest city has voted to boycott all goods and services produced in illegal Israeli settlements located in the occupied Palestinian territories.
Trondheim City Council approved the motion yesterday, in a resolution that states how “illegal settlements are expanding, the construction of the wall continues, Palestinians are subjected to daily harassment and face major obstacles in their daily lives.”
The resolution added: “This is a policy that Trondheim Municipality cannot support. The municipality will therefore refrain from purchasing goods and services produced in the occupied territories.”
According to reports: “The city council is also asking residents of Norway’s third largest city to personally boycott settlement goods and services.”
The boycott resolution was supported by the Labour, Socialist Left, Green and the Red party, it was opposed by the Conservatives, Christian Democratic, Progress, Centre Party and the Pensioner’s Party. | {
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Limited Access on Reds Meadow Valley Road in 2020 The Reds Meadow shuttle is not operating in 2020. As a result, once Reds Meadow Valley Road opens on June 26, rangers will monitor parking lots and will not allow vehicles to drive in once lots are full. Visitors with wilderness permits will need to carefully plan since holding a wilderness permit does not provide an exception to enter the valley if parking is not available. Permit holders should be prepared to park elsewhere and hike the additional miles to the trailhead. If a permit holder has a coordinated drop-off or pick-up at their trailhead, these vehicles will be permitted through (no long-term parking). Reds Meadow Valley Road The Reds Meadow Valley Road into Devils Postpile is closed to private vehicles until June 26, but you may enter the park for day use on foot or by bicycle. It is 16 miles round-trip from Minaret Summit to the ranger station, down and back up a steep grade. You should be physically fit and prepared for a full day in the outdoors to make this trip. No services are available. Cell phones do not work in many parts of the park. Bring food and water, and plan for the weather. Pack out all trash and dog waste. Dogs are welcome on park trails if they are kept on a leash. Bicycles are permitted on the road, but not allowed on park trails. Bring a lock to secure your bike in the bike rack at the ranger station. Historic Public Opening and Closing Dates of Reds Meadow Road
Below are the dates that the Reds Meadow Road, the only road to access the monument, opened and closed each year since 2000. Note that the monument has been open to the public on Memorial Day weekend in only three of the past twenty years. Year Open Close Notes 2020 June 26 2019 July 4 October 27 2018 June 16 October 9 2017 July 21 October 29 2016 June 18 October 30 2015 May 22 October 26 2014 June 12 October 31 2013 May 24 October 1 Closed 10/1-16 due to shutdown.
Reopened 10/17-30 2012 June 29 October 18 2011 June 29 October 31 2010 June 24 October 12 Several storm closures prior 2009 June 6 October 20 2008 June 6 October 30 2007 May 26 October 30 2006 June 27 October 31 2005 June 29 October 17 2004 June 12 October 16 2003 June 13 October 30 2002 June 14 October 31 2001 June 7 October 30 2000 June 10 October 26 Several storm closures prior
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The retrial of former Troy, N.Y., City Councilman Michael LoPorto on ballot fraud charges has revealed detailed testimony about the casting and soliciting of absentee ballots.
LoPorto was charged with 22 counts of second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument for his role in an alleged Democratic Party attempt to steal a city council primary victory in 2009, according to the Times Union.
Robert Martiniano, a former Democratic candidate for the City Council’s second district, testified that forging absentee ballots is a tradition in local politics.
“It’s was something that was just in the culture for both major political parties,” Martiniano testified, according to the Mental Recession blog.
U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder has said voter fraud is “a problem that does not really exist.”
Slate, a left-leaning current events and culture magazine, published a May 31 report by Center for American Progress staffer Scott Keyes claiming that while that voter fraud may be “easy” to commit, “in truth, concerns about voter fraud usually stem from other conservative fears.”
The debate about voter fraud and what to do if it exists has reached final arguments in a court case pitting the state of Texas against the Department of Justice. The Supreme Court upheld Indiana’s voter I.D. law in 2008; thirty-two states in total have such a law on the books. | {
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Check out our new site Makeup Addiction
Homer Wants Some
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How can you resist that Sweet, Sweet Karma? | {
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A light heavyweight bout is the latest addition to the UFC’s year-end card in “Sin City.”
Corey Anderson (11-4 MMA, 8-4 UFC) is set to take on Ilir Latifi (14-5 MMA, 7-3 UFC) at UFC 232 in December. UFC officials today made the fight official on the FS1 broadcast of “UFC Tonight.” The bout first was reported by Kimura.se.
UFC 232 takes place Dec. 29 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on FS1 and UFC Fight Pass.
Anderson has won back-to-back fights on the heels of consecutive knockout losses to Jimi Manuwa and Ovince Saint-Preux in 2017. In April, he took a decision from Patrick Cummins. And in July, he outworked Glover Teixeira for a decision win at UFC Fight Night 134 in Germany.
Anderson won the Season 19 light heavyweight tournament on “The Ultimate Fighter” in 2014and won five of his first six fights in the promotion before a rough stretch of three losses in four fights before his current run.
Latifi has back-to-back wins, as well, and has won five of his past six overall. After a knockout loss to Ryan Bader in September 2016 snapped his three-fight winning streak, Latifi bounced back with a decision win over Tyson Pedro at UFC 2015 a year ago. And in February, he picked up a performance bonus for a submission win over Saint-Preux at UFC on FOX 28 in Florida.
For more on UFC 232, visit the UFC Rumors section of the site. | {
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Rick Carlisle on the impact of Kevin Durant's departure on the Thunder: "What it means is the ball's going to be in Westbrook's hands more, and that's no bargain either. … He's another great player. Hey, losing a guy like Durant is going to change your team, but put the ball in Westbrook's hands another 15 to 25 times per game and you've got another missile being launched at you every time down the floor." | {
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[Blind Gossip] These two celebrities are definitely dating… and it is the oddest coupling you could imagine!
Want to know what they see in each other?
She is an actress and sex symbol, best known for her starring role in a TV show from the 1990s and for her relationship with a famous rock star.
He is a journalist who people either love or hate.
What’s the attraction? An insider tells us:
He sees her as the ultimate woman. She is a sex symbol and a sympathetic ear to him. There’s really no one else like her in his life. He also likes her passion for fighting for [the causes she supports]. She sees him as worldly and intellectual and an activist who fights for what he believes in. She wants to be more fearless like him. She also wants her kids to meet him because she would rather they grow to be activists than rock stars.
Similar: Graceful Is All Talk
Actress:
Journalist:
[Optional] Do you think they make a good couple? | {
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Dans l’épisode précédent, nous étudions les possibles sources d’inspiration et références des races de Mass Effect. Cette fois-ci, ce sont les personnages principaux qui vont nous intéresser ! Et plus particulièrement leurs face models et l’origine possible de leurs prénoms/noms. Tous les personnages principaux ? Non, pas exactement. Les Turiens, les Krogans ou encore les Galariens ne disposent pas de face models, partant de ce constat, nous avons préféré nous concentrer sur les personnages humains ainsi que sur quelques exceptions.
Quant aux prénoms/noms, vous verrez que les auteurs de Bioware Edmonton semblent s’être amusés à y cacher bon nombre de références, à commencer par notre héros, le Commandant Shepard. Néanmoins, notez que si nous proposons les significations de ces prénoms et noms, cela ne sous-entend pas qu’ils ont tous été choisis par Bioware dans le but d’illustrer la personnalité du personnage ou de faire référence à une autre oeuvre, même si certaines coïncidences peuvent s’avérer troublantes. Bonne lecture !
Shepard
Face model : Mark Vanderloo. Ce mannequin néerlandais de 45 ans a travaillé pour de grandes marques comme Calvin Klein, Hugo Boss ou encore Giorgio Armani, avant de devenir le visage du Commandant Shepard.
Origines prénom/nom : John Sheppard de “Stargate Atlantis” semble largement avoir servi de source d’inspiration pour l’appellation de notre héros. Le nom “Shepard” est également très célèbre dans le domaine de l’astronomie puisque Alan Shepard fut le premier américain à aller dans l’espace et le cinquième à poser le pied sur la Lune. L’anniversaire de Shepard, le 11 avril, est également une référence à la mission Apollo 13 lancée le 11 avril 1970 pour laquelle Alan Shepard devait être assigné avant de finalement commander la mission Apollo 14.
Shepard est également un dérivé de Shepherd, le berger en français, ce qui illustre le rôle de leader de notre héros. Lors de la création de votre personnage, le jeu vous propose “John” pour un homme et “Jane” pour une femme, soit les prénoms utilisés pour les personnes sans identité (John / Jane Doe).
Jack
Face model : Candice Neil. Cette mannequin est principalement connue pour être la petite amie de l’acteur Billy Zane (acteur américain), avec qui elle a eu un enfant.
Origines prénom/nom : Le nom de “Jack” ainsi que sa tête rasée pourraient être une référence au personnage de Jack/Kyra des films « Pitch Black » et « Chroniques de Riddick », dans lesquels cette jeune femme aspire a devenir assassin et est également retenu dans une prison secrète, en l’occurrence sur la planète Crematoria. Le héros du film, Riddick, l’aide à quitter la prison tout comme Shepard aide Jack à quitter le “Purgatory” dans Mass Effect 2.
Grâce aux fichiers du Courtier de l’Ombre, on apprend que Jack utilise parfois le pseudo de « Jacqueline Nought ». Jack est le diminutif de Jacqueline, tandis que Nought signifie « rien /zéro » en anglais, en référence à son autre appellation : le sujet zéro. Par ailleurs, notez que le vrai prénom de Jack est en fait Jennifer.
Jacob Taylor
Face model : Kenyon Glover. Sur son compte Linkedin, Kenyon se présente comme étant acteur/producteur/modèle. Il serait apparemment un ancien joueur de basket professionnel reconverti et qui resterait toujours attaché à l’esprit de compétition : “être le meilleur des meilleurs”. Tout un programme.
Origines prénom/nom : Jacob signifie « celui qui prend par le talon » ou « qui supplante » en hébreu.
Zaeed Massani
Face model : Acteur inconnu + Sergent Barnes. Le face model de Zaeed est un acteur encore non identifié, qui apparaît notamment dans un épisode de la série TV “Lie to me”, à qui Bioware aurait rajouté cette magnifique cicatrice du Sergent Barnes (du film « Platoon »).
Origines prénom/nom : Zaeed est à l’origine un mot arabe (زيد), qui a été anglicisé et qui signifie “celui qui progresse et qui fait progresser les autres”.
Kaidan Alenko
Face model : Luciano Costa. Ce mannequin de 39 ans est né à Rio de Janeiro, puis il est parti aux Etats Unis où il a notamment travaillé pour Disney. En 2007, il crée le site Socal Social Club, un site internet destiné à créer des événements et une communauté online au sein des LGBT (lesbienne, gay, bisexuel et transsexuel). Il partage donc un point commun avec son avatar, l’orientation sexuelle.
Origines prénom/nom : En japonais, Kaidan signifie « histoires de fantômes ».
Tali Zorah
Face model : Hammasa Kohistani. Dans Mass Effect 3, Tali vous offre une photo de son visage si vous la romancez. Les fans ont très vite retrouvé l’origine de la photo, elle a en fait tout simplement été achetée sur un site de vente d’image ! Il s’agit en réalité de Hammasa Kohistani, la Miss Angleterre 2005.
Origines prénom/nom : « Tali » est un prénom d’origine hébreu (« rosée du ciel ») tandis que « Zohra » est d’origine Arabe (« fleur, blancheur lumineuse »). Le nom “Zorah” pourrait aussi être un clin d’oeil à Blade Runner, car l’une des réplicantes du film se fait nommer “Zhora”.
James Vega
Face model : Jamal Kazak. Le jeune homme est encore très peu connu, il a tourné dans plusieurs petites productions avant de servir de modèle à James Vega.
Origines prénom/nom : « Vega » est également le nom du Vettore Europeo di Generazione Avanzata, le lanceur européen de génération avancée lancé en février 2012 depuis la Guyane. Possible référence à l’astronomie comme sait si bien le faire Bioware ?
L’Homme Trouble
Face model : Jon Bridell. Il a joué dans de plusieurs séries TV très connues, toujours en tant que rôle secondaire : Lie to me, Esprits Criminels, ou encore les suites de Beverly Hills et K2000, mais également dans de gros navets…
Origines prénom/nom : De son vrai nom « Jack Harper », on peut imaginer que Bioware ait puisé son inspiration depuis l’astronome canadien William Edmund Harper ou encore depuis le personnage de Jack Harper dans la série TV « Tru Calling » (saison 1 diffusée en 2005). Le récent film « Oblivion » a ensuite repris « Jack Harper » pour son héros interprété par Tom Cruise. Une référence de Joseph Kosinski envers Mass Effect 2 ? (Il a tout d’abord écrit le roman « Oblivion » en 2011 avant de réaliser le film en 2012). Concernant son pseudonyme, Illusive Man en version originale, on peut voir un possible clin d’oeil à « The Smoking Man » de la série X-Files.
Liara T’soni
Face model : Jillian Murray. Cette magnifique brune de de 29 ans enchaîne des rôles dans des productions relativement anonymes en France, comme « The Graves » ou encore « Cougar Hunting » (on ne parle pas d’animal).
Origines prénom/nom : « Liara » est un prénom très peu répandu, cependant, on retrouve une trace d’une Liara dans un film de science-fiction de 1961, “La Planète fantôme”.
Miranda Lawson
Face model : Yvonne Strahovski, de son vrai nom Yvonne Strzechowski, est une actrice australienne, née le 30 juillet 1982 en Australie. Elle est notamment connue pour son rôle de Sarah Walker dans la série télévisée américaine « Chuck » ou encore plus récemment celui de Hannah McKay dans la saison 7 de « Dexter ».
Origines prénom/nom : En latin, « Miranda » signifie « digne d’admiration ». Un prénom donc plutôt bien porté. Le père de Miranda s’appelle Henry, Henry Lawson, tout comme un célèbre poète australien. Une possible référence à l’accent australien de la jolie Yvonne Strahovski.
Samara
Face model : Rana McAnear est une battante. A l’age de 16 ans, elle dû combattre un cancer pendant 2 longues années. Cette américaine de 33 ans possède une filmographie relativement modeste et travaille également sur les costumes de certains films inconnues en France. Après avoir incarné le personnage de Samara pour Mass Effect 2 et 3, elle s’imprégnera du personnage au point d’en devenir la cosplayeuse !
Origines prénom/nom : Le prénom de Samara, très répandu en Russie, serait d’origine hébreu et signifierait « protégé de Dieu ».
Diana Allers
Face model : Jessica Chobot est connue pour avoir travaillé pour le site IGN ainsi que pour de nombreux autres médias axés sur le jeu vidéo. Elle a créer un buzz en léchant une PSP lors d’une émission de G4TV. On peut dire qu’elle sait jouer de ses atouts ! Elle a ainsi intégré pendant un temps le classement des 100 femmes les plus désirables d’AskMen.com. Elle serait actuellement en train de pencher sur l’écriture du jeu vidéo Daylight prévu pour 2014 sur PS4.
Kai Leng
Face model : Michael Kroeber. Ce jeune mannequin ne fournit que peu d’information quant à sa vie privée et professionnelle. On sait au moins qu’il est mannequin et globe-trotter puisqu’il a vécu en Corée, en Allemagne puis aux USA afin de suivre ses études en droit.
Origines prénom/nom : « Kai » est un prénom aux multiples significations selon les langues. En chinois, Kai signifie « triomphant, » quand en birman il équivaut à « fort » et « incassable ». Plus intéressant, le nom de famille « Leng » est un plateau froid et aride dans l’univers de Cthulhu, l’oeuvre de H. P. Lovecraft. Ce qui est surement une coïncidence nous amène à rappeler que les romans de Lovecraft ont pu inspirer le concept des Moissonneurs.
Les personnages qui suivent n’ont pas de face-models officiels, voici nos suppositions :
Thane Krios
Origines prénom/nom : Thane pourrait provenir de « Thanatos », qui représente la personnification de la mort dans la mythologie grecque. Krios est un titan de la mythologie grecque qui fut emprisonné au sein du tartare par Zeus ainsi que le nom porté par une planète dans l’univers de Star Trek : Nouvelle génération.
En psychanalyse Freudienne, l’Éros représente l’amour, le désir et la relation, tandis que le Thanatos représente la mort, les pulsions destructrices et agressives. Le Thanatos tend à détruire tout ce que l’Éros construit (la perpétuation de l’espèce par exemple). Lorsque Thane rejoint le commando de Shepard, l’Eros prend le pas sur le Thanatos, il décide de retrouver son fils et de se lancer dans une quête de rédemption avant que sa maladie met un terme à sa vie.
Lorsque Thane est questionné à propos de ce qu’il ressent par rapport aux meurtres qu’il commet, il répond qu’il est simplement l’arme de ses employeurs. De plus, il compare son travail à un art. Une philosophie qu’il partage avec HK-47, le droïde assassin de Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. « I was chosen for this mission because killing is an art. And I am a Master. » Thane Krios.
Jeff “Joker” Moreau
Origines prénom/nom : Dans le DLC Citadelle de Mass Effect 3, Joker lance une réplique faisant référence au Docteur Moreau du roman de science-fiction “L’Île du docteur Moreau” de H.G. Wells. Doit on également prendre cette référence comme la source d’inspiration du nom de famille donné à ce personnage ? Quant à son surnom de Joker, ce mot anglais est une référence à « Jester », soit « bouffon » ou « fou du roi » en français. Le rôle d’un « Jester » ? Faire rire les gens !
IDA
Mass Effect 2 : La majorité des films de science-fiction introduisent l’intelligence artificielle, et souvent sous une forme sphérique, un hommage évident à la classique IA “HAL” de “2001: l’Odyssée de l’espace” ou encore à MAX du film “Le vol du navigateur”. On notera que la série des Halo a également opté pour cette apparence avec 343 Guilty Sparks.
Mass Effect 3 : “The Art of Mass Effect 3” nous apprend que Maria, du film “Metropolis” de 1927, serait l’une des sources d’inspiration majeures de l’apparence physique d’IDA. Nul doute que le physique avantageux de Tricia Helfer a également pu inspirer l’équipe de Bioware pour définir les dimensions généreuses d’IDA, d’autant qu’elle en est la doubleuse US. Enfin, notons également que Tricia incarnait “Numéro 6” dans Battlestar Galactica, un cylon (les robots faisant face aux humains dans cette série TV), encore un jolie clin d’oeil !
Origines prénom/nom : En version originale, IDA s’appelle en fait EDI, soit le même sigle que le vaisseau furtif et autonome grâce à une IA dans le film américain “Furtif”. Dans le film, EDI (pour Extreme Deep Invader, contre Enhanced Defense Intelligence dans ME) refuse d’obéir aux ordres des militaires et tente d’accomplir une mission secrète.
Ashley Williams
Face model : Nadine Velasquez (non-officiel). Cette actrice et modèle américaine qui a joué dans « Rogue » ou encore plus récemment dans « Flight » possède ce quelque chose qui nous fait penser qu’elle pourrait avoir inspiré Bioware Edmonton. (Copyright © Sihna)
Origines prénom/nom : Dans le film “Evil Dead”, Ash Williams est un personnage qui possède une arme favorite intitulée « baguette magique » (un fusil Remington calibre 12 à canon scié, appelé « boomstick » dans la version originale). Dans Mass Effect 3, lorsque vous prononcez “Boomstick” avec le Kinect de la Xbox 360, Shepard sélectionne un fusil à pompe. (illustration en vidéo) Dans le premier épisode, si Ashley fait partie de votre escouade sur Virmire, une de ses réponses inclura une référence au fameux “boomstick”.
David Anderson
Origines prénom/nom : On ne sait pas si le nom d’Anderson est une référence direct à la trilogie Matrix (nom de famille de Néo). Une vidéo fait justement débat à ce sujet, certains prétendent que la voix brouillée dans un extrait vidéo entre Anderson et une autre personne comprendrait la fameuse réplique : “Mister Anderson! Surprised to see me ?”
On peut également voir une référence à Leonard Anderson de la série TV Babylon V (photo ci-dessus). Ce militaire qui officiait dans les forces terriennes commandait des vaisseaux, comme l’EAS Charon puis le Victory, avant de périr dans un combat pour la défense de la Terre.
Kasumi Goto
Face model : Kym Hoy (non-officiel). Kym Hoy a doublé Kasumi dans sa version originale, de part son physique, on peut également imaginer qu’elle a servi de face model, ou du moins d’inspiration, aux concepteurs de Bioware.
Origines prénom/nom : Le nom de famille de Kasumi pourrait être une référence à l’un des droïdes de Star Wars : Kotor II, G0-T0, ou encore au langage informatique. Le mot japonais gōtō (強盗), qui se prononce de la même façon, signifie « voleur ». Par ailleurs, Kasumi, qui signifie « brouillard » / « brume » en japonais, pourrait être une référence aux jeux « Dead Or Alive » dans lequel une Kasumi combat un certain Donovan (l’ennemi de Kasumi sur Bekenstein s’appelle Donovan Hock). | {
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Newly-appointed chancellor could be given room to manoeuvre with deadline extension
This article is more than 7 months old
This article is more than 7 months old
Downing Street has appeared to hint that newly-appointed chancellor, Rishi Sunak, could adopt a more relaxed approach to public spending than his predecessor.
Sajid Javid resigned on Thursday with a parting shot at the prime minister about ensuring the Treasury retains its independence – but Boris Johnson is impatient to turn on the spending taps.
Javid promised during the general election campaign to balance the books on day-to-day spending over the next three years; but no timescale was included in the Conservative manifesto – and Johnson’s key adviser, Dominic Cummings, is known to be wary of allowing tax-and-spending rules to dictate policy.
Sunak spent two-and-a-half hours with officials on Friday, including advisers from No 10 who will lead the new joint No 10-Treasury unit rejected by Javid. Downing Street was unable to say whether the budget will go ahead as planned on 11 March.
And asked whether the government would stick with Javid’s spending rules, which could tie No 10’s hands as it seeks to “level up” the country, a spokesperson said: “We will continue to have a clear fiscal framework,” and repeatedly referred to the party’s election pledges.
Government sources stressed that Sunak was a “fiscal hawk” – committed to spending restraint. But one proposal believed to be under consideration is extending the deadline for balancing the books, perhaps to five years. That could create more leeway for upfront spending on what Johnson refers to as the “people’s priorities”, including hiring more police and nurses.
At the start of Friday morning’s cabinet meeting – which was recorded for television, Johnson led his new slimmed-down team, which he called the “people’s government” – and reiterated his election pledges.
After the cameras left the cabinet agreed that a tougher immigration system would be introduced at the start of next year.
No 10 refuses to confirm if budget will go ahead as scheduled – live news Read more
Details of the scheme will not be announced until next week, but a spokesman for Johnson confirmed that it would close down routes for low-skilled workers to come to the UK, with the effect of reducing overall immigration.
“Following discussion, cabinet agreed the implementation of a points-based immigration from 1 January 2021. The system will be simpler and fairer, and will not discriminate between countries – and will return democratic control of immigration to the British people,” a spokesperson said.
“The prime minister stressed that we must demonstrate that the UK is open and welcoming to talent from across the world; but the new system would end reliance on importing cheap, low-skilled labour – bringing down migration numbers overall.”
That will mark a dramatic change, fulfilling one of the central promises of the Vote Leave campaign during the Brexit referendum.
Successive Conservative governments had promised to reduce migration, but lacked the ability to control the number of EU arrivals. Concerns about the impact on economic growth and public services limited the extent to which ministers were prepared to crack down on non-EU arrivals.
Asked exactly how the new system would cut immigration, the spokesman said: “We will introduce a points-based system which by its very nature will give the government control over who can come in. You have the levers within the system.”
Asked if the government would be willing to accept slower economic growth as the price of bringing migration down, he said: “The prime minister has been clear: the public elected this government on the basis of taking back control of our borders. That is what this policy will do.”
Sunak sat alongside the prime minister as the cabinet met. Downing Street said Sunak had reminded ministers of their need to find savings of 5% from their departmental budgets, to be “reprioritised” for other purposes.
Johnson continued to fill the lower ranks of his government on Friday with several new appointments. Greg Hands, who resigned rather than vote for Heathrow expansion, returns as a minister in the department for international trade.
Jake Berry, a longtime ally of Johnson’s, resigned as Northern Powerhouse minister, rather than accept a job in another department. The transport secretary, Grant Shapps, will now take control of the project.
Several women were also appointed to junior roles. The government insisted Johnson was committed to advancing female talent despite the fact that fewer than a quarter of his new cabinet are women. | {
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The US Navy has five cruisers and 30 destroyers near the Russian border for anti-missile defense, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said. These are in addition to systems stationed in neighboring states, the president added.
Read more
US missile defense is growing in reach and amassing near Russian territory, Putin said. The naval group complements the anti-ballistic missile systems stationed in California and Alaska, as well as the systems being delivered to Poland and Romania.
READ MORE: Russia’s successes & challenges: Putin’s State of the Nation address in detail
“The global US anti-ballistic missile system includes a naval group. These are five cruisers and 30 destroyers, as far as we know, deployed in areas in the immediate vicinity of the territory of Russia,” Putin said in an address to Russian parliamentarians on Thursday.
The president also warned that the range of missiles will only increase, while further deployment is planned in Japan and South Korea. Tokyo has recently accepted Lockheed Martin Aegis Ashore systems to “fundamentally improve” its anti-missile capabilities against potential “surprise attacks,” while Seoul has already installed the US Terminally High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system.
In response to the challenges caused by the US withdrawal from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, Russia started developing advanced strategic arms, Putin stated. The ABM Treaty had insured against a pre-emptive nuclear strike by either side, but the US undermined it and it was terminated in 2002.
READ MORE: Russia's new hypersonic Sarmat ICBM has begun active testing – Putin (VIDEO)
“We have started the development of new types of strategic weapons, which do not use ballistic trajectories at all when moving towards the target,” the Russian leader said. | {
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America has been made to endure this pain before, when a mass shooting has desecrated its most cherished spaces: a schoolroom in Newtown; a cinema in Aurora; a church in Charleston.
This time, with the dawn, a baseball park in Virginia became, in the words of Senator Rand Paul, “a killing field”.
What politicians who trade their suits and ties for baseball uniforms lack in fitness, they make up for in earnest enthusiasm. Such is the dedication of Steve Scalise, the No 3 House Republican, and his colleagues that they regularly start practice at 6.15 or 6.30am at the Eugene Simpson Stadium Park in Alexandria, across the Potomac river from Washington DC.
This allows them to beat the heat, which was heading towards 90F(32C) on Wednesday, and the clamour of Capitol Hill.
Their surroundings are a serene, affluent area of detached redbrick houses with porches, clipped lawns and trees where trouble is hard to imagine. The baseball field is close to the park where local people walk their dogs, a children’s playground and a YMCA. It lies about halfway between Washington DC to the north and George Washington’s farm, Mount Vernon, to the south.
There were 20 House members and two senators present, according to the congressman Joe Barton of Texas, the Republican team’s manager, grabbing the last chance to hit some balls before Thursday’s annual charity game against their Democratic rivals.
Just after 7am, a man who would be identified later as James Hodgkinson, 66, from Belleville, Illinois, walked up to two congressmen, Ron DeSantis and Jeff Duncan, as they were getting into their car to leave the field, the pair recalled.
Facebook Twitter Pinterest James T Hodgkinson, the suspect in the Virginia shooting. Photograph: AP
Duncan told reporters that the man had “asked me if the team practicing was a Democrat or Republican team. I told him they were Republicans. He said, ‘OK, thanks,’ turned around.”
Minutes later, as the dedicated amateurs were nearing the end of batting practice, there was a loud bang. They stopped and stared, puzzled. Rodney Davis of Illinois said later that he thought something heavy had dropped at a construction site.
“He’s got a gun!” someone shouted. Another person yelled: “Hit the ground!”
‘He was hunting us’
One of the most vivid accounts would come from Mo Brooks, an Alabama congressman. “I was on deck, about to hit batting practice on the third-base side of home plate, and I heard a loud ‘bam’, and I look around and behind third base and the third base dugout, which is cinderblock, I see a rifle,” he told CNN. “And I see a little bit of a body and I then hear another ‘blam’ and I realise that there’s an active shooter.”
Virginia gunman was leftwing activist with record of domestic violence Read more
Hodgkinson, wearing jeans and blue shirt, was wielding a rifle from behind a chain-link fence near third base. By most estimates, he would fire at least 50 rounds, the bullets kicking up earth and gravel. There was pandemonium. Brutally exposed on the open field, people variously hit the deck, dived into a dugout for cover, raced into the dog park or jumped over a fence and ran for their lives. The team manager Joe Barton’s 10-year-old son Jack hid under an SUV.
Mike Bishop of Michigan told the New York Times: “He was hunting us at that point. There was so much gunfire, you couldn’t get up and run. Pop, pop, pop, pop – it’s a sound I’ll never forget.”
Hodgkinson kept firing as he moved from near the third-base dugout towards the backstop behind home plate. He never got on to the field because the chain-link fence around the park was locked. Barton said later: “Had he gotten in the fence, it would have been a bloodbath.”
Facebook Twitter Pinterest A view of the baseball field in Alexandria, Virginia, after the shooting. Photograph: Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images
The Texas congressman Roger Williams, who coaches the Republican team, added: “We were sitting ducks. We had nothing to fight back with but bats, if it came to that.”
The first victim was Scalise, 51, who had been fielding balls on second base. He was hit in the hip and collapsed to the ground, screaming. He managed to drag himself to the outfield grass, leaving a trail of blood, witnesses said later.
Two Capitol Hill police officers, Crystal Griner and David Bailey, who were in Scalise’s security detail, immediately returned fire. Senator Jeff Flake yelled: “Are you friendly? Are you friendly?”
One shouted back: “Yes!”
One of the officers suffered a gunshot wound but kept firing. Both were widely praised for saving numerous lives.
There was so much gunfire, you couldn’t get up and run. Pop, pop, pop, pop – it’s a sound I’ll never forget Congressman Mike Bishop
An Alexandria resident, Katie Fillus, told the Washington Post she saw a female officer pull out a gun and scream, “Drop your weapon!” but the gunman shot her. “She fell on the ground in front of us, and we were all just trying to lay as flat we could. And I belly-crawled, dragging through the mud. I got to the car and I ducked under the car and I laid as close as I could under the car to hide from the person. Then the police seemed to come.”
Brooks, meanwhile, had thrown himself down at home plate, but decided to take a chance and run to the first base dugout, where about a dozen congressmen and aides were lying. Among them was congressional aide Zachary Barth, who had been struck in the leg and hobbled across the field. Brooks took off his belt and another congressman applied a tourniquet to try to slow the bleeding.
“In the meantime,” Brooks told CNN, “I’m towards the right-field side of the dugout and there’s gunfire within about five, six, seven feet of my head, and I look up and there’s a guy with a gun blasting away. Fortunately, it was one of the good guys, one of our security detail, who was shooting back.
“Of course it was pistol versus rifle, our pistols versus the shooter’s rifle on the third-base line just outside the chain-link fence, and he was warning us to stay down.”
He added: “But for the Capitol police and the heroism they showed, it could very well have been a large-scale massacre. All we would have had would have been baseball bats versus a rifle. Those aren’t good odds.”
Police arrive
By 7.09am, Alexandria police had received a call reporting shots fired at the park, according to the chief, Michael Brown. Three minutes later, they arrived at the scene.
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Members of the FBI response team search for evidence on the field. Photograph: UPI / Barcroft Images
Hodgkinson – a home inspector who, it was soon revealed, had volunteered for Bernie Sanders’s presidential campaign – was shot at 7.14am. His rampage had lasted roughly 10 minutes.
Congressman Mike Conaway said: “The guy’s down to a handgun, he dropped his rifle, they shoot him, I go over there, they put him in handcuffs.”
It was not clear how much time passed before Hodgkinson died. The cause was multiple gunshots to the torso, according to the coroner’s report.
The coast finally clear, Brooks, Flake and others ran towards the wounded Scalise. Flake recalled: “I wanted to get to him but there were still shots going overhead from both sides. Finally, when the shooter was down, I just ran low out to Steve.”
The Virginia shooting is a Rorschach test for America | Ross Barkan Read more
They put pressure on the hip wound to staunch the bleeding while Brad Wenstrup, a congressman from Ohio and a physician, checked for any other wounds.
After medical personnel arrived, Flake said, he retrieved Scalise’s mobile phone. “I got his phone and called his wife, just to make sure she didn’t hear the news before. So, fortunately, she hadn’t, and I was able to tell her that he looked to be stable and we were with him.”
A helicopter landed in the field and took five people to local hospitals with gunshot wounds: Scalise, who remains in critical condition, lobbyist Matt Mika, congressional aide Zachary Barth, a Capitol police officer and the gunman.
Brooks said: “At that time, the police were causing all of us to gather outside the first base line and the chain-link fence and cordoning off the area to help ensure if there was a second shooter we would be better protected.”
Facebook Twitter Pinterest The FBI special agent Tim Slater briefs the press after the attack. Photograph: Zach Gibson/Getty Images
The typically tranquil neighbourhood was stunned. Bullets had lodged in or gone through windows of the nearby YMCA. Alex Heimberg, 19, who had arrived at 6am for a morning workout, had been in the basement during the gunfire. “We didn’t really know what to think of it,” he said. “It could be weights dropping from upstairs. It’s just something we’ve never experienced but we were given context when a man came down and said there was an active shooter and we said, ‘Oh crap, we need to get somewhere safe.’”
One patron reacted casually, wrapping himself in a towel and using a sauna, Heimberg recalled. The YMCA was on lockdown for about three hours.
A show of solidarity
It soon emerged that the shooter Hodgkinson was a leftwing activist with a record of domestic violence. He had signed an online petition calling for Donald Trump to be impeached and wrote on Facebook: “Trump is a Traitor. Trump Has Destroyed our Democracy. It’s Time to Destroy Trump & Co.”
We’re not going to let incidents like this change our way of life or daily routines Mike Doyle, Democratic team manager
Hodgkinson’s Facebook page – later removed by the social network – also featured pictures of Senator Bernie Sanders, who said he had been informed that Hodgkinson had apparently volunteered for his presidential campaign last year. “I am sickened by this despicable act,” a shaken Sanders said on the Senate floor. “Let me be as clear as I can be: violence of any kind is unacceptable in our society, and I condemn this action in the strongest possible terms.”
The drama in Alexandria all but cancelled the day’s business at the White House and Capitol Hill. At 11.36am, Donald Trump, sombre on his 71st birthday, announced: “The assailant has now died from his injuries.” In a partisan and rancorous political climate, Trump also made a measured appeal for unity. “We are strongest when we are unified and when we work together for the common good,” he said.
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Bernie Sanders strongly condemned the shooting after it came out that the suspect had volunteered for his presidential campaign. Photograph: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images
And for a day, at least, the mood in Washington seemed to have changed. At 4pm, the managers of the Republican and Democratic congressional baseball teams appeared together at a joint press conference and vowed that the game at Nationals Park on Thursday would go on. Barton said: “It will be ‘play ball’ tomorrow night at 7.05.”
'United in shock and anguish': Congress comes together after shooting Read more
Mike Doyle, the manager of the Democratic team, added: “We’re not going to let incidents like this change our way of life or daily routines.”
The congressmen also had another message. They believed the attack was a consequence of the increasingly toxic political climate between politicians, the press and the public.
“Members are not looked at as people any more,” Barton said, reflecting on the change since he was first elected in 1985. “People think they can come to our town hall meetings and say just the most obnoxious things and we’ll not feel anything personally.”
As a first step, Doyle said the Democrats invited Republicans to the Democratic Club for dinner. Barton ribbed him that he would order the most expensive steak on the menu. Doyle shot back: “We’re Democrats. We don’t have steaks. That’s your club.” | {
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Vermont women's hockey head coachhas announced his recruiting class for the upcoming 2017-18 season. The eight members of the Class of 2021 are comprised of five forwards, two defensemen, and one goalie. The class includes a Vermont native, three players from Minnesota, and two Canadians."This is a large, and very important class for us and I'm pleased to welcome them all to the UVM women's hockey family," said Plumer. "We have a great combination of talent and character throughout this group and I am very confident that they will immediately mesh with our returning players and the culture we have been working hard to create. I'm excited to see this new group help us take the next step in Hockey East."Caldwell graduated from Loyola Academy as the program's all-time leading girl's scorer with 112 goals and 49 assists for 161 points. She helped lead Loyola to the Illinois state title in 2016 and three state runner-up finishes. Caldwell was also a standout for the Chicago Mission AAA team, winning four consecutive state titles from 2013-17. The Mission was also the national runner-up this past season and earned third-place finishes in 2014 and 2015. Last season, Caldwell netted 16 goals and 26 assists for the Chicago Mission, along with 27 total goals for Loyola.Close was a two-year captain and three-time Lakes Region All-Star at Kimball Union Academy in New Hampshire. This past season, she was also named a New England Preparatory School Athletic Council (NEPSAC) Division II All-Star on defense. The Norwich, Vermont native was a Lakes Region All-Star in lacrosse and served as a team captain last season. Close's father Stuart is a 1983 graduate of UVM and three of her aunts attended the university.Erickson comes to Vermont from the Madison Capitols in Wisconsin, where she posted 14 points in 38 games last season. She previously played for Tier I Minnesota Connections Academy in St. Paul and was an All-Conference Honorable Mention selection in high school hockey. She was also an All-Conference performer for the lacrosse team and scored more than 100 goals in her career. Her brother Jake was a member of last year's Division III NCAA Championship men's hockey team at Norwich University. Erickson's other brother Josh is a former First Team All-American in men's lacrosse at St. John's.Flaherty is a transfer from North Dakota and will be immediately eligible to play two seasons for Catamounts. She skated in 39 games at North Dakota on defense with one goal and one assist. Previously, Flaherty was a five-year varsity letterwinner at Lakeville North High School, which won three straight South Suburban Conference titles from 2012-14. She helped lead Lakeville North to third place finishes in the Minnesota State Tournament in both 2013 and 2014. Flaherty registered at least 20 points in each of her final four years of high school hockey, including a career-high 25 in 2012-13.Holmes played for Stoney Creek in the Provincial Women's Hockey League (Ontario) last season. She was the team's fifth-leading scorer in the regular season with 14 points in 35 games as Stoney Creek fell in the quarterfinals. During her junior season, she led the Stoney Creek Midget AA team in goals (10) and points (19) in 22 regular season games. A versatile high school athlete, Holmes was named Athlete of the Year at Corpus Christi High School in both 2015 and 2017. She was a three-time MVP in field hockey and track & field (middle distance), and also lettered in soccer, volleyball and badminton.Kilberg won the Minnesota State Championship last season with Edina High School after posting a career-high 33 points on 14 goals and 19 assists. She was an All-Conference Honorable Mention selection, won the Hobey Baker Character Award, and was named to the All-Tournament Team. The forward registered 23 points on six goals and 17 assists as a junior in 2015-16. Kilberg was also an All-Conference and All-State performer in lacrosse and served as the captain at Edina as a senior.Natzke joins the Catamounts after a stellar season in net for the U-19 Lansing Spartans in Michigan with a 2.14 goals against average, .902 save percentage, 23 wins, and 12 shutouts. The Colorado native attended Conifer High School and played club hockey in her home state. The rookie goaltender will compete for playing time with juniorand sophomoreafter the departure of Second Team Hockey East All-Star, who graduated as the program's all-time wins leader (32).Shanahan was a captain at Pointe-Claire High School in Quebec and won a league championship in 2015. In 2016, she received a scholarship from the Montreal Canadiens at the Quebec Athletic Excellence Foundation and attended Dawson College, where her team reached the CEGEP Finals in each of her two seasons. This past season, she led the squad in scoring and ranked fifth in CEGEP with 20 goals and 33 points in 24 regular season games. Her father Kevin played two years of hockey for St. Francis Xavier University in Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS). | {
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All my friends are going to counterpoint and i'm just sitting here masturbating
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Software has bugs, yes, even ours. Since programmers are human, and humans make mistakes, ergo bugs. When you come across a bug in our software, or anyone else’s for that matter, you need to email in a bug report. The developer can use this to identify the problem, replicate the problem and fix it.
But most of the time, we developers find submitted bug reports to be incomprehensible. This is because the submitter has no idea what we need, how to communicate with us and how to write one of these bug report things.
In this article, I am going to teach you about how to write a good bug report so that the developer can understand, replicate and fix the issue.
Download a text template for a bug report.
Why send a bug report
Bug reports help us developers in a myriad of ways:
They tell us about issues we are not aware of
They help identify new features that we may not have thought of
They help us get a feel as to how our customers use our software, so we can make it better
Without bug reports, we have no idea things are going wrong, or acting slowly or not working for you. We need these just as much as you need the software to sing and dance.
When to send a bug report
Short answer, always and as quickly as possible. Longer answer, when:
You see an error message, send a bug report
The screen is blank or data is missing, send a bug report
When the program does not behave as expected, send a bug report
When the program crashes, freezes, becomes non-responsive or is slow, send a bug report
When the program gives an incorrect answer, send a bug report
When you don’t get what you need from the software, send a bug report
If you cannot figure out how to do something, send a bug report
If you don’t like the way it does things, or the software annoys you, send a bug report
If you have to implement a workaround in the system, send a bug report
What should it include
A bug report should contain a lot of information, the more you supply, the better. Some developers, like me, offer a plain text file template for you to fill in and email. Others have a web form. But most expect you to make one up and email it. Here is what it should contain and how to write each section:
Title: Create a short title for the report, and please be clear what the issue is. “Application crashed” is a horrible title as it gives no information on what is included in the report. Instead, title it with the error message and code, or product name and thing you were doing when it failed. For example: “Error 402: Access denied when clicking ‘Send Email’” or “Kifu reports error when generating Honors Report”. Both of these provide context for the bug report.
Bad: “It crashed”, “Saw an error”, “Bug”
Good: “Error 5C79 when printing from Kifu”, “Kifu honors report is blank”
Product: Identify the product, by name and say which version you are on. Almost all software has an about box with version information or it’s in the footer on web applications.
Bad: “Your application”
Good: “Kifu v1.01”
Classification: We need to know how serious it is, is this a feature request, minor annoyance or a full blown show-stopping nuclear-reactor-melting-down armageddon bug. Most forms have a set of these to choose from, but if they don’t, try one of: “New feature”, “Minor Annoyance”, “Crashing Bug”, “Serious Bug” or “Minor Bug” for those you can work around.
Bad: Leave it blank
Good: “Serious Bug”, “Annoyance”, “Feature Request”
Platform: Tell us what you are using to run the software, especially operating system name and version and web browser name and version, they are all different, and it’s important for us to know it - especially for web applications.
Bad: “Windows”
Good: “Windows 7, Internet Explorer 9”
Can it be reproduced?: Some of the most annoying bugs are intermittent and cannot be reproduced. We’d like to know up-front if we are dealing with an oddity or an every-time bug.
Bad: Leave it blank
Good: “Every time”, “Occasionally”, “Unable to Reproduce”
Description: This is the area where most people struggle, how to describe what the issue is. Try to include all of the following in the description:
Summary : A quick natural language overview of what you were trying to do when the bug appeared. Start with context, where in the application you are, then focus on the “what” you did and “what” the software did. Try to describe it like an old school news reporter would call in a story from a phone booth, just the facts. Bad: “Application does not work” Good: “Clicked on ‘Print’ button on ‘Honors Report’ screen, but the report is blank”
: A quick natural language overview of what you were trying to do when the bug appeared. Start with context, where in the application you are, then focus on the “what” you did and “what” the software did. Try to describe it like an old school news reporter would call in a story from a phone booth, just the facts. What happened : Describe step-by-step what you were doing when the bug appeared, and why you think it’s wrong. Be specific, type out the menu names, screen titles and the full wording on buttons or links clicked. If you do the same steps, does the same error occur? Bad: “Blank report” Good: “I clicked on ‘File / Save As…’ and the ‘Save’ dialog came up. I then clicked on the ‘OK’ button but the file did not save.”
: Describe step-by-step what you were doing when the bug appeared, and why you think it’s wrong. Be specific, type out the menu names, screen titles and the full wording on buttons or links clicked. If you do the same steps, does the same error occur? What’s the error : If an error message does come up, copy and paste the whole thing in. It makes it really easy for us to track these down. Bad: “There was an error, but I clicked it away and did not read it” Good: “Error 403: Access denied”
: If an error message does come up, copy and paste the whole thing in. It makes it really easy for us to track these down. Supporting Information : If this issue happens on a specific login or on specific data or at a specific time, provide that too. Specify the record you were on if you can. Bad: Leave it blank Good: “This error happens for all event records that are fees, but works for event records that are campaigns”.
: If this issue happens on a specific login or on specific data or at a specific time, provide that too. Specify the record you were on if you can.
Steps to reproduce: If you can make this bug happen again, great. That’s a huge help. Describe step-by-step how to reproduce it, from as far back in the process as possible. And again, be specific. “I clicked on X” is different to “I double-clicked on X” is different to “I tabbed to X and pressed return”. All three trigger X, but what did you do?
Bad: “I tried to print, but it did not work”
Good: “From the ‘Honors Report’ screen, click on the ‘Print’ button”
Expected results: Describe what you expected to happen when the bug occurred. This section is especially useful if the program does not behave as you expect it to, or if you would like to change the way the program works because it’s annoying.
Bad: “I expected it to work”
Good: “I expected to see a PDF of the Honors Report.”
Actual results: What did happen when the bug occurred. What was wrong, why is it wrong or if an error was thrown, what was the error.
Bad: “It did not work”
Good: “I received a blank PDF file”, or “Error 403: Access denied”
Workaround: If you have found a way to continue using the software by working around the bug, explain it. We may fix the bug, but the workaround could be causing other problems. Many people think this should be included in a bug report, I’m not sure as it does encourage workarounds instead of bug reporting.
Bad: “I have a workaround”
Good: “If you restart the application, and go straight to the report, it works the first time.”
Attachments: If you know how to make screenshots, do it. Attach a shot of the error, and of the screen just before the error and the one before that. We developers can then see what happened and what you see. If the application issues a crash log (or has any kind of log), attach that too.
Contact Information: Add your name and email. So we can keep you posted on the investigation and repair, and to enable us to ask you any questions about the bug that we may not understand. If you forget this, we may not be able to contact you and fix this bug.
Hints and tips
Show stoppers : If the bug is stopping you from working or has a deadline by when it needs to be fixed, let us know up-front. That’s what the class field is for. We developers understand showstoppers, we know how it feels when the software does not work and you need to get things done. We will drop everything to fix these.
: If the bug is stopping you from working or has a deadline by when it needs to be fixed, let us know up-front. That’s what the class field is for. We developers understand showstoppers, we know how it feels when the software does not work and you need to get things done. We will drop everything to fix these. Be specific : Use the exact same words as the application. If you see something, write it as is. If you click something, write it’s exact name. For menus: Follow the sequence of menus separated by the ‘/’ character, for example “File / Save As…” For screens: Look at the top of the window and type exactly what is there For buttons or tabs: Copy and paste the exact text shown For links: Copy and paste the whole URL (including the “http://”)
: Use the exact same words as the application. If you see something, write it as is. If you click something, write it’s exact name. Don’t ignore error dialogs, ever! : It is a hassle to report every time an error comes up, and it’s just too easy to click it away instead of reading it. But if you ignore these, and don’t report these, we’ll never know. We don’t know when you see an error, and even though we have logs, it’s hard to find errors in them.
: It is a hassle to report every time an error comes up, and it’s just too easy to click it away instead of reading it. But if you ignore these, and don’t report these, we’ll never know. We don’t know when you see an error, and even though we have logs, it’s hard to find errors in them. What was happening before : The problem is that a bug is the end of a workflow. To reproduce it we need to reproduce the whole workflow. Which means we need you to tell us what you were doing before the bug appeared and what the software was doing too.
: The problem is that a bug is the end of a workflow. To reproduce it we need to reproduce the whole workflow. Which means we need you to tell us what you were doing before the bug appeared and what the software was doing too. Report the first error you see : Oftentimes, people get so used to an error that they become tuned to ignoring it. So when a new error occurs, they report that as the “first” error they saw. Not true. If a part of a system has failed, the next error may be a result of the first failure and not a real error in itself. We need to know if you ignored a crash before you got this error.
: Oftentimes, people get so used to an error that they become tuned to ignoring it. So when a new error occurs, they report that as the “first” error they saw. Not true. If a part of a system has failed, the next error may be a result of the first failure and not a real error in itself. We need to know if you ignored a crash before you got this error. Attach or Copy and Paste : Copy and paste whatever you can into the bug report, attach as many screens and files as you can. The more information we have, the more likely we’ll find the issue and fix it.
: Copy and paste whatever you can into the bug report, attach as many screens and files as you can. The more information we have, the more likely we’ll find the issue and fix it. Workarounds are Bugs : If you cannot get something done using the expected process, but can with a workaround, you have a bug. Report it. Workarounds cause huge problems later on so its best to get the expected process fixed than rely on the workaround.
: If you cannot get something done using the expected process, but can with a workaround, you have a bug. Report it. Workarounds cause huge problems later on so its best to get the expected process fixed than rely on the workaround. More is better : I know I am repeating myself, but the more you put in the report, the less we need to do to find the issue.
: I know I am repeating myself, but the more you put in the report, the less we need to do to find the issue. Stay on topic : A bug is something that happens in software, its a “what” or a “how”. It does not help us to know what else you were doing, or why you were doing it (unless we ask), or what you are wearing. We need to know what you did that triggered the bug so we can fix it.
: A bug is something that happens in software, its a “what” or a “how”. It does not help us to know what else you were doing, or why you were doing it (unless we ask), or what you are wearing. We need to know what you did that triggered the bug so we can fix it. Don’t get personal: You are reporting a bug, not discussing the developer’s nature or the quality of the software. Bug reports that contain offensive or emotional language will be ignored. I don’t suck, nor does my software, so lets discuss the bug.
And my biggest tip of them all:
It’s not you: You did not create the bug. You did not break the system. It’s not your fault. You are not stupid. There exists a bug, the system broke, now lets find it and fix it. It’s not about you, its about the bug.
We do want to hear from you. Seriously we do. We want you to send bug reports in, we need to you bother us, and we know how hard it is for you to produce a bug report. A lot of people don’t report bugs because they do not want to bother the developer. That is the wrong attitude. Send us your bug reports and ideas. Barrage us with them if you can.
Feel free to download my plain text template here. | {
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Getty Images
Vikings defensive end Everson Griffen had eight sacks while playing 78 percent of the defensive snaps during the 2019 season and he’s set for free agency as a result.
Griffen’s contract contains a clause allowing him to opt out of the remaining three years of his deal as long as he had six sacks while playing 57 percent of the defensive snaps in 2019. Griffen had until February 25 to exercise that right, but Courtney Cronin of ESPN.com reports that he has already done so.
The move, which was expected, clears $13 million in cap space while leaving $800,000 in dead money.
Cronin adds that there’s a feeling that the team can work out a deal to keep Griffen in Minnesota for less money and Griffen said last month that he wants to stay in Minnesota, so there may not be a change in address this offseason. Talking to other teams next month could shake up that view and voiding the contract opens the door to that possibility. | {
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LO-förbunden oroas av att allt fler medlemmar röstar på SD. För att möta utvecklingen vill förbunden som SvD talat med att Socialdemokraterna och Moderaterna ska göra upp om migrations- och integrationspolitiken. Men hur fackförbunden förhåller sig till sina egna SD-medlemmar skiljer sig åt. | {
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