text
stringlengths 14
100k
| meta
dict |
|---|---|
The peer review process is an imperfect construction that helps lend credibility to the publication of research. It is not the final arbiter of who is right, as cumulative research should encourage further discussion, but it is an important barrier that offers a check on research and also provides feedback as authors work to make their findings available to the scientific community and the public in general.
Non-academic peer review exists in a variety of venues beyond just scientific research. One such arena, online video games, may offer an insight of how to encourage active and meaningful participation in the peer review process by providing feedback to not just authors and editors, but to reviewers.
—
The game League of Legends, created and operated by Riot Games, is one of the most popular competitive video game across the globe. It boasts a userbase of tens of millions (stats from October, 2012) and will be having its third world championship in less than a month with over $8 million at stake. The event will have thousands watching live in California and be watched live online by millions. Of note, the North American and European teams are expected to fair quite poorly against teams from China and Korea.
With this large community, one of the persistent problems the community deals with is toxic player behavior. That is, behavior that includes aggression, foul language, threats, and taking actions that ruin the experience of the game for other players. Such behavior, done by individuals that are typically anonymous except for a username that can be changed, is detrimental to the health of the game and deters other players from continuing to participate in the game or community. In fact, Riot just released a video yesterday to try to combat the problem by appealing to statistics and performance. In one of their multiple methods to try and combat this problem, Riot hired social scientists to see what inducements they can offer to curb poor behavior. One strategy they have adopted is the Tribunal. In the tribunal, other players read through the logs of an individual, who has been reported repeatedly, and vote to either pardon the person or punish them for their behavior in the game. Once enough people vote to pardon or punish an individual, the majority decision holds and that person either has nothing done to them due to being pardoned or they receive punishment for their behavior. This punishment escalates as the player is found guilty in front of multiple tribunals and includes punishments such as a warning, losing the ability to chat in game, being temporarily banned, or having their account permanently banned from the game.
Now, the part of this whole story that is related to academic peer review is that the users who participate in this process receive a score that changes with their voting in the majority or the minority. This score, an Elo rating, goes up when they are in the majority, and down when they are in the minority. For the tribunal, the system is a modification of the same system that calculates an individual’s chess rating based on their wins and losses. Generally, a higher score indicates better performance as judge. This gives feedback to the judge about their consistency in evaluations relative to the rest of the community and there are even leaderboards that rank the top few hundred judges.
—
This mechanism has potential for use within academic publishing. Essentially, when a reviewer makes a recommendation to an editor about a particular manuscript, they are casting a vote for rejection, revise and resubmit, or some level of acceptance. Naturally, these votes are not in isolation. Given that any academic is likely to review multiple articles over the course of a year, as well as a lifetime, it would be possible to rank reviewers along a similar metric. In academic publishing, I recommend two such scores to mark performance over binary outcomes: Reviewer agrees with Peers and Reviewer Agrees with Editor. The first score is an indication as to whether or not a given reviewer is generally in the majority or minority on reviewing papers. The second indication is a score that determines whether or not a reviewer is providing useful information to the editor. Thus, it is plausible that generally a reviewer agrees with his or her peers and this informs the editor to their agreement. It is also possible that a reviewer consistently does not agree with his/her peers but editors use their views to inform their decisions.
To provide an Elo system for reviewers would require the cooperation of one or more journals within a discipline. It is feasible for a journal to provide the scores of reviewers for just that journal if there were not cooperation within a discipline, though the sample and movement of those scores would be small as a result. If several journals within a discipline worked together, then the information would be data rich. Given that peer review is anonymized on two fronts, the data would likewise have to be anonymized in terms of which papers that reviewer reviewed, but this can be done by simply issuing a unique ID for a manuscript. Then, all the journal would have to provide is a simple yes or no as to whether the reviewer was in the majority and if the reviewer was in line with the reviewers decision. It is possible to make the data more informative if we included a range of possible deviations from the majority, but it would make sense to make the data collection as simple as possible. Ultimately, after the scores have been computed, such scores should be made public to the discipline.
Benefits:
To go through the process and provide such information requires some level of benefits to the discipline to be worth adopting. There are a few different benefits for providing such data and assembling it. First, it would provide a benchmark for newer members of the community to gauge how their decisions are related to other people in the community in a systematic way. This is also true for members are established within a discipline. As an Elo score goes up or down, the academic can gauge systematically how their decisions have related to others within the community. This allows individuals to move beyond anecdotal evidence that could very well be filtered through confirmation bias and, instead, provide a direct assessment of their reviewing capabilities.
Second, it can offer a level of prestige. Such Elo measurements can and should be broken down into lifetime and yearly scores. These numbers then give participating reviewers a service-based metric of their performance. If you are the highest Elo reviewer within a discipline for a given year, or over a lifetime, this would send a strong signal about your consistency. If your Elo is consistently low, this may be because you have a higher standard than your peers or, perhaps, a lower standard if you are often the lone wolf that recommends publication among two other rejection recommendations.
The third notable benefit would be to editors. Editors have networks of reviewers that they request reviews from and have some idea of how those reviewers have performed in the past. This evaluation is generally based on memory as well as whether or not a particular article falls within the expertise domain of a reviewer and may be prone to error. In a ranking system as proposed above, a high Elo ranking on either metric (community or editor Elo) will give editors more information about whether or not they should approach new individuals (or old ones) for additional reviews. A community wide Elo system would also give editors access to individuals within the discipline that they may not have known were active reviewers.
There are other benefits to having a public Elo system, but I will stop at these three.
Costs:
Naturally, such Elo computations are not free. There are two major costs I see associated with such a plan.
First is the task of data gathering as a literal cost of time and money. It would likely put another burden on editors to provide this information to those who calculate the Elo rankings. Editors already have to tally up votes and read through decisions and convey this information to the author(s) of manuscripts. As such, I imagine this would be a small additional task for each reviewed article, but it still would be another task. As such, editors would have to choose to take on this additional data reporting burden. However, it can be done on a case by case basis or a journal can give the data to the compiler in a lump sum. Likewise, an organization or individual would have to take the task of collecting this information and providing it publicly (likely online).
The second potential drawback is that such a system may encourage conformity where we do not want it to exist. If reviewers become motivated to achieve a high Elo, their goal in critiquing an article may not be to determine if it is fit to be published, but may instead be to determine what their peers think of such a manuscript. This would depress individual incentives to strongly attack or defend an article.
A more serious problem in this regard is a decision become a focal point for reviewers. If it is common for articles to be rejected (as it is the norm for most peer reviewed journals), then reviewers that strongly care about their Elo score will reject articles as their default position. In general, I am not convinced that such a system would override the other incentives reviewers have for reviewing scholarly work, but it is certainly possible.
Along this line, there can be an incentive for discomformity. If you really do not want to review articles, you can purposely tank your Elo to send a signal to Editors. However, I imagine that people who would do this already send similar signals to editors in the present through how they review or comment on a manuscript.
—
The review system is a standard of service within academia and is expected of scholars that publish within journals and books. Having a systematic way of showcasing consistent reviewers, in effect, offering a public incentive for continued, strong reviewers may be an interesting experiment in providing systematized feedback to reviewers. At the very least, it is an interesting thought experiment.
Share this: Facebook
Reddit
Twitter
Email
Like this: Like Loading... | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
It’s been a big day for Samsung’s Gear VR smartphone-based virtual reality (VR) head-mounted display (HMD). The company has finally announced that the device will be arriving in early December 2014 at the 2014 Samsung Developer Conference (SDC) and even revealed a new 360 degree camera named Project Beyond that can be used to stream content to the Galaxy Note 4 smartphone housed inside the kit. Wrapping up its keynote speech at the show, it even revealed just how many titles are currently in development for Gear VR.
Over 60 titles are on their way to the platform. That figure likely includes all experiences coming to Gear VR, videogames or otherwise. Still, that’s an impressive amount for a HMD that’s yet to be released, especially given that there are currently no other consumer HMDs on the market. This list of course includes the numerous titles that were revealed for Gear VR around the time of its announcement including the likes of Hero Battle, the dungeon crawling videogame from Oculus VR itself that was renamed from VR Quest at SDC. The conference also highlighted the likes of Dreadhalls and Ocean Rift.
Some of these new experiences are set to be revealed during the remainder of SDC, where Gear VR has set up shop and is showcasing a selection of videogames. The event will also play host to a huge range of VR-related sessions from industry experts, all of which will be liveblogged by VRFocus. Make sure to keep checking back over the next few days for all of the latest updates on Gear VR and other VR-related news. | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
KILLEEN, Texas – The second-grade student who was hospitalized with bacterial meningitis earlier this week has passed away.
Second-grade student dies from meningitis
Was a student at Saegert Elementary School
Meningitis can kill in a matter of hours
Saegert Elementary School warned parents about the student diagnosed with meningococcal meningitis on Tuesday. Less than two days later, the elementary school student died.
The school has been disinfected with hospital-grade disinfectant to prevent the infection from spreading to other students. The infection can easily spread from person to person through germs.
The deadly bacteria can lead to death in a matter of hours, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Hundreds of people die from the infection every year. People who do recover from meningitis usually suffer from permanent disabilities like brain damage, hearing loss, and learning difficulties.
Counselors will be on campus at the elementary school to provide support for students.
Symptoms:
Parents are asked to keep an eye out for symptoms like fever, rash, headache, or stiff neck. Symptoms can show up quickly or take up to seven days after exposure. Anyone who thinks he or she might have meningitis should contact a doctor immediately.
Nausea
Vomiting
Sensitivity to light
Altered mental state
Neck stiffness
Slow
Vaccination
Doctors say the best defense against meningitis is vaccination. There are vaccines for all three types of bacterial meningitis.
The CDC highly recommends that all children at between 11 and 12 years old receive the meningococcal conjugate vaccine. Another booster is given at 16 years old. Young adults and teens can also receive the vaccines from 16 to 23 years old.
Children can also be vaccinated between 2 months and 10 years old if they live in an area where the disease is common.
Currently, Texas parents are allowed to use medical and conscientious exemptions to keep children from being vaccinated. | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
We bet you’ve heard a lot about products like Segway, Amazon Fire Phone or Google Glass. They all were developed and launched by different companies. But what unites them is that customers all over the world never got around to understanding the value of these products. Behind the scenes, heavy advertising by market giants like Google and Amazon managed to create plenty of hype, but the heavyweights failed to determine customers’ preferences in the first place. As it turned out, people didn’t need a two-wheeled personal transporter, a fairly limited smartphone or pricy, feature-packed glasses from the future.
But could the creators have predicted this outcome? Yes – if they had done proper market research instead of basing their products on “our-customers-will-love-it” theories.
What Is Market Research? Defining Goals
Market research is the process of collecting data about a market, service or product. It’s used to analyze the current situation and pave the way for a product launch or increased sales. The market research definition suggests that the study will shed light on the consumer’s habits and needs, the economic shape of the industry and the competitors’ state of affairs. Its main purpose is to discover a market opportunity for a certain business, and it seems that nowadays hardly any concept or rebranding idea can succeed without prior market research. According to HBR, during the first year, only about 3% of new consumer goods manage to top $50 million in sales, which is considered a success. Meanwhile, only 75% of them reach the $7-million bar.
These numbers clearly reveal a shortage of information about the market. But the most important fact is that market research is essential not only for new products, but also for existing services and concepts. If the business wants to scale up sales or introduce a new feature, it requires knowledge on where the clients stand with respect to the current product version and whether they’re ready for changes. Market research is integral to both launching a new service or supporting and improving the ongoing one. But before plunging into it, it’s important to define clear market research goals. They might be as follows:
Identify the target audience;
Recognize the peculiarities of local customers’ buying habits;
Explore competitors’ marketing research opportunities and strategies;
Shape the product or service’s identity;
Understand what clients like most/least about the existing product;
Define the true unique selling proposition;
Etc.
If you dig deeper into all of the abovementioned sample aims, you’ll see that it’s all about potential or existing clients, and for good reason – they must determine your strategies and plans.
Understand Your Current Customers (If You Have Them)
It doesn’t matter whether the business concept is new or already popular among customers. In both cases, looking for market opportunities is an essential part of growth and development. The only difference is that with existing clients it’s much easier to obtain valuable insights about the target product. They have used it and gained certain experience with it. And using modern online tools and software, you can easily extract the necessary information.
Review Your Statistics
If you have a database of clients and use even a basic set of promotional tools, you already have statistical data you can analyze and interpret. This kind of information is available from:
Google Analytics (see the web traffic sources, visitors’ demographic and geographic stats, etc.);
Social network analytics ( Facebook Page Insights , Twitter Analytics , etc.)
YouTube Analytics (check out the customer’s interests and preferences)
MailChimp reports (discover open/bounce rates, which texts and links attract more attention, etc.)
This is the first and the easiest step towards understanding customers. But it is surely not the only one.
Conduct A/B Testing
After evaluating the statistics, market research methods allow to see the bigger picture and identify weak spots. If you want to eliminate them and strengthen your marketing, A/B testing can show you the right way to do it.
If you wish to introduce a new feature or refresh the design of your website, A/B testing gives you an opportunity to learn whether your users will accept the changes before you actually implement them. You create two or more variations and let people choose which version they like the best. This is the most efficient way to make a decision at the early stage and save both time and money.
Record the Gaps and Opportunities
It is crucial to make note of all your discoveries, ideas and found opportunities. Once all of them are written down, you can brainstorm, mind map and discuss potential solutions and strategies with your team.
It is a great advantage to do market research with existing customers. You just need to access the available information and draw conclusions. With a new product, the process is a bit more complicated and takes longer, because first you need to collect the data.
Collect Market Information
Nowadays, the research can be divided into online studies and “in the wild” exploration. The majority of businesses opt for the web tools because they are cost-efficient and not resource-intensive, but still produce exhaustive findings. However, everything should be done step by step. So, before rushing to investigate the best research tools, you need to establish your market first.
Define Markets You’re Interested in
If you pay close attention to, say, Kit Kat, you’ll notice that it greatly adapts to the cultural characteristics of each country where it is presented. For example, in Japan has the biggest number of Kit Kat flavors (more than 200) because the Japanese are true food experimenters. Americans and Australians, in turn, have a chance to enjoy the king-size Kit Kat because they are famous for their love for big things (big cars, big houses, etc.). Given these facts, it’s no wonder that Kit Kat is so successful all over the world.
By defining the markets you are particularly interested in, whether they are local or foreign, you find out more about their specific features. By taking them into account, it’s possible to create a unique identity for the product and make it stand out among others.
Tools for Collecting Market Information
There are tons of online instruments that allow you to gather as much information as you need. They mainly can be categorized as:
Free, open-access sources . These are usually blogs, online magazines or report collections that are available for viewing or downloading at no charge. The most popular are Think with Google , HubSpot Research Directory , Pew Research Center, and so on.
Public sources . Websites and publications provided by governmental institutions can supply valuable data on the current state of business. You can find them at the U.S. Government Printing Office , U.S. Census Bureau or SBA .
Commercial associations . Here we’re talking about different directories of research datasets collected for specific industries and associations. They usually have paid subscription membership, but provide high-quality information. Examples of such resources include the Encyclopedia of Business Information Sources , Encyclopedia of Associations, Dun & Bradstreet , Nielsen Norman Group , etc.
Full – package platforms . These kinds of companies identify market research process as a whole and take over to deliver the results. You just provide them with your goals and info you already have, and wait for the findings. The examples of such platforms are Loop11 , Optimizely , Unbounce , etc.
Research conducted by educational institutions . The digital libraries of local colleges/universities may contain many publications with market insights and statistics that can define market opportunities for your product.
It is no longer necessary to spend massive funds and resources to obtain the data you need. As you can see, the number and variety of online tools has reduced the cost of the process and made it available to all kinds of businesses.
Understand Your Competitors
This is another “tool” that deserves to be differed from all market research opportunities. Scrutinizing competitors can show you which strategies work and which ones fail. If you don’t have your own client base, you can explore one of your business rivals and gain worthwhile insights. What’s more, the information you receive will enable you to shape your product’s identity so that it will show up and be differentiated from its equivalents.
While collecting market information, it’s important to record any market opportunities you stumble upon or arrive at so as not to lose the thread.
Define Your Target Audience
According to the 2017 High Growth Study, about 34% of high-growth companies examine their target audience on a quarterly or more frequent basis. This gives them the opportunity to multiply their profits and expand their spheres of influence. These stats prove that the most central subject in your business is your customer – and that the more you know about them, the more chances you have of hitting the big time.
Conduct SEO Research and Identify Trends
SEO research presupposes that you identify the most frequent keywords and phrases that your potential or target audience use to search for information. This way, it’s possible to determine which problems people have with a certain product or what it lacks. Most likely you will be also able to see how the users form questions and what language they use. By applying this information in practice, you’ll be on the same page with your customers. To gather necessary keywords, take advantage of Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs or UberSuggest.
As for trends, usually user’s needs and preferences are tightly connected with the latest tendencies and hype found on Google Trends.
Do an Online Survey
An online survey is one the most powerful UX research tools you can use to obtain reliable feedback directly from customers. There are many benefits that make such surveys among the most popular market research instruments:
They are affordable for small and mid-sized business;
Before the launch of a new product, surveys help to determine potential customer preferences which can be used to improve the concept;
They help to measure customer satisfaction with the existing service;
You can test how customers perceive different names/titles;
It’s possible to segment the target audience on the basis of obtained results;
Etc.
With modern online possibilities, it is not necessary to organize costly and time-consuming interviews. Platforms like Survey Monkey, Type Form, Survey Gizmo or Google Survey have a number of features that allow you to create customized polls and distribute them through different channels. Getting information has never been so easy. But the questions is: what can you do with it?
Create Customer Segments
After conducting surveys, you may have enough data to divide your target audience into different categories based on age, geography, salary or preferences. By segmenting your customers, you can create a more personal approach to every customer, and that’s exactly what hooks them to become loyal clients. The segmentation is also the first step to creating buyer personas, or avatars – that is, the average customer’s profile, which is widely used in marketing to create individual offers and optimally targeted ad campaigns.
During the whole product design market research process, it is crucial to highlight the ideas you come up with so that later you and your team can turn them into robust market opportunities.
What Market Potential Is, and How to Define It Using Data
Market potential is a prediction of the overall demand for a certain product at a certain time. It is always determined before the product launch to gauge whether it is worth investing time and money into the concept at all. It can be expressed as sales values or sales volumes. For example, the market potential of a new-edition laptop is $600 000 of yearly profit (sales value) or 100 000 items sold annually (sales volume).
Market potential is tightly connected with market research. The results of this research – and the following data in particular – are used to work out the total demand for a specific product:
Market size : Tally the sales of your competitors or try to identify the number of potential customers if your product is new. The numbers you get will be the approximate market size. If you are already a market player, you will have your own number. Market growth : Review figures and facts from the previous 5-10 years in the chosen industry to see whether the market is growing or declining. Competition : It is necessary to estimate whether the competition is low or high to forecast which type of launch you have to use, the price you should choose for the product and how much of the promotion will require funds. Target audience : This is one of the most important criteria in all stages of product development, especially when you need to identify market opportunities. By studying your customers, you can get a rough estimate of how often your product will be bought or how much they are willing to pay for your services.
After assessing all these attributes, you’ll come up with numbers that constitute market potential. Keep in mind that it is not stable, because many factors – like economic conditions – can influence customer buying habits or completely change the trends. But it is still important, because market potential helps to determine where you should invest resources to get the maximum profit. It shapes your marketing and communication strategies so you can meet client expectations – and if you do everything right, you will.
Market research generates a great deal of information, but that doesn’t mean you have to use all of it. Be selective, and use only data relevant to your primary goal, which you will have determined beforehand. It’s also significant to highlight all the market opportunities that arise in the process to gain maximum benefit from the market studies. In this case, knowledge is power, so obtain and use it wisely. | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
China and Mexico both signaled a willingness to negotiate with Washington over escalating trade issues, while the Trump administration took to the airwaves to defend its use of tariffs to gain concessions from trading partners.
Beijing released on Sunday a government policy paper on trade issues, accusing Washington of scuttling the negotiations, which broke down in all but name in May. It said the Trump administration’s “America First” program and use of tariffs are harming the global economy and that China wouldn’t shy away from a trade war if need be. But throughout the document and at a briefing, the government suggested a willingness to return to negotiations.
“We’re willing to adopt a cooperative approach to find a solution,” Vice Commerce Secretary Wang Shouwen said in Beijing on Sunday.
Mexico, meanwhile, rushed a delegation to the U.S. to discuss immigration issues, following the Trump administration’s threat last week to impose tariffs on all Mexican goods entering the U.S. if the Mexican government fails to take aggressive measures to stem the flow of immigrants through Mexico and into the U.S.
“Mexico is sending a big delegation to talk about the Border,” President Trump wrote on Twitter on Sunday afternoon. “Problem is, they’ve been “talking” for 25 years. We want action, not talk. They could solve the Border Crisis in one day if they so desired.” | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
Det var vid 20-tiden på Annandagskvällen som en minderårig flicka ska ha blivit indragen i ett skogsparti i Kålleredsområdet, söder om Göteborg, när hon var på väg hem. Under måndagen bekräftade polisen att man gripit en 15-årig pojke misstänkt för brottet. Pojken anhölls senare av åklagare, men i brist på bevis har pojken släppts.
– Förundersökningen kommer troligtvis att läggas ner i brist på bevis. Däremot kommer pojken att utvisas med hänvisning till Dublinkonventionen, säger förundersökningsledaren Peter Kron på roteln för grova brott i region Väst till SVT Nyheter Väst.
Det har hållits förhör i ärendet med såväl målsäganden, den misstänkte gärningsmannen och personer i deras närhet. Under utredningen framkom det att pojken invandrat till EU genom ett annat land än Sverige. Därför kommer pojken utvisas till det landet, i enlighet med Dublinkonventionen. | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
En 2014 el gobierno federal dio luz verde a construir un Viaducto Elevado en Puebla aun cuando era el proyecto más caro de tres posibles opciones: un libramiento, que seis años antes se había presupuestado en mil 933 millones de pesos; ampliar la autopista a diez carriles en su cruce por la ciudad poblana, valuado en 4 mil 400 millones, o construir un paso elevado por 10 mil millones.
Se optó por el más caro, pero además sin que hubiera planeación previa: se adjudicó una obra de 13.3 kilómetros y 18 metros de ancho, pero se construyó un segundo piso de 15.3 kilómetros y 21 metros de ancho.
La obra resultó cara no sólo para las finanzas públicas —el gobierno federal pagó 4 mil 500 millones—, también para los usuarios. Recorrer la carretera México-Puebla cuesta 1.40 pesos por kilómetro, con dos casetas incluidas. El peaje del Segundo Piso cuesta 3.59 pesos el kilómetro, 2.5 veces más que toda la autopista.
Documentos oficiales consultados por Animal Político indican que el peaje del Segundo Piso también es más alto del que se hubiera pagado con el libramiento: 1.20 pesos por kilómetro.
Sin estudios previos
La Cámara de Diputados aprobó en diciembre de 2012 el Presupuesto de Egresos de la Federación (PEF) del siguiente año con una partida de 43 millones de pesos para un estudio de preinversión para el Viaducto Elevado de Puebla, pero el estudio jamás se realizó.
El 17 de mayo de 2013, el titular de la dirección general de Desarrollo Carretero de la Secretaría de Comunicaciones y Transportes (SCT), Óscar Callejo Silva, pidió la cancelación del estudio a pesar de que la documentación era necesaria “para la correcta proyección” de la obra, pues incluía un estudio de demanda, el anteproyecto ejecutivo y el estudio de impacto ambiental, entre otros documentos, según se lee en los documentos oficiales que consultó Animal Político.
Pero la falta de estudios no impidió que en 2014, la Secretaría de Comunicaciones y Transportes (SCT) aprobara la entrega de 5 mil millones de pesos para subsidiar el Viaducto Elevado, una de las 266 promesas de campaña que Enrique Peña firmó ante notario público como candidato a la Presidencia de la República.
La entrega de los recursos públicos se hizo sin contar con la aprobación de la Cámara de Diputados. Lo que se hizo fue una “modificación presupuestal” para inyectar recursos al “Programa de Apoyo para Infraestructura Carretera U002”, un programa que en el PEF aprobado por los legisladores en 2014 estaba en ceros, sin recursos asignados.
De ese programa salieron 2 mil 500 millones de pesos para el arranque de la obra en 2014, y se repitió el esquema en 2015 y 2016 para asignar un subsidio de mil millones anuales, hasta que finalmente en agosto de 2016 se inauguró el viaducto elevado.
La falta de documentación y estudios que justificaran la obra fue la constante en el desarrollo del proyecto.
La Auditoría Superior de la Federación (ASF) confirmó, entre otras irregularidades, que la obra se inició sin un proyecto ejecutivo autorizado, sin el estudio costo-beneficio y sin la Manifestación de Impacto Ambiental.
¿Fue mejor opción técnica? ¿la menos onerosa?
La promesa de campaña de Peña Nieto se rubricó con el folio CG-040 y se incluyó en el Programa de Inversiones en Infraestructura de Transportes y Comunicación 2013-2018, acompañado por la leyenda: “o la opción que técnicamente mejor resulte”.
La SCT consideró dos posibles opciones, según documentación que la dependencia entregó a Animal Político, aunque al final se optó por la más cara.
La primera alternativa: modernización y ampliación a diez carriles del paso de la vialidad en su cruce por la ciudad, con carriles para laterales para el tránsito local, una solución que tendría “vida útil de 30 años con el mantenimiento adecuado” y costo estimado de 4 mil 400 millones de pesos.
La segunda el viaducto elevado, una solución que —igual que la primera opción—, tendría “vida útil de 30 años con el mantenimiento adecuado”, pero con la desventaja de que “el uso de esta infraestructura sería en hora de máxima de demanda, con lo que podría existir una sobreoferta de la misma”. El costo estimado de esa obra fue de 10 mil 500 millones de pesos, más IVA, y consideraba un tramo de 16.6 kilómetros de largo.
En el mismo documento oficial hay contradicciones sobre la valoración de las dos opciones. Primero se dice que “de manera objetiva y cuantitativa se consideró al Costo Anual Equivalente (CAE) como el mejor indicador”, lo que significaba que ampliar la carretera era la mejor opción. “La alternativa 2 es la que requiere de una inversión mayor a lo largo de la vida útil del proyecto”. Pero en otro párrafo se menciona que la alternativa 2 “representa el menor CAE por lo tanto resulta ser la más adecuada”.
Alternativa Costo de inversión Conservación rutinaria Riego de sello Carpeta Reconstrucción CAE 1 4,400,000,000 2,669 12,900 71,171 195,721 539.6 2 10,500,000,000 5,641 27,265 150,422 413,682 1,285.3
Más allá de lo contradictorio de las afirmaciones en el estudio, los datos del CAE y los costos totales de las obras muestran que el viaducto elevado era 2.3 veces más caro que la ampliación, pero el gobierno optó por esa alternativa.
Pero además de la económica, entre los proyectos hay otra diferencia: la segunda opción es la que prometió Enrique Peña Nieto durante la campaña presidencial y la que buscaba el entonces gobernador, Rafael Moreno Valle, quien buscó sin conseguirla la candidatura del PAN para los comicios de este 2018.
El estudio de la SCT consideró además que la obra podría generar una ganancia del 17.6% anual (la Tasa Interna de Retorno), aunque en el contrato de concesión que el gobierno de Puebla con OHL-Pinfra se estableció que la ganancia sería del 10% anual real, más la recuperación de la inversión inicial.
También señaló que la obra se pagaría a partes iguales por el gobierno y empresas del sector privado, con un proceso de licitación que se realizará en junio de 2015 para que la obra estuviera en operación en enero de 2018.
Pero el proceso planteado en los documentos de la SCT no se siguió, la obra se adjudicó a mediados de 2014 sin licitación de por medio y se puso en operación en octubre de 2016, justo al cierre del sexenio de Moreno Valle.
Una obra ‘exprés’
El 19 de junio de 2014, la SCT entregó al gobierno de Puebla el permiso de derecho de vía para construir el viaducto elevado sobre la autopista federal. Ese mismo día la dependencia emitió los lineamientos del programa U002 “Programa para Infraestructura Carretera” para entregar el subsidio de 5 mil millones de pesos y financiar la mitad de la obra.
De acuerdo con esos lineamientos, de los que Animal Político tiene copia, para recibir el subsidio el gobierno de Puebla debía demostrar, entre otras cosas, que tenía “proyectos ejecutivos, evaluaciones financieras y técnicas que aseguren la factibilidad” de la obra.
Pero la obra se inició sin tener ni estudio de costo beneficio ni proyectos ejecutivos.
Al analizar la cuenta pública 2014, la Auditoria Superior de la Federación dijo: “En la revisión del título de concesión, se observó que la SCT otorgó el subsidio en materia de infraestructura carretera al gobierno de Puebla, para el proyecto del viaducto elevado, aun cuando no se contaba con el estudio costo-beneficio ni con el proyecto ejecutivo”.
En respuesta a la auditoria, la SCT presentó en octubre de 2015, un año después de iniciada la obra, un estudio de costo-beneficio. Animal Político tuvo acceso al estudio, vía una solicitud de información que atendió la ASF. El documento no tiene la fecha en que fue realizado, no incluye firma, sello, ni tiene referencia alguna a los autores o responsables del estudio.
Además, dice la ASF, “no se tiene evidencia de que se contara con el estudio previo al otorgamiento del subsidio”.
Ni siquiera se tuvo el cuidado de tener un título de concesión que tuviera los datos correctos: la SCT se refiere a una autopista de 16.6 kilómetros de longitud y 21 metros de ancho, mientras que el título de concesión hace referencia a una obra de 13.3 kilómetros de largo y 18 metros de ancho, y la obra que se construyó fue de 15.3 kilómetros de largo y 21 metros de ancho.
Otras irregularidades
Pero no fueron las únicas irregularidades. La ASF revisó el desarrollo de la obra entre 2014 y 2016 y detectó costos inflados: “algunos de los precios son elevados respecto a los precios de mercado y a los propuestos en otros proyectos similares realizados por la misma empresa” por más de mil 173 millones de pesos.
También se detectaron pagos por obras y servicios no recibidos por más de 180 millones de pesos, y un pago de 2.7 millones de pesos por un anticipo no justificado.
A ello se sumaron “trabajos de mala calidad al interior de las trabes prefabricadas; cabezales, trabes, losas y prelosas; ramales de tuberías de PVC, de marcos y registros”.
Dice uno de los informes de la ASF que “no obstante que la obra ya se había concluido y se encontraba en operación, no se tenía autorizado en su totalidad el proyecto ejecutivo ni se contaba con la documentación que acreditara las modificaciones efectuadas”.
El gobierno de Puebla incluso intentó que vehículos pesados o de carga tuvieran la obligación de transitar por el viaducto elevado —y pagar la cuota por hacerlo—, restringiendo su circulación por la parte baja de la autopista México-Puebla. La acción fue señalada por la ASF, quién pidió el inicio de un procedimiento administrativo contra los funcionarios responsables, sin que hasta la fecha se haya sancionado a nadie.
El viaducto elevado, un logro en infraestructura según la administración federal de Enrique Peña Nieto y de Rafael Moreno Valle en Puebla, sí desahoga el tráfico en la zona y disminuye los tiempos de traslado.
Sin embargo, su construcción fue más para el lucimiento de los funcionarios involucrados y a un costo de 4 mil 500 millones de pesos, además de una concesión que no le retribuye ni un peso a las arcas públicas. | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
"Let's play 'Drive the Bus'!", said the pigeon. "I'll go first!". Will you let this very persuasive pigeon drive the bus? From the first edition co... | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
Graham Arnold reckons whoever beats Brisbane Roar over the course of the season is going to win the league. He said it before Saturday night's grand final rematch, and emphasised it after Central Coast Mariners had been beaten by the only goal of the game. He's right.
The biggest game of the weekend might have been in Melbourne, but the best was in Brisbane. European-standard intensity allied with the sort of creativity that makes the purists purr with delight. Most of it from the defending champions, but while the Mariners were second-best they, too, can take heart. Travelling to Brisbane again looms as the league's most difficult fixture, and Central Coast put up a decent fight.
Another level ... Erik Paartalu of the Roar. Credit:Getty Images
What is clear is that the two best teams of last season have gone to another level. Brisbane have gone an extra level again. Losing talismanic skipper Matt McKay and two players, Kosta Barbarouses and Jean Carlos Solorzano, who contributed 23 goals between them, had pundits wondering whether the Roar could recover. They haven't skipped a beat.
Newcomers Matthew Jurman and Issey Najakima-Farran stepped seamlessly into the breach. Albanian striker Besart Berisha hinted he has goals to offer in the first half an hour before he tired. And Kofi Danning's late cameo made him an instant favourite in ''The Den'' - much like he was in ''The Cove'' before he, like Jurman, decided his time at Sydney FC had come to an end. | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
An acquaintance of mine, a North Korean refugee currently living in South Korea, told me how, in the early 2000s, she broke a bone. The incident happened one afternoon when she was on the way home. A few streets away from her house she encountered a patrol of regular police and militia, and she instantly knew she was in trouble because she had done something seriously improper. She had no choice but to run, and while trying to get away from her pursuers she broke a bone in her feet. But she still escaped the hand of law.
What was the crime she had committed? She was wearing trousers while walking the streets of a major North Korean city. | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
ISLAMABAD: Minister for National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination Aamer Mehmood Kiani on Sunday said that the government was committed to control the illegal price hike of medicines.
Addressing a press conference, Aamer Mehmood Kiani warned of strict action against the against the pharmaceutical companies who were violating the rules.
Drugs price was increased from fifteen to nineteen per cent because of dollar rise, the minister said and added that the drug policy was approved by the previous government on the directive of the Supreme Court.
Kiani said drug industry was worth of 1.3 trillion dollars and providing employment to millions of people in the country.
He said over two million health cards had been distributed among people enabling them to visit hospitals of their choice.
Terming health card scheme as a revolution, Aamer Kiani said free health treatment for the poor was the priority of government.
Read More: DRAP seizes stocks of 226 medicines on overpricing
Earlier in the day, auring a countrywide action against unauthorised and illegal hike in prices of medicine, the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) had claimed to have seized stocks of 83 medicines and registered cases against 28 pharmaceutical companies.
According to the regulator’s spokesperson, it had took action against firms on overpricing in Lahore, Peshawar and Karachi. Stocks of 226 medicines belonging to 59 pharma companies had been confiscated.
In Lahore alone, he had said, pharmaceutical companies’ medicines worth millions of rupees were seized.
Comments
comments | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
Week 7 proved to be the proverbial wall that all fantasy owners hit. Shock, dismay, or joy, depending what side of the fence you were on. I think that’s why you come here to check out my weekly rankings, which is why I hope to get it as right as can be. Week 7 saw this column finish as the 25th best in the industry, or at least of the 145 participating via the Fantasy Pros Accuracy Challenge, and that paces us at 25th on the season long as well. The strengths have been at Running Back (13th on season), Wide Receiver (26th), and IDP, which doesn’t show the season total, but has seen weekly finishes of 7-9-n/a-3-9-3-2. It was that Week 3 n/a that is prohibiting the season total from showing, but the cumulative average seems to be 4.71. Chase Edmonds may or may not have been a surprise to you, but surely Zach Pascal and Alex Erickson were. If you missed my article last month on Ty Johnson (Ty Johnson Spotlight), may sure you go back and read it! He is poised to get the first crack at the Kerryon Johnson role (whatever that is), now that Kerryon has hit the Injured Reserve. Some players I am higher on this week than others include: Kyler Murray, James Conner, Ty Johnson, Tarik Cohen, Kenny Golladay, John Brown, and Darren Waller. Take a look at the list to see others, as well as players I am lower on.
That’s really all I have this week. Below, you will find my up-to-the-minute fantasy football rankings for Week 8. Use them to answer your own ‘start or sit’ questions. I rank every player at every position, including IDP. There are options for PPR or Standard leagues, as well, and the default is Half PPR. I try to make it as easy as possible, so hopefully all of your questions are answered. If not, find me on twitter @PeoplezPen.
PLEASE make sure to take a look at our NFL (and College) Databases! They are extremely helpful tools, and dirt cheap at just $15 for a full year. You can find a link to them below. They seriously are a must have if you are looking for an advantage in your leagues. Best of luck in Week 8! | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
Schwantz: Marquez has got inside Lorenzo’s head
Previous Slide ◀ Next Slide ▶ 1 of 1
Kevin Schwantz believes Jorge Lorenzo’s nightmare start to 2014 is a direct result of the breathtaking performances from Spanish rival and reigning world champion Marc Marquez.
Repsol Honda rider Marquez heads to the third race in Argentina this weekend undefeated after brilliant victories in Qatar and Austin.
In stark contrast, Factory Yamaha rider Lorenzo has endured a forgettable start and already trails Marquez by a massive 44-points.
Lorenzo crashed out of the lead on the first lap in Qatar last month and he then blew his podium hopes at the Circuit of the Americas with an embarrassing jump-start.
The subsequent ride through pit lane penalty saw the double MotoGP world champion recover to 10th, but it so unusual to see successive blunders from the normally unflappable Spaniard.
Suzuki legend and 1993 world 500cc champion Schwantz said it was Marquez’s stunning victory in Qatar in his first ride for six weeks after breaking his right leg in a pre-season training accident that would have immediately demoralised Lorenzo.
Schwantz told MCN: “Marc has been in Lorenzo's head since he crashed in Qatar and Marc won. Lorenzo is watching a kid who is not 100% fit after his broken leg and dominating. When Marc is 100% I think it will get worse for all of them. He is learning at such a high level that he is doing things and staying on the bike when I’d be getting ready to jump off. Nothing fazes him and until he does something that hurts him nothing will faze him. At 21 you are ten foot tall and bullet proof. I know that feeling."
"If I were Lorenzo or (Dani) Pedrosa I’d try roughing him up in every practice session, I'd brake up the inside and move him over onto the kerb and try and get into his head. Right now nobody is in his head. Watching what Jorge did at the start (in Texas) was 100% because of Marc Marquez. I said he was untouchable after Qatar. That kid had not tested for six weeks and the first time he got on the bike he won and I thought those other guys are in big trouble."
"The more confidence and fitness he gets he is going to be kicking everybody's ass. He looks so comfortable and I was talking to Wayne Rainey about this because Marc is so comfortable at 110%. He is not the guy who rides at 90 or 95% and then goes ‘I need a fast qualifying lap over the limit.’ Marc is 110% on every lap, riding on the edge all the time. I have never seen anything like it."
Read the latest stories causing a buzz this week in Sport… | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
My dad left me and my mom To pick us up a pizza
175 shares | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
Every so often and always in spite of itself, Twitter rises out of the muck and becomes an uplifting, happy place.
It did so this weekend for one lucky Columbus Crew SC fan.
Columbus supporter Isaac Bednarki tweeted a prediction before Crew SC’s 2-0 win against Orlando on Saturday night, calling for a brace from Justin Meram and a win for the Black-and-Gold.
MY BOY @JustinMeram WITH TWO GOALS TODAY AND THAT SWEET 3 POINTS!!!! @ColumbusCrewSC — Isaac Bednarki (@MrBednarki14) April 1, 2017
Meram and Columbus, of course, made Bednarki look like a genius, with the winger scoring in the 13th and 77th minutes to give Crew SC their third win in a row.
After the match, Meram found Bednarki – who made an earlier, incorrect Meram-centric prediction before Columbus’ 3-2 win against Portland on March 25 – and gifted him his game-worn jersey. On Sunday, the Iraqi international went a step further, meeting Bednarki in Columbus and presenting him with another, signed jersey.
Just met my man @JustinMeram & received a wonderful gift. Thank you so much Justin! Keep scoring and collecting points for @ColumbusCrewSC pic.twitter.com/6RkU7xV1NN — Isaac Bednarki (@MrBednarki14) April 2, 2017
Well done, Justin and Isaac. They’ll have a shot to make another prediction come true on Saturday when Columbus look to extend their winning streak to four games at the Chicago Fire (2 pm ET | MLS LIVE). | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
In the 39th episode of the show astrologer Nick Dagan Best joins me to talk about the phenomenon known as Venus retrograde, how it is defined, and what it means within the context of astrology.
Nick is one of the leading experts on Venus retrograde periods, and during the course of the show explains how they can be used to time events in natal and mundane astrology.
We also discuss other topics such as the importance of shadow periods, how to determine whether a specific Venus retrograde period is going coincide with a major event in a person’s life, and a bit about what the current Venus retrograde period in Virgo/Leo has in store.
For more information about Nick please visit his website at NickDaganBest.com, or his new podcast at iloveastrologypodcast.com.
Outline of the Show
Below you will find an outline of some of the different topics that we touched on during the course of the show, followed by links to download or stream the recording.
Venus just stationing retrograde today, July 25, 2015. Good opportunity to do a show on Venus retrograde.
First, what does Venus signify in astrology in general? Desire, love, partnership, relationships. Money, goods Inclusion Unifying and reconciling things Social consensus
What does it mean when a planet goes retrograde from an astronomical standpoint? The planet appears to move backwards in the zodiac from our perspective. Optical illusion. Still has symbolic significance.
Venus retrograde from an astronomical standpoint: Happens every 18-19 months, or every year and a half. Happens when Venus is closest to the Earth. Goes backwards for about 40 days. There is a the retrograde station (beginning), the inferior conjunction with the Sun (middle), and the direct station (end).
Shadow periods extend the broader retrograde period Venus begins to slow down long before it goes retrograde, and it takes a while before it gets back to full speed after stationing direct. Events and circumstances surrounding the retro seem to start to develop once Venus passes over the degree that it will later retrograde back to when it stations direct. This is the pre-retrograde shadow period. Things are not fully wrapped up until it passes the degree that it stationed retrograde at. This is the post retrograde shadow. Each shadow period is roughly 30 days. Thus the full retro cycle is a 100-day period roughly.
Venus retrograde within the context of the zodiac: Venus is stationing retro at 0° Virgo today. Venus stations retrograde in approximately the same place in the zodiac every 8 years. Minus 2 degrees. 8 years ago in late July of 2007 it stationed retro at 2° Virgo. 8 years before in 1999 it stationed retro at 4° Virgo, etc. This connects together time periods in 8 year intervals. This is actually the last retro in Virgo in our lifetime. Since Venus goes retrograde every year and a half it does this in 5 spots in the zodiac, thus forming a pentagram, or a five sided star.
What does Venus retrograde mean astrologically? Retrograde motion is a sort of anomaly, and thus there is something anomalous occurring with respect to what the planet normally signifies. Is it an intensification or a reversal? Both? It has meaning both in mundane astrology as well as in natal. In mundane astrology, Nick associates Venus with “consensus”, and the retrograde phase corresponds to periods when public consensus comes up for review or revision. Lines are drawn, people cross lines or try to redraw them.
How is this applied to natal charts in practice? Making predictions versus in client work. The same or different? Really comes down to identifying charts that are sensitive to it, and seeing how it links together important periods of time in their life, sometimes with similar themes. Be able to spot nativities that don’t have Venus retrograde, but that an astrologer knows will nonetheless be “vulnerable” or “responsive” to recurring retrograde transits. Some example charts.
What makes a chart more responsive to one Venus retro or another? Angles in one of the five “zones” where stations happen. Lights or clusters of planets in one of the five “zones” Libra Ascendant
Some tips for further study and use of Venus retrogrades: Have the cycles memorized, so that when one looks at a chart, one instantly has an idea of where the transits hit this person’s natal chart. Pay attention to what happens during the build up and initial phases of the shadow period and retrograde, as you may see a return to those themes later when Venus returns to that spot. If you know the birth dates of people in your life, pay attention to those with natal Venus retrograde, and how their lives impact yours during this time.
Transcript
A full transcript of this episode is available here: Episode 39 transcript
Watch the Video Version
Update 6/10/2020: This episode was recorded before I started doing video versions of each episode regularly, although I did re-release an audio version on YouTube on May 13, 2020, for those who prefer to subscribe or listen to the podcast through YouTube:
Listen to the Audio Version of This Episode
You can either play this episode of the podcast directly from the website or download it as an MP3 to your computer by using the buttons below:
Share this: Facebook
Twitter
Reddit
Email
| {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
Today I’ll be chatting with Graham Sim, who writes for and co-manages Stranger Views with John Ridley. Stranger Views was born from Graham and John’s love of great science fiction shows beginning with the letter ‘F’: Firefly, Farscape and the little known Swedish classic Farnswargglee. The site was primarily created as a place to look at and celebrate short stories, TV shows, books, movies and whatever else they think fits.
SCy-Fy: Stranger Views is a new site, Graham – what are your plans for it?
GS: To post more reviews of self-published books, more short stories and gain a wider audience for both my writing and, more importantly, the other contributors to Stranger Views.
SCy-Fy: As regards self-published novels, which ones did you most enjoy reading in 2014?
GS: Rust Season 1 by Christopher Ruz and The Whirlwind in the Thorn Tree by S. A. Hunt. These two self-published novels were the inspiration for devoting part of Stranger Views to self-published works.
SCy-Fy: Which forthcoming ones are you most looking forward to reading?
GS: Erm, tough one. If you’d asked me a week ago I would have said Ten Thousand Devils by S. A. Hunt (which is part three of the Law of the Wolf series that began with Whirlwind in the Thorn Tree) but I’ve finished that now. Ten Thousand Devils has just been chosen as best self-published novel of 2014 by the Reddit Fantasy community. Now I’m just looking forward to reading through the list of self-published books I have to read.
SCy-Fy: Looking forward 3-5 years, what do you think will be the major challenges for SFF blogging?
GS: As Stranger Views is only a few months old, I’m not sure I can give any great insights into the future of blogging. That said, I think blogging is going to become (even) more of a commercial tool and as such it will be harder for any small blog to be found. I will not be surprised if in three years every type of publishing/ production company really starts pushing blogging with a view to attracting an audience prior to the release of their content.
SCy-Fy: How would you see that working, precisely?
GS: For example, if I were a publisher planning to release a space opera novel in a years’ time, I would have my staff set up a blog and post content about other space opera novels on a regular basis, thus improving the Google ranking for the relevant terms. You could then introduce forums and really start to build a community around this topic. This then creates an engaged audience to which selling your space opera book (or more likely books) should be straightforward.
SCy-Fy: Where will that leave the rest of us, do you think?
GS: If this comes to pass I hope they will use guest bloggers but worry they will just fill the site with asinine but Google-pleasing posts, which could lead to smaller blogs being drowned out.
SCy-Fy: Any advice for writers and reviewers?
GS: Personally I spend far too much time thinking about writing and not enough time writing. So if you are like me my tip is simply to write.
For reviewing I try to keep in mind that any idiot can find fault with anything and that it is better to strive to find positives than it is to tear something down for fun. It’s also a lot more fun to write about something you enjoy and then tell others about why you enjoy it than it is just being snarky about something.
I admit that I did not follow this advice when giving my somewhat aggressive reviews of a few episodes in last season’s Doctor Who.
SCy-Fy: Tell me about a typical blogging day.
GS: My blogging day is fairly straightforward. I try to get at least an hour in before I go off to work and then will try and get a few hours in when I get home. A lot of my reading ends up being done on my 50 minute each-way commute.
SCy-Fy: Just between us – your secret list of useful resources?
GS: I wish I had one. I bookmark lists of blogs (like the one on your site) and read through them when I have the chance. I also favourite tweets when I think it is something I may want to go back to later. This actually makes me seem a lot more organised than I actually am.
SCy-Fy: What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned about blogging so far?
GS: Just because you have an opinion about something doesn’t mean it is worth writing about, there has to be a hook or a genuine reason for why what you are writing is necessary for you to write. If you can’t find a unique angle there probably isn’t a lot of point writing a post or even a review. This doesn’t mean you need some ground-breaking insight, but simply that there should be a reason for your post.
SCy-Fy: Such as?
GS: For example, posting on a lesser known film in Netflix makes sense as people are always on the lookout for new films they may not have heard about (especially if they have a Netflix subscription), whereas being the 1 millionth person to review The Hobbit may be pointless unless you bring a new voice to the party. For example, my post on Interstellar (Four Reasons You Must Watch Interstellar) did far better than my reviews of Guardians of the Galaxy and Dawn of Planet of the Apes, which is why I won’t be doing similar reviews in the future.
SCy-Fy: Things that have kept you going in hard times?
GS: Caffeine. Lots and lots of caffeine. Oh, and whiskey. Just noticed my wife is looking over so should probably say her too.
SCy-Fy: Posts of yours that have attracted the most controversy?
GS: I don’t know if any of my posts are particularly controversial but there have been a couple of discussions on Google+ sparked by my posts. Four Reasons Why You Must Watch Interstellar (http://www.strangerviews.com/movies/four-reasons-must-watch-interstellar/) got a very mixed response. There was a prevalent opinion in one community that as Nolan hadn’t abided strictly by scientific rules then the film didn’t work. This is an increasingly common complaint about many works of science fiction, with seemingly every film having to get a physicist’s seal of approval before it can be considered science fiction or even worthwhile. This is a relatively modern idea and one I disagree with. The ‘fiction’ in science fiction is just as important as the ‘science’.
SCy-Fy: And the other discussion?
GS: Similarly, a post on the use of the poet Keats in Dan Simmons’ Hyperion attracted criticism on the grounds that Hyperion was a work for immature minds as it wasn’t science-based and was therefore ‘just’ escapism. When I suggested that would also relegate the complete works of Shakespeare to being just escapism for immature minds the reply was that Shakespeare was a hyper-realist who was poking fun at people who couldn’t handle reality. I can’t see what validity this viewpoint has, and would be surprised if Shakespeare would recognize this argument.
SCy-Fy: Oh, for a time machine…
GS: Though these were just two small discussions about a couple of my posts, they highlight what appears to be a growing argument about just how important accurate science is in science fiction.
SCy-Fy: Any last words?
GS: First, thanks for having me!
Second, whatever happens in 2015 let’s hope we all take the time to read some of the excellent stuff that is out there on other people’s blogs. There are a lot of talented writers in the world; it’s our job to find the ones that connect with us.
SCy-Fy: Thanks, Graham, and good luck with everything! | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
A Canadian high school student has been identified as the most likely suspect behind a phishing site that allegedly ripped off thousands of dollars worth of Bitcoins from unsuspecting users.
The student, according to an ongoing investigation initiated by private individuals, has been in possessions of sold Bitcoin wallets loaded with thousands of dollars worth of the digital currency.
A profile linked to the suspect on public site HackForums claimed to have sold two accounts each containing 40 Bitcoins today alone, worth about $7000 at the time of writing.
It was also selling hacked LiteCoin account.
How the BitCoins were stolen
The phishing site used to launch the attacks, Mt Gox-Chat, hosted a Java exploit which hijacked user machines with what researchers said appeared to be an Autoit script.
The malware was then used to drain the digital currency from victims' Bitcoin wallets in a series of non-reversible transactions.
One victim using the handle BitBully wrote on the Bitcointalk forum they lost 34 Bitcoins to the scammer, worth anywhere between $3500 to $8000 due to the fluctuating value of Bitcoins this week.
The transaction pointed to an account that held 72 Bitcoins, worth around $8000 at the time of writing.
The victim was compromised after they clicked through Java warnings prompted by the MtGox-Chat site.
He told SC he wanted to warn others of the attack and attempt to get the stolen Bitcoins returned.
Online sleuths
Following the victim accounts, a small group of online sleuths began the investigation to identify the perpetrator and invited SC Magazine to bear witness to their collaboration.
Analysis of the malware by a member of the anonymous group of sleuths, who claimed to be a security researcher, pointed to IP addresses which were linked to other accounts used by the suspect.
This information led the group to suspect the scammer was using his Canadian residential address to host a command and control server.
The research also revealed a series of domain information and months of login data, along with website profiles - including the suspects' Facebook account, which provided further evidence of the man's identity.
The party investigating the scam engaged in a Skype chat with their suspect hacker, but he claimed the information gathered was fake and promptly terminated the conversation.
At the time of writing, those investigating the scammer had threatened to reveal the data gathered in the investigation unless the suspect returned the stolen Bitcoins to victims.
SC Magazine recommends that Bitcoin users operate online with a heightened awareness of security. Users should activate two-factor authentication for online accounts where possible, disable Java in web browsers used for BitCoin transactions and be extremely cautious about following links posted in forums and chat rooms. | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
RH: Why is the Real so popular as a genre, though?
KL: Why is the Real so popular?
RH: In art, on TV, in popular culture…
KL: I have a theory on that. Our culture that has moved towards a fetish of the everyday, a fetish of drawing attention to yourself as an individual. It’s a trend towards an ultra narcissism, and the emphasis on the individual comes at the exclusion of being able to formulate a critique on a societal level, because it’s only about the individual, and that’s a problem.
I highlight the above quote from my 2011 interview with Ken Lum, because it so accurately identifies a contributing factor of the insurgent politics of the West in 2017 (Trump; Brexit). As if to underline this point, Lum’s analysis of the “fetish of the individual” is also the essential argument Adam Curtis makes in Hypernormalization, his 2016 BBC documentary. The interview is now available for purchase as an ebook on Amazon for .99 cents (click on the link below). The publication also includes, To Say or Not to Say, an essay Lum wrote in 2008 that we discuss in the interview. Both interview and essay showcase the incredible trenchancy of Lum’s thought, and his ability to translate his thinking into artworks – as relevant today as ever.
The Lum publication is part of a larger project, which either repackages existing interviews I have done as ebooks, or releases new interviews – by myself and others – all under the imprint, Q&A. A short blog post I wrote about the thinking that informs the Q&A project can be read here: How to Make a Magazine in 2015. Its a statement of purpose that attempts to think through the changed conditions of publishing in the 21st century – ideas I hope to expand on in the coming months.
Rosemary Heather | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
Para todos aquellos cuyas ideas les ubican en el pensamiento político no mayoritario, este descanso de Navidad debería ser un momento de aceptación. El Brexit va a ocurrir. La globalización se va a derrumbar. La libertad de circulación va a dejar de ser un derecho incondicional dentro de la Unión Europea. La idea de que Occidente es el defensor y en ocasiones también el encargado de hacer cumplir los derechos humanos en el mundo está, en el mejor de los casos, en suspenso.
Tenemos que dejar de llamarlo Brexit duro: esto es Brexit caótico
Saber más
No escribo estas líneas con un espíritu pesimista sino optimista. El optimismo de creer que, si adaptamos nuestra forma de pensar a la nueva realidad lo suficientemente rápido, podremos seguir luchando por las políticas sociales y por los derechos humanos en nombre de esa generación que se pasa la cena de Navidad mirando apática su pantalla. Pero ese “si” es un condicionante difícil.
En estas vacaciones les garantizo que van a escuchar muchas veces a sus familiares mayores pronunciar la palabra “nunca”. “El Reino Unido nunca dejará la Unión Europea”. “Donald Trump nunca será presidente”. “El fascismo nunca regresará a Alemania y a Austria”.
La negación es la primera fase del dolor. Es comprensible que la gente la use para sobrevivir al Brexit o al Día del Empaquetado (se celebra el 26 de diciembre en Reino Unido y suele asociarse a la necesidad de deshacerse de los envoltorios de los regalos). Cuando ocurren hechos que cambian el mundo, el instinto de negación es más fuerte: la mayoría de la gente racional había construido sus principios a partir de la realidad en la que vivía.
Por ejemplo, las instituciones europeas que garantizan la libertad de circulación. Llegaron a representar el principio, aceptado por muchos, de que las fronteras debían ser lo más abiertas posible. No importaba que la libertad de circulación en Europa dependiera de una valla de alambre de tres metros entre Marruecos y Melilla. La parte referida a la “libertad” parecía abarcar un principio general.
En el futuro, tendremos que separar nuestros principios de las instituciones que alguna vez los representaron.
Lo mismo sucede con otro principio definido de manera aún más vaga: el europeísmo. Yo no conocí Estados Unidos hasta que tuve 40 años. Para ese momento ya había viajado por toda Europa a pie, en avión, en tren y en coche. Estaba convencido de que Europa era un parque cultural inagotable, el lugar de donde surgían todos mis valores, mientras que la mayor parte de Estados Unidos me parecía simplemente “un país para ver desde al aire”.
Las nuevas generaciones de británicos que pasan las vacaciones de su infancia en el Disney World de Florida y organizan sus despedidas de solteros en Riga o se toman años sabáticos en Tailandia van a ser menos europeístas que la mía. Pero, por otro lado, la visión global del mundo de esta generación se formó bajo la idea de que París y Berlín eran lugares cercanos para pasar el fin de semana, donde bastaba con mostrar el pasaporte a una amigable patrulla fronteriza.
Esta forma de pensar también debe cambiar. Para evitar que el Brexit nos sumerja en la catástrofe del PIB adelantada por el Ministerio de Economía, tenemos que ir en busca de dos resultados: primero, minimizar la ruptura con el mercado único de la Unión Europea. Si eso no funciona, maximizar la ruptura dejando de lado los sentimientos.
Para los que se aferran a su instinto de negación, el objetivo de minimizar la ruptura es fácil de aceptar, aunque no tengan los medios para hacerlo. La forma en que se alcanza un “Brexit blando” es a través de negociaciones difíciles y autoreferenciales que ponen en primer lugar el interés nacional del Reino Unido. Si fallamos, debido a que Europa es un caos gobernado por una élite que niega sus propios errores, lo lógico sería buscar una reconfiguración total de nuestro comercio, nuestra base industrial y nuestra actitud frente a la globalización. Incluso aquellos que como yo luchan por lograr el Brexit más blando posible deberían empezar a plantearse cuáles serán las políticas sociales en caso de un Brexit “duro”.
En cuanto al equilibrio de poder mundial, las personas elegidas por Trump para su gabinete dejan en evidencia sus intentos de alterarlo. Por primera vez en una generación, el sector israelí de derecha propenso a la retórica más violenta contra los palestinos no tendrá un freno de Washington. Por primera vez en una generación, los defensores de los derechos humanos en Rusia tendrán que dejar de considerar como aliados al Departamento de Estado y a la CIA, que se convertirán en una especie de conducto informal hacia Vladimir Putin y sus servicios secretos.
Todos estos cambios se deben a que el sistema mundial se está convirtiendo en un juego de suma negativa. Durante más de tres generaciones, fue un juego de suma positiva. Es como la diferencia entre el Great British Bake Off (Un programa donde se elige al mejor repostero) y el juego de pasar el paquete. En el Great British Bake Off, aunque solo gana una persona, siempre hay más tartas al final que al principio. En el juego de pasar el paquete, todos pierden excepto el ganador, y lo que hay dentro del paquete siempre es una desilusión.
La globalización era un juego de suma positiva a pesar de que apenas fue positivo para las antiguas poblaciones industriales de Occidente. Duró tanto la globalización que la gente empezó a creer que la economía del juego de pasar el paquete se había vuelto imposible. Estamos a punto de descubrir que nos equivocamos. Podemos seguir luchando por las políticas sociales, por la redistribución de la riqueza y por los derechos humanos en un mundo de suma negativa, pero no podemos hacerlo aferrándonos a “principios” que creíamos generales cuando no lo son.
Ya que la libre circulación como derecho absoluto desaparecerá cuando abandonemos la UE, yo reconfiguraría la política de emigración para que provea la máxima justicia social para dos grupos de personas: el grupo de los que ya viven en el Reino Unido, entre los que se incluyen tres millones de ciudadanos de la UE; y el de los refugiados, que deberían tener el derecho absoluto a pedir asilo en el país.
En el mundo globalizado, la “competitividad” era una carrera hacia abajo: salarios bajos y un estado de bienestar reducido. En el mundo en el que todos pierden, la competitividad es una pelea por encontrar trabajos bien remunerados y altamente especializados en el Reino Unido y no en otro lado. Las armas para lograrlo deberían ser una política industrial activa, exenciones tributarias, un gasto de bienestar alto y educación universitaria gratuita y financiada por el Estado.
Lo primero que tenemos que pensar es que el Reino Unido es un país con armamento nuclear cuyo principal aliado en los últimos 70 años está repentinamente gobernado por un cleptócrata impredecible y con una deuda moral con el Kremlin. Durante al menos cuatro años, Reino Unido debe manejar las relaciones diplomáticas por su cuenta. Debemos dejar de albergar la ilusión de que nosotros solos tendremos la capacidad de salvar a la revolución siria, de impedir que Israel ataque nuevamente a Gaza o de hacer que Abdel Fattah al Sisi deje salir de prisión a los periodistas. Debemos seguir intentándolo, por supuesto, pero no esperemos tener demasiado éxito.
Estos hechos alarmantes harán que la izquierda y el movimiento climático se enfrenten a elecciones difíciles, las mismas que tendrán que enfrentar los políticos liberales de centro. Como le dijo Churchill al Congreso de Estados Unidos el Día del Empaquetado en 1941, lo único que podemos hacer es “empuñar la espada por la libertad y deshacernos de la funda”.
Traducción de Francisco de Zárate | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
Det var i lördags som Per Larssons 92-åriga mamma skulle äta middag. När lådan öppnades innehöll den torra korvskivor och ett par potatisar.
– Matlådan ser inte bra ut, säger Anna-Sofia Kulluvaara.
Hon befinner sig på semester i Norrbotten men bestämde sig när hon tog del av bilden på matlådan för att avbryta ledigheten.
– I morgon bitti kommer jag att sätta mig i bilen och köra till Sundsvall för att undersöka saken.
Anna-Sofia Kulluvaara ser allvarligt på hur matlådan ser ut men vill inte dra några förhastade slutsatser vad det kan bero på.
– Normalt sett brukar matlådorna vara jättefina så jag förstår inte vad som kan ha hänt.
Under bilresan till Sundsvall kommer Anna-Sofia Kulluvaara att ha ett telefonmöte med ledningen för Sundsvalls mat och måltider och även kontakta chefen för det aktuella köket.
– Det är en allvarlig avvikelse.
– Vi har väldigt höga ambitioner att få nöjda kunder och det är viktigt att utreda detta, säger Anna-Sofia Kulluvaara. | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
President Donald Trump hugs the American flag as he arrives to speak at CPAC 2019.
President Trump gave the crowd at CPAC a long two-hour address that one journalist described as “unhinged even by his standards” and “lengthy even for Castro.”
the annual conservative gathering that helped Trump launched political career – ranging from, the Mueller probe, the Wall, Trump’s national emergency declaration, Democratic Agenda, Ocasio Cortez Green New Deal, arming teachers, Otto Warmbier, socialism in America, the midterms, a planned executive order requiring colleges and universities to enforce “free speech”, ‘Pocahontas’, his recent trip to Iraq, The Fed, ISIS, the economic plight of the Never-Trumpers, forest management…the list keeps going.
Trump has never been one to shy away from the expletives, moving between seemingly unrelated topics and showing his audience that his speech was entirely improvised.
highlight from the Conservative Political Action Conference Speech.
Trump “hugging” the American flag.
https://twitter.com/RichardGrenell/status/1101924014518239232
Trump walked on stage to “God Bless the U.S.A”.
https://twitter.com/MichelleDiana/status/1101894243591831553
Guest appearance, the conservative activist who was punched by a leftist at UC Berkeley last month,
Hayden Williams.
https://twitter.com/LeadershipInst/status/1101927190067843073
Trump on the Green New Deal, Trump said they want “no more cars” and “the end of air travel.”
https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1101897521373298688
Trump on the “fake news media” and how they can’t take a joke.
https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1101898565641793536
mocking Jeff sessions southern accent.
https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1101900492698013697
https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1101901018508521472
Trump’s trip to Iraq.
https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1101912771975962624
Something big is happening in Washington this year on the 4th of July.
https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1101925739232931841
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mx9QPNq2Uo
for more details visit ZEROHEDGE
Like this: Like Loading... | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
luna's night By obsidelle Watch
296 Favourites 31 Comments 1K Views
90 minutes
Paint tool SAI
if you want to share or use please ask me first
IMAGE DETAILS Image size 3008x2160px 1.55 MB Show More
Published : Jan 21, 2018 | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
Gaming fans play 'Star Wars Battlefront II' from EA Sports at the Los Angeles Convention Center on day one of E3 2017, the three day Electronic Entertainment Expo, one of the biggest events in the gaming industry calendar, on June 13, 2017 in Los Angeles, California.
Electronic Arts shares should outperform in 2018 despite a recent public relations headache involving its latest "Star Wars" game, according to one Wall Street firm.
BMO Capital Markets upgraded EA's stock to outperform Monday, arguing that investors overreacted to gamer outcry over the company's attempts to monetize in-game content in its new "Star Wars Battlefront II" game.
"Consumer pushback to EA's Star Wars in-game monetization strategy has undermined some investor confidence and has driven the stock lower," wrote BMO analyst Gerrick Johnson. "After further consideration, we believe the reaction may have been overdone, providing a buying opportunity for what is, otherwise, a solid long-term story."
The gaming community inundated social media and Reddit in November with thousands of critical posts saying that EA was unfairly compelling consumers to spend more money through in-game transactions to unlock new characters and other content.
Following the fierce criticism, the video game company decided to temporarily suspend all in-game purchases, adding to investor worries that the game would not be as lucrative as projected.
Tweet
"While the cancellation of micro-transactions in Star Wars makes for an intriguing headline, the impact sounds much larger than it really is," Johnson said. "Over the longer term, EA is experiencing a tailwind that is benefitting the entire video game software industry: the transition of physical software sales to digital downloads, which offer higher margins and the opportunity for incremental add-on sales and multi-player online services."
The transition toward digital downloading cuts costs for video game manufacturers because it frees them from investing in thousands of discs and allows gamers to install content directly over the internet.
Shares of EA rose nearly 1 percent mid-afternoon Monday. They had climbed 42 percent climb during the past 12 months. Looking ahead into 2018, Johnson's $130 price target represents 16 percent upside from Friday's closing price.
The analyst also highlighted EA's esports strategy as an area of future growth,calling the company's positioning "the most compelling and sensible" of any under coverage. Centered on the company's sports titles like "Madden" and "FIFA," EA is focusing its esports strategy on competitive gaming between average players.
Unlike competitors like Activision Blizzard, EA is not building up a professional league but basing its structure at local levels, with winners progressing to regional and then national events, the analyst said.
"Those participating, and hopeful of monetary prizes, don't need to try out for established eSports teams. They can work their way up the ladder as walk-ons," wrote Johnson. "We think this grassroots approach is smart, especially given the portfolio of games EA has to work with (we don't think sports games transfer well to the professional league model). We believe this model will keep aspirational players engaged (and generating revenue) as they try to climb the ranks to become professionals." | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
With the start of the final three weeks of the 2014 recruiting cycle kicking off today, Nebraska was needing to get their Defensive Back coach situation settled. It sounds like that's going to be taken care of, possibly today at the earliest.
On Wednesday night, Steve Sipple of the Lincoln Journal Star reported online that Air Force Defensive Coordinator Charlton Warren is the front-runner for the job, and could be hired as soon as Thursday.
Warren, who's bio from the AFA is here, has been the Falcons DC the last two years, while being the co-DC and Recruiting Coordinator for four years before 2012. He has been the Falcons Defensive Backs coach the whole time.
Warren is from Atlanta, Georgia, and is a graduate of the Air Force Academy.
There's no way to really gauge Warren's recruiting acumen, as it's not a very easy job to recruit to a service academy. Therefore, we'll let this go for now.
What we will look at is how Air Force did against the pass.
Last season, the 2-10 Falcons, with Charlton running the Defense, gave up 2876 yards (239/game) with a 72.7 completion percentage for 26 touchdowns versus only 4 interceptions. That was good for the 79th best passing D in the nation last year. That measured out to be the 105th ranked Pass Efficiency Defense in FBS last year.
To compare, last season Nebraska gave up 2790 yards (214/game) with a 54% completion rate for 17 TD's with 14 interceptions last year. Nebraska had the 32nd best Passing Defense, making out to be the 9th best Pass Efficiency Defense in FBS last season.
2012 was a little better for Air Force, as they allowed 210 yards/game on 67% passing with 19 TD's allowed and 8 interceptions that year. 2011 seemed to be even better, as that D allowed only 166 yards/game on 62% passing with 21 TD's allowed and 12 interceptions. Air Force did make it bowl games both years, losing both times.
Warren will have a job to do on his hands, as Nebraska loses Stanley Jean-Baptiste, Andrew Green and Ciante Evans on the corners. The cupboard isn't entirely empty, however, as Josh Mitchell and Jonathan Rose are willing players ready to step up on the outside, while Charles Jackson, LeRoy Alexander and Harvey Jackson are ready to continue on as Safeties.
With the eventual hiring of Warren, many folks are going to be disappointed in that former Husker DB coach Marvin Sanders will not be making a return to Lincoln. While it seems like Marvin is having fun being the HC at Loyola HS in Los Angeles, it is worth noting that there is chatter that has Sanders becoming the DC for the Cal Bears.
If, by some miracle, Warren happens to fall by the wayside and is not hired by the Huskers, one name to keep out there is DeWayne Walker, the current Defensive Backs coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Walker, who left the HC job at New Mexico State for the Jacksonville job last January, has worked with Nebraska Head Coach Bo Pelini in the past. They were both on the same New England Patriots coaching staffs in both 1998 and 1999. | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
GREATER NOIDA: A 19-year-old girl, who went missing from Delhi on November 22, was rescued from Salempur Gurjar village in Greater Noida on Sunday. The girl was allegedly abducted and repeatedly raped by two men, who opened fire on her as she attempted to flee from their clutches on Sunday.
The girl, a resident of west Delhi's Uttam Nagar , had gone missing on November 22. A report was lodged by her family the same night. As Delhi Police was already investigating the case, Noida Police on Sunday handed over the matter to the former.
According to Noida Police, they held her hostage in a house in Tugalpur, where they repeatedly raped her for 13 days. On Sunday, she managed to escape from the house but the abductors managed to find her. They shot at her near Salempur Gurjar village and dumped her in a well.
Villagers rescued her from the well and rushed her to a hospital. The doctors treating her said she sustained two bullets on her chest. Her condition is critical. According to the police, the family members had named a suspect who was detained by the police and questioned.
"We had detained and questioned a youth, named by the missing girl's parents as a suspect, about her whereabouts. He though had no information and was later let off, after which, we deployed more teams across NCR to search for the girl. She was found in Noida on Sunday and our investigating team has gone to the spot to verify the details," said Dependra Pathak, joint commissioner of police, south-west range.
Pathak said they have registered a case under IPC Section 363 (punishment for kidnapping) and the girl is under medical supervision. Further sections will be added as required, once she is able to give her statement to police, he said.
"Our teams are verifying the details as alleged by the family. The girl has also named two men responsible for the act and their identities are being probed," the official said.
| {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
The Rev. Seth Kaper-Dale — a Protestant minister from Highland Park — is running as the Green Party’s candidate for governor in New Jersey’s world of highly organized and dominant political parties.
“The Democratic Party in New Jersey is such a poor excuse for progressives, that is what drove me to the Green Party,” said Kaper-Dale. “I have voted Democrat most of my life.”
Democrat Phil Murphy amd Republican Kim Guadagno have dominated the conversation about the November general election to replace Gov. Chris Christie. Guadagno is the current lieutenant governor. Murphy is a privately-wealthy former Goldman Sachs executive and ambassador to Germany who self-funded his primary campaign with over $16 million of his own money.
Kaper-Dale and his wife, Stephanie, are co-pastors of the Reformed Church of Highland Park. In 2012, they made headlines after giving sanctuary to a group of Indoniesian Christian immigrants fearing deportation and religious persecution.
The couple has three daughters. Kaper-Dale, 42 years old and a graduate of the Princeton Theological Seminary, is the founder of three nonprofit groups: Interfaith-Refugee and Immigrant Services and Empowerment; RCHP-Affordable Housing Corp., a group that helps women aging out of foster care, homeless veterans and the formerly incarcerated; and Who Is My Neighbor, a group focused on social change in Highland Park.
“Many of the issues that Phil Murphy stands for, I also stand for,” Kaper-Dale said. “I have seen much worse platforms than what Phil Murphy stands for but I am tired of this assumption that millionaires and billionaires are somehow more prepared to lead a government. I wish Democrats would not support this idea that politics and big banks go hand in hand.”
For example, Kaper-Dale agrees with Murphy on the need for a state-run bank, on boosting the minimum wage, and on making New Jersey a sanctuary state and increasing women’s health protections. In that regard, he and an independent candidate in the race, Gina Genovese, are running on similar platforms mostly hewing to the progressive ideas Murphy has championed.
But Kaper-Dale sees some shortcomings in the institution of the New Jersey Democratic Party, which is more transactional and less ideological than some of its counterparts across the country. The minister said he cannot support a party that in 2013 backed Gov. Chris Christie for re-election and abandoned Democratic gubernatorial candidate Barbara Buono. (The party did not officially back Christie, but the powerful Democratic Essex County Executive, Joe DiVincenzo, did endorse the Republican governor, and other power brokers that have cut deals with Christie over the years sat out the race instead of aiding Buono.)
Kaper-Dale’s main focus, he said, is to help those from the most vulnerable communities and advocate for those who cannot vote and make their voices heard through the democratic process: undocumented immigrants, children and the incarcerated community. Kaper-Dale calls his philosophy of helping the most vulnerable “last are first,” something that he says avoids “trickle-down from the top” and replaces it with “well-springs from the bottom.”
“I think that if issues of justice and peace are not at the forefront, then we have a serious problem,” he said. “I don’t believe they have been at the forefront in New Jersey and that that has led to a lot of the problems we have in the state right now.”
His lieutenant governor candidate is Lisa Durden, a former professor at the Essex County College who was fired after giving an interview on Fox News in which she defended the decision of a local Black Lives Matter chapter to hold a Memorial Day event for blacks only.
The Green Party has 4,496 registered voters in New Jersey, according to the state Division of Elections, a number vastly smaller than the over 2 million registered Democrats and 1.2 million registered Republicans. But Kaper-Dale said he is not letting the numbers get him down.
“We can create a more economically healthy community if we are actually helping people get what they need to thrive,” he said. “My job is to motivate the 61 percent of people who didn’t vote for either party in last election. To show them their votes matter.”
Kaper-Dale has never before run for office but he said that his administrative experience in the faith community and with nonprofit groups make him a solid choice for New Jersey governor. In order to bring more revenue to New Jersey, Kaper-Dale says that the state must go to a Medicare-for-all health care system and create more tax brackets to boost tax revenue collected from high-income New Jersey residents. New Jersey currently has seven tax brackets while California — another affluent state — has 13. State voters consistently rank high property taxes as their top issue. | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
Phoenix, AZ, November 9, 2017 –phoenixNAP®, a global IT services provider offering security-focused cloud infrastructure, bare metal servers, dedicated hosting, colocation, and specialized Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) technologies, announced today that its flagship data center in Phoenix, Arizona has established connectivity into AWS Direct Connect. This implementation makes phoenixNAP the first Amazon Web Services (AWS) edge location in the state, enabling it to provide a direct access to AWS cloud services with low latency and high bandwidth. Beginning today, companies all across the southwest will have a new choice in how they connect to AWS from their on-premises and colocation environments.
AWS Direct Connect is a dedicated network connection that brings robust and secure connectivity between on-premises or colocation environments and the cloud. Enabling organizations to transfer data via a private connection, AWS Direct Connect is ideal for organizations with latency- or compliance-sensitive workloads.
“Establishing connectivity into AWS Direct Connect in Arizona is a win for the entire state,” says Ian McClarty, President of phoenixNAP. “The availability of a dedicated network will enable faster, more secure, and highly efficient data transfer and workload migrations, while reducing bandwidth costs. We are honored to work with AWS to bring this innovation to Arizona and we are excited for the opportunity to enable companies all over the southwest to leverage AWS. With our focus on providing security and hybrid cloud solutions, working with AWS supports our vision and helps to answer our customers’ demands.”
The reduced bandwidth costs and consistent network performance of AWS Direct Connect make it more accessible to a wide variety of enterprise organizations. Gartner estimates that the worldwide cloud services market will grow 18 percent this year to a total of $246.8 billion. The increased market demand for cloud services and hybrid infrastructures is common to many industry verticals and sectors, including regulated industries that require advanced data security solutions.
AWS Direct Connect enables organizations under strict security and compliance regulations to transfer their data to the cloud. The service can be used to access AWS services in any AWS Region globally and create high-performance hybrid infrastructure and provide improved security and efficiency for sensitive workloads.
“The direct access to AWS Direct Connect services will make a big difference for many businesses we work with,” adds William Bell, VP of Products at phoenixNAP. “Reduction in latency and private connectivity will enable us to provide a new level of hybrid cloud services within our Phoenix data center facility, offering our customers direct access to AWS and the ability burst resources as necessary, while still maintaining full control over their compliance-focused private cloud deployments. Establishing connectivity into AWS Direct Connect in our Arizona facility allows us to service our enterprise customers’ private clouds, high-security applications, and specialized infrastructure with direct access to the cloud.”
More details about the service can be found here: phoenixnap.com/colocation/aws-direct-connect
phoenixNAP is a Premier Service Provider in the VMware® Cloud Provider ™ Program and a Platinum Veeam Cloud & Service Provider partner. phoenixNAP is also a PCI DSS Validated Service Provider and its flagship facility is SOC Type 1 and SOC Type 2 audited. | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
Luxury Living Tampa Bay
It may look the same, but this new Evoque comes with more luxury inside and hybrid power.
Hate to admit it, but I’ve never had the warm-fuzzies when it comes to the original baby Range Rover, the coupe-like Evoque.
Yes, I’ve always loved the cool, urban-chic styling with that sleek, swoopy roofline. Loved the not-too-big, not-too-small package.
But every time I climbed aboard, I felt the cabin had all the style and class of a Waffle House banquette. Lots of hard plastics, leather with all the tactile delight of naugahyde, and a touchscreen that could have been designed by Fisher-Price. A true Range Rover it wasn’t.
Fast forward to now, and there’s a brand new Evoque gliding into showrooms and throwing down the gauntlet in the booming $40,000-$65,000 compact-luxury SUV class.
As transformations go, this new Evoque is up there with Russell Crowe becoming Roger Ailes in The Loudest Voice.
Not that you’d know it. Despite having an all-new platform and every body panel changed, the Evoque’s still-striking shape is pretty much unchanged from the 8-year-old original. The thinking? Don’t mess with success.
[ngg src=”galleries” ids=”44″ display=”basic_thumbnail”]
Yes, there’s some lovely new detailing that comes with this latest version, like more slender LED head- and tail-lights, pop-out power door handles, new wheels and a new front grille.
But park this newcomer next to an original, and you’ll be hard-pressed to distinguish new from old. Which I think is a mistake. Call me shallow, but if it were me splashing $50,000-plus on this new Evoque, I’d want friends/family/neighbors to know I hadn’t bought a 5-year-old model off Craigslist.
The new appeal, however, comes when you slide inside. Instantly, it looks and feels like a proper Range Rover. Lovely soft-touch materials, classy satin metal details, and lots of new tech.
With the new platform comes a little extra legroom in the back seat, though it’s still pretty tight. And, of course, that fastback roof still means rear headroom is at a premium. It’s the price you pay for cool design.
But behind this style there’s some real substance. Arguably the most significant improvement comes under the hood; this new Evoque can be had as a hybrid.
It’s what’s called a mild hybrid system, and it’s an option on the standard 2.0-liter 4-cylinder turbo engine. It means that while this new Evoque can’t whirr along on electric-only power, the battery-powered starter-generator (plus battery pack) adds some extra oomph when accelerating away.
Either way, it delivers a truly delightful drive full of eager, responsive performance, strong mid-range acceleration for swift passing and whisper-quiet refinement.
Pricing kicks off at around $43,000, though my Evoque First Edition tester at $59,215 was a lovely, though pricey, specimen.
If you don’t go crazy with the options list, a mid-range Evoque SE at around $55,000 represents good value against rivals like Audi’s Q5, the Cadillac XT5, Mercedes GLC, Lexus RX and BMW X3.
Test drive the 2020 Evoque at Reeves Land Rover Tampa on N. Florida Avenue; Crown Land Rover St. Petersburg on 34th St; or Dimmitt Land Rover Clearwater on U.S. 19 N.
Editor’s Note: St. Petersburg-based motoring writer Howard Walker has been covering the automotive business for more than four decades. A regular contributor to Robb Report, Autoweek, Bentley magazine and Classic Motorsport, he worked for many years at the St. Petersburg Times and Tampa Tribune, where he wrote the Saturday car section for more than eight years, and is a longtime contributor to duPont Registry; for five years he wrote and edited the duPont Registry Exotic Car Buyer’s Guide. Now, in addition to being auto editor for Palm Beach Illustrated and Naples Illustrated, he writes a monthly car column for duPont Registry Tampa Bay, for which he’s introducing this, his latest project: “Weekend Wheels,” a weekly on-line column in which he’ll be reviewing some of the hottest new luxury models in his fun, approachable, non-technical writing style. You’re in for a great ride! | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
A Football Outsider Answers Your Questions
We recently solicited your questions for Bill Barnwell, a Football Outsider and one of the many authors of the new Football Outsiders Almanac. Here are his replies, which cover everything from miracle turnarounds to the role of injuries to his own background. (I have a strong prediction as to which will be his least-popular answer; can you guess what I’m guessing?) Thanks to all, and especially Bill, for participating.
Q.
As a Bills fan, I’m interested to hear your thoughts on perennial cellar dwellers. Have you found any statistical indicators of pending turnarounds? Also, I’m interested in the specifics of the looming lockout. – Scott
A.
The miracle turnaround you speak of is often accompanied by a remarkable, unexpected, drastic shift in team health. We’ve found in the past that about 25 percent of a team’s year-to-year change in wins is accounted for by the change in their injury rate.
As examples, consider the biggest swings in win-loss record from each of the past two seasons. In 2007, the Miami Dolphins went 1-15. By Adjusted Games Lost (our proprietary injury metric and a variant on the HGL metric that is mentioned in the link above), they were the eighth most-injured team in football. A year later, they went 11-5, shocking everyone en route to an AFC East title. While much of the credit was given to the team’s quickly-overrated “Wildcat” offensive scheme, there was one patently obvious factor driving their success: the Dolphins had become the league’s fourth-healthiest team.
The easiest way to crystallize that information is to look at, arguably, the team’s two best players from that season, quarterback Chad Pennington and halfback Ronnie Brown. Each played a full 16-game season. Combined, they’d played 11 NFL seasons before the 2008 campaign, and in those 11 seasons they had a total of one season uninterrupted by injury (Pennington in 2006). Both subsequently suffered injuries during the 2009 season, and the Dolphins went 7-9.
In 2008-09, that team was the Cincinnati Bengals. The 2008 Bengals were, by our metrics, the most-injured team of the decade. In 2009, they were still the ninth-most injured team in the league, but the difference in AGL between the two seasons was still enough to rank as the largest improvement in health across the league. They improved from 4.5 wins (four wins and a tie against Philadelphia) to ten, and won one of the league’s toughest divisions.
Both the Dolphins and the Bengals rank among the ten largest year-to-year positive swings in health over the past decade. Those ten teams improved by an average of more than four games.
Now, a change in health wasn’t the only thing going these teams’ ways. The Dolphins had Pennington — among the league’s best quarterbacks when healthy — fall into their lap when the Jets traded for Brett Favre. They also played the league’s fourth-easiest schedule, and went 7-2 in games decided by a touchdown or less. That’s a total fluke, and they consequently went 6-4 in those games a year ago. The Bengals got Carson Palmer back from injury, and he’s one of the league’s better quarterbacks when healthy. They played an average schedule, but they went 6-3 in those close games after going 7-11-1 in such games over the previous three seasons.
So, who is the team most likely to suddenly get much healthier in 2010? Would you believe the Buffalo Bills? Sure enough, the Bills were the most-injured team in football by a fair margin last year; in fact, only three teams accrued more AGL in a given season over the past decade than the Bills did in 2009. The Bengals were one of those teams. The 2006 Browns improved by six wins in the subsequent season, while the 2008 Lions went from zero wins to two in 2009. The Buffalo Bills have been a reasonably healthy team in the past, with four consecutive top-ten (healthy) finishes in AGL from 2003-2006, and a 13th-place finish in 2008. Some teams have a habit of finishing towards the top or bottom of the injury tables, but the Bills are not likely to be particularly injury-riddled again in 2009. If they were a team with even average health in 2010, they would likely have the largest positive swing forward of any team.
I also believe that we’re probably underestimating how hard it is for a team like Buffalo to compete while beset by so many injuries. One of the issues we have to deal with in projecting and analyzing football performance is that context affects performance much more dramatically than it does in baseball. If a baseball team has an injured right fielder, they can call up or acquire a replacement-level right fielder and immediately insert him into the lineup. The actual level of his performance is subject to variance and park effects, of course, but he’s not going to change his batting stance or throw with the opposite arm because he’s playing in a different town.
That’s just not the case in football. A team that’s forced to sign a free agent off the street is not just settling for a player whose talent is not up to the level of an average NFL player. The team needs to teach that player their playbook; what usually takes an entire summer has to happen in a matter of days. The interaction effects of having an underprepared or significantly below-average player are far greater; the worst thing a hitter can do in most at-bats is strikeout or ground into a double play, but a right tackle that doesn’t know his assignment can get his quarterback severely injured. Twelve of the 22 players who started for the Bills in Week 1 were not starting by Week 17; four of the guys in the starting lineup that week were street free agents that were cut by NFL teams and signed by the Bills during the season. Even a below-average NFL starter that knows the playbook is a massive upgrade on players like that.
So, in short, the path to a Bills playoff run amounts to a dramatic increase in health and an improvement on their 2-5 record in games decided by a touchdown or less. Unearthing a quarterback might also help.
Q.
How did you wind up where you are? We know that Bill James did a lot of his early work while he was a night watchman at a bean factory, but what’s the Bill Barnwell story? – Jon
A.
About all I can really say is that I had no intention of ever becoming a football writer, that’s for sure. I went to Northeastern University in Boston as a Computer Science major before I realized I hated programming, and ended up majoring in Media Studies. Although I liked to write, I actually consciously avoided journalism — I went to visit The Boston Globe for an interview and they explained to me that one of the last sports interns had to sit outside a hospital overnight and wait for Terry Francona to leave.
While I was in Boston, I wanted to join a fantasy baseball league so I found one on Baseball Primer, the sabermetric community site, and joined shortly thereafter. The commissioner of that league happened to be Aaron Schatz, who created Football Outsiders a year later. He’s now my boss. I started at the bottom of the FO organizational chart, doing data entry as an unpaid intern (although admittedly while I was sitting around doing nothing at my “real” paid internship), and I’ve seen my role in the company steadily expand from there. I graduated from NU in 2006 and took on a variety of post-grad liberal arts jobs — I was a concierge to the really rich and entitled holders of a particularly exclusive credit card, a tech copywriter, and I even wrote about video games for a while. I moved into a full-time role with FO in 2008.
I think what’s far more interesting, though, is that my job — and Football Outsiders — couldn’t have existed as recently as ten years ago. No magazine or newspaper would have underwritten the work that we do, even though there’s clearly a national market of people who are interested in our work and the concepts behind it. Whenever I read those articles about the death of the American newspaper, I always wonder about the jobs that have been created by the changes in the news media.
Q.
Do you account for personality and psychological effect?
For example:
1) Peyton Manning basically ended his season with an interception in the big game.
2) Aaron Rodgers‘ season ended on what could have instead been ruled a face-mask penalty.
Do these situations burn inside the players and create a bigger force this season, or alternatively tear them up, never to be what they once were? Or does all that “effect” even out amongst professionals?
Are there reliable statistics for these special circumstances?
– Mr. Frost
A.
Although I don’t think anyone doubts that there are intangible effects and they affect both the motivation and performance of players, I don’t think we can ascribe statistical significance to those ideas. We could probably come up with motivations for every quarterback in the league: Eli Manning wants to get back to the Super Bowl and erase his team’s humiliating finish to last season. Donovan McNabb wants to prove that the Eagles shouldn’t have traded him. Kevin Kolb wants to prove that the Eagles were right. Tony Romo wants to stop the chatter about how he can’t get it done in big games. There’s the NFC East right there.
You’ll also note that only skill position players (quarterbacks, running backs, wideouts, and tight ends) and the occasional prominent defensive player are ascribed motivations. You’ll never read a game story about how the left guard was clutch and willed his team to win.
Q.
To what degree does luck play in determining the outcome of a game? – Mark
A.
When it comes to an individual game, luck plays a far bigger role than anyone cares to admit. We know that the act of recovering a fumble is almost entirely luck, and that the distance of a fumble (or interception) return is mostly random, but a game can very well come down to who recovers the fumbles or whether a player slips on a return.
There are also factors that we see regress towards the mean on a seasonal level that can drive huge single-game swings in performance. Research published by Football Outsiders in the Times suggests that a kicker’s field goal accuracy is mostly random from year-to-year. We’ve also found that teams have no ability to influence the success rate of field goals taken against them.
The Jets were lucky enough to exploit this during the first two rounds of the playoffs this year, when they were the beneficiaries of five consecutive missed field goals. Special teams coach Mike Westhoff — one of the best in the league — suggested that it could be a product of their style, saying: “Our guys really rush hard. It’s an extension of our defense. We rush hard every single time. Subconsciously, you watch it and go ‘Wait a minute. I don’t have all day.’ I think – and this is my opinion; I could be wrong – it affects sometimes a rhythm where [the kickers] are a little bit quicker than what they’d normally be.”
Meanwhile, the Jets “allowed” 19 of the 23 field goals taken against them in the regular season to go through the uprights. After factoring in the distance of those field goals and the stadiums they took place in, that’s actually 3.3 points more than expected in an average performance. At that rate, the odds of the Jets fading five consecutive field goals were 5,292:1. It was the first time a team had enjoyed five consecutive misses against them in a decade.
Q.
Do you like the way games tied at the the end of four quarters get resolved? If not, do you have any suggestion about how best to handle this? Is a coin flip a fair way to start sudden death? – Ian Callum
A.
I’ve never understood the NFL’s obsession with a sudden death system. Baseball, basketball and soccer manage to avoid sudden death systems (although FIFA flirted with one long enough to come to regret it), and there’s not many complaints about how they decide games.
Overtime should be one 15-minute period. No sudden death. In the regular season, if the fifth quar— … er, period ends deadlocked, then it’s a tie. If it’s a playoff game, then you can move to sudden death without worrying about someone not getting a chance to score.
There are television concerns with such an arrangement — namely, TV networks showing an out-of-market 1 PM ET game have to cut away from that game at 4:15 PM ET if they have a “local” team taking part in a game then. Fans of 60 Minutes on the East Coast might also be frustrated by a 4:15 game that runs late. If the goal is to find the most equitable solution for the game itself, I think that works.
An alternate proposal was made by a former colleague of mine, Michael David Smith, in a piece he called “Splitting The Overtime Pizza.”
Michael’s idea was to essentially turn the idea into an auction. The winner of the overtime coin toss would be able to choose a yard line from which the opening kickoff would take place. The loser of the coin toss would then be allowed to kick or receive.
This would lead to a fundamental change in strategy for those kickoffs. On the standard kickoff, the kicker’s goal is to simply boot the ball as far as possible; since most returnable kicks will be run back past the 20-yard line, about the best a kicker can do is kick the ball as deep into the end zone as possible and force the returner into a touchback.
With kickoffs now taking place far closer to the end zone, teams would attempt to pin the return man as close to his goal line as possible with a high, short kick. That would turn giving the ball away into a potential positive: Teams that take possession of the ball inside their own 20-yard line actually have a negative point expectation for that drive because of the likelihood of turnovers and slim chance of actually moving the ball far enough to score. As an example, teams that take over on their own 10-yard line score, on average, -0.92 points on said drive.
At the very least, it’d be a fun way to see whether coaches can understand game theory.
Q.
I would like to get your thoughts on the optimal use of onside kicks before the fourth quarter and going for it on fourth down. My own back-of-the-napkin figures have long led me to believe that offenses should be less risk-averse in that regard. In both cases, your maximum downside is generally a loss of field position — the net kickoff yardage in the case of the onside kick, and net punt yardage in the case of the fourth down try — so maybe 50 and 30 yards, respectively. While you of course never want to give up yards, the upside seems comparatively massive — either an extra possession, or the continuation of the current possession, plus the psychological deflation that it must cause to the opponent. And both tactics work with enough regularity that I really wonder why they aren’t used a whole lot more. I’ve heard it argued that coaches are afraid they’ll get inordinately blamed if it goes sideways (vs. credited if it works), but at the end of the day the coach gets to keep his job if and only if he wins football games, so to that end, you would expect him to do anything that increases the team’s win expectancy. Then again, maybe rational expectations is too generous an assumption. Would love to get your take on this phenomenon! – David L
A.
This is going to be a long-winded answer, but I think it probably does the best job I can of addressing your issue and the integration of statistical analysis within the league.
The keynote panel at the 2010 MIT Sloan Sports Conference was called “What Geeks Don’t Get: The Limits Of Moneyball.” Among the folks on the panel was Bill Polian, the brilliant general manager of the Indianapolis Colts. For those unfamiliar with Polian, it’s hard to find someone who’s been more successful in the NFL — Polian created the Bills dynasty that made it to four Super Bowls in the early nineties, built the expansion Carolina Panthers into a championship contender in its second season, and then took over the Indianapolis Colts. His first pick was Peyton Manning. Things have been OK in Indianapolis since then.
When a discussion of Bill Belichick‘s famous decision to go for it on fourth-and-two against the Colts during the 2009 season came up, though, Polian proceeded to denigrate the statistical analyses he had seen of the decision, most of which revolved around the idea of win probability and applying historical probabilities to this specific NFL situation. (You can see the video of the panel.) The whole video is worth watching, but I’m going to quote the article written by Brian MacPherson on the conference here:
Polian broke down all the different aspects of that play — the Colts’ hot offense, the Patriots’ banged-up defense, the tendency of the Patriots to run quarterback sneaks in short-yardage situations rather than throwing the type of pass that was called — and backed up the decision. Here’s the funny thing: Polian agreed with the decision not because he believed the statistical data that supported it, he said, but because it made sense in that specific moment with those specific players on the field. “Was it the right call? In my opinion, it was 100 percent the right decision,” Polian said. “All of the statistical analysis that’s done over the course of the season means nothing. The situation on the field at the time dictates the decision.”
I was in the crowd at the time, but I resisted the urge to yell “Confirmation bias!” at the stage. Of course, the examples Polian gives of his reasoning are exactly those which justify Belichick’s decision, including several soft factors that had little to do with the actual success of the situation. (I strongly doubt that the absence of journeyman linebacker Tully Banta-Cain had more than a negligible impact on the chances of the Colts scoring. The Patriots’ pass rushers were tired from rushing the passer, but the Colts ends had also been on the field for 42 pass attempts, fewer than the 40 pass attempts the Patriots had been through. I could go on.)
At the time of the decision, I wrote a piece that shared Polian’s sentiment about statistical analyses published elsewhere failing to take into account the unique nature of the game situation and the two teams. My best estimate of the situation was that it was too close to call; Belichick’s win probability when choosing to punt or go for it was reasonably similar, and well within the margin of error we could consider in this specific situation.
On the other hand, suggesting that “…statistical analysis over the course of a season means nothing” is throwing out the baby with the bathwater. Ironically, the situation that served as an ideal counter-example to Belichick’s decision had happened only two months earlier; it was Sean Payton‘s decision-making in the Super Bowl against Polian’s Colts.
In the game, Payton made two decisions that can be justified using probability analysis, regardless of the game situation. The more obvious decision was actually the one that didn’t work out. At the end of the second quarter, Payton chose to run the ball on fourth-and-goal from the Colts one-yard line, only for his sweep to be stuffed. Now, we don’t even need to consider that the Saints were seventh when running in short-yardage, although the Colts were sixth at stopping teams running in such situations. If we just use the historical probability of converting such carries — an extremely conservative figure considering the players on the field — the Saints would score a touchdown 54.3 percent of the time, yielding an expectation of 3.80 points. They could convert a 18-yard field goal about 98.7 percent of the time, which yields an expectation of 2.96 points. The other factors related to the game situation also favor the decision to go for it: failing to score would force the Colts to drive about 70 yards to have any shot of scoring themselves — the point expectation for even the Colts scoring on the subsequent drive was below zero, and the Saints had a shot at stopping the Colts and regaining possession before halftime. The latter is exactly what happened, and the Saints ended up with a field goal. The decision to go for it was an absolute no-brainer.
The more celebrated decision was the one that worked out, Payton’s famous choice to employ an onside kick to open the third quarter. The margin for that decision was smaller, but it was the perfect melding of statistics and scouting. Our research suggests that historically “unexpected” onside kicks have been recovered by the kicking team about 70 percent of the time. Assuming that the kick would be recovered on the Saints’ 42-yard line by whichever team was able to fall on the ball, the Saints would expect to score .75 points if they recovered the kick and allow .59 points if they failed to.
It’s a slightly positive move, but the ability of the Colts’ offense with a short field probably turns it into a virtual pick-em. Payton undoubtedly needed a little more to convince himself that it was the right move, and that’s where the factor Polian ignores in his criticism comes in: You pay your coaches a lot of money to find the ideal situation to exploit the opposition. That’s exactly what Payton and his staff did. During film analysis during the week and observations of the Colts’ kickoff coverage unit during the game, Payton had seen the Colts’ gunners routinely turning around to sprint back towards the return man too early, creating a window for an onside kick to successfully take place.
And as for Polian’s chatter that statistical analysis done over the course of a season means nothing? There was someone who estimated during the week before the Super Bowl that the probability of the Saints recovering a surprise onside kick was in the 60-70 percent range, a figure he quoted to the media after the game. I suspect that the man in question — Sean Payton — might disagree with Polian.
Q.
How valuable (in wins, and therefore is dollars) is Darelle Revis?
The salary average and variance varies by position. So too does the impact on the game. Which positions are overpaid and underpaid relative to the average or variance?
How well can you isolate the play of any particular player (e.g., the RB) from that of his teammates (e.g., the O-line)? Who contributes more to a 2000-yard season, the RB or the line? – Erik
A.
We’re nowhere near the point of valuing a player as being worth a number of wins, because we’re light-years away from quantifying all the things a player does. I doubt we’ll ever have a reliable “wins” metric because there are too many interactions between positions that we can’t account for in football. Take a quarterback, for example: even if we were to develop a measure of performance that stripped out the effects of his receivers and offensive line and placed his passing performance in a perfect, league-average context, we’d have to account for how he read defenses and called audibles at the line, how effective he was in setting up defenses on the play-fake, whether he had any impact on the running game versus an average quarterback … it’s not a realistic goal.
By the statistics we do have, though, Darrelle Revis was quite the cornerback in 2009. Our Game Charting Project at Football Outsiders uses a flotilla of volunteers to track a variety of things that aren’t contained in the official NFL play-by-play, like how many blitzers there were on a given pass play, whether there was play-action, or whether a defender rushed the quarterback into a throw.? For pass plays, we use the angles provided on TV broadcasts to guesstimate who the receiver in coverage was. (For plays where there’s a blown coverage, our charters can list that the catch came in a “Hole in Zone”; or with clear double coverage, they can list more than one defender.) It’s an inexact science, since it’s difficult to diagnose certain coverage schemes from that camera angle, but it’s a big step in the right direction for analyzing the play of defensive backs.
Two of the primary stats we track for cornerbacks are Yards per Attempt (YPA) and Success Rate. YPA is, very simply, the number of yards a receiver gave up divided by the number of times he was in coverage. Success Rate captures the percentage of the time that the offense threw a pass against a particular defender and gained 45 percent of the needed yards for a new set of downs on first down, 60 percent of the needed yards on second down, or 100 percent of the needed yards on third or fourth down. Completions that don’t meet these standards, incompletions, or interceptions are considered to be failures.
Darrelle Revis paced all starting cornerbacks in both YPA and Success Rate in 2009, and it wasn’t particularly close. His YPA was 2.9 standard deviations above the average performance by a qualifying cornerback, while his Success Rate was 3.0 standard deviations above that average corner.
To try and place that in context with more traditional statistics, I noted that Revis was thrown at 96 times, which was the fifth-most targets of any corner in the league. I split the difference between those two Z-scores, suggesting that Revis was playing at a level 2.95 standard deviations above the average starting corner, and then applied that level of performance on a per-play basis to those players that ranked fifth in the league in usage at their particular category.
The results were staggering. Peyton Manning threw the fifth-most passes of any quarterback in the league. He actually threw for 4,640 yards. If he was playing at a level 2.95 standard deviations above the mean, like Revis was, he would have thrown for 5,532 yards — that would be an NFL record. Maurice Jones-Drew was the running back with the fifth-most carries in the league. While he ran for 1,391 yards, a Revis-style performance would have seen him hit exactly 2,000 yards. Brandon Marshall picked up 1,127 receiving yards while finishing fifth in the league in catches; had he been 2.95 standard deviations above the mean on a per-play basis, he would’ve picked up 1,922 receiving yards, which would also have been a league record.
Placing a value on that sort of performance is another topic altogether, but I think it’s pretty clear that Darrelle Revis spent his 2009 season playing at a truly remarkable level.
Q.
If the NFL Rules Committee Genie appeared to you one Sunday and allowed you to immediately implement a single rules change, what would it be? – howlless
A.
Wow. I only get to pick one? I asked my colleague Doug Farrar about this, and he had an answer that I liked: make everything reviewable. Teams would still only get two challenges, but every play would be reviewable for whichever rules infraction or misinterpretation the coach wanted to challenge. It would lead to some judgment calls, but that’s not the worst thing in the world: A referee making a judgment call with a dozen replays is usually going to be better than a referee making a judgment call on the fly.
Q.
How important do you think it is to have a good backup QB? I hear all the time about how important it is, but it seems to me that the teams that win aren’t teams with good backups at QB but simply teams whose QB’s stay healthy. If QB is really so important, then there is no way a team can have much success with a QB who in theory is no better than 33rd best in the league (as a rough approximation). – Steve Nations
A.
I think you’re probably underestimating how good the league’s best backup quarterback is. At the moment, I’d say it’s Chad Pennington, and I’d probably take Chad Pennington over about half the league’s starting quarterbacks. (If I were playing to win one game and didn’t have to worry about Pennington’s propensity for injury, he’s probably in the top six or seven.)
It’s an interesting question, though. We know that injuries to the starting quarterback bear the strongest relationship to a decline in team success by virtually any metric I can come up with. It even affects the performance of other players in ways that you might not imagine. As an example, while there’s no correlation whatsoever between injuries to a team’s starting running back and a decline in the performance of their running game (or passing offense), there is a slight correlation (around .3) between injuries to a team’s starting quarterback and a drop in rushing performance.
So, this might not be the most satisfying answer, but I think you’re part-right. Keeping a quarterback healthy is the easiest way to ensure optimal performance, but you also have to consider that injuries to the starter can create opportunities for a backup that might not otherwise have seen the field. Remember, Tom Brady only got his chance to play when Drew Bledsoe went down with an injury. The same is true, to one extent or another, for Matt Schaub, David Garrard, Kyle Orton, Matt Cassel, Kevin Kolb, and Matt Moore. James Harrison — the 2008 AP Defensive Player of the Year — was languishing on the Steelers bench and about to retire at age 26 to become a veterinarian when the starter at his position suffered an injury lifting weights. For every Brady and Harrison, there has to be another 3-4 elite players lurking at the bottom of a roster league-wide. And for every Brady that got their chance, there has to be a quarterback or so a decade that could have been an elite player and never got the opportunity. | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
Glorifying the banks of Seine River, Paris has something mysteriously attractive in its air, architecture, and the ambiance. The magic has been enticing couples from all over the world for years and years. It isn’t just the most romantic places in Paris that make this city special, the true charm of the place lies in the tiny details: the fancy tea salons, beautifully trimmed trees, the fallen leaves of London Plane on cobblestone streets, soft-crust pies, and what not!
Wonderful Paris honeymoon destinations
Whether you’re in an unknown little corner of the city or at a popular place, Paris doesn’t stop hypnotizing you. Your visit to Paris with that special someone is sure to strengthen your lifelong love. Check out these beautiful honeymoon destinations in Paris
Eiffel Tower – A modern symbol of love
Eiffel Tower is probably the most popular architecture in the whole world. Designed by Alexandre-Gustave Eiffel, the tower was built for the Paris Exhibition of 1889. You can take an elevator or climb up the 360 steps to reach the first level and 344 more steps to reach the second level.
The top level of the tower is at the dizzying height of 276 meters with a champagne bar up there. There’s also a restaurant that welcomes you with soft lighting and minimalist furnishings. The lovely dining place features expansive glass windows that let you enjoy the spellbinding views while your have dinner with your sweetheart. Creating a breathtaking canvas for couples, it sure is one of the most romantic places in Paris.
Things to do around Eiffel Tower: Climb the stairs of the tower to learn its history; enjoy a glass of champagne at Champagne Bar, at the top of the tower; have a French picnic at the foot of the tower; and take beautiful pictures with the glowing tower, which is certainly one of the most wonderful things to do in Paris at night.
Entry charges of Eiffel Tower
Lift entrance ticket (valid to 2nd floor) – €11
Lift entrance ticket to top – €17
Stairs entrance ticket (valid to 2nd floor) – €7
Dinner for two: Begins at € 85
Opening hours: Mid Jun – Sep, daily 9 am – 12:45 am (11 pm for summit); rest of year, daily 9:30 am – 11:45 pm (10:30 pm for summit); stairs close at 6 pm in winter
Nearest metro: Bir-Hakeim
Europe Honeymoon Packages On TravelTriangle
Explore the most romantic places to visit in Europe, from Paris to the Venice canals, and from the Greek islands to the Swiss alps. Book customized packages Inclusive of airport transfers, cab, resort, sightseeing, and meals offered by expert agents on TravelTriangle. Book Now!
Amsterdam, Brussels & France 7D/6N Honeymoon @ Rs 55,000
Plan your honeymoon today!
Book Now
Italy & France Europe Honeymoon 7D/6N @ Rs 64,999
Get quotes from multiple travel experts.
Book Now
Mesmerizing Spain & France 8D/7N Honeymoon @ Rs 65,000
Compare & customize quotes before booking.
Book Now
France Honeymoon 9D/8N Packages @ Rs 70,000
Have Questions? Talk to our travel experts today.
Book Now
Italy Honeymoon 10D/9N Tour Package @ Rs 90,000
Best prices guaranteed. EMI option available.
Book Now
See more at TRAVELTRIANGLE.COM
Visit Website
< >
Temple of Love – For hopelessly romantic couples
Built in 1778, on a small island in The Parc—Temple of Love is a replica of Bouchardon statue. The most romantic part about the complete trip to Temple of Love is the romantic boat ride that takes you to the island. Couples from different parts of the world come here to renew their wedding vows. It is believed that kissing your partner at the center of the folly strengthens your love. Won’t you like to try it once!
Things to do around Temple of Love: Taking a lazy walk under the starry sky in Piece d’Eau des Suisses garden is amongst the most romantic things to do in Paris for couples. It’s just a few minutes walk from the temple.
Entry fee for Temple of Love: None
Nearest metro: Michel Bizot station
Must Read: 10 Restaurants Near Eiffel Tower In Paris To Enjoy A Luxurious Dine-In Experience
Luxembourg Gardens – A riot of colors
The Luxembourg Gardens are spread across 25 hectares in the heart of the capital. Decorated with statues, fountains, and a million flowers—these gardens attract many tourists. The left bank area of the garden is serene and sublime, which means, you must take a walk a long walk hand in hand with your sweetheart. You are also going to love sitting on the velvety grass with pleasant fragrance of flowers blowing in the wind.
Things to do around Luxembourg Gardens: Watch the popular puppet show in the garden area.
Entry charges Luxembourg Gardens: None
Opening hours: 7:00 am to 1 hour before sunset in summer and 8:00 am to 1 hour before sunset in winter
Suggested Read: 10 Restaurants Near Eiffel Tower In Paris
Parc des Buttes Chaumont – The garden of romance
There are many parks in Paris but Parc des Buttes Chaumont is the most distinctive and romantic park in a tranquil environment. It occupies 61 acres of hilly area in the northeastern reaches of Paris. This whole place was carved out of the slums and quarries with dynamites, and then decorated with extremely romantic elements like a lake, waterfalls, a grotto, and a folly. This picture-perfect place is heaven for couples in love. You will see mostly couples inside the park.
Things to do around Parc des Buttes Chaumont: Watch a puppet show at Theatre Guignol Anatole and play interesting games at Gamescape.
Entry charges for Parc Des Buttes Chaumont: None
Opening hour: Summer: 7:00 am to 10:00 pm and Winter: 7:00 am to 8:00 pm
Suggested Read: 10 Incredibly Romantic Places In Paris For Couples On A Honeymoon
River Seine – Go cruising and dining on the river
It seems that River Seine was created for romance. While you stroll along the river, you’ll be mesmerized by the gorgeous city lights. You can simply stand and gaze the river sparkling with the reflection of a thousands lights. If you decide to go here with your partner in the evening or afternoon, then you shouldn’t miss cruising on Seine. You can also enjoy a 3-course meal on a cruise while you sail on the glittery waters. The Seine is one of the most romantic places to visit in Paris.
Things to do around River Seine: Take a romantic stroll around and explore the beautiful bridges along the river and click some pictures to capture your memories.
Cruise and meal charges for two: About € 100
Suggested Read: The Most Romantic Restaurants In Paris
The Louvre – For a romantic evening and the best pictures
What’s there not to love about The Louvre! It’s the world’s most beautiful and the largest museum. It houses one of the most impressive art collection, which attracts art lovers from all over the world. You’ll be fascinated by the baroque-style museum and and palace— LeMusée du Louvre in French — which is situated along the banks of the calm Seine River.
Agreed, it is the most touristy place, but you should come here in the evening when it’s silent and calm, find a comfortable corner and sketch a portrait of your lover. Don’t worry, no one’s going to raise an eyebrow, it’s Paris, a home of artists.
Things to do around Luxembourg Gardens: Explore souvenir shops and fancy cafes Tuilleries Gardens and you can also stroll along the Seine.
Entry charges for Luxembourg Gardens: €15
Opening hours : Monday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday: from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm and Wednesday, Friday: from 9:00 am to 9:45 pm.
Suggested Read: 10 Indian Restaurants In Paris That’ll Transfer You To The Desi Land
Notre-Dame – A place to discover divinity
Nobody’s trip to Paris is complete without visiting the world-famous Notre Dame Cathedral church. Standing about 400 feet tall with two giant towers, this stunning church is considered the finest example of French Gothic architecture. Its gothic architecture makes you fall in love with its detailed Gothic carvings, spectacular rose windows, and the marvellous sculptures.
When the sun goes down and the whole world sleeps, so to speak, the view of the church is indescribably impressive. This timeless beauty is certainly among the best romantic places in Paris and nothing can beat it!
Things to do around Notre Dame Cathedral: Pay a visit to The Memorial Des Martyrs De La Deportation; those with love for for literature must explore Shakespeare and Company; go to Square Jean-XXIII for art displays and live music concerts, which is one of the most fun things to do in Paris for couples.
Entry charges for Notre Dame Cathedral: No fee for the main hall entry and € 7.50 for tower entry
Opening hours
July-August: 9:00 am to 7:30 pm and weekends 9:00 am to 11:00 pm
April-June and September: 9:30 am to 7:30 pm
October-March: 10:00 am to 5:30 pm
Nearest metro: Cité or Saint-Michel (Line 4)
Note: Towers are closed on January 1st, May 1st, and December 25th
Sacré Coeur Basilica – A gorgeous church
Sacré Coeur Basilica is one of the most spectacular churches in the world. Every couple planning a visit to Paris must witness the unspoiled beauty of this marvelous architecture. This Roman style domed catholic church is located on the top of Montmartre hill. As it is the highest point of the city, the sweeping views will blow your mind away.
Things to do around Sacré Coeur Basilica: There are many artists near Sacred Heart Basilica, so you must get a couple portrait; explore Dali Museum dedicated to a Spanish painter; have a typical French meal at Un zèbre à Montmartre Restaurant, and tasting vine in the vineyard of Montmartre is one of the best things to do in Paris for couples who love vine.
Entry charges Sacre Coeur Basilica: None
Opening hours: 6:00 am to 10:30 pm daily
Nearest metro: Abbesses – Line 12, Anvers – Line 2, and Lamarck Caulaincourt – Line 12
Note: There are 300 steps to climb and no lift
Banks of River Seine
The banks of river Seine are decorated with a number of admirable architectural structures built from the middle ages to the 20th century. The walkway along the river has become a popular kissing spot for the couples. The serene calm environment away from the usual hustle – bustle of the city will let your love breath.
Things to do around: Sit hand in hand on the stone ledge by the river and you can unfold some of the most romantic conversations
Entry charges Luxembourg Gardens: None
Arc de Triomphe
Arc de Triomphe is one of the most famous monuments in Paris, standing at the western end of the Champs-Elysees at the centre of Place Charles de Gaulle. The structure is a huge gateway monument. Champ- Elysees, the road that leads to Arc de Triomphe is one of the most famous streets in Paris. The tree-lines street is best for a night romantic stroll with you partner. There are many restaurants, shops and theatres along the street where you can hangout after the walk.
Things to do around: Get a chocolate massage done in the nearby Four Seasons George V Hotel. | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
Now playing: Watch this: Google Lunar Xprize: The next great race to the moon
When innovation stalls, sometimes it just needs a little push. A bit of force applied in the right direction and then, momentum imparted, the rest takes care of itself. That push can come from many sources, but one tends to be the most effective: money.
It was a monetary prize that spurred Charles Lindbergh to strap into the Spirit of St. Louis and become the first to cross the Atlantic in one shot. It was a monetary prize that encouraged Scaled Composites to build SpaceShipOne, ultimately spawning Virgin Galactic. And, next year, it will be a monetary prize that puts the first non-government-funded rover on the moon. Or, possibly, multiple rovers.
The new competition is called the Google Lunar XPrize. And, like the Ansari XPrize from a decade ago that greatly accelerated the race toward commercial space travel, this new competition is already bringing the same increase in pace to lunar surveying and exploration. Along the way, it's giving the members of 18 independent teams around the world the challenge and opportunity of a lifetime.
Creating an XPrize
Kbh3rd -- Wikimedia Commons
XPrize calls itself an "innovation engine." Its website states: "Rather than throw money at a problem, we incentivize the solution and challenge the world to solve it." Its first competition was the Ansari XPrize, and the problem was: how do we kickstart the commercial space industry? Scaled Composites won in 2004 at the Mojave Air and Space Port, a $10,000,000 check handed over after the team launched its craft to the edge of space twice within the span of two weeks.
That's so far been the organization's most famous competition, but there have been dozens more, typically funded by charitable individuals or organizations. In 2010, Edison2's Very Light Car won the Progressive Insurance Automotive XPrize, a $5 million award for the first car to manage more than 100 MPG. However, that car still had to be built in such a way that would ultimately allow for its eventual mass-production. A year later, Elastec/American Marine won the $1 million Wendy Schmidt Oil Cleanup Xchallenge by developing technology that skims oil from the surface of the ocean three times faster than the previous best solution to the problem.
It was back in 2007 that the organization introduced the Google Lunar XPrize, a $30 million purse of prizes for the first independent team to land a rover on the moon and move 500 meters or more across the lunar surface, all while sending back high-definition video to those of us still stuck on Earth. It's been nearly seven years and, finally, we're almost ready for launch.
Countdown to ignition
XPrize
Teams from around the world were invited to enter to compete in the Google Lunar XPrize. 33 of those made the cut to become official entrants. But, over the years between then and now, many of those would drop out. Others would others join forces and resources, resulting in a pool of 18 current teams that are still in the running.
All the remaining teams face the same engineering challenges in getting their landers on the moon, but ask what their biggest hurdle is overall and you'll hear the same thing: funding. Getting something into space is not cheap, with costs easily spiralling into the tens of millions of dollars for the launch alone. Getting there without the full backing of a wealthy government entity makes it all the more difficult. (Teams can accept up to 10 percent of their total funding from a government entity, but no more.)
To help with that part of the equation, XPrize created what are called Milestone Prizes. These are a sort of interim competition, a $6 million pool to be paid out to the teams capable of proving to XPrize judges that their landers can land, their rovers can rove, and their imaging systems are capable of capturing the unique visual essence of the lunar surface.
The tests
18 teams are still in the running for the Google Lunar X, and any of them is eligible for the prize should they get to the moon first. However, five of those teams applied and were selected for a series of Milestone tests, taking place through the summer of 2014. In each of these tests, one or more judges from XPrize will evaluate the team before, during, and after the test execution, determining whether the test was a pass or a failure.
The tests fall within one of three categories:
Landing
Up to three teams can win this $1 million prize, awarded when the team successfully demonstrates its ability to safely touch down on the lunar surface. This includes propulsion systems, landing modules, and the sorts of software and integrated intelligence required for a spacecraft to land itself on the moon. After all, with a three-second delay for any signal sent to the moon, remote control isn't a great option.
Mobility
As many as four teams can win this $500,000 prize for demonstrating the ability to cover the required distance of 500 meters on the moon. While many of the teams are using rovers, some are choosing instead to hop or fly across the lunar surface. So, this test entails the successful demonstration of the team's lunar package covering that distance.
Camera
Finally, this $250,000 prize can be won by up to four teams, as they show off their ability to capture high-definition imagery from the lunar surface. This may seem easy, what with the preponderance of HD cameras in smartphones and everything else, but developing a system that can work in the vacuum of space and the incredible contrast on the moon requires some specialized hardware and software.
The Milestone teams
More to come
XPrize
Through the summer of 2014, we'll be bringing you in-depth profiles of each of these teams, plus the other competitors. We'll also have footage and reports filed from around the globe as each team makes its way through the Milestone tests ahead of ultimately landing on the moon by the end of 2015. It's going to be quite an adventure, and we can't wait for you to join us. | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
Twin monster stars are merging, astronomers report, in a confirmation of a long-held theory on how supermassive stars are born.
A Spanish astronomy team reports the eclipsing binary star system, known as MY Camelopardalis (MY Cam), in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics. From Earth, the system's two gigantic stars appear to eclipse one another almost every day, as they circle on a very tight orbit.
By looking at the high-resolution spectra of the two stars with the powerful 2.2-meter telescope at the Calar Alto Observatory in southern Spain, the researchers, led by Javier Lorenzo of Spain's Universidad de Alicante, were able to determine the physical properties of each of the stars, including their surface temperatures and sizes.
The two hot, blue stars, weighing in at 38 and 32 times the mass of our sun, complete orbits of each other in less than 1.2 days. That is so close that the team concludes they are inevitably destined to merge into a single behemoth star, one that will have an astounding 60 times the mass of the sun.
The authors of the recently published study show that MY Cam is already one of the heftiest binary star systems ever seen. In fact, the two stars are likely close enough that their outer atmospheres are already touching and interacting. They are also rotating around each other at whopping speeds of 621,000 miles (one million kilometers) per hour.
Astronomical Eclipses
MY Cam was discovered to be a binary system only about a decade ago. Amateur astronomers had been viewing what looked like a single star for years, and had misclassified it as a variable star that fluctuated in brightness. We now know this change in brightness is due to one star rapidly eclipsing the other as they circle around each other.
Astronomers believe that both jumbo stars are no more than two million years old. They probably formed as we see them today.
What will happen next to the stars is a bit of a mystery, but theoretical models suggest that any merger will likely come quickly and quite explosively, releasing copious amounts of energy in the blast.
Astrophysicists believe that the merger of such close binary stars probably best explains how extremely massive stars are born. Astronomers have never witnessed such a merger, explaining their interest in MY Cam.
See for Yourself
MY Cam is nestled within a small open star cluster known as Alicante 1, which is located about 13,000 light-years from Earth. It is the brightest member of this sparsely populated stellar nursery filled with hot, young stars only a few million years old.
View Images This sky chart pinpoints the location of MY Cam as seen with the naked eye and with binoculars. Photograph by A. Fazekas, Skywatch
You can find MY Cam hiding out in the constellation Camelopardalis, the Giraffe, which is now visible throughout the Northern Hemisphere high in the northeastern evening sky. MY Cam sits at the end of the hind legs of the Giraffe, and its brightness appears to vary between 9.8 and 10.1 magnitude. That makes it just visible with binoculars but a fairly easy target for small backyard telescopes.
Happy hunting! | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, was stripped of his committee assignments by his fellow House Republicans Monday evening following bipartisan condemnation of King's recent remarks on white supremacy and white nationalism.
"We will not tolerate this type of language in the Republican Party ... or in the Democratic Party as well," House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., told reporters. "I watched what Steve King said and we took action."
JASON CHAFFETZ: STEVE KING MUST FACE CONSEQUENCES FOR RACIST REMARKS
In a formal statement, McCarthy said King's comments were "beneath the dignity of the Party of Lincoln and the United States of America. His comments call into question whether he will treat all Americans equally, without regard for race and ethnicity. House Republicans are clear: We are all in this together, as fellow citizens equal before God and the law. As Congressman King’s fellow citizens, let us hope and pray earnestly that this action will lead to greater reflection and ultimately change on his part.”
In a statement of his own, King insisted that his comments had been "completely mischaracterized" and blasted McCarthy for what King called "a political decision that ignores the truth." According to his website, King was previously a member of House committees on the judiciary, agriculture and small business.
King, 69, was already under fire from both parties over a series of racially charged remarks when he made the head-turning comments in a New York Times interview published last week.
FLASHBACK: AUTHOR STEPHEN KING ASKS IOWANS TO VOTE AGAINST 'RACIST DUMBBELL' STEVE KING
“White nationalist, white supremacist, Western civilization — how did that language become offensive?” King asked the paper. “Why did I sit in classes teaching me about the merits of our history and our civilization?”
In his statement Monday, King insisted his use of "that language" was referring "ONLY to Western Civilization and NOT to any previously stated evil ideology ALL of which I have denounced.
"My record as a vocal advocate for Western Civilization is nearly as full as my record in defense of Freedom of Speech," King concluded. " ... I will continue to point out the truth and work with all the vigor that I have to represent 4th District Iowans for at least the next two years.”
The loss of King's committee assignments may not be the end of his trouble. Earlier Monday, Reps. Bobby Rush, D-Ill., and Tim Ryan, D-Ohio, introduced separate censure resolutions against the Republican. Censure is one of three formal modes of punishment in the House. It is more severe than a reprimand, but not as severe as expulsion. The House has only censured 23 members in history, most recently, former Rep. Charlie Rangel, D-N.Y., in December 2010.
"Anything less [than censure] would be a slap on the wrist," Rush told reporters. "Steve King’s continual, serial, expression of hard, rabid racism must come to a screeching halt. This Congress must rise up and express its sentiment."
Senate Republicans also expressed their disgust with King, with Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., saying that if King “doesn't understand why 'white supremacy' is offensive, he should find another line of work.”
“There is no place in the Republican Party, the Congress or the country for an ideology of racial supremacy of any kind,” McConnell said. “I have no tolerance for such positions and those who espouse these views are not supporters of American ideals and freedoms. Rep. King's statements are unwelcome and unworthy of his elected position."
Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, said King's remarks "are his own and his exclusively and what he said was reprehensible and ought to lead to his resignation from Congress."
"I think it’s very clear that the party leadership is unified that Steve King is out of bounds and that he should no longer be serving in Congress," Romney said.
GOP CAMPAIGN BOSS CONDEMNS REP. STEVE KING: 'MUST STAND UP AGAINST WHITE SUPREMACY'
Last year, King tweeted “culture and demographics are our destiny” and said we “can't restore our civilization with somebody else's babies.”
In 2013, he commented that while he has some sympathy for some illegal immigrants, "they aren't all valedictorians, they weren't all brought in by their parents -- for everyone who's a valedictorian, there's another 100 out there who weigh 130 pounds and they've got calves the size of cantaloupes because they're hauling 75 pounds of marijuana across the desert."
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Shortly before the 2018 midterm elections, in which King was running, Rep. Steve Stivers, R-Ohio, then the head of the GOP campaign committee, issued an extraordinary public denunciation of him.
King has already drawn a primary challenger for the 2020 election: Randy Feenstra, a GOP state senator.
Fox News' Gregg Re, Jason Donner and The Associated Press contributed to this report. | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
With the success of Trine behind them, Atlus looks set to make some significant improvements to their gorgeous, overpriced(at launch) action platformer. For starters, Trine 2 will be featuring three player online-coop, an option severely missed in its predecessor. New physics-based puzzles and enhanced skill trees and progression for the three characters will ensure better balancing. Unlike Trine, the game will also be hitting XBLA alongside PSN and the PC in 2011.
Full Press Release and debut trailer below:
IRVINE, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 17, 2010 – Atlus U.S.A., Inc., in collaboration with Frozenbyte, today announced Trine 2 TM , a high-fantasy, physics-based action platformer with cooperative online multiplayer. Trine 2 takes the first game’s beloved triad-the powerful knight, the swift rogue, and the crafty wizard-and puts them into an all-new adventure filled with more action, more puzzles, and the introduction of online support for the series’s popular cooperative 3-person gameplay.
“The Trine series is a bastion of pure gaming fun,” stated Aram Jabbari, Manager of Public Relations and Sales for Atlus, “Expanding upon what was considered one of the best cooperative multiplayer experiences in recent memory, Trine 2 introduces online cooperative support for up to three players, dramatically expanding the fun and appeal of the game’s spectacularly rich action platforming. In addition, the unique traits and abilities of the three character types in Trine 2 mean more now than ever before, with enhanced skill trees and progression ensuring perfect balance. As a result, the game’s new arsenal of thrilling physics-based puzzles delivers just as much challenge and satisfaction for a sole player as for three friends playing together.”
Boasting sumptuous visuals, a masterful musical score, and clever physics-based gameplay, Trine 2 is the perfect mix of old-school platforming action, original physics-based level design, and cooperative multiplayer fun!
Trine 2 is currently scheduled for release Spring 2011 via digital distribution. Details regarding platforms and availability will be released soon. For more information, please visit http://www.trine2.com. | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
Article content
Prosecutors said Sunday that 56 sets of human remains have been identified in a jumble of bone fragments found at a burial pit in Mexico’s northern border state of Nuevo Leon.
State prosecutors said the pit was discovered in February 2016 on a rural hillside in Garcia, near the northern city of Monterrey. But in the year since then investigators have been painstakingly analyzing the fragments and teeth to see how many people were buried there and who they were.
We apologize, but this video has failed to load.
tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Mexico identifies 56 sets of human remains from jumble of bone fragments found in burial pit Back to video
On Sunday, the prosecutors’ office said 24 sets of remains were identified through DNA testing.
Some of the 24 remains whose DNA matched existing profiles belonged to people who had been reported missing since 2010.
The DNA profiles of 32 other people were found in the bones, but they couldn’t immediately be matched to anyone.
In 2010, the area was dominated by the hyper-violent Zetas cartel, which often burned or dissolved their victims, reducing their bodies to bone fragments. | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
Human beings face different kinds of sicknesses in life. While many overcome them, some succumb to one or the other. As the world progresses, concomitant problems surface in different ways, and as a result humanity doesn’t progress in the manner it could be expected to.
While there are many stress-busters available to handle tensions in life, music seems to have an overriding and therapeutic effect on the stresses and sickness that humans endure. Music is thought to bring forth miracles by healing wounded hearts and minds; it has magical powers to transform lives. Even a foetus in the womb apparently vibes with certain types of it. So, how exactly can music help us in our lives and influence us in a positive manner?
Diversity in sickness
Sickness can be quite diverse. It could be physical, physiological, psychological, psychosomatic and so on, and it can have a profound impact on one’s body and mind. Today we find psychological stress to be more common than before, leading to a situation of concern to humanity. While there are different medical methods available to handle medical conditions, with their own promise and challenge, virtually all treatment regimes have side-effects too. Appropriate music is a therapy that would largely bring down the intensity of such medical aberrations in an individual, as it has its soothing effect in bringing down stress.
Diversity in notes
Music is not restricted to one note or an entity. Whether it is string instruments or wind instruments (veena, guitar, and so on, or piano, or organ, or saxophone) we find a fusion of many notes when played. The notes, though diverse, when simultaneously played in a synchronised manner present a chord which is the unification and blending of many notes. These result in calmness and peace.
Diversity and peace
There is no better country than India to explain diversity in its totality, as it is rich in every sense of the term. We could learn clear and apt lessons from music. Musical notes are diverse, each superior in its own way. For example, the treble cleft notes EGBDF, space notes FACE, or the bass cleft notes, GBDFA, space notes ACEG, or the strings of the guitar bearing the notes EBGDAE, each when played can give a unique tone.
The grandeur of music comes from the harmony they bring when these notes are struck or played together through the musical instrument. Harmony and peace are entwined, and where there is harmony, there is peace, whether between two or among a multitude. Accomplishing this virtue is the need of the hour both in India and the world at large.
Orchestra & harmony
In a musical orchestra we find a multitude of instruments of a varied nature being used to provide scores and background for playback singers. We find the controlling and facilitating power of the music director to synchronise the different musical tones that come from instruments, to the taste and design of the musical composition the music director has conceived. So is the human population in a given environment: though it is diverse in every sense, if blended well as a music director handles music, it could lead to peaceful and harmonious coexistence of the biota, which include the environment, too.
United we progress
It is essential that we work in tandem: we all know unity is power. As a country with over 1.3 billion people representing a wide range of diversity, it is imperative that we stand united even as divisive forces impede us in many walks of life. The lesson from music should bind us together in order to bring out the best from each one of us and create a synergy for goodwill and progress.
Comparing our nation with other developed countries and also with those that are younger to us, we are far behind. We should and can do much better in any field provided we pool all our resources, including our intellectual resources. Music teaches us to have an amalgamation of our strengths both individually and collectively.
The author, the Principal of Madras Christian College, is a music-lover and a professional player of a few instruments. Elmhurst College, Chicago, conferred the Lamda Sigma Psi on him recently. E-mail: [email protected] | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
In the next few weeks (hint: CTIA is in three weeks) I'm expecting mobile operators to be offered a new tool, which will allow them to work out what on earth their mobile broadband customers are doing.
The mystery, however, is not "what is this tool, Guy?" - all will become clear quite quickly. What is mysterious is the answer to this question: "If mobile operators don't know what their customers are doing, how on earth do they know what to charge for the broadband?"
I put this question to an acknowledged expert, Simon Bransfield-Garth of CarrierIQ, who was typically forthright. "Their pricing plans make no sense to me. I think the carriers have little, or no idea of what people do with mobile broadband."
The mobile broadband revolution, in short, could be a bubble. If the carriers could provide ADSL-standard broadband for half the price of ADSL indefinitely, then the market would simply grow and grow. But it can't, and nobody in their right mind imagines they can; at some point, the bandwidth they offer will be swallowed up and they'll have to find more from somewhere. And that will cost real money.
Analysys Mason this week offered the opinion that the last six months have seen an "explosion" of mobile broadband, and quoted quite a lot more figures than we normally get to see.
The trouble is, there's no bottom line.
Take this cheerful-sounding statement from Matt Hatton's analysis of the mobile network operator's (MNO's) future:
"The rapid growth in mobile broadband and 3G data service adoption has far-reaching implications for MNOs' business models. Operators have tended to focus almost solely on providing narrowband voice and SMS, but the composition of their network traffic is changing."
Specifically, Hatton says, the volume of data is now exceeding the volume of voice. "T-Mobile reported in April 2008 that the volume of data traffic on its network in the UK had exceeded that of voice traffic for the first time in the first quarter of 2008.
"Mobile broadband pioneers, 3 UK and Vodafone, are likely to announce a similar trend this year. 3 UK reported a sevenfold increase in the volume of data traffic on its network in the six months to March 2008."
What this tells us is that they had more 3G capacity than phone customers could use, and are now soaking up spare 3G capacity by selling bits to laptop users. What it doesn't tell us, however, is whether these are profitable bits. In other words, when will the current growth rate reach the point where they have to start investing in new network capacity? And what will that cost? And will the broadband payments cover that?
"Contention will definitely become an issue," said Bransfield-Garth. "Already, phone users will be familiar with the 'network busy' sign when they try to place a call at rush hour. What we need to know is whether it really is better for the MNOs to keep one BBC iPlayer viewer going, and to prevent 40 phone calls going through."
Behind the scenes, some operators still seem to have their heads screwed on. Vodafone, for example, is a major player in the wireless broadband business in the UK, and I've had one of their dongles for almost a year. I had an unofficial chat with a senior engineer, and asked, straight out: "How long can you survive in this market, competing with the wired suppliers, if your users really grow at current rates?"
"Oh, I'm all right, Jack," was his reply.
Actually, the answer was phrased in gobbledegook, and I had to ask another consultant (he won't let me say who) for a translation. His summary: "They have just done a deal with BT on the 21CN rollout, whereby they sign up early, and get a good deal for at least three years, and will be able to keep up with whatever users do." | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
When USA TODAY Network-Tennessee sports director Dave Ammenheuser originally wrote this on Oct. 30, some Tennessee fans were outraged. Others were amused. Some immediately jumped on the Kiffin train bandwagon.
Thus, after Sunday's John-Currie/Greg-Schiano-craziness, here are an updated five reasons why Tennessee athletic director John Currie should strongly consider re-hiring Lane Kiffin as the Vols' next football coach.
After Sunday's Schiano firestorm, Ammenheuser's thoughts don't seem so crazy any more? Do they?
1. Offensive genius
Lane Kiffin made Blake Sims an offensive star at Alabama ... his offenses are more entertaining than the Netflix series "Stranger Things." And now he has the Florida Atlantic Owls on an offensive roll: Points in their last five games: 38, 58, 69, 42, 30, 48, 52 and 31. The Vols have scored 26 or fewer points in each of their final 10 games.
2. Second chances
Sure, he left on bad terms (who will ever forget the outgoing press conference). But he did win. He inherited a messy situation after Phillip Fulmer was fired and immediately turned the Vols' program around. They finished second in SEC East in his only year in Knoxville. Our world is all about second chances, why not give Lane a second chance?
3. Hire him before somebody else does
Originally, I wrote: Do Vols' fans really want to see Kiffin wear the that other shade of orange? It's not beyond the possibilities. The Gators are already looking for their next coach ... if the Vols wait too long, it likely will be too late. And if he doesn't go to Florida, do we really expect him to spend a second season at Florida Atlantic? C'mon? Boca Raton is a nice Florida city, but it's not the Smoky Mountains.
OK, Florida has their coach (Dan Mullen was hired over the weekend). But, there are quite a few openings out there (Arkansas, Mississippi State, Arizona State among others). Lane says he's not waiting by the phone, but we all know he'd pick up that phone quickly.
4. He wins no matter wherever he goes
He has a 44-24 career record as a head coach. After leaving Knoxville, he posted three consecutive winning seasons at USC before the Trojans departed with the immature, brash bad boy was let go in the 2013 season. Working with Nick Saban in Tuscaloosa for three seasons may have changed that behavior. Now, he's got Florida Atlantic in the Conference USA title game. The Owls are headed to their first bowl game since 2008. What bowl will the Vols play in this season?
5. Lane Kiffin > Greg Schiano > Butch Jones
C'mon. How crazy does this sound now? Would a social-network outcry eliminate Kiffin for the job as much as it did Schiano? Possibly. But, it would be fun watching it evolve. Kiffin's outrageous, funny anecdotes would give us a reprieve from the over-used cliches. The Vols' weekly football coach press conferences would again become must-see, appointment-type viewing.
Reach Dave Ammenheuser at 615-259-8352 and @NashSportsEd. | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
Wix abandons WordPress GPL editor fork in favour of original MIT library - blocks relicensing
In late October 2016 Matt Mullenweg, the co-creator of the WordPress blogging platform attacked the company Wix for not complying with the GPL License. The rich text editor in their competitor, Wix, app was using GPL code - which was itself a fork of an MIT licensed code.
The problem was that the Wix app was using a GPL licensed library released by the WordPress project, that would have essentially meant that the entire Wix mobile app's source code be released. This is what lead Mullenweg (rightfully) to announce:
This explicitly contravenes the GPL, which requires attribution and a corresponding GPL license on whatever you release publicly built on top of GPL code. The GPL is what has allowed WordPress to flourish, and that let us create this code. Your app’s editor is built with stolen code, so your whole app is now in violation of the license.
- Wix and the GPL
This then lead to a minor shit storm among the GPL and WordPress faithful against a commercial entity abusing Open Source code. As things usually go, this calmed down in a few days and people forgot about it. What went largely unnoticed was the fact that, while Wix was technically breaching the GPL license, the WordPress Rich Text editor was hardly unique and was in fact a fork of an MIT licensed editor:
The WordPress GPL Rich Text component in question, is actually a wrapper around another Rich Text component named ZSSRichTextEditor which is licensed MIT. In retrospect it would have been easier to use it directly.
– How I Found Myself Accused of Stealing Code from WordPress
This gave Wix the opportunity simply to switch over to the MIT project and continue developing that without the viral nature of the GPL. And it seems that that is what the company has chosen to do. The company started investment in the Wix React Native Rich Text Editor based on ZSS as early as November 2nd 2016 and seems to have abandoned the WordPress fork completely:
So instead of needing to comply with the GPL license imposed upon the code by WordPress, the company can now work and contribute freely adding to the ecosystem of the original component that the WordPress editor was forked from: ZSSRichTextEditor
Wix editor's license bans it from being relicensed to GPL
In fact the fork is licensed under an EMIT (Enhanced MIT) license that prohibits the WordPress project to adopt and relicense it under GPL. This means that the changes or enhancements that Wix contributes to the editor can not be done unless the WordPress RichText editor's licensing is changed to EMIT:
This license is exactly like the MIT License, with one exception – Any distribution of this source code or any modification thereof in source code format, must be done under the Enhanced MIT license and not under any other licenses, such as GPL.
- the EMIT license
Provided that the app on the AppStore (updated Jan 08 2017) is using their own component, the Wix editor is not "a WordPress Joint" and not that it ever really was, Wix is now in compliance with licensing and Mullenwegs ultimatum is now baseless. The licensing move was an impressive play from Wix.
And most of all - this is a great reminder why to avoid using GPL licensed for library code like the plague. | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
Chapter 1
I'm not an unhappy girl. Quite the opposite, in fact. I've always loved the sunshine, the rainbows, the singing birds, and especially the rain. Above all else I loved the rain. My mother had said I'd been like that since I was born. She'd said it was thundering outside when she was in labor, and right when I came out of the womb, there was complete silence. Not a sound was heard, except for the soft pitter-patter of the rain on the windows. Since then, not a day had gone by when I didn't smile at the rain.
I should have been smiling then, too, because it was indeed raining. But for the fourth time that day, I found myself in an armchair with my face in my hands, sobbing softly.
Why here, of all places? Why now, of all times? What had I done to deserve this? Had I really done some great wrong in this life?
Yes, a voice kept saying to me. You know what you've done, it would say. You know what you are. I cried harder, trying desperately to drown out the voice with my tears.
There's no escaping this, you know that, said the voice. No one's going to believe you if you confess. You might as well just kill yourself now. The voice had been saying this for quite some time, and it sounded quite serious. I could do nothing in my defense but rock back and forth on my chair and wait for it to be over.
Which, to my surprise, was rather quickly. The clock struck five. Yellow would be getting up soon. I stood up, dried my eyes as best I could, and tried to make it to the shower before—
"You're up early." Too late. I slowly turned around to see a too-cheery Yellow standing before me, already dressed in her running gear. Her contagious smile quickly shifted to concern at the sight of my tearstained face, however. "Orrrrrr you never went to sleep," she finally added. I nodded and pointed at her in wordless agreement.
"Was it the memories again?" She asked in genuine concern. I could feel my bottom lip quiver for a bit before I finally nodded. "Oh honey, come here," she said, briskly walking over to me to give me a giant bear hug, as only Yellow can muster. I had no choice but to hug back as tight as I could. She was my best friend's sister, after all. The way I saw it, I didn't have much choice.
We held each other for a few minutes before she softly asked me, "It's been six months, Blue. When are you gonna tell me what happened down there?"
"Yellow," I said, "I can't. I just can't do it. You'll never forgive me." I was talking too fast, as if the memories would pour out any second if I didn't keep my mouth occupied with something else, no matter how menial. She looked down at me, breaking our embrace slightly.
"You never know until you tell me," she said softly, smiling at me. I could still detect a hint of concern in her expression, the kind I have been seeing for six months now. Seeing it again made me want to bawl some more. I buried my head in her chest, sobbing harder this time. She held me tighter with one arm and rubbed my back with the other, cooing softly.
Yellow wasn't the type to press anything out of anyone; of that much I was certain. However, it was because of this very quality that she was the go-to girl for any consolation. She didn't mind this at all, of course. See, she was the type of girl who had her entire life in order. She was hot, smart, in control of and at peace with every facet of her life, and not only that, she possessed some sort of inner wisdom about everybody and everything, making her the perfect person to spill your problems to. No matter how mundane someone's problem seemed to be to the outsider, Yellow would ignore all that, and instead look upon the face of her latest patient with an expression of unimaginable sincerity and beauty. And after all was said to her, Yellow would think for a minute, slowly open her mouth, and begin to give the most profound answer any human could have ever come up with. This happened time and time again. Not once did someone walk away from her feeling unsatisfied, as if the advice they were given was somehow incomplete. They always walked away with tears dried, concerns alleviated, and faces beaming. Knowing all this, why, then, could I not tell her what happened six months ago?
If you tell her now, she'll hate you for the rest of her life, I heard in my head. She'll never forgive you for what you are. I tried hard to shut out the voice. 'Have to keep my mind occupied,' I thought.
"Well, it's getting light out," I said after a long silence, breaking our hug. "You and Growlithe better get running, huh?" I smiled as best I could.
Smiling back, she said, "Yeah." She grabbed her belt and took Growlithe's Pokéball off of it. "Stay strong, ok?" She added. "Your Pokémon need you too." And with that, she was out the door.
After staring at the door for a bit in contemplation, I turned and slowly walked into my bathroom to take a shower. Getting undressed and turning on the water, I took a moment to stare at my reflection. I saw a girl, aged 24, with a smorgasbord of expressions on her face. Looking carefully, I could spy the obvious signs of fatigue, stress, and depression, the subtle signs of fear and hopelessness, and even a tinge of anger. Troubling as this all was, what was on my face was not nearly as frightening as what was absent.
I could see no signs of happiness, not a sliver of hope, and certainly not a shred of dignity.
Looking down in defeat, I got into the tub and showered, letting the water gently beat against my face. At least in here, I didn't live in constant fear of the voice. The water even felt like rain, if I closed my eyes and pretended hard enough…
Finishing my shower, I walked into my room and located my favorite book of quotes. Sitting on my bed, I opened to a random page as per my morning ritual and located a quote that read, "You're only as sick as your secrets, but the Truth shall set you Free."
Exasperated by this, I threw the book on the floor. I fell back on my bed, finally exhausted, and began to fall asleep. Many a word flew through my head as I was drifting off, but the last one I would remember for the rest of my life.
Murderer. | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
The UN Human Rights Committee calls on France to review its 2010 law banning women from covering their faces in public.
The United Nations Human Rights Council has said France’s face veil ban is a violation of women’s rights, as it called for a review of the “sweeping” legislation.
In a landmark ruling on Tuesday, the body found that the French law, passed in 2010, violated the rights of two French women, who were fined in 2012 for concealing their faces in public. They had filed a complaint in 2016.
“The Committee found that the general criminal ban on the wearing of the niqab in public introduced by the French law disproportionately harmed the petitioners’ right to manifest their religious beliefs, and that France had not adequately explained why it was necessary to prohibit this clothing,” the UN experts said in a statement.
“The ban, rather than protecting fully-veiled women, could have the opposite effect of confining them to their homes, impeding their access to public services and marginalising them,” the statement added.
{articleGUID}
According to the non-binding ruling, the French government has 180 days to report back to the UN committee, which has asked for compensation for the two petitioners.
France adopted the controversial law in 2010 under President Nicolas Sarkozy, who at the time said the all-enshrouding veil was “not welcome”.
“[The full veil] hurts the dignity of women and is not acceptable in French society,” he said.
In its statement, the committee said it was “not persuaded by France’s claim that a ban on face covering was necessary and proportionate from a security standpoint or for attaining the goal of ‘living together’ in society.”
Meanwhile, Yuval Shany, committee chairman, stressed that “the decisions are not directed against the notion of secularity, nor are they an endorsement of a custom which many on the Committee, including myself, regard as a form of oppression of women.”
‘Controversial debate’
France was the first European country to ban the veil in public places with a law that took effect in 2011 and was upheld by the European Court of Human Rights in 2014.
Women can be fined up to 150 euros ($170) for failing to abide by it.
Other European countries have also followed suit with similar legislation in Denmark, Belgium, Austria, the Netherlands, Bulgaria and parts of Switzerland.
“There has been a real debate ever since this legislation was passed about the secular traditions inside France; that there needs to be social cohesion,” said Al Jazeera’s David Chater, reporting from the French capital, Paris.
“This debate continues, it’s a very controversial area,” he said.
There was also anger among Muslim women in Europe last year when the European Court of Justice ruled that employers are entitled to ban staff from wearing visible religious symbols. | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
Really cute girl sucking
Very hot blonde girl sucking cock Add to Favorites * Please be patient this video takes time to load *
SMALL MEDIUM LARGE
Game Information Author: Unknown Description: Very hot blonde girl sucking cock Size: Game Rating: 7.13 with 4269 votes Please Rate This Page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Suckage Average Awesome | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
Even Steve Bannon, Donald Trump’s fired former chief strategist, thought the infamous June 2016 meeting between Russian operatives and Trump campaign officials at Trump Tower was a bad idea.
In Michael Wolff’s new tell-all political blockbuster, Bannon called the meeting “treasonous” and “unpatriotic,” according to the Guardian, which obtained an early copy of "Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House."
“The three senior guys in the campaign thought it was a good idea to meet with a foreign government inside Trump Tower in the conference room on the 25th floor – with no lawyers. They didn’t have any lawyers,” Bannon said. “Even if you thought that this was not treasonous, or unpatriotic, or bad shit, and I happen to think it’s all of that, you should have called the FBI immediately.”
The book is based on over 200 interviews with the president and people within and close to his early administration. The interviews expose the contempt that many of Trump’s closest associates have for him, as well as the rifts between advisers that plagued the early days of the presidency. For his part, Bannon was forced out of the White House after multiple disagreements with Trump.
Besides the criticism of the Trump Tower meeting, Bannon also offered his candid predictions on where the Russia investigation will lead.
“They’re going to crack Don Jr. like an egg on national TV,” Bannon told Wolff.
Donald Trump Jr., President Trump’s oldest son, had admitted to setting up the meeting between the Russians and the Trump campaign staff who met with them. When approached by Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya — through an intermediary who said she had incriminating information on then-presidential rival Hillary Clinton — Don Jr. replied “I love it” and scheduled the meeting.
Don Jr. and his attorneys contend he did “nothing wrong.”
Though Bannon has criticized Special Prosecutor Robert Mueller, Wolff’s new book, according to the Guardian’s take, portrays him as knowing full well that the probe won’t end well for Trump or key members of his campaign and early administration.
“You realize where this is going,” Bannon told Wolff. “This is all about money laundering. Mueller chose [senior prosecutor Andrew] Weissmann first, and he is a money-laundering guy. Their path to fucking Trump goes right through Paul Manafort, Don Jr., and Jared Kushner .… It’s as plain as a hair on your face.”
Paul Manafort, who had a three-month tenure as Donald Trump’s campaign manager, has already been charged with tax fraud and money laundering in connection with the political work he did for a pro-Russian Ukrainian political party. He pled not guilty.
“They’re sitting on a beach trying to stop a Category Five,” Bannon told Wolff regarding the White House’s lackadaisical attitude to the Russia investigation and high hopes that everything will blow over. Here are some of the other tidbits the Guardian pulled from the book: | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
It turns out Joe Biden doesn’t like people in his personal space.
As rival Bernie Sanders was attempting to get the attention of moderators during tonight’s Democratic debate, he waved his hand, putting it over Biden’s podium.
As the camera showed Biden, he noticed Sanders’s hand, and appeared startled, raising his eyebrows and jerking his head back.
Watch:
This is the best moment of the night. Biden avoiding Bernie's hand. #DemDebate2 pic.twitter.com/owQV70Jxdy — Haleigh Hoffman (@HaleighHoffman) June 28, 2019
Legal expert Robert Barnes, LLP, breaks down the multitude of hypocrisies and flat-out lies told by the cast of clowns at the clownworld circus dem debates.
FULL SHOW: Kamala Harris Feasts on Biden in Clown World Debate Night 2
Joe Biden’s camp is “freaking out” over his poor debate performance after he was savaged by Kamala Harris.
The Emergency Election Sale is now live! Get 30% to 60% off our most popular products today! | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
Shimon Stein war von 2001 bis 2007 Israels Botschafter in Deutschland und ist zur Zeit Senior Fellow am Institute for National Securitiy Studies der Universität Tel Aviv. Moshe Zimmermann ist Professor emeritus an der Hebräischen Universität Jerusalem. Sie setze sich mit der Frage auseinander, wann Israelkritik ein Deckmantel für Antisemitismus wird.
Kurz vor der Pogromnacht 1938 verkündeten das Innen- und das Justizministerium des „Dritten Reichs“ eine Verordnung, wonach männliche Juden ab 1.1. 1939 den Vornamen Israel als „weiteren Vornamen anzunehmen“ hätten, um sich auf diese Art als Juden zu erkennen zu geben.
Diese Verordnung verwendete somit den Namen Israel als Sammelbegriff für „Jude“, um die Diskriminierung und Verfolgung der Juden als „Fremdkörper“ in der „Volksgemeinschaft“ voranzutreiben. Das geschah ein Jahrzehnt, bevor der Judenstaat entstand und den Namen Israel annahm. Die antisemitische Verordnung von 1938 steht also nur indirekt mit dem heutigen Begriff „israelbezogener Antisemitismus“ im Zusammenhang.
Um die Frage beantworten zu können, wann Kritik am Staat Israel in Antisemitismus umschlägt, ist erstens eine klare Definition des Begriffs Antisemitismus notwendig und zweitens davon auszugehen, dass der sogenannte „israelbezogene Antisemitismus“ (oder Antizionismus) eine neue Komponente des Antisemitismus bzw. der Judenfeindschaft ist, die es erst seit der Gründung des Staates Israel gibt.
Judenfeindschaft (seit 1879 durch den Begriff Antisemitismus ersetzt) ist eine Attitüde, die aufgrund eines Vorurteils „die“ Juden oder „den Juden“ – als vermeintliche Rasse, Nation, Religionsgemeinschaft oder soziale Gruppe – pauschal negativ oder pejorativ bewertet und daraus auch soziale und politische Konsequenzen zieht.
Antisemitische Assoziationen
Den Antisemiten unter den „Israelkritikern“ erkennt man zuerst an den Assoziationen, die er heraufbeschwört: Sind Shylok, Judas, Auge-um-Auge-Mentalität, jüdische Weltherrschaft, Hinweise auf Ritualmord und ähnliches im Spiel, befindet man sich bereits im Bereich des Antisemitismus. Wenn nicht an israelische, sondern an pauschalisierende jüdische Charakteristiken gedacht wird, wenn nicht Israelis, sondern „der Jude“ Objekt der Kritik ist, ist man beim Antisemitismus angelangt.
Video 03:19 Min. Ben Salomo - "Sie Sagen Mir"
Vor allem muss auf die Absicht des Kritikers geachtet werden. Hier wird es manchmal schwierig. Ob es sich um eine antisemitische Absicht eines „Israelkritikers“ handelt, kann man oft nur erfahren, wenn man die Denkweise des Kritikers kennt. Dort, wo der antisemitische Charakter von Aussagen oder Taten nicht eindeutig ist, ist Fingerspitzengefühl gefragt, nicht der automatische Alarmruf.
Früher, als es „nur“ den „klassischen“ Antisemitismus gab, bevor man die Bezeichnungen „sekundärer Antisemitismus“ (d.h. Shoah-Leugnung) oder „israelbezogener Antisemitismus“ erfand, war es einfacher, festzustellen, wer Antisemit ist. Klar: Ein Rechtsradikaler, der betende Juden in der Synagoge umbringen will, ist Antisemit. Heute ist es komplexer geworden. Wie soll der Befund eingeschätzt werden, der bereits im Bericht des Bundestags 2017 präsentiert wurde, wonach weniger als zehn Prozent der Deutschen als „klassische“ Antisemiten gelten, aber etwa viermal so viele als Vertreter eines „israelbezogenen Antisemitismus“? Ist die Definition „israelbezogener Antisemitismus“ nicht zu ungenau?
Nicht allein der Begriff „Israelkritik“ ist problematisch, auch ist nicht jede Kritik am Staat Israel gleich Antisemitismus oder antisemitisch angehaucht. Das gilt sogar beim Thema Existenzrecht Israels – denn das wird auch von einem Teil der ultraorthodoxen Juden bestritten. Wie gesagt, soll man auf die Absicht hinter der Kritik, auf die Adressaten der „Israelkritik“ und auf die Sprache der „Israelkritiker“ achten.
Shimon Stein war 2001-2007 Israels Botschafter in Deutschland und ist zur Zeit Senior Fellow am Institute for National Securitiy... Foto: Mike Wolff
Darüber hinaus ist entscheidend, ob die Kritik sich gegen Israel als Staat richtet oder gegen die israelische Politik, gegen bestimmte Züge der israelischen Politik. Letztere ist nicht an und für sich antisemitisch, jedenfalls wenn keine antisemitischen Assoziationen und Absichten mit der Kritik verbunden sind. Kurz: Um von Fall zu Fall darüber entscheiden zu können, wann Kritik am Staat Israel in Antisemitismus umschlägt, ist Differenzierung notwendig.
An Differenziertheit fehlt es nicht nur beim „Mann aus dem Volk“ oder beim un- oder übervorsichtigen Politiker, sondern gelegentlich auch bei Sozial- oder Geisteswissenschaftlern. Eine besondere Schwierigkeit bereiten Versuche, moderne Definitionen des Antisemitismus anzubieten, in denen der israelbezogene Antisemitismus eine prominente Rolle spielt: Der Versuch der International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) von 2016, eine „Arbeitsdefinition“ von Antisemitismus vorzuschlagen, in der die Israelbezogenheit eine wichtige Rolle spielt, dient leider auch der politischen Instrumentalisierung des Begriffs, statt mehr Klarheit bezüglich des Übergangs zum Antisemitismus zu schaffen.
Moshe Zimmermann ist Professor emeritus an der Hebräischen Universität Jerusalem. Foto: dpa/Martin Schutt
Dafür, dass der Umgang mit der Kritik an der Israelkritik manipulativ sein kann, weil politische Hintergedanken im Spiel sind, gibt es mehrere Beispiele. So steckt hinter der Bezeichnung der Israelkritik oder Israelfeindschaft unter Moslems als Antisemitismus oft die Absicht, die muslimische Präsenz in Europa zu bekämpfen. Oder es greifen israelische Politiker und ihre Anhänger prophylaktisch zum Vorwurf des Antisemitismus, um Kritik an der Siedlungspolitik im Keim zu ersticken.
Indem man den Boykott von Waren aus den besetzten palästinensischen Gebieten mit dem NS-Judenboykott vom 1. April 1933 assoziiert und somit den Vorwurf des Antisemitismus heraufbeschwört, delegitimiert man sogar die vom internationalen Recht geforderten Restriktionen gegen Israel. Hier geht es nicht mehr um die Frage, wann „Israelkritik“ in Antisemitismus umschlägt, sondern schlicht um die Instrumentalisierung der Angst vor Antisemitismus im Dienst des politischen Zynismus. | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
click to enlarge PHOTO VIA RYAN COUSINS
St. Louis police Capt. Ryan Cousins is still waiting to return to work.
Fired in 2016, a St. Louis police captain is still waiting to return to work — three weeks after a city board found he should not have lost his job.The city's Civil Service Commission ruled in late September in favor of reinstating Captain Ryan Cousins with back pay. But the Ethical Society of Police, the union that represents black officers, says the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department has failed to set a date to put him back on the job."The delay in the return of Captain Cousins by SLMPD is another example of why SLMPD isn't capable of fair discipline practices," the union said in a prepared statement.Cousins, who commanded the Sixth District in north city, was suspended and then fired following a messy break-in investigation that ended with the black captain and his white subordinates trading accusations of a cover-up.The controversy began in January 2016 when police responded to reports of gunfire in the Baden neighborhood. Officers didn't find anything at first, but they were soon dispatched to a nearby burglary call. Patrol officers searched the victim's house, and a sergeant eventually found a gun. That was a problem for the homeowner, a felon who wasn't allowed to own firearms.The officers on scene later claimed Cousins ordered them to return the gun and write false reports that omitted the bit about the weapon. In a subsequent civil lawsuit, Cousins claimed the officers and the sergeant had treated the black homeowners like criminals in their own house, searched them illegally and then concocted a story to hide their misdeeds.City cops regularly violate the rights of black people to conduct searches, Cousins alleged in a lawsuit against the city, "because they know they will be protected (not disciplined) when they engage in such misconduct."The Civil Service Commission's unanimous decision found that the captain deserved a written reprimand but should not have been fired. The commission's findings are separate from the civil lawsuit, which is still pending.The Ethical Society of Police has previously alleged that black police officers are subject to harsher punishments than their white counterparts. In today's statement, the union called on the department to reinstate Cousins and crack down on his accusers, "who appear to have provided false statements in 2016, during the investigation of Captain Cousins."Lynette Petruska, the captain's attorney, says her client has not heard from the city or department about the possibility of reinstatement."If they put him back to work it would reduce their damages, but they seem bound and determined to continue to discriminate against him," she said.The city has the right to appeal the commission's decision. City and police officials did not respond to requests for comment this morning. | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
A lieutenant with Brigham Young University’s police department took information from private records created by other Utah County law enforcement agencies and passed it on to university officials investigating students for breaking school rules.
His actions sparked a criminal investigation that lasted more than two years and has been done for months.
So, how many records involving how many students did Lt. Aaron Rhoades access? That information is not public.
Neither are the answers to questions like these: At whose direction did he look at the nonpublic police databases? What kind of information did he share? How did the university use that information?
When will Utahns get to know these answers? Possibly never.
Since authorities began investigating BYU police in 2016, the state Department of Public Safety and the Utah attorney general’s office have remained tight-lipped, and have blocked The Salt Lake Tribune’s records requests seeking that information.
Officials publicly acknowledged for the first time this week their reason why: A Utah judge issued a secrecy order in the investigation nearly three years ago at the request of prosecutors — an order that remains in place to this day.
What judge is keeping the investigation behind closed doors?
That, too, is a secret.
“This cannot stand,” said Tribune Editor Jennifer Napier-Pearce. “This investigation was conducted by the state of Utah and should be available to the public.”
She said the newspaper is exploring its options, including possible legal action, to get access to records it has been fighting for since 2016.
“While we’re happy to finally know why they haven’t turned over their findings to us,” she said, “we’re very concerned to learn that a secrecy order is in place.”
The Tribune on Wednesday received a response to a records request in which the attorney general’s office explained why it can’t release information on the completed investigation.
“Beginning in July 2016, secrecy orders have been entered at the request of the state of Utah,” the denial reads. “These secrecy orders entered at the request of the state of Utah remain in place.”
The Tribune asked BYU for comment and a spokeswoman said all they could do is repeat the same sentence stated above. Rhoades’ attorney, Derek Willliams, declined to comment for this story because his client was not part of the court action.
A report released last week gave a hint at the scope of the investigation — that state authorities believe Rhoades accessed private police reports from Orem police, the Utah County Sheriff’s Office and Provo police over a two-year period. He took information from those reports and shared them with BYU’s Dean of Students Office, the Title IX office and the Honor Code Office.
State prosecutors could not speak about the court action, citing the secrecy order. But Criminal Deputy Craig Barlow, with the attorney general’s office, explained the process generally, saying a prosecutor’s request for secrecy is not all that unusual. He estimated that investigators make dozens of these secrecy requests every year — usually to not alert a potential suspect to the police’s efforts.
Secrecy orders are also often used in financial crimes, Barlow explained, where investigators may want a bank to hand over records without telling a suspect. They are also frequently used in investigating drug-trafficking operations.
There are no expiration dates on these orders.
This means some investigations could remain under seal indefinitely, though Barlow said investigations are most often made public if prosecutors decide to file charges.
The law "is almost silent about what happens when you get to the end,” Barlow said. “There really is no guidance about how to go about an exit strategy.”
Greg Ferbrache — a former prosecutor with the attorney general’s office who is now in private practice — said the secrecy orders are not intended to keep the public from knowing about what happened. He said it is most often used to protect the constitutional rights of those who are accused.
“Its purpose is not to keep an investigation under secrecy forever,” he said.
But in the investigation into BYU police, it’s not clear why the records would remain under seal.
There is no pending investigation, and the attorney general’s office announced in October that prosecutors had decided months earlier to not file criminal charges against Rhoades. A panel of prosecutors had decided the case against him “lacks a reasonable likelihood of conviction,” the office said.
The Tribune obtained BYU documents in 2016 that showed Rhoades accessed a countywide database to collect information from another police department for an Honor Code investigation of an alleged sexual assault victim.
The documents show an Honor Code investigator contacted Rhoades in 2015 asking him for information in the rape case. The lieutenant looked at the records that same day, and relayed intimate details back to the investigator.
The Honor Code at BYU — which is owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — is a set of administrative rules that forbids alcohol and coffee, restricts contact between male and female students, imposes a strict dress code, and bans expressions of romantic affection between people of the same gender.
Rhoades retired from the BYU police department last fall, according to his attorney, and later gave up his police certification after the state’s Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) began its own investigation. He had been a police officer in Utah for 34 years, according to POST records.
The criminal investigation is at the heart of why BYU may lost its police force entirely, after it was announced last week that state officials are seeking a historic decertification.
In a letter to BYU, state officials say they want the university to lose its policing powers because the department did not conduct an internal investigation into allegations of misconduct by a specific BYU police officer during a two-year period ending in April 2018. The letter doesn’t name the officer or the specific misconduct allegations, but the timeframe covers the same period DPS was investigating Rhoades.
DPS officials also say that BYU police failed to respond to a subpoena that was issued as state regulators were investigating an officer for misconduct. A December letter to BYU police instructed the agency to allow DPS access to all “records, personnel and electronic data” so investigators could assess how its officers use a police records database, the command structure at BYUPD and “the powers, authority and limitations” of BYU police officers.
BYU has said it plans to appeal the state’s decision to decertify its police force, which would take effect Sept. 1.
An issue also at play is the ongoing debate about whether BYU police should be subject to Utah’s record laws like every other police department in the state. The Tribune has sued to force BYU police to abide by the Utah Government Records Access and Management Act, or GRAMA. The newspaper received a favorable ruling from a state district judge, but BYU has appealed to the Utah Supreme Court. A hearing has not been scheduled.
Attorneys for the campus argue in court papers that as a private institution, BYU should not be subject to records laws meant for government agencies.
But BYU officials have supported legislation that would require its police departments to be subject to open records laws. That bill, if passed, would not be retroactive and wouldn’t necessarily settle the ongoing litigation. | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
Written by Steven Crawford Grundy
On the 7th February, 1965 President Johnson ordered the escalation of armed forces in Vietnam, thereby plunging America into a full-scale military conflict. Historical judgements have coined a catalogue of suggestions for U.S. engrossment. On the one hand, Kolko’s “structural explanation” conveys escalation as a logical zenith of the Cold War effort to contain communism. Conversely, the “stalemate theory” balloons the president’s role in America’s envelopment and criticises the administrations for taking a series of steps with full knowledge that none were likely to attain the desired result.
Finally, a more controversial outlook, the “quagmire theory,” conveys Vietnam as a political morass and excuses U.S. leaders from any real responsibility. However, thorough analysis of American foreign policy suggests that none of these views adequately clarify the developments which preceded Johnson’s escalation. Although the various theses hint at the factual truth none exceedingly pinpoint an explanation of executive accountability for the Vietnam conflict. The following analysis will attempt to portray a diverse outlook of American policy in Vietnam by examining the various executive administrations and painting a mixture of explanations for presidential culpability.
Probably the most distinguished elucidation of U.S. escalation in Indochina is the “structural explanation”. Essentially, this argument condemns ideologists in the Truman administration (notably George Kennan) for moulding an aggressive foreign policy which predictably wedded U.S. commitment to Vietnam. The most recognized scholar of this argument, Gabriel Kolko, claims U.S. intervention demonstrated the bankruptcy of a dogma which had been relentlessly pursued since the end of World War II. In contrast, Hess blames Truman for accepting the “Bao Dai solution” and recognizing the French puppet state, thereby constituting the initial commitment to Indochina.
Nevertheless, although most scholars agree both ideological influences as well as Truman’s decision to aid the French in February, 1950 marked the preliminary U.S. commitment in Indochina, there is a general conviction that this did not act as a blueprint for Johnson’s escalation. On the contrary, the majority of historians, particularly Miscamble, applaud the Truman administration’s foreign policy in Indochina. Undoubtedly, Roosevelt’s death left a huge vacuum packed with mazy ideas about the post-war world. Preoccupied with European recovery, Soviet activism from Iran to Germany as well as the reconversion of the U.S. economy, Southeast Asia largely became a forgotten region.
Still, America entered the post-war era with considerable influence over the future of Indochina. In January, 1949 the National Military Establishment claimed Southeast Asia was looking primarily to Washington for economic as well as military cooperation and advised Truman to exploit the anti-Soviet atmosphere of the Asiatic theatre. However, Ho Chi Minh’s hand of friendship was repeatedly ignored and evidently moved the Vietminh closer towards the communist domain. Then again, it would have been difficult for the Truman administration to support Ho’s independent Vietnam instead of French colonialism. Besides, Blum’s claim that Truman’s sponsorship of the First Indochina War simply postponed the inevitable is dubious. The appointment of the highly gifted General de Lattre in December, 1950 as well as Washington’s delivery of napalm boosted French morale.
Furthermore, de Lattre’s success at Tonkin in June, 1951 suggested the immediate threat had passed as well as significantly diminishing Ho’s popularity and prestige. Similarly, Hess’s decry against Truman’s recognition of Bao Dai’s government in February, 1950 is unimpressive since France was a vital component in the reestablishment of Western Europe. Although Bao Dai lacked popular support, more important difficulties obligated Truman to recognize French colonization. The demise of U.S. atomic monopoly in September, 1949 as well as Mao Zedong’s communist triumph in autumn forced Truman to strengthen French combat against the Vietminh. Additionally, domestic political pressures, particularly McCarthyism, fuelled fears of widespread communist subversion which propelled Truman towards a compact approach. Memories of the vacuous appeasement policy also ingrained a conviction of power rather than negotiations and French appeals for military support enabled the beleaguered Truman to answer his critics.
Moreover, the French Communist Party’s gained 25% of the electoral vote in the 1946 general election, thereby illustrating the instability of the French Fourth Republic and further catalysing U.S. succour. Indeed, the enunciation of Kennan’s containment strategy in mid-1947 in addition to the Marshall Plan underscored France’s indispensability in the Cold War. Interestingly, McMahon indicates the importance of Southeast Asian trade for U.S. commitment to French Indochina. He claims the “dollar gap” predicament- the enormous trade and currency imbalance between the U.S. and its European allies- underscored Southeast Asia as an essential trading partner.
Indeed, Truman believed the expansion of commodity production in Southeast Asia would act as a crucial lever for the restoration of Japan and feared Tokyo could become economically dependent on Mao’s China if denied access to non-communist markets. Furthermore, the loss of Indochina would endanger Washington’s vital communication routes between the Pacific Ocean and the Middle East. Therefore, Truman cannot be judged responsible for his acceptance of Bao Dai or his commitment to France.
Nevertheless, although the “structural explanation” is erroneous to claim the Truman administration is solely to fault for Washington’s pledge to Vietnam, Truman’s new-fangled philosophy undoubtedly heralded a shift in U.S. diplomacy. Most importantly, Truman’s initiation of Nitze’s NSC-68 document in April, 1950 became the modus operandi of Washington’s foreign policy throughout the Cold War. McCoy criticises the NSC-68 articles proposal for a worldwide anti-communist program as well as its amplification of ideological importance.
The NSC-68 called for a global offensive against the Soviet bloc which would restore the initiative to the non-communist world. The document also exceedingly overstated the monolithic and evil nature of communism, thus underlining Truman’s failure to exploit Ho Chi Minh’s deep nationalistic sentiments. Parallel to the Chinese communist party the Vietminh was an independent Marxist movement and Stalin felt reluctant to promote a communist faction over which he had no control. Furthermore, anxious voices such as Churchill’s “iron curtain” speech in February, 1946 as well as Kennan’s “the sources of Soviet conduct” article in July, 1947 cemented Truman’s conviction that America had to contain communist expansion.
Crucially, the outbreak of the Korean War in June, 1950 marked a fundamental change in U.S. attitude towards Indochina and underlined the importance of NSC-68. Truman seized upon the alarm caused by North Korean aggression to push forward the NSC-68 program and consequently laid the foundations for the preceding escalation in Vietnam. Accordingly, Kennan claims the Truman government was “grievously misled… by its own faulty interpretations of the significance of the Korean War.” Similarly, Truman’s fervent adoption of the “domino theory” was a recurring element in Washington’s political justification for their commitment to Vietnam. In his memoirs Truman exclaimed; “The problems we were facing was part of a pattern. After Korea it would be Indochina, then Hong Kong, then Malaya.”
However, correspondingly to NSC-68, the Truman administration’s blessing of the domino theory acted as a strand for the succeeding presidents and entrenched the U.S. inflexibly into the Cold War. The domino theory suggested a Vietminh victory over the French would spread the disease of communism and subsequently infect the Asiatic theatre. Both the Kremlin’s and Mao’s recognition of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam in January, 1950 as well as the NSC-48 article in April 1950 fortified Washington’s incorrect conviction that communism was uniform and primed to strike the capitalist nations. Therefore, Kolko rightfully indicates that Truman’s perception of the Cold War snowballed the decision to draw a line against the red menace. Consequently, the Truman administration takes primary responsibility for establishing a leitmotif for an aggressive U.S. foreign policy which was seized upon by the successive presidents.
In contrast to the “logical culmination” argument other historians have pinpointed Eisenhower as the perpetrator for U.S. involvement in Vietnam. Cuddy, for example, claims Eisenhower was the only President who had the unique luxury of a clean break from Truman’s commitment. Conversely, Saunders focuses on Eisenhower’s sponsorship of the unpopular leader Diem as the instigator for Washington’s pledge to shield South Vietnam from communism.
Thirdly, Anderson condemns Eisenhower’s creation of SEATO as a legal basis for war as well as ignoring the Geneva accords agreement for Vietnamese elections. Nonetheless, Eisenhower is least to fault for U.S. escalation in Vietnam. His impressive handling of the Dienbienphu dilemma in spring 1954 safeguarded America from military engrossment. Although under enormous pressure from both Paris and his own administration to assist the trapped French forces, Eisenhower dismissed the alternative of conventional and nuclear bombing.
While Admiral Radford asserted it was primarily British reluctance and congressional opposition which checked Eisenhower’s flirtation with military intervention there is little evidence to suggest Washington seriously considered Operation Vulture. Alternatively, Cuddy’s argument buckles under historical actualities. Eisenhower did not have the opportunity of breaking away from Vietnam; more importantly there was no serious reason for withdrawal. Eisenhower was under fervent pressure not to “lose” Vietnam like the Republicans had yielded China. Additionally, Secretary of State Dulles noted as early as 1950 that Washington was already wedded to Vietnam; “the U.S. recognized the government of Bao Dai… we have for better or worse involved our prestige.”
Likewise, Eisenhower deserves minor accountability for ignoring the scheduled Vietnamese elections of the 1956 Geneva accords. America certainly did not push elections yet both China and the USSR equally bypassed the subject. Indeed, Prime Minister Zhou Enlai supported a weakened Vietnam on China’s doorstep and Moscow even advocated a permanent partition by suggesting Saigon and Hanoi be admitted to the United Nations. Furthermore, Washington was certain Ho would win the elections and favoured the 17th parallel division rather than a fully-fledged communistic Vietnam. Conversely, Eisenhower’s creation of SEATO in September 1954 probably reinforced U.S. relationship with Indochina.
Although Dulles’s proposal for United Action was part buff it decisively levered Washington closer towards Southeast Asia. Indeed, a separate protocol specifically labelled Laos, Cambodia and South Vietnam as areas which if threatened would jeopardise the “peace and security” of the signatories. Nonetheless, the treaty was vague and merely required the member nations to “consult” one another. Also, the treaty did not play an important part during Johnson’s escalation and both Britain and France declined U.S. appeals for assistance. Still, the pact provided Washington with an international rubric and undoubtedly strengthened the significance of Indochina.
Alternatively, Sanders critic of Eisenhower for both substituting U.S. muscle for French colonialism as well as his collaboration with Diem is unconvincing. Although concerned voices, particularly General Collins, judged Diem incapable of providing dynamic headship, his appointment initially achieved considerable success. Diem’s proficient eradication of the Cao Dai, Hoa Hao and Bin Xuyen factions certified his hegemony over South Vietnam. Additionally, Diem’s authoritarianism came close to eliminating the communists as a political force.
Indeed, party historians indicate the demise of the Vietminh during this period. Kahin claims membership, which had stood at around five thousand in mid-1957, fell by one-third at the end of the year. Communist organized demonstrations also became less frequent and Diem’s cancellation of the proposed Vietnamese elections dealt a serious blow to Vietminh morale. Hence, Cooper rightly notes; “In the clearer light of history one can see that Diem had held a better hand than most of the kibitzers realized.” Oppositely, Herring’s claim that the “quirks of the electoral calendar” spared Eisenhower from serious responsibility is probably true.
The writings on the wall were becoming increasingly visible during the final years of Eisenhower’s presidency. Despite initial successes, Diem’s leadership was noticeably cracking. His government gradually became a constricted oligarchy composed of his brothers and other close relatives. More concernedly, Diem alienated the peasantry by forcing them to pay for land which Ho had offered them costless. Also, his support derived overwhelmingly from the Catholic minority and continual disregard for social advancement rejuvenated fresh opposition. Nonetheless, while Diem’s policies from 1956 onwards led to inevitable disaster, the threat was not apparent to most observers. Diem’s South Vietnam did not appear ruinous when compared to other U.S.-sponsored countries in much of Latin America and ex-colonial Africa. Also, it was not until September, 1960 that Ho began sponsoring the National Liberation Front and revivified his effort to unify the country. Still, although the situation in Vietnam had begun to deteriorate it was still Diem’s war- not America’s.
Until Eisenhower’s last months in office the NLF did not pose a significant menace to the Saigon regime and there was ample evidence to suggest Washington’s nation-building was working. Furthermore, Cuddy’s assertion that Eisenhower sent the first U.S. military personnel into Vietnam is incorrect. Although Eisenhower did provide France (and later Diem) with U.S. advisers a telegram from John Allison on 22 December, 1952 proves Truman’s accountability; “Department concurs… 25-30 USAF personnel at Nha Trang.” Additionally, compared to Laos, South Vietnam seemed a “backburner” problem and was not even mentioned during Eisenhower’s briefing with Kennedy in 1961. Nonetheless, while Eisenhower managed the Vietnam question politically he did not solve the issue substantively and therefore handed his successor a crumbling picture.
In comparison to both the Truman and Eisenhower administrations, most historians rigorously denounce Kennedy for snowballing U.S. envelopment in Vietnam. Firstly, Brown suggests Kennedy never offered the quandary sufficient attention and continued the alliance irrespective of nagging scepticism. Oppositely, Sorensen attacks the President for resuming Washington’s pledge to Saigon despite having a fanciful opportunity to withdraw during the Buddhist crisis in 1963. Lastly, Pelz argues Washington’s impartial stance during Diem’s overthrow as well as Kennedy’s bloating of U.S. troops made Johnson’s escalation inevitable. Importantly, Kennedy had always been an interested observer of U.S.-Vietnamese relations.
As early as June 1956, in a speech to the “American Friends of Vietnam” Kennedy signposted his protective viewpoint; “Vietnam represents the cornerstone of the Free World in Southeast Asia, the keystone to the arch, the finger in the dike.” Kennedy was also a strong devotee of Truman’s domino theory and regarded the Third World as the new Cold War battleground. Thus, before Kennedy became President in 1961 his ideas on Vietnam had already been moulded. Besides, early failures during the Bay of Pigs disaster in Cuba as well as the neutralisation of Laos fortified Kennedy’s commitment to Diem.
Indeed, Khrushchev’s militant speech in January 1961 avowing Soviet support for wars of national liberation was interpreted as a declaration of war by the Kennedy administration. On the other hand, Kennedy fervently stressed his opposition against the deployment of U.S. soldiers in Southeast Asia. In October he vetoed General Taylor’s proposal of sending ground troops to Saigon, instead favouring an increase in military “advisers.” Even so, Pelz’s claim that the accumulation of military advisers catalysed Johnson’s escalation in Vietnam is correct. Similarly, Kennedy’s consensus to the use of U.S. helicopters as well as defoliants against the Vietcong plunged Washington deeper into the quagmire. However, Kennedy does not deserve solitary blame for America’s amplified sponsorship. Influential voices, especially McNamara, frequently urged him to expand Washington’s role and Kennedy deserves acclaim for rebuffing the military alternative.
Additionally, both his Green Berets and American military advisers were clearly exceeding presidential instructions. Kennedy wanted U.S. personnel to direct and train the Vietnamese army; instead American recruits were continually drawn into skirmishes with the Vietcong. Furthermore, the ARVN lacked military expertise and U.S. pilots became increasingly involved in active warfare. Also, pessimistic estimations from advisers were often suppressed. For example in January, 1963 two minor Vietcong companies defeated a large faction of South Vietnamese troops at Ap Bac, thereby revealing numerous flaws in the ARVN’s warfare strategy. Yet, General Harkins disguised the catastrophic defeat and dismissed its long-term significance as a morale builder for the Vietcong. Nhu’s “strategic hamlet” fiasco was also concealed from Washington. In theory Nhu’s plan advocated the creation of fortified villages in which the Vietnamese peasants would be isolated from the Vietcong.
However, this massive relocation compelled farmers to leave their sacred ancestral lands and further alienated the Vietnamese people. Indeed, sloppy planning and Nhu’s disregard of U.S. advice allowed the Vietcong to capture quantitative amount of military arsenal. Still, McNamara exclaimed in July 1962 that the strategic hamlet program was the “backbone of President Diem’s program for countering subversion directed against his state.” Alternatively, there were several voices which portrayed a different picture of Vietnam. Senator Mansfield especially signposted the glitches of the Saigon government and suggested a substantial decrease in America’s involvement.
Similarly, Chester Bowles advised Kennedy to utilise the Laos talks as an instigator for peace in Vietnam. However, Kennedy fervently dismissed these proposals. Additionally, the number of American military advisers rose alarmingly from merely eight hundred at Kennedy’s accession to eleven thousand by the end of 1962, thus shoehorning America towards escalation. Furthermore, Kennedy’s short-term solutions forced Washington progressively into a political corner. Instead of reviewing the Vietnam problem, Kennedy persistently ignored warnings that the situation was deteriorating. Importantly, Brown’s interpretation of Kennedy strategy in Vietnam walks hand-in-hand with the “stalemate theory.”
The president evidently recognised by late 1963 that his policies were failing. He told journalist Chris Bartlett; “we don’t have a prayer of staying in Vietnam…These people hate us. They are going to throw our asses out.” Yet, he continued to sponsor Saigon and ignored the flamboyant condemnations of both the press and his advisers. Therefore the “stalemate theory” is correct in claiming Kennedy’s took a series of steps with full knowledge that none were likely to achieve the desired result.
Still, the most imperative mistake of the Kennedy administration occurred during the Buddhist crisis. On 8th May, 1963 Buddhist assembled in Hue to celebrate Buddha’s 2527th birthday. Diem’s governmental decrees however prohibited them from flying their multi-coloured flag and denied the Buddhist leader Quang to speak on national radio. Furthermore, governmental troops fired into the crowds, consequently triggering widespread popular resentment.
Indeed, the immolation of Thich Duc on 11th June electrified the population and crystalized a peaceful religious movement into a political rebellion. The effect was reinforced by provocative statements from both Nhu and his wife who additionally pressured Diem towards religious warfare. More importantly, the Buddhist crisis provided the Kennedy administration with an exit strategy. Sorensen exemplifies the outrage of U.S. public opinion and eradicates Cuddy’s assertion that Eisenhower was the only President with the opportunity to withdraw. Furthermore, Kennedy’s legitimate successes during the Cuban missile crisis as well as the Sino-Soviet split suggest the President was in a strong political position by 1963.
Crucially, Nhu’s emphatic complaints about the swelling of U.S. personnel as well as press pressure at home could have been exploited by Kennedy as an excuse for withdrawal. Instead, the U.S. turned towards a governmental alternative. Although Washington did not instigate the November coup, Pelz is right to criticise Ambassador Lodge’s fervent support as well as the President’s refusal to intervene. The removal of Diem on 2nd November 1963 opened a Pandora’s Box which not only sparked warlord politics but also ensured a point of no return. As Lodge pointed out; “We are launched on a course from which there is no respectable turning back.” With Diem’s blood at least partially on Kennedy’s hands the coup psychologically locked Washington in Vietnam. Therefore, U.S. official recognition of the new military regime under General Minh wrecked Washington’s best opportunity to withdraw and made Johnson’s escalation inevitable.
Even so, the President most associated with military escalation in Vietnam is Johnson. Hunt especially portrays him as a warmongering hawk who devilishly invigorated war. Alternatively, Logevall condemns Johnson for not withdrawing American troops after the 1964 election and focuses on his character as the instigator for escalation. Thirdly, Barrett criticises him for not listening to his advisers and suggests opposition against escalation was greater than previously asserted.
However, revisionist examination indicates a more lenient depiction of Johnson’s role in the origins of the Second Indochina War. Johnson was certainly not an advocate of escalation. He had opposed intervention at Dienbienphu as well as the propelling of troops during Kennedy’s presidency. More importantly, he had objected to Diem’s overthrow, recognizing the psychological consequences. Hunt does not appreciate either the emotional predicament of Johnson’s elevation to presidency nor the deteriorating situation in Vietnam.
Since he did not have a real popular mandate Johnson’s decision to preserve his predecessor’s policies and advisers is unquestionable. Also, at the time of Kennedy’s death there were approximately sixteen-thousand advisers in South Vietnam, plus the post-Diem era ignited kaleidoscopic turmoil in Saigon, suggesting Washington was in a political morass before Johnson’s presidency. Similarly, Hunt’s assertion that the Tonkin Gulf resolution in August, 1964 signified Johnson’s avowal for war is fallacious. Although Johnson did act swiftly to gain Congress approval, he did not exploit the attacks for military escalation.
Instead, the resolution embodies an excellent example of Realpolitik. Johnson was eager to neutralize Vietnam as an issue in the 1964 presidential campaign and illustrate to voters that he was as tough as the Republican candidate Goldwater. Johnson’s wariness to escalate is further enhanced by the State Department’s decision to suspend further patrols in the Gulf as well as other 34-A operations, so as not to aggravate Hanoi. Consequently, George Ball exclaimed; “The impetus toward escalation never came from Lyndon Johnson.” Moreover, Logevall’s assertion that Johnson had a clean chance to withdraw after the election is nonsense. Whilst Johnson’s substantial success gave him room to manoeuvre and lessened Kennedy’s phantom there is no evidence to suggest the situation had relaxed.
On the contrary, Khrushchev’s ousting in October coupled with China’s successful explosion of a nuclear bomb rejuvenated deeply rooted perceptions about the communist threat. Also, Logevall is wrong to claim the domino theory was losing its influence in U.S. politics since opinion polls in 1965 illustrate that 70% of the American people still believed in Truman’s brainchild. Likewise, his generalisation of Johnson’s machismo does not explain Washington’s decision to escalate. Whilst Johnson’s character did intense the situation its importance has been highly exaggerated. Indeed, Johnson’s White House Tapes rather depict an overwhelmingly apprehensive President who frequently admitted that he did not know what to do. Moreover, Barrett’s assertion is similarly built on sand. Firstly, the Tonkin resolution was passed by a vast majority in the House and Senate. Also, both Truman and Eisenhower supported Johnson’s decision to escalate whilst Wyatt describes the press as a “paper soldier” which eagerly backed U.S. interventionism. Reporters such as Halberstam, who became gravely alienated by the war, initially supported retaliation. Furthermore, even if Barrett is correct in exemplifying the number of opponents against escalation he fails to illustrate the lack of alternatives. Throughout Johnson’s presidency his advisers merely underlined three proposals to the Vietnam quandary; either escalation, withdrawal, or the continuation of neither escalation nor withdrawal.
Although consultants, notably Ball and Mansfield, opposed escalation they were unable to spell out how a negotiated withdrawal could be secured. Indeed, Saigon’s disastrous position gave Washington little flexibility, whilst the Chinese Remmin Ribao article in February 1965 underlined Beijing’s hostility to compromise with Washington. Besides, Johnson was not a victim of groupthink. He listened to a variety of sceptics yet realizing solutions such as Mansfield’s neutralization scheme would quickly lead to communistic domination of the whole nation. Thus, as Smith points out “Johnson’s critics have still to demonstrate that there was any specific point in the sequence of events… when the U.S. could have withdrawn from Vietnam.”
Instead, Johnson escalated because he did not have a better alternative. By February 1965 the situation had morphed into perilous anarchy. Between the Diem coup and Johnson’s escalation Saigon fell to seven different governmental factions. Additionally, the Vietcong utilised the quandaries by overrunning the strategic hamlet fortifications in the countryside. More crucially, guerrilla forces began attacking U.S. bases. For instance on Christmas Eve 1964 the Vietcong bombed a bar often frequented by U.S. officials.
Indeed, twice in the last months of 1964 U.S. installations were attacked yet Johnson repeatedly evaded cries for reprisal. However, in this context escalation began to loom as the only solution. Interestingly, Bundy compared the situation to streetcars; “If you do not choose to climb aboard one then another will come along soon which will take you to the same place.” Obviously, there were other factors which nudged Johnson to escalation. His successful intervention in the Dominican Republic suggested U.S. troops could accomplish missions overseas without noticeable difficulties. Fear for his Great Society as well as concern for U.S. lives additionally reinforced his evaluation.
Also, McNamara as well as Bundy encouraged the President to stand firm and honour the SEATO agreement. Nevertheless, the Vietcong’s attack on a U.S. camp near Pleiku on 6th February (killing several advisers) triggered an inevitable occurrence. By early 1965 over two hundred U.S. soldiers had died and although Johnson had dismissed various other incentives to escalate he ultimately accepted the inescapable. As Gelb points out; “the principle answer is simple; Johnson had decided to bite the bullet.” Hence, the chief reason for escalation was the lack of alternatives and therefore Johnson’s predecessors (and advisers) warrant distinct accountability for bequeathing him with an enclosed conundrum.
Conclusion – What caused President Johnson’s escalation of the Vietnam War?
With the benefit of hindsight it becomes clear that all three historical interpretations of the Vietnam War are incorrect. Firstly, Schlezinger’s assertion that nobody is to blame for U.S. involvement horrifically misinterprets historic scrutiny. Logevall excellently underlines the historian’s duty to establish a casual hierarchy and relate the subjects in this pecking order to one another. Each President made substantive decisions from clearly delineated options and therefore Schlesinger’s thesis is vacuous. Secondly, although the stalemate theory is correct in criticising Kennedy for continuing Washington’s pledge to Saigon (despite his inner scepticism) there is no evidence to suggest Truman or Eisenhower believed the war could not be won. Until Kennedy’s presidency Diem’s leadership appeared politically tolerable and in a resilient position.
Therefore, the stalemate theory’s broad assertion of the escalation is similarly unfeasible. Thirdly, although closer to the factual truth, Kolko’s “logical culmination” argument also misreads Johnson’s escalation. Whilst, both the domino theory and Kennan’s containment thesis were a brooding omnipresence throughout the Vietnam problem it would be erroneous to merely cogitate long-term policies as the driving force for escalation. Thus, whilst Truman’s Weltanschauung was a factor in U.S. envelopment, it is wrong to portray Vietnam as a rolling stone. Indeed, out of all the presidents, Kennedy is the most accountable for moving Washington towards escalation. The Buddhist crisis as well as both American and South Vietnamese antipathy gave Kennedy the perfect opportunity to cut U.S. assistance and declare Vietnam a lost cause. Instead, he handed Johnson a political quagmire which psychologically obligated him to stick by Saigon. Incidentally, historians such as Freedman place too much emphasis on what would have happened had Kennedy survived the Dallas shooting. Kennedy’s presidency should be considered by his decisions rather than fantasy debates around “what if” history. Lastly, it is erroneous to portray Johnson as a blood thirsty hawk who advocated war. Instead, he chose escalation because there was no apparent alternative. Thus, although each president is accountable for moving the U.S. towards escalation, it was Kennedy who had the best opportunity to withdraw and therefore shares primary responsibility for Johnson’s escalation in Vietnam.
Bibliography:
Ambrose. S., Eisenhower the President (New York, 1983)
Ball. G., The past has another pattern (New York, 1982)
Barrett. D., The mythology surrounding Lyndon Johnson. His advisers and the 1965 decision to escalate the Vietnam War. Political Science Quarterly. Vol. 103. No. 4 (Indiana, 1988) http://www.jstor.org/stable/2150900)
Barrett. D., Uncertain warriors: Lyndon Johnson and his Vietnam advisers (Lawrence, 1993)
Bernstein. I., Guns or butter; the presidency of Lyndon Johnson (New York, 1996)
Beschloss. M., Taking Charge; Johnson’s White House Tapes; 1963-1964 (New York, 1997)
Brown. A., JFK, history of an image (Bloomington, 1988)
Capps. W., The Vietnam Reader (New York, 1991)
Cooper. C., The lost crusade; the full story of U.S. involvement in Vietnam from Roosevelt to Nixon (London, 1971)
Cuddy. E., Vietnam: Mr Johnson’s or Mr Eisenhower’s? The Review of Politics. Vol. 65, No. 4 (Cambridge, 2003) (www.jstor.org/stable/1408716)
Dallek. R., An unfinished life: John F. Kennedy, 1917-1963 (London, 2003)
Dulles. F., War at Peace (London, 1950)
Eisenhower. D., Mandate for change 1953-1956 (London, 1963)
Errington. E., and McKercher. B., The Vietnam War as history (New York, 1990)
Ferell. R., Harry S Truman; a life (Columbia, 1994)
Freedman. L., Kennedy’s wars: Berlin, Cuba, Laos and Vietnam (Oxford, 2000)
Gelb. L., and Betts. R., The Irony of Vietnam (Washington, 1979)
Herring. G., America’s longest war: The United States and Vietnam, 1945-1975 (Boston, 2002)
Herring. G., and Immerman. R., Eisenhower, Dulles, Dienbienphu; The day we didn’t go to war Revisited. The Journal of American History. Vol. 71 No. 2 (Kentucky, 1984) (www.jstor.org/stable/1901759)
Hunt. Michael., Lyndon Johnson’s war; America’s cold war crusade in Vietnam, 1945-1968 (New York, 1996)
Jian. C., China’s involvement in the Vietnam War, 1964-1969. The China Quarterly, No. 142 (Cambridge, 1995) (www.jstor.org/stable/655420)
Johnson. L., The vantage point; perspectives of the Presidency 1963-1969 (London, 1972)
Karnow. A., Vietnam, A history (New York, 1983)
Kennan. G., Memoirs 1925-1950 (London, 1968)
Keylor, W., The twentieth century world and beyond; an international history since 1900 (New York, 2006)
Kolko. G., Anatomy of War (New York, 1985)
Logevall. F., Choosing war; the lost chance for peace and the escalation of war in Vietnam (London, 1999)
Migasato, S., The Truman administration and Indochina: Case Studies in Decision Making. Ryudai Law Review. No. 24 (Ryukyus, 1981) (www.soc.nii.ac.jp/jaas/periodicals/JJAS/PDF/1981/No.01-119.pdf)
Miscamble. W., From Roosevelt to Truman: Potsdam, Hiroshima and the Cold War (Cambridge, 2007)
McCoy. D., The Presidency of Harry S. Truman (Lawrence, 1984)
McMahon. R., Major problems in the history of the Vietnam War 1st edition (Lexington, 1990)
McMahon. R., Major problems in the history of the Vietnam War 2nd edition (Lexington, 1995)
McMahon. R., Major problems in the history of the Vietnam War 4th edition (Boston, 2008)
Moise. E., Tonkin Gulf and the escalation of the Vietnam War (Chapel Hill, 1996)
McNamara. R., In retrospect; the tragedy and lessons of Vietnam (New York, 1995)
Perret. G., Eisenhower (New York, 1999)
Sanders. V., The USA and Vietnam 1945-1975 (London, 2002)
Schlesinger. A., A thousand days; John F. Kennedy in the White House (Boston, 1965)
Schlesinger. A., The bitter heritage (London, 1967)
Schulzinger. R., A time for war; The United States and Vietnam 1941-1975 (New York, 1997)
Sheehan. N., The Pentagon Papers as published by the New York Times (London, 1971)
Short. A., Origins of the Vietnam War (London, 1989)
Smith. R., An international history of the Vietnam War (London, 1983)
Sorensen. T., Kennedy (New York, 1965)
Steinberg. B., Shame and humiliation; presidential decision making on Vietnam (Quebec, 1996)
Truman. H., The memoirs of Harry S. Truman (London, 1955)
VanDeMark. B., Into the quagmire (New York, 1991)
Wyatt. C., Paper soldiers; the American press and the Vietnam War (New York, 1993) | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
BirGün newspaper columnist Seray Şahiner is about to face charges for writing an article on August 7 on the opening of more religious schools in Turkey.
The newspaper wrote that an indictment has been drafted by Istanbul Prosecutor’s Office and sent to Istanbul 2nd Assize Court.
Crime to call Bilal Erdoğan “genius”
If admitted, the indictment will charge Şahiner with prison sentence for criticizing the distortion of Istanbul’s silhouette, the opening of more religious schools [İmam Hatip Schools] as well as the use of excessive force against dissidents.
“It has been a while there are any leaked voice recordings. In the last one, we have observed the genius Bilal Erdoğan was redesigning the education system on his own, I guess these opinions are genetical in this family,” she wrote.
The indictment cited that the expression “genius” meant to be humiliating and degrading - a case that is not within the limits of freedom of expression accordingly.
Şahiner wrote a defense statement to the prosecutor’s office, saying that she harshly criticized the revisions made and planned in the education system and previous ECHR rulings were towards a tolerance on harsh and satirical criticism. She also requested her article to be considered within the limits of freedom of expression. (EÖ/BM)
* Click here to read the article in Turkish. | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
On Friday I posted a graph showing the historical relationship between housing starts and the unemployment rate (repeated as the 2nd graph below). The graph shows that housing leads the economy both into and out of recessions, and the unemployment rate lags housing by about 12 to 18 months.
It appears that housing starts bottomed earlier this year, however I don't think we will see a sharp recovery in housing this time - and I also think unemployment will remain high throughout 2010. As I noted in the earlier post, there is still a large overhang of vacant housing in the United States, and a sharp bounce back in housing starts is unlikely.
The following graph shows total housing starts and the percent vacant housing units (owner and rental) in the U.S. Note: this is a combined vacancy rate based on the Census Bureau vacancy rates for owner occupied and rental housing.
Click on graph for larger image in new window.
It is very unlikely that there will be a strong rebound in housing starts with a record number of vacant housing units.
The vacancy rate has continued to climb even after housing starts fell off a cliff. Initially this was because of a significant number of completions. Also some hidden inventory (like some 2nd homes) have become available for sale or for rent, and lately some households have probably doubled up because of tough economic times.
Note: the increase in the vacancy rate in the '80s was due to several factors including demographics (baby boomers moving from renting to owning), and overbuilding of apartment units (part of S&L crisis).
Here is a repeat of the earlier graph:
This graph shows single family housing starts and unemployment (inverted). (The first graph shows total housing starts)
You can see both the correlation and the lag. The lag is usually about 12 to 18 months, with peak correlation at a lag of 16 months for single unit starts. The 2001 recession was a business investment led recession, and the pattern didn't hold.
This suggests unemployment might peak in Spring or Summer 2010. However, since I expect the housing recovery to be sluggish, I also expect unemployment to remain high throughout 2010. | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
The fallout from concerns about the growing influence of foreign-linked donations in Australian politics has reached China, with nationalist newspaper the Global Times attacking anti-Chinese hype and paranoia.
Labor powerbroker Sam Dastyari has also fired back at Malcolm Turnbull, calling the Prime Minister's suggestion he had operated under a "cash for comment" arrangement with Chinese-Australian interests "disgusting and offensive".
The Global Times, which has forged a reputation for its feisty criticism of anti-Chinese decisions and sentiment, has now accused Australians of paranoia and "hyping up the alarm towards China, which baffles Chinese society".
"The news that Labor senator Sam Dastyari from New South Wales accepted political donations from a Chinese man has caused quite a stir," the editorial said. | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
'Hell with the lid taken off': The pictures of bygone Pittsburgh and its residents choking under clouds of thick smog
The pea-souper problem was once so bad that clouds of smoke and pollution would block out the midday sun
Photographs from the 1950s show just how badly the U.S. city suffered before laws on coal burning were introduced
The thick pea-soupers that hung over British cities until the 1950s live on in the memory of those who experienced the life threatening smogs.
But a new collection of photographs featuring Pittsburgh in the 1940s and 1950s show people living in the American industrial city suffered just as badly.
Pollution was once so bad in Pittsburgh that it could block out the midday sun. The scale of the problem is revealed in pictures from the Smoke Control Lantern Slide Collection at the archives of the University of Pittsburgh.
Danger: Crowds of people in Pittsburgh go about their business with a thick smog visibly filling the air and clouding the tops of surrounding buildings
Daylight: The smog in 1950s Pittsburgh was so thick at times that it could block out the midday sun, but for decades people were unaware of the dangers the thick clouds of coal smoke and industrial pollution posed to people's health in the U.S. city
Danger: Clouds of choking pollution once shrouded the skyscrapers of Pittsburgh before authorities took action by banning the burning of coal in the American city
The problem in Pittsburgh had been a long standing one with Victorian-era British novelist and Londoner Anthony Trollope writing that Pittsburgh was 'without exception is the blackest place which I ever saw'.
Despite his grimy review, the lack of alternative fuels in the 19th century made introducing smoke controls difficult. Also lots of people thought that high smoke output was a sign of high productivity and that coal smoke was good for the lungs and helped crops grow.
The photographic collection was put together to highlight the history of the city's smoke control laws which were first passed in 1941, but then delayed by the Second World War leaving residents choking in the fumes for more than a decade longer.
Looming: As cars and pedestrians go about their daily business the thick clouds of smog cut down visibility, leaving the view between the city's tall buildings hidden even during the day | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
Uh oh, let’s hope the dream restaurant doesn’t get trapped in the Upside Down, because ‘Stranger Things’ star Noah Schnapp is this week’s guest. And this meal is fancy.
Recorded and edited by Ben Williams for Plosive Productions.
Artwork by Paul Gilbey (photography and design) and Amy Browne (illustrations).
Noah Schnapp stars in ‘Waiting for Anya’ which is released in UK cinemas on Friday 21 February.
Follow Noah Schnapp on Twitter (@noah_schnapp) and Instagram (@noahschnapp).
Follow Off Menu on Twitter and Instagram: @offmenuofficial.
And go to our website www.offmenupodcast.co.uk for a list of restaurants recommended on the show.
Watch Ed and James's YouTube series 'Just Puddings'. Watch here.
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
UNION STATION in Los Angeles has been restored as a fine example of the Art Deco architecture that typified California in the 1930s. It has served as a backdrop for many Hollywood films, from “Union Station” (naturally) to “Blade Runner” and “Star Trek: First Contact”. It was the last grand station to be built before America's passenger railways went into what you might call terminal decline.
Today it is a hub for Metrolink commuter trains and Amtrak services to faraway cities such as Chicago and Seattle. These trains have to pull in and then back out in a clumsy manoeuvre. But there are plans for through tracks in time to carry the high-speed services that California is desperate to have by 2020 under an ambitious $42 billion plan to connect San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Sacramento.
California's plans were given a boost by Barack Obama's stimulus package last year. This earmarks a lump sum of $8 billion, plus $1 billion a year, to help construct fast rail corridors around America (see map). Such lines are common in Europe, Japan and, increasingly, China, yet the only thing at all like them in America is Amtrak's Acela service from Boston via New York to Washington, DC. It rarely reaches its top speed of 150mph (240kph) and for much of the way manages little more than half that, because the track is not equipped for higher speeds. Acela, like virtually all trains run by publicly owned Amtrak, has to use tracks belonging to freight railways, whose trains trundle along at 50mph; passenger trains must stick below 80mph. Despite the excitement of railway buffs and the enthusiasm of environmentalists, high-speed rail in America is likely to mean a few more diesel-electric intercity trains at 110mph, not swish electric expresses going nearly twice as fast.
But the problem with America's plans for high-speed rail is not their modesty. It is that even this limited ambition risks messing up the successful freight railways. Their owners worry that the plans will demand expensive train-control technology that freight traffic could do without. They fear a reduction in the capacity available to freight. Most of all they fret that the spending of federal money on upgrading their tracks will lead the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), the industry watchdog, to impose tough conditions on them and, in effect, to reintroduce regulation of their operations. Attempts at re-regulation have been made in Congress in recent years, in response to rising freight rates. “The freight railroads feel they are under attack,” says Don Phillips, a rail expert in Virginia.
America's railways are the mirror image of Europe's. Europe has an impressive and growing network of high-speed passenger links, many of them international, like the Thalys service between Paris and Brussels or the Eurostar connecting London to the French and Belgian capitals. These are successful—although once the (off-balance-sheet) costs of building the tracks are counted, they need subsidies of billions of dollars a year. But, outside Germany and Switzerland, Europe's freight rail services are a fragmented, lossmaking mess. Repeated attempts to remove the technical and bureaucratic hurdles at national frontiers have come to nothing.
Staggering progress
Amtrak's passenger services are sparse compared with Europe's. But America's freight railways are one of the unsung transport successes of the past 30 years. They are universally recognised in the industry as the best in the world.
Their good run started with deregulation at the end of Jimmy Carter's administration. Two years after the liberalisation of aviation gave rise to budget carriers and cheap fares, the freeing of rail freight, under the Staggers Rail Act of 1980, started a wave of consolidation and improvement. Staggers gave railways freedom to charge market rates, enter confidential contracts with shippers and run trains as they liked. They could close passenger and branch lines, as long as they preserved access for Amtrak services. They were allowed to sell lossmaking lines to new short-haul railroads. Regulation of freight rates by the Interstate Commerce Commission was removed for most cargoes, provided they could go by road.
Before deregulation America's railways were going bust. The return on capital fell from a meagre 4.1% in the 1940s to less than 3% in the 1960s. In 1970 the collapse of the giant Penn Central caused a huge shock, including a financial crisis. By 1980 a fifth of rail mileage was owned by bankrupt firms. Rail's share of intercity freight had slumped to 35% from 75% in the 1920s. Tracks were neglected and fell into disrepair, leading to a downward spiral of speed restrictions and deteriorating service. The term “standing derailment” was coined to describe the toppling-over of stationary freight wagons when the track gave way beneath their wheels.
Several factors had combined to bring about this sorry state of affairs. Services and rates were tightly regulated. Companies were obliged to run passenger services that could not make a profit. And road haulage received a huge boost from the building of the interstate highway system, which began in the late 1950s. Although this was supposed to be financed by taxes on petrol and diesel, railmen saw it as a form of subsidy to a new competitor, the nationwide trucking industry. In a neat twist, the poor condition of today's highways and the lack of public money for repairs have tilted the competitive advantage back to a rejuvenated rail-freight industry.
Giving the railroads the freedom to run their business as they saw fit led to dramatic improvements. The first result was a sharp rise in traffic and productivity and fall in freight costs. Since 1981 productivity has risen by 172%, after years of stagnation. Adjusted for inflation, rates are down by 55% since 1981 (see chart 1). Rail's share of the freight market, measured in ton-miles, has risen steadily to 43%—about the highest in any rich country.
The $34 billion purchase last year by Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway of Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF), one of the seven main freight railways (see chart 2), opened many Americans' eyes to the industry's significance. That America's shrewdest investor should place his biggest bet on BNSF focused attention on how the country's railways have been quietly boosting the economy by sucking costs out of many supply chains.
Coal is the biggest single cargo, accounting for 45% by volume and 23% by value. More than 70% of coal transport is by rail. As demand grows for the lower-sulphur coal from the Powder River Basin in Wyoming, it has to travel farther. In response railroads have invested in more powerful locomotives to haul longer coal trains: since 1990 the average horsepower of their fleet has risen by 72%. Yet energy efficiency has also improved. Lighter, aluminium freight wagons, double-decker ones and more fuel-efficient locomotives have lifted the number of ton-miles per (American) gallon of fuel from 332 to 457—an improvement of 38%.
But the fastest-growing part of rail freight has been “intermodal” traffic: containers or truck trailers loaded on to flat railcars. The number of such shipments rose from 3m in 1980 to 12.3m in 2006, before the downturn caused a slight falling back. Behind this lies the tide of imports coming into the West Coast ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles. A special rail expressway for freight, the Alameda Corridor, was opened in 2002 to link the ports to the big national rail routes, bypassing the 200 level crossings (grade crossings, in America) on the original branch lines that used to cause huge traffic jams on the roads as mile-long freight trains rumbled across. The corridor, one of the biggest infrastructure projects in modern America, was completed on time and on budget for $2.4 billion by a public-private partnership considered by many to be a model for other rail schemes, such as California's proposed high-speed passenger line.
Despite lots of investment—amounting to $460 billion since 1980, and equivalent to 40% of revenues in recent years—capacity constraints and rising fuel costs pushed up freight rates from 2003 until the onset of recession, since when they have levelled off. This has caused unhappiness among some coal companies which have no alternative means of transport. Although most American rail corridors involve two railroads covering the same origin and destination points, in reality competition is limited. Usually one route is more direct than the other, and if a mining company has sidings and a branch line linked to one railroad it cannot quickly and easily switch to another. Even so, American rail freight is among the cheapest in the world, costing less than half as much as in Japan or Europe. After adjusting for differences in purchasing power it is cheaper even than in China (see chart 3).
But the past ten years have seen another source of growth, as interstate highways have become clogged in places and have shown the effects of a lack of investment. Since one freight train can carry as much as 280 lorries can, railways can help to limit the rise in road congestion. Trucking companies such as J.B. Hunt have come to see the advantage of putting trailers on flat wagons for long-haul and using roads only for local pickup and delivery. This move was also spurred, according to Mr Phillips, by a shortage of lorry drivers. He says that tougher drink-driving rules and social changes have shrunk the numbers of “good ole boy” truckers inured to a life on the road. Most hauliers now suffer labour turnover of 100% a year.
Freight railways' very success is starting to create difficulties for them. The Department of Transportation estimates that many are already exceeding their theoretical capacity and are congested. It estimates that lots more investment will be needed, because capacity will have to rise by nearly 90% to meet forecast demand by 2035. The investment bill could rise yet more because of a change in the pattern of trade: in 2014 the Panama Canal opens a second lane, doubling its capacity and allowing it to carry bigger container vessels and bulk ships. Coming through to Gulf of Mexico and East Coast ports, these vessels will increase the need for better rail links inland.
In addition the freight railroads face a $15 billion bill for a new safety system to control trains on lines that also carry passengers or dangerous chemical cargoes. This system, Positive Train Control (PTC), is intended to stop or slow a train automatically if a driver goes too fast or passes a red signal. The bill to introduce PTC was signed by George Bush in 2008 only a month after a crash between a Metrolink commuter train and a Union Pacific freight train in California, causing 25 deaths and 135 injuries. The railway companies complain that only 3% of crashes are caused by the sort of human error that PTC is designed to avert and that claims that the system will improve efficiency on the network are unfounded. Whereas the FRA says that the new safety system will apply to only 65,000 miles (out of a total of over 140,000), the industry reckons it will cover more than half the network. The railways are seeking tax breaks and other subsidies to reduce the cost of complying.
Another looming threat is re-regulation. Fed up with increasing rates, customers, notably chemical, coal, agribusiness and utility companies, are complaining that these are evidence that the railroads are abusing their market power. The railroads retort that despite record traffic and profits, their return on investment since 2000 has been only 8%, which according to the Surface Transportation Board, another federal regulator, barely covers the cost of capital. They also say that freight rates are usually governed by what their competitors—ie, truckers—charge. When higher diesel costs put up trucking rates, the railways follow suit.
Politicians from West Virginia have been pushing a bill in Congress that threatens to re-regulate the railways. The industry seems confident it will not get through, but risks will remain: opposing PTC could play into the hands of those who wish to increase oversight. In his annual letter to shareholders in February Mr Buffett said that BNSF, like Berkshire Hathaway's electric utilities, required “wise regulators who will provide certainty about allowable returns so that we can confidently make the huge investments required to maintain, replace and expand the plant.”
The emergence of express intercity rail services may cause the freight railways the biggest problem of all. The policy is not only laid down by the president but also often has enthusiastic support at state level. The railways can hardly oppose Mr Obama's plan to boost high-speed rail, but they are apprehensive about what it will mean for them.
The problem is not the creation of new corridors with trains rattling along at 150mph. Such lines, like those proposed in California or between Tampa and Orlando in Florida, would have their own track, separated from existing lines though on the same strip of land as a freight railway. The expertise to build and run these lies mainly in Europe and Japan, where engineering firms and the technology and consulting arms of national railways have been eyeing the American market eagerly.
The trouble for the freight railways is that almost all the planned new fast intercity services will run on their tracks. Combining slow freight and fast passenger trains is complicated. With some exceptions on Amtrak's Acela and North East corridor tracks, level crossings are attuned to limits of 50mph for freight and 80mph for passenger trains. But Mr Obama's plan boils down to running intercity passenger trains at 110mph on freight tracks. Add the fact that freight trains do not stick to a regular timetable, but run variable services at short notice to meet demand, and the scope for congestion grows.
Return of regulation
The freight railroads have learned to live with the limited Amtrak passenger services on their tracks. Occasionally they moan that Amtrak pays only about a fifth of the real cost of this access. Some railmen calculate that this is equivalent to a subsidy of about $240m a year, on top of what Amtrak gets from the government. Freight-rail people regard this glumly as just part of the cost of doing business, but their spirits will hardly lift if the burden grows.
Their main complaint, however, is that one Amtrak passenger train at 110mph will remove the capacity to run six freight trains in any corridor. Nor do they believe claims that PTC, due to be in use by 2015, will increase capacity by allowing trains to run closer together in safety. So it will cost billions to adapt and upgrade the lines to accommodate both a big rise in freight traffic and an unprecedented burgeoning of intercity passenger services. Indeed, some of the money that the White House has earmarked will go on sidings where freight trains can be parked while intercity expresses speed by.
Federal and state grants will flow to the freight railroads to help them upgrade their lines for more and faster passenger trains. But already rows are breaking out over the strict guidelines the FRA will lay down about operations on the upgraded lines, such as guarantees of on-time performance with draconian penalties if they are breached and the payment of indemnities for accidents involving passenger trains. The railroads are also concerned that the federal government will be the final arbiter of how new capacity created with the federal funds will be allocated between passenger and freight traffic. And they are annoyed that there was little consultation before these rules were published.
There have been some heated meetings between freight-railroad managers and FRA officials. Henry Posner III, chairman of Iowa Interstate Railroad, ruefully notes that freight railroads, in the form of passengers and regulation, “are getting back things that caused trouble”. | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
Quick Amazon Silk thoughts
So Amazon has announced its Kindle Fire tablet, and it will not be an iPad killer. It runs Android, but not the standard Android, but rather a special Amazon port that does not include any standard Google apps. Notably, Amazon will have its own app store.
Update: I've asked a few questions of the Silk team. Now let's hope we get an answer.
The Kindle Fire will also sport its own browser: Silk. Kudos to Amazon for actually giving their browser a name. That helps a lot.
Yesterday I was surprised at the fact that so many people were surprised that Amazon would use its own browser. What else would they have done? Copy Android WebKit, the most disappointing mobile browser right now? Android WebKit is hardly progressing, and if you want a state-of-the-art browser you’d better build something yourself.
On the positive side, Amazon actually created a blog about the new browser — something you rarely see in the mobile world. On the negative side, it’s bloody vague:
Amazon Silk deploys a split-architecture. All of the browser subsystems are present on your Kindle Fire as well as on the AWS cloud computing platform. Each time you load a web page, Silk makes a dynamic decision about which of these subsystems will run locally and which will execute remotely. In short, Amazon Silk extends the boundaries of the browser, coupling the capabilities and interactivity of your local device with the massive computing power, memory, and network connectivity of our cloud.
Some tantalising hints, but mostly marketing speak. Let’s deconstruct it. See also this article and this one.
Silk uses WebKit. That’s good.
Right now the Kindle Fire lacks a 3G model. However, I feel the browser has been made ready for 3G. (Why? Forward compatibility to next-gen Kindles, and see also below.)
Silk seems to be contain an Opera Mini-like proxy browser, where the client asks the server to fetch and render the page, and then receives what’s basically a bitmap image. This makes for very fast browsing and little data traffic. (See also update below.)
contain an Opera Mini-like proxy browser, where the client asks the server to fetch and render the page, and then receives what’s basically a bitmap image. This makes for very fast browsing and little data traffic. (See also update below.) An engineer describes it as a store for accessing your files — which reside in the Amazon cloud. That’s a good way of explaining cloud-caching.
Still, cloud-caching won’t cut it on a 3G network. The problem there is not the connection between the Amazon cloud and the website, but between the Kindle and the Amazon network.
Michael Mace discusses the Kindle, and makes an interesting remark:
Amazon could tie the browser to its own content services and distribute it to other hardware vendors. Basically, it could try to make Silk the content layer on Android that Google wants to be. This could be a good business move for Amazon, since it's not making money from the hardware anyway.
Technically I’m not quite sure how a browser could be a content layer, but that’s mostly because I lack technical information. Of course the browser could tie in with, say, the e-reader so that it can access your ebooks and other content. We’ll have to see whether that is the case, though.
If that is the case I wonder if Silk can run on a regular Android device. Now that would piss off Google: Amazon would take over their entire content layer in one fell swoop.
And why stop at Android? Thin Silk client offering a gate to your Amazon content on other OSs? Say, on iOS? The main problem I’m seeing here is that it would need caching on the device itself. The cloud won’t cut it if you’re on a lousy mobile connection and want to read your e-book.
I could be completely wrong here; I’m arguing from severely incomplete information. But the ramifications of a thin Amazon client are intriguing.
Update: Some say that Silk is a hybrid browser: it can function either as a proxy browser or as a full browser. Now this could be true. In fact, it was what I originally thought, but I changed my mind after watching the Amazon video, which basically talks only about proxy aspects.
If Silk is indeed a hybrid browser Amazon is doing its best to confuse the world.
And if Amazon ever wants to expand its browser (and thus its content) to other platforms, a proxy browser is what they need. It’s much easier to write a thin proxy client for dozens of platforms that a hybrid browser that also contains a rendering engine.
Update 2: A comment on Hacker News points out I’ve overlooked something in the introductory blog post:
Amazon Silk deploys a split-architecture. All of the browser subsystems are present on your Kindle Fire as well as on the AWS cloud computing platform. Each time you load a web page, Silk makes a dynamic decision about which of these subsystems will run locally and which will execute remotely.
So it’s definitely a hybrid browser.
In my defense, nobody else (except for commenter spjwebster) seems to have noticed the crucial sentence, either. And Amazon spent just about all of its time explaining the proxy browser concept as if it’s something completely new.
(That’s the problem with those US companies: they always behave as if nobody else has ever thought of anything even remotely similar, even when the concept is years old. I wonder if Opera has thought to patent the proxy browser.)
So it’s a hybrid. Still, I assume they can leave out the full browser on the device and create a new thin client for basically any platform — with your Amazon content on it. That continues to be the most interesting novelty the Silk browser introduces.
Update 3: I’ve thought some more about this, and it occurs to me that by producing Silk clients for other platforms Amazon could capture the browsing habits of these platforms’ users, too. That, and not spreading their content services, may be the most important point of creating a proxy browser. | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
By CCN.com: Bitcoiners, rejoice! Only bitcoin (and maybe roaches) would survive a nuclear holocaust. In contrast, banks and fiat money would literally go down in flames. That’s what crypto pioneer Charlie Shrem wants you to know as you ponder a hypothetical dystopian future.
“If the unthinkable happens, Bitcoin would be a highly durable currency during nuclear war, as compared to fiat currency, which would fail for multiple reasons,” Shrem gushed in a Jan. 22 Hacker Noon post.
Since fiat money exists in the physical word and is not a digital entity like Bitcoin, it would be susceptible to being incinerated in the nuclear fireballs. Banks could instantly lose their cash reserves needed to operate.
‘Banks Would Be Vaporized’
Moreover, Shrem says nuclear warheads would decimate centralized banking organizations and render them useless. As a result, online bank balances would become meaningless once banks and computers get destroyed.
“Bank balances would suddenly become meaningless,” Shrem reasoned. “No one would be able to go to the bank or ATM to get their cash since the banks would stop operating the day the first nuclear bombs detonate.”
Indeed, Shrem cheerfully reminded readers that “some banks will be vaporized outright.” Meanwhile, others would be “contaminated with radiation.” But what would survive such an unspeakable tragedy? Bitcoin, of course! says Shrem.
Shrem: Decentralization Makes Crypto Invincible
While his essay is bleak, Shrem was trying to make a point about the anti-fragility of cryptocurrencies versus cash and even gold. Shrem pointed out that unlike physical assets, bitcoin has no physical presence, is decentralized, and has no single point of failure.
As long as there is at least one node running Bitcoin, the Bitcoin network will continue to function. It is highly likely that many Bitcoin nodes would survive even the worst nuclear attack since nodes are scattered worldwide, and they could communicate with each other via satellite internet.
In reality, if a nuclear war occurred, the last thing most people would be concerned about is money. However, Shrem raised some thought-provoking points to consider amid the current Crypto Winter.
During this protracted slump, naysayers are gleefully proclaiming that bitcoin’s price will tank to zero, while others insist that the entire market will crater into extinction.
Bitcoin is a ‘Dead Man Walking’, Claims Creative Planning CIO https://t.co/iDSHOZJQck — CCN.com (@CCNMarkets) December 8, 2018
Traditional Finance Has Physical Limitations
But Shrem says rumors of bitcoin’s demise are greatly exaggerated, and one only need look at the physical limitations of traditional financial structures to see this.
“Bitcoin’s decentralization also makes it impervious to economic calamity that would ensue from a nuclear war,” he cooed.
Bitcoin’s decentralization, the network will continue to run even in the event of a total worldwide collapse of electrical and telecommunications infrastructure.
Shrem No Stranger to Controversy
For context, Charlie Shrem is a crypto pioneer who founded the now-defunct bitcoin exchange Bitinstant in 2011 (see video).
In 2015, Shrem went to jail for allegedly selling bitcoin to people who tried to use it to buy drugs on the now-defunct dark web marketplace Silk Road.
In September 2018, the Winklevoss twins, Cameron and Tyler, sued Shrem for $32 million, claiming he stole 5,000 bitcoin from them in 2012.
“Either Shrem has been incredibly lucky and successful since leaving prison, or — more likely — he ‘acquired’ his six properties, two Maseratis, two powerboats and other holdings with the appreciated value of the 5,000 Bitcoin he stole,” the Winklevoss twins alleged in their lawsuit.
Shrem denies the allegations, but the suit is ongoing.
Featured Image from Shutterstock | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) – Next year’s Scheid Diesel Extravaganza will not take place in Terre Haute, officials announced Tuesday through a Facebook post.
According to the post, the 2020 Scheid Diesel Extravaganza will be relocating to Wagler Motorsports Park in Lyons, Indiana. It's slated to take place on August 28th & 29th.
RELATED CONTENT | ISP WRITES NEARLY 200 TICKETS DURING SCHEID DIESEL EXTRAVAGANZA Indiana State Police patrol results from 2019 during Scheid Diesel Extravaganza Traffic Citations………………………..198
Traffic Warnings………………….…..367
Seatbelt Citations………………… ...58
Vehicle Crashes Investigated….....3
Truck Citations………………...........24
Suspended Driver Citations…… …18
DUI Arrests…………………………….....19
Criminal Arrests…… 95 Misdemeanor/ 22 Felony (Drugs/Warrants, etc)
Police K-9 Searches………………….…5
Crashes Investigated……………….…3
Portable Breath Tests Given….…27
Police Services in General……...145
Owner Dan Scheid says they specifically wanted to partner with Wagler Motorsports for a few reasons. First, the park has the capabilities for diesel drag racing and truck and tractor pulling. Second, Wagler Motorsports is owned by Wagler Competition Products. The post says the event will still be two days jam packed with everything diesel and, “…the added bonus of a venue that shares our passion for not only supporting but growing the sports of Diesel Drag Racing and Truck & Tractor Pulling!”
“We are confident that the change of venue will bring a renewed energy to Scheid Diesel Extravaganza while also alleviating any participants, vendors, and most importantly attendees past experiences of a less than warm welcome from the Terre Haute area,” the post said.
The event has been held in Terre Haute for 19 years. According to the company's website, "This event began in 1997 as a TDR Rally in Effingham, Illinois. Due to the tremendous turnout, the TDR Rally evolved into the Scheid Diesel Extravaganza (SDX) and relocated to Terre Haute, Indiana in 2000. This year the event was relocated to Wagler Motorsports Park to get out of the city environment."
PREVIOUS STORY | MORE THAN 15,000 PEOPLE EXPECTED FOR SCHEID DIESEL EVENT
Scheid did want to thank those who have supported them in the Terre Haute Community for 19 years. "We'd like to thank especially the Terre Haute Visitor's Bureau," he said, "They've been a big help to us. We'd also like to thank the Wabash Valley Fairgrounds."
The Fairgrounds rented out their venue to the Extravaganza for 10 years. "They were good people to work with and were a great client," President of the Wabash Valley Fair Association Mike Morris said, "They are good people in our community and brought a lot of jobs to Terre Haute."
For more information, follow the official Facebook page for next year's event. | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
California plans on changing the state’s election primary date from June to March, which will likely add pressure to those planning on running in the 2020 presidential election.
Democratic California Gov. Jerry Brown is likely to sign the law. The early primary would put California’s massive haul of delegates up for grabs after the contests in Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina. The law would help well-known Democrats in the state but hurt those without proper funding early in the race.
California Democratic Sen. Kamala Harris and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti could be among the candidates who would benefit from the law. However, some potential candidates would have trouble raising enough money to compete in the most populated state in the U.S.
“In all probability, the winner of the California primary would be the nominee,” Don Fowler, a former Democratic National Committee (DNC) chairman from South Carolina told Politico. “A lot of this rationale this far in advance just is completely wrong.”
After Fowler called the rationale behind the law “completely wrong” he said that the conclusion of moving the primary to an earlier date is very significant in moving the state of California to victory for the DNC.
Follow Henry Rodgers On Twitter
Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact [email protected]. | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
SPECIAL COVERAGE: Ann Coulter's Voter Fraud Felony Felonies in Florida & Connecticut
2/15/06: PAPER: Ann Coulter Commits Vote Fraud Felony!
Signs Someone Else's Address to Registration Form, Votes in Wrong Precinct!
Could face $5,000 Fine, Three Years Behind Bars for Third-Degree Felony...
2/20/06: REPORTER: Ann Coulter's Felony Vote Fraud Denial 'A Bold-Faced Lie'...
3/30/06: PAPER: Ann Coulter Given 30 Days to Explain Vote Fraud Felony Allegation!
Palm Beach, FL Election Supervisor May Refer Charges to State Attorney if GOP Pundit/Propagandist Fails to Prove She Didn't Lie About Residency...
UPDATED: Property Records Show an 'Ann H Coulter' Owns a $1.8 Million House on Seabreeze Ave. in Palm Beach
4/11/06: EXCLUSIVE: Ann Coulter's Felonious Florida Voter Registration Application
GOP Darling Seems to be Latest in Growing List of Republicans Who Choose to Ignore 'The Rule of Law'
State, County Records Show She Lied on Voter Application, Despite Oath Affirming Truthiness of Information
DOCUMENTS POSTED: ANN COULTER'S FLORIDA VOTER REGISTRATION APPLICATION FORM
4/13/06: A First? --- Ann Coulter at Loss for Opinion!
Gay News Site Notes Queer Lack of Response on Extremists Felonious Voter Registration Application
5/10/06: ANN COULTER VOTER FRAUD: A First! Coulter Goes Silent! May Be Thrown Off Voter Rolls!
BRAD BLOG Publishes Exclusive Documents: Incident Report, Letter to Coulter from Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections
GOP Propagandist May Also Be Guilty of Tax Code Fraud for Taking $25,000 'Homestead Exemption' if She Doesn't Actually Live in Palm Beach
6/2/06: Ann Coulter 'Lawyers Up' to Face Felony Voter Fraud Charges
Paper Reports GOP Extremist/Pundit Retains Bush Law Firm to Fight Allegations in Palm Beach
6/7/06: COULTER VOTER FRAUD: New Admissions! Digging her Own Grave...
Denies Living in Palm Beach Which Means She Admits to Breaking Florida State Tax Law By Taking a $25k Homestead Exemption
ALSO: Republican Mouthpiece Reveals a Disturbing Medical Condition for BRAD BLOG Reporters!
6/9/06: COULTER VOTER FRAUD: New Attorney Seeks Special Treatment for Cruel GOP Hate Monger...
EXCLUSIVE: Letter from Lawyer Asks Mail Be Sent to Him Instead of Address Where Coulter Admits Not Living Despite Previously Swearing the Opposite Was True...
11/1/06: Ann Coulter's Felonious Voter Fraud Case to be Turned Over to Prosecutor!
Rightwing Extremist/Hate-Monger Refused to Cooperate in Probe or Follow Rule of Law...
1/11/07: EXCLUSIVE: NEW COULTER VOTER FRAUD DOCS - Police Report Says TWO Third Degree Felonies, One Misdemeanor May Have Been Committed by GOP Darling!
New Third Degree Felony for Fraudulently Registering Driver's License Added to Previous Allegations of Voter Fraud!
But Palm Beach Election Supervisor Having Trouble Finding Law Enforcement Agency to Bring Charges...
3/13/07: Wingnuts Desperately Spinning U.S. Attorney Firings into Unsubstantiated 'Voter Fraud' Allegations
(All the While Ignoring the Actual DOCUMENTED Voter Fraud Felonies of Their Hero, Ann Coulter...)
4/18/07: Joe Conason on Ann Coulter's Voter Fraud in the New York Observer
Democrats Are Sent to Jail for Accidental Incidents, While Coulter Roams Free Despite Clear Felonious Intent...
4/24/07: Liz Smith Covers Ann Coulter's Voter Fraud in Today's New York Post, 70 Other Mainstream Papers
Fox 'News' Invites Us Onto 'Fox & Friends' to Talk About It...
5/11/07: EXCLUSIVE: FBI AGENT WHO INTERCEDED IN ANN COULTER VOTER FRAUD CASE, ALLEGED TO BE HER FORMER BOYFRIEND!
Palm Beach Paper Says FBI Agent Attempted to Clear GOP Pundit, BRAD BLOG Guest Blogger Said to be Reason for Fraudulent Info Given on FLVoter Registration Form, Drivers License!
Conservative Coulter Critic Borchers Responds; Says Her '98-'99 Boyfriend Has Been 'Her Personal FBI Resource for Her Own Purposes'...
5/11/07: AP FAILS AGAIN: 'Coulter Cleared in Florida Vote Probe', According to Unbylined Article
Report Doesn't Bother to Mention Inappropriate FBI Interference in Case, or Internal Investigation That's Begun Because of It...
How Lazy Can These People Possibly Get?!
5/14/07: EXCLUSIVE: Palm Beach County Supervisor Questions Coulter's 'Stalker' Explanation as Reason for Felonious Voter Fraud
Election Chief Arthur Anderson, Who Filed Complaint with Palm Beach Sheriff, Says Office Never Contacted Him After Closing Case Following Questionable FBI Intervention in Matter
Continues to Mull Decision on Whether to Further Pursue Charges in Light of Recent GOP 'Voter Fraud' Claims in the News...
8/2/07: Palm Beach Post: Florida Election Commission Investigating Ann Coulter's Florida Voter Fraud
After Her FBI Boyfriend Got Her Off the Hook During the Palm Beach County Sherrif's Investigation, Will Jeb Bush's FEC Appointees Do It Again?
12/7/07: ANN COULTER, VOTER FRAUD FELON, GETS AWAY WITH IT
Two Years After Initial Slam-Dunk Allegations First Documented, Reported, Florida Election Commission Decides Two Year Statute of Limitations on Case Has Run Out
Another Republican Vote Fraudster Skates in the Sunshine State...
2/21/08: Our Hustler Exposé on Ann Coulter's Voter Fraud Felonies
On Newsstands Now...
5/28/08: Fox 'News' Seeks Your Help in 'Voter Fraud' Investigation! Let 'em Know About Felonious Vote Fraudster Ann Coulter!
Write to [email protected]!
6/2/08: VIDEO: GoLeft.TV & RAW STORY Urge Viewers to Let Fox 'News' Know About Ann Coulter's Voter Fraud Felony
BRAD BLOG's Call to Action Cited in Round-Up of Last Week's Notable News...
6/6/08: ANN COULTER'S FELONY VOTER FRAUD CRIMES: THE COMPLETE STORY
The Entire Brad Friedman Exposé, as Published In-Full for the First Time in Hustler Magazine...
2/9/09: EXCLUSIVE: The New Voter Fraud Complaint Filed in CT Against the GOP's Ann Coulter
6/22/09: Justice Delayed? Why the Hold-Up in Connecticut's Investigation into Ann Coulter's 'Voter Fraud'?
State officials say case of alleged voting improprieties in 2002 and 2004 'still pending' nearly five months since complaint filed...
10/6/10: Ann Coulter to Face Vote on Voter Fraud Charges in CT by State Elections Enforcement Commission
10/14/10: Connecticut Election Commission Finds 'Insufficient Evidence' in Ann Coulter Voter Fraud Case But Ignored Key Evidence, Erred in Investigation
State Elections Enforcement Commission says it 'cannot make full and fair determination', but failed to look at documented facts and even Coulter's own admissions... | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
This pie is a mouthful, in both name and form. I think this happened due to a bit of overambitiousness resulting from the fact that I am generally not a pie person. But I had to post a pie today because, in case you weren’t aware, today is Pi Day.
That’s not a typo. That’s Pi Day, despite the fact that it’s often celebrated with pie. Pi as in 3.14159… Also pi as in 3/14. Also apparently as in pastry crusted sugary stuffing filled dessert item. Welcome to the world of dorkhood.
I learned about Pi Day on March 14th of my first year as a patent attorney. Patent attorneys are massive dorks. One of my fellow associates stopped by my office to wish me a happy Pi Day. Someone else picked up a couple of pies at lunch time. I thought the whole thing was a fluke and I’d never again hear about a holiday celebrating a famous ratio, but no. Every year after that at least some dorky attorney wished me a happy Pi Day. I thought I was done with it when I changed jobs and ended up working around all non attorneys. That’s when the happy Pi Day wishes started pouring in via email, and when one of my former workmates eventually joined me at my new job, she of course made sure to become the official pie supplier for that office.
This year I’m all alone, and by alone I mean just me working in my home office, unless you count my cats who have yet to bring me any food, even though they get pretty demanding when they’re hungry. So I’m celebrating Pi Day with you guys, and because I’m not that into pie, I went all out. I threw everything into this baby. I must have succeeded because I like it!
I owe thanks to a couple sources of inspiration/guidance here. First, I saw this on Foodgawker. That certainly put me in the Pi Day spirit. I’d also been wanting to try out this recipe for peanut butter coconut mousse. Perfect pie topper, and peanut butter goes great with bananas. Oh, and for the record, totally worth making just to eat with a spoon. I decided to wing it as far as the main layer goes, thinking agar would be a great setting agent. It was, and if you haven’t tried agar yet this is your perfect excuse. This stuff is derived from algae and works great as a vegan substitute for gelatin. I’ve used it in puddings, vegan cheeses, and now pie.
This pie was better on the second day, as the coconut whip and banana cream layers seemed to be at just the perfect level of firmness. If you’re super excited about Pi Day and need to make this and eat in on the same day, I suggest getting started early so as to allow for maximum chill time.
Print Caramelized Banana Peanut Butter Coconut Mousse Pie Prep Time 2 hours Cook Time 10 minutes Total Time 2 hours 10 minutes Servings 8 Author Alissa Ingredients Base/Top 1 vegan premade pie crust or use your favorite recipe
1 ripe banana Banana Cream Layer 2 ripe bananas
1 tbsp. vegan margarine
1 1/2 cups non-dairy milk of choice
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tbsp. maple syrup
1 tbsp. agar powder Peanut Butter Mousse Layer 2 cans coconut milk refrigerated overnight
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp. creamy natural peanut butter
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp. powdered sugar Peanut Butter Drizzle Topping 1/4 cup creamy natural peanut butter
2 tbsp. powdered sugar
water Instructions Slice up 2/3 of that first banana for the base layer, and arrange on the base of your pie crust. Save the remaining 1/3 for the top. Set aside. Banana Cream Layer Start by mashing up your two bananas with a fork or potato masher. Heat margarine in a small saucepan over medium heat and add mashed up banana and sautee for about five minutes. Add milk, vanilla, and maple. Whisk everything together well and bring to just barely simmering. Add agar and whisk in well. Cook and continue whisking until agar is completely blended in. Remove from heat and pour into crust. Allow to cool for a few minutes and then stick it in the fridge. Mousse Layer Remove coconut milk cans from fridge and scoop out coconut cream into a mixing bowl, tossing liquid (coconut water) or saving it for another use. Beat on high speed with mixer until light and fluffy, about a minute. Add peanut butter and powdered sugar and continue beating until well blended. Once your banana layer is cool and relatively firm (should take about an hour) you can go ahead and spread the mousse on top. Peanut Butter Drizzle Whisk peanut butter drizzle ingredients together in a small bowl, adding a bit of water (1/4 cup did it for me) to get a glaze-like consistency. Drizzle on top of your mousse layer. Finish Slice up that last 1/3 of a banana that you have leftover from earlier and arrange slices on top of mousse. Store pie in the fridge until serving time, keeping in mind that the longer you refrigerate, the better it will be. Overnight works great. Recipe Notes Please read the entire recipe through before starting. Some ingredients appear in multiple places. Also, you'll want to get started by placing your coconut milk in the fridge ahead of time, preferably the night before.
Sharing is caring! | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
Canada’s wireless industry is preparing for what might be one of the largest shakeups in its history.
The CRTC — Canada’s telecom regulator — has until the end of this month to release its revised decision on Wi-Fi-first MVNOs, and it seems Canadian carriers are taking the potential for massive change very seriously.
Bell recently announced that its prepaid Lucky Mobile brand will be launching an app for Wi-Fi-based texting and calling service, and a head office job posting from Rogers suggests preparations are also underway at Canada’s largest carrier.
‘Pending MVNO mandate’
In a recent job listing post for a senior analyst position, Rogers stated it was looking for someone to “support the development of business and operational framework in anticipation of the pending MVNO [mobile virtual network operator] mandate.”
The ‘pending mandate’ from the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) regards whether or not Wi-Fi can be considered a “home network,” allowing wireless resellers that don’t necessarily have any network infrastructure to purchase roaming service from the major infrastructure-owning telecoms.
For those busy reading the tea leaves on Canadian telecom competition, another data point: @Rogers looking for help developing "business and operational framework in anticipation of the pending MVNO mandate". https://t.co/sz11eUs8q1 #crtc pic.twitter.com/kIzBVTqR18 — Bram Abramson (@bramabramson) March 2, 2018
The job posting has since been changed to remove that wording, but its existence shows that Rogers is readying itself for a decision that could effectively mandate mainstream wireless reselling.
Of course, it’s important to note that this MVNO analyst position already existed previously — Rogers already works with MVNOs (including Petro-Canada Mobility) and expects to work with more as IoT and machine-to-machine technology grows.
Still, the wording is plain. Rogers is preparing for the possibility of a major change.
Rogers’ response
In response to MobileSyrup‘s request for comment on the subject of the MVNO reconsideration, Rogers stated:
“We expect a decision later this month. In launching this process, we were encouraged the government recognized our investments to deliver world-leading networks and the need for continued facilities-based investment. We reinforced in our submission why maintaining incentives to invest in Canada’s world-class works was vital at this time, with 5G coming and the continued expansion to rural and remote areas.”
The carrier’s response touches on the heated debate at the center of this issue: facilities-based investment versus opening the market to more low-budget wireless options that are more commonly seen in other parts of the world, particularly in the U.S. and Europe.
“In launching this process, we were encouraged the government recognized our investments to deliver world-leading networks.”
In a nutshell, Rogers — as well as Bell and Telus — argue that opening the door to a Wi-Fi-first MVNO market reduces the incentive to invest in infrastructure upgrades, which might ultimately lead to a decrease in wireless quality.
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED), as well as various consumer advocacy groups, suggest there simply aren’t enough low-cost options in the market, necessitating more wireless players with easier access to the market.
To the point of low-cost options, Rogers told MobileSyrup it shared the government’s concerns about the digital divide for low-income Canadians, pointing to the Connected for Success program and the lower-tier price plans at its Fido and Chatr flanker brands as an example of the company’s attempt to bridge the divide.
Lucky Mobile’s possible Wi-Fi talk-and-text future
There’s some indication that other carriers might be preparing for a change as well. Bell’s new prepaid brand, Lucky Mobile, will launch an app that enables talk-and-text over Wi-Fi at some point in 2018 — a play that can be seen as Bell getting its foot in the Wi-Fi-first market in case a change does occur.
Bell, however, declined to comment on the matter of how or if it was preparing for the decision’s release.
While Telus’ budget prepaid brand Public Mobile has yet to launch a similar feature, it has been actively attempting to move Public customers to postpaid service through sister brand Koodo. Telus has offered several data-rich promo plans and credits to those who will move up the value chain, causing customers on its forums to wonder whether the carrier is planning a change in strategy for Public.
Telus declined to comment on the matter, as did Videtron.
Shaw did not respond to MobileSyrup‘s request for comment.
Sugar Mobile and other potential players
MobileSyrup also reached out to some of the smaller Canadian players who might benefit from a revised decision in order to potentially enter an emerging wireless reselling market.
Montreal-based cable, internet and home phone provider Cogeco — whose CEO Louis Audet recently spoke out in favour of the creation of a Wi-Fi-first MVNO market — had no comment for MobileSyrup, but previously told The Globe and Mail:
“If the government becomes serious about enabling competition, it will grant Wi-Fi-based operators the status of facilities-based competitors, which can then roam on other people’s networks.”
Meanwhile, the Wi-Fi-first MVNO that kicked off this debate, Sugar Mobile, is optimistic. President and CEO Samer Bishay told MobileSyrup via email:
“We are definitely getting ready with our platforms and systems to enable wireless competition in Canada by introducing full self-serve wireless wholesale systems.”
“We are definitely getting ready with our platforms and systems to enable wireless competition in Canada.”
Bishay also said he believed the competition is preparing for a change, citing Lucky Mobile’s upcoming Wi-Fi feature and the “hiring of key MVNO roles.”
MobileSyrup reached out to TekSavvy, which offers internet and home phone services in central Canada. The company refrained from commenting, but previously told CTV News that the review could be “potentially game changing.”
Xplornet, which already offers fixed wireless and has future mobility plans, had no comment.
Jeff Pastuck, wireless network manager at Seaside Communications, another small player that offers fixed wireless, told MobileSyrup: “While I greatly appreciate you reaching out to speak with me regarding WiFi first MVNOs, I really haven’t had a chance to investigate with any depth, the opportunity presented if the CRTC does indeed rule in favor of MVNOs.”
Internet and cable provider Distributel made no comment on behalf of its subsidiaries including Acanac, Zazeen and Yak.
Tbaytel and Sogetel, both smaller mobile players, also did not comment.
What is an MVNO?
MVNOs sell mobile phone service by wholesale purchasing the use of another company’s existing infrastructure and then reselling service at generally lower rates.
MVNOs are not a large consumer market force in Canada due to the fact that the CRTC does not compel carriers to sell network-use to providers that don’t build their own infrastructure, though there are a few MVNOs that work with Rogers, Bell and Telus.
Those include PC Mobile, which uses Bell for prepaid service and Telus for postpaid, as well as the aforementioned Petro-Canada Mobility, which works with Rogers.
In June 2017, ISED minister Navdeep Bains ordered the CRTC to reconsider a decision that sewed up a loophole allowing Wi-Fi-first MVNO Sugar Mobile to operate in all areas of the country.
Minister Bains’ explained in his order that it was necessary to reconsider the decision because “Canadians with low household income in particular face challenges related to the affordability of telecommunications services.”
The move was a rare instance of government attempting to revise one of its own decisions.
Sameer Chhabra contributed files to this story.
Correction: Rogers’ senior analyst job listing was not removed, but the wording about the pending mandate was removed. The article has been updated accordingly. | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
More towns getting ahead of NJ marijuana legalization. Clifton could be latest to ban pot sales
Matt Fagan | NorthJersey
Show Caption Hide Caption Clifton votes to just say no to pot sales, growth Clifton City Council authorized law to be drafted to prohibit sale and growing of marijuana within city limits.
Clifton voted unanimously to prohibit the selling and growing of recreational marijuana within city limits.
If Wednesday's ordinance is adopted on second reading, Clifton would join an expanding cadre of communities that have voted to prohibit the sale of recreational marijuana within their boundaries.
For the past several months, the city's council has examined how other municipalities approached the banning of legal pot sales.
During its Wednesday night work session, at the behest of Councilman Peter Eagler, his colleagues decided to model the new ordinance on the one adopted last December by Point Pleasant.
Marijuana: Can Meadowlands zoning affect East Rutherford's legal weed ban?
Health: Hackensack Meridian opens institute to combat multiple myeloma in Nutley
Point Pleasant's ordinance, and not Clifton's, proscribes the sale of recreational marijuana within a quarter mile of schools, houses of worship and playgrounds. The city proposes to add to this ban the growing of marijuana as well.
Eagler said the way the ordinance is worded, it essentially prohibits the sale of legal recreational marijuana from anywhere in the city.
Marijuana use, Eagler noted, "is not the same experience people had 30 years ago." He said it is now added to "gummy worms."
New Jersey has not made the use of recreational marijuana legal, and city officials said the state doesn't have the votes needed to do so. Officials said the ordinance is a result of a request made by Clifton Against Substance Abuse (CASA) committee.
The council's decision was welcomed by almost a dozen residents in attendance there to ask the council to pass the ordinance.
CASA President Tom Whittles thanked the council following the vote.
"I don't know if (the state legislature) has the votes and I don't care," Whittles said. "I care what happens in Clifton."
Whittles said CASA had been after the council to take action for several months.
Clifton joins Carlstadt, East Rutherford, Woodcliff Lake, Lodi, Mahwah, Hasbrouck Heights, Garfield and Washington Township, which have approved similar ordinances.
Email: [email protected]
NJ Marijuana: Enforcement of marijuana laws varies in North Jersey. Here's the arrest rate in your town
News: Murphy seeks to double number of medical marijuana retailers
News: Lodi joins other New Jersey towns in ban of legal weed sales | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
Installed by the Vietnamese almost three decades ago, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and his Cambodian People Party have ruled the nation with an iron first ever since. However, as a result of irregularities in the July 2013 election, the CPP’s grip appears to be slipping. Not only did the Cambodian National Rescue Party, led by Sam Rainsy and Kem Sokha, pick up numerous seats in the National Assembly, they exposed the prime minister’s vulnerability to Cambodian “people power” in the process. In December 2013, Hun Sen faced his greatest political challenge as Phnom Penh streets filled with tens of thousands of protestors. The farmers, factory workers, moto taxi drivers and students were all airing their grievances with newfound confidence and a cathartic sense of bitterness. Not only were they calling for new elections, they were calling for Hun Sen’s resignation.
I was amazed that Hun Sen had not unleashed their goon squads of bodyguards, military police, special forces and plainclothes “mobs” as he had done so many times in the past. He event allowed the opposition to establish a beachhead in Phnom Penh. Freedom Park, the opposition’s symbolic base of operations located on the grassy strip between Monivong and Norodom Boulevard, quickly grew into a small village built of tarps and scaffolding. It provided a symbolic rallying point where the opposition gathered, held rallies, and fanned the flames of this long overdue expression of popular discontent.
The protests gained real momentum when the Cambodia’s half million garment factory workers sided with Rainsy’s CNRP. This mostly female workforce earns for less than subsistence wages in the Korean, Japanese and Chinese-owned sweatshops that make clothes for the GAP, Puma, H & S, Victoria’s Secret and many other Western name brands. Although the garment industry accounts for 80 percent of Cambodia’s exports, most of the workers earn less than $80 per month and live in cramped shared apartments or dormitories.
On January 2, 2014, opposition demonstrators marched on the Phnom Penh garment factories and battled police with rocks and fists. By the time I arrived the next day, protestors and military police were fighting again near the Canadia Industrial Park. The protestors threw rocks and crude Molotov cocktails; when the government forces charged, they dispersed into nearby markets and apartments. Protestors, or mobs using the protest as cover, began to loot Vietnamese businesses and even broke into a medical clinic where they destroyed x-ray machines and stoked a bonfire with medical supplies. Government forces got tired of deflecting rocks with their plexiglass shields and opened fire on the crowd. By day’s end, 5 were dead, 40 injured, and another two dozen held in police detention.
After that Friday’s violence, the opposition called for their largest demonstration at Freedom Park on Sunday. Saturday morning I was finishing breakfast a few blocks from Freedom Park when my eye was caught by what looked like two Blackhawk helicopters flying low enough overhead so I could see their enclosed tail rotors. The Cambodian military had just taken delivery of the Z-9 helicopters from China (who also lent them the $118 million to buy them. At Freedom Park, government forces, some in military police uniforms, others in black, state of the art, Robocop suits, complete with hard plastic armor on their shoulders, chest, shins, forearms and fists, sealed off the perimeter and were keeping out all press. Men in plain clothes with red arm bands had already descended on the opposition’s encampment with bats and pipes, you could hear the clanging of metal on metal as they clear-cut the opposition’s base of operations.
Enjoying this article? Click here to subscribe for full access. Just $5 a month.
A rumor began to circulate that Sam Rainsy had sought asylum inside the nearby U.S. embassy. By the time I got to the massive American compound several opposition leaders were giving a press conference on the benches in front of the entrance. One young member of parliament was typing into multiple handheld devices while talking to a reporter on the phone. They seemed relieved by the presence of Western reporters as Cambodian soldiers drove by slowly and made eye contact. Several men identified themselves as Cambodian Americans who had returned home to support the opposition, one retiree from Long Beach, said that he was not leaving until “that Vietnamese son of a bitch steps down.”
Because Hun Sen had defected from the Khmer Rouge to Vietnam in 1978, and returned with the invading and occupying forces, many Cambodians, including Rainsy, have called Hun Sen a “puppet of yuon.” Some claim that the word is a racist insult, while others claim it is a literal translation of the word “Vietnamese” into Khmer. Nonetheless, the word “yuon,” was popping up with increasing regularity. Early Saturday night, young Cambodian men were screaming “youn” at the soldiers posted on nearly every corner as they sped by on motorcycles. One Cambodian said that during the day the soldiers where Khmer, but at night, they brought out the “yuon” soldiers.
By Monday things had returned to normal in time for what once been called the “Day of Hate,” the 35th anniversary of the Vietnamese invasion of Cambodia and the defeat of the Khmer Rouge. As a security precaution, the ceremony was held across the Tonle River at Koh Pich in front of what the government claimed were 35,000 supporters. The massive, carefully choreographed anniversary gala was part Vegas floor show and part old school communist rally. Aging Cambodian leader Chea Sim and Heng Samrin, the first Cambodian prime minster installed by the Vietnamese after the fall of the Khmer Rouge, made their way down a red carpet as long as a football pitch, and took their places on a massive stage. Once in place, Prime Minister Hun Sen worked the crowd on his way to the podium, all three sat beneath a neo-socialist realist painting of the three men’s profiles.
After the event was consecrated by Buddhist monks, Heng Samrin delivered the first official government statement on the events of Friday and Saturday. Samrin praised the CPP for making “correct and realistic forward steps” and denounced “certain political forces and ill-willed circles [who] have made constant attempts to deceive history from white to black or to vice versa to inflict adverse attack on the leadership of the Cambodian People’s Party for the country to cause political and socio-economic instability.” Despite the wooden prose, Samrin was correct about one thing: the politicization of the garment workers had already caused economic instability. Even the normally supportive Chinese state news agency Xinhua quoted sources proposing a Cambodian referendum to let the public decide on whether there should be new elections. To Cambodia’s debt-burdened Chinese patrons, economic instability is a far greater sin than human rights violations.
Although the Cambodian government moved quickly to raise the minimum wage, it has done little to appease garment workers or the opposition. Cambodian filmmaker and historian Rity Panh pointed out the sad irony of the situation to me: If Cambodian garment workers received a living wage, the factory bosses would simply pack up their factories and move them to Burma or another poor country with cheap, docile labor and a government willing to ensure it – the bitter fruit of globalization.
Irrespective of economic realities, the Cambodian genie is out of the bottle. Generations of Cambodians who have watched Hun Sen and his cronies act with impunity for decades smell fear and uncertainty and are intoxicated by their new-found power. If this is truly an eruption of people power, will the military eventually side with their countrymen? While early January’s protests were easily squashed, this is a long interval political swell and the next set is coming.
Peter Maguire is the author of Facing Death in Cambodia, Law and War and Thai Stick. He has taught the law and theory of war at Columbia University, Bard College and the University of North Carolina Wilmington. | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
A final da Taça da Liga, a ser disputada por Benfica e Marítimo, marcará a estreia da tecnologia da linha de golo em competições portuguesas.
O sistema de GLT (Goal Line Technology) já foi utilizado no Mundial2014 e também foi adotado por várias das principais Ligas europeias.
O estádio Cidade de Coimbra vai receber o encontro entre Benfica e Marítimo no dia 29 de maio, pelas 19h45. | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
$ 7.00
He was once a Hobbit or a Hobbit-like creature - but as fate decided, Smeagol found the One Ring & his life was forever bound to its incredible power. The weight of the Ring transformed the Hobbit into Gollum - the cave-dwelling monstrous wretch who kept the Ring hidden from the Eye of Sauron deep beneath the Misty Mountains where only Goblins, cave-fish, spiders & other unknown horrors dwell. By Sean Äaberg. 11" x 17" folded poster. Don't want it folded? Get the "rolled option" Yours from the Goblinko Megamall. | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar will finally be honored with a statue outside of Staples Center on Friday, before the Lakers host the Phoenix Suns.
It’s easy to forget just how amazing Abdul-Jabbar was as a player, especially for younger generations who never had a chance to see him in person. His devastating sky hook was one of the most unstoppable moves of all-time. It’s a wonder no one else has been able to master it.
Abdul-Jabbar won six NBA titles, five with the Lakers and one with the Milwaukee Bucks.
Magic Johnson won five titles, none without Abdul-Jabbar.
Listed at 7-foot-2, Abdul-Jabbar finished with 38,387 points, still a record. The closest active player is Kobe Bryant, with 29,695, short by 8,692 points.
In his 20 seasons, Abdul-Jabbar averaged 24.6 points on 55.9% shooting, 11.2 boards and 2.6 blocked shots. Unlike many big men to follow, he was a dependable free-throw shooter at 72.1%.
Shaquille O’Neal might have been the Lakers’ most physically imposing center, but Abdul-Jabbar was far more skilled, finishing with six NBA MVP awards and 19 All-Star appearances. He was selected to the All-NBA first team 10 times and was enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1995.
Also, Abdul-Jabbar’s cameo in “Airplane!” trumps any of O’Neal’s forays into cinema.
The Showtime Lakers are often remembered for fastbreaks led by Johnson, but Abdul-Jabbar was in the middle of it all, since the half-court game was instrumental in every one of those titles.
Subjectively, Abdul-Jabbar is the third-best Laker of all-time behind Johnson and Bryant, ahead of O’Neal, Wilt Chamberlain and even Jerry West.
His well-deserved statue will be unveiled around 4:30 p.m. Friday.
ALSO:
Preview: Lakers vs. Phoenix Suns
Mike D’Antoni says he’s confident in the bench
Lamar Odom: You can’t compare Clippers to Lakers -- not yet
You can email Eric Pincus at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @EricPincus. | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
YURI GRIPAS/AFP/Getty Images Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is one of the leading proponents of leaving open the current Supreme Court vacancy.
Now that Republican strategy on Supreme Court vacancies is shifting to a permanent blockade of future nominations, at least one conservative powerhouse is raising money to help make that a reality.
Heritage’s overture to donors includes a number of common talking points among conservative court watchers, including an appeal to stop the liberal push ― presumably by a President Hillary Clinton ― “to pack the courts with activist judges” that might “create laws rather than interpret them.”
But tucked in this plea for funds, which The New Yorker noted in a recent column, was a game plan of sorts that builds on what many Republican senators have been signaling of late: that it would be perfectly acceptable to leave the Supreme Court and other courts short-handed for as long as needed.
“Give Senators the procedural tools to block any liberal nominee,” reads one of the bullet points, which together read as a battle plan for lawmakers to follow in the event Trump loses the presidency.
Asked about this specific proposal, John Malcolm, the director of the Meese Center for Legal and Judicial Studies at Heritage, demurred on its significance.
Give Senators the procedural tools to block any liberal nominee.
”I’m not sure what that means,” he said, adding that his organization hasn’t taken an official position on whether Republicans should stonewall future nominations to the Supreme Court
Heritage “may at some point take a position. I don’t think it was an endorsement of a particular view that has been floated out there,” Malcolm said, in reference to related suggestions by the likes of Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Ted Cruz (R-Texas).
Curiously, a Heritage spokeswoman indicated in an email that the fundraising page went live on Oct. 17. That’s the same day McCain became the first Senate Republican to declare that he and his colleagues would be “united against any Supreme Court nominee” put forth by Clinton.
It’s in response to these veiled threats that Clinton running mate Tim Kaine said in a recent interview with The Huffington Post that Democrats would seek to eliminate the filibuster for Supreme Court nominees if they regain control of the Senate.
The Heritage plan, as outlined in the fundraising letter, seems to account for even that scenario.
“In fact, according to a new Heritage analysis of the Constitution and Senate procedure, it doesn’t require any more than a small number of principled conservatives to hold the line,” reads the missive. “We can use procedural strategies to block a nominee and even prevent the use of the ‘nuclear option’ to force through a nominee by majority vote.”
Malcolm, who recently interviewed Justice Clarence Thomas at a Heritage event commemorating Thomas’ 25 years of service, said the direction of the high court is simply something he and his nonprofit deeply care about.
“There’s a clear recognition by politicians ― and also by policy think tanks ― on how important the Supreme Court is,” he said.
As for Thomas, who knows a thing or two about contentious confirmation battles, he may have offered the most sobering analysis yet of the politicization of the bench he occupies.
“At some point,” he said during his conversation with Malcolm last week, “we have got to recognize that we’re destroying our institutions and we’re undermining our institutions. And we’re going to destroy them. The day is going to come, if it’s not already here, that we’ll need the institutions and the integrity of the institutions.”
This article has been updated with information about when the Heritage fundraising page went online. | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
A parole board has set the minimum sentence to 18 years for the father of “Peter Boy” Kema, the 6-year-old Hawaii boy who disappeared more than two decades ago.
The Hawaii Paroling Authority announced the decision Thursday for Peter Kema Sr., who was sentenced last year to up to 20 years in prison for manslaughter in the death of his son.
Kema, who is incarcerated in Eloy, Arizona, went before the parole board late last month.
Prosecutors said the child, known as “Peter Boy,” was abused for years and died from septic shock after a sore went untreated. Kema led authorities to a remote coastal area of the Big Island last April, but his body was never found.
Kema also received a four-year concurrent sentence for hindering prosecution. He was sent to a privately run prison in Arizona contracted by the Hawaii Department of Corrections to hold inmates because of overcrowding.
Hawaii County Prosecutor Mitch Roth told the Hawaii Tribune-Herald that he’s pleased with the board’s decision.
“It’s a tragedy that we ended up losing a child, so there’s no celebration or anything like that,” Roth said. “We still have problems in the system that need to be fixed.”
The child was taken out of school when he was in first grade, which should have raised concerns, Roth said.
Legislation that aimed to better protect children whose parents are on the radar of child protective services failed to advance in the state Legislature this year after pushback from homeschooling advocates. The legislation would have created a system to alert authorities if a child is withdrawn from school.
“We’re looking forward to working with the homeschooling community to fix that loophole,” Roth said. “I’ve got to believe that everybody wants to protect the kids.”
Jaylin Kema, the boy’s mother, was released from jail last April after serving a year for manslaughter.
Peter Kema will be eligible for parole in 2034, according to state Department of Public Safety. | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
Except for one brief exchange, last night’s Republican presidential debate was something of a yawner as far as debates go. There were few winners and probably even fewer losers.
Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul fared reasonably well while Minnesota’s Michele Bachmann most likely exceeded expectations.
While Romney, the party’s presumptive frontrunner, emerged from the debate virtually unscathed, the Minnesota congresswoman, possessing a little more depth than some of her critics probably expected, proved that she clearly belonged on stage with the other six candidates.
“She was clearly one of the best-prepped candidates here,” said CNN senior political analyst Gloria Borger.
Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, whose candidacy came perilously close to collapsing late last week when 16 staff members abruptly abandoned ship, probably impressed a few people with his depth of knowledge and grasp of the issues facing the country.
His succinct opening line — “When 14 million Americans are out of work we need a new president to end the Obama Depression’’ — might have been the best one-liner of the evening.
Surprisingly, nobody asked the former Speaker about last week’s mass exodus from his campaign.
As usual, U.S. Rep. Ron Paul — who’ll turn 76 in August — came off as highly principled and provided one of the few sparks in the debate when he vigorously challenged Romney on the issue of withdrawing U.S. forces from Afghanistan.
Romney said that he would rely on the advice of generals on the ground in Afghanistan in determining when troops should be removed, prompting a quick rebuttal from the fiery Texas congressman.
“I wouldn’t wait for my generals,” retorted Paul, a longtime noninterventionist. “I’m the commander in chief. I make the decisions. I tell the generals what to do. I’d bring them home as quickly as possible. And I would get them out of Iraq as well. And I wouldn’t start a war in Libya. I’d quit bombing Yemen. And I’d quit bombing Pakistan. I’d start taking care of people here at home because we could save hundreds of billions of dollars.”
It was the closest thing to a Reaganesque moment in the entire debate.
Ex-Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum arguably held his own during the two-hour debate, but demonstrated little appeal beyond his party’s splintered social conservatives, many of whom have already gravitated toward other candidates.
Tim Pawlenty, the former governor of Minnesota, probably disappointed some viewers by his unwillingness to go on the attack against Romney, particularly since he showed no such reluctance a day earlier when he said that President Obama had based his national health plan on Romney’s health care model in Massachusetts, derisively describing it as “Obamneycare.”
Pawlenty has yet to excite his party’s conservative base.
Meanwhile, Herman Cain, the former CEO of Godfather’s Pizza, almost seemed out of his league, awkwardly defending his initial support for the $700 billion TARP bailout and then stumbling on his clarification of a statement made in March that he wouldn’t appoint Muslims to serve in his cabinet — a controversial comment that drew criticism from frontrunner Mitt Romney, who said that he would welcome Americans of all religious persuasions into his administration.
Cain, a Tea Party favorite, offered little in the way of substance during last night’s debate. | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
For indispensable reporting on the coronavirus crisis, the election, and more, subscribe to the Mother Jones Daily newsletter.
The next chapter in our thinking about the oceans is analyzed in a new paper in PLoS ONE. The deep sea—largest of Earth’s ecosystems and its last great wilderness—has been spared much of what’s befallen the rest of the ocean in the last century, thanks to its remoteness. But not any more.
Technology is rapidly undressing this veiled realm, allowing us to exploit its fisheries, hydrocarbons, and minerals at depths below 2,000 meters/6,562 feet. The authors write:
[T]he challenges facing the deep sea are large and accelerating, providing a new imperative for the science community, industry and national and international organizations to work together to develop successful exploitation management and conservation of the deep-sea ecosystem.
The paper represents the combined thinking of 11 researchers from around the world—Spain, UK, Norway, New Zealand, Mexico, US, and France—including some of the biggest names in deep-sea research. Coauthor Lisa Levin, recently made the Director of the Center for Marine Biodiversity and Conservation at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, was featured in my biodiversity article in MoJo, Gone.
Based on their own extensive experience, combined with published scientific papers, the authors provide a semi-quantitative analysis of the scale of of human activities past, present, and future. They assessed 28 major anthropogenic impacts (above), grouped into 3 main categories—disposal, exploitation, and climate change. They then examined those effects on 12 deep-sea habitats (below). I’ve added links to explanations of the terms: | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
The injury bug has gone viral in Westwood and as a result, UCLA is down yet another star recruit.
The program announced on Tuesday that Tyger Campbell, a four-star freshman guard who was part of UCLA's No. 6 recruiting class in the 2018 cycle, sustained a torn ACL in his left knee at practice Sunday and will miss the entire 2018-19 season. Campbell was rated as the No. 91 player nationally out of La Lumiere High School.
Campbell's injury is but the latest in a slew of them for the Bruins, who less than two weeks ago was ruled out Shareef O'Neal for the 2018-19 season because of a medical issue related to his heart. Reserve power forward Alex Olesinski , who averaged 4.5 points and 3.9 rebounds per game in limited usage last season, is also expected to be out for a significant period of time due to a foot injury.
Campbell, who came highly-regarded to UCLA as a ball-handler, could have helped ease the workload at point guard for UCLA as a freshman. His absence should only increase the mighty workload sophomore Jaylen Hands is readying to bear at point guard both as a distributor and scorer.
UCLA returns Kris Wilkes, Hands, Prince Ali, Alex Olesinski, Chris Smith, Cody Riley and Jalen Hill from last year's 21-win team and ranks No. 18 in the CBS Sports Top 25 (and one) going into the season. | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
By Emily Flitter and Jed Horowitz
NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. regulators are investigating Charles Schwab Corp and Bank of America Corp's Merrill Lynch brokerage over whether they are doing enough to police their clients' identities, sources said, the latest sign a crackdown on money laundering is expanding.
Specifically, the regulator is looking into whether the brokerages missed red flags that could indicate attempts to move money illicitly or to feed proceeds from illegal activities into the financial system, the sources said.
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is probing Charles Schwab and Merrill Lynch for violations of anti-money laundering rules that require the brokerages to know their customers, the sources said.
Schwab is conducting an internal investigation, one of the sources said.
A spokesman for the SEC declined to comment. Representatives of Schwab and Merrill did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
It was not clear what penalties the SEC would seek or whether it planned to also charge individuals or any other financial institutions for any violations. The investigation is not yet complete and the timing of any cases against the companies could not be learned.
U.S. Treasury Undersecretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence David Cohen began urging regulators two years ago to make sure financial institutions are identifying the true beneficial owners of their accounts. Cohen's exhortations came amid concerns that bad actors, such as drug cartel members and terrorists, are growing more creative in their attempts to secretly transfer tainted funds.
The SEC's investigation so far has found Charles Schwab and Merrill did not pay close enough attention to their clients' true identities, and accepted shell companies and individuals with fake addresses as clients, two sources said.
In both cases, some of the accounts, whose ownership the brokerages did not adequately investigate, were eventually linked to drug cartels, they said.
One of Charles Schwab's clients, a rancher in Texas, was found to be transferring money to a holding company that was revealed to be a shell company, according to one of the sources.
The source said most of the suspect account holders in the Schwab case were located near the Mexican border and some were linked to drug money in Mexico. Some accounts contained hundreds of thousands of dollars while others held millions, the source said.
(Reporting By Emily Flitter and Jed Horowitz; Editing by Grant McCool) | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
Dear redditSanta, sadly your package came to me in a broken envelope and barely holding the content together so if something is missing from my description of your lovely gift - the post office monster must have swallowed some victims. There was also no note and where it said your name was lots of tape.. so no luck there either.
Anyways, to the important matter, you gave me some kickass make up.
I got 4 eyeliners in awesome colours that I've never tried before. As I said in my note to you, I'm no good with make up and rarely use it so this is a real treat. 1 blue eye shadow 1 mascara, a new brand and I have to say after using it a couple of times it really works perfectly. 1 ... I don't know what you call it, eyelash shaper? Pusher? Grinder? Upperstuffer? It was really nice.
Thank you so much. I decided to use everything today and try to give myself a bit of a make over.. I have .. no idea what I'm doing but I'm posting you a picture of the result just so you can see that I have and will use it.
Give me a shout so I know who you are, would love to thank you "in person". | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
Dr Kent Brantly, who was infected with the virus in Liberia, has been treated in Atlanta along with victim Nancy Writebol
At least one of the two American aid workers who were infected with the deadly Ebola virus in Africa has recovered and was to be discharged Thursday from an Atlanta hospital, a spokeswoman for the aid group he was working for said.
Alison Geist, a spokeswoman for Samaritan’s Purse, told the Associated Press she did not know the exact time Dr Kent Brantly would be released but confirmed it would happen Thursday.
Emory University hospital planned to hold a news conference on Thursday morning to discuss both patients’ discharge. Brantly will speak but won’t take questions, according to a news release. Emory spokeswoman Holly Korschun did not give further details on either patient, citing privacy concerns.
Franklin Graham, president of North Carolina-based Samaritan’s Purse, said in a statement that the group was celebrating Brantly’s recovery. He has been in the hospital’s isolation unit for nearly three weeks.
“Today I join all of our Samaritan’s Purse team around the world in giving thanks to God as we celebrate Dr Kent Brantly’s recovery from Ebola and release from the hospital,” Graham’s statement said.
Brantly, 33, was flown out of the west African nation of Liberia on 2 August, and Nancy Writebol, 59, followed three days later. The two were infected while working at a missionary clinic outside Liberia’s capital.
Writebol was working for North Carolina-based aid group SIM. The organization plans to release a statement Thursday, spokesman Palmer Holt said in an email but gave no further details.
Brantly and Writebol received an experimental treatment called Zmapp, but it’s not known whether the drug helped or whether they improved on their own, as has happened to others who have survived the disease. The treatment is so novel that it hasn’t been tested in people.
The limited supply of Zmapp also was tried in a Spanish missionary priest, who died, and three Liberian health care workers, who are said to be improving.
The Ebola outbreak has killed more than 1,300 people across west Africa. There is no proven treatment or vaccine. Patients are given basic supportive care to keep them hydrated, maintain their blood pressure and treat any complicating infections. Ebola is spread only through direct contact with the bodily fluids of sick people experiencing symptoms.
On Thursday in the Liberian capital of Monrovia, calm set in one day after residents in a slum that was sealed off in an effort to contain the outbreak clashed with riot police and soldiers. World Health Organization officials were visiting two hospitals that are treating Ebola patients and struggling to keep up with the influx of patients.
The death toll is rising most quickly in Liberia, which now accounts for at least 576 of the fatalities, the WHO said. At least 2,473 people have been sickened across West Africa – more than the caseloads of all the previous two dozen Ebola outbreaks combined. | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
For the longest time, I’ve been meaning to write this article. Years, now. I think. So, over the weekend, your friendly neighborhood jman finally put some time aside, dug through my five (5) 18 gallon Rubbermaid containers filled with loose action figures and came up with my Top 5 (ish) vintage Star Wars Action Figures.
Now, these figures are pretty old. Obviously. I can’t tell you exactly which runs/movies they were released from. I can tell you that they were mostly from Kenner’s The Empire Strikes Back line, though. A few might be from Star Wars ( A New Hope), as well. By the time Return of the Jed i came out? I was moving out of toys onto more “sophisticated” pursuits.
And here we are, 30 years later (give or take) with my favorite 5 Star Wars Figures:
R2D2 – not sure what it was about this “figure” that I liked so much. If I had to narrow it down, I think it was the “clicking” on his dome when you turned it. Stupid, right? Such a silly little noise. But, when I went to take the above picture of him, I turned the dome to see if it still work. Sure as shooting, it still clicks. And it really brought me back.
Luke Skywalker (Hoth outfit) – This one was a tough call. It was between Bespin fatigues Luke and Hoth Luke. I didn’t have a “regular” Luke Skywalker. So, whenever we played Star Wars, as opposed to Empire, I always had to make due with one of these two Luke figures. So much for continuity.
Rebel Soldier (Hoth Battle Gear) – Wow. My childhood is now a sham. I just found out the figure I thought for the last 30 years was Hoth Luke is just the Rebel Soldier. It’s like my life has been a complete and utter lie. All this time, the Rebel Soldier has been pretending he was Luke Skywalker. I don’t believe it. I don’t even know who I am any more…
Darth Vader – What’s there to say about the dark lord that hasn’t been said any number of times? The baddest of the bad. That is, until he was completely neutered in the prequels. But…you know. Whatever. But, pre-prequel days? Vader was one scary dude. And he had a telescoping lightsaber. Which is nice.
Yoda – Yea…even back then, your friendly neighborhood jman knew Yoda was a badass. You could just tell. You see the way he schooled Luke and pulled that X-Wing from the swamp in Empire? Yea…Yoda was the man.
The problem with the figure? Well…it wasn’t so much a problem with the figure as it was with my little brother. He had the Dagobah playset. And he was my little brother. And you know how little brother’s are. So I was left pretending the living room couch was Dagobah most of the time. That sucked. But, I’m totally over it now.
AT-AT driver – Hands down, no argument…my favorite all time Star Wars figure. The AT-AT driver! Why? I have no idea. I mean, he was in the movie…what? A total of 13 seconds? Still…I love this figure. Whenever me and my crüe got together to play Star Wars, we’d divvy up our figures. The first one I always pick? That’s right…AT-AT driver.
Honorable mention: Snowspeeder. Yea. I know. I know. I knowiknowiknow. It’s not a figure. Still, of all the ships…it was the best. Yea. Even over the Millennium Falcon. I don’t care how fast that ship did the Kesel Run. The Snowspeeder was always my go to ship.
There’s a brand new episode of the Almost Internet Famous Internet show. And by total coincidence it’s just happens to be about? Vintage Star Wars toys! | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
Close
By placing this call you agree to the Terms and Conditions of Use of this website and that this call may be recorded by Precision Imports, using technology powered by Carsforsale.com, for business purposes. | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
Och vi återvänder än en gång till NTF. Efter gårdagens text skickade Cykelstaden Umeå fler bilder på den sträcka NTF har inventerat i staden. Så här ser de ut:
Foto: Cykelstaden Umeå
På bilden är alltså det fysiska hastighetshinder som ska se till att korsande trafik måste sänka farten. Ser ni det? Vi ser det knappt.
Foto: Cykelstaden Umeå
Inga jättepucklar direkt. Foto:Cykelstaden Umeå
Från cyklisternas synvinkel ser korsningarna ut så här:
Foto: Cykelstaden Umeå
Och så här beskrev NTF dem:
Idel grönt
Alla är gröna, eftersom de klassas som "Cykelöverfart" med en hastighet på max 40 km/h. Så här beskrivs det i NTF:s "nyckel":
"Med eller utan övergångsställe för gående. Bra val. Det här är en av de säkraste typerna av korsning eftersom hindret i vägen tvingar fordonet att sänka hastigheten. Var ändå uppmärksam och sök ögonkontakt med föraren samt vänta tills fordonet stannat."
Men, det här är alltså inte cykelöverfarter, det är cykelpassager. Men de ser lite ut som överfarter, och det kallar alltså NTF dem för.
Om vi här bortser från att NTF alltså tycker att cyklister ska stanna och vänta i varje korsning, i en trafiklösning (cykelöverfart alltså) där syftet var att cyklister alltså inte ska behöva stanna, så kan ju alla se på bilderna från Umeå att de här korsningarna inte är säkra överhuvudtaget. Det finns i praktiken inget hinder för motortrafiken att köra i full fart genom korsningen. Upphöjningen är helt enkelt för liten.
Det här är, skulle vi vilja hävda, en av de farligaste korsningstyperna för cyklister. Den är utformad så att cyklisterna förleds att tro att korsande trafik ska väja, samtidigt som biltrafiken inte ens nödvändigtvis vet om de överhuvudtaget behöver ta hänsyn till korsande cyklister. Det är en "störst går först"-situation.
Det här verkar NTF ha insett, och svarar på sin Facebooksida:
Och vi frågar oss är hur kvalitetskontrollen gick till i inventeringsarbetet från början.
När vi läser NTF:s slutrapport till Trafikverket framkommer också att många kommuner delar den typ av kritik vi lyft fram:
Några kommuner har upplevt att bedömningsverktyget är ”för strikt” och består av för få alternativ. Det ligger i sakens natur att ett verktyg av den här typen är en förenkling av verkligheten och inte kan fånga in alla typer av passager och sträckor. Det har också funnits synpunkter på att verktyget inte ger en helhetsbild av säkerheten. Verktyget tittar inte på underhåll, underlag, fasta hinder, hur tät trafiken är eller andra faktorer som också påverkar trafiksäkerheten.
Det är Trafikverket som bekostat den här undersökningen och nu upptäcker vi på Krister Isakssons blogg hos tidningen Bicycle det här från tidigare i höstas:
Det är viktigt att skapa säkra och tillgängliga passager för cyklister, både utmed kommunalt och statligt vägnät. Som en del i detta arbete har Trafikverket med NTF:s hjälp inventerat alla korsningspunkter utmed det nationella vägnätet och ett stort antal korsningspunkter utmed det regionala vägnätet.
Det verkar alltså som att en utökad version av den här undersökningen, där man alltså som vi visade igår blandar ihop cykelöverfarter, cykelpassager och övergångsställen och grönklassar farliga korsningar som i Umeå, används av Trafikverket.
Om det stämmer väcker det en del frågor. Då betyder det att undersökningen faktiskt kan få praktiska konsekvenser, i form av hur Trafikverket bygger vägar. Vilken formell kompetens har de som NTF anlitar att inventera - de som alltså på eget initativ kallar cykelpassager för cykelöverfarter? Använder Trafikverket den här typen av undersökningar ofta, till exempel när det gäller korsningar för motortrafiken? Och hur tänker man kring att använda en metodik som uttryckligen förenklar bort faktorer som faktiskt påverkar trafiksäkerheten?
Här tänker vi att det finns möjligheter för media i allmänhet och lokalmedia i synnerhet att ställa frågor.
(Tack till Cykelstaden Umeå) | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
Oklahoma native says concert will "happen very quickly"
Blake Shelton and NBC have begun to organize a benefit concert for the victims of the Oklahoma tornado that have left thousands homeless, killed at least 24 people and decimated the city of Moore.
"We'll know more about it in the next 24 hours," Shelton told Billboard at the conclusion of Tuesday's edition of "The Voice." "I'm hoping it will raise a lot of money. Obviously it will be televised and will happen really quickly."
Oklahoma Tornado Relief: Here's How to Help
While pointing to his fellow coach on "The Voice" Usher, Shelton noted, "I can call in some really big favors."
Shelton is a native of Ada, Okla., about 75 miles south of where the tornado struck on May 20.
Shelton and his wife Miranda Lambert opened Tuesday's "Voice" with "Over You," a ballad the duo had written about his older brother being killed in a car accident. Unlike most "Voice" shows that encourage wall-to-wall applause, the Tuesday edition opened in silence.
Oklahoma Stars React to Disaster | OKC Radio Chips In
"I think it was the perfect song for this situation," Shelton said. "The moment was right and I wish things would've been different and I wouldn't have been thinking about performing a song like that."
Shelton will perform on the show again next week with his new Warner Nashville label mate Sheryl Crow. Her debut for the label is slated for release in September. | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
The REAL Reasons Why Student-Athletes Play Sports
Editor's Note: Student-Athletes across the country travel from coast to coast playing in giant stadiums on a weekly basis. It isn't money that compels these athletes to play football but something else We already know these athletes are playing for their schools, for college degrees, and for pride now lets find out the other reasons. AthletesLTD sat down with 17 college football players and asked them one open ended question: "Aside from receiving a degree, what is your favorite part about playing college football?" The answers we received give perspective on what really drives these athletes to play.
1. Some like giving back to the community. | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
CHANNEL 9 Peter Scully is accused of 75 crimes of sex abuse against children and trafficking
FREE now and never miss the top politics stories again. SUBSCRIBE Invalid email Sign up fornow and never miss the top politics stories again. We will use your email address only for sending you newsletters. Please see our Privacy Notice for details of your data protection rights.
Peter Scully allegedly sexually abused and tortured Filipino children and babies as young as 18-months – recording the vile acts and selling the films to paedophiles around the world. A court heard how the alleged predator, accused of 75 sex crimes, directed a video called ‘Daisy’s Destruction’, in which a five-year-old girl was hung upside down by her feet, sexually assaulted and bashed. The torture was carried out by a masked naked woman, believed to be either Carmen Alvarez or Liezyl Magallo who are both girlfriends for Scully. The pair are also facing child exploitation charges. Alvarezo is said to have been taken in by Scully after he met her as a 14-year-old prostitute in the Philippines.
I cried when I was watching them... in fact I feel like crying just now while talking about it. It was hard to believe what I was seeing... that somebody could do those things to children. Prosecutor Ruby Malanog
The film’s victim, who screams and cries as she is tortured, is believed to be a girl called Barbie – kidnapped from her family by Magallo. The footage is said to be so disturbing that a police chief described it as “the worst we have encountered in our years campaigning against child pornography”. In other similar videos, Scully allegedly uses lighters, hot wax, barbed wire and sex toys on children, and is also accused of inflicting torture such as submersion in water. Police say Scully then sold the films for up to $10,000 per view on his child pornography website called ‘No Limits Fun’.
CHANNEL 9 Scully was arrested after two victims, aged 9 and 12, escaped from his clutches
Prosecutor Ruby Malanog told the court: “I cried when I was watching them... in fact I feel like crying just now while talking about it. “It was hard to believe what I was seeing... that somebody could do those things to children.” One video sees cousins Queenie and Daisy, aged nine and 12, repeatedly raped while being forced to dig their own graves as punishment for a failed attempt at escape, Ms Malanog said. It is claimed the girls were lured into Scully’s clutches when offered food and shelter by Alvarez. They were held captive and forced to wear dog collars and chains for five days, before Alvarez allegedly let them go out of guilt.
GETTY The alleged paedophile ran a pornography site, charging $10,000 per view of films he directed
Following their escape, the pair alerted authorities to Scully’s alleged crimes, telling police how Alvarez forced them to engage in sexual acts while the former Melbourne businessman filmed. Other victims were reportedly groomed when Scully promised their impoverished parents that he was able to feed them and ensure they received a good education. With the aid of the Australian Federal Police, and filmed by an Australian TV channel, Scully was arrested by Filipino police in February last year. Alleged accomplice Alvarez then led the police to an apartment rented by the paedophile in the southern Philippine city of Suragio, where police say the remains of an 11-year-old girl were found underneath the kitchen. Eight girls, all aged under 13 at the time the offences were alleged to have taken place, are now being held in witness protection.
GETTY Prosecutors in the Phillipines want the death penalty reintroduced to execute Scully
Scully has plead not guilty to the charges of rape and trafficking, and is being held in a Filipino jail. Despite the heinous accusations made against him, the Australian was seen laughing and joking with fellow inmates during his Tuesday hearing where he faced the first six charges. His former lawyer Alejandra Jose Pallugana has claimed his ex-client treats prison like a holiday – even demanding a mobile and fresh beef, pork, and chicken. The Philippines outlawed the death penalty in 1986, but prosecutors reportedly feel it is the only punishment appropriate for the shocking crimes.
GETTY Scully's two girlfriends are also facing jail for exploitation | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
319 December 28, 2014 Roseburg “Champagne Riot” likely wasn't what you think The year after the Civil War ended, partisans of North and South still clung to their resentments in Douglas County. On Christmas Day, those hard feelings broke out in a knock-down-drag-out that left two men dead. •Roseburg
•1866
318 December 21, 2014 Oregon Senator almost became President; luckily, he didn't New York schemers sought to have Joseph Lane named President. Had they succeeded, the Civil War likely would have been the North seceding from the South, and possibly an independent Pacific Republic in the West. •1860
•Washington, D.C.
317 December 14, 2014 Simpson empire made Coos Bay a shipbuilding Mecca Asa Mead Simpson came out West for the Gold Rush, but he soon learned there was more money in the timber that blanketed its hills than would ever be scratched out of its rapidly dwindling gold mines. •North Bend
•1852-1915
316 December 7, 2014 Free-love “Harmonial Brotherhood” colony was a disaster The catastrophic failure of several of the Utopian cult's articles of faith — especially on matters of diet and health care — had doomed the community to misery and sickness before it even got a start. •Honduras
•1859
315 November 30, 2014 The father of Oregon’s nursery industry's “free-love” cult Former devout Quaker Henderson Luelling developed some odd beliefs in late middle age, founded a cult called “Harmonial Brotherhood,” and led his followers into the Central American wilderness. It did not go well. •Milwaukie, San Francisco, Mexico, Honduras
•1859
314 November 23, 2014 Shouldn’t Oregon’s official language be Chinook? Sure, most people speak English. But there's an older language whose roots run far deeper in Oregon's culture and history, and it's one that nearly every Oregonian knows a word or two of. •Statewide
313 November 16, 2014 Wreck of the steamer U.S. Grant: Baffling historical mystery The little riverboat came loose from its moorings during a storm and floated downriver and onto the deadly bar with the owners aboard. How could such a thing have happened? Did someone do it on purpose? •Astoria, Fort Canby
•1871
312 November 9, 2014 Nutty 1890s governor left Oregon with two Thanksgivings In 1893, famously irascible governor Sylvester Pennoyer made a mistake on the date of Turkey Day in a speech. But then, instead of admitting his error, he defiantly doubled down on it. •Salem
•1893
311 November 2, 2014 The short, tragic story of Portland's municipal whale “Ethelbert” the orca somehow ended up stranded miles from the ocean in the Columbia Slough, much to the delight of most Portland residents. But it wasn't long before the city's Nimrods came out and spoiled everything. •Portland
•1931
310 October 26, 2014 Scholarly Albany flyer was true father of Oregon aviation In a race with Portland neophile Henry Wemme to be the first owner of an airplane in Oregon, Cornell-educated John Burkhart was two weeks too late; but unlike Wemme, he designed, built and flew his own machine. •Albany, Portland
•1910
309 October 19, 2014 Offer of bonus turned out badly for owner of wrecked ship On the bright side, though, the owner of the Desdemona did get to go down in history — or, rather, geography — after the deadly sandbar that took his ship was dubbed Desdemona Sands. •Astoria/ Columbia River Bar
•1856
308 October 12, 2014 Port Orford PR wizard managed “secession” like a movie “Patriotic Jeffersonians intend to secede each Thursday until further notice,” the rebels said, and played their parts in the grand production to a nationwide audience as newsreel cameras rolled and reporters scribbled in notepads. •Curry, Josephine counties
•1941
307 October 5, 2014 Famous 1941 Jefferson “secession” largely a publicity stunt Boisterous and colorful man P.R. man Gilbert Gable, mayor of Port Orford, drew on the frustrations of the West Coast's remotest counties in an effort to get the state to invest in decent highways. •Port Orford
•1941
306 September 28, 2014 Oregon Indian prince was Japan's introduction to the West In his short 11-month stay, he taught 14 Imperial diplomats to speak English, and impressed them with his gentility and respectfulness. And after a long, adventurous life in Canada, his last word was, “Sayonara.” •Astoria, Washington, Canada
•1840s-1880s
305 September 21, 2014 A secret Native American prince's quest to reach Japan Young Ranald MacDonald didn't know he was the grandson of Concomly, Chief of the Chinook Tribe. But before anyone could tell him, he'd run away to sea — and in so doing, dramatically changed the destiny of three great nations. •Astoria, Japan
•1824-1843
304 September 14, 2014 Legendary “Chief Bigfoot” as elusive as his hairy namesake 1860s Bannock leader disappeared as mysteriously as he appeared, leaving behind nothing but frontier folklore and a trail of 17-inch-long moccasin prints; a probably-untrue rumor claims Nampa, Idaho, was named after him. •Eastern Oregon
•1860s
303 September 7, 2014 Merrill brought bikes to women; prostitutes took 'em away “World's Greatest Trick Rider” sold more than 50,000 bicycles in an age when bikes were the cutting edge of technology; women loved them — until they started getting mistaken for hookers on the prowl ... •Portland
•1880s
302 August 31, 2014 Portland stunt made local aero-daredevil world famous “This is an age of do-it-first,” said Silas Christofferson, and proceeded to launch his spindly kite-like “aeroplane” from the roof of a downtown motel — making aviation history in the heart of Oregon's biggest town. •Portland
•1912
301 August 24, 2014 Massive war game covered Central Oregon in 1943 Tens of thousands of U.S. soldiers, shipped to the Beaver State for training, learned combat lessons that would save their lives and help them win the Second World War during the huge campaign simulation known as the Oregon Maneuver. •Central Oregon
•1943
300 August 17, 2014 Massive steamer wrecked by future Costa Rica Navy admiral Ashamed to show his face in Astoria after causing the loss of the biggest passenger liner on the West Coast, Thomas Doig slunk away to South America and remade himself as a military man. •Columbia River Bar
•1880s
299 August 10, 2014 Thousands of Oregonians remember replanting burn For decades after the Tillamook Burn, classes of schoolchildren were bused out to help replant. Today, thousands of Oregonians, on trips to the beach, can point to a thriving patch of forest and say, “We planted those trees.” •Tillamook National Forest
•1952-1974
298 August 3, 2014 Tillamook Burn “blew up” with shocking speed Quick action by state forester prevented the devastating forest fire from claiming hundreds of lives when a furnace-stoking wind blew in from Eastern Oregon, flogging the fire toward the sea. •Tillamook National Forest
•1933
297 July 27, 2014 Tillamook Burn sprang from logging crew's unwise gamble A hard-pressed crew tried to snake just a few more logs out before quitting for the day, hoping nothing would go wrong in the tinder-dry forest. Unfortunately, something did. •Forest Grove area
•1933
296 July 20, 2014 Bunco Kelley: The Coyote of Portland’s waterfront mythos Is there any truth to the stories of shanghaiings of the cigar-store Indian and of the dozens of dead guys found in the basement of a funeral parlor? Well ... maybe. But then again ... •Portland waterfront
•1890s
295 July 13, 2014 Oregon's most notorious shanghai artist: “Bunco” Kelley He was Portland's most notorious bad guy, with his fingers in everything from shanghaiing sailors to smuggling opium. But ironically, when he was finally sent to prison, it was for a murder he clearly didn't commit. •Portland waterfront
•1880s
294 July 6, 2014 Rumors of sunken submarines: Government denies it, but ... Pulp writer and religious figure L. Ron Hubbard figures prominently in the most spectacular story of action against Japanese submarines in Oregon waters. It's known, with a smile, as the “Battle of Cape Lookout.” •Oregon Coast
•1940s
293 June 29, 2014 Atlantis in the Beaver State: Underwater Lost Cities of Oregon The rising waters of lakes and reservoirs have submerged many budding Oregon metropolises over the years, from tiny one-horse towns to an entire Native American homeland. •Various
292 June 22, 2014 Pioneer Chinese doctor was a municipal treasure in John Day Settlers in John Day in the late 1800s learned the healer of Kam Wah Chung could cure diseases others couldn't; all his patients survived the fatal Spanish Flu epidemic in 1919. (Updated edition of this story) •John Day
•1800s
291 June 15, 2014 Did Vortex music festival prevent riots in downtown Portland? On that tense late-August weekend, tens of thousands of young people enjoyed themselves at McIver Park, while the much-dreaded riots failed to materialize. Was there a connection? Many voters thought so. •Estacada, Portland
•1970
290 June 8, 2014 Governor McCall expected “Vortex I” to cost him the election When McCall green-lighted the plan to distract potential street rioters with a week-long music festival, he fully expected to lose his job for it — whether it worked or not. •Portland, Salem, Estacada
•1970
289 June 1, 2014 Riot at PSU set the stage for “Governor’s Pot Party” To Governor Tom McCall, it looked like Portland was about to explode, and there was nothing he could do to prevent it ... until two long-haired young people came to his chief of staff with a very unusual plan. •Portland, Salem
•1970
288 May 25, 2014 Pirates were defeated in Yaquina Bay Oyster War The oysters belonged to the Siletz Indians and their employees, but Richard Hillyer was determined to take them anyway. We don't know much about the final battle, but we do know the outcome, and it must have been a doozie. •Newport
•1860s
287 May 18, 2014 Portland's Pioneer Square could have been a “crystal palace” Mayor Frank Ivancie, Pioneer Courthouse Square's most intransigent opponent, gleefully declared the project “dead” in a 1982 speech. In doing so, he accidentally galvanized the citizen group that would prove him wrong. •Portland
•1969-1984
286 May 11, 2014 NASA's “Moon Trees” have roots in an Oregon forest fire Astronaut Stuart Roosa had a special relationship with the U.S. Forest Service, and when it was his turn to go to the moon, he proposed a science experiment. You can see the results towering over Peavy Hall at OSU today. •The Moon
•1971
285 May 4, 2014 The mysterious disappearance of a schooner's entire crew Pilot boat sailed back and forth on the Columbia River Bar all day and all night before finally crashing onto the beach; when onlookers ran to rescue the sailors, they found the boat empty and deserted. •Astoria
•1883
284 April 27, 2014 Japanese shipwrecks on Oregon coast likely predate Columbus The case of John Ottoson (ne Otokichi) in 1832 illustrates what can happen: Blown off to sea by a gale, he and his comrades rode the Kuroshio Current to Washington State — much to the astonishment of Dr. John McLoughlin. •Oregon Coast
283 April 20, 2014 Bad batch of “dehorn” alcohol killed 28 hobos on Skid Road The alcoholic derelicts of on Burnside Street knew they could count on denatured alcohol for a cheap-but-nasty buzz; it might make them sick, but it wouldn't kill them. But then, one day, it did. •Portland
•1934
282 April 13, 2014 Beavercreek Bomber: Give me $1 million or the lights go out Calling himself “J. Hawker,” David Heesh dynamited several high-voltage powerline towers, then threatened to keep it up unless ransom was delivered; the FBI busted him using a CB radio trick. •Clackamas County
•1974
281 April 6, 2014 Cayuse tribe's world-beating ponies are now very rare Legendary "Cayuse pony" breed gave Indians far more endurance and speed than settlers' mounts, a fact that cost gambler and horseman Joe Crabb most of his ready cash on "The Day Pendleton Went Bankrupt" •Pendleton, Umatilla Indian country
•1800s
280 March 30, 2014 Iconic movies filmed in Oregon, Part Three: 1975-1989 As a filming location, Oregon really started to come into its own in the 1980s, and many locals can point to key cultural touchstones that played out right in their home towns. •Astoria; Mt. Hood; Lane and Deschutes counties; Portland
279 March 23, 2014 Iconic movies filmed in Oregon, Part Two: 1965-1975 By the early 1960s, word started getting out in Hollywood about Oregon's virtues as a place to shoot on location. Productions made here during these eventful years follow changes in popular culture in an almost spooky way. •Salem; Deschutes, Lincoln, Lane and Baker counties
278 March 16, 2014 Iconic movies shot in Oregon, Part One: 1908 to 1952 As a place to go shoot pictures on location, Oregon has become pretty popular in the last few dozen years. But the Beaver State's contribution to early cinema, though more sparse, was surprisingly influential. •Astoria; Lane and Deschutes counties; Columbia Gorge
277 March 9, 2014 Brutal “Oregon Boot” made our state prison famous Named after the warden who invented it, the “Gardner Shackle” eventually caused serious musculoskeletal damage; many former inmates limped for the rest of their lives as a result of habitually wearing one. •Salem
•1800s
276 March 2, 2014 After logger's murder, bordello madam mysteriously vanished Shortly after Charles Lyons' body was found, the owner of the bordello in which he'd been partying skipped town and was never heard from again. Could she have been his murderer? Or was she an unknown killer's second victim? •Klamath Falls
•1911
275 Feb. 23, 2014 Hank Vaughan in middle age: The outlaw as elder statesman In 1883, Eastern Oregon's wildest horse-rustling gunfighter gave up his stock-thieving ways (mostly) and became a wheat farmer. But to say he'd settled down wouldn't quite be accurate. •Pendleton-Umatilla area
•1880s
274 Feb. 16, 2014 Hank Vaughan: Becoming the West's most successful rustler The Oregon frontier's most colorful almost-outlaw spent a dozen years dodging posses and slipping in and out of the Indian reservation with stolen horses and cattle. Some of his exploits are still being talked about today. •Pendleton-Umatilla area
•1880s
273 Feb. 9, 2014 Legendary hell-raising rustler Hank Vaughan: The early years Quick to make both friends and enemies, Oregon's most famous frontier cowboy and almost-outlaw was a gifted horseman and rustler. But his hard-drinking, quick-shooting ways nearly got him lynched as a teen. •Canyon City, Brownsville
•1870s
272 Feb. 2, 2014 Opium culture a long-forgotten part of the urban underworld A century ago, the drug had a dark, smoky allure for the "fast" young men and women of Oregon cities, and smuggling routes through Portland were supplying the entire West Coast with the exotic, deadly stuff. •Portland and other cities
•1870s to 1920s
271 Jan. 26, 2014 Charming gentleman by day, highway robber by night Charles "Black Bart" Bolton's neighbors in San Francisco thought his money came from ownership in gold mines. It turned out it came from furtive excursions northward to rob stagecoaches in Oregon and northern California. •Siskiyou Mountains
•1875-1883
270 Jan. 19, 2014 Portland is home of world's only working PT boat from WWII Twenty years ago, PT-658 was a weatherbeaten hulk, rotting away at a pier in San Francisco Bay. Today, it's a priceless piece of American history that you'll occasionally see on the waters of Portland Harbor. •Portland harbor
•1992
269 Jan. 12, 2014 Portland's Vaudeville mayor made city famous (and infamous) Adorably boisterous and hearty, Mayor George Baker was the life of every party. But if you were a supporter of organized labor or an anti-war activist, he and his "Mayor's Secret Police" goons were not your friends. •Portland
•1917 | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
Dr. Dareld Morris
A Florida doctor is under fire after running a controversial commercial linking men who support Hillary Clinton to low testosterone levels.
Via Mike Cernovich:
TRENDING: Unhinged Quebec Woman Pascale Ferrier Identified as Suspect in Case of Ricin Letter Sent to Trump White House
NBC 2 reported:
It’s a controversial commercial hitting Southwest Florida airwaves.
The doctor says it’s a humorous way to promote his business and also join the political discussion. But some radio listeners aren’t laughing.
“Most are not aware of the effect low T can have on your mental state. For instance your ability to focus and think clearly,” he said.
Dr. Dareld Morris of Morris Medical and Weight Loss Center in Fort Myers is issuing a warning to all men regarding their testosterone levels.
“As a community service, for any guys out there that are thinking of voting for Hillary, I want to offer you a free testosterone test. Let’s see if we can help,” Dr. Morris says in his ad. | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
Is this actually news? No, probably not. But if you’d like to end your Thursday workday with some fun news, here you go. Indiana’s now the overwhelming leader to land Romeo Langford, according to the cavalcade of recruitniks behind 247’s Crystal Ball.
With the news from the New Albany star’s father last night that he’ll no longer consider Louisville after Rick Pitino’s departure, Indiana’s pulled into the lead per the service. That’s behind predictions from a number of recruiting writers both nationally and from team sites covering schools like Kentucky and Duke. Some are assuredly more ‘in the know’ than others, but it’s still something. Worth note, of course: Jerry Meyer, one of 247’s national experts, flipped from Louisville to Kansas for Langford after last night’s news.
Does any of this mean anything?
No.
Or at least probably not. Langford’s been tipping his hand to take his time with his decision, and that’s about all the family has given in terms of outside information. This likely won’t be a recruitment that plays out publicly.
Still, here you go. Enjoy your evening. | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
New York (CNN) -- The dispute surrounding a student vacation flight from New York to Atlanta is getting uglier.
One hundred one students and eight chaperones were kicked off an early morning AirTran flight before its scheduled departure Monday. The controversy now pits the airline against an Orthodox Jewish high school.
"We take this matter seriously and have started our own investigation," said a statement released Tuesday by Rabbi Seth Linfield, executive director of the Yeshiva of Flatbush school. "Preliminarily, it does not appear that the action taken by the flight crew was justified."
From the airline's perspective, it sounds like a large-scale version of the parental "don't-make-me-turn-this-car-around" scenario.
Southwest, which owns AirTran, said the group of "non-compliant passengers" would not stay seated, and some were using their mobile devices after being asked not to. When the students failed to comply with requests from the flight crew, including the captain, they were asked to leave the plane, delaying the AirTran flight for 45 minutes, said Southwest spokesman Brad Hawkins.
Southwest Airlines acquired AirTran in a deal announced three years ago.
Students and chaperones from the Brooklyn-based school said the flight crew overreacted to the teenagers who were looking forward to visiting Six Flags and rafting, among other activities.
"It blew out of proportion. It was a mountain out of a molehill," said teacher Marian Wielgus, one of the chaperones.
According to Wielgus, some students may have had to be told twice to sit down or turn off their phones, but everyone listened.
"They certainly did not do what the stewardess was claiming they did," she said. "That's what was so bizarre."
Travelers take aim at kids on a plane
Wielgus said the flight attendants were "nasty," "overreacting" and "created an incident when there didn't have to be one."
According to Southwest Airlines, the group violated safety regulations.
Wielgus said she would understand if individual students who were not complying had been asked to leave, but she objected to the collective punishment.
Wielgus said a "small group" of students in the back of the aircraft were chatty, but that did not warrant the flight crew to force an entire group of 109 people off the plane.
"It was so ugly," she said.
Rabbi Joseph Beyda, another chaperone, said none of the students on the plane was particularly loud or disruptive. And when he saw that the flight attendant was flustered and had asked students to leave, he asked which kids were causing issues and offered to help, but she refused.
"They just simply said 'get off the plane,'" Beyda said.
Beyda's Twitter account included a joking photo of the class labeled "whitewater rafting in Milwaukee!!" It's not clear when it was taken, but some of the students did have a layover in Milwaukee after they were put on other flights.
Student Jonathan Zehavi said he felt they were targeted because they are an identifiably Jewish group.
"They treated us like we were terrorists; I've never seen anything like it. I'm not someone to make these kinds of statements," Zehavi said. "I think if it was a group of non-religious kids, the air stewardess wouldn't have dared to kick them off."
Zehavi said Southwest Airlines is attempting to cover up an unprofessional and rash decision by saying their group was not cooperating with the crew, when in fact they were, he said.
Kid-free 'Quiet Zones' launched on airline
"It was 4 o'clock in the morning. The last thing any of us wanted to do was get up and make a mess," Zehavi said.
But business passenger Brad Rinschler, who takes the commuter flight three times a month, said he saw "definitely less than eight" chaperones with the students. He saw only two adults walk off the plane with the kids. And the chaperones sat in the front of the plane, while the noisy students sat in the back. Rinschler sat in business class, he said.
He said about 10 of the more than 100 students didn't listen to the flight crew's instructions and were noisy, swapping seats to sit beside friends and using their cell phones.
"They were laughing at them and ignoring them," Rinschler said of the 10 students.
The crew gave the students "multiple chances" to heed preflight instructions.
"The pilot warned them. They did not comply. They thought it was a joke. You know, it wasn't a joke," Rinschler said.
"I've never seen this," he added. "It's a commuter flight. There's no families on it."
Rinschler didn't witness any anti-Semitic events. "Absolutely not," he said. "There was not one ethnic slur from anyone on the flight crew or anyone who was inconvenienced for two hours.
"If they were adults, they wouldn't have even had that many chances. That's the bottom line," Rinschler said.
How to behave on an airplane
One chaperone pleaded with the pilot and security for another chance.
"One chaperone — not two, not eight — one talked to them asking for a second chance. The pilot said, 'You had a second chance, you had a third chance. There's other people; we have to go. It's not stopping,' " Rinschler said.
Another student in the group, Michael Mamiye, said he was one of the first to be kicked off the plane. He said a flight attendant did not give him a chance to turn off his cell phone before asking him to "get off the plane."
The same flight attendant then told the captain that the students were "making trouble" and not turning off their phones, he added. The captain didn't come out of the cockpit until the last second when he asked the group to leave, Mamiye said.
According to Mamiye, he and his classmates were quiet and were sitting down as they were told. And when they were asked to leave, they left in a respectful and orderly fashion.
"We were more behaved than kids should be," he said.
Both Beyda and Mamiye said the airline's customer service did its best to accommodate the group by getting them on the next available flights. But the group had to be split up and they were in transit for a total of 12 hours, Mamiye said.
Boy, 11, hops plane to Rome without ticket or passport
As the day went on, students and staff talked about their experiences on Twitter. Some of their tweets are posted here.
.
If you can't see the tweets, you can view them on Storify. What do you think? Share your views in the comments area below. | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
Check out our new site Makeup Addiction
add your own caption
add your own caption
I LOVE TEACHERS Schieffer: I THINK WE ALL LOVE TEACHERS | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
Download #Illini Emoji Keyboard
Fighting Illini Athletics is thrilled to unveil the new messaging Illini Emoji Keyboard, thanks to the partnership with Snaps. The University of Illinois is now one of only two collegiate athletics programs to launch a branded messaging keyboard.
The UofI Emoji keyboard features emojis, stickers, and GIFs that can be sent through any direct messaging platform (text, Facebook messenger, etc.). Fighting Illini fans will find both campus and athletics-specific emojis they can send to share their #ILLINI pride with everyone!
Fans can download the keyboard for free from the App Store or Google Play by visiting the following link: http://bit.ly/UOIkeyboard
Emojis
Stickers | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
Washington (CNN) The White House isn't saying that President Donald Trump supports Roy Moore. But Trump's aides are openly acknowledging something close : They need Moore's Republican vote in the Senate.
"I'm telling you that we want the votes in the Senate to get this tax bill through," White House counselor Kellyanne Conway said when asked on "Fox & Friends" whether Alabamians should vote for Moore in next month's special election. It was a major reversal four days after she said on the same program that "no Senate seat is worth more than a child."
Hours later, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters that Trump is leaving it up to Alabama voters to sort through the sexual allegations facing Moore.
But she acknowledged Moore's party affiliation is a factor, saying that "the President wants people both in the House and the Senate that support his agenda."
By refusing to intervene ahead of Alabama's December 12 special election, Trump is rejecting Senate Republican leaders' view that a Moore victory would bring disastrous consequences for the GOP's brand and needs to be stopped at all costs.
At least eight women have accused Moore of sexually assaulting them or pursuing sexual relationships with them when they were teenagers and he was in his 30s -- including a woman who described in vivid detail Moore's pursuit of her as a 14-year-old on NBC's "Today" on Monday morning.
"He doesn't know who to believe. I think a lot of folks don't," White House budget director Mick Mulvaney said of Trump during a Sunday appearance on NBC's "Meet the Press."
Explaining Trump's tweets attacking Franken, Mulvaney said, "Franken admits it and Roy Moore denies it. So I do think that puts them in two different categories."
White House legislative director Marc Short, during a Sunday appearance on ABC's "This Week," suggested that Trump hasn't campaigned in Alabama because of the credibility of the allegations facing the 70-year-old Moore.
"If he did not believe that the women's accusations were credible he would be down campaigning for Roy Moore. He has not done that," Short said.
He added: "But he's also concerned that these accusations are 38 years old."
Short demurred when asked whether Trump supports Moore. "I think he thinks at this point it is best for the people of Alabama to make the decision for their state," he said.
Sanders similarly deflected on Monday when asked whether Trump supports Moore and wants to see him win.
"The President feels that it's up to the people of Alabama to make that determination who their next senator will be," Sanders said.
Asked again, she acknowledged that "the President wants people both in the House and the Senate that support his agenda." But she added: "We certainly think that this is something that the people of Alabama should decide, and I'm not going to be able to weigh in anything further than those comments."
The White House's interest in Moore's vote -- but not Moore himself -- comes with Trump's push for tax reform facing uncertain prospects in the Senate. Already, Sen. Ron Johnson, a Wisconsin Republican, has said he opposes the current bill , and Trump has attacked Sen. Jeff Flake on Twitter , claiming that the Arizona Republican won't vote for it either. The GOP can afford to lose only two votes -- a third Republican "no" would sink the bill.
Around the same time Conway denounced Moore's opponent in the campaign, Democrat Doug Jones, and said the White House wants Moore's vote on Monday, one of Moore's accusers -- Leigh Corfman, who told The Washington Post that Moore pursued a sexual relationship with her when she was 14 years old -- appeared on NBC's "Today."
She described two encounters with Moore, who took her to his home.
"I wouldn't exactly call it a date. It was a meet. At 14, I was not dating. At 14, I was not able to make those kind of choices," she said.
On a second "meet," Corfman said, Moore "laid out some blankets on the floor of his living room and proceeded to seduce" her, touching her inappropriately and eventually trying to get her to touch him.
Moore has denied the allegations.
For Republicans, Moore's refusal to drop out of the race since the allegations surfaced has led to talk of ejecting him from the Senate if he's elected in deep-red Alabama.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, has led a chorus of Republican lawmakers who have called on Moore to withdraw from the race.
McConnell's camp looked for ways to avoid the special election that pits Moore head-to-head against Jones -- including write-in campaigns by interim Sen. Luther Strange, whom Moore bested in the primary, or Attorney General Jeff Sessions and urging Gov. Kay Ivey to move the election date.
But Republicans in Alabama moved late last week to shut down those avenues for a Republican candidate other than Moore. Ivey said Friday that the December 12 election date won't budge and that she'll support Moore because he is a Republican
"I believe in the Republican Party and what we stand for, and most important, we need to have a Republican in the United States Senate to vote on things like Supreme Court justices, other appointments the Senate has to confirm and make major decisions," Ivey said. "And so that's what I plan to do, is vote for the Republican nominee, Roy Moore."
The Alabama Republican Party issued a statement standing by Moore and refusing to strip him of the party's nomination.
The local support comes even as Alabama's three biggest newspapers -- The Birmingham News, Mobile Press-Register and The Huntsville Times, all owned by the Alabama Media Group -- stripped an editorial across their front pages Sunday headlined: "Stand for Decency, Reject Roy Moore."
"It looks pretty bleak," said one national GOP aide who asked for anonymity to frankly discuss the race. "Unless, by divine intervention, Roy Moore wakes up and decides he shouldn't do this, this is what we're going to be stuck with." | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
Welcome to Money Talks, a new series in which we interview people about their relationships with money, their relationships with each other, and how those relationships inform one another.
Vanessa and Peter are a married couple in their 30s who live in New York City. Vanessa is the director of strategy and copy at an ad agency, and her combined income from work and real estate investments is in the low six figures.
That’s more than three times what Peter earns. While both Vanessa and Peter are creative artists — Vanessa is a writer, storyteller, and podcast host, and Peter is a fifth-generation artist, independent curator, and the gallery director at Lesley Heller Gallery on Manhattan’s Lower East Side — it’s Vanessa’s income that covers the majority of their living expenses.
What’s it like to be in a relationship where the traditional gender roles are reversed, even if you never expected to adhere to those roles in the first place? And how does that affect everything from paying rent to conversations about future children?
The following conversation is lightly condensed and edited for clarity.
Vanessa: One of the first things I learned about Peter was that he was an artist. He lived in Bushwick, and I lived in Greenpoint — which was a nicer neighborhood — so I kind of assumed he didn’t make as much money as the guys I’d been used to dating. I figured he probably doesn’t make as much money as I do.
But there was no explicit conversation about money. It showed itself in our interaction and the kinds of dates we went on. Peter would suggest dates that were like, “Let’s go get some ice cream and hang out at the park,” and I would be like, “Let’s go to this fancy restaurant! Let’s go get drinks at the Carlyle,” which is ridiculously expensive.
Those were the first signs that there was a significant gap between us.
Peter: For our first date, we just got drinks, and obviously, I paid. [After that] it sort of naturally happened that whoever suggested the date was the one who paid.
Vanessa: I was hyper-aware that Peter probably didn’t have that much money, so I wasn’t looking for a guy to take me out to fancy dinners. I just wanted him to be like, “Let me take care of this ice cream. Let me make this experience happen, I’ll take care of it.”
Peter: We had talked about moving in together, but not for a little while longer, and then a series of events kind of threw it in our face right away. There was this opportunity for Vanessa to move into my apartment and we would both pay almost nothing in rent, so we decided to move in together. That was when the real money conversations started.
Vanessa: We were, between the both of us, paying $1,000 in rent for a two-bedroom in Bushwick. We talked about, should I pay more since I’m bringing in more money, [but] we split it half-and-half. I tried to make it easier on him, so I would get groceries more often, I’d pay the Blue Apron bill, and let him have his disposable income.
It was still awkward, at least for me, because I’d come home to these boxes of shoes that I’d gotten online, and dresses that had been delivered, these things that could be considered luxuries.
Peter: I owed about $4,000 in back taxes to the IRS.
Vanessa: I don’t think that Peter was spending very extravagantly at that time.
Peter: No, but nor was money a focus for me at that time. There have been different points in my life when it has been, but at that point I was more focused on what experience I was getting out of a job rather than how much it was paying. Obviously I needed enough to survive, but I’ve always been pretty crafty in that way. It changes when you bring another person into the equation, though, because you’re no longer just thinking about yourself.
We were both still kind of hesitant to reveal how large the income disparity was between us. I didn’t want it to be part of the conversation at that point, because I was more interested in getting to know Vanessa as a person and getting to know our relationship.
Then we found out that our landlord had sold the building, and that the new landlord was planning to evict everyone and double the rent. We had to find a new apartment very, very quickly, and in New York finding an apartment is probably one of the most stressful things you can do.
Vanessa: We also had to pay a regular rent price, because we had definitely been paying under market. So all of a sudden, we were looking at apartments with rent of at least $2,000, if not higher. Peter set his max pretty early on, like, “I can’t pay more than $900 or $1,000,” and I was all, “Okay, that means we’re either living in a dump or I have to be the one to contribute more.” So that’s what prompted us to reveal our incomes to each other and decided that a proportional split was more appropriate.
We were having dinner one night, and we were talking about our respective days, and Peter had expressed some frustration with the art community, saying, you know, “All these kids have $100,000 MFAs, and for what? They’re going to be making $35,000 when they graduate, if that.” He said, “Look at me! How am I expected to live off $40,000?” and I said, “Wait, did you just tell me how much you make?”
He said, “It’s in that ballpark,” and I said, “Damn, that’s a lot lower than I imagined it. Fuck.” I didn’t reciprocate. I didn’t tell him how much I made, because I wanted to sit on that for a little bit and decide how I felt about it.
We had been talking about the future, like what if we get married or what if we had kids, and a couple days after that I sat him down and said something like, “You know, I want you to know that what you’re doing in your career right now is great. You’re building professional equity as opposed to money. But there’s going to be a day where you’re going to be worth more, and I want you to understand that. Because if we have kids one day, I don’t want them to have to live off $40,000 if I die.”
He laughed and just kind of rolled his eyes, but in my mind, I was — you know, as a woman you just kind of project all of your emotions forward, and I was like, fuck, that’s a lot of responsibility on me if we ever have a family, and I’ll need to make sure he’s taken care of if something happens to me.
Peter: Obviously I benefit directly from Vanessa making a lot of money. I was hesitant in the early parts of our relationship to make that a thing, because I didn’t want to change the way we were getting to know each other. Our relationship is very much about equality and respect, and mutual love for each other, and I didn’t want this dependency. It was her choice to go into a field that makes a lot of money, and it was her choice to decide what to do with that money. So when it came down to splitting the costs of things, a lot of the time it was Vanessa saying, “Let me pay more.” I wasn’t about to say, “You make more money, so you have to pay more.”
Vanessa: Once we got engaged, there was a moment when I was like, “Okay, we’re going to be married in a year, so how’s that going to work? Are we going to continue having this proportional income split, for things like rent and bills and groceries, or is his money my money and my money his money?” I had had a conversation with a friend of mine who’s a guy and he — I used to work in finance, so I met him while I was part of that world, and he loves talking about money and investing and all of these things — so he’d been married for about 10 years, and I asked about his financial arrangement with his wife, how they split their money and so on.
He said, “You know, the less you can talk about money with your partner, the better.” It becomes such a drag on the relationship if money’s always being discussed. I liked the idea of taking money out of the equation and helping preserve the romance in the relationship, so maybe the easiest way was what he suggested, which was to pool all your money together so everything comes out of one pot. When you’re going to dinner, you’re not splitting it 80/20 or whatever. Then each person gets an allowance, and they can do whatever they want with that money, and the other person can’t get mad if they spend their entire allowance on a $500 pair of shoes. This method allows for some autonomy, but you’re also in this together.
Peter: [Now that we’re married] we both have the same viewpoint on what we want to spend money on, and most of the time it’s not stuff, it’s experiences.
Vanessa: I haven’t made the comparison of how much disposable income or purchasing power I have now to buy things like shoes and bags vs. what I did when I was single. I want to say that it’s actually increased, at least that’s how it feels, because there’s just a financial benefit to being married. You’re spending as much money, or maybe more, if you’re cooking for one person than if you’re cooking for two. That’s where the savings really is. His additional $40,000 contributes to our pooled income, but we only need to buy one bedspread. That’s where it feels like both of our purchasing power has increased by combining our incomes.
I grew up in a Hispanic household, where I saw my cousins and most of the women in my family either marry men who supported them or, in the case of my mom, she was a working mother and she did contribute equally to my dad, [but] I guess I got mixed messages. One was “go to school, be your own independent woman,” and the other one was “look at that guy over there who makes a lot of money, oh my god you wouldn’t have to work.” So my goal for so long as a woman was to make my own money and be my own person and have a career so I would never get stuck in a relationship like that, where I’d have to depend on somebody.
I had always assumed that it would be equal, that it would be me having my own money and the guy having his own money. What I never considered was the reverse, which is whether I’d be willing to take on the role of the provider.
Peter does contribute, of course, but there is that inequality there, and if we have kids, I’ve told him many times, you might be the one having to stay home while I work because it just makes financial sense. So I have to grapple with that, because I sort of had this idea that I wanted it all, right? I wanted to make my own money and be independent but also keep the potential of being a mother and staying home. But some things turn out to be unrealistic, depending on the choices you make. It was almost coming to grips not about the financial equality, but that the gender roles were reversed.
Peter: To me, it makes total, logical sense that if we were to start a family, that I would be the one to pull out of my career and stay at home and look after them. That sounds pretty amazing to me.
If you have a compelling story about how money comes into play in one of your relationships — whether with a partner, a friend, a sibling, a coworker, or what have you — we want to hear about it! Email [email protected] and [email protected] with a little about yourself. | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
I just got five (5) CD keys from the guys at Sandswept Studios for their brand new game, DETOUR, that launched yesterday on Steam. DETOUR is an incredibly fun RTS game that you really should go play because it’s fun and BECAUSE I TOLD YOU TO.
You can read my review of the game here.
To enter this contest: simply just comment on this post! Be sure to leave a valid email address so we can send the code to you. Steam is required to download and play the game. One comment per person, please.
Contest ends 5/20/2011, good luck!
EDIT: Comments can take several hours before they show up. This is because the comments have to be approved first (to filter out dupe submissions).
EDIT 2: Comments are now closed and winners will be drawn soon.
EDIT 3: Winners have been drawn and notified. Thanks for entering! 😀 | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
Se Maometto non va alla montagna, la montagna va da Maometto. Un tifoso romanista, sicuramente stanco e deluso dalla stagione di Robin Olsen con la maglia giallorossa, ha approfittato di un’occasione particolare per manifestare il suo disappunto. Ieri è andato alla partita del campionato danese tra Odense Boldklub e Copenaghen, l’ex squadra dello svedese: lì ha mostrato un cartellone con un messaggio molto chiaro in dialetto romanesco, in inglese e in danese. “Ripiateve Olsen, take Olsen back, tag Olsen tilbage”. | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
Dera Sacha Sauda Chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh has been sentenced to 20 years of imprisonment after being convicted in a rape case. (Express photo by Vikram Joy) Dera Sacha Sauda Chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh has been sentenced to 20 years of imprisonment after being convicted in a rape case. (Express photo by Vikram Joy)
Self-styled godman Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh’s world turned upside down after a special CBI court handed him a rigorous 20-year imprisonment following his conviction in a rape case. Unable to stand the verdict, the Dera Sacha Sauda chief, who proclaims himself as ‘Saint Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh Ji Insaan’, reportedly threw tantrums inside a makeshift courtroom upon hearing his punishment. The conviction of flamboyant ‘guru’ on charges of raping two of his female followers had sparked widespread protests across Haryana, in which at least 38 people were killed and over 250 injured. The special courtroom within the jail was created on the instructions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, citing security reasons.
Here is a list of all the theatrics which the Dera chief reportedly displayed inside the courtroom.
*Soon after the quantum of his sentence was pronounced, Gurmeet Ram Rahim broke into tears and pleaded for mercy with folded hands. Later on, he refused to leave the courtroom. “Thodi ji riyayat (have some mercy),” a weeping Gurmeet Ram told the judge, DNA reports.
*According to News18, Ram Rahim was not cooperating with security personnel, who warned him that he would be taken inside the jail forcefully if he doesn’t follow the rules. While being dragged out of the court, Ram Rahim, who describes himself as a “scientist” and “de-addiction specialist”, kept on crying saying ‘koi mujhe bacha lo (somebody save me)’, the DNA report adds.
ALSO READ: Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh sentencing live updates: Dera Sacha Sauda chief gets 10 years rigorous imprisonment
*Adding more drama, rape convict Ram Rahim subsequently complained of severe uneasiness as ambulance rushed inside jail premises. “I need urgent medical help and the state will be responsible if anything happens to me,” said Ram Rahim outside court, according to News18.
*Refusing to cooperate with officials, he was eventually taken inside Rohtak jail premises after CMO Dr Deepa ruled out the need for any leniency on medical grounds, News18 reports.
*According to reports, CBI court also directed jail officials to give jail uniform to convict Ram Rahim and also said that he would not be permitted to carry his personal clothes.
📣 The Indian Express is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@indianexpress) and stay updated with the latest headlines
For all the latest India News, download Indian Express App.
© IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
Divine Teaching of the Jade Emperor, introducing Himself and announcing the names of the twelve disciples.
Christmas, 1925:
JADE EMPEROR, or CAO DAI TIEN ONG DAI BO TAT MA HA TAT,
TEACHING THE GREAT WAY FOR THE SOUTHERN QUARTER
I have reigned supreme for millennia.
Those who improve themselves spiritually will receive blessings.
The miraculous way has been taught and followed
Throughout the world for millennia.
Rejoice this day, the 24th of December, the anniversary of my arrival in Europe to teach the Way! Your allegiance brings much joy to me. Blessings will fill this house. The time has come, so be ready to receive my instruction. More miracles will manifest to further persuade you.
Raise high the flag of guidance for all living beings--the born and the unborn! The Way has been successfully shown; Those who improve themselves spiritually will return to Heaven In the palace of splendor.
CHIEU KY TRUNG do dan HOAI SANH
BAN dao khai SANG QUI GIANG thanh;
HAU DUC TAC CU thien dia canh.
HUON MINH MAN** dao thu dai danh.
** The capital letter words are the names of the first 12 disciples of the Supreme Being. The last three names of the last verse are the names of the seance participants
TNHT 1968 p. 5
Contents
Divine Teaching regarding Spiritism and Automatic Writing
January 3 1926:
JADE EMPEROR, OR CAODAI TIEN ONG DAI BO TAT MA HA TAT,
TEACHING THE GREAT WAY TO THE SOUTHERN QUARTER:
SPIRITISM OR AUTOMATIC WRITING.
In spiritism, the medium must meditate deeply so that his spirit will then be able to come to Me, listen to My instructions, and have his body to write down the messages.
Before the session, one must purify both mind and body-do not omit this purification or you risk failure. To practice well, one should keep one's mind pure, not encumbered by everyday living matters, and keep the hands cleansed and deodorized. Deep meditation will allow one's spirit to transcend the body and communicate with Me.
The mediums should be chosen for their advanced spirit so that the session will be fruitful. They should practice vegetarianism, and train themselves toward being completely balanced (as good as Saints, Immortals, and Buddhas) to be able to properly achieve the purpose of the session and transmit the teachings. They are considered My assistants in the propagation of the Way. Spiritual contact cannot be taken lightly. In the reception of vibrations from the spirit, each person has personal vibrations which may be influenced by their own emotions and personality and may interfere: subsequently these writings may not be correct. One should take caution in setting up sessions and in recognizing the authenticity of the writings.
So, after each spiritism session, you have to wait for My approval before any implementation.
TNHT 1968 p.6
Contents
Divine Teaching concerning Unity, Cooperation and the Glorifying of the Way.
(The point where God starts teaching the Way)
February 20, 1926:
JADE EMPEROR, OR CAO DAI TIEN ONG DAI BO TAT MA HA TAT,
TEACHING THE GREAT WAY TO THE SOUTHERN QUARTER:
From My precious throne, flowers are happily and continually blooming more.
Although many different branches are growing out, they will belong later to one same family.
Likewise, you should join together to try your best in serving the Great Way.
With patience and loyalty, you will come back to Me.
It is not easy to find the Way to Nirvana.
I have in My hands all miracles of the universe.
In antiquity, to find Nirvana, one had to cultivate one's self over the course of innumerable lives.
Now, anyone from all over the world can be guided to this Way,
Whose virtuous messengers I am still discovering.
Attempting to change the hearts of the evil ones has brought me sorrow on many occasions.
If one wishes to escape from the suffering world,
One should cultivate one's spiritual self and thus will find Nirvana soon.
Being brothers, you should love each other.
The more virtuous you are, the higher spiritual accomplishments you may attain.
You have to be determined to continue on your way to Nirvana.
You all have the same flesh and blood.
You should understand how miraculous I am. To teach, you have to use skillful and varied means, depending upon the level of the intelligence of the people. The one who does not have enough intelligence will not understand if you present doctrines too advanced for him or her.
I forbid you to criticize others, especially your disciples. Remember that I Myself am in them.
You do not need to have the same name to be in the same family.
By following the same Way, you all have the same father.
In this life span of one hundred years, remember to serve humanity,
And try your best to teach each other Concordance.
Wait for My orders. Your duty and responsibility were predetermined.
I start to teach you now
In Bach Ngoc Kinh (White Pearl Palace), there are males and females. Female Buddhas and Immortals are even more powerful than their male counterparts.
Tr , you have a mission, I will be with you and within you wherever you go. Whatever you are teaching people is considered as from ME. You have to be flexible. You alone are not enough to convince people. You have to help everybody of any sex, from any country to learn My Way. Do not be too strict with them at the beginning. Remember that every living being, including materials and plants, will all eventually be convinced when they listen to My Holy messages through you. Don't worry.
The sun rises from the horizon.
Get together and be ready to start.
Learn the Great Way from the Great Teacher.
You will return to Me at the end of this long, long road.
I have been telling you that I have prepared everything in your heart: Whatever you have in your mind was already predetermined. You need not worry. The Way is reserved for predetermined people. Whoever has worshipped the Demonic Spirit cannot be My disciples.
If there is good, there has to be bad.
It is difficult to distinguish between the two.
Human beings therefore must come to Me
To become Immortals and Buddhas.
If you have already spent all your accumulated blessings and violated God's laws, you are in no way forgiven. If you could not even escape from the secular laws and justice on earth, how could you escape from God's laws? Being your Father, I have to be just and to punish you. Think about punishment and behave yourself. Remember that God is impartial: Don't rely on your Great and Gentle Father to become disrespectful to Him.
TNHT 1968 p. 7
Contents
A Divine Poem
February 23, 1926
To teach children, teach yourself first
The work of education is as important as the work of giving birth.
In each person, there is a part of my spirit
That I cherish and that you have to educate.
That spiritual part then becomes part of society.
TNHT 1968 p. 10
Contents
Divine Teaching Regarding the Veneration of Heaven and of the Divine Eye.
February 25, 1926
THE JADE EMPEROR, or CAO DAI TIEN ONG DAI BO TAT MA HA TAT,
TEACHING THE GREAT WAY TO THE SOUTHERN QUARTER.
Disciple Trung, come into the middle of the room and prostrate before me.
A major ceremony has three offerings: incense and flowers, wine, and tea.
You offer all of these yourself.
As you prostrate, put your hands together with your left thumb pointing at the Ty position [position of the Year of the Mouse] at the base of the ring finger, and with your left hand resting on the upturned right hand underneath.
Henceforth, you are required to wear a special blue costume with large sleeves, askew collar and nine belts. You must also wear cloth shoes. Others wear no shoes.
Why prostrate?
To show your respect.
Why place your hands together in such a manner?
The left hand represents Yang, the sun; the right hand represents Yin, the moon. The combination of Yin and Yang is the Dao, the principle for the creation and evolution of the universe.
Why prostrate twice before a living person?
Two represents the Yin and Yang combined, or the Dao.
Why prostrate four times before a dead person?
Two prostrations are for the person, one is for heaven and one is for the earth.
Why prostrate three times before Saints and Genies?
Because they are the third rank of the celestial classes. This pattern also indicates the unification of Tinh (physical matter), Khi (emotions), and Than (spirit), which is the Dao itself.
Why prostrate nine times before Buddhas and Immortals?
Because they are the creators of the nine heavens.
Why, then, must you prostrate 12 times before Me?
You could not understand. Because I am the Emperor of the universe and have twelve Zodiacs in My hands. Number 12 is thus My own number.
The Eye is the principle of the heart:
Two sources of light (Yin and yang) are the Master;
Light is the spirit;
The spirit is God;
God is Myself.
Since the Dao was established, there has been a lack of the spirit in the miraculous mechanism of enlightenment. With this third salvation, I will allow the Than (spirit) to be unified with the Tinh (physical matter) and the Khi (emotions), leading to a unification of the three elements, which is itself the miraculous mechanism of the enlightenment.
Remember to explain this to disciples.
The positions of Genies, Saints, Immortals, and Buddhas have been unchanged since the Dao was established: so has the technique of spiritual self-improvement, but the Than was not allowed to be unified with Tinh and Khi, so that there was no more enlightenment. I come today to authorize this unification so that you may reach enlightenment.
You now understand that the Than (spirit) is located at the Eye. Explain this to the disciples. The Eye, or the Than (spirit), is the origin of Immortals and Buddhas.
Remember My name when you preach.
TNHT 1968 p.10
Contents
Divine Teaching Concerning the Co-dependency of Truth and Falsehood: Where many beasts have been sent to attack you, yet God has given to you your Virtue.
THE JADE EMPEROR, or CAO DAI
TEACHING THE GREAT WAY TO THE SOUTHERN QUARTER.
Remember that there is falsehood as well as truth. There cannot be one without the other. (divine smile)
Remember that it is very hard to become a worthy disciple: The more I love, the more I challenge. In order to reach Nirvana, you must be worthy; otherwise, you will end in Hell. Love, love, hatred, hatred...Who knows?
Therefore, it is not because I hate that I will not teach, and it is not because I love that I will not seduce. Remember that I have sent many wild beasts to surround you and to bite you every day; but do not worry, because I have already given you an armor for your protection which they can never see and which is your virtue. Always keep it until you return to Me. Remember and obey.
TNHT 1968 p. 13
Contents
Divine Teaching: Who Am I?
Vinh Nguyen Tu, April 7, 1926
THE JADE EMPEROR, or CAO DAI TIEN ONG DAI BO TAT MA HA TAT,
TEACHING THE GREAT WAY TO THE SOUTHERN QUARTER.
Nhien Dang Co Phat (Dipankara Buddha) is Me.
Sakya Muni is Me.
Thai Thuong Nguon Thi (previous life of Lao Tse) is Me.
Who is CaoDai?
Contents
Divine Teaching, Sakyamuni Buddha descends to the Séance where he is happy for the Way is open. And Duc Cao Dai explains the meaning of "Tam Ky Pho Do."
April 8, 1926
Sakya Muni's spiritual messages:
Sakya Muni
Moves Buddhist principle,
Moves Buddhist laws,
Moves Buddhist disciples
To the original "GREAT WAY"
For all living beings.
Great joy! Great joy!
All Angels, Saints, Immortals, and Buddhas are very joyful for the opportunity to be in this third universal salvation!
I will not worry any more about suffering in this world, because all living beings are receiving teachings from the Jade Emperor, or Cao Dai Tien Ong Dai Bo Tat Ma Ha Tat!
CAO DAI
Lich*, did you hear Sakya Muni?
What is "Tam Ky Pho Do?"
It is the Third Universal Salvation.
Why is it called "Pho Do?"
"Pho" means to expose the Great Way, and "Do" means to save all living beings.
How is the Great Way exposed and how are living beings saved?
What are living beings?
Living beings are not a selected group of people as you thought, but include all of humanity. In order to spread the Great Way and to save humanity, the precious principle must be exposed to all people.
Therefore, you must practice meditation well, so you can accompany Trung** this May to spread the Great Way.
Listen and obey.
You will wear a costume similar to Trung's, but in red.
*Lich is the name of the "Dau Su" (Cardinal) of the Confucian Branch.
**Trung is the name of the "Dau Su" of the Taoist Branch.
TNHT 1968 p. 14
Contents
Divine Teaching regarding organising the heavenly appointments and oaths.
April 22nd and 23rd, 1926
The 11th and 12th of the 3rd month of the year of Yang Fire Tiger
THE JADE EMPEROR, or CAO DAI TIEN ONG DAI BO TAT MA HA TAT,
TEACHING THE GREAT WAY TO THE SOUTHERN QUARTER.
You three, my children, listen about your next heavenly duties. Are you happy?
One day late in promoting the faith is one more harmful day for humanity. Although I am concerned, it is the will of your Creator that we will have difficulties spreading the faith. So, Trung, Cu, and Tac, you three should organize in the following way:
At my table, in front of the thrones of the three Dau Su, place a chair with a tablet inscribed with the following words:
"Cuu Thien Cam Ung Loi Thinh Pho Hoa Thien Ton" (The Lord of Thunder and of Spreading of the teachings of the Nine Heavens) with a Kim Quang Tien charm hanging in the middle.
Place the seance table in front of the table of the Five Thunder Lords. After the seance, move the seance table away to create space for the two Dau Su to kneel to take their oaths.
Place another table by the front window.
Listen, Cu: have Tac clean and deodorize himself and dress neatly with a hat . . .
(celestial laughter).
Theoretically, he should wear armour, as in the theater, but it is so expensive that I have excused it.
Tac must stand on the table facing the throne of the Giao Tong. His head should be covered with a 9 dm. red cloth. Make a Giang Ma Xu charm for him to hold.
From now on you must purify yourself until the date of taking the oath.
Cu, when you place the three celestial costumes on the appropriate thrones, you must hold incenses like you did previously for Me to summon the angels to guard these costumes and thrones. Then order the two Dau Su to kneel in front of their throne for Me to draw charms on their bodies. After praying, the two Dau Su must prostrate in front of Me 12 times and in front of the Giao Tong nine times. Then, Giang must announce "Take a seat," and then the Dau Su will sit down.
All disciples then kneel down in three groups. Tac must climb up to his table while you hold the incenses and come to the table of the Five Thunder Lords for Me to summon them. You then proceed to Tac so I can extract his spirit. Remember, Hau and Duc must deodorize their hands in order to be prepapred to prevent Tac from falling. Order the two Dau Su to step down from their thrones, kneel in front of the table of the Five Thunder Lords, immediately in front of the Kim Quang Tien charm, put their hands (joined at the forehead) and take the following oath:
"I am Le Van Trung, whose religious name is Thuong Trung Nhut and Le Van Lich whose religious name is Ngoc Lich Nguyet, before heaven and earth and the Five Thunder Lords, vow to fulfill the duty of guiding all our CaoDai brothers and sisters on the Divine Way, always strictly obeying the orders of our Master without straying onto the wrong path or establishing a deviant tradition. If we commit sins, we will be destroyed by the Five Thunder Lords." Then kneel at the Ho Phap table and make the same vow, except the last sentence shall be,
"If we violate the Divine laws, we will be exiled to Hell by the Ho Phap."
Then Giang will announce, "Take a seat," and the two Dau Su will return to their thrones. The disciples will prostrate two times in front of them.
Then each disciple will come to the front of the table of the Five Thunder Lords to take the following oath:
"I, (name)......., vow that from this day forward, I will follow the CaoDai faith unswervingly. I will unite with all disciples and follow CaoDai laws. If I break with the CaoDai community, I will be destroyed by the sky and the earth."
Then take the same oath in front of the Ho Phap table and then prostrate in front of the two Dau Su. TNHT 1968 p.15
Contents
Divine Teaching regarding The Primordial Creation of the Five Branches of the Great Way and why, in this Third Period, He will not hand out the true teachings to the Earthly Powers.
April, 24 1926
JADE EMPEROR or CAO DAI TIEN ONG DAI BO TAT MA HA TAT
TEACHING THE WAY TO THE SOUTHERN QUARTER.
In present days, transportation has been improved, and people have come to know each other. But people do not always live in harmony because of the very multiplicity of those religions. That is why I have decided to unite all those religions into one to bring them to the primordial unity. Moreover, the Holy Doctrine has been, through centuries, more and more denatured by the people responsible for spreading it. I am so broken-hearted to see that human beings, for the last ten thousand years, have sinned and subsequently suffered life after life in Hell.
I have now firmly resolved to come Myself to save you and not to leave anymore the Holy Doctrine in human hands. You have to be well organized to guide and support each other on your way to Nirvana.
I create then the "Giao Tong" position (Pope) who is the eldest brother of all dignitaries from the "Giao Huu" (Priest) to the "Dau Su" (Cardinal). No one in this world is allowed to have My authority to manage the human spirits. Whoever has well self cultivated will be worth the position I give. Otherwise, all disciples are all equal, and should not establish any sect or party; whoever commits crimes will be excluded from the religion.
TNHT 1968 p.18
Contents
Divine Teaching regarding the initial appointments of heaven.
April 26th, 1926
The 15th day of the 5th month of the year of the Yang Fire Tiger
JADE EMPEROR or CAO DAI TIEN ONG DAI BO TAT MA HA TAT
TEACHING THE WAY TO THE SOUTHERN QUARTER.
Today you have not yet returned to your inner Divine Light.
Understanding people's hearts is hard;
You must wait until your enlightenment.
Because right now you are still not virtuous enough, and others are wild.
Duc and Hau are appointed as Tien Dao Medium Assistant Taoists.
Cu is appointed as Tien Hac Medium Assistant Taoist.
Tac is appointed as Protector Fairy Medium Assistant Taoist.
Trung and Lich are already appointed: keep following My orders.
Ky is appointed as Tien Sac Lang Quan, Giao Su responsible for teaching.
Ban is appointed as Tien Dao Cong Than, Lecturer Taoist.
Cu, implement My orders!
TNHT 1968 p. 19
Contents
Divine Teachings Regarding Help for all beings, even the unborn; the creation of Buddhism and God's decision not to reincarnate anymore.
Truong Sanh Temple (Can Giuoc) Sunday, May 30, 1926
The 19th Day of the 4th Month of the Year of the Yang Fire Tiger.
JADE EMPEROR or CAO DAI TIEN ONG DAI BO TAT MA HA TAT
TEACHING THE WAY TO THE SOUTHERN QUARTER.
I could not believe that you, My disciples, could be so confused!
What is the meaning of "Chieu Ky Trung do dan Hoai Sanh" (Raise high the flag of guidance for all living beings --the born and the unborn)? It means that you have to help all living beings, including even the unborn.
Why did you chase disciples away?
Promise to admit! Open the door!
You must know that if you do not take the opportunity of this third universal salvation to improve yourself spiritually, you will have no more hope to be saved.
I will now reorganize the manner of worship:
You will set up an altar for Me in the middle of the temple between the altars of Quan Am Bo Tat and Quan Thanh De Quan. Thus, the statue of Quan Am Bo Tat (Bhoddisattva Kuan Yin/Guan Yin Ru Lai)will be on my right, and the statue of Quan Thanh De Quan will (Kuan Kung/Guan Gong/Guan Sheng Di Jun)be on my left. On the next row beneath will be different statues of other Buddhas, Immortals, and Saints. The Temple will now be named, "Jade Emperor Temple."
TNHT 1968 p. 20
Contents
Divine Teaching of the Constant Spirit of God not matter what the earthly circumstances. As well as advice to adepts to promote the salvation of humanity.
Monday, May 31, 1926
20th day of the 4th month of the year of the Yang Fire Tiger
JADE EMPEROR or CAO DAI TIEN ONG DAI BO TAT MA HA TAT
TEACHING THE WAY TO THE SOUTHERN QUARTER.
G., congratulations to you.
The spirit of the Divine is constant, regardless of the circumstances. That is what distinguishes you from the other, ordinary people. Ordinary people think of their birth country as their point of origin, even if they have not been there since they were children. However, the Saints think of Nirvana as their point of origin, even after they have incarnated into this world; otherwise, why would they deign to descend into this world to save ordinary human beings? You, too, could return to Nirvana if you cultivate yourself spiritually. To accomplish this, you should think about the millions of human beings who could not escape from the reincarnation cycle and have compassion toward them in order to save them.
TNHT 1968 p. 21
Contents
Divine Teaching regarding Sakyamuni Buddha as Duc Cao Dai/God coming to save living beings under the name Cao Dai Tien Ong Dai Bo Tat Ma Ha Tat. Where God reports, " I am coming not only to save all living beings but also save other higher spirits such as Genies, Saints, Immortals, Buddhas who had to reincarnate to this world to complete their missions." And that, " Henceforth, you will not be able to blame anyone that you have not received My teachings."
Hoi Phuoc Tu (Can Giuoc),
the fifth of the 4th month of the year of the Yang Fire Tiger.
Saturday, the fifth of June 1926
JADE EMPEROR OR CAO DAI TIEN ONG DAI BO TAT MA HA TAT,
TEACHING THE GREAT WAY TO THE SOUTHERN QUARTER
SAKYA MUNI OR CAO DAI TIEN ONG DAI BO TAT MA HA TAT.
The original doctrine was lost for three thousand years and because of Karmic law, I have left it alone. This is now the time for the third universal salvation; Ngoc HuPalace has ordered the saving of living beings. This was predicted clearly in the Buddhist Canon. You were not aware of it simply because you did not make the effort to discover it.
Alas! Lots of people suffered by failed attempts at spiritual self-cultivation. It hurts Me!
I am coming not only to save all living beings but also save other higher spirits such as Genies, Saints, Immortals, Buddhas who had to reincarnate to this world to complete their missions.
All living beings who have an opportunity to be with this third universal salvation should try their best to cultivate their spiritual selves. Success depends on yourselves. The original Buddhist way of cultivation seemed completely wrong at the time. Living beings became confused and disoriented, following the false doctrine of Than Tu for self-cultivation without success. I am coming to reveal to you this miraculous way. You need only follow it to attain enlightenment. Henceforth, you will not be able to blame anyone that you have not received My teachings.
TNHT 1968 p. 22
Contents
A Divine Teaching in French for Two French Guests attending a Séance.
Tuesday, June 8, 1926
the 26th day of the 4th month of the year of the Yang Fire Tiger
JADE EMPEROR OR CAO DAI TIEN ONG DAI BO TAT MA HA TAT,
TEACHING THE GREAT WAY TO THE SOUTHERN QUARTER
CAODAI
(Present at the seance, there were also two French citizens).
This is not the way that one presents oneself in front of God. Ascension.
Re-evocation.
CaoDai, the Supreme.
Among all the creatures on the earth today, you are the most blessed; I have raised you almost to Me in spirit and in wisdom. You have all the proof you need to recognize your station in the cosmos.
Christ came among you. He shed his holy blood for your Salvation. Why have you drawn away from him during the almost two thousand years of his absence? You preach his Good News without understanding it. You have weakened the meaning of his holy teachings. Humanity suffers from the whims of all these false teachers. If only they had followed the same path of Calvary as their Master!
The most precious throne in all the world is that of the first of the true disciples. This teaching, instead of bringing peace and harmony to humanity, has brought it dissension and war.
And so this is why I myself have come to bring you the peace you were promised.
Christ can only return then.
You will understand more things from my disciples.
Goodbye.
TNHT 1968 p. 23
Contents
Divine Teaching regarding ritual.
June 27th, 1926
The 18th day of the 5th month of the year of the Yang Fire Tiger
JADE EMPEROR, or CAO DAI TIEN ONG DAI BO TAT MA HA TAT,
TEACHING THE GREAT WAY TO THE SOUTHERN QUARTER.
The Bach Ngoc Chung (White Pearl Bell) is to be striked the same way.
At the ceremony convening, when "Start Music" is announced, you will play all seven pieces of music and drums.
At the offerings, play three Nam Xuan pieces (South Spring); and the student priests (who are bringing the offerings) will walk seven steps following the character Tâm (Heart). For the chanting you will play the "Dao Ngu Cung" pieces.
Lich, I have given all instruction about rituals in the "New Codes." You must teach that to all disciples for them to follow during ceremony.
Nghia, you must learn the announcements by heart.
Tell Duc to do the same. You three children have to remember well My instruction.
Those children--Nghia, Hau, Duc, Trang, Cu, Tac, and Sang--have to wear white clothing and stand in this order:
Nghia and Duc, as announcers, will stand the outermost at the Ho Phap altar. Then Hau and Trang will form the next circle. Then the next three: Tac in the middle, Cu on right and Sang on left.
Lich will arrange the celebrants for the three inside altars as follows:
The Taoist in the middle,
The Confucian on the right,
The Buddhist on the left.
The tablets of deceased disciples are to be arranged next to My altar according to their branches.
Ky and Kim, as the inner announcers, will stand at the inside altar: Ky on the right, Kim on the left.
Ban and Gioi are the first pair of student priests and will walk in the middle with another pair, who are Ty and Tiep.
Next will be Nhon and Trung on the left, Giang and Kinh on the right.
There should be three tables outside for the three offerings.
At the announcement from inside, the student priests will bring the offerings from the three tables from outside to the offering dignitaries inside.
Trung, you will ask the two elders of the Minh Duong sect to stand inside as the Taoist receivers. The Confucian receivers will be Kinh and Chuong. I will choose the Buddhist receivers later on that day.
(Laughter)
I will tell Minh to come.
(Laughter)
At the three tables outside, there should be two offering dignitaries for each table.
Tuong and Tuoi will be the Taoist offering dignitaries.
Muoi and Van will be the Confucian offering dignitaries.
I will choose the Buddhist offering dignitaries on that day.
(Laughter)
Ban, stand up. Let Me draw the character "Tâm" (heart) first so I can show you how to signify the character with your feet. - (Use your right toes for the first stroke, then lift your right leg. Then move it horizontally as a comma. Stand so that your two feet are at the same horizontal line. Make the strokes now. Move backward a little)
Cu, show him your steps.
Children, watch Me step.
Hieu, bring Me some water.
Why did your step make a reverse character?
Cu, you step correctly. Repeat.
Very well, Cu, it should be so. In order to have a more elegant movement, when you stroke your toes, you bounce the body a little.
(Laughter)
Very well, Ban. The Master continues.
Read again, Nghia.
As the outer announcers say "Tea," then "Kneel," the dignitaries kneel down, put the tea offering at the level above the head. A pair of student priests holds candles and steps forward. When "Kneel" is announced next, they stroke the left foot, raise the right leg and kneel down at the same rhythm with the other three pairs of student priests; when the drum and music start again, they all stand up at the same time and face the altar.
...It has to be so, children...After standing up and facing the altar, the student priests hold the candles and the offerings at their chest. At the second round of drums, they raise the candles and the offerings up and start their seven steps (following the character "Tâm") according to the drum rhythm. I will tell Nhon to drum for you at that time.
(Laughter)
Trung, follow the New Codes for the ceremony.
TNHT 1968 p. 24
Contents
Divine Teaching advising the Heirarchy with the name K.
July 5th, 1926
CaoDai.
People on earth, in order to be rich, you find ways to make money. This is solely from the material point of view. The Angels, Saints, Immortals, and Buddhas, in order to be enlightened, must gain service credits.
I come to save you by establishing a school of credits and of virtues for your spiritual development and enlightenment. Whether or not you become enlightened is totally up to you. Listen to Me! K...If you don't go through My school, you can never be enlightened anywhere else.
My child K...! Very few people go by the White Pearl Gate, but many go to Hell. Think about it and cultivate your spirit. As much as I love you now, so much more will you regret in the future not listening to me when you could.
I have already forgiven you because I know that you will have repented.
Your mission is great. Wait for My orders at the Ngoc Dan (name of a seance).
TNHT 1968 p. 27
Contents
Divine Orders concerning the arrangement of a "Ngoc Dan"
July 15, 1926
JADE EMPEROR, or CAO DAI TIEN ONG DAI BO TAT MA HA TAT,
TEACHING THE GREAT WAY TO THE SOUTHERN QUARTER.
An.........East side.
Bich.......West side.
Tri.........South side.
Hoang...North side.
After everything is arranged in order, Cu will hold the incenses for Me to summon the angels. After that, tell Van to stay inside until the end. If you step out your mind may become unstable.
Tell the children to meditate deeply. Obey! Tac: You must watch them closely at all times.
Have Lich distribute flags to the children, because it is his duty to read the mantra while doing so.
TNHT 1968 p. 28
Contents
Divine Teaching Regarding the Establishment of the College of Women.
Saturday, July 17, 1926
The 8th of the sixth month of the year of the Yang Fire Tiger
JADE EMPEROR, or CAO DAI TIEN ONG DAI BO TAT MA HA TAT,
TEACHING THE GREAT WAY TO THE SOUTHERN QUARTER.
At this 3rd salvation, there will be much hard work for everyone. Male and female are of equal number. Not only males work to become Immortals and Buddhas. As I have said, at the Bach Ngoc Kinh (White Pearl Palace), there are both male and female, and frequently, females are predominant.
So follow My order to establish the female college. Listen and obey! I will always be with you. Don't worry.
H., I assign you to teach and guide all the females. I will share some responsibility with you.
TNHT 1968 p. 28
Contents
Divine Teaching regarding the access to a secret and precious gift through vegetarian dieting of ten days or more per month. Also teaching regarding the cultivation of the Way through inner-meditation.
Ngoc Dan (Can Giuoc)
Saturday, July 17, 1926
The 8th day of the sixth month of the year of the Yang Fire Tiger
JADE EMPEROR, or CAO DAI TIEN ONG DAI BO TAT MA HA TAT,
TEACHING THE GREAT WAY TO THE SOUTHERN QUARTER.
My greetings to all disciples.
Great Joy! Great joy!
All disciples should practice vegetarianism.
Why?
It is not simply that I wish to adhere to tradition and enforce an old law, but that this law is important, or you could never reach the stage of Immortal or Buddha without it.
Allow Me to explain:
Everyone on this earth has two bodies. The earthly one is called the physical; the sacred body, the spiritual.
The spiritual body is formed from the earthly body and therefore may be visible or invisible. This miraculous spiritual body is formed from "Tinh," "Khi" and "Than" by spiritual self-cultivation. This spiritual body is lighter than air.
When it leaves the physical body, it retains the impression of physicality as if it were molded in the body. You cannot become fully enlightened and return to Nirvana if you have "Tinh" and "Khi," but not "Than." You cannot make a spiritual body for the return to Nirvana if you have "Than" but not "Tinh" or "Khi."
For the spiritual body to be created and enlightenment to occur, one must have all three elements: "Tinh," "Khi," and "Than" united. "Tinh" and "Khi" are all materials and will interact with cosmic ether where there is electricity. To reach the universe, the soul must be pure, advanced and therefore lighter than atmospheric air. It must also be as genuinely good as the Saints, Immortals and Buddhas in order to reach those levels. A pure "Than" is produced by a pure body.
Meat-eating creates difficulties for one practicing meditation, in as much as it prevents the practitioner from effectively resolving complications which arise from meditation.
Even if you have no such complications, an impure physical body will create an impure spiritual body, which cannot conduct electricity well. As a result, it will then be struck by lightning and be destroyed in the atmosphere. Even if the impure spiritual body is wise and remains on the earth to avoid the lightning, it will remain an Immortal and never proceed to Buddhahood.
This is why I recommend the practice of complete vegetarianism before attempting meditation.
TNHT 1968 p. 29
Contents | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
You can sleep you know, it does help with your health... and your mind | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
(Formerly: Medical marijuana)
69.51A.005 Purpose and intent.
69.51A.030 Acts not constituting crimes or unprofessional conduct — Health care professionals not subject to penalties or liabilities.
69.51A.040 Compliance with chapter — Qualifying patients and designated providers not subject to penalties — Law enforcement not subject to liability.
69.51A.043 Failure to enter into the medical marijuana authorization database — Affirmative defense.
69.51A.045 Possession of plants, marijuana concentrates, useable marijuana, or marijuana-infused products exceeding lawful amount — Affirmative defense.
69.51A.050 Medical marijuana, lawful possession — State not liable.
69.51A.055 Limitations of chapter — Persons under supervision.
69.51A.060 Crimes — Limitations of chapter.
69.51A.100 Qualifying patient's designation of a specific designated provider — Provider's service as designated provider — Termination — Department may adopt rules.
69.51A.110 Suitability for organ transplant.
69.51A.120 Parental rights or residential time — Not to be restricted.
69.51A.130 State and municipalities — Not subject to liability.
69.51A.210 Qualifying patients or designated providers — Authorization — Health care professional may include recommendations on amount of marijuana.
69.51A.220 Health care professionals may authorize medical use of marijuana — Qualifying patients under age eighteen.
69.51A.225 Students who qualify for the medical use of marijuana — Consumption of marijuana-infused products on school grounds.
69.51A.230 Medical marijuana authorization database — Recognition cards.
69.51A.235 Compassionate care renewals — Rules — Effective date.
69.51A.240 Unlawful actions — Criminal penalty.
69.51A.250 Cooperatives — Qualifying patients or designated providers may form — Requirements — Restrictions on locations — State liquor and cannabis board may adopt rules.
69.51A.260 Housing unit — No more than fifteen plants may be grown or located — Exception — Civil penalties.
69.51A.270 Extracting or separating marijuana resin, producing or processing any form of marijuana concentrates or marijuana-infused products — State liquor and cannabis board to adopt rules.
69.51A.280 Topical, ingestible products — THC concentration.
69.51A.290 Medical marijuana consultant certificate.
69.51A.300 Continuing education programs for health care providers.
69.51A.310 Immature plants and clones, marijuana seeds — Qualifying patients and designated providers may purchase. | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
Current Jackpot
Next Jackpot: $ 22,000,000
Draw date: 09/22/2020
Buy a Lottery ticket now
Latest Result: 26-29-41-52-64+11Next Jackpot: $ 22,000,000Draw date: 09/22/2020
Mega Millions Taxes
Hopefully, you are here because you’re already a Mega Millions winner.
But unfortunately, Mega Millions taxes and the lump sum payment option will greatly reduce those winnings.
Use this tool to see how much a winning lottery ticket is really worth:
Mega Millions Tax Calculator
Where was the lottery ticket purchased? -Select a State- Arizona (5%) * Arkansas (7%) California (0%) Colorado (4%) Connecticut (6.99%) Delaware (0%) Florida (0%) Georgia (6%) Idaho (6.925%) Illinois (4.95%) Indiana (3.23%) Iowa (5%) Kansas (5%) Kentucky (5%) Louisiana (5%) Maine (5%) Maryland (8.95%) ** Massachusetts (5%) Michigan (4.25%) Minnesota (7.25%) Mississippi (5%) Missouri (4%) Montana (6.9%) Nebraska (5%) New Hampshire (0%) New Jersey (8%) New Mexico (6%) New York (8.82%) *** North Carolina (5.499%) North Dakota (2.9%) Ohio (4%) Oklahoma (4%) Oregon (8%) Pennsylvania (3.07%) Rhode Island (5.99%) South Carolina (7%) South Dakota (0%) Tennessee (0%) Texas (0%) Vermont (6%) Virginia (4%) Washington (0%) Washington, D.C. (8.5%) West Virginia (6.5%) Wisconsin (7.65%) Wyoming (0%) Estimated Jackpot Value: Lump Sum Option One-Time Payout (after Taxes) : Annuity Option (30 graduated payments made annually over 29 years) Total Payout (after Taxes) : Example Payments Initial (1st) Payment (after Taxes) : 10th Payment (after Taxes) : 20th Payment (after Taxes) : Final (30th) Payment (after Taxes) :
If winning the lottery is still just a dream, then you’ll know that the odds of your ticket winning certainly aren’t great.
But buying lottery tickets online as part of a Mega Millions pool allows you to play 30 tickets at a time by splitting the cost with other players. So if you really want to be a Mega Millions winner, then this is the cheapest & easiest way to achieve your goal.
Exceptions:
* Non-Arizona residents typically pay 6% state tax.
** Non-Maryland residents typically pay 8% state tax.
*** Winners living in New York City (3.876% extra) and Yonkers (1.323% extra) may be subject to additional taxes. | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
BOCA RATON, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Office Depot, Inc. (“Office Depot,” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: ODP), a leading integrated business-to-business (“B2B”) distribution platform of business services and supplies today announced results for the second quarter ended June 29, 2019.
Consolidated (in millions, except per share amounts) 2Q19 2Q18 YTD19 YTD18 Selected GAAP measures: Sales $2,588 $2,628 $5,356 $5,458 Sales change from prior year period (2)% (2)% Operating income (loss) $(15) $48 $9 $125 Operating income (loss) margin (0.6)% 1.8% 0.2% 2.3% Net income (loss) from continuing operations $(24) $19 $(16) $52 Diluted earnings (loss) per share from continuing operations $(0.04) $0.03 $(0.03) $0.09 Operating Cash Flow (1) $(58) $44 $2 $251 Selected Non-GAAP measures: (2) Adjusted EBITDA $125 $115 $243 $260 Adjusted operating income $71 $63 $138 $156 Adjusted operating income margin 2.7% 2.4% 2.6% 2.9% Adjusted net income from continuing operations $37 $30 $76 $75 Adjusted earnings per share from continuing operations (most dilutive) $0.07 $0.05 $0.14 $0.13 Free Cash Flow (1) (3) $(103) $7 $(89) $177 Adjusted Free Cash Flow (4) $(48) $7 $(34) $177
(1) Both Operating Cash Flow and Free Cash Flow are from continuing operations. (2) Adjusted results represent non-GAAP measures and exclude charges or credits not indicative of core operations and the tax effect of these items, which may include but not be limited to merger integration, restructuring, acquisition costs, asset impairments, and executive transition costs. Reconciliations from GAAP to non-GAAP financial measures can be found in this release as well as on the Investor Relations website at investor.officedepot.com. (3) As used throughout this release, Free Cash Flow is defined as cash flows from operating activities of continuing operations less capital expenditures. Free Cash Flow is a non-GAAP measure and reconciliations from GAAP financial measures can be found in this release. (4) Adjusted Free Cash Flow excludes the Federal Trade Commission cash settlement of $25 million and cash charges associated with the Company’s Business Acceleration Program of $30 million in the second quarter and first half of 2019.
“This quarter was a compelling demonstration of how we are implementing our strategy and utilizing our B2B platform to serve our business customers,” said Gerry Smith, chief executive officer of Office Depot. “Our strong operating results were driven by growth in our BSD division and improving performance at our CompuCom division. Our strategic focus on our B2B businesses, which consists of our BSD and CompuCom divisions, generated over 60% of our revenue and over 90% of our division level operating income in the second quarter. Relative to the first quarter 2019, BSD operating income was up 87% and performance at CompuCom improved significantly, reflecting our intense focus on profitability enabled by our Business Acceleration Program. As we announced last quarter, this program is expected to achieve significant cost savings of at least $40 million this year and over $100 million at full run-rate thereafter.”
“We are also thrilled that Mick Slattery and Stephen Mohan, two highly experienced and proven leaders, have joined us to lead CompuCom and BSD, respectively,” he added. “Our strong performance in the second quarter, traction of our profitability initiatives, and addition of key senior leaders underlie our confidence in our strategic direction and positions us to drive profitable growth in the second half of 2019,” he added.
Consolidated Results
Reported (GAAP) Results
Total reported sales for the second quarter of 2019 were $2.6 billion, a decrease of 2% compared to the second quarter of 2018. The decrease in revenue over the same period last year was the result of lower sales in the Retail division, primarily driven by lower same store sales combined with fewer retail stores, and lower sales in the CompuCom division. The sales decline in the second quarter was partially offset by stronger sales performance in the BSD division. Product sales in the second quarter were down 1% relative to the prior year period. Service revenue was down 6% year-over-year related to lower comparable sales at CompuCom, partially mitigated by a 5% and 7% year-over-year increase in service revenue in the BSD and Retail divisions, respectively. On a same store comparable basis, service revenue increased by approximately 12% in the Retail division. On a consolidated basis, service revenue represented approximately 16% of total Company sales in the second quarter of 2019.
Sales Breakdown (in millions) 2Q19 2Q18 YTD19 YTD18 Product sales $2,183 $2,196 $4,543 $4,619 Product sales change from prior year (1)% (2)% Service revenues $405 $432 $813 $839 Service revenues change from prior year (6)% (3)% Total sales $2,588 $2,628 $5,356 $5,458
In the second quarter of 2019, Office Depot reported an operating loss of $15 million, compared to operating income of $48 million in the prior year period. The reduction of operating income was primarily driven by a $55 million increase in merger and restructuring costs primarily associated with BAP-related charges recognized in the quarter. Office Depot also recognized asset impairment charges of $16 million in the second quarter of 2019, $13 million of which related to impairment of operating lease right-of-use (ROU) assets associated with the Company’s retail store locations, with the remainder relating to impairment of fixed assets. These impacts were partially offset by improved operating results in the quarter versus the prior year period. Net loss from continuing operations was $24 million, or $0.04 per diluted share in the second quarter of 2019, compared to net income from continuing operations of $19 million, or $0.03 per diluted share in the second quarter of 2018.
In the first half of 2019, Office Depot reported operating income of $9 million, compared to $125 million in the first half of 2018. Primary drivers of the reduction are a $52 million increase in merger and restructuring costs largely related associated with BAP-related charges, asset impairment charges of $45 million in the first half of 2019, $39 million of which related to impairment of operating lease ROU assets, and the remainder related to lower operating results. Net loss from continuing operations for the first half of 2019 was $16 million, or $0.03 per diluted share, compared to net income from continuing operations of $52 million, or $0.09 per diluted share, in the first half of 2018.
Adjusted (non-GAAP) Results (5)
Adjusted results for the second quarter of 2019 exclude charges and credits totaling $86 million, primarily comprised of $64 million largely in BAP-related charges, $16 million in asset impairments, $5 million in merger, acquisition and integration-related expenses, as well as the after-tax impact of these items.
Second quarter 2019 adjusted EBITDA was $125 million compared to $115 million in the prior year period. This included adjusted depreciation and amortization (6) of $51 million and $47 million in the second quarters of 2019 and 2018, respectively.
of $51 million and $47 million in the second quarters of 2019 and 2018, respectively. Second quarter 2019 adjusted operating income was $71 million compared to adjusted operating income of $63 million in the second quarter of 2018. The primary driver of this improved performance was stronger results in the BSD division as well as the benefits from BAP-related cost efficiency efforts.
Second quarter 2019 adjusted net income from continuing operations was $37 million, or $0.07 per diluted share, compared to an adjusted net income from continuing operations of $30 million, or $0.05 per diluted share, in the second quarter of 2018.
For the first half of 2019, adjusted operating income was $138 million compared to $156 million in the first half of 2018. Adjusted net income from continuing operations for the first half of 2019 was $76 million, or $0.14 per diluted share, compared to $75 million, or $0.13 per diluted share, in the first half of 2018. The year-over-year decrease in adjusted operating income was due primarily to the impact of retail store closures in the first half of 2019, a decrease in operating performance at CompuCom, partially offset by stronger operating performance at the BSD division.
(5) Adjusted results represent non-GAAP measures and exclude charges or credits not indicative of core operations and the tax effect of these items, which may include but not be limited to merger integration, restructuring, acquisition costs, asset impairments and executive transition costs. Reconciliations from GAAP to non-GAAP financial measures can be found in this release as well as on the Investor Relations website at investor.officedepot.com. (6) Adjusted depreciation and amortization represents a non-GAAP measure and excludes accelerated depreciation caused by updating the salvage value and shortening the useful life of depreciable fixed assets to coincide with the planned store closures under an approved restructuring plan, but only if impairment is not present.
Second Quarter Division Results
Business Solutions Division
The Business Solutions Division reported sales were $1.3 billion in the second quarter of 2019, up 2% compared to the second quarter of 2018. The year-over-year increase reflects strong performance in its core contract channel, the positive impact of acquisitions, increased sales of paper-related products, and growth in certain adjacency categories such as cleaning and breakroom supplies. These positive sales drivers were partially offset by lower revenue generated through the eCommerce channel as the Company increased its focus on higher margin sales opportunities within this channel. Without the impact of acquisitions, sales in the BSD division were down 1%. The Company’s contract channel generated net new customer accounts and drove flat year-over-year organic revenue growth. Including acquisitions, product sales in the second quarter of 2019 increased 2%, while service revenue increased 5% compared to the prior year period.
Business Solutions Division (in millions) 2Q19 2Q18 YTD19 YTD18 Sales $1,328 $1,298 $2,672 $2,626 Sales change from prior year 2% 2% Division operating income $86 $67 $132 $122 Division operating income margin 6.5% 5.2% 4.9% 4.6%
Business Solutions Division operating income was $86 million in the second quarter of 2019, compared to $67 million in the second quarter of 2018, an increase of 28% and a 130-basis point margin improvement as a percentage of revenue. The increase in operating income versus last year was related to a number of factors including improved gross profit margins, lower SG&A achieved through BAP-related cost efficiency initiatives, and improved margin performance in our eCommerce channel.
Retail Division
The Retail Division reported sales were $1.0 billion in the second quarter of 2019, down 5% versus the prior year period. Planned closures of underperforming retail stores contributed to the reported decline with 54 fewer retail outlets at the end of the second quarter 2019 as compared to the prior year, partially offset by a 17% increase in buy online, pick up in store (“BOPIS”) sales. Comparable store sales were down by 4% driven by lower store traffic, partially offset by higher conversion rates, higher sales per customer, growth in BOPIS sales, and increased loyalty program membership. Product sales in the quarter declined 7% compared to the prior period, primarily due to lower sales volume, while service revenue increased by 7% compared to the prior year period. On a same store comparable basis, service revenue increased by approximately 12%, driven by the expansion of our copy and print services, subscription volume, and technology services.
Retail Division (in millions) 2Q19 2Q18 YTD19 YTD18 Sales $1,000 $1,053 $2,175 $2,297 Comparable store sales change from prior year (4)% (4)% Division operating income $9 $22 $76 $94 Division operating income margin 0.9% 2.1% 3.5% 4.1%
Retail Division operating income was $9 million in the second quarter of 2019, compared to $22 million in the second quarter of 2018. The decrease in operating income versus the prior year was largely related to the flow through impact of lower sales and lower product margins, which were further impacted by the deleveraging effect related to store closures. These impacts were partially offset by improvements in distribution and inventory management costs, lower operating lease costs recognized as a result of the new lease accounting standard, and lower SG&A related to various cost savings initiatives. The Retail Division’s operating income results also include the impact of investments in additional service delivery capabilities, sales training, and other customer-oriented initiatives.
During the second quarter of 2019, the Company closed 39 stores and ended the quarter with a total of 1,320 stores in the Retail Division.
CompuCom Division
The CompuCom Division reported sales were $258 million in the second quarter of 2019, down 7% compared to the second quarter of 2018. The year-over-year decrease is due in part to lower project-related revenue from existing customers and lower services volume, partially offset by an increase in product sales during the quarter.
CompuCom Division (in millions) 2Q19 2Q18 YTD19 YTD18 Sales $258 $277 $506 $535 Sales change from prior year (7)% (5)% Division operating income (loss) $1 $6 $(13) $12 Division operating income (loss) margin 0.4% 2.2% (2.6)% 2.2%
CompuCom Division operating income was $1 million in the second quarter of 2019, representing a sequential improvement over the $15 million operating loss in the first quarter of 2019, however down compared to $6 million in operating income in the second quarter of 2018. The year-over-year decrease in operating income was related to lower sales volume, including lower project-related revenue from existing customer accounts without a commensurate reduction in associated labor-related expenses and ongoing expenditures to develop and market additional service offerings. On a sequential basis compared to the first quarter 2019, the increase in operating income was related to higher sales and the impact of BAP-related cost efficiency efforts. The Company continues to take several actions to improve future operating performance, including increased use of automation and technology to further improve service efficiency, simplifying operational structure to improve service velocity, and reorganizing sales efforts to better serve its customers and accelerate cross-selling opportunities.
Corporate and Other
Corporate expenses include support staff services and certain other expenses that are not allocated to the Company’s operating divisions. Unallocated expenses were $26 million in the second quarter of 2019 compared to $33 million in the second quarter of 2018.
The Company’s “Other” segment, which contains the global sourcing and trading operations in Asia and the elimination of intersegment revenues, had no material contribution to sales or operating income in the second quarter of 2019.
Balance Sheet and Cash Flow
As of June 29, 2019, Office Depot had total available liquidity of approximately $1.4 billion consisting of $444 million in cash and cash equivalents and approximately $1 billion of available credit under the Amended and Restated Credit Agreement. Total debt was $712 million, excluding $743 million of non-recourse debt supported by the associated Timber notes receivable. As a result of our adoption of the new lease accounting standard, the Company recognized right-of-use assets and lease liabilities for operating leases on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet, while the accounting for finance leases remained substantially unchanged.
For the second quarter of 2019, cash used in operating activities of continuing operations was $58 million as the Company prepared inventory for the upcoming back-to-school season and increased selected stocking units to reduce distribution costs. Cash results included $4 million in acquisition and integration-related costs and $33 million in restructuring costs, compared to cash provided by operating activities of continuing operations of $44 million in the second quarter of the prior year.
Capital expenditures in the quarter were $45 million versus $37 million in the prior year, reflecting increased investments in our service platform, distribution network, retail experience, and eCommerce capabilities. The Federal Trade Commission cash settlement and cash charges associated with the Company’s Business Acceleration Program in the quarter were $25 million and $30 million, respectively. Accordingly, Free Cash Flow from continuing operations on an adjusted basis was $48 million outflow in the second quarter of 2019.
During the second quarter of 2019, the Company paid a quarterly cash dividend of $0.025 per share on June 14, 2019 for approximately $13 million and made a $19 million scheduled debt repayment on the 2022 term loan. The Company also invested $18 million in the quarter to expand its BSD distribution network and its customer base through acquisitions.
2019 Guidance (7)
“Our team remains committed to building upon our B2B platform, growing service revenues, and unlocking our valuable assets for the benefit of customers and shareholders alike, as we focus on reaching our goals for the year,” Smith said. The Company reaffirms its 2019 guidance as follows:
Previously Issued FY 2019 Guidance Sales $10.8 - $10.9 billion Adjusted EBITDA $525 - $550 million Adjusted Operating Income $325 - $350 million Free Cash Flow(1)(3)(8) $300 - $325 million
(7) The Company’s outlook for 2019 included in this release is for continuing operations only and includes non-GAAP measures, such as adjusted EBITDA, adjusted operating income, and free cash flow. These measures exclude charges or credits not indicative of core operations, which may include but not be limited to merger integration expenses, restructuring charges, acquisition-related costs, executive transition costs, asset impairments and other significant items that currently cannot be predicted without unreasonable efforts. The exact amount of these charges or credits are not currently determinable but may be significant. Accordingly, the Company is unable to provide equivalent GAAP measures or reconciliations from GAAP to non-GAAP for these financial measures. (8) Excludes Federal Trade Commission cash settlement and cash charges associated with the Company’s Business Acceleration Program.
About Office Depot, Inc.
Office Depot, Inc. (NASDAQ:ODP) is a leading provider of business services and supplies, products and technology solutions to small, medium and enterprise businesses, through a fully integrated B2B distribution platform of approximately 1,300 stores, online presence, and dedicated sales professionals and technicians. Through its banner brands Office Depot®, OfficeMax®, CompuCom® and Grand&Toy®, as well as others, the Company offers its customers the tools and resources they need to focus on their passion of starting, growing and running their business. For more information, visit news.officedepot.com and follow @officedepot on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Office Depot is a trademark of The Office Club, Inc. OfficeMax is a trademark of OMX, Inc. CompuCom is a trademark of CompuCom Systems, Inc. Grand&Toy is a trademark of Grand & Toy, LLC in Canada. ©2019 Office Depot, Inc. All rights reserved. Any other product or company names mentioned herein are the trademarks of their respective owners.
FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS
This communication may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements or disclosures may discuss goals, intentions and expectations as to future trends, plans, events, results of operations, cash flow or financial condition, or state other information relating to, among other things, Office Depot, based on current beliefs and assumptions made by, and information currently available to, management. Forward-looking statements generally will be accompanied by words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “plan,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “forecast,” “guidance,” “outlook,” “intend,” “may,” “possible,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “propose” or other similar words, phrases or expressions, or other variations of such words. These forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties, many of which are outside of Office Depot’s control. There can be no assurances that Office Depot will realize these expectations or that these beliefs will prove correct, and therefore investors and stakeholders should not place undue reliance on such statements.
Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements include, among other things, highly competitive office products market and failure to differentiate Office Depot from other office supply resellers or respond to decline in general office supplies sales or to shifting consumer demands; competitive pressures on Office Depot’s sales and pricing; the risk that Office Depot may not be able to realize the anticipated benefits of acquisitions due to unforeseen liabilities, future capital expenditures, expenses, indebtedness and the unanticipated loss of key customers or the inability to achieve expected revenues, synergies, cost savings or financial performance; the risk that Office Depot is unable to transform the business into a service-driven company or that such a strategy will result in the benefits anticipated; failure to execute effective advertising efforts; the risk that Office Depot is unable to successfully maintain a relevant omni-channel experience for its customers; the risk that Office Depot is unable to execute the Business Acceleration Program successfully or that such program will result in the benefits anticipated; failure to attract and retain key personnel, including qualified employees in stores, service centers, distribution centers, field and corporate offices and executive management; disruptions in Office Depot computer systems; breach of Office Depot information technology systems affecting reputation, business partner and customer relationships and operations and resulting in high costs; loss of business with government entities, purchasing consortiums, and sole- or limited- source distribution arrangements; product safety and quality concerns of manufacturers’ branded products and services and Office Depot private branded products; increases in fuel and other commodity prices; increases in the cost of material, energy and other production costs, or unexpected costs that cannot be recouped in product pricing; unanticipated downturns in business relationships with customers or terms with the suppliers, third-party vendors and business partners; disruption of global sourcing activities, evolving foreign trade policy (including new tariffs on certain foreign made goods); a downgrade in Office Depot credit ratings or a general disruption in the credit markets; covenants in the credit facility and term loan; incurrence of significant impairment charges; fluctuation in quarterly operating results due to seasonality of Office Depot business; changes in tax laws in jurisdictions where Office Depot operates; unexpected claims, charges, litigation, dispute resolutions or settlement expenses; the inability to realize expected benefits from the disposition of the international operations; fluctuations in currency exchange rates; changes in the regulatory environment, legal compliance risks and violations of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act; increases in wage and benefit costs and changes in labor regulations; catastrophic events, including the impact of weather events on Office Depot’s business; failure to effectively manage Office Depot real estate portfolio; volatility in Office Depot common stock price, and unanticipated changes in the markets for Office Depot’s business segments. The foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. Investors and shareholders should carefully consider the foregoing factors and the other risks and uncertainties described in Office Depot’s Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Office Depot does not assume any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements.
OFFICE DEPOT, INC. CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (In millions, except per share amounts) (Unaudited) 13 Weeks Ended 26 Weeks Ended June 29, June 30, June 29, June 30, 2019 2018 2019 2018 Sales: Products $ 2,183 $ 2,196 $ 4,543 $ 4,619 Services 405 432 813 839 Total sales 2,588 2,628 5,356 5,458 Cost of goods sold and occupancy costs: Products 1,731 1,737 3,570 3,628 Services 272 295 559 567 Total cost of goods sold and occupancy costs 2,003 2,032 4,129 4,195 Gross profit 585 596 1,227 1,263 Selling, general and administrative expenses 515 534 1,090 1,107 Asset impairments 16 — 45 — Merger and restructuring expenses, net 69 14 83 31 Operating income (loss) (15 ) 48 9 125 Other income (expense): Interest income 5 6 11 12 Interest expense (23 ) (31 ) (46 ) (60 ) Other income, net 2 5 5 6 Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes (31 ) 28 (21 ) 83 Income tax expense (benefit) (7 ) 9 (5 ) 31 Net income (loss) from continuing operations (24 ) 19 (16 ) 52 Discontinued operations, net of tax — (3 ) — 5 Net income (loss) $ (24 ) $ 16 $ (16 ) $ 57 Basic earnings (loss) per common share Continuing operations $ (0.04 ) $ 0.03 $ (0.03 ) $ 0.09 Discontinued operations — — — 0.01 Net basic earnings (loss) per common share $ (0.04 ) $ 0.03 $ (0.03 ) $ 0.10 Diluted earnings (loss) per common share Continuing operations $ (0.04 ) $ 0.03 $ (0.03 ) $ 0.09 Discontinued operations — — — 0.01 Net diluted earnings (loss) per common share $ (0.04 ) $ 0.03 $ (0.03 ) $ 0.10 Dividends per common share $ 0.025 $ 0.025 $ 0.050 $ 0.050
OFFICE DEPOT, INC. CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (In millions, except shares and par value) (Unaudited) June 29, December 29, 2019 2018 (Unaudited) ASSETS Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents $ 444 $ 658 Receivables, net 901 885 Inventories 1,113 1,065 Prepaid expenses and other current assets 100 75 Timber notes receivable, current maturities 831 — Total current assets 3,389 2,683 Property and equipment, net 726 763 Operating lease right-of-use assets 1,380 — Goodwill 939 914 Other intangible assets, net 406 422 Timber notes receivable — 842 Deferred income taxes 253 284 Other assets 260 258 Total assets $ 7,353 $ 6,166 LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY Current liabilities: Trade accounts payable $ 1,089 $ 1,110 Accrued expenses and other current liabilities 1,255 978 Income taxes payable — 2 Short-term borrowings and current maturities of long-term debt 94 95 Non-recourse debt, current maturities 743 — Total current liabilities 3,181 2,185 Deferred income taxes and other long-term liabilities 178 300 Pension and postretirement obligations, net 111 111 Long-term debt, net of current maturities 618 690 Operating lease liabilities 1,183 — Non-recourse debt — 754 Total liabilities 5,271 4,040 Commitments and contingencies Stockholders’ equity: Common stock — authorized 800,000,000 shares of $0.01 par value; issued shares — 620,259,073 at June 29, 2019 and 614,170,704 at December 29, 2018; outstanding shares — 546,348,497 at June 29, 2019 and 543,833,428 at December 29, 2018 6 6 Additional paid-in capital 2,659 2,677 Accumulated other comprehensive loss (83 ) (99 ) Accumulated deficit (204 ) (173 ) Treasury stock, at cost — 73,910,576 shares at June 29, 2019 and 70,337,276 shares at December 29, 2018 (296 ) (285 ) Total stockholders’ equity 2,082 2,126 Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity $ 7,353 $ 6,166
OFFICE DEPOT, INC. CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (In millions) (Unaudited) 26 Weeks Ended June 29, June 30, 2019 2018 Cash flows from operating activities of continuing operations: Net income (loss) $ (16 ) $ 57 Income from discontinued operations, net of tax — 5 Net income (loss) from continuing operations (16 ) 52 Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by operating activities: Depreciation and amortization 102 98 Charges for losses on receivables and inventories 14 18 Asset impairments 45 — Compensation expense for share-based payments 17 13 Deferred income taxes and deferred tax asset valuation allowances (9 ) 25 Contingent consideration payments in excess of acquisition-date liability (11 ) — Changes in working capital and other (140 ) 45 Net cash provided by operating activities of continuing operations 2 251 Cash flows from investing activities of continuing operations: Capital expenditures (91 ) (74 ) Businesses acquired, net of cash acquired (22 ) (30 ) Other investing activities — 2 Net cash used in investing activities of continuing operations (113 ) (102 ) Cash flows from financing activities of continuing operations: Net payments on long and short-term borrowings (48 ) (51 ) Cash dividends on common stock (27 ) (28 ) Share purchases for taxes, net of proceeds from employee share-based transactions (9 ) (3 ) Repurchase of common stock for treasury (11 ) (8 ) Contingent consideration payments up to amount of acquisition-date liability (12 ) — Acquisition of non-controlling interest — (18 ) Other financing activities — 1 Net cash used in financing activities of continuing operations (107 ) (107 ) Cash flows from discontinued operations: Operating activities of discontinued operations — 11 Investing activities of discontinued operations — 63 Net cash provided by discontinued operations — 74 Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents 4 (5 ) Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash (214 ) 111 Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of period 660 639 Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of period — continuing operations $ 446 $ 750
OFFICE DEPOT, INC.
GAAP to Non-GAAP Reconciliations
(Unaudited)
We report our results in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”). We also review certain financial measures excluding impacts of transactions that are not related to our core operations (“non-GAAP”). Management believes that the presentation of these non-GAAP financial measures enhances the ability of its investors to analyze trends in its business and provides a means to compare periods that may be affected by various items that might obscure trends or developments in its business. Management uses both GAAP and non-GAAP measures to assist in making business decisions and assessing overall performance. Non-GAAP measures help to evaluate programs and activities that are intended to attract and satisfy customers, separate from expenses and credits directly associated with Merger, restructuring, and certain similar items. Certain non-GAAP measures are also used for short and long-term incentive programs.
Our measurement of these non-GAAP financial measures may be different from similarly titled financial measures used by others and therefore may not be comparable. These non-GAAP financial measures should not be considered superior to the GAAP measures, but only to clarify some information and assist the reader. We have included reconciliations of this information to the most comparable GAAP measures in the tables included within this material.
The Company’s outlook for 2019 includes adjusted EBITDA, adjusted operating income, and free cash flow. These measures exclude charges or credits not indicative of our core operations, which may include but not be limited to merger integration expenses, restructuring charges, asset impairments, and other significant items that currently cannot be predicted without unreasonable effort. The exact amount of these charges or credits are not currently determinable, but may be significant. Accordingly, the Company is unable to provide a reconciliation to an equivalent net income, operating income or operating cash flow outlook for 2019.
Free cash flow is a non-GAAP measure, which we define as cash flows from operating activities of continuing operations less capital expenditures. We believe that free cash flow is an important indicator that provides additional perspective on our ability to generate cash to fund our strategy and expand our distribution network.
(In millions, except per share amounts) Q2 2019 Reported (GAAP) % of Sales Less: Charges & Credits Adjusted (Non-GAAP) % of Sales Selling, general and administrative expenses $ 515 19.9 % $ 1 $ 514 (9) 19.9 % Assets impairments $ 16 0.6 % $ 16 $ — — % Merger and restructuring expenses, net $ 69 2.7 % $ 69 $ — — % Operating income (loss) $ (15 ) (0.6 )% $ (86 ) $ 71 (10) 2.7 % Income tax expense (benefit) $ (7 ) (0.3 )% $ (25 ) $ 18 (11) 0.7 % Net income (loss) from continuing operations $ (24 ) (0.9 )% $ (61 ) $ 37 (12) 1.4 % Earnings (loss) per share continuing operations (most dilutive) $ (0.04 ) $ (0.11 ) $ 0.07 (12) Depreciation and amortization $ 53 2.0 % $ 2 $ 51 (13) 2.0 %
Q2 2018 Reported (GAAP) % of Sales Less: Charges & Credits Adjusted (Non-GAAP) % of Sales Selling, general and administrative expenses $ 534 20.3 % $ 1 $ 533 (9) 20.3 % Merger and restructuring expenses, net $ 14 0.5 % $ 14 $ — — % Operating income $ 48 1.8 % $ (15 ) $ 63 (10) 2.4 % Income tax expense $ 9 0.3 % $ (4 ) $ 13 (11) 0.5 % Net income from continuing operations $ 19 0.7 % $ (11 ) $ 30 (12) 1.1 % Earnings per share continuing operations (most dilutive) $ 0.03 $ (0.02 ) $ 0.05 (12) Depreciation and amortization $ 47 1.8 % $ — $ 47 (13) 1.8 %
OFFICE DEPOT, INC. GAAP to Non-GAAP Reconciliations (Unaudited) YTD 2019 Reported (GAAP) % of Sales Less: Charges & Credits Adjusted (Non-GAAP) % of Sales Selling, general and administrative expenses $ 1,090 20.4 % $ 1 $ 1,089 (9) 20.3 % Assets impairments $ 45 0.8 % $ 45 $ — — % Merger and restructuring expenses, net $ 83 1.5 % $ 83 $ — — % Operating income $ 9 0.2 % $ (129 ) $ 138 (10) 2.6 % Income tax expense (benefit) $ (5 ) (0.1 )% $ (37 ) $ 32 (11) 0.6 % Net income (loss) from continuing operations $ (16 ) (0.3 )% $ (92 ) $ 76 (12) 1.4 % Earnings (loss) per share continuing operations (most dilutive) $ (0.03 ) $ (0.17 ) $ 0.14 (12) Depreciation and amortization $ 102 1.9 % $ 2 $ 100 (13) 1.9 %
YTD 2018 Reported (GAAP) % of Sales Less: Charges & Credits Adjusted (Non-GAAP) % of Sales Selling, general and administrative expenses $ 1,107 20.3 % $ — $ 1,107 20.3 % Assets impairments $ — — % $ — $ — — % Merger and restructuring expenses, net $ 31 0.6 % $ 31 $ — — % Operating income $ 125 2.3 % $ (31 ) $ 156 (10) 2.9 % Income tax expense $ 31 0.6 % $ (8 ) $ 39 (11) 0.7 % Net income from continuing operations $ 52 1.0 % $ (23 ) $ 75 (12) 1.4 % Earnings per share continuing operations (most dilutive) $ 0.09 $ (0.04 ) $ 0.13 (12) Depreciation and amortization $ 98 1.8 % $ — $ 98 (13) 1.8 %
13 Weeks Ended 26 Weeks Ended June 29, June 30, June 29, June 30, Adjusted EBITDA: 2019 2018 2019 2018 Net income (loss) $ (24 ) $ 16 $ (16 ) $ 57 Discontinued operations, net of tax — (3 ) — 5 Net income (loss) from continuing operations (24 ) 19 (16 ) 52 Income tax expense (benefit) (7 ) 9 (5 ) 31 Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes (31 ) 28 (21 ) 83 Add (subtract) Interest income (5 ) (6 ) (11 ) (12 ) Interest expense 23 31 46 60 Adjusted depreciation and amortization (13) 51 47 100 98 Charges and credits, pretax (14) 86 15 129 31 Adjusted EBITDA $ 125 $ 115 $ 243 $ 260
Amounts may not foot due to rounding (9) Adjusted selling, general and administrative expenses for the second quarter and first half of 2019 exclude charges for executive transition costs of $1 million. Adjusted selling, general and administrative expenses for the second quarter of 2018 exclude charges for executive transition costs of $1 million. (10) Adjusted operating income for all periods presented herein excludes merger and restructuring expenses, net, asset impairments (if any) and executive transition costs (if any). (11) Adjusted income tax expense for all periods presented herein exclude the tax effect of the charges or credits not indicative of core operations as described in the preceding notes. (12) Adjusted net income from continuing operations and adjusted earnings per share from continuing operations (most dilutive) for all periods presented exclude merger and restructuring expenses, net, asset impairments (if any), executive transition costs (if any), loss on modification of debt (if any), and exclude the tax effect of the charges or credits not indicative of core operations. (13) Adjusted depreciation and amortization for all periods presented herein excludes accelerated depreciation caused by updating the salvage value and shortening the useful life of depreciable fixed assets to coincide with the planned store closures under an approved restructuring plan, but only if impairment is not present. (14) Charges and credits, pretax for all periods presented include merger and restructuring expenses, net, asset impairments (if any), and executive transition costs (if any).
OFFICE DEPOT, INC. GAAP to Non-GAAP Reconciliations (Unaudited) 13 Weeks Ended 26 Weeks Ended June 29, June 30, June 29, June 30, Free cash flow 2019 2018 2019 2018 Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities of continuing operations $ (58 ) $ 44 $ 2 $ 251 Capital expenditures (45 ) (37 ) (91 ) (74 ) Free cash flow (15) $ (103 ) $ 7 $ (89 ) $ 177
Amounts may not foot due to rounding (15) Free Cash Flow includes the impact of the Federal Trade Commission cash settlement of $25 million and cash charges associated with the Company’s Business Acceleration Program of $30 million in the second quarter and first half of 2019. Accordingly, adjusting for these items, Free Cash Flow from continuing operations on an adjusted basis was a cash outflow of $48 million and a cash outflow of $34 million, respectively, in the second quarter and first half of 2019. | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
Send this page to someone via email
TORONTO – A new study out of Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto offers both hope and certainty to those suffering from Huntington’s disease, potentially shedding light on how the condition will progress in a patient.
By studying the causes of Huntington’s disease in mice, an international research team at the Hospital for Sick Children believes it may be possible to predict the disease’s progression in human beings.
“Today, understanding why Huntington’s disease progresses fast or slowly in different patients is mostly guesswork,” said Dr. Chris Pearson, lead author of the Sick Kids study. “Our research could allow us to predict how the disease will affect individual patients.”
Huntington’s disease affects an estimated five to 1 out of every 10,000 people worldwide, according to Huntington’s disease Society of America. The genetic disorder is hereditary – it is passed from parent to child – and its trajectory is unique to every patient.
Story continues below advertisement
Symptoms include loss of physical and muscular coordination, cognitive decline, and eventually psychiatric problems, such as dementia.
The findings also extend to 40 different neurodegenerative disorders, including muscular dystrophy and Friedreich’s ataxia.
Difficulty in forecasting path of Huntington’s disease in patients
Because of the chaotic and unpredictable nature of these diseases, doctors today can’t predict how the disease will run its course. Symptoms could take decades to manifest – or they could manifest before birth.
“The diseases I work on are related in that the disease is progressive as you go through the pedigree – the child has it worse than the parent, who has it worse than the grandparent,” Pearson told Global News.
“The mutation also changes as the individual ages. So when you look at individuals even in a family, one sibling will have the disease worse than another, and it will progress faster in them.”
He says this unpredictability often leaves families feeling like they’re in the dark.
“If you were a parent, you would like to know everything you can. Unfortunately, there is no real easy way to get a prognostic indication for these diseases.”
Studying gene that repairs DNA
Pearson’s team looked at the gene responsible for Huntington’s disease in mice who suffered from the disorder. Known as MSH3, the gene is normally responsible for repairing “broken” or mutated DNA. In certain DNA sequences, however, the gene actually causes the mutation rather than prevent it.
Story continues below advertisement
The group was able to identify the gene that makes this mutation happen. In that gene was variants that can make the mutation progress faster or slower. This finding could hold the key to understanding how a patient’s condition will change.
It could even be done in a simple screening process.
“If we find what we found in mice also happens in humans, we can use gene analysis of the variant and say ‘hey, you have this variant, you’re more likely to have the mutation, or less likely, than this other variant.”
Such a prognosis could offer Huntington’s patients much more clarity when they are first diagnosed.
“Right now when genetic counselors identify someone with Huntington’s, we can’t tell you whether that disease will progress quickly or slowly,” said Polly Thompson, communications specialist at the hospital.
“If you’re 20 years old, for example, that’s critical information. You could be planning school, marriage, all sorts of things.”
The study’s findings are an important step, according to Pearson. His next steps are to consider how to stop the gene that causes these mutations.
“We’re looking to attack (MSH3) as a therapeutic target,” Dr. Pearson said. “You target it to stop the repeat mutation in Huntington’s, theoretically.”
Story continues below advertisement
“We’d like to inhibit it, stop it in its tracks, and identify the wrench that goes into the machine.”
[email protected] | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
Wisconsin Democrats on Tuesday flipped a state Senate seat in a GOP-leaning district, prompting excitement among local party officials
Patty Schachtner (D) defeated state Rep. Adam Jarchow (R) in a special election to replace a senator who left for a job in Gov. Scott Walker’s (R) administration, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.
Schachtner, the chief medical examiner in Wisconsin’s St. Croix County, won in the state’s 10th Senate District, which voted heavily for President Trump Donald John TrumpObama calls on Senate not to fill Ginsburg's vacancy until after election Planned Parenthood: 'The fate of our rights' depends on Ginsburg replacement Progressive group to spend M in ad campaign on Supreme Court vacancy MORE and Republican nominee Mitt Romney Willard (Mitt) Mitt RomneySenate Republicans face tough decision on replacing Ginsburg McConnell says Trump nominee to replace Ginsburg will get Senate vote GOP-led panel to hear from former official who said Burisma was not a factor in US policy MORE in the past two presidential elections.
ADVERTISEMENT
Despite Schachtner’s win, Democrats remain in the minority in the state senate, according to the Journal Sentinal.
Schachtner’s victory in the western Wisconsin district drew attention from U.S. Rep. Ted Lieu, who suggested Tuesday night’s result was a sign of things to come.
Result in #SD10 is another canary in the coal mine for #GOP. Dems keep winning seats because @realDonaldTrump keeps doubling down on his shrinking base. Also, coal is not coming back. https://t.co/G99P2lUjJq — Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) January 17, 2018
Democrats have expressed optimism heading into November’s midterm elections in the wake of successful campaigns at the state and local level.
The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee touted Schachtner’s win as the 34th district to flip from Republican-held to Democrat-held since President Trump was inaugurated a year ago.
Democrats won governor races in New Jersey and Virginia, a special U.S. Senate election in Alabama and several other state races late last year. | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
One week after being unable to run the ball against the Eagles, and more importantly finish drives, the Packers committed to their ground game against the Cowboys. The result was multiple big plays on the ground, 4 rushing touchdowns (all by Aaron Jones), and an important road victory against a very good Cowboys team.
With their best wide receiver sidelined due to injury, the Packers had to have success on the ground. They did so by attacking with their staple zone runs and by utilizing motion and misdirection to keep the Cowboys Defense off balance.
On this first play, an 18-yard touchdown run, the Packers used an RPO to open up running lanes. You can see below that they had a trips bunch to the right, which took 3 defenders with it to the outside at the snap. The X-receiver on the backside also ran his man off.
The Packers were left with a light box of just 6 defenders, which they attacked with an inside zone run.
By leaving the backside end man on the line of scrimmage unblocked, they were able to get a clean 5-on-5 matchup. Aaron Jones did the rest.
On their next drive, the Packers were able to gain 15 yards on another inside zone run to the left.
There are a few things to watch on this play. First, focus on center Corey Linsley. He was quick out of the box, beating the nose tackle to his gap and then swinging his hips and feet underneath him to seal off the inside.
This enabled rookie left guard Elgton Jenkins to quickly get to his responsibility at the second level and seal off the outside, creating a spacious alley for Aaron Jones to run through.
One more element to note on this play is how Aaron Jones drew linebacker Jaylon Smith towards the line of scrimmage by attacking downhill quickly. He then was able to burst through the gap to Smith’s right.
That’s a great job by Jones of setting up his run.
This next play looked like the same inside zone action up front. Look at the flow of the offensive line to the left. Aaron Jones read the front, felt the flow, and cut it back off the edge.
This is one of the great elements about zone runs. The ability to get the defense flowing fast in one direction and the opportunities for cutbacks can create some big plays.
The Cowboys have one of the fastest defenses in the NFL, and they normally defend the run well. When they’ve struggled, it’s been because teams use their speed against them with zone schemes that create flow, over-pursuit by defenders, and big cutback lanes.
We also saw the Packers use motion to successfully influence defenders, similar to what the Rams did in the playoffs last year. The below outside zone run is a good example. The play side was to the right. But watch how the motion to the left along with the tight end releasing left, removed linebacker Leighton Vander Esch from the play. This left a large cutback lane for Jones.
Aaron Jones showed great vision and feel all game. He was also decisive with his cuts, which is what you want in a zone scheme.
Additionally, he made several plays out of nothing. There were two “direct snaps” to Jones on Sunday that actually were not intended to be direct. They were bad snaps that Jones was able to quickly react to and snag. Not only did he prevent disaster, he gained 18 yards total between the two plays.
Jones also did a great job catching the ball out of the backfield. On the below screen pass, for instance, watch how he made Leighton Vander Esch miss (a common theme from Sunday) before delivering a brutal stiff arm on Jaylon Smith.
Speaking of making something out of nothing, Green Bay’s passing game wouldn’t have pissed a drop in the first half if not for Aaron Rodgers. His receivers had a difficult time creating much separation, and Rodgers did not have a ton of time. Still, he fit some tight passes into tiny windows, and made things happen with his movement skills.
On this first throw, Rodgers had time, but had to thread the needle. That’s not much separation by his intended receiver, Marquez Valdes-Scantling (top of the screen). 18 yards nonetheless.
On this next play, Rodgers had no one open. He was forced to flee the pocket due to pressure, and the threat of his legs created an opening for tight end Jimmy Graham.
Rodgers pulled a rabbit out of his hat a few plays later. Once again, his receivers created no separation. Once again, he was under pressure. Once again, he made something happen.
It’s amazing that Aaron Rodgers has been somewhat forgotten in discussions about the best quarterbacks in the NFL. He still might be #1.
The further the Packers get into the season, the more multi-dimensional they will become on offense. After years of relying on just one player to carry the offense (and team at times), the Packers finally seem to have multiple elements on this side of the ball. This group will only become more dangerous as they gain experience in Matt LaFleur’s system.
Like what you read? Follow us on Twitter @FB_FilmRoom (Football Film Room) for more insight and analysis. | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.