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Dear members,
The memories of our last meetup are still vivid in our minds and we had a great time with all of you. Therefore, we keep on doing, what we love to do. Deliver our lovely community yet another evening packed with interesting facts about blockchain and insights in great projects.
We are pleased to present you our schedule. This time with:
• Melonport AG and watermelon, the asset management computer
John Orthwein / https://melonport.com/
• Polkadot, a heterogeneous multi-chain technology
Edward Thomson / https://polkadot.network/
• Blockchainbuero, connected to blockstream satellite
Philipp Büchel / http://www.blockchainbuero.com/
• Avado, your personal gateway to the decentralized web
Bernd Lapp / https://ava.do/
We hope you are as excited as we are for this splendid line-up and are looking forward to another interesting evening with you.
All the best and see you soon.
Klaus & team | {
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Vice President Mike Pence spoke at an anti-LGBT conference, becoming the first sitting VP to speak at such a gathering. Pence attended the Values Voter Summit, which was hosted by the anti-gay Family Research Council. Other members of the Trump Administration were present including Mike Pompeo and Ben Carson.
This wouldn’t be the first time Pence attended the conference. Back in 2016, he addressed the conference. While Trump took to the stage last year.
So, what’s Pence speaking about. He is set to discuss how How Gender Ideology Harms Children. Featured on this panel are anti-LGBTI figures such as Dr. Paul McHugh and Peter Sprigg. The panel is hosted by Dr. Michelle Cretella, president of the American College of Pediatricians (ACPeds). | {
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Trump to kick off 2020 re-election campaign in Florida
From immigration confrontations to trade wars and the economy, Al Jazeera looks at Trump’s achievements and failures. | {
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Using this tutorial you should be able to learn how to solve a Rubik's cube in as little as one day! This is for the standard 3x3 Rubik's cube.
Shorthand Abbreviations
In order to tell you how to manipulate your cube, some language needs to be established in order to guide you in the right direction.
F = Front
B = Back
L = Left
R = Right
U = Up
D = Down
Figure 1
When you see these letters in a series, it means you're going to rotate that face of the cube clockwise, as if you were looking at that face. The times this is most often confused is when using the L face and D face. It takes some getting used to in order to visualize which way is clockwise, but it gets easy with practice. The only other shorthand you will see me use is the small letter "I". This indicates counterclockwise spinning of the face. The same rule applies as before, it's counterclockwise as if you were looking at that face. The shorthand looks like Fi, Bi, Li, Ri, Ui, and Di. Also note that "2" can be placed in front of any of these to indicate that you do it "twice" or 180 degrees. Also, now would be a good time to mention that these indicate the front/back/sides/etc depending on how you're holding it at the time. The "front" face doesn't always have to be a certain color. It's all relative to how you're holding it for that particular move.
Before we move into some of the beginner's algorithms used, there is one main concept I want to show you. The "middle" pieces, or the pieces that never touch an edge, are permanently in place. They will never change position in relation to each other. This is absolutely the most important thing to keep in mind. That means that we will be moving the edge and corner piece around the middle pieces because the middle pieces will never actually move. To demonstrate this, there is a picture of a Rubik's cube disassembled. In addition to the middle pieces, there are two other types: edge, and corner pieces. Edge pieces have 2 colored stickers on them, and corner pieces have 3. Note that no matter how much you move these around, if an edge piece has a blue and orange sticker on it, it will always be the blue and orange edge piece. That means each of the 26 pieces only has one correct place, so solving "one side" is pointless unless you have the edge pieces in the correct place. More on this later.
Figure 2
So now onto algorithms. The 3x3 Rubik's cube can be solved in 7 simple steps, every time. You can learn to follow these algorithms in a day, and memorize them with a 2nd day's worth of practice. What I'm teaching you is the easiest way to remember, not the fastest. There are a few additional algorithms that can help get your time below 2 minutes with minimal effort. I may add these at a later date, but for now I'm just supplying you with the easiest to follow and understand.
Step 1 - The Cross
Remember how I said the middle pieces never move in relation to each other, and edge pieces only have on correct place? Here's where you can start applying that knowledge. The ultimate goal of this first step is to create a cross (in this case, the white side) with the edge pieces having the matching color of the adjacent side's center piece. There really aren't any algorithms that can be used to simply solve this step, so it's mostly intuitive. I will, however, provide one algorithm that should at least help you. Here is the ultimate goal of the first step:
Figure 3 Figure 3
Now let's say you end up with something like this following picture. You have two edge pieces in the right plane, but they need to be swapped. The easiest way to move these edge pieces is to rotate them into the bottom plane, twist the bottom, and rotate them back into the top plane. The algorithm in this case is: 2R, Di, 2F [which will put the green/white piece into place] D, 2R [puts the red/white piece in correct position.] This is just one example, but just remember to get the white edge piece into the bottom plate, rotate the bottom place until it's below where it needs to go, then rotate it up to where it needs to be. It's mostly intuitive, but this should help.
Figure 4
Step 2 - Top Corners
Once you have your cube looking like Figure 3 it's time to solve the white corners. There are 4 corner pieces with a white sticker on them, and 2 other colors. First find a white corner piece in the bottom layer and line it up between the two sides it's supposed to be between [i.e. If it's a white/blue/orange piece, rotate the bottom layer until it's between the blue and orange sides.] and this algorithm will flip that piece up into the spot in the top layer directly above it. For example you start with the first one (orange on the underside of the white corner piece) and want to flip it up.
→
Figures 5 and 6
The algorithm used here is: Ri, Di, R, D (x1, x3, x5) Note that you may have to do this algorithm several times depending on the orientation of the white face on the bottom corner block. If it's facing down, you'll have to do it three times, or if it's facing the opposite direction then you will have to repeat it five times. It may be tedious but once you learn how to move the pieces around there is an easy shortcut to learn. This is fine for now. Repeat on all 4 corners. You may have a white corner "stuck" in the top layer already but in the wrong position or in the wrong orientation. Just rotate the cub and perform this algorithm once to get it into the bottom layer and then shift the bottom layer until it's below where it needs to be, then repeat the algorithm until it's in the right orientation. Easy enough? I hope so. Here's how your cube should look.
Figure 7 Figure 7
Step 3 - Middle Edges
At this point in time it's best to flip your cube 180 degrees so white is now on bottom and yellow is now on top. Remember, the F/B/U/D/L/R indicates the face you're manipulation depending on how you're holding the cube, they don't correlate to any specific color. Now we'll be solving the middle edges. This is an exciting step because your cube will start to resemble the finished solution. The first thing you'll want to do is get one of the edge pieces lined up with the middle piece below it, similar to how you solved the cross in step 1. There are two ways they can be lined up (remember each piece only has 1 place it's supposed to go.) They are shown in the two figures below:
&
Figures 8 and 9: Note these are not the same configuration
Figures 8 and 9: Note these arethe same configuration
In both cases, the red will be considered the front face.
Case 1 (Figure 8): U,R, Ui, Ri, Ui, Fi, U, F .
Case 2 (Figure 9): Ui, Fi, U, F, U, R, Ui, Ri .
Repeat this for each corner piece. If you have a middle edge piece stuck in the wrong place you can use this algorithm once to get it out, move it to the correct place, then repeat it to put it in it's correct place. Here is the result after you finish this step.
Figure 10 Figure 10
Step 4 - The Top Cross
This will be similar to step 1, but we won't worry about lining up the correct edge pieces just yet, we'll do that in the next step because it's easiest to keep these parts separate. As of now your top layer should resemble one of the following.
OR OR
Figures 11, 12, and 13. Note there can be other yellow squares present.
ORORFigures 11, 12, and 13. Note there can be other yellow squares present.
These are the only three possible configurations unless your cross is already solved, in which case you're extremely lucky. Regardless, whichever one you're on determines how many times you repeat the following algorithm. Figure 11 you'll repeat it the most times (about 3) and figure 13 you'll only need to do it once. Note that if you start at Figure 11, you may have to reorientate your cube to make it look like one of the above figures. So here's the algorithm: F, R, U, Ri, Ui, Fi . Repeat as necessary. The following figure is an example of what your cube might look like. The only important part is the yellow cross on top, also note that the edge and corner pieces aren't matched yet. That is coming up next.
Figure 14 Figure 14
Step 5 - Matching the Edge Pieces of the Cross
This part should be fairly easy. All we're doing is matching up the yellow/anycolor edges up with the color of the center piece below, similar to how we did the first white cross (Figure 3). Until you learn some of the shortcuts, you'll just have to keep repeating the algorithm until you get everything lined up. It shouldn't take more than 3-4 times. First, line up at least one of the edge pieces with where it's supposed to go, as illustrated.
Figure 15 Figure 15
With the blue face as your "Front" face, perform the following algorithm several times until every edge piece matches up similar to your first white cross. Use this algorithm: R, U, Ri, U, R, 2U, Ri . Repeat until all edge pieces match up with the center pieces below them. The final result is pictured below:
Figure 16
Step 6 - Rotating the Corners
In this step we're just rotating the corner pieces around so they're at least in the correct position - we'll change the orientation in step 7 and we'll be done! I've found the easiest way to do this is make sure the corner piece in the "top right" position is in the correct place and use the algorithm from there, this ensures the fastest route possible is taken (using this algorithm, anyway.) If all pieces are in incorrect spots just start on any side, it doesn't matter. Here's an example of a good place to start, using red as your "front" face, of course.
Figure 17 Figure 17
The algorithm used to switch the corner pieces is: U, R, Ui, Li, U, Ri, Ui, L . Remember the corner pieces just have to be in the correct position, not the correct orientation. If after the corner pieces are in their correct position, there is a slight chance that they will already be correctly oriented. If that's the case, you're lucky. If not, continue to step 7!
Step 7 - Orientating the Last Corner Pieces
This last step is a little finicky and can take some patience/creativity to solve. To keep things simple I'm just going to teach one last algorithm, although there are at least 4 you can use to solve it faster depending on how your cube is set up at this point. I'll show you a couple different scenarios and you should be able to decide how to proceed from there. First of all I'll show you what exactly this algorithm does to help you figure it out with a little bit of intuitiveness (yes, that's a word.) Here is the algorithm used in this step (I know, it's very long, but bear with me!): L, U, Li, U, L, 2U, Li, Ri, Ui, R, Ui, Ri, 2U, R
Figure 18: The best way I can describe what happens is the two corner pieces on the right face turn the upper-face of the corner "in-wards." Figure 18: The best way I can describe what happens is the two corner pieces on the right face turn the upper-face of the corner "in-wards."
Scenario 1: There are two same-colored cubes adjacent to each other. You can solve at least these two corner pieces in one move without messing anything else up. Just use the algorithm once, easy as pie.
Figure 19 Figure 19
Scenario 2: There are two opposite-colored cubes adjacent to each other. Same deal as scenario 1 but you'll need to perform it twice (once to get them to the same color, once again to orient them correctly.)
Figure 20
Scenario 3: One corner piece is solved, but there are 3 that are unsolved. In this case you'll have to use your best judgment using your knowledge. If two corners have adjacent colors facing up, set up those two on the right face and use the algorithm in that orientation first. If not, it's super important to orient one of the outside corners first. If you solve the corner connecting the other two you will have two non-contiguous unsolved corners, which will just take you longer to solve.
Scenario 4: Two unsolved corners at opposite corners of the cube. This is the biggest pain in the butt. See if you can solve one of the cubes by picturing how it will be oriented after you use the algorithm (refer to figure 18.) This will most likely take 3 tries until it's solved. So after you finish this step you should be done!
This is the first version if this tutorial. There are likely typos which aren't a huge deal, but if you keep trying and trying and this guide isn't helping you solve your Rubik's cube, there may be a typo in one of the algorithms. If this is the case, please don't hesitate to e-mail and I'll see if I can fix it. [email protected] | {
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Another notch in the belt of Robert Mueller?
The New York Times‘ Maggie Haberman reported Wednesday afternoon that Special Counsel Mueller has subpeoened Roger Stone-connected “birtherism conspiracy theorist” and author Jerome Corsi.
Corsi is also connected to InfoWars’ Alex Jones.
Corsi has written books like “Where’s the Birth Certificate?” “Partners in Crime: The Clintons’ Scheme to Monetize the White House for Personal Profit,” “Who Really Killed Kennedy?: 50 Years Later: Stunning New Revelations About the JFK Assassination,” and “Killing the Deep State: The Fight to Save President Trump.”
Corsi has been subpoenaed to appear Friday before a grand jury.
According to the Times, Corsi’s lawyer David Gray believes Mueller is going to ask about Corsi’s conversations with Stone.
Gray said his client “intends to comply with the subpoena.” Mueller is reportedly looking into Stone’s connection to the hacked DNC internal emails that were dumped on WikiLeaks before the 2016 election, as well as Stone’s contact with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.
We already knew that Mueller might be closing in on Stone given the number of those connected to him who have been subpoenaed by the special counsel. Stone himself is well aware of it.
Stone recently sent out an email to supporters asking for legal aid in advance of a supposed frame-job by Mueller, who he identified as an agent of the “deep state.”
Stone said Mueller is attempting to “frame” him.
“Robert Mueller is coming for me,” Stone said. He claimed to be on a “hit list” and later said in a text that Mueller “may frame [him] for some bogus charge […] to silence me or induce me to testify against the president.”
This happens after former Stone aide Andrew Miller was held in contempt for ignoring Mueller’s subpoena. Miller lost a challenge of Mueller’s authority and is now appealing that ruling.
In recent days, the so-called “Manhattan Madam,” Kristin Davis, another former aide to Stone, agreed to a voluntary interview.
Then there’s Randy Credico, a radio host/comedian acquaintance of Stone’s, who Stone reportedly asked to contact Assange. He also was subpoenaed by Mueller and said he planned to comply.
One other thing Mueller was reportedly looking into regarding Stone was “threatening emails.”
[Images via Matthew Cavanaugh/Getty Images, Alex Wong/Getty Images]
Have a tip we should know? [email protected] | {
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[인사이트] 이별님 기자 = 대한민국에 첫 금메달을 목에건 임효준 선수가 블랙핑크 제니의 팬임을 밝혔다.
12일 NAVER TV 2018 평창동계올림픽 쇼트트랙 채널에서 공개된 SBS '영웅의 신청곡'에서는 대한민국에 첫 금메달을 안겨준 임효준 선수의 신청곡이 공개됐다.
'영웅의 신청곡'은 선수들의 영상과 신청곡을 합쳐서 만든 특별 영상으로 선수들의 노고를 응원하기 위해 제작됐다.
공개된 영상에서 임 선수는 아이돌 그룹 블랙핑크의 히트곡 '마지막처럼'을 신청했다.
'마지막처럼'을 신청한 이유에 대해서 임 선수는 "블랙핑크의 멤버 제니를 좋아한다"며 "너무 팬이다"라고 수줍게 말했다.
제니를 좋아한다며 수줍게 미소짓는 임 선수의 모습에서는 금메달리스트의 강인함보다는 20대 초반 청년다운 순수함이 느껴졌다.
하지만 임 선수는 이후 SBS 측과의 인터뷰에서 신청곡을 바꾸고 싶다는 의사를 전했다.
임 선수는 블랙핑크의 '마지막처럼' 대신 자신의 아버지가 좋아하는 봄여름가을겨울의 '브라보 마이 라이프'를 신청했다.
좋아하는 아이돌 그룹 멤버보다 자신을 위해 희생한 아버지를 먼저 생각했던 것이다.
영상 후반에는 임 선수가 결승선을 1위로 통과하는 장면과 금메달을 목에 거는 장면이 '브라보 마이 라이프'와 어우러지는 장면이 나왔다.
봄여름가을겨울의 명곡 '브라보 마이 라이프'의 선율과 임 선수가 금메달을 따고 환호하는 모습이 어우러지면서 감동적인 장면이 연출됐다.
한편 임 선수는 지난 10일 남자 쇼트트랙 1,500m 결승전에서 2분10초485의 올림픽 신기록을 세우며 1위를 차지했다.
7번 쓰러져도 임효준 다시 일어서게 만든 어머니의 진심 담긴 한마디쇼트트랙 대표팀 임효준이 수술대에 7번 오를 때마다 어머니의 마음은 무너져내렸지만 아들 앞에서 힘든 내색을 하지 않았다.
임효준 옆에서 '손가락 욕설' 논란 일어난 네덜란드 선수의 해명쇼트트랙 남자 1500m 시상식서 '손가락 욕설' 논란이 일어난 네덜란드 쇼트트랙 간판스타 싱키 크네흐트가 해명에 나섰다.
이별님 기자 [email protected] | {
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Former FBI Director James Comey James Brien ComeyDemocrats fear Russia interference could spoil bid to retake Senate Book: FBI sex crimes investigator helped trigger October 2016 public probe of Clinton emails Trump jabs at FBI director over testimony on Russia, antifa MORE’s much-hyped interview with George Stephanopoulos aired on ABC’s “20/20” Sunday night, with huge ratings guaranteed.
What were the main takeaways?
It’s on — Comey hit Trump full-force
Comey threw big punches from start to finish, beginning with some derisive comments about the President Trump Donald John TrumpOmar fires back at Trump over rally remarks: 'This is my country' Pelosi: Trump hurrying to fill SCOTUS seat so he can repeal ObamaCare Trump mocks Biden appearance, mask use ahead of first debate MORE's appearance and concluding with his belief that Trump is “morally unfit” to sit in the Oval Office.
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There were many other extraordinary moments, including Comey’s assertion that it's possible Trump is compromised by Russia, an acknowledgement that he considered Trump an outright liar since their first private post-inauguration meeting and his insistence there is “certainly some evidence” that the president has obstructed justice.
There was also a shrugging dismissal of Trump’s denial that he told Comey that he hoped the then-FBI director could let the investigation into former national security adviser Michael Flynn go.
When Stephanopoulos noted that the president had denied saying such a thing, Comey replied with evident disdain: “Yeah, well, what am I going to do? He did."
The president and the former FBI director are now in a state of virtual war.
Trump has assailed Comey on Twitter in recent days as “a weak and untruthful slimeball,” “slippery” and “the WORST FBI Director in history."
There will be no cessation of hostilities anytime soon.
Did he go too far?
Given how Comey holds himself out as a paragon of ethical leadership — his book is titled “A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies, and Leadership” — it seemed incongruous to hear him mock Trump’s hairstyle and facial coloring.
Comey repeated the detail, included in the book, that he assumes Trump has small white circles beneath his eyes because of the use of tanning goggles. Of the famous Trump hairstyle, he told Stephanopoulos that “it looks to be all his” and added wryly that "it must take a heck of a lot of time in the morning.”
On a human level, it’s easy enough to see why Comey would bear enmity toward Trump (and vice versa). And the president is, of course, famous for the aggressiveness of his personal jabs.
Still, Comey’s overall approach is discordant with former first lady Michelle Obama Michelle LeVaughn Robinson ObamaMichelle Obama: 'Don't listen to people who will say that somehow voting is rigged' Michelle Obama and Jennifer Lopez exchange Ginsburg memories Social media platforms put muscle into National Voter Registration Day MORE’s famous maxim: “When they go low, we go high.”
Comey’s assertion that it is “possible” that Trump is compromised by Russia will also likely draw some hot comments in the next 24 hours.
He provided no specific evidence to back up that claim. Critics will contend that a former FBI director should not make such an incendiary charge without providing his basis for doing so.
Fresh ammunition for both sides
Those who like Comey and those who loathe him will both find enough in the ABC interview to reinforce their positions.
The former FBI director offered plausible, detailed recollections of his meetings with Trump — and appeared to say nothing substantively inconsistent with previous accounts.
He also has at least some capacity for self-criticism, acknowledging the validity of other points of view and the fact that he has struggled with his ego for much of his life.
For those less favorably disposed toward him — on the left as well as the right — it’s easy to see how Comey’s earnestness can seem sanctimonious.
It’s also noticeable that, for all the times Comey is willing to publicly agonize over whether he did the right thing, he almost always concludes that he did.
No big regrets
Comey was forthright about how he felt in the closing stretch of the 2016 election campaign, after he made his bombshell announcement that the FBI had renewed its investigation into former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham ClintonButtigieg stands in as Pence for Harris's debate practice Senate GOP sees early Supreme Court vote as political booster shot Poll: 51 percent of voters want to abolish the electoral college MORE's emails.
“It sucked,” he told Stephanopoulos, adding that he “walked around vaguely sick to my stomach, feeling beaten down.”
But he continues to defend his conduct in that regard, as he does his earlier public announcement that he had found nothing that would make a prosecutable case against Clinton. He also stands by his actions in relation to Trump.
In the full transcript of the interview, which includes many details that were not broadcast, he contends, “The honest answer is I screwed up a couple of things.” But overall, he adds, “these were the decisions that were best calculated to preserve the values of the institutions. It was terrible for me, terrible. But I still think it was the right thing to do.”
A shadow campaign is underway
The White House clearly sees the threat Comey poses. He has already proven himself to be perhaps Trump’s most tenacious and dangerous adversary.
The pushback against him has come not only from the president’s Twitter feed, but from the podium of the White House briefing room, where press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders called Comey “a disgraced partisan hack” on Friday.
Media commentators on both sides have also joined the fight with glee.
The situation was ramped up further on Sunday night.
Just before the broadcast ended, the Republican National Committee emailed reporters with a rebuttal of some of Comey’s points — a tactic more characteristic of debate nights than TV interviews during a president’s second year in office.
One other curious quirk came when viewers, at least in the Washington market, got to see a TV ad defending special counsel Robert Mueller Robert (Bob) MuellerCNN's Toobin warns McCabe is in 'perilous condition' with emboldened Trump CNN anchor rips Trump over Stone while evoking Clinton-Lynch tarmac meeting The Hill's 12:30 Report: New Hampshire fallout MORE in one of the commercial breaks. The ad was paid for by a group called Republicans for the Rule of Law.
If it wasn’t clear before, it is now: We are right in the middle of a quasi-election campaign.
Instead of conventional candidates, it is Comey, Mueller — and Trump himself — whose fates hang in the balance. | {
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Image copyright Reuters Image caption Nearly 10 million people took the Gaokao exam in China last week
A US university will begin accepting the Chinese university entrance exam known as the Gaokao in an effort to attract more Chinese students.
The University of New Hampshire will be the first state university in the US to accept the standardised placement test.
China is the largest exporter of students to the US, with 377,000 currently enrolled in US universities, according to government data.
An estimated 10 million students took the nine-hour test in China last week.
The exam - which takes place over two days in June each year - is taken by nearly every Chinese pupil and plays a crucial role in determining a person's career and future prospects.
A 'life-defining' test
Howard Zhang, BBC Chinese Service Editor
Gaokao literally means High Exam. It refers to the annual National Higher Education Entrance Exam in China, similar in format to the SAT in the United States.
Millions of Chinese high school seniors who sit through this highly competitive multi-subject exams each year see it as a life-defining moment.
Graduates who make it into top universities often end up in top companies and with good careers. Those who fail to enter university are often condemned to a life with little prospects.
Almost 10 million students sat through this year's Gaokao; one out of four won't end up with a university place.
The Gaokao predates modern times, having its roots in imperial China.
The University of New Hampshire had 781 international undergraduate and graduate students on campus last fall, according to the Union Leader newspaper - double the figure from five years previous.
About half of those foreign students - 357 - came from China.
As part of the new initiative, the university has launched a recruiting website in Chinese and English.
"This initiative is part of UNH's commitment to attracting more and stronger applicants from around the world," said university spokeswoman Erika Mantz.
"This new programme will in no way limit access for New Hampshire students," she added.
Image copyright Reuters Image caption The students see huge public support during the Gaokao season - here some are being cheered on their way to sit the tests in Anhui
In addition to submitting their Gaokao results, students must also take an English test, participate in a video interview and send their high school transcripts before moving forward with the application process.
Ms Mantz added that the process was still being finalised, but that Chinese students may still need to take the American SAT or ACT exam.
Students who are accepted will be able to begin classes in Durham this January, allowing them to start a semester early.
Previously, students from China would have had to wait for a new application period to begin in the autumn, putting them behind the rest of the first-year class.
A similar programme at the University of San Francisco, a Jesuit college, allows Chinese students to bypass US standardised tests altogether and instead submit just their Gaokao score, grades, and English language interview.
Image copyright BBC/ Gaokao Image caption A maths question on the 2014 exam asks: "If A= {}, and B={}, then A I B = ( )"
Up to three percent of Chinese students bypass the Gaokao by paying to for an "international track" programme, which prepares them for standardised testing abroad.
International enrolment - in which students are required to pay full priced tuition - helps universities bolster revenue.
The University of New Hampshire charges $45,000 (£34,000) per academic year for tuition and housing costs.
Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Chinese students explain why they came to the US - and how college life differs to home
Dozens of universities in Europe, Australia, and Canada already accept Gaokao results on applications.
The US university's decision comes amid a federal crackdown on Chinese student visas.
The Trump administration announced in March that it is considering limiting the visas as part of a broad package of measures against China, which the US accuses of violating American intellectual-property laws.
The goal, the White House says, is to reduce "economic theft by non-traditional intelligence collectors".
Details have not been officially announced, but students studying high tech manufacturing fields, such as aviation and robotics, are expected to now receive visas with shorter lengths of stay.
The Associated Press reported in late May that US consulates have been directed by the Department of State to now only issue Chinese students with one-year - rather than five-year - visas. | {
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北海道と小樽市は9月23日、新たに新型コロナウイルスの感染者が1人ずつ、あわせて2人確認されたと発表しました。 ●小樽市 ・60代男性（職業非公表）：すでに感染判明の女性（年齢・職業非公表）との濃厚接触者 この男性は、22日発表の女性患者の濃厚接触者としてPCR検査を受けたところ、22日に陽性と判明しました。 無症状で会話は可能です。 小樽市によりますと、この関連で8件の検査を行い、陽性が確認されたのは… | {
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When someone commits suicide, their family and friends can be left with the heartbreaking and answerless question of what they could have done differently. Colin Walsh, data scientist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, hopes his work in predicting suicide risk will give people the opportunity to ask “what can I do?” while there’s still a chance to intervene.
Walsh and his colleagues have created machine-learning algorithms that predict, with unnerving accuracy, the likelihood that a patient will attempt suicide. In trials, results have been 80-90% accurate when predicting whether someone will attempt suicide within the next two years, and 92% accurate in predicting whether someone will attempt suicide within the next week.
The prediction is based on data that’s widely available from all hospital admissions, including age, gender, zip codes, medications, and prior diagnoses. Walsh and his team gathered data on 5,167 patients from Vanderbilt University Medical Center that had been admitted with signs of self-harm or suicidal ideation. They read each of these cases to identify the 3,250 instances of suicide attempts.
This set of more than 5,000 cases was used to train the machine to identify those at risk of attempted suicide compared to those who committed self-harm but showed no evidence of suicidal intent. The researchers also built algorithms to predict attempted suicide among a group 12,695 randomly selected patients with no documented history of suicide attempts. It proved even more accurate at making suicide risk predictions within this large general population of patients admitted to the hospital.
Walsh’s paper, published in Clinical Psychological Science in April, is just the first stage of the work. He’s now working to establish whether his algorithm is effective with a completely different data set from another hospital. And, once confident that the model is sound, Walsh hopes to work with a larger team to establish a suitable method of intervening. He expects to have an intervention program in testing within the next two years. “I’d like to think it’ll be fairly quick, but fairly quick in health care tends to be in the order of months,” he adds.
Suicide is such an intensely personal act that it seems, from a human perspective, impossible to make such accurate predictions based on a crude set of data. Walsh says it’s natural for clinicians to ask how the predictions are made, but the algorithms are so complex that it’s impossible to pull out single risk factors. “It’s a combination of risk factors that gets us the answers,” he says.
That said, Walsh and his team were surprised to note that taking melatonin seemed to be a significant factor in calculating the risk. “I don’t think melatonin is causing people to have suicidal thinking. There’s no physiology that gets us there. But one thing that’s been really important to suicide risk is sleep disorders,” says Walsh. It’s possible that prescriptions for melatonin capture the risk of sleep disorders—though that’s currently a hypothesis that’s yet to be proved.
The research raises broader ethical questions about the role of computers in health care and how truly personal information could be used. “There’s always the risk of unintended consequences,” says Walsh. “We mean well and build a system to help people, but sometimes problems can result down the line.”
Researchers will also have to decide how much computer-based decisions will determine patient care. As a practicing primary care doctor, Walsh says it’s unnerving to recognize that he could effectively follow orders from a machine. “Is there a problem with the fact that I might get a prediction of high risk when that’s not part of my clinical picture?” he says. “Are you changing the way I have to deliver care because of something a computer’s telling me to do?”
For now, the machine-learning algorithms are based on data from hospital admissions. But Walsh recognizes that many people at risk of suicide do not spend time in hospital beforehand. “So much of our lives is spent outside of the health care setting. If we only rely on data that’s present in the health care setting to do this work, then we’re only going to get part of the way there,” he says.
And where else could researchers get data? The internet is one promising option. We spend so much time on Facebook and Twitter, says Walsh, that there may well be social media data that could be used to predict suicide risk. “But we need to do the work to show that’s actually true.”
Facebook announced earlier this year that it was using its own artificial intelligence to review posts for signs of self-harm. And the results are reportedly already more accurate than the reports Facebook gets from people flagged by their friends as at-risk.
Training machines to identify warning signs of suicide is far from straightforward. And, for predictions and interventions to be done successfully, Walsh believes it’s essential to destigmatize suicide. “We’re never going to help people if we’re not comfortable talking about it,” he says.
But, with suicide leading to 800,000 deaths worldwide every year, this is a public health issue that cannot be ignored. Given that most humans, including doctors, are pretty terrible at identifying suicide risk, machine learning could provide an important solution. | {
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Essi Leppänen
Elinkautisen loppumetrejä juoksevalle Juha Heinoselle teatteri on instrumentti, jolla tutkia yhteiskunnan ongelmia, puolustaa sorrettua ja vähäosaista.
Tampereen Nekalassa syksy raapii puita ja kadulla kulkevien sieluja.
Legioonateatterin Toinen valinta -näytelmä päättyy neljän näyttelijän riipivään yhteislaulukohtaukseen ja sanoihin: ”Aion kuolla vapaana!”
Toinen valinta on elinkautisvanki Juha Heinosen (s. 1966) kirjoittama kahden miehen kasvukertomus hiekkalaatikolta rikolliseksi, pakkaus mustinta huumoria, periytyvää huono-osaisuutta ja mahdollisuutta muutokseen.
Vankila oli täydellinen luottamuksen menetys ihmisiin.
Jostain hyvin syvältä näihin aiheisiin on tultu. Mennään ajassa taaksepäin.
Juha Heinonen aloitti kirjoittamisen 23-vuotiaana. Kirjoittamisen kannuksia Heinonen hankki työskentelemällä viisi vuotta raskaan kaluston ammattilehdissä.
ILMOITUS
– Hemingwayn mukaan jokaisen kirjoittajan tulee olla viisi vuotta lehtitoimittajana jotta oppii tiivistämään. Mutta ei yhtään enempää, muuten kieli kuolee, Heinonen kertoo työhuoneellaan KRIS-Tampere ry:n tiloissa.
Vuonna 1995 Heinonen lähti Oriveden opistoon etsimään sanataiteen työkaluja. Risto Ahdin ja Liisa Endwallin opissa karisi luulot runoilijuudesta. Opiston neuvo oli lopettaa ”hölynpöly” ja keskittyä joko esseistiikkaan tai teatteriin, jotka olivat Heinosen vahvuuksia. Opistoaikana hän kirjoitti Pyhä toimitus -näytelmän, jota esitettiin Lahden Pikkuteatterissa punaviinin ja harrastajien voimin.
– Siitä näytelmästä ei kukaan ymmärtänyt yhtään mitään, Heinonen hymähtää.
Opisto aiheutti kuitenkin vakavan kirjoitusblokin. Kirjoittamisesta katosi hauskuus, siitä tuli työtä.
– Vuonna 1997 jouduin palaamaan freelancer-toimittajan hommiin ja se oli takapakkia kaikkeen. Kyllä sillä vuokran ja laskut maksoi, mutta sanataide kuoli mun kohdalla pitkäksi aikaa.
Pettymys synnytti näytelmän
Vuonna 2001 Heinonen tuomittiin elinkautiseen vankeusrangaistukseen murhasta. Alkoi kaksitoista ja puoli vuotta suljetussa vankilassa. Heinonen ja lukuisat asianajajat tappelivat kolme vuotta tuomiosta eri oikeusasteissa.
Mitä vankila opetti?
– Ihmisvihan. Vankila oli täydellinen luottamuksen menetys ihmisiin. Ja siinä onkin poisoppimista, Heinonen toteaa rauhallisesti.
– Rutiini on selviytymisen keino. Ja se, oppiiko rutiinista rehellisin nahoin pois, on ihmiskohtaista.
Lähes koko tuomionsa ajan Heinonen työskenteli vankilan keramiikkapajalla. Keramiikkaa tuli tehtyä 10 000 kiloa.
– Onnekseni Olli Vasa tuli opettamaan dreijaamista. Jos tekstimaailman kuninkuusluokka on runous, niin dreijaaminen on sitä keramiikassa. Se on kaikkein vaativin laji.
Vuonna 2007 Kylmäkosken vankilassa aloitettiin pienimuotoinen kirjoittajapiiri, jonka vetäjäksi astui Juha Hurme. Kirjoittaminen hiipi takaisin Heinosen elämään. Kirjoittajapiiri synnytti kaksi näytelmää: Jere Niemisen Antti Kristian Hautamäki -monologin ja Heinosen Kuningaskahle-näytelmän. Nälkäteatterin voimin vuonna 2010 toteutettu Kuningaskahle sai odottamattoman paljon huomiota ja suitsutusta mediassa.
Heinoselle Kuningaskahle oli kostonäytelmä.
– Siihen kulminoitui melkein kymmenen vuoden katkeruus tuomareita, poliisia, kaikkea kohtaan. Oikein vapauttava kokemus, Heinonen hymyilee.
Hurmeen ohjaama Kuningaskahle on Heinosen sanojen mukaan verbaliikkaleikki, mustinta huumoria, teemanaan vankilan hierarkia ja törkeä vallankäyttö.
– Se toimii yleispätevänä kuvana mihin tahansa autoritäärisesti johdettuun laitokseen, on se sitten valtiollinen tai yksityinen yhtiö, kirjoittaja toteaa.
Miltä kirjoittaminen tuntui pitkän tauon jälkeen?
– Ihan samaa kuraa kuin aina ennenkin. Kirjoittamisympäristö oli järkyttävä. Tietokoneet on käytävällä, yksi istuu sylissä ja yksi vieressä kysymässä jatkuvasti neuvoa, Heinonen huokaa.
– Ihan hyvä näytelmä siitä kuitenkin syntyi.
Ja niin syntyi myös yhteistyö Juha Hurmeen kanssa. 2012 Hurme ohjasi Heinosen kirjoittaman Ääniä kiven sisästä -kuunnelman Radioteatterille. Heinosen debyyttikuunnelma käsittelee niin ikään vangin ajatuksia, vankilaa ympäristönä ja ihmisen oikeutta eutanasiaan.
Vapaudesta ja vankeinhoidosta
Lain mukaan Heinonen olisi vapautunut kesällä 2013, mutta tyytymättömyys Vankeinhoitolaitoksen toimintaan piti miehen muurien sisällä.
– Vankeinhoidon vastuu lain mukaan on kuntouttaa vanki vankeuden aikana. Puhutaan kyllä kauniita, mutta todellisuudessa vankilassa tuhotaan ihmisiä, mikä näkyy esimerkiksi terveydenmenetyksinä, psyykeongelmina ja huumeidenkäyttönä. Ihmiset tulee hyvin vihaisina takaisin maailmaan, Heinonen toteaa.
– Se ei ole lainkaan hyvä juttu.
Epäselvän tuomion aiheuttama pettymys oli polttoaine, jonka voimalla jaksoi vääntää periaatteista. Vankeuden aikana perhe ja kaikki ympärillä oleva oli hajonnut.
– Aleksandr Solženitsyn kiteyttää sen ajatuksen, mitä toteutin: Jos aidan kummallakaan puolella ei ole mitään, on aivan sama kummalla puolella seisoo.
Syksyllä 2013 Heinonen kyllästyi pattitilanteeseen ja päätti aloittaa ilmaisutaidon kurssin Legioonateatterissa siirtymällä tammikuussa avovankilaan. Tuomio on nyt loppusuoralla. Kahdentoista ja puolen vuoden aikana Heinonen oli soittanut seitsemän puhelua ja poistunut talosta vain muutaman pakollisen kerran. Moni asia oli yli kymmenen vuoden aikana muuttunut.
– Olo on välillä kuin Liisa Ihmemaassa. Aika useinkin olen kuin Liisa Ihmemaassa, Heinonen nauraa.
KRIS on maanlaajuinen vertaistukijärjestö, jonka tavoitteena on rikos- ja päihdetaustaisten uuteen elämään opastaminen. KRISin neljä periaatetta ovat päihteettömyys, rehellisyys, yhteisvastuullisuus ja toveruus. Heinonen tekee kirjoittamisen ohella työtä sekä Legioonateatterissa että KRISissä: varainhankintaprojektia, korupajan ja näytelmäkerhon käynnistystä, tiedottamista, näytelmän myyntityötä. Viime keväänä Heinonen kirjoitti Toinen valinta -näytelmän tilaustyönä 10 vuotta täyttävän KRIS-Tampere ry:n kunniaksi.
Juha Heinosen ajatuksia laajemmin perjantaina 24. lokakuuta ilmestyneessä Kansan Uutisten Viikkolehdessä. Osta näköislehti. | {
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Madelene Rubinstein vant European Open Beograd i Serbia. Hun ble dermed første norske vinner av World Cup stevne siden Martin Thiblin vant, tilbake i 2008.
European Judo Beograd samlet 240 deltagere fra Europa, Asia, Oceania og Amerika.
Madelene har tidligere i år sølv fra Europa Cup Sarajevo, og en 7. plass fra World Cup i Casablanca. Alle som så VM fikk med seg en veldig god kamp fra Madelene, som dessverre dommerne avgjorde i Madelenes disfavør. Dermed ble det rask exit fra VM.
I Beograd fikk hun virkelig vist hvilket potensiale som bor i henne. Innledende slo hun Laura Holtzinger fra Frankrike på ippon på under to minutter. Holtzinger er tidligere fransk mester, med bronse fra EM i 2010, og vant World Cup i 2015.
Semifinale-seieren var en skikkelig skalp! Milica Nikolic var det serbiske hjemmehåpet. Hun har tidligere vunnet Grand Prix stevne, og har to EM-titler! Kampen ble vunnet etter 6 minutter i golden score! Utrolig sterkt av Madelene, å vinne etter totalt 11 minutter effektiv kamptid.
I finalen møtte hun en ny fransk kvinne. Julia Rosso er også fransk mester, og har to medaljer i World Cup, sist i Tunisia tidligere i år. Madelene møtte Rosso for 1 år siden på EC Finland. Den gang ble det tap.
Sportssjef Albin Dal forteller:
– Vi visste at hun hadde en god dropp seoi-nage og lur tomoe-nage. Taktikken idag var klar på å bryte hennes høyre grep i kragen og styre bevegelsen vekk fra hennes teknikker. Kampen var jevn hele veien med 1-2 i shido i Maddes favør inn mot golden score. Utover i kampen tok Madde mer og mer over og litt ut i golden score fikk hun til en overgang i newaza til holdegrep som avgjorde kampen.
– Etter et år med marginene på feil side gikk det endelig stang inn. Idag hadde vi mye fokus på riktig innstilling og villigheten til grave i møkkakjelleren. Utrolig deilig å se at det gikk hele veien!
Seieren betyr at Madelene avanserer hele 21 plasser på verdens-rankingen!
Sist gang en norsk utøver vant World Cup var tilbake i 2008, da Martin Thiblin vant på hjemmebane. Esther Myrebøe ble første norske vinner av et World Cup stevne da hun vant i Aserbajdsjan i 2006. Madelene Rubinstein er dermed den tredje personene som vinner World Cup siden World Judo tour startet i 2002 (under flere navn A-tournaments, World Cup, Super World Cup, Grand Prix, Continental Open).
Stor dag for hele norsk judo!
Pressekontakt i Beograd, sportssjef Albin Dal: Epost: [email protected], tlf: 48094597. | {
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We will be rolling out the update to servers in stages in the next 24 hours. Servers that have not been updated yet will appear greyed out in the server browser. During the rollout period, you can still access the 0.6 client by switching to the "Update-0.6" branch on Steam via the "Betas" properties tab.
New Content
New Map: Lobby World
A training area for new recruits to learn the game, veterans to practice, and all soldiers to hang out
Includes a training course (mini tutorial), artillery range, driving course, and more
Used as a waiting area in between wars to help with team balance
New World Structure: Draw Bridge (2 types)
Bridges that can be raised (allow water vehicles to pass through)
Visual Character Options
Gameplay Features & Changes
Surrendering
Used to end wars that are in a state where it's near impossible for one team to come back
Players can now set a surrender flag (on F1 player screen) under certain conditions (enemy has claimed all Town Halls except one, enough time has passed)
If > 70% of players set their surrender flag, then the war ends with a defeat for the surrending faction
Water vehicles can now be repaired in water
Players can no longer walk on top of Heavy Gate or any wall structures
New "No HEs" game modifier that removes High Explosive grenades from the game
Other Changes
Landing Dock, Armory, Supply Station, Hospital, Workshop, Shipyard, and Vehicle Factory all now have visual damage states
Dialog prompting players to join the server queue has been removed
"Join Campaign" button added on Campaign screen (used to enter lobby)
HUD nofitication is shown when using the Manufacturing Plant when team balance boost is applied
#war-is-starting channel on Discord notifies players when a server has transitioned to a lobby (meaning a war is going to start soon)
Major Bug Fixes
Player will no longer be stuck in healing pose when using Medkit
Gun Turrets will no longer fire at players when they aren't visible yet to them
Barbed Wire and Sandbag Walls can now be repaired
Players can now shoot over Storage Boxes and Tunnel Networks
Moving the mouse wheel on the Mortar will no longer change the zoom amount on map screen
Foliage no longer blocks projectiles
Azimuth no longer disappears occasionally when using the Field Artillery
Blood FX is no longer visible through smoke
Barges are no longer stuck in a bad state after being loaded from a save game
Text chat window is no longer cut off in 4:3 aspect ratio
Grenades will no longer bounce off of an "invisible barrier" above Scrap nodes
Mouse sensitivity will no longer constantly reset to default
Players no longer immediately locked to a faction after joining a war (they now get the usual 5 minute grace period)
Players no longer see a purple screen when spawning in the wild on Fisherman's Row
Fixed various animation and FX issues with mounting Gunboat turrets
Driver of vehicle will no longer be charged for team killing if a player from the opposite faction uses a mounted weapon
Team killing now counts against Field Artillery users
Various map fixes
Radio no longer occasionally stops working when driving a Truck (Edit: This is still happening in some cases)
Vehicles no longer "float" after exiting the driver's seat (Edit: This is still happening in some cases)
Known Issues
Drawbridge basic material cost is 100 instead of 300
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#MoonBearDay2019 is coming on August 8 26 July 2019
Global day of celebration established to raise awareness of the world’s most exploited bear species – here’s how you can get involved.
The Asiatic black bear – also known as the moon bear – is famously playful, but they are also the world’s most exploited bear species, abused on a mass scale for traditional medicine and the entertainment industry.
Having rescued over 600 bears in Vietnam and China, Animals Asia is at the heart of a global movement to end bear bile farming and circus exploitation of this endangered species.
Now the charity has established #MoonBearDay2019 to power global awareness of a species suffering extreme cruelty and vulnerable to extinction.
READ MORE: #MoonBearDay: All about moon bears
Animals Asia Founder and CEO, Jill Robinson MBE said:
“We started Moon Bear Day in China last year and were blown away with the response. In a single day, millions of people who had never heard of moon bears or bear bile farming suddenly found out about the crisis going on around them. The reaction was profound. People fell in love instantly with this most playful of bear species, while also being sickened by how they are being harmed on an industrial scale.
“It’s vital that the world knows what is happening to these bears if we are to end their exploitation once and for all.”
READ MORE: Five things you need to know about bear bile farming
In 2018, #MoonBearDay reached 19 million people across China through a combination of live events and an online campaign.
Supporters ran, snowboarded, paraglided, cycled and climbed mountains for the bears, while superstar singer and actress Karen Mok lent her voice to the campaign.
Now, #MoonBearDay2019 is going global with events set to take place in Australia, Hong Kong, China, Vietnam, Italy, France, Germany, the UK, the USA and everywhere in between.
How YOU can get involved:
1/ Social Media
Moon bear lovers around the world can join the global movement for compassion by adding the #MoonBearDay2019 frame to their Facebook profile. Click on your profile picture, then select “add frame” and search for #MoonBearDay2019.
2/ Host an event
Whatever you are doing on August 8, do it for the bears. Whether going for a walk, a run, or simply having friends over for dinner, download the official #MoonBearDay2019 flag and upload your pictures to social media with the hashtags #TodayIAmAMoonBear and #MoonBearDay2019 to let the world know you care.
3/ Donate
Every rescued bear is a lifelong commitment to provide that individual with decades of care. From safe, stimulating outdoor enclosures, to much needed health care and daily food and management, Animals Asia provides every rescued moon bear with all their needs. After all they’ve suffered it is the least they deserve. You can be part of these amazing bears’ wonderful new lives.
4/ Sign the pledge
Moon bears desperately need our help. They are the most playful, but also the most exploited bear on Earth and none of their suffering is necessary.
No bear should have to suffer endless bile extraction for traditional medicine or endure a lifetime of cruelty for a moment’s entertainment on a circus stage.
Stand up against cruelty to moon bears, whether for traditional medicine or the entertainment industry. Sign the pledge to join the global movement against cruelty to moon bears and join thousands of #MoonBearHeroes pushing for change. | {
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A pregnant woman had her unborn baby removed from her body by social services while visiting England for a work training trip.
The Italian was sedated after suffering a mental breakdown and woke to find her baby daughter had been removed by Caesarean section and taken away by social workers.
She claims to have made a full recovery but her child, now aged 15 months, is still in the care of social services in Essex.
The alarming case has developed into an international legal row.
Liberal Democrat MP John Hemming, who plans to raise the issue in Parliament this week, said: “I have seen a number of cases of abuses of people’s rights in the family courts, but this has to be one of the more extreme.”
The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, flew to England in July 2012 for a two-week Ryanair training course at Stansted Airport, Essex.
She suffered a panic attack when she couldn’t find passports for her two daughters, who were staying with her mother in Italy.
She called in police who arrived at her airport hotel room in a short time later.
Officers spoke to a relative and discovered the woman had a “bipolar” condition and hadn’t been taking her medication.
The police reportedly told her she was being taken to hospital to “make sure that the baby was OK”.
Instead she was transported to a psychiatric hospital, restrained and sectioned under the Mental Health Act.
It is claimed Essex social services then obtained a High Court order for birth to be enforced by way of caesarean section.
Five weeks later the woman was told she could not have any breakfast and was then forcibly sedated.
She woke up in a different hospital to find her baby had been removed while she was unconscious.
She later learnt that a High Court judge, Mr Justice Mostyn, had given social workers permission to arrange for the child to be delivered. It is not clear why birth was not allowed to occur naturally.
The woman was escorted back to Italy without her baby.
She has now resumed taking her medication and is currently fighting a legal battle for her daughter’s return.
In February she attended Chelmsford Crown Court where a judge agreed her condition had improved.
But he ruled the child must be placed for adoption because of the risk she may relapse.
The High Court in Rome has expressed outrage at what has been done to an Italian citizen “habitually resident” in Italy.
But the judge there concluded that British courts have jurisdiction.
Lawyers representing the woman say social services should have handed care of the child to their Italian counterparts.
Solicitor Brendan Fleming said: “I have never heard of anything like this in all my 40 years in the job.
“I can understand if someone is very ill that they may not be able to consent to a medical procedure, but a forced caesarean is unprecedented.
“If there were concerns about the care of this child by an Italian mother, then the better plan would have been for the authorities here to have notified social services in Italy and for the child to have been taken back there.”
He added today: “We remain committed to fighting for our clients and shall fight tooth and nail to help mother be re-united with her baby.”
The woman is also said to be upset that social workers want to place her daughter in care in Britain.
A family friend has offered to look after the child but social workers ruled this was unacceptable because there is no “blood tie”.
An Essex County Council spokesman said: “The council does not comment on the circumstances of ongoing individual cases involving vulnerable people and children.” | {
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When you think of famous court cases, you probably imagine the detailed sketches from artists whose job it is to depict what’s going on for everyone on the outside. In most political court cases, cameras aren’t allowed and the proceedings are mostly private. These sketches are often our only view of the happenings in the courtroom.
Trump’s impeachment trial was all over the news and you’ve surely heard a lot about the ordeal. But what interests us is the art to come out of the trial, regardless of its outcome.
Here, we’ll explore the work produced by the sketch artist who was in the courtroom as well as art collaborations and satire that emerged from the event. There’s nothing like political upheaval to inspire artists to make a statement.
Perspectives of a Sketch Artist
Trump’s impeachment trial took place in the Senate chamber, where, like most courtrooms, photos and videos are strictly prohibited, apart from C-SPAN’s feed. However, Art Lien is a sketch artist and gives us some insight into the mood and activity on the Senate floor.
Lien primarily covers Supreme Court trials and has done so since 1976. These sketches rounded out with watercolor will become historic artifacts to represent this moment in American politics, just as Freda Reiter’s sketches from Watergate are looked back on with interest now.
Emotions ran high as the leaders of our government testified for or against President Trump with some of the most intriguing events captured on paper by Lein.
On February 4, Senators took turns announcing their positions on Trump’s impeachment before Wednesday’s final voting took place. But, these speeches were not required, leaving most of the Senate floor wide open.
The next day, Mitt Romney crossed party lines, voting to convict Trump of abuse of power. Then, in a closing statement, Republican majority leader Mitch McConnell called for a swift acquittal just before voting commenced. Trump was acquitted that afternoon.
Lien was able to capture the altogether tense yet almost resigned attitude in the chamber. It seems as though lawmakers were more interested in attending Trump’s State of the Union speech that was planned for later that day- some staking out a spot nearly seven hours beforehand.
Jenny Holzer’s Skateboards
In collaboration with The Skateroom, Jenny Holzer has marked Trump’s impeachment trial by inscribing the word “impeach” on limited edition skateboards – 25 of which were made of marble and 500 made of wood.
The work aims to combine culture, fine arts, and politics with the artist’s royalties being donated to two U.S.-based non-profit organizations, Vote.org and Change the Ref.
Previously, The Skateroom worked with Holzer to make aluminum skateboards to raise money for AIDS awareness and overall $23,100 was donated to the NYC AIDS Memorial. So, only time will tell how much money this new collaboration will raise.
Sold on the HighSnobiety website store, the marble skateboards were selling for $10,000 apiece while the wooden ones were $500 each. Both versions were completely sold out in a matter of days.
In her statement about the skateboards, Holzer said: “Some moments should never be forgotten, some moments deserve to be set in stone. Make America Righteous Again.”
Classic New Yorker Cartoons
As far as satire is concerned, the New Yorker is top-notch. Their famous cartoons are an illustrator’s dream and it’s no surprise that President Trump’s impeachment trial served as great material for the magazine’s artists.
These drawings are always up for interpretation but, generally, they’re skeptical and full of humor. And since the New Yorker is always up on the times and commenting on what’s popular or trending, it’s a fantastic and interesting way to look back on the world during huge historical events.
From poking fun at the President’s lawyers to highlighting what seems like erratic behavior in the Oval Office, there’s hardly a line that the New Yorker’s cartoonists won’t cross.
Although the New Yorker is widely respected for their political cartoons, other publications around the country also created some satirical artwork surrounding Trump’s impeachment trial.
USA Today has published its fair share of cartoons concerning Trump’s impeachment inquiry, trial, and subsequent acquittal. While smaller newspapers like the Pensacola News Journal of Pensacola, Florida also contributed to the artistic satire about the events as they unfolded.
Whether we realize it or not, we rely heavily on artists of all genres to help tell our stories. We use music, films, paintings, and political cartoons to not only shape our everyday lives, but also as a way to explore history.
Regardless of your political opinions or how you feel about the result of President Trump’s impeachment trial, it’s still amazing that the artwork to come out of it will live on for future generations. | {
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White House aide Jared Kushner is reviving a proposal already rejected by President Donald Trump to offer an amnesty to at least 800,000 unidentified illegal migrants, according to a report by the McClatchy news bureau.
McClatchy reported the claim, which was made by the head of a pro-migration Latino advocacy group:
Top White House adviser Jared Kushner told members of Latino advocacy organizations on Thursday that President Donald Trump was willing to give 1.8 million Dreamers permanent protections from deportation and to reopen the government in exchange for $25 billion in border security, including some wall funding, LULAC President Domingo Garcia said. The 1.8 million number is 800,000 people more the offer of Trump’s January 19 offer of a three-year work-permit amnesty for the 1 million people who are identified and enrolled in the DACA amnesty and the TPS program. McClatchy continued: Officials from the League of United Latin American Citizens, Libre Initiative and the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce met with President Donald Trump’s son-in-law —and briefly, Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen — on Thursday to discuss ways to find a compromise in order to reopen the government. “He basically wanted to find out what the Latino community would agree to, what were our red lines that we would not cross and which ones were negotiable,” Garcia told McClatchy. LULAC is a business-backed advocacy group, not the Latino community. Unlike many Latino voters who fear mass migration will damage their workplaces, neighborhoods, and schools, the LULAC group wants Latino workers, consumers, and voters. The group tweeted out the McClatchy article: Kushner floats deal of permanent protections for 1.8 million dreamers, LULAC chief says https://t.co/aSRew40Tpi pic.twitter.com/XhZvdeiMCM — Miami Herald (@MiamiHerald) January 24, 2019 The meeting was also attended by the Libre Initiative. That group is funded by the Koch network, which wants the federal government to annually import a large number of workers and customers sought by American businesses. Neither LULAC not Libre have much clout with the Democrats in Congress, who prefer to deal with more radical Latino-run groups, such as trade unions and UnidosUS, which used to call itself La Raza. The proposal for a 1.8 million amnesty is likely based on the BRIDGE Act, which was developed by pro-migration legislators. It is marketed as a modest extension of President Barack Obama’s DACA amnesty which provided worker permits to roughly 800,000 younger illegals. In leaks to several reporters, White House officials incorrectly predicted Trump would endorse the amnesty in his January 19 speech.
But the BRIDGE Act offers three-year residencies and work permits to an unlimited number of people who look younger than 40 and claim to have lived in the United States between 2007 and 2012. The BRIDGE amnesty would be provided to everyone who seems to fit the criteria — including many of the one million resident illegals who have been ordered home by a judge — and can only be withheld from an applicant if an agency proves to a judge that the applicant is lying.
“If the Congress had ended up passing something like the BRIDGE Act, the amnesty process would be in full force right during the presidential campaign, which means that enforcement would be largely suspended as well,” Mark Krikorian, the director of the Center for Immigration Studies, told Breitbart News January 21.
“The president would be running for reelection at precisely the time his administration would be running one of the biggest amnesties we’ve ever seen,” he said. “It would clearly be contrary to the message he’d be trying to send.”
However, the amnesty for 1.8 million was already rejected by the President during an internal debate before the January 19 speech. Breitbart News reported January 21:
President Donald Trump quietly blocked a stealthy “BRIDGE” amnesty that would have crippled immigration enforcement and triggered a migrant wave during his 2020 election, according to a report in the New York Times. Trump’s decision to block the BRIDGE plan came after hearing advice from White House aide Steve Miller, the former Senate aide who played a key role in blocking the 2013 “Gang of Eight” cheap labor amnesty.
Miller helped the President and his aides decide to drop the BRIDGE expansion, according to the New York Times’ report:
In recent days, as White House officials had been working out the details of the compromise, Mr. Miller intervened to narrow the universe of immigrants who would receive protection, according to people familiar with the internal discussions who described them on the condition of anonymity. While the original idea had been to include protections for as many as 1.8 million undocumented immigrants eligible for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, the Obama-era program known as DACA that protected those illegally brought to the United States as children, Mr. Trump ultimately proposed shielding only the 700,000 who are enrolled.
NYT report said President Donald Trump quietly blocked a stealthy “BRIDGE” amnesty – with advice from Steve Miller. The amnesty would have crippled ICE enforcement & triggered migrant wave during 2020 election. VP Pence shows little aversion to the amnesty https://t.co/i3WyFhijwf — Neil Munro (@NeilMunroDC) January 22, 2019
However, Kushner has begun to play a larger part in the immigration debate, despite his lack of experience in the complex topic which has already wrecked or blighted the careers of many politicians, including GOP Sen. Marco Rubio and Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer.
In 2014, for example, Schumer’s caucus lost nine seats after he pushed the 2013 “Gang of Eight” cheap-labor and amnesty bill. If Schumer had not pushed the amnesty bill in 2013, it is likely the Democrats would have had a Senate majority during Trump’s first two years — and so would have blocked his tax bill and many judicial appointments.
The Washington Post reported Kushner’s rising clout on January 24, saying:
Kushner has emerged as an omnipresent and assertive player in the now-33-day impasse, despite deep skepticism on Capitol Hill about his political abilities and influence, according to more than a dozen Trump associates, lawmakers and others involved in the discussions.
But the Washington Post article includes many skeptical comments from Democrats and Republicans. The article includes a claimed quote from Trump, made during a recent Oval Office meeting:
“Apparently, Jared has become an expert on immigration in the last 48 hours,” Trump said, according to three people familiar with the exchange who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.
Kushner argues he can craft a deal because he has good personal relationships with Democrats, said the Post:
Kushner, who referred a request for comment to the White House, has told Trump advisers that he has solid relationships with several Democrats, such as Senate Minority Whip Richard J. Durbin (Ill.), and that he can sell a compromise to moderate Democrats and Republicans with whom he built a rapport while working on the criminal-justice bill.
The push by White House aides to win border-wall funding by offering amnesties is a growing worry for advocates who support Trump’s anti-amnesty “Hire American” policy. That policy is pushing up voters’ wage before the 2020 election.
Trump loses support from a grassroots pro-Trump, pro-enforcement, pro-wall group b/c it fears his aides will give multiple amnesties to Dems/biz-Reps to get money for Trump's wall. IOW, ALIPAC says amnesties cause more harm to Americans than a missing wall https://t.co/bViOMziRfd — Neil Munro (@NeilMunroDC) January 23, 2019
The establishment’s economic policy of using legal and illegal migration to boost economic growth shifts enormous wealth from young people towards older people by flooding the market with cheap white-collar and blue-collar foreign labor.
That annual flood of roughly one million legal immigrants — as well as visa workers and illegal immigrants — spikes profits and Wall Street values by shrinking salaries for 150 million blue-collar and white-collar employees and especially wages for the four million young Americans who join the labor force each year.
The cheap labor policy widens wealth gaps, reduces high tech investment, increases state and local tax burdens, hurts kids’ schools and college education, pushes Americans away from high tech careers, and sidelines millions of marginalized Americans, including many who are now struggling with fentanyl addictions.
Immigration also steers investment and wealth away from towns in Heartland states because coastal investors can more easily hire and supervise the large immigrant populations who prefer to live in coastal cities. In turn, that coastal investment flow drives up coastal real estate prices and pushes poor U.S. Americans, including Latinos and blacks, out of prosperous cities such as Berkeley and Oakland. | {
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Hos Vip festudlejning udlejer vi kun lækre hvide kvalitetstelte med mange vinduer der lukker lyset ind. Du slipper selv for besværet, prisen er altid inklusiv opsætning og nedtagning . Vip festudlejnings telte er bygget op af moduler der gør at vi kan sikre vores kunder en fleksibel festudlejning løsning. På den måde kan du bedst udnytte de kvm2 der er til rådighed der hvor du ønsker teltet sat op. Eller hvis du for eksempel ønsker et indgangsparti, vil et smukt 3×3 m. pagode telt være en løsning, hvor der også bliver garderobeplads til overtøjet. Hvad med rigtige glasdøre der sammen med innerliner i loftet giver illusionen om at være indendørs i en festsal. Vip festudlejning leverer altid et par dage før din fest. På den måde har du tid til at gå og gøre klar i ro og mag.Nu er festudlejning andet end telte. Vip festudlejning tilbyder et bredt sortiment af tilbehør og service. Det kunne eksempelvis være en lækker bar med indbygget fadølsanlæg, loungemøbler til når det bliver cooktailtid, eller en jukeboks så du selv kan bestemme soundtracket til din fest. Vip festudlejning ved at du ønsker at dække et smukt bord, der byder dine gæster velkommen og indbyder til mange timers fornøjelse. Derfor har vi behagelige polstrede stole, borde i flere former og størrelser der selvfølgelig dækkes med knitrende hvide duge. Vælg imellem flere typer tallerkner og bestik der alle vil præsentere maden på bedste vis. Vinglassene er i en god størrelse og pæne, så de både er gode at drikke af men også pynter på bordet. Hvad med en 5-armet lysestage på midten? Eller stofservietter der selvfølgelig matcher dugen.Vip festudlejning hjælper selvfølgelig gerne hvis det er lidt uoverskueligt hvad i har brug for. Vip festudlejning ved hvad der kræves, og hvad der almindeligvis er brug for. Måske er der ting du slet ikke har overvejet som for eksempel vandkarafler,flødekander og cognacglas. | {
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Formula 1 drivers will be left without in-cockpit warning lights in the Australian Grand Prix because of a telemetry problem.
The problem, which the FIA revealed on Saturday afternoon, also means that race control will not be able to deactivate the DRS.
"Due to reliability problems with the telemetry link between race control and the cars we will be disabling this with immediate effect," said an FIA note to the teams, which has just been issued.
The in-cockpit warning lights are colour-coded to supplement the use of trackside flags.
Usually, yellow, blue or red warning lights appear on the steering wheel display, but on Sunday drivers will have to rely only on trackside flags and warnings from their team over the radio.
The same problem also means that the blue-flag warning system, whereby race control notes every time a car passes a blue flag with penalties issued for any driver failing to heed them, cannot be used.
However, the FIA statement says that "we will do our best to give as much information from race control as we can."
The telemetry problem means that, once the DRS has been enabled after each car has completed two laps, race control will not be able to switch it off.
Usually, race control will deactivate the DRS if there is a yellow flag in the zone in question, if the safety car is deployed or if there is limited visibility.
Drivers will also have to avoid using the DRS for two laps after a safety-car restart even though the system will be usable.
Race control will still issue notifications to the teams that the DRS has been disabled in such circumstances, but the drivers will then have to be informed not to use it by radio until such time as race control says it is enabled again.
If the safety car is deployed, race control will also be unable to switch the cars into 'safety car mode' automatically.
Instead, race control will issue a notification to the teams and the drivers will have to do it manually, either when prompted or if they see the safety car board or light panels trackside.
AUTOSPORT Australian GP coverage:
FP1 FP2 FP3 Qualifying Race Gallery Live commentary Official quotes | {
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Jail for California driver who hit man, drove with body
VISTA, Calif. (AP) — A drunken California motorist who drove more than a mile (1.6 kilometers) with the body of the man she hit in the front seat of the car has been sentenced to 15 years to life in prison.
The San Diego Union-Tribune says 31-year-old Esteysi Sanchez was sentenced Wednesday for the 2016 death of a homeless man she hit after drunkenly driving onto a sidewalk in the city of Oceanside after a night of partying.
Prosecutors say 69-year-old Jack Tenhulzen was struck so hard that he was knocked out of his pants and shoes and one foot was severed.
His body smashed through the car windshield into the passenger seat.
Sanchez was convicted in April of second-degree murder and other charges.
She sobbed in court and apologized for the death. | {
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Experts often recommend saving up $1 million before you retire. But for many people, even $1 million may not be enough, thanks in part to longer life expectancies and disappearing pensions.
For those looking to give their retirement plan a boost, CNBC calculated how much you need to put into your 401(k) each month in order to reach $2 million by age 65, depending on when you start saving. Most financial planners suggest you put away anywhere between 10% and 15% of your gross salary for retirement, so CNBC also calculated the salary you'd need to earn in order to save $2 million without putting away more than 15% of your income.
It's worth noting that 401(k) plans come with contribution limits: In 2019, you can invest up to $19,000 in your account, up from $18,500 in 2018.
It's also important to remember that investing through a 401(k) or other retirement savings account should be seen as a long-term plan. It's impossible to predict future market returns, and investors should expect to experience both rises and dips in the market.
While these calculations don't take into account the many ups and downs people experience over their lives, such as pay increases, periods of unemployment or sudden financial windfalls or losses, it can be helpful to get a sense of what you should be saving to build a substantial retirement fund.
Here's how much you need to put away to save $2 million by age 65. | {
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David Jackson
USA TODAY
President Obama is telling backers not to believe everything they hear coming out of Washington.
During a town hall Thursday in Minneapolis, Obama told the crowd that sometimes the news out of D.C. is only about "Washington fights" and "fabricated issues."
"They're phony scandals that are generated," Obama said. "It's all geared towards the next election or ginning up a base -- it's not on the level. And that must feel frustrating, and it makes people cynical and it makes people turned off from the idea that anything can get done."
Obama did not specify what he meant by "phony scandals."
Congressional Republicans are investigating the Obama administration on a variety of fronts. They include allegations that the Internal Revenue Service targeted conservatives -- and destroyed relevant e-mails -- as well as the details surrounding the 2012 attack on a U.S. facility in Benghazi, Libya.
Obama was a little more specific when he spoke at a congressional campaign fundraiser Thursday night, saying lawmakers should focus on people like the working mother with whom he had lunch that afternoon.
"We talk about phony scandals," he said, "and we talk about Benghazi, and we talk about polls, and we talk about the tea party, and we talk about the latest controversy that Washington has decided is important -- and we don't talk about her." | {
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【上海＝河崎真澄】中国の劉暁明駐英大使は９日付の英紙フィナンシャル・タイムズ（アジア版）への寄稿で、中国から出資を受ける計画だった英国での原発建設をメイ英政権が見直す方針を示したことに対し、「中英の相互信頼関係が試される」などと指摘し、予定通り進めるようクギを刺した。中国メディアはこれを「警告」と報じ、対中警戒感を示したメイ政権を強く牽制（けんせい）した。
習近平国家主席が昨年１０月に訪英した際、南西部のヒンクリー・ポイント原発建設計画に国有の中国広核集団が約６０億ポンド（約８０００億円）を投資するほか、東部ブラッドウェル原発に中国製の原発「華竜１号」を輸出することで、キャメロン前首相と合意していた。
実現すれば、中国にとって欧州の原発計画に初参加する案件となる。だが、欧州連合（ＥＵ）からの英離脱を決めた国民投票の後に就任したメイ首相は、安全保障上の懸念を示してヒンクリー・ポイント原発への中国の関与に待ったをかけ、最終承認を秋に持ち越す方針を示した。
劉氏は寄稿で、「まさに今こそ中英関係は重大な歴史的岐路にある」と強調し、メイ政権に早期承認を迫った。中国メディアは原発計画が撤回されれば、合意ずみの総額約４００億ポンド（約５兆３０００億円）の対英投資にも影響するとして、再考を求めている。
続きを読む | {
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Hardware bugs??
Sometimes fixing bugs makes you question why programming is your chosen profession. Or at least why you chose to make a game engine from scratch. Sometimes there are technical details you don’t really care to know about.
This last week I’ve been attempting to build the largest possible city I can to determine reasonable population counts for achievements and scenarios. This takes a lot of time. The amount of time is compounded by me fixing any issues I run into. Because of bugs, I haven’t gotten to max population.
If the bug is something such as the opacity of an icon is wrong, I just write it down in my bug list to be fixed later. If it’s something that stops play, like the game crashes, I fix the issue immediately. In general if the fix wasn’t too invasive, I can continue from an auto-save and at most lose a minute of game play time.
There’s also balance issues. I ran into a situation where some fishing docks weren’t producing enough fish for a beginning settlement to survive on. You can survive on gathering, farming, or hunting – so it doesn’t make sense to not survive using fishing. Balancing bugs take a bit of play and testing to fix but in general are pretty easy to deal with.
Then there are the really bad issues. Problems that crop up only every few hours and are not reproducible using any simple steps. If you’ve got good testers eventually they can figure out reproduction steps, but doing so in a debug build is usually painful, as the game runs so slow and it takes a long time for the bug to occur.
I’ve got one bug like this that I’ve been ignoring it for a while. Ever since I added DirectX 11 rendering I’ve occasionally seen the interface to the graphics hardware fail. All it reports is:
D3D11: Removing Device.
If you query the interface for more information the error code is
DXGI_ERROR_DEVICE_REMOVED
When this occurs, you can’t continue rendering without restarting the graphics interface.
It happens occasionally, usually rendering large scenes, but not always. The D3D11 debug layer output shows nothing extra, no warnings, no errors. This is a non-debuggable error. Rendering the exact same scene that caused the issue doesn’t make the issue occur again, so reproducing it is very hard. Only my main development machine does this. Other computers I have around do not. The DirectX 9 version of the game also has no problems and can run for days without the graphics card dying.
The documentation says if you get this error, either the driver for the video card has been updated, or the video card has been physically removed from the machine. Clearly, I’m not doing either of these things while the game is running. Since those two things are very rare, I had written the code to just throw an error and quit should it occur.
It’s not comforting that it seems to happen anywhere from five times a minute to once an hour on my main development machine. But some days it doesn’t happen at all.
Searching the internet for other developers with the same issue is very hard – there’s a lot of noise with non-programmers talking about it. A lot of new games don’t handle this error and simple quit as well. Doing a search for ‘DXGI_ERROR_DEVICE_REMOVED’ gives you an unlimited list of forums for Crysis 3, Arma, Civ 5, Conan, Hitman, Secret World, Battlefield 3, 3DMark, and more, that just report this error and quit. Apparently gamers are not happy about this. I wouldn’t be either.
The list of possible fixes people recommend are re-installing drivers, using beta drivers, re-installing windows, removing dust from the video card and reseating it, lowering quality settings in the game, and even increasing the voltage sent to the video card.
These are not things I have ever had to do to fix a bug. I’ve never actually run into a driver malfunction either – it’s always been something stupid I’m doing that makes the video card throw errors. After hours of debugging and trying different things to figure out what I was doing wrong, I eventually made a google search that eliminated all pages that contain the game names that have this error, and found a Microsoft blog talking about things that cause this error that aren’t in the official documentation.
It could be driver bugs, hardware faults, overheating, GPU removed from system, or DirectX running out of memory. I can’t tell which is happening. And since I can render the exact same scenes with DirectX 9 on the same video card, I have a hard time believing any of these things is actually occurring in a fatal way. Either way, it seems like this is a general ‘something went wrong’ error.
For all my searching, I’ve not seen one developer write about how they fixed this issue. This is annoying that it even happens, and more so since it can actually occur differently from what the official documentation says.
I don’t know how many gamers will have this error occur, but looking at the major releases that have it, I can imagine it won’t be an isolated problem. Since it appears that I’m not doing anything wrong, I just need to handle this error as gracefully as possible. So what’s the fix?
My first gut feeling is to just ignore DirectX 11 and only ship DirectX 9 since it works perfectly, but I did spend the time to make a DirectX 11 renderer and the performance win on newer graphics hardware is very hard to ignore.
To fix it properly, I have to release all graphics resources, shut down D3D11, restart it, and then recreate all the resources. All while the game is running. The problem with this is recreating the resources is somewhat painful. The resources are in video memory, but not in any application accessible memory. Once the device gets into the removed state, I can’t access them.
I could possibly reload all meshes and textures from disc, but this is slow. Some resources, like the terrain, are only stored inside a save game and would be very hard to get at in this state. If a device removal condition occurs I really wouldn’t want the player to see a hiccup that would be over a second or two of time as things reload.
So instead I’ll have to keep a memory backup of every texture and mesh so that I can restart the device at anytime. This seems like a serious waste of memory, but there’s no other real choice. D3D9 requires a similar handling for device resets, but it isn’t as severe as it takes care of some of the legwork for you, and you don’t have to actually destroy and recreate the interface to the graphics hardware.
I haven’t made this fix yet, so I’m interested to see how often it occurs once the recovery process works properly. I’m also wondering if I should make the game quit if it’s happening at some high frequency.
If anyone has any additional information about this issue. I’d love to hear about it.
And here I thought making a video game was all about design, balancing, and fun. 🙂 | {
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We discussed Microsoft making IE8 a critical update a while back; but then the indication was that the update gave users a chance to choose whether or not to install it. Now I Don't Believe in Imaginary Property writes in with word that the update not only does not ask, but it makes IE the default browser | {
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When Victoria Nuland, the neoconservative éminence grise of the Obama administration, uttered her now infamous "F—k the EU!" in a phone call with US ambassador to Ukraine Geoffrey Pyatt, it was a supremely embarrassing moment for Washington. Aside from the scandal of a top US official in referring to our European allies in such vulgar terms, not to mention the ease with which Russian intelligence tapped into presumably secure phone lines, the revelation of growing hostility between the US and the EU was akin to having the ugly domestic disputes of a supposedly happily married couple made public.
Uncle Sam – a wife-abuser? Could this formerly private dispute wind up in Divorce Court?
The behind-closed-doors arguments are out of the closet now that a bipartisan group of the usual suspects in Washington is advocating sending arms to Ukraine to crush a popular rebellion in the eastern part of the country. The other day EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini came out against the arms proposal: the EU, she said, "is doing enough," echoing German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s warning against the idea that there is a military solution to the Ukraine crisis. Mogerhini was joined by Austrian foreign minister Sebastian Kurz, who bluntly stated "Our goal must be a ceasefire, not escalation."
Yet escalation is what Washington is intent on, as exemplified not only by the braying of our bipartisan warmongers in Congress but also by the deliberate stoking of tensions emanating from NATO headquarters. As pointed out in a scathing article in Der Spiegel, the public pronouncements of Gen. Philip Breedlove, top NATO commander in Europe, seem designed to destroy the Minsk agreement and destabilize the shaky ceasefire – and the Germans are getting angry. The piece opens with a telling timeline:
"It was quiet in eastern Ukraine last Wednesday. Indeed, it was another quiet day in an extended stretch of relative calm. The battles between the Ukrainian army and the pro-Russian separatists had largely stopped and heavy weaponry was being withdrawn. The Minsk cease-fire wasn’t holding perfectly, but it was holding.
"On that same day, General Philip Breedlove, the top NATO commander in Europe, stepped before the press in Washington. Putin, the 59-year-old said, had once again ‘upped the ante’ in eastern Ukraine – with ‘well over a thousand combat vehicles, Russian combat forces, some of their most sophisticated air defense, battalions of artillery’ having been sent to the Donbass. ‘What is clear,’ Breedlove said, ‘is that right now, it is not getting better. It is getting worse every day.’
"German leaders in Berlin were stunned. They didn’t understand what Breedlove was talking about…."
The Germans may have been stunned, but they probably weren’t surprised. German intelligence saw no evidence of a Russian military buildup, but this "wasn’t the first time" Breedlove had been guilty of breeding the mistrust that could destroy the Minsk agreement. After all, the Spiegel piece continues, "The pattern has become a familiar one."
With each step taken by the Minsk negotiators toward a ceasefire and a lasting peace, Breedlove has sought to undo the progress made with yet another off-the-wall pronouncement about alleged Russian military intervention that, according to the Germans, has no basis in fact. The Germans are muttering that Breedlove’s provocations are "dangerous propaganda," and wonder aloud if Washington is trying to torpedo Minsk. That’s because Breedlove isn’t a loose cannon: he has powerful allies within the Obama administration.
Victoria Nuland, Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, is a holdover from the administration of George W. Bush, where she served as Dick Cheney’s chief foreign policy advisor and subsequently US ambassador to NATO. She goes farther back than that, however, having served under Strobe Talbott at the State Department during the Clinton years – yes, the same Strobe Talbott who, only the other day, tweeted:
"It’s time to heed a common Russian phrase that # Putin violates with every breath: ‘Call things by their own name.’ We’re in a new cold war."
Here the continuity of US foreign policy since the end of the cold war is dramatized, and Nuland’s career trajectory epitomizes this consistency. The Clinton regime was implacably hostile to the Russians, as the Kosovo intervention demonstrated, but it didn’t end there: Clintonian incursions into Russia’s "near abroad" in Central Asia were formalized by the creation of a special US agency to promote US oil interests in the region, and the regime change operation in Kosovo and Serbia only served to underscore the seriousness with which they approached this project.
With the implosion of the Soviet Union and Russia losing its near abroad, the US moved quickly to advance NATO eastward. Now Nuland is carrying that "rollback" strategy forward with her aggressive rhetoric and interference in the internal affairs of Ukraine: every time she opens her mouth, the Europeans wonder what kind of belligerent propaganda will come out next.
Breedlove’s inaccurate – one might even say lying – assessments of Russian military moves in the region recall the Bush administration’s Iraq talking points in the run up to the invasion. Spiegel points out that when the crisis first broke Breedlove said 40,000 troops were massing on Russia’s border with Ukraine, warning that an invasion was imminent. European intelligence officials were appalled, not because Europe is from Venus, as Nuland’s husband would have it, but because "The experts contradicted Breedlove’s view in almost every respect." As it turned out,
"There weren’t 40,000 soldiers on the border, they believed, rather there were much less than 30,000 and perhaps even fewer than 20,000. Furthermore, most of the military equipment had not been brought to the border for a possible invasion, but had already been there prior to the beginning of the conflict. Furthermore, there was no evidence of logistical preparation for an invasion, such as a field headquarters." [Emphasis added]
And the lies just kept coming. Breedlove told a German paper that there are "regular Russian army units in eastern Ukraine," without citing any evidence. The next day he told the German magazine Stern that they weren’t actually fighters but "mostly trainers and advisors." As to how many of these Russians there were, it depended on what day you asked him: at first, he put the number at "between 250 and 300," and then it escalated to "between 300 and 500," finally making it all the way to 1,000.
Shades of Iraq’s "weapons of mass destruction"!
No one doubts the Russians are backing the "separatists," but to do so with "regular Russian army units" just doesn’t make sense – when there are plenty of civilian volunteers ready, willing, and quite able to take up arms in the rebels’ cause. This is also a problem for Putin, however, since he clearly doesn’t want to annex eastern Ukraine, with all its problems, and with all the blowback it would provoke.
Which brings us to the underlying issue in Ukraine: Russia’s strategy is strictly defensive. Putin’s goal is to maintain a neutral buffer zone between the Russian core and the advance of NATO. For reasons even our hawkiest Russia-haters may understand, if not acknowledge, he doesn’t want to see NATO’s armies poised a few hundred kilometers from Moscow.
Washington’s strategy, on the other hand, is militantly offensive: the goal is to go after the Russians by encircling them and inching ever closer to the heartland. Caught in the middle are the Europeans, who revel in their dream of a continent united and at peace – and are being rudely contradicted by the warlords of Washington, who insist it’s all a pipedream.
The Europeans, however, have only themselves to blame: the Lisbon Treaty, which established an inextricable link between NATO and EU membership, ties them to America’s apron strings. The EU, in short, is not an independent political-military entity, but one inherently dependent on the "Atlanticist" connection, i.e. it owes fealty to Washington. The Germans are stuck with Breedlove, and Nuland, whether they like it or not.
As Stratfor’s George Friedman said in this interview, US foreign policy for the past century or so has been to maintain a balance of power tension in Europe, preventing any one country from achieving dominance, and effectively sabotaging European unity on any basis. Washington is, for this reason, determined to exclude Russia from Europe, and the current campaign in Ukraine – destabilization of the Yanukovych government, the coup, and US support for the new regime’s war on its own rebellious citizens – underscores the unchanging aggressiveness of US foreign policy.
Breedlove’s provocations, Spiegel reports, are all cleared by Washington: he’s not a rogue element, but the representative of a jealous hegemon who brooks no rivals.
The Germans, however, are waking up to the reality of Washington’s domination – because they, after all, will be in the free-fire zone if and when an actual shooting war erupts between Russia and the US. That they will be happy to be America’s pawns in such a deadly game is rather doubtful. If the Strobe Talbotts of this world insist on a new cold war, then we will see a revival of Euro-neutralism – and that’s a good thing. Perhaps the time for a true European declaration of independence is not far – a circumstance in which case Nuland’s "F—k the EU" will take on new meaning.
NOTES IN THE MARGIN
You can check out my Twitter feed by going here. But please note that my tweets are sometimes deliberately provocative, often made in jest, and largely consist of me thinking out loud.
I’ve written a couple of books, which you might want to peruse. Here is the link for buying the second edition of my 1993 book, Reclaiming the American Right: The Lost Legacy of the Conservative Movement, with an Introduction by Prof. George W. Carey, a Foreword by Patrick J. Buchanan, and critical essays by Scott Richert and David Gordon (ISI Books, 2008).
You can buy An Enemy of the State: The Life of Murray N. Rothbard (Prometheus Books, 2000), my biography of the great libertarian thinker, here. | {
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There were 430 interceptions during the 2017 NFL regular season. It was the third consecutive year that saw fewer than 450 passes picked off — the only three seasons ever under that mark, aside from a strike-shortened 1982 season.
As recently as the 1980s, the number of touchdowns and interceptions used to be close to even on an annual basis. Oftentimes, the interception total was slightly higher.
Eight quarterbacks threw more than 20 interceptions in the 1985 season — including Phil Simms, Dan Fouts, and Dan Marino, who each made the Pro Bowl that year. But in 2017, DeShone Kizer was the only passer to finish the year with more than 20 interceptions, and that was a big reason why the Browns couldn’t win a game.
Rule changes over the last few decades have made it more difficult to defend the pass. Couple that with NFL offenses prioritizing efficiency more and more, and it’s no wonder there are declining turnover numbers.
And that means all the major interception records haven’t come close to being challenged.
For some of the greatest defensive players ever, it means their legacies are etched in stone. For others, it means they’ll forever be remembered as the worst at avoiding huge mistakes.
Brett Favre, the all-time reckless champ
Gunslinger.
It’s a term used in football to describe a quarterback unafraid of taking risks and hurling balls into coverage downfield.
Patrick Mahomes was called it before the 2017 NFL Draft. The Raiders’ Derek Carr was too. But the gunslingingest gunslinger of them all has always been Favre.
Favre was the NFL MVP three seasons in a row from 1995 to 1997, with at least 35 touchdowns in each year. He was the first to crack 500 career passing touchdowns and his 508 are still second on the all-time list, with Tom Brady and Drew Brees each just 20 behind.
But those touchdown numbers for Favre came because of his high-risk/high-reward style of play. And all that gunslinging meant a ton of interceptions.
Favre finished his career with 336 interceptions, and he is the only quarterback to ever top 280. George Blanda is in second place with 277, and the nearest active players are Drew Brees and Eli Manning, who each have 228.
It’d probably take at least seven or eight more years for either player to reach Favre’s interception numbers. That’s pretty unlikely to happen considering Brees and Manning are 39 and 37, respectively.
After that, there isn’t a single quarterback in the NFL under 30 who even topped 100 interceptions.
Favre is your interception king and always will be. All hail the gunslinger.
George Blanda, thrower of 42 (FORTY-TWO!) picks in one year
The all-time interception king may be Favre, but nobody will ever come close to the 42 (!!!) picks thrown by Blanda in 1962.
If a player even got to 30 interceptions in today’s NFL, he’d probably be strapped to a rocket and launched into space. The only quarterback to top 25 in the last nine seasons is Manning, who had 27 in 2013 and 25 in 2010.
Blanda averaged three interceptions per game during his 1962 season with the Houston Oilers and threw a pick on more than 10 percent of his attempts. Those are numbers nooooobody will ever come close to matching.
During Kizer’s disastrous 2017 season, his interception rate wasn’t even half as bad.
Blanda — like Favre — landed in the Hall of Fame, though. He played an NFL-record 26 seasons and doubled as kicker too. Blanda retired just before his 49th birthday, making him the oldest player in NFL history. He’s the all-time leader in successful extra points with 943 — another record that probably won’t be broken thanks to a recent rule change that made extra points longer and more difficult.
And for as bad as 42 interceptions in a season sounds, Blanda made the Pro Bowl during that 1962 season and led the Oilers to the AFL Championship game, where they lost to the Dallas Texans, 20-17. Fittingly, Blanda threw five interceptions in that game — which didn’t count to his record-breaking total.
If Blanda started more than just 106 games at quarterback, his torrid interception pace probably could’ve put him in Favre territory. Instead, he sits at No. 2 with 277 on his career.
Paul Krause, all-time ball hawking champ
The drop-off in interceptions in the NFL also means some defensive backs have been immortalized.
Krause finished his Hall of Fame career with 81 career interceptions. That may not sound like a lot, but the only active player in the NFL with more than 36 is 39-year-old Vikings cornerback Terence Newman, who has 42.
In 16 seasons with Washington and Minnesota, Krause finished eight with at least six interceptions and two with at least 10. For perspective, there isn’t a single active player in the NFL who has topped six interceptions more than twice in his career.
Krause did most of his damage as a free safety before retiring in 1979. His 81 interceptions will almost definitely sit in the record books forever.
Night Train Lane, the rookie sensation of 1952
Of the unbreakable interception records here, Richard “Night Train” Lane’s 14 interceptions in 1952 has stood the longest, but is also the most breakable. Still, the odds are that it’s going to be safe for a very long time.
The few defensive backs capable of coming close are avoided by quarterbacks. The last time a defensive player even had more than 10 interceptions was in 1981 when Everson Walls had 11.
If — and it’s a big if — a player went on a run and got to 10 interceptions in a season, opposing teams would do whatever possible to avoid him. When Richard Sherman led the NFL with eight interceptions in 2013, he was targeted once every 9.6 times a team dropped back to pass — or less than four times per game.
And so for the last few decades, Lane’s 14 interception record that he set as a rookie in 1952 — a time when they played 12 games in a season — has been largely unchallenged.
Lane got his spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1974 and finished his career — which included stops with the Rams, Cardinals, and Lions — with 68 interceptions. But no year for Lane, or any other NFL defensive back, was better than his record-setting rookie season.
Favre, Blanda, Krause, and Lane are your interception kings and probably always will be. | {
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As the tech world pauses to honor Steve Jobs, the state of California is also honoring the late Apple co-founder.
California Gov. Jerry Brown, in an announcement made on Twitter, declared today as "Steve Jobs Day" in the Golden State.
Silicon Valley royalty will be assembling today at Stanford University to pay their respects to Jobs at a memorial service organized by Apple. The company has sent invitations for the private event to some of the Valley's biggest names, according to a Wall Street Journal report.
Also Sunday, the Discovery Channel plans to run an hour-long special about Jobs called "iGenius: How Steve Jobs Changed the World." MythBusters hosts Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman pay tribute to Jobs through interviews with people whose lives and careers were impacted by Jobs, including Stevie Wonder, Tom Brokaw, and Apple employees.
Apple also plans to hold a companywide celebration of the Apple co-founder's life on Wednesday morning at the company's Cupertino, Calif., headquarters.
Jobs, who died October 5 after a long battle with pancreatic cancer, was buried a few days later during a private, non-denominational funeral in Santa Clara County. | {
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Some futurists predict that we'll be able to halt the aging process by the end of this century — if not sooner. The prospect of creating an ageless society is certainly not without its critics, with concerns ranging from the environmental right through to the spiritual. One of the most common objections to radical life extension, however, is the idea that it would be profoundly boring to live forever, and that by consequence, we should not even attempt it.
So are the critics right? Let's take a closer look at the issue and consider both sides.
To help us make sense of the problem, we spoke to two experts who have given this subject considerable thought: Bioethicist Nigel Cameron, the President of the Center for Policy on Emerging Technologies, and philosopher Mark A. Walker, Assistant Professor and Richard L. Hedden Chair of Advanced Philosophical Studies at New Mexico State University.
It was through our conversations with them that we realized how difficult this question is to answer — mostly because no one has ever lived long enough to know. But given what's at stake, it's an issue that's certainly worth considering.
Now, before we get into the discussion, there are a couple of things to note.
First, this is not idle speculation. An increasing number of gerontologists, biologists, and futurists are predicting significant medical breakthroughs in the coming decades that could result in so-called ‘negligible senescence' — the indefinite prolongation of healthy human life.
And second, this discussion is limited to the question of boredom. Clearly, there are many other serious implications to radical life extension, but those are outside the scope of this article.
Okay, let's do this thing.
Boredom, mortality, and the meaningful life
Most of us know what it feels like to be bored, and it's not pleasant. Thankfully, we're often able to change things up and move on to new experiences and settings. But what if things got so tedious and so repetitive that death actually seemed preferable? Given the potential for radically extended lives, could we risk being tired of literally everything — including life itself?
This is the concern of bioethicist Nigel Cameron who worries that extreme longevity will cause people to become listless and utterly dissatisfied with their existence owing to a complete lack of engagement, novelty — and purpose. It's the prospect of death, says Cameron, that spurs us to be motivated and to meaningfully engage in life. Living an exceedingly long life without the threat of death, he argues, will only impose meaninglessness to our lives.
Moreover, Cameron worries that extended lives will make an already bad situation even worse.
"If we assume an indefinite lifespan in a situation broadly similar to our present one," he told io9, "the issue is not so much whether we would be bored as how most westerners, at least, would cope with the prospect when in our current situation they are already bored nearly to death — that's the baseline."
Cameron is concerned that we risk the extension of what are already exceedingly boring and diminished lives. "I am thinking of the blank expressions of reality TV viewers," he said, "and the bloated living corpses of Wall-E."
Chris Hackler, head of the Division of Medical Humanities at the University of Arkansas, agrees:
Let's face it, most peoples' jobs aren't all that fascinating. They put in a 9-to-5 and they're glad to have the weekend. So you wonder if having twice as much of this is a good thing, or if you'd get totally burned out.
Cameron makes the case that it's our mortality — and not necessarily the dearth of novelty — that contributes to a life worth living. "It is the prospect of our demise that gives richness and joy and anguish to each measure of our human experience, symbolized better than anywhere by the 'til death us do part' of the marriage ceremony," he told us. "To enjoy an indefinite human experience would require a willing commitment to constant reinvention, a kind of reincarnation, to which few current humans aspire."
Another concern is the suggestion that humans are not psychologically primed for living an indefinitely long life — that our psychologies didn't evolve to handle such long expanses of time and experiences. Cameron, like others, are worried that life would start to seem dull and without any kind of spontaneous spark. It would be dangerous and reckless, therefore, for us to go down that path.
It's all in your head
Boredom, along with the related condition of ennui (which is the general tiring of life), are at a fundamental level psychological conditions. While we can describe someone's life as being "boring", it's ultimately an emotional state that each of us feels.
It's because of this, says Dr. Mark Walker, that the question of boredom and extreme longevity must be framed as an empirical one. "There's only so much about psychology that you can figure out in your armchair," he told io9. "We simply have no way of knowing if extreme boredom would kick-in after thousands or millions of years."
Walker notes that the elderly population don't tend to complain about being bored. He points to the example of Jean Calment who lived to be 122 years old, and was once quoted as saying, "I never get bored." And in fact, studies have shown that satisfaction with life increases with age. It's only when sickness and infirmary kicks in that most people lose their lust for life.
But satisfaction at 122 years of age is far removed from what a 1,222 year-old might feel like.
Walker is fairly convinced that some people will be bored in the future. "The larger question that needs to be asked," says Walker, "is if life could ever get so boring that death would be preferable?"
And indeed, Walker predicts that some people will get so profoundly tired of life that they will choose to opt out. "The unhappiest people may commit suicide," he says, "but the remaining people will be less likely to be dissatisfied with their lives." He contends that, as time goes by, a kind of self-selection effect will occur, resulting in a remaining population that's more impervious to boredom.
He also points to the realization that humans of the future will be something very unlike version 1.0. "By that stage," says Walker, "humans will have dramatically changed themselves."
And because boredom is an inherently psychological issue, he speculates that future humans will choose to deal with the condition from a neurological perspective. "I can imagine, for example, a way to compartmentalize memory, "he said, "by putting blocks around memories so that we can revisit experiences as if for the first time."
Essentially, Walker believes that we'll eventually develop the the technological means to overcome psychological boredom.
Walker advocates what he calls ‘experimental ethics.' His general sentiment is that we should give radical life extension a try and see what happens. We may very well discover that, after a certain period of time, people start to get weary of life and opt right out of it.
A very different kind of future
The bigger issue, however, is whether or not the threat of boredom is so severe that we should forgo the radical life extension project altogether.
Given that we all deal with boredom from time-to-time, and that most of us are able to move on in life, the concern may be dramatically overstated. Or perhaps Cameron is right, and that prolonged lives will be stripped of meaning and purpose.
That said, it's important to note that radical life extension does not imply immortality. No matter how advanced our medical technologies get, people will always be subject to traumatic deaths and other unforeseen accidents. We won't be able to bring everybody back. Life, therefore, will always have a certain degree of uncertainty about it.
Moreover, the future is likely to present an entirely new set of experiences and opportunities far more diverse than what we're accustomed to today. Extreme longevity will likely be accompanied by other forms of human augmentation (such as intelligence and heightened emotional states), along with a dazzling array of technological gadgetry to keep us all titillated. In fact, a strong case can be made that, even today, we are a society that's so wired in that we very rarely have an opportunity to be bored. The future could very well extend our levels of engagement to even new heights (for better or worse).
Lastly, it's worth noting that the human mind, even in its current configuration, is capable of conjuring up a tremendously large number of variable mental states. Writing in The Blank Slate, neuroscientist Steven Pinker has suggested that the human brain is capable of generating and experiencing an infinite number of thoughts:
With a few thousand nouns that can fill the subject slot and a few thousand verbs that can fill the predicate slot, one already has several million ways to open a sentence. The possible combinations quickly multiply out to unimaginably large numbers. Indeed, the repertoire of sentences is theoretically infinite, because the rules of language use a trick called recursion. A recursive rule allows a phrase to contain an example of itself, as in She thinks that he thinks that they think that he knows and so on, ad infinitum. And if the number of sentences is infinite, the number of possible thoughts and intentions is infinite too, because virtually every sentence expresses a different thought or intention.
All this said, the question of boredom as it pertains to radical life extension will have to remain unanswered for now. But regardless of where one stands on the issue, the future, it would seem, will be anything but dull.
Top image via Semmick Photo/Shutterstock.com. Inset images courtesy Nigel Cameron, Mark Walker, and Mondolithic Studios. | {
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This article will present a beginner's guide to learning the Rubik's cube. Follow the steps in this guide, and you should be able to solve the cube reliably. It will take time and practice to become fast, but you will be in a position to solve those cubes at your friends' houses that have been sitting on the bookshelf unsolved for the last 6 years. If you are a more advanced Rubik's cube user, or you want to learn more techniques, including help for 7 x 7 x 7 Rubik's cubes, I recommend GANPuzzle.
Buy a Rubik's Cube Now at Amazon
Before you read the article, make sure you start with a completely solved Rubik's cube. Read the whole article, and learn the basic concepts, and make sure you learn the move sequences that are at the end of the article ("Basic Move Sequences") before you mix up the cube. It's much easier to see what each move sequence does when you start with a solved cube. You can do a move sequence, and then see what it does by looking at what happened to the cube.
Note that if you don't have a solved Rubik's cube, you can always take the cube apart to fix it manually. To do this, start by prying out an edge piece (edges are the pieces that have 2 visible sides to them) out. Corner pieces (corners are the pieces that have 3 visible sides to them). The center pieces (only 1 visible side) for each side of the cube cannot be removed. Once you have the first piece out, you can carefully remove the other pieces and manually reassemble all the pieces to the solved condition.
This article will not attempt to make you a speed cuber. World class speed cubers can solve a given cube in about 15 seconds. When you first start trying to solve the cube it will likely take you several minutes, or even more.
However, you can greatly reduce your time by learning how to recognize patterns on the cube, which will tell you what move sequence to do at what times, and then learning to simply execute those move sequences faster. Of course, you need a quality cube as well -- one where the sides move freely and easily.
Once you have gotten to a place where you can solve the cube, there are many published methods for speed solving the Rubik's cube. Some of these include:
There is plenty of information available on the web about these methods, and other methods as well.
However, before you worry about speed cubing, you need to worry about learning the basics. This is what we are going to try and cover here. If you have never solved a Rubik's cube before, and want to get a roadmap to what you need to learn, this is it.
Buy Rubik's World for Nintendo Wii at Amazon
Lastly, a warning. Learning to solve the cube reliably will take lots of experimentation and practice. It's not simple, and there are lots of things to learn. So be patient (and stubborn) and your chances of developing the necessary skills will be much improved.
The Basic Process - Stage 1 The first thing you need to do is subdivide the problem. You are not going to simply twist the cube a few times and find it solved (unless it was almost solved already). The way I originally learned to do this was by solving the top layer first. The following pictures will show you one example of this (the pictures show the exact same cube from 2 different vantage points): Note that solving a top layer should be pretty easy, even for a beginner. Solve the edges first, and then the corners. Here are some routines you can use to help you solve the top layer: If you are trying to solve the top layer first, the first thing you need to do is to decide what color you are going to have on top. When first starting out, it's easier to always have one particular color on top. This will make pattern recognition easier for you. The first thing you need to do is to get the edges into place. In other words, I usually get the white-orange edge, the white-green edge, the white-red edge, and the white-yellow edge in place. This is very simple to do. Getting the edges in place can be done with very simple manipulations of the cube. Which move you are using depends on the situation you have. The first two examples below are quite simple. The third example is made a little more complex because we want to put the red-white edge piece in the right place, but we already have all the other edge pieces in place, so we need to get the red-white edge piece in place without upsetting the others. When you are done, make sure that you have all the edges in the exact right place and rotation. Then you can work on the corners. In all of the example sequences below, you have certain pieces on the top surface, the white one, which are already solved, and you are trying to get the corner pieces into the right place. Here are some examples of moves to use to get the corners in place, once the edges are all set. There are more variants of these moves that you can learn with practice.
Just a Bit More on the Other Methods For purposes of perspective, we will take a brief look at the general technique used by the other approaches to solving the cube. You can skip this section for now, if you are tunnel vision focused on learning how to reliably solve the cube. Once you have more experience, it will be valuable to see the alternative forms of thinking that people use. In the Petrus method, you solve a 2 x 3 cylinder first, and the cube looks like this (again the pictures are the same cube from 2 different vantage points): We are not going to try to teach the Petrus Method here, but simply include these pictures, and the following ones of the Roux Method, to provide some perspective with regard to different approaches. In the Roux method, you solve 2/3 of 2 opposing sides first. Here is how the Roux Method looks at this stage shown from 2 different vantage points: Notice that 2 of the 3 layers of the red side are solved (shown in the first picture above), and 2 of the 3 layers of the orange side are solved (shown in the 2nd picture above).
The Basic Process - Stage 2 Once you solve the first stage, regardless of the method you use, you then advance to the second stage. In the old fashioned layer by layer method, you solve the second layer, and will end up with a cube that looks something like this (same cube shown from 2 views): The Petrus Method has this in common, where he solves the complete 2nd layer before moving to deal with the bottom layer. The Roux method is quite different, and leaves the cube in the following state (same cube shown from 2 views): Notice in the first picture that on the side with the red center all the orange pieces are correctly oriented, and on the side with the yellow center all the green pieces are correctly oriented, including the green-white edge. Notice in the second picture that on the side with the orange center all the red pieces are correctly oriented, and on the side with the green center all the yellow pieces are correctly oriented, including the yellow-white edge. If you study this carefully, you will see that there are only 6 edges out of place, as well as four of the center pieces. A bit of a peculiar shape, I agree, but this is the path that the Roux Method will take you down. With that in mind, let's keep things a bit simpler to think about for the rest of this article. We'll continue now with our strategy of solving the cube a layer at a time. Having solved the first layer, let's discuss techniques for solving the second layer.
Simple Techniques for Solving a 2nd Layer There are two moves that I am likely to use in solving the middle layer. They are the Right Handed Edge Mover and the Left Handed Edge Mover. To demo these moves, we will flip the cube, so our solved top layer is going to become the bottom layer. Then, these moves as shown here will help you move edges off the top layer into the middle layer in the correct orientation. Here they are: Right Handed Edge Mover Basic Use the mouse to grab the cube and rotate it. Three edge pieces have changed locations. Make sure you find them all. In the first animation, the pieces that have moved are the yellow-white edge, the red-white edge, and the yellow-orange edge piece. Notice how two edges from the top layer have moved, and one from the middle layer (the yellow-orange one) has moved. Of particular interest is that the yellow-white piece moved from the top layer to the middle layer. Taking advantage of this will be quite helpful in solving the middle layer. Left Handed Edge Mover Basic As with the Right Handed Edge Mover, 3 edge pieces have moved. Once again, use your mouse to rotate the cube and find them all. Using your real cube, make sure you do each of the above Basic Move Sequences 3 times in a row to see what it does. Done correctly, this should return you to a solved cube. To get a feeling about how to use this we will provide an example of one of the edge movers (we will use the reverse of the left handed edge mover) in action. Notice that the piece that we are moving into place is on the back side, and it is the red-green edge piece. Also, we have moved the completed layer to the bottom to fit in with the demonstration.
Finishing the cube Now you want to work on the final stage of this effort. The first time you read this article, make sure you read through this section to get perspective on what the steps are. Once you have a flavor for how it works, go through it again with a cube in hand. Try each of the moves out on a solved cube to see what they do. You should go through each of the moves multiple times to develop a deeper understanding of the impact of each. The first thing you need to accept is that you will temporarily upset the work that you have done, but the move sequence will then repair the damage by the time you are done with the sequence. Do not lose track of where you are during these sequences, because you may end up having to start over. The easiest way to keep track of where you are is to always hold the cube in your hand with the the same surface facing you and the same surface on top. Rotate sides of the cube for sure, but never rotate the cube itself in your hands. You are just asking for trouble if you do! | {
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(CNN) The debate over transgender rights in America often gets reduced to bathroom talk.
Supporters of so-called bathroom bills say they will protect public safety by ensuring that all people, including transgender men and women, use public restrooms that correspond to their sex at birth.
Opponents say their impact is much wider. Critics call them thinly veiled attempts to discriminate against and stigmatize transgender people to score political points.
Supporters make their case with a variety of arguments -- some relate to public safety, others question the entire concept of gender identity. But is there evidence to back some of their claims? What can we glean from places with protections for transgender people?
Here's a rundown of how those claims stand up to scrutiny.
Predators in bathrooms
The claim: Sexual predators will take advantage of public accommodations laws and policies covering transgender people to attack women and children in bathrooms.
The facts: Anti-discrimination protections covering gender identity have been around for years, and there is no evidence they lead to attacks in public facilities.
Explained: As of March 2017, 19 states, the District of Columbia and more than 200 municipalities have anti-discrimination laws and ordinances allowing transgender people to use public facilities that correspond to their gender identity.
CNN found one case of a Seattle man who allegedly undressed in a women's locker room in 2016, citing Washington's anti-discrimination law as motivation.
Otherwise, whenever the topic comes up in the news, prosecutors, law enforcement agencies and state human rights commissions have consistently denied that there is any correlation between such policies and a spike in assaults.
CNN reached out to 20 law enforcement agencies in states with anti-discrimination policies covering gender identity. None who answered reported any bathroom assaults after the policies took effect.
Michael Dunton, chief records clerk of Rhode Island's Cranston Police Department, told CNN his department was "hard-pressed" to find such a case: "We track our sex offenders very carefully and we haven't seen any instance of sexual predators assaulting in bathrooms."
In Maine, which has had gender identity protections in its state civil rights law for more than 11 years, the state Human Rights Commission was unaware of a single incident.
"I know there is a lot of anxiety associated with this issue, but it seems to be based on fear rather than facts. Given this, it is really disheartening to see so many states (and now our federal government) choose to treat people who are transgender with what looks like hatred," Maine Human Rights Commission Executive Director Amy Sneirson said.
More common, civil rights groups say, are reports of transgender people being assaulted in bathrooms that don't match their gender identity.
In one of the largest surveys of transgender and gender non-conforming Americans ever conducted, 70% of respondents reported being denied access, verbally harassed, or physically assaulted in public restrooms. The survey, conducted by UCLA's Williams Institute in 2013 before the nation's capital passed anti-discrimination protections, built on previous research with similar outcomes.
JUST WATCHED Transgender identity, in their words Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Transgender identity, in their words 02:44
Transgender people don't deserve protections
The claim: Being transgender is not a valid condition. Transgender people are mentally ill and should not be afforded the same legal protections or healthcare guarantees as gay and lesbian Americans.
The facts: The clear majority of mainstream medical, psychiatric and psychological communities agree that being transgender is not a concocted fantasy or mental illness. It's simply a valid state in which one's gender does not match what was assigned at birth.
Join the conversation See the latest news and share your comments with CNN Health on Facebook and Twitter.
Explained: The medical community defines gender identity as the way in which people perceive themselves, which could be different from their gender at birth. A transgender person's gender identity is different from cultural expectations based on the gender they were born with.
Characterizing transgender identity as a mental disorder contributes to precarious legal status, human rights violations, and barriers to appropriate health care, according to a study published in The Lancet in 2016
A condition is designated a mental illness when it causes significant distress. For many, simply being transgender does not cause dysfunction -- it's the social stigma and barriers to expressing one's identity that cause problems, according to the American Psychological Association , the American Medical Association and other healthcare organizations.
The World Health Organization is set to adopt the same position in its next edition of the International Classification of Diseases, due out in 2018.
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) includes the term "gender dysphoria" to describe the distress some feel. The term was adopted in 2013 to replace "gender identity disorder," which designated transgender identity a mental illness. The change bore echoes of a 1973 decision to remove homosexuality from the DSM.
Controversy erupts after transgender boy wins Texas state girls wrestling title https://t.co/BuHNSlMtkO — New Day (@NewDay) February 27, 2017
Letting children identify as transgender is harmful
Claim: Children are too young to know if they are transgender, and supporting a child who identifies as transgender is child abuse.
The facts: Research shows that not allowing transgender children to live their gender identity is harmful, and can be deadly.
Explained: suggest that when it comes to psychological traits and abilities, boys and girls are more alike than they are different. A child's parents and environment are more likely to influence their gender expression than the body parts they were born with, and the concept of gender becomes more fixed as we grow. Decades of research suggest that when it comes to psychological traits and abilities, boys and girls are more alike than they are different. A child's parents and environment are more likely to influence their gender expression than the body parts they were born with, and the concept of gender becomes more fixed as we grow.
Just as it advises for adults, the medical community endorses letting children live their gender identity to avoid gender dysphoria or other conditions that may hinder mental or social developmental.
Groups including Family Research Council, considered a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, cite the American College of Pediatrics in arguments against supporting transgender children. The American College of Pediatrics is estimated to have only a few hundred members compared to the 64,000 members belonging to the well-established American Academy of Pediatrics, which supports allowing transgender children to socially transition at an early age.
Social transition does not involve the use of cross sex hormones or hormone blockers until the age of puberty, and only then if a patient and healthcare professional deem such treatment necessary. | {
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JTA — In November, a magazine in Hungary reported on alleged mismanagement of taxpayers’ money by that country’s largest Jewish federation.
The article by the right-wing Figyelo magazine about the Mazsihisz Jewish group triggered an outcry locally and internationally. But it wasn’t over the problems the article sought to expose.
Those were eclipsed by passionate reactions over the image that appeared on the magazine’s cover. It featured a photomontage of Mazsihisz President Andras Heisler surrounded by bank notes. The Jewish organization said it was a “character assassination” that “revives centuries-old stereotypes” about Jews and money.
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Figyelo’s editors rejected the claim but incensed condemnations kept flowing in: from the World Jewish Congress, the European Jewish Congress (Heisler serves as vice president in both), the American Jewish Committee and even the State of Israel.
Last month, though, Figyelo was vindicated in the eyes of at least some Hungarian Jews because thieves stole $437,000 in government money from Mazsihisz. The culprits were suspiciously versed in Mazsihisz’s inner procedures.
Peter Feldmajer, Mazsihisz’s former president, said the allegations “will strengthen the view that Mazsihisz is a corrupt organization.” Several critics of Mazsihisz, including Adam Schoenberger of the liberal Marom group, said that whereas Mazsihisz is notoriously opaque, they do not believe it to be an institutionally corrupt organization.
To some, the case was an example of how certain Jewish groups in Eastern Europe avoid or discredit scrutiny of their muddy financial affairs by casting it as anti-Semitic.
“The Figyelo photo montage wasn’t nice, but it wasn’t anti-Semitic,” Ferenc Olti, a former board member of Mazsihisz, told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. “Sometimes it’s beneficial for Mazsihisz to point outside, to say ‘we’re attacked and this attack is anti-Semitic’ although this is absolutely not the case most of the time.”
In nearby Poland, journalist Nissan Tzur has a similar impression about that country’s Jewish community.
“Complaining about anti-Semitism is standard practice for Jewish community institutions whenever there’s any serious attempt by media to look into how restitution property is handled,” said Tzur, who is Jewish.
A debate about anti-Semitism and Jewish groups’ finances played out recently as well in Poland, whose Jewish community of 15,000 is Central Europe’s second largest after Hungary’s 100,000 Jews.
In 2013, Tzur, a dual citizen of Israel and Poland, and a colleague, Wojciech Surmacz, published three articles in Forbes Poland that described how Jewish community institutions allegedly sold restituted property below market value in contravention of Jewish customs and for personal gain.
Leaders of the Polish Jewish community and Ronald Lauder, president of the World Jewish Congress, protested to Forbes Poland’s German publisher, Axel Springer. Piotr Kadlcik, then the president of the Union of Jewish Communities of Poland, drew parallels between the articles and the liquidation of the Warsaw Ghetto by the Nazis because both “attacks” were timed to coincide with Jewish holidays to weaken resistance.
Lauder then published on the WJC website a statement that accused the journalists of using “ugly anti-Semitic stereotypes” such as that of “greedy Jews enriching themselves at the expense of the wider community.”
Tzur, who reports from Europe for several mainstream Israeli papers including Maariv and Makor Rishon, says no such tropes were used.
“It’s simply ridiculous to accuse me, the grandson of Holocaust survivors, of such things,” Tzur said in an interview.
Still, Axel Springer eventually published a correction retracting the bulk of the accusations made by Tzur and Surmacz and an apology to Jewish leaders. The Polish magazine insisted on the veracity of its reporting, clashing publicly with its German publisher.
The Jewish community leaders who protested the article “formulated just one accusation, but it was the most serious one: of anti-Semitism,” Haim Dov Beliak, the rabbi of the Beit Polska umbrella group of Progressive Jewish communities in Poland, wrote at the time. He insists the information published was true and that the charges of anti-Semitism were merely for “telling the truth.”
Tzur also said the information he published was accurate. But even if it weren’t, he said, “It wasn’t remotely anti-Semitic. The affair shows that the use of the anti-Semitism card to deflect matter-of-fact accusations of financial mismanagement or abuse is still effective in Eastern Europe.” But, he added, “It won’t be for long because using it erodes its credibility. It’s like crying wolf.”
Both Poland and Hungary have their fair share of anti-Semitic hate speech in the media – including by some of those countries’ top politicians.
In 2015, the Anti-Defamation League urged the Polish government to reconsider its nomination of Defense Minister Antoni Macierewicz, citing his statement in 2002 in which he said that the anti-Semitic forgery “The Protocols of the Elders of Zion” contains some truth. Macierewiez also wrote in a newspaper in 1996 that contrary to ample evidence, Poles did not kill Jews at the 1946 Kielce massacre.
Last year, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban used language that seemed like it was lifted straight from 1930s Nazi literature when he said during a speech: “We are fighting an enemy that is different from us. Not open, but hiding; not straightforward but crafty; not honest but base; not national but international; does not believe in working but speculates with money; does not have its own homeland but feels it owns the whole world.”
Orban’s statement was universally accepted as anti-Semitic dog whistling. But Jewish leaders there were more divided when it came to accusations that the Orban government’s campaign last year against the liberal Jewish billionaire George Soros was anti-Semitic.
Mazsihisz claimed that the campaign, which featured posters of Soros with the words “don’t let him have the last laugh,” risks “encouraging anti-Semitic sentiment” because Soros is Jewish and the “laughing Jew” was a favorite trope of Hitler’s.
In a country whose government is allegedly perpetuating racist stereotypes about Jews, the controversial Figyelo cover photo and the anti-Soros campaign photos “cannot be separated from those stereotypes, even when the images themselves are not directly anti-Semitic,” said Marom’s Schoenberger, whose left-leaning association in Budapest is not part of Mazsihisz.
But both Feldmajer, the former Mazsihisz president, and EMIH, Hungary’s Chabad-affiliated Jewish organization, said that calling the Soros posters anti-Semitic was going too far.
“I think it was wrong of Mazshisz to characterize both the Figyelo article and the Soros campaign as anti-Semitic,” said Olti, the former Mazsihisz board member. “This claim shouldn’t be used to block scrutiny or to advance political agendas, as was the case in the Figyelo article and the Soros campaign,” respectively. “The Jewish community should respond to calls for transparency rather than fight them and refrain from taking positions more suitable for political opposition groups.”
In February, a left-leaning weekly, Magyar Narancs, ran an expose about EMIH’s receipt of state subsidies. It was a front-cover item and featured an image of the rabbi blowing a shofar with the title “Slomo Koves’ billions of state funding,” although the money’s recipient was EMIH, not Koves.
But Koves said he does not regard his depiction as anti-Semitic.
“I didn’t say it was anti-Semitic then and I don’t say it’s anti-Semitic now,” Koves told JTA. “It’s just cheap journalism and bad info.” | {
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My friend Rae Dawn Chong, who starred in several Hollywood studio pictures in the 1980s like “Quest for Fire” and “Commando,” claims the now-disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein “is only the tip of an ugly iceberg” regarding the industry’s treatment of women.
Chong, who used to be represented by one of the most powerful agencies in town, CAA, recalled that she was once sent to an evening meeting with then-movie star Steven Seagal in the 1980s.
“9:30 p.m. at the Bel Air hotel — I was shocked at the time,” she said, but the agency excused the late hour and location, and when Chong arrived at the front desk she was told to go to his room.
“I knew then that I was being pimped by the agency,” she said.
Also Read: Gawker-Killer Lawyer Leaves Harvey Weinstein's Legal Team Without Suing NY Times
Although she refused to enter Seagal’s hotel room, she knocked on the door to confirm that she had made the appointment, only to have Seagal answer in his bathrobe.
“I stood outside the open door mortified that I was told to go to this meeting,” she said. “My heart broke because my agency had obviously pimped me out to this creep.”
Seagal opened the door, she said, and the actor “walked across his room and sat in a chair and manspread so I could see his junk. But he casually covered back up as if it was a mistake.”
After she declined his invitation to enter the room, Chong said, “then he asked if my blouse was silk and could he feel it. I said, ‘You know what silk feels like’ and I left.”
Also Read: Here's Who Can Sue Harvey Weinstein - and Who Can't
“I never let him touch me,” she said. “And to be honest…I would have f—ing killed him.”
She said that she went home and cried “because I realized the agency did not care about me. I left them, hurt and betrayed. Of course I struggled for work after that, and I was angry at them for lying and betraying my trust.”
Reps for Seagal and CAA did not respond to my request for comment.
Also Read: Legal Startup Offers $100,000 'Bounty' to Fund Harvey Weinstein Lawsuits
What’s worse is that it didn’t end there, Chong said. “For years Steven Seagal would leave sex messages on my message machine. I had never met him before that night and never spoke to him again but for some reason he decided he could do this,” she said. “What burned me most was the agents. They got away with this and I was burned by them. I could not tell on them — who would I tell?”
Chong is now the third woman to accuse Seagal of misconduct after actresses Lisa Guerrero and Jenny McCarthy told their stories to the L.A. Times on Monday.
Chong’s saga has been echoed by the litany of statements coming from the British, French, Italian and American actresses who worked with, or wanted to work with Weinstein. Hundreds of other women have come out of the woodwork, speaking openly now about what they have endured to get work in Hollywood. Other producers, directors and movie stars are being accused of sexual aggression and abuse of power.
Also Read: Weinstein Co. Survival in Question as Harvey Weinstein Scandal Expands
Every man should be alarmed by these stories of sexual predators, and look inward. What we don’t yet know is how the Weinstein scandal is likely to play out. Will it be a watershed moment in the patriarchy, changing the way men behave across industries and western nations? Or will it eventually blow over — the way a similar scandal exposing Donald Trump as a sexual predator during last year’s presidential campaign quickly evaporated, leading to his siege of the White House?
My wife, the author Sheana Ochoa, calls me naïve when I express optimism that this time, the shock waves are too great and that the culture will have to evolve. She writes in a column in the London Economic that “this story will fizzle out. It will soon be replaced by something else to enrage, scare, and stir us up. Meanwhile, nothing will have changed.”
We can only hope she’s wrong. | {
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× Expand Polestar
Electric performance car manufacturer Polestar, jointly owned by Volvo and its Chinese parent company Geely, has announced that it will be opening an R&D centre in Coventry, UK, in order to strengthen the brand's ability to design and engineer future EVs.
In a positive sign for the beleaguered UK car industry, the decision by Polestar comes at a time when several car manufacturers including Nissan, Honda and Jaguar Land Rover have moved local production overseas in what some have seen as a warning that Brexit is deterring suppliers and EU workers.
Polestar said that Brexit had not been a factor in the decision and the move was more about harnessing British engineering skills.
At first, 60 jobs will be created at the new Coventry centre with the intention to expand over the rest of the year.
"Investing in the automotive engineering talent that the UK has to offer will strengthen our capabilities,” says Thomas Ingenlath, Chief Executive Officer at Polestar. “The passion and dedication of these great engineers fit the Polestar spirit perfectly and will allow us to create some really awesome cars!”
"Polestar's role as a technology spearhead requires new and developing skills in low-volume, light-weight, multi-material performance car engineering. The UK operation will allow us to take the next steps towards our future cars," Hans Pehrson, responsible for Research and Development at Polestar said.
“The team that will kick start the new UK R&D subsidiary is already well-versed in Polestar engineering philosophy, and we will expand the initial team further during the course of 2019. These engineers will be a great complement to our existing R&D team based in Sweden, and other supporting teams around the world,” he continued.
At present, the company manufactures its Polestar 1 plug-in hybrid in China, where it will also soon begin production of the Polestar 2, a competitor to Tesla's Model 3 in the country.
The UK R&D site will be the company's first independent facility having relied on Volvo's R&D capacity until now. | {
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Is an orange named after the color or the color named after the fruit?
13,339 shares | {
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Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau says he knows now that his decision to dress up in brownface and a turban for a gala at a private school where he worked 18 years ago was a racist thing to do and he is now "deeply sorry."
Trudeau also admitted there was a second instance of racist behaviour. "When I was in high school I dressed up at a talent show and sang Day-O with makeup on," he said.
Speaking to reporters on his campaign plane, Trudeau apologized for his actions, saying that he now recognizes his actions were racist.
"In 2001, when I was a teacher in Vancouver, I attended a gala. The theme was Arabian Nights. I dressed up in an Aladdin costume and put makeup on. I shouldn't have done that. I should have known better, but I didn't and I'm really sorry.
"I take responsibility for my decision to do that. I shouldn't have done it. I should have known better. It was something that I didn't think was racist at the time, but now I recognize it was something racist to do and I am deeply sorry."
The 2001 incident was brought to light Wednesday evening by an article in Time Magazine.
The article details how the picture of Trudeau appears in the 2000-01 yearbook of the West Point Grey Academy, a private school in Vancouver.
Time Magazine said Vancouver businessman Michael Adamson, who was a part of the West Point Grey Academy community, brought the photograph to the magazine's attention because he said he thought it should be made public.
Another image that appears to be Trudeau at the same school gala was posted in an April 2001 newsletter for the Vancouver school. The additional image, which is available in an online archive, surfaced after Trudeau first addressed his use of brownface and apologized for it.
This image was part of an April 2001 newsletter from the West Point Grey Academy. (West Point Grey Academy)
Asked if he should resign his position as Liberal leader based on both incidents, Trudeau made the case that incidents like this should be treated on a "case-by-case" basis.
"There are people who make mistakes in this life and you make decisions based on what they actually do, what they did and on a case-by-case basis. I deeply regret that I did that. I should have known better but I didn't," he said.
"I shouldn't have done that, I should have known better but I didn't and I'm deeply sorry," Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau says to reporters about brownface incident. 11:31
Trudeau said that he found out the story was going to break earlier in the day.
Asked if he understood why brownface and blackface was so hurtful to minorities Trudeau said he did.
"I think it's well known that communities and people that live with intersectionalities and face discrimination the likes of which I have never personally had to experience is a significant thing that is very hurtful and that is why I am so deeply disappointed in myself," he said.
Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau pictured at Le collège Jean-de-Brébeuf in the school talent show singing 'Day-O' and wearing makeup. (CBC)
Unfit for office, Scheer says
Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer said both incidents prove that Trudeau is not fit to hold the office of prime minister.
"Like all Canadians, I was extremely shocked and disappointed when I learned of Justin Trudeau's actions this evening," Scheer said. "Wearing brownface is an act of open mockery and racism. It was just as racist in 2001 as it is in 2019.
"And what Canadians saw this evening was someone with a complete lack of judgment and integrity and someone who is not fit to govern this country."
"I was extremely shocked and disappointed," Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer says after learning about Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau's blackface Wednesday. 0:28
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said Trudeau's behaviour was "troubling" and "insulting."
"It's making a mockery of someone for what they live and what their lived experiences are," Singh said. "I think he needs to answer for it. I think he needs to answer the question why he did that and what does that say about what he thinks about people who, because of who they are, because of the colour of their skin, face challenges and barriers and obstacles in their life."
"Racism is real. People in this room have felt it, have heard this story. I've experienced it in my life. he's got to answer those questions."
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh responds to Time Magazine's article of Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau appearing in brownface and turban at a gala in 2001. 2:28
After Trudeau's apology Singh delivered a message to Canadian children of colour.
"The kids that see this image, the people that see this image, are going to think about all the times in their life that they were made fun of, that they were hurt, that they were hit, that they were insulted, that they were made to feel less because of who they are and I want to talk to those people right now," Singh said.
"I want to talk to all the kids out there," he said. "You might feel like giving up on Canada. You might feel like giving up on yourselves. I want you to know that you have value, you have worth and you are loved and I don't want you to give up on Canada and please don't give up on yourselves."
'You have value, you have worth, you are loved,' NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said to people who may be hurt over Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau's brownface. 0:48
Incident 'reprehensible': Canadian Muslim organization
The National Council of Canadian Muslims said Trudeau's appearance in brownface was "reprehensible."
"Seeing the prime minister in brownface/blackface is deeply saddening," said NCCM's Executive Director Mustafa Farooq in a Tweet. "The wearing of blackface/brownface is reprehensible, and hearkens back to a history of racism and an Orientalist mythology which is unacceptable."
Green Party Leader Elizabeth May reacts to a photo of Justin Trudeau wearing brownface. 0:55
The council said that while it recognizes that people can change and evolve over time, it was critical that Trudeau "unequivocally apologizes" for the incident. After Trudeau made his public apology, the NCCM issued another tweet thanking him. | {
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Civil servants face discrimination and harassment in China and one in five civil service job adverts in the country are explicitly for “men only”, research has found.
Human Rights Watch found 19 per cent of postings specify a preference or requirement for men in the Chinese government’s 2019 national civil service job list, which has just been released.
The discriminatory postings often cite “frequent overtime work,” “heavy workload,” and “frequent travel” as reasons why women are excluded.
While Chinese law bars gender discrimination in hiring, job discrimination continues to be a prevalent problem.
Human Rights Watch’s China director, Sophie Richardson, said: “President Xi Jinping claims to uphold Chinese law but his administration won’t even protect women civil servants from outrageous discrimination.
“Chinese authorities need to end this appalling practice in civil service hiring immediately.”
The #MeToo movement has rocked progressive circles in China – with some of the men accused of sexual assault and harassment leading intellectuals and activists who have long fought for equal rights.
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The blast, which rattled entire buildings and broke glass, was felt in several parts of the city AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 August 2020 A general view shows the new road bridge in Genoa, Italy ahead of its official inauguration, after it was rebuilt following its collapse on August 14, 2018 which killed 43 people Reuters World news in pictures 2 August 2020 Empty stall spaces are seen hours before a citywide curfew is introduced in Melbourne, Australia EPA World news in pictures 1 August 2020 People take part in a demonstration by the initiative "Querdenken-711" with the slogan "the end of the pandemic - the day of freedom" to protest against the current measurements to curb the spread of COVID-19 in Berlin, Germany AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 July 2020 Pilgrims circumambulating around the Kaaba, the holiest shrine in the Grand mosque in Mecca. Muslim pilgrims converged today on Saudi Arabia's Mount Arafat for the climax of this year's hajj, the smallest in modern times and a sharp contrast to the massive crowds of previous years Saudi Ministry of Media/AFP World news in pictures 30 July 2020 The Mars 2020 Perseverance mission lifts off at the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida. The mission is part of the USA's largest moon to Mars exploration. Nasa will attempt to establish a sustained human presence on and around the moon by 2028 through their Artemis programme EPA World news in pictures 29 July 2020 A woman refreshes herself in a outdoor pool in summer temperatures in Ehingen, Germany dpa via AP World news in pictures 28 July 2020 Malaysia's former prime minister Najib Razak speaks to the media after he was found guilty in his corruption trial in Kuala Lumpur AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 July 2020 North Korean leader Kim Jong Un poses for a photograph after conferring commemorative pistols to leading commanding officers of the armed forces on the 67th anniversary of the "Day of Victory in the Great Fatherland Liberation War". Which marks the signing of the Korean War armistice KCNA via Reuters
As a series of prominent journalists, academics, and activists have been accused of sexual harassment, women in the civil service have also spoken out.
“As China’s growing #MeToo movement shows, Chinese women not only face unfair barriers to joining the civil service but sexual harassment in those jobs,” Ms Richardson said. “The Chinese government needs to send an unequivocal message to its workforce that it will not tolerate sexual harassment.”
Human Rights Watch found posts on Chinese social media platforms and online forums where anonymous female civil servants described experiences of sexual harassment and asked for advice on how to deal with sexual harassment from men in positions of superiority.
“I’m being sexually harassed by the deputy party secretary in my work unit, is there any way I can get him dismissed?” one post read. “I worked so hard to get this job ... [I] don’t want to quit because of this kind of person. The one [who] should be dismissed is that leader.”
The Chinese government released the 2019 national civil service positions list – which contains vacancies in the government, the Chinese Communist Party, and other government-controlled political parties – in October.
The roles are among the most competitive jobs in the country, due to being fairly well paid and providing high levels of security and other perks. More than 1.4 million people registered to take the national civil service test that will be given at the end of the year, to compete for fewer than 14,500 vacancies.
Among the nearly 10,000 job postings – some of which were for multiple vacancies – in the 2019 list, the organisation found 14 per cent of postings explicitly identified a preference for male applicants, and five per cent specify a requirement for males.
An example cited by the organisation was for a position at the Tianjin Bureau of Post Service Management involving “supervision and management of the post industry”, which says workers will “need to carry out law enforcement and supervision work, [and a] heavy workload, suitable for men.”
There are no postings which say they prefer or require female candidates.
In an April report which looked at gender discrimination in job advertisements in China, Human Rights Watch reported 13 per cent of postings in the 2017 civil service list, and 19 per cent in the 2018 list, specified “men only”, “men preferred”, or “suitable for men”.
Women have not reaped the benefits of China’s rapid economic development in comparison to their male counterparts and the gender pay gap has grown. According to the World Economic Forum, China’s gender parity ranking fell from 57 in 2008 to 100 in 2017. | {
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
} |
/** *Submitted for verification at Etherscan.io on 2017-07-17 */ pragma solidity ^0.4.11; library SafeMath { function mul(uint a, uint b) internal returns (uint) { uint c = a * b; assert(a == 0 || c / a == b); return c; } function div(uint a, uint b) internal returns (uint) { // assert(b > 0); // Solidity automatically throws when dividing by 0 uint c = a / b; // assert(a == b * c + a % b); // There is no case in which this doesn't hold return c; } function sub(uint a, uint b) internal returns (uint) { assert(b <= a); return a - b; } function add(uint a, uint b) internal returns (uint) { uint c = a + b; assert(c >= a); return c; } function max64(uint64 a, uint64 b) internal constant returns (uint64) { return a >= b ? a : b; } function min64(uint64 a, uint64 b) internal constant returns (uint64) { return a < b ? a : b; } function max256(uint256 a, uint256 b) internal constant returns (uint256) { return a >= b ? a : b; } function min256(uint256 a, uint256 b) internal constant returns (uint256) { return a < b ? a : b; } function assert(bool assertion) internal { if (!assertion) { throw; } } } contract Ownable { /// @dev `owner` is the only address that can call a function with this /// modifier modifier onlyOwner() { require(msg.sender == owner); _; } address public owner; /// @notice The Constructor assigns the message sender to be `owner` function Ownable() { owner = msg.sender; } address public newOwner; /// @notice `owner` can step down and assign some other address to this role /// @param _newOwner The address of the new owner. function changeOwner(address _newOwner) onlyOwner { newOwner = _newOwner; } function acceptOwnership() { if (msg.sender == newOwner) { owner = newOwner; } } } contract Pausable is Ownable { bool public stopped; event onEmergencyChanged(bool isStopped); modifier stopInEmergency { if (stopped) { throw; } _; } modifier onlyInEmergency { if (!stopped) { throw; } _; } // called by the owner on emergency, triggers stopped state function emergencyStop() external onlyOwner { stopped = true; onEmergencyChanged(stopped); } // called by the owner on end of emergency, returns to normal state function release() external onlyOwner onlyInEmergency { stopped = false; onEmergencyChanged(stopped); } } contract ERC20Basic { function totalSupply() constant returns (uint); function balanceOf(address who) constant returns (uint); function transfer(address to, uint value) returns (bool); event Transfer(address indexed from, address indexed to, uint value); } contract ERC20 is ERC20Basic { mapping(address => uint) balances; function allowance(address owner, address spender) constant returns (uint); function transferFrom(address from, address to, uint value) returns (bool); function approve(address spender, uint value) returns (bool); function approveAndCall(address spender, uint256 value, bytes extraData) returns (bool); event Approval(address indexed owner, address indexed spender, uint value); function doTransfer(address _from, address _to, uint _amount) internal returns(bool); } contract GrantsControlled { modifier onlyGrantsController { if (msg.sender != grantsController) throw; _; } address public grantsController; function GrantsControlled() { grantsController = msg.sender;} function changeGrantsController(address _newController) onlyGrantsController { grantsController = _newController; } } contract LimitedTransferToken is ERC20 { // Checks whether it can transfer or otherwise throws. modifier canTransfer(address _sender, uint _value) { if (_value > transferableTokens(_sender, uint64(now))) throw; _; } // Checks modifier and allows transfer if tokens are not locked. function transfer(address _to, uint _value) canTransfer(msg.sender, _value) returns (bool) { return super.transfer(_to, _value); } // Checks modifier and allows transfer if tokens are not locked. function transferFrom(address _from, address _to, uint _value) canTransfer(_from, _value) returns (bool) { return super.transferFrom(_from, _to, _value); } // Default transferable tokens function returns all tokens for a holder (no limit). function transferableTokens(address holder, uint64 time) constant public returns (uint256) { return balanceOf(holder); } } contract Controlled { /// @notice The address of the controller is the only address that can call /// a function with this modifier modifier onlyController { if (msg.sender != controller) throw; _; } address public controller; function Controlled() { controller = msg.sender;} /// @notice Changes the controller of the contract /// @param _newController The new controller of the contract function changeController(address _newController) onlyController { controller = _newController; } } contract MiniMeToken is ERC20, Controlled { using SafeMath for uint; string public name; //The Token's name: e.g. DigixDAO Tokens uint8 public decimals; //Number of decimals of the smallest unit string public symbol; //An identifier: e.g. REP string public version = 'MMT_0.1'; //An arbitrary versioning scheme /// @dev `Checkpoint` is the structure that attaches a block number to a /// given value, the block number attached is the one that last changed the /// value struct Checkpoint { // `fromBlock` is the block number that the value was generated from uint128 fromBlock; // `value` is the amount of tokens at a specific block number uint128 value; } // `parentToken` is the Token address that was cloned to produce this token; // it will be 0x0 for a token that was not cloned MiniMeToken public parentToken; // `parentSnapShotBlock` is the block number from the Parent Token that was // used to determine the initial distribution of the Clone Token uint public parentSnapShotBlock; // `creationBlock` is the block number that the Clone Token was created uint public creationBlock; // `balances` is the map that tracks the balance of each address, in this // contract when the balance changes the block number that the change // occurred is also included in the map mapping (address => Checkpoint[]) balances; // `allowed` tracks any extra transfer rights as in all ERC20 tokens mapping (address => mapping (address => uint256)) allowed; // Tracks the history of the `totalSupply` of the token Checkpoint[] totalSupplyHistory; // Flag that determines if the token is transferable or not. bool public transfersEnabled; // The factory used to create new clone tokens MiniMeTokenFactory public tokenFactory; //////////////// // Constructor //////////////// /// @notice Constructor to create a MiniMeToken /// @param _tokenFactory The address of the MiniMeTokenFactory contract that /// will create the Clone token contracts, the token factory needs to be /// deployed first /// @param _parentToken Address of the parent token, set to 0x0 if it is a /// new token /// @param _parentSnapShotBlock Block of the parent token that will /// determine the initial distribution of the clone token, set to 0 if it /// is a new token /// @param _tokenName Name of the new token /// @param _decimalUnits Number of decimals of the new token /// @param _tokenSymbol Token Symbol for the new token /// @param _transfersEnabled If true, tokens will be able to be transferred function MiniMeToken( address _tokenFactory, address _parentToken, uint _parentSnapShotBlock, string _tokenName, uint8 _decimalUnits, string _tokenSymbol, bool _transfersEnabled ) { tokenFactory = MiniMeTokenFactory(_tokenFactory); name = _tokenName; // Set the name decimals = _decimalUnits; // Set the decimals symbol = _tokenSymbol; // Set the symbol parentToken = MiniMeToken(_parentToken); parentSnapShotBlock = _parentSnapShotBlock; transfersEnabled = _transfersEnabled; creationBlock = block.number; } /////////////////// // ERC20 Methods /////////////////// /// @notice Send `_amount` tokens to `_to` from `msg.sender` /// @param _to The address of the recipient /// @param _amount The amount of tokens to be transferred /// @return Whether the transfer was successful or not function transfer(address _to, uint256 _amount) returns (bool success) { if (!transfersEnabled) throw; return doTransfer(msg.sender, _to, _amount); } /// @notice Send `_amount` tokens to `_to` from `_from` on the condition it /// is approved by `_from` /// @param _from The address holding the tokens being transferred /// @param _to The address of the recipient /// @param _amount The amount of tokens to be transferred /// @return True if the transfer was successful function transferFrom(address _from, address _to, uint256 _amount ) returns (bool success) { // The controller of this contract can move tokens around at will, // this is important to recognize! Confirm that you trust the // controller of this contract, which in most situations should be // another open source smart contract or 0x0 if (msg.sender != controller) { if (!transfersEnabled) throw; // The standard ERC 20 transferFrom functionality if (allowed[_from][msg.sender] < _amount) return false; allowed[_from][msg.sender] = allowed[_from][msg.sender].sub(_amount); } return doTransfer(_from, _to, _amount); } /// @dev This is the actual transfer function in the token contract, it can /// only be called by other functions in this contract. /// @param _from The address holding the tokens being transferred /// @param _to The address of the recipient /// @param _amount The amount of tokens to be transferred /// @return True if the transfer was successful function doTransfer(address _from, address _to, uint _amount ) internal returns(bool) { if (_amount == 0) { return true; } if (parentSnapShotBlock >= block.number) throw; // Do not allow transfer to 0x0 or the token contract itself if ((_to == 0) || (_to == address(this))) throw; // If the amount being transfered is more than the balance of the // account the transfer returns false var previousBalanceFrom = balanceOfAt(_from, block.number); if (previousBalanceFrom < _amount) { return false; } // Alerts the token controller of the transfer if (isContract(controller)) { if (!TokenController(controller).onTransfer(_from, _to, _amount)) throw; } // First update the balance array with the new value for the address // sending the tokens updateValueAtNow(balances[_from], previousBalanceFrom.sub(_amount)); // Then update the balance array with the new value for the address // receiving the tokens var previousBalanceTo = balanceOfAt(_to, block.number); updateValueAtNow(balances[_to], previousBalanceTo.add(_amount)); // An event to make the transfer easy to find on the blockchain Transfer(_from, _to, _amount); return true; } /// @param _owner The address that's balance is being requested /// @return The balance of `_owner` at the current block function balanceOf(address _owner) constant returns (uint256 balance) { return balanceOfAt(_owner, block.number); } /// @notice `msg.sender` approves `_spender` to spend `_amount` tokens on /// its behalf. This is a modified version of the ERC20 approve function /// to be a little bit safer /// @param _spender The address of the account able to transfer the tokens /// @param _amount The amount of tokens to be approved for transfer /// @return True if the approval was successful function approve(address _spender, uint256 _amount) returns (bool success) { if (!transfersEnabled) throw; // To change the approve amount you first have to reduce the addresses` // allowance to zero by calling `approve(_spender,0)` if it is not // already 0 to mitigate the race condition described here: // https://github.com/ethereum/EIPs/issues/20#issuecomment-263524729 if ((_amount!=0) && (allowed[msg.sender][_spender] !=0)) throw; // Alerts the token controller of the approve function call if (isContract(controller)) { if (!TokenController(controller).onApprove(msg.sender, _spender, _amount)) throw; } allowed[msg.sender][_spender] = _amount; Approval(msg.sender, _spender, _amount); return true; } /// @dev This function makes it easy to read the `allowed[]` map /// @param _owner The address of the account that owns the token /// @param _spender The address of the account able to transfer the tokens /// @return Amount of remaining tokens of _owner that _spender is allowed /// to spend function allowance(address _owner, address _spender ) constant returns (uint256 remaining) { return allowed[_owner][_spender]; } /// @notice `msg.sender` approves `_spender` to send `_amount` tokens on /// its behalf, and then a function is triggered in the contract that is /// being approved, `_spender`. This allows users to use their tokens to /// interact with contracts in one function call instead of two /// @param _spender The address of the contract able to transfer the tokens /// @param _amount The amount of tokens to be approved for transfer /// @return True if the function call was successful function approveAndCall(address _spender, uint256 _amount, bytes _extraData ) returns (bool success) { if (!approve(_spender, _amount)) throw; ApproveAndCallFallBack(_spender).receiveApproval( msg.sender, _amount, this, _extraData ); return true; } /// @dev This function makes it easy to get the total number of tokens /// @return The total number of tokens function totalSupply() constant returns (uint) { return totalSupplyAt(block.number); } //////////////// // Query balance and totalSupply in History //////////////// /// @dev Queries the balance of `_owner` at a specific `_blockNumber` /// @param _owner The address from which the balance will be retrieved /// @param _blockNumber The block number when the balance is queried /// @return The balance at `_blockNumber` function balanceOfAt(address _owner, uint _blockNumber) constant returns (uint) { // These next few lines are used when the balance of the token is // requested before a check point was ever created for this token, it // requires that the `parentToken.balanceOfAt` be queried at the // genesis block for that token as this contains initial balance of // this token if ((balances[_owner].length == 0) || (balances[_owner][0].fromBlock > _blockNumber)) { if (address(parentToken) != 0) { return parentToken.balanceOfAt(_owner, min(_blockNumber, parentSnapShotBlock)); } else { // Has no parent return 0; } // This will return the expected balance during normal situations } else { return getValueAt(balances[_owner], _blockNumber); } } /// @notice Total amount of tokens at a specific `_blockNumber`. /// @param _blockNumber The block number when the totalSupply is queried /// @return The total amount of tokens at `_blockNumber` function totalSupplyAt(uint _blockNumber) constant returns(uint) { // These next few lines are used when the totalSupply of the token is // requested before a check point was ever created for this token, it // requires that the `parentToken.totalSupplyAt` be queried at the // genesis block for this token as that contains totalSupply of this // token at this block number. if ((totalSupplyHistory.length == 0) || (totalSupplyHistory[0].fromBlock > _blockNumber)) { if (address(parentToken) != 0) { return parentToken.totalSupplyAt(min(_blockNumber, parentSnapShotBlock)); } else { return 0; } // This will return the expected totalSupply during normal situations } else { return getValueAt(totalSupplyHistory, _blockNumber); } } //////////////// // Clone Token Method //////////////// /// @notice Creates a new clone token with the initial distribution being /// this token at `_snapshotBlock` /// @param _cloneTokenName Name of the clone token /// @param _cloneDecimalUnits Number of decimals of the smallest unit /// @param _cloneTokenSymbol Symbol of the clone token /// @param _snapshotBlock Block when the distribution of the parent token is /// copied to set the initial distribution of the new clone token; /// if the block is zero than the actual block, the current block is used /// @param _transfersEnabled True if transfers are allowed in the clone /// @return The address of the new MiniMeToken Contract function createCloneToken( string _cloneTokenName, uint8 _cloneDecimalUnits, string _cloneTokenSymbol, uint _snapshotBlock, bool _transfersEnabled ) returns(address) { if (_snapshotBlock == 0) _snapshotBlock = block.number; MiniMeToken cloneToken = tokenFactory.createCloneToken( this, _snapshotBlock, _cloneTokenName, _cloneDecimalUnits, _cloneTokenSymbol, _transfersEnabled ); cloneToken.changeController(msg.sender); // An event to make the token easy to find on the blockchain NewCloneToken(address(cloneToken), _snapshotBlock); return address(cloneToken); } //////////////// // Generate and destroy tokens //////////////// /// @notice Generates `_amount` tokens that are assigned to `_owner` /// @param _owner The address that will be assigned the new tokens /// @param _amount The quantity of tokens generated /// @return True if the tokens are generated correctly function generateTokens(address _owner, uint _amount ) onlyController returns (bool) { uint curTotalSupply = getValueAt(totalSupplyHistory, block.number); updateValueAtNow(totalSupplyHistory, curTotalSupply.add(_amount)); var previousBalanceTo = balanceOf(_owner); updateValueAtNow(balances[_owner], previousBalanceTo.add(_amount)); Transfer(0, _owner, _amount); return true; } /// @notice Burns `_amount` tokens from `_owner` /// @param _owner The address that will lose the tokens /// @param _amount The quantity of tokens to burn /// @return True if the tokens are burned correctly function destroyTokens(address _owner, uint _amount ) onlyController returns (bool) { uint curTotalSupply = getValueAt(totalSupplyHistory, block.number); if (curTotalSupply < _amount) throw; updateValueAtNow(totalSupplyHistory, curTotalSupply.sub(_amount)); var previousBalanceFrom = balanceOf(_owner); if (previousBalanceFrom < _amount) throw; updateValueAtNow(balances[_owner], previousBalanceFrom.sub(_amount)); Transfer(_owner, 0, _amount); return true; } //////////////// // Enable tokens transfers //////////////// /// @notice Enables token holders to transfer their tokens freely if true /// @param _transfersEnabled True if transfers are allowed in the clone function enableTransfers(bool _transfersEnabled) onlyController { transfersEnabled = _transfersEnabled; } //////////////// // Internal helper functions to query and set a value in a snapshot array //////////////// /// @dev `getValueAt` retrieves the number of tokens at a given block number /// @param checkpoints The history of values being queried /// @param _block The block number to retrieve the value at /// @return The number of tokens being queried function getValueAt(Checkpoint[] storage checkpoints, uint _block ) constant internal returns (uint) { if (checkpoints.length == 0) return 0; // Shortcut for the actual value if (_block >= checkpoints[checkpoints.length-1].fromBlock) return checkpoints[checkpoints.length-1].value; if (_block < checkpoints[0].fromBlock) return 0; // Binary search of the value in the array uint min = 0; uint max = checkpoints.length-1; while (max > min) { uint mid = (max + min + 1)/ 2; if (checkpoints[mid].fromBlock<=_block) { min = mid; } else { max = mid-1; } } return checkpoints[min].value; } /// @dev `updateValueAtNow` used to update the `balances` map and the /// `totalSupplyHistory` /// @param checkpoints The history of data being updated /// @param _value The new number of tokens function updateValueAtNow(Checkpoint[] storage checkpoints, uint _value ) internal { if ((checkpoints.length == 0) || (checkpoints[checkpoints.length -1].fromBlock < block.number)) { Checkpoint newCheckPoint = checkpoints[ checkpoints.length++ ]; newCheckPoint.fromBlock = uint128(block.number); newCheckPoint.value = uint128(_value); } else { Checkpoint oldCheckPoint = checkpoints[checkpoints.length-1]; oldCheckPoint.value = uint128(_value); } } /// @dev Internal function to determine if an address is a contract /// @param _addr The address being queried /// @return True if `_addr` is a contract function isContract(address _addr) constant internal returns(bool) { uint size; if (_addr == 0) return false; assembly { size := extcodesize(_addr) } return size>0; } /// @dev Helper function to return a min betwen the two uints function min(uint a, uint b) internal returns (uint) { return a < b ? a : b; } /// @notice The fallback function: If the contract's controller has not been /// set to 0, then the `proxyPayment` method is called which relays the /// ether and creates tokens as described in the token controller contract function () payable { if (isContract(controller)) { if (! TokenController(controller).proxyPayment.value(msg.value)(msg.sender)) throw; } else { throw; } } ////////// // Safety Methods ////////// /// @notice This method can be used by the controller to extract mistakenly /// sent tokens to this contract. /// @param _token The address of the token contract that you want to recover /// set to 0 in case you want to extract ether. /// @param _claimer Address that tokens will be send to function claimTokens(address _token, address _claimer) onlyController { if (_token == 0x0) { _claimer.transfer(this.balance); return; } ERC20Basic token = ERC20Basic(_token); uint balance = token.balanceOf(this); token.transfer(_claimer, balance); ClaimedTokens(_token, _claimer, balance); } //////////////// // Events //////////////// event ClaimedTokens(address indexed _token, address indexed _claimer, uint _amount); event Transfer(address indexed _from, address indexed _to, uint256 _amount); event NewCloneToken(address indexed _cloneToken, uint _snapshotBlock); event Approval( address indexed _owner, address indexed _spender, uint256 _amount ); } //////////////// // MiniMeTokenFactory //////////////// /// @dev This contract is used to generate clone contracts from a contract. /// In solidity this is the way to create a contract from a contract of the /// same class contract MiniMeTokenFactory { /// @notice Update the DApp by creating a new token with new functionalities /// the msg.sender becomes the controller of this clone token /// @param _parentToken Address of the token being cloned /// @param _snapshotBlock Block of the parent token that will /// determine the initial distribution of the clone token /// @param _tokenName Name of the new token /// @param _decimalUnits Number of decimals of the new token /// @param _tokenSymbol Token Symbol for the new token /// @param _transfersEnabled If true, tokens will be able to be transferred /// @return The address of the new token contract function createCloneToken( address _parentToken, uint _snapshotBlock, string _tokenName, uint8 _decimalUnits, string _tokenSymbol, bool _transfersEnabled ) returns (MiniMeToken) { MiniMeToken newToken = new MiniMeToken( this, _parentToken, _snapshotBlock, _tokenName, _decimalUnits, _tokenSymbol, _transfersEnabled ); newToken.changeController(msg.sender); return newToken; } } contract VestedToken is LimitedTransferToken, GrantsControlled { using SafeMath for uint; uint256 MAX_GRANTS_PER_ADDRESS = 20; struct TokenGrant { address granter; // 20 bytes uint256 value; // 32 bytes uint64 cliff; uint64 vesting; uint64 start; // 3 * 8 = 24 bytes bool revokable; bool burnsOnRevoke; // 2 * 1 = 2 bits? or 2 bytes? } // total 78 bytes = 3 sstore per operation (32 per sstore) mapping (address => TokenGrant[]) public grants; event NewTokenGrant(address indexed from, address indexed to, uint256 value, uint256 grantId); /** * @dev Grant tokens to a specified address * @param _to address The address which the tokens will be granted to. * @param _value uint256 The amount of tokens to be granted. * @param _start uint64 Time of the beginning of the grant. * @param _cliff uint64 Time of the cliff period. * @param _vesting uint64 The vesting period. */ function grantVestedTokens( address _to, uint256 _value, uint64 _start, uint64 _cliff, uint64 _vesting, bool _revokable, bool _burnsOnRevoke ) onlyGrantsController public { // Check for date inconsistencies that may cause unexpected behavior if (_cliff < _start || _vesting < _cliff) { throw; } if (tokenGrantsCount(_to) > MAX_GRANTS_PER_ADDRESS) throw; // To prevent a user being spammed and have his balance locked (out of gas attack when calculating vesting). uint count = grants[_to].push( TokenGrant( _revokable ? msg.sender : 0, // avoid storing an extra 20 bytes when it is non-revokable _value, _cliff, _vesting, _start, _revokable, _burnsOnRevoke ) ); transfer(_to, _value); NewTokenGrant(msg.sender, _to, _value, count - 1); } /** * @dev Revoke the grant of tokens of a specifed address. * @param _holder The address which will have its tokens revoked. * @param _grantId The id of the token grant. */ function revokeTokenGrant(address _holder, uint _grantId) public { TokenGrant grant = grants[_holder][_grantId]; if (!grant.revokable) { // Check if grant was revokable throw; } if (grant.granter != msg.sender) { // Only granter can revoke it throw; } address receiver = grant.burnsOnRevoke ? 0xdead : msg.sender; uint256 nonVested = nonVestedTokens(grant, uint64(now)); // remove grant from array delete grants[_holder][_grantId]; grants[_holder][_grantId] = grants[_holder][grants[_holder].length.sub(1)]; grants[_holder].length -= 1; // This will call MiniMe's doTransfer method, so token is transferred according to // MiniMe Token logic doTransfer(_holder, receiver, nonVested); Transfer(_holder, receiver, nonVested); } /** * @dev Revoke all grants of tokens of a specifed address. * @param _holder The address which will have its tokens revoked. */ function revokeAllTokenGrants(address _holder) { var grandsCount = tokenGrantsCount(_holder); for (uint i = 0; i < grandsCount; i++) { revokeTokenGrant(_holder, 0); } } /** * @dev Calculate the total amount of transferable tokens of a holder at a given time * @param holder address The address of the holder * @param time uint64 The specific time. * @return An uint representing a holder's total amount of transferable tokens. */ function transferableTokens(address holder, uint64 time) constant public returns (uint256) { uint256 grantIndex = tokenGrantsCount(holder); if (grantIndex == 0) return balanceOf(holder); // shortcut for holder without grants // Iterate through all the grants the holder has, and add all non-vested tokens uint256 nonVested = 0; for (uint256 i = 0; i < grantIndex; i++) { nonVested = SafeMath.add(nonVested, nonVestedTokens(grants[holder][i], time)); } // Balance - totalNonVested is the amount of tokens a holder can transfer at any given time uint256 vestedTransferable = SafeMath.sub(balanceOf(holder), nonVested); // Return the minimum of how many vested can transfer and other value // in case there are other limiting transferability factors (default is balanceOf) return SafeMath.min256(vestedTransferable, super.transferableTokens(holder, time)); } /** * @dev Check the amount of grants that an address has. * @param _holder The holder of the grants. * @return A uint representing the total amount of grants. */ function tokenGrantsCount(address _holder) constant returns (uint index) { return grants[_holder].length; } /** * @dev Calculate amount of vested tokens at a specifc time. * @param tokens uint256 The amount of tokens grantted. * @param time uint64 The time to be checked * @param start uint64 A time representing the begining of the grant * @param cliff uint64 The cliff period. * @param vesting uint64 The vesting period. * @return An uint representing the amount of vested tokensof a specif grant. * transferableTokens * | _/-------- vestedTokens rect * | _/ * | _/ * | _/ * | _/ * | / * | .| * | . | * | . | * | . | * | . | * | . | * +===+===========+---------+----------> time * Start Clift Vesting */ function calculateVestedTokens( uint256 tokens, uint256 time, uint256 start, uint256 cliff, uint256 vesting) constant returns (uint256) { // Shortcuts for before cliff and after vesting cases. if (time < cliff) return 0; if (time >= vesting) return tokens; // Interpolate all vested tokens. // As before cliff the shortcut returns 0, we can use just calculate a value // in the vesting rect (as shown in above's figure) // vestedTokens = tokens * (time - start) / (vesting - start) uint256 vestedTokens = SafeMath.div( SafeMath.mul( tokens, SafeMath.sub(time, start) ), SafeMath.sub(vesting, start) ); return vestedTokens; } /** * @dev Get all information about a specifc grant. * @param _holder The address which will have its tokens revoked. * @param _grantId The id of the token grant. * @return Returns all the values that represent a TokenGrant(address, value, start, cliff, * revokability, burnsOnRevoke, and vesting) plus the vested value at the current time. */ function tokenGrant(address _holder, uint _grantId) constant returns (address granter, uint256 value, uint256 vested, uint64 start, uint64 cliff, uint64 vesting, bool revokable, bool burnsOnRevoke) { TokenGrant grant = grants[_holder][_grantId]; granter = grant.granter; value = grant.value; start = grant.start; cliff = grant.cliff; vesting = grant.vesting; revokable = grant.revokable; burnsOnRevoke = grant.burnsOnRevoke; vested = vestedTokens(grant, uint64(now)); } /** * @dev Get the amount of vested tokens at a specific time. * @param grant TokenGrant The grant to be checked. * @param time The time to be checked * @return An uint representing the amount of vested tokens of a specific grant at a specific time. */ function vestedTokens(TokenGrant grant, uint64 time) private constant returns (uint256) { return calculateVestedTokens( grant.value, uint256(time), uint256(grant.start), uint256(grant.cliff), uint256(grant.vesting) ); } /** * @dev Calculate the amount of non vested tokens at a specific time. * @param grant TokenGrant The grant to be checked. * @param time uint64 The time to be checked * @return An uint representing the amount of non vested tokens of a specifc grant on the * passed time frame. */ function nonVestedTokens(TokenGrant grant, uint64 time) private constant returns (uint256) { return grant.value.sub(vestedTokens(grant, time)); } /** * @dev Calculate the date when the holder can trasfer all its tokens * @param holder address The address of the holder * @return An uint representing the date of the last transferable tokens. */ function lastTokenIsTransferableDate(address holder) constant public returns (uint64 date) { date = uint64(now); uint256 grantIndex = grants[holder].length; for (uint256 i = 0; i < grantIndex; i++) { date = SafeMath.max64(grants[holder][i].vesting, date); } } } contract ApproveAndCallFallBack { function receiveApproval(address from, uint256 _amount, address _token, bytes _data); } contract TokenController { /// @notice Called when `_owner` sends ether to the MiniMe Token contract /// @param _owner The address that sent the ether to create tokens /// @return True if the ether is accepted, false if it throws function proxyPayment(address _owner) payable returns(bool); /// @notice Notifies the controller about a token transfer allowing the /// controller to react if desired /// @param _from The origin of the transfer /// @param _to The destination of the transfer /// @param _amount The amount of the transfer /// @return False if the controller does not authorize the transfer function onTransfer(address _from, address _to, uint _amount) returns(bool); /// @notice Notifies the controller about an approval allowing the /// controller to react if desired /// @param _owner The address that calls `approve()` /// @param _spender The spender in the `approve()` call /// @param _amount The amount in the `approve()` call /// @return False if the controller does not authorize the approval function onApprove(address _owner, address _spender, uint _amount) returns(bool); } contract District0xNetworkToken is MiniMeToken, VestedToken { function District0xNetworkToken(address _controller, address _tokenFactory) MiniMeToken( _tokenFactory, 0x0, // no parent token 0, // no snapshot block number from parent "district0x Network Token", // Token name 18, // Decimals "DNT", // Symbol true // Enable transfers ) { changeController(_controller); changeGrantsController(_controller); } } contract HasNoTokens is Ownable { District0xNetworkToken public district0xNetworkToken; /** * @dev Reject all ERC23 compatible tokens * @param from_ address The address that is transferring the tokens * @param value_ uint256 the amount of the specified token * @param data_ Bytes The data passed from the caller. */ function tokenFallback(address from_, uint256 value_, bytes data_) external { throw; } function isTokenSaleToken(address tokenAddr) returns(bool); /** * @dev Reclaim all ERC20Basic compatible tokens * @param tokenAddr address The address of the token contract */ function reclaimToken(address tokenAddr) external onlyOwner { require(!isTokenSaleToken(tokenAddr)); ERC20Basic tokenInst = ERC20Basic(tokenAddr); uint256 balance = tokenInst.balanceOf(this); tokenInst.transfer(msg.sender, balance); } } contract District0xContribution is Pausable, HasNoTokens, TokenController { using SafeMath for uint; District0xNetworkToken public district0xNetworkToken; address public multisigWallet; // Wallet that receives all sale funds address public founder1; // Wallet of founder 1 address public founder2; // Wallet of founder 2 address public earlySponsor; // Wallet of early sponsor address[] public advisers; // 4 Wallets of advisors uint public constant FOUNDER1_STAKE = 119000000 ether; // 119M DNT uint public constant FOUNDER2_STAKE = 79000000 ether; // 79M DNT uint public constant EARLY_CONTRIBUTOR_STAKE = 5000000 ether; // 5M DNT uint public constant ADVISER_STAKE = 5000000 ether; // 5M DNT uint public constant ADVISER_STAKE2 = 1000000 ether; // 1M DNT uint public constant COMMUNITY_ADVISERS_STAKE = 5000000 ether; // 5M DNT uint public constant CONTRIB_PERIOD1_STAKE = 600000000 ether; // 600M DNT uint public constant CONTRIB_PERIOD2_STAKE = 140000000 ether; // 140M DNT uint public constant CONTRIB_PERIOD3_STAKE = 40000000 ether; // 40M DNT uint public minContribAmount = 0.01 ether; // 0.01 ether uint public maxGasPrice = 50000000000; // 50 GWei uint public constant TEAM_VESTING_CLIFF = 24 weeks; // 6 months vesting cliff for founders and advisors, except community advisors uint public constant TEAM_VESTING_PERIOD = 96 weeks; // 2 years vesting period for founders and advisors, except community advisors uint public constant EARLY_CONTRIBUTOR_VESTING_CLIFF = 12 weeks; // 3 months vesting cliff for early sponsor uint public constant EARLY_CONTRIBUTOR_VESTING_PERIOD = 24 weeks; // 6 months vesting cliff for early sponsor bool public tokenTransfersEnabled = false; // DNT token transfers will be enabled manually // after first contribution period // Can't be disabled back struct Contributor { uint amount; // Amount of ETH contributed by an address in given contribution period bool isCompensated; // Whether this contributor received DNT token for ETH contribution uint amountCompensated; // Amount of DNT received. Not really needed to store, // but stored for accounting and security purposes } uint public softCapAmount; // Soft cap of contribution period in wei uint public afterSoftCapDuration; // Number of seconds to the end of sale from the moment of reaching soft cap (unless reaching hardcap) uint public hardCapAmount; // When reached this amount of wei, the contribution will end instantly uint public startTime; // Start time of contribution period in UNIX time uint public endTime; // End time of contribution period in UNIX time bool public isEnabled; // If contribution period was enabled by multisignature bool public softCapReached; // If soft cap was reached bool public hardCapReached; // If hard cap was reached uint public totalContributed; // Total amount of ETH contributed in given period address[] public contributorsKeys; // Addresses of all contributors in given contribution period mapping (address => Contributor) public contributors; event onContribution(uint totalContributed, address indexed contributor, uint amount, uint contributorsCount); event onSoftCapReached(uint endTime); event onHardCapReached(uint endTime); event onCompensated(address indexed contributor, uint amount); modifier onlyMultisig() { require(multisigWallet == msg.sender); _; } function District0xContribution( address _multisigWallet, address _founder1, address _founder2, address _earlySponsor, address[] _advisers ) { require(_advisers.length == 5); multisigWallet = _multisigWallet; founder1 = _founder1; founder2 = _founder2; earlySponsor = _earlySponsor; advisers = _advisers; } // @notice Returns true if contribution period is currently running function isContribPeriodRunning() constant returns (bool) { return !hardCapReached && isEnabled && startTime <= now && endTime > now; } function contribute() payable stopInEmergency { contributeWithAddress(msg.sender); } // @notice Function to participate in contribution period // Amounts from the same address should be added up // If soft or hard cap is reached, end time should be modified // Funds should be transferred into multisig wallet // @param contributor Address that will receive DNT token function contributeWithAddress(address contributor) payable stopInEmergency { require(tx.gasprice <= maxGasPrice); require(msg.value >= minContribAmount); require(isContribPeriodRunning()); uint contribValue = msg.value; uint excessContribValue = 0; uint oldTotalContributed = totalContributed; totalContributed = oldTotalContributed.add(contribValue); uint newTotalContributed = totalContributed; // Soft cap was reached if (newTotalContributed >= softCapAmount && oldTotalContributed < softCapAmount) { softCapReached = true; endTime = afterSoftCapDuration.add(now); onSoftCapReached(endTime); } // Hard cap was reached if (newTotalContributed >= hardCapAmount && oldTotalContributed < hardCapAmount) { hardCapReached = true; endTime = now; onHardCapReached(endTime); // Everything above hard cap will be sent back to contributor excessContribValue = newTotalContributed.sub(hardCapAmount); contribValue = contribValue.sub(excessContribValue); totalContributed = hardCapAmount; } if (contributors[contributor].amount == 0) { contributorsKeys.push(contributor); } contributors[contributor].amount = contributors[contributor].amount.add(contribValue); multisigWallet.transfer(contribValue); if (excessContribValue > 0) { msg.sender.transfer(excessContribValue); } onContribution(newTotalContributed, contributor, contribValue, contributorsKeys.length); } // @notice This method is called by owner after contribution period ends, to distribute DNT in proportional manner // Each contributor should receive DNT just once even if this method is called multiple times // In case of many contributors must be able to compensate contributors in paginational way, otherwise might // run out of gas if wanted to compensate all on one method call. Therefore parameters offset and limit // @param periodIndex Index of contribution period (0-2) // @param offset Number of first contributors to skip. // @param limit Max number of contributors compensated on this call function compensateContributors(uint offset, uint limit) onlyOwner { require(isEnabled); require(endTime < now); uint i = offset; uint compensatedCount = 0; uint contributorsCount = contributorsKeys.length; uint ratio = CONTRIB_PERIOD1_STAKE .mul(1000000000000000000) .div(totalContributed); while (i < contributorsCount && compensatedCount < limit) { address contributorAddress = contributorsKeys[i]; if (!contributors[contributorAddress].isCompensated) { uint amountContributed = contributors[contributorAddress].amount; contributors[contributorAddress].isCompensated = true; contributors[contributorAddress].amountCompensated = amountContributed.mul(ratio).div(1000000000000000000); district0xNetworkToken.transfer(contributorAddress, contributors[contributorAddress].amountCompensated); onCompensated(contributorAddress, contributors[contributorAddress].amountCompensated); compensatedCount++; } i++; } } // @notice Method for setting up contribution period // Only owner should be able to execute // Setting first contribution period sets up vesting for founders & advisors // Contribution period should still not be enabled after calling this method // @param softCapAmount Soft Cap in wei // @param afterSoftCapDuration Number of seconds till the end of sale in the moment of reaching soft cap (unless reaching hard cap) // @param hardCapAmount Hard Cap in wei // @param startTime Contribution start time in UNIX time // @param endTime Contribution end time in UNIX time function setContribPeriod( uint _softCapAmount, uint _afterSoftCapDuration, uint _hardCapAmount, uint _startTime, uint _endTime ) onlyOwner { require(_softCapAmount > 0); require(_hardCapAmount > _softCapAmount); require(_afterSoftCapDuration > 0); require(_startTime > now); require(_endTime > _startTime); require(!isEnabled); softCapAmount = _softCapAmount; afterSoftCapDuration = _afterSoftCapDuration; hardCapAmount = _hardCapAmount; startTime = _startTime; endTime = _endTime; district0xNetworkToken.revokeAllTokenGrants(founder1); district0xNetworkToken.revokeAllTokenGrants(founder2); district0xNetworkToken.revokeAllTokenGrants(earlySponsor); for (uint j = 0; j < advisers.length; j++) { district0xNetworkToken.revokeAllTokenGrants(advisers[j]); } uint64 vestingDate = uint64(startTime.add(TEAM_VESTING_PERIOD)); uint64 cliffDate = uint64(startTime.add(TEAM_VESTING_CLIFF)); uint64 earlyContribVestingDate = uint64(startTime.add(EARLY_CONTRIBUTOR_VESTING_PERIOD)); uint64 earlyContribCliffDate = uint64(startTime.add(EARLY_CONTRIBUTOR_VESTING_CLIFF)); uint64 startDate = uint64(startTime); district0xNetworkToken.grantVestedTokens(founder1, FOUNDER1_STAKE, startDate, cliffDate, vestingDate, true, false); district0xNetworkToken.grantVestedTokens(founder2, FOUNDER2_STAKE, startDate, cliffDate, vestingDate, true, false); district0xNetworkToken.grantVestedTokens(earlySponsor, EARLY_CONTRIBUTOR_STAKE, startDate, earlyContribCliffDate, earlyContribVestingDate, true, false); district0xNetworkToken.grantVestedTokens(advisers[0], ADVISER_STAKE, startDate, cliffDate, vestingDate, true, false); district0xNetworkToken.grantVestedTokens(advisers[1], ADVISER_STAKE, startDate, cliffDate, vestingDate, true, false); district0xNetworkToken.grantVestedTokens(advisers[2], ADVISER_STAKE2, startDate, cliffDate, vestingDate, true, false); district0xNetworkToken.grantVestedTokens(advisers[3], ADVISER_STAKE2, startDate, cliffDate, vestingDate, true, false); // Community advisors stake has no vesting, but we set it up this way, so we can revoke it in case of // re-setting up contribution period district0xNetworkToken.grantVestedTokens(advisers[4], COMMUNITY_ADVISERS_STAKE, startDate, startDate, startDate, true, false); } // @notice Enables contribution period // Must be executed by multisignature function enableContribPeriod() onlyMultisig { require(startTime > now); isEnabled = true; } // @notice Sets new min. contribution amount // Only owner can execute // Cannot be executed while contribution period is running // @param _minContribAmount new min. amount function setMinContribAmount(uint _minContribAmount) onlyOwner { require(_minContribAmount > 0); require(startTime > now); minContribAmount = _minContribAmount; } // @notice Sets new max gas price for contribution // Only owner can execute // Cannot be executed while contribution period is running // @param _minContribAmount new min. amount function setMaxGasPrice(uint _maxGasPrice) onlyOwner { require(_maxGasPrice > 0); require(startTime > now); maxGasPrice = _maxGasPrice; } // @notice Sets District0xNetworkToken contract // Generates all DNT tokens and assigns them to this contract // If token contract has already generated tokens, do not generate again // @param _district0xNetworkToken District0xNetworkToken address function setDistrict0xNetworkToken(address _district0xNetworkToken) onlyOwner { require(_district0xNetworkToken != 0x0); require(!isEnabled); district0xNetworkToken = District0xNetworkToken(_district0xNetworkToken); if (district0xNetworkToken.totalSupply() == 0) { district0xNetworkToken.generateTokens(this, FOUNDER1_STAKE .add(FOUNDER2_STAKE) .add(EARLY_CONTRIBUTOR_STAKE) .add(ADVISER_STAKE.mul(2)) .add(ADVISER_STAKE2.mul(2)) .add(COMMUNITY_ADVISERS_STAKE) .add(CONTRIB_PERIOD1_STAKE)); district0xNetworkToken.generateTokens(multisigWallet, CONTRIB_PERIOD2_STAKE .add(CONTRIB_PERIOD3_STAKE)); } } // @notice Enables transfers of DNT // Will be executed after first contribution period by owner function enableDistrict0xNetworkTokenTransfers() onlyOwner { require(endTime < now); tokenTransfersEnabled = true; } // @notice Method to claim tokens accidentally sent to a DNT contract // Only multisig wallet can execute // @param _token Address of claimed ERC20 Token function claimTokensFromTokenDistrict0xNetworkToken(address _token) onlyMultisig { district0xNetworkToken.claimTokens(_token, multisigWallet); } // @notice Kill method should not really be needed, but just in case function kill(address _to) onlyMultisig external { suicide(_to); } function() payable stopInEmergency { contributeWithAddress(msg.sender); } // MiniMe Controller default settings for allowing token transfers. function proxyPayment(address _owner) payable public returns (bool) { throw; } // Before transfers are enabled for everyone, only this contract is allowed to distribute DNT function onTransfer(address _from, address _to, uint _amount) public returns (bool) { return tokenTransfersEnabled || _from == address(this) || _to == address(this); } function onApprove(address _owner, address _spender, uint _amount) public returns (bool) { return tokenTransfersEnabled; } function isTokenSaleToken(address tokenAddr) returns(bool) { return district0xNetworkToken == tokenAddr; } /* Following constant methods are used for tests and contribution web app They don't impact logic of contribution contract, therefor DOES NOT NEED TO BE AUDITED */ // Used by contribution front-end to obtain contribution period properties function getContribPeriod() constant returns (bool[3] boolValues, uint[8] uintValues) { boolValues[0] = isEnabled; boolValues[1] = softCapReached; boolValues[2] = hardCapReached; uintValues[0] = softCapAmount; uintValues[1] = afterSoftCapDuration; uintValues[2] = hardCapAmount; uintValues[3] = startTime; uintValues[4] = endTime; uintValues[5] = totalContributed; uintValues[6] = contributorsKeys.length; uintValues[7] = CONTRIB_PERIOD1_STAKE; return (boolValues, uintValues); } // Used by contribution front-end to obtain contribution contract properties function getConfiguration() constant returns (bool, address, address, address, address, address[] _advisers, bool, uint) { _advisers = new address[](advisers.length); for (uint i = 0; i < advisers.length; i++) { _advisers[i] = advisers[i]; } return (stopped, multisigWallet, founder1, founder2, earlySponsor, _advisers, tokenTransfersEnabled, maxGasPrice); } // Used by contribution front-end to obtain contributor's properties function getContributor(address contributorAddress) constant returns(uint, bool, uint) { Contributor contributor = contributors[contributorAddress]; return (contributor.amount, contributor.isCompensated, contributor.amountCompensated); } // Function to verify if all contributors were compensated function getUncompensatedContributors(uint offset, uint limit) constant returns (uint[] contributorIndexes) { uint contributorsCount = contributorsKeys.length; if (limit == 0) { limit = contributorsCount; } uint i = offset; uint resultsCount = 0; uint[] memory _contributorIndexes = new uint[](limit); while (i < contributorsCount && resultsCount < limit) { if (!contributors[contributorsKeys[i]].isCompensated) { _contributorIndexes[resultsCount] = i; resultsCount++; } i++; } contributorIndexes = new uint[](resultsCount); for (i = 0; i < resultsCount; i++) { contributorIndexes[i] = _contributorIndexes[i]; } return contributorIndexes; } function getNow() constant returns(uint) { return now; } } | {
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Families of children murdered in the Sandy Hook massacre have won access to search through killer Adam Lanza’s computer as part of their lawsuit against a gun manufacturer, according to reports.
The parents are suing North Carolina-based Remington, the company that produced the Bushmaster AR-15-style rifle that Lanza used in 2012 to kill 20 first-graders and six educators at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Conn., in less than five minutes.
Their attorneys want to see if Lanza, who also fatally shot his mother prior to the massacre and killed himself when it was over, was exposed to ads for Remington products — and a Connecticut judge on Thursday granted their request, the Hartford Courant reports.
“All the defendants want are the facts the plaintiffs have today that show Adam Lanza was exposed to Bushmaster advertisements,” said James Vogts, a lawyer for Remington.
Lanza’s computer is in the hands of state police, who have turned over some of the madman’s files to the Courant — such as a spreadsheet on mass murders and twisted screeds on his contempt for overweight people and his aversion to being touched.
Parents of nine children killed at Sandy Hook, as well as a teacher injured there and an FBI agent who responded to the grisly scene, filed the suit against Remington in 2015.
They claim that the gun manufacturer used “immoral” and “unethical” marketing techniques to glorify the AR-15’s military design — despite mounting evidence that it has become the “weapon of choice” for mass shooters, the Courant reports.
The lawsuit is set to go to trial in September 2021.
With Post wires | {
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Jared Rodriguez / Truthout)” src=”https://truthout.org/images/Inequality_original.jpg” height=”338″ width=”306″ />(Image: Jared Rodriguez / Truthout)Wilmer Leon connects the dots in a supposedly “post-racial America” and finds a frightening possibility that the new normal may well be decades of austerity for a new “precariat class,” with insecure jobs and vanishing civil liberties.
These concepts, when discussed individually, make for interesting dialogue. Moreover, when assessed in a larger context, these same concepts should become a cause for concern.
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Right after Senator Obama became President there were many discussions and articles written about a Post-Racial America. Had we evolved into an America devoid of racial preference, discrimination and prejudice? On August 10, 2008, The New York Times published an article by Matt Bai entitled “Is Obama the End of Black Politics?” The premise of the article was that in 2008, 60 years after Strom Thurmond left the Democratic Party over the issue of integrating the armed forces and 45 years after Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech, the Democratic party was poised to deliver its nomination for the nation’s highest office to an African American. Bai’s article asked if Obama’s nomination somehow signaled the end of black politics?
The answer to Matt Bai’s question is; of course not. America cannot be closer to being post-racial when a candidate for president has to run a de-racialized campaign to make the masses comfortable with the obvious aesthetic. We are not in a post-racial America when the unemployment rate in the African-American community is more than double the national average and the wealth accumulation of the average European American family is 20 times that of the average African-American family. The dangerous subtext to that question is that it ignores the struggle for justice and equality that African Americans still face. It also reinforces the conservative view that the government should no longer enact and enforce legislation guaranteeing the rights of minorities.
As the American economy has remained stagnate with 1.3 percent growth, the national unemployment number has stayed close to 8 percent, 17 percent in the African-American community. Close to 5.4 million people have dropped out of the workforce, and now analysts and commentators have started talking about a “New Normal.” Americans are supposed to get used to dismal rates of growth and high unemployment while the stock market soars and American corporations sit on record cash balances. According to CNBC, corporate “cash balances have swelled 14 percent and are on track toward $1.5 trillion for the Standard & Poor’s 500, according to JPMorgan. Both levels would be historic highs.”
These record amounts of cash being stockpiled by corporations are not “trickling down” to the working and middle classes. The “job creators” are not creating jobs. According to Pimco Investment founder Bill Gross, “It’s time to recognize that things have changed and that they will continue to change for the next – yes, the next 10 years and maybe even the next 20 years.” This is the “new normal” and it’s not good.
The solution being proposed by conservatives and subtly endorsed by President Obama to address the financial crisis is “austerity.” Austerity is the policy of deficit-cutting by lowering spending via a reduction in the amount of benefits and services provided by the government. Instead of focusing on what to save, they are debating what to cut.
In challenging times such as these, the government should be investing in the economy – not cutting back. Reductions in government spending tend to increase unemployment, which increases demands on social programs or “safety-net” programs. Increased unemployment also reduces tax revenue. As with the Great Depression, short-term government spending financed by deficits may be required to support economic growth when consumers and businesses are unwilling or unable to do so.
When you start to connect the dots between the New Normal and Austerity, you see an additional picture. There is a new class of existence being created in this country. Professor Guy Standing calls this new class the “precariat.”
“Millions of workers, mainly young and educated, are being habituated to a life of unstable labor and uncertainty, a precarious existence. . . .The precariat is wanted by multinationals and many corporations”. . . because the precariousness of their existence makes them easy to exploit. They are saddled with debt from school loans, working two and three jobs at subsistence wages with no health care, no pension and no sense of permanency or security.
As the African American community continues to be plagued by disproportionate rates of unemployment, poverty, hunger, wealth disparity, incarceration rates and other social ills, the development of a precariat class will prove to be catastrophic. African Americans and many others would continue – as Dr. King said in 1963 – to live “on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity . . . anguishing in the corners of American society and find[ing themselves] . . . exile[s] in [their] own land.”
If the underclass, working class and precariat become dissatisfied with their existence, what will they do? Will there be an uprising from the masses? What would the government do? How would the government protect “its” interests and repel the domestic uprising?
When you view the implications of Post-Racial America, the New Normal, Austerity and The Precariat Class through a larger prism, it’s easy to see the America that many forces are working together to create. Doing away with laws designed to protect the rights of those who have been mistreated, redefining the expectations we have of America as the “land of opportunity,” moving the government away from being a force that invests in the least of us and creating a new class of workers that can be manipulated by big business does not benefit 99.9 percent of Americans. Ask yourself. Who does benefit?
When you connect these dots with a government that is engaging in warrantless wiretapping, calling for the ability to indefinitely detain American citizens, stop-and-frisk laws and an American attorney general who states that the president has the authority to assassinate American citizens any place in the world without judicial review, you get a very frightening picture. The picture reflects a battle between democracy and fascism, and the battle for democracy should begin now. | {
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“Daytimer” is far from Ahmed’s first foray into film – he’s had a successful career as an actor, starring in films like Chris Morris’s terrorist comedy Four Lions and Ill Manors, with forthcoming appearances in Jason Bourne and Star Wars: Rogue One set to follow. We spoke to Ahmed about both “Daytimer” and Englistan.
Ahmed has dealt with these themes across his work, from his early music (such as his 2006 rap “Post-9/11 Blues”) through to his 2011 album MICroscope and collaborations with Heems as the Swet Shop Boys. It’s also something that he explores in “Daytimer”, a new short film written and directed by Ahmed. The film dramatises Ahmed’s life growing up in London during the 1990s, with music from producers like DJ Zinc, Andy C and Bally Sagoo all representing the era. “The short film is very autobiographical,” says Ahmed. “We actually filmed it at my high school and my parents’ house. That kid’s bedroom is the bedroom I lived in most of my life.”
Riz MC (real name: Rizwan Ahmed) dropped his new mixtape, Englistan, on Friday – just in time for St George’s Day, a celebration of the patron saint of England. Though the real St George hailed (depending on which theory you subscribe to) from modern-day Turkey or Israel, never visited England, and is also the patron saint of countries such as Portugal, Ethiopia and Georgia, that hasn’t stopped St George’s Day from being hijacked by English far-right nationalists, who justify their prejudices (from xenophobia to outright racist attacks) under the vague banner of ‘patriotism’. Englistan makes sense against this backdrop: it’s an exploration of national identity, mixed heritage, and what it even means to be ‘English’ in a globalised world. The mixtape’s key moment is “I Ain’t Being Racist But”, a seven-minute spoken word track told from the perspective of an EDL thug that sees Ahmed dealing with the long history of immigration to the UK.
What can you tell us about the Englistan mixtape?
Riz MC: We can all see how much xenophobia there is out there right now, so I decided to dress up in a balaclava and do a fake racist rap called ‘I Ain’t Being Racist But’. And it got a big response – so I thought, ‘Lemme do a mixtape on this theme.’ Englistan, as a mixtape, is about stretching the flag so that it’s big enough for all of us. It’s about identity – from what it means to be English today, to what it’s like growing up living a double life, or feeling like you don’t fit in. There’s more commentary stuff, like a track breaking down the the financial crisis and Occupy, and a track about an honour killing, as well as personal stuff, like a track about going through depression. But it’s really all about our society and trying to find a place in it. Musically, there’s a mix of leftfield beats through to some spoken word with strings – there’s production from Jakwob, Rich Reason from the Levelz crew up in Manchester, and award-winning vocalist and cellist Ayanna Witter-Johnson.
What does the word ‘Englistan’ mean to you?
Riz MC: It’s not about one ethnic community in the country or just pockets of it – it is renaming England. It’s stretching our concept of it in a way that takes in our mongrel history and makes space for our mixed-up future. It might feel provocative to people, like it’s about a takeover – fear of a brown planet and all that – but who does this country really belong to in order (for it) to be taken over in the first place? It was built by half the world under empire.
“Englistan, as a mixtape, is about stretching the flag so that it’s big enough for all of us. It’s about identity – from what it means to be English today, to what it’s like growing up living a double life, or feeling like you don’t fit in” — Riz MC
How did you first start MCing?
Riz MC: I was at a daytime rave in south London. These were Asian raves in the 90s that happened in the daytime ’cos the girls weren’t allowed out at night. And the legendary producer Bally Jagpal was playing. I snuck backstage and MCed at him, and he told me I had to pursue it. So then I started at local pirate stations in northwest London. Then I won some big battles like Jump Off. From there I released my first track, ‘Post 9/11 Blues’, which got banned from radio and that got some attention. That experience pissed me off, but also made me think, ‘Wow, words are powerful – they’re not disposable.’ That’s when I stopped battling and focused more on writing songs.
How do you feel the mixtape leads on from MICroscope?
Riz MC: MICroscope was about putting our society and culture under the microscope, just dissecting and analysing modern life. Englistan is a more personal take on that, looking at the fault lines in me first as a way of looking outside. Production-wise, it’s more musical. MICroscope was made when I was with Damian Lazarus’ Crosstown Rebels lot, so it had a massive minimal techno influence.
“‘Daytimer’ is... a chance to portray a subculture that has rarely been shown in British film, the British Asian underground, which was a massive cultural movement in the 90s with its own subculture from music to fashion and gang culture... I wanna show that culture and make it part of the British story in the way that Italian-American stories are thought of as an iconic part of the US identity” — Riz MC
What is ‘Daytimer’ about?
Riz MC: ‘Daytimer’ is a coming-of-age story. It’s about growing up with a complex identity and realising that, in a way, you will never fit in – none of us will. In the end, you have to walk alone. It’s also a chance to portray a subculture that has rarely been shown in British film, the British Asian underground, which was a massive cultural movement in the 90s with its own subculture from music to fashion and gang culture. Dazed actually did a documentary about that a while ago that explains the scene. I wanna show that culture and make it part of the British story in the way that Italian-American stories are thought of as an iconic part of US identity.
What was it like writing and directing your own story?
Riz MC: It was amazing. It’s like everything I love rolled into one. I think it’s something I’ll do more of. I spent years waiting for people to tell certain stories, or for our films to diversify. But I think, as you grow older, you realise you gotta just step up and be part of the change you wanna see. | {
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Tired of the privacy invasion of browsers? Worried about the risk of seeing ads everywhere? Give the Brave Browser a try. All Chrome extensions are compatible. None of the telemetry. Auto-blocks ads and still support content creators like me.
I noticed a “bug” in the way Audi handles its Cruise Control options. Cruise control is only meant to be used once you drive “30 kilometers per hour or more”. However, the controls only allow you to activate cruise control at 31km/h. Once the cruise control is active, you can dial it down to 30km/h again.
This seems like there are 2 independent controls happening, each determining how to handle user input.
The source code below is my own. I do not have access to the real Audi on-board controller source code. They are here for demonstration purposes only.
The speed limit seems to be a constant.
const CRUISE_CONTROL_MINIMUM = 30;
But the handling is different. For instance, when you first activate cruise control, this is the check in the function/method/controller (whatever it may be) to validate the input.
if (CURRENT_SPEED > CRUISE_CONTROL_MINIMUM) { /* Current speed exceeds the CRUISE_CONTROL_MINIMUM (more than 30km/h), it's allowed */ CURRENT_CRUISE_CONTROL = CURRENT_SPEED; }
This check makes sure you can only activate cruise control at 31km/h or more.
If you want to change the speed configured on the car, the following check appears to happen.
if (CURRENT_CRUISE_CONTROL >= CRUISE_CONTROL_MINIMUM) { /* Cruis control is set to CRUISE_CONTROL_MINIMUM or higher (30km/h or more), it's allowed */ ... }
This allows you to set the cruise control speed back to 30km/h.
Notice the difference in “>” (greater than) and “>=” (greater than or equals) in the equation. Such a check allows you to set the cruise control to 30km/h, but only after you’ve first enabled it at 31km/h or more.
This seems like something QA should have caught. Unless there are strict car regulations that would only allow cruise control at more than 30km/h? Sounds silly.
If you live in a country with way too many 30km/h zones, you notice this. And it bugs me. Pun intended. | {
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米との対決に韓国を引き込もうとする傲慢な中国外交. May. 31, 2019 09:56. . 中国外務省が２８日、張夏成（チャン・ハソン）駐中国大使など７ヵ国の新任大使が習近平国家主席と歓談し、「中国の一帯一路の参加を望む」という意向を明らかにしたと述べた。これに対し、韓国外交部は、「中国が張大使以外の大使の歓談内容を説明したもの」とし、中国側の一方的な発表だと説明した。中国は３月にも李洛淵（イ・ナクヨン）首相と李克強首相の会談で、韓国が積極的に参加の意向を明らかにしたと発表し、韓国政府が否定したことがある。中国の「一帯一路」は、海外インフラ建設投資などを通じて、周辺国を結ぶという大型プロジェクトで、ユーラシア大陸からアフリカ海洋まで巨大経済圏をつくるという戦略だ。すでに約１２０ヵ国が協力を表明し参加を決めたが、米国の同盟国である韓国と日本は参加していない。一帯一路に対抗して米国は中国包囲戦略である「インド・太平洋戦略」を推進し、韓国の参加を求めている。特に、米国が中国通信機器大手・華為技術（ファーウェイ）を封鎖するなど貿易戦争が激しさを増し、韓国が米中双方から受ける圧力はますます強くなっている。韓国政府はこれまで、「韓国の新南方・新北方政策と域内の様々な構想の間で接点を模索し、協力を推進していく」という原則的な立場だけを明らかにしてきた。安保同盟国である米国と最大貿易国である中国の対決構図の中で、どうすることもできずに曖昧な外交的レトリックを繰り返している。李首相が３０日、外交部に米中紛争問題を担当する組織の構成を検討するよう指示したというが、それでこれまでの無対応・無対策から脱することができるのか疑問だ。政府は、何よりも中国が勝手に韓国の立場を歪曲して発表する外交的欠礼に対して抗議し、再発のないようにしなければならない。中国としては、米国に対抗するために韓国も中国側だということを前面に出そうとしているが、韓国の立場は眼中にもない傲慢な態度にすぎない。このような中国式外交は高高度迎撃ミサイルシステム（ＴＨＡＡＤ）の配備を理由に行った幼稚な報復を想起させる。韓国政府も消極的な顔色うかがいで一貫しては第２のＴＨＡＡＤ事態を防ぐことができないということを自覚しなければならない。
한국어 | {
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Gov. Phil Murphy has already said New Jerseyans should expect to be dealing with the coronavirus past April. But his latest forecast is that the fallout will drag “deep into May.”
The governor told CNN’s Chris Cuomo in an interview Wednesday night the Garden State is about to “get up at a very high level” of positive cases and people needing hospitalization, and that “we’re going to stay there” for some time.
“I think, Chris, I’ve said this, deep into May. I don’t see any other way around that,” Murphy responded when Cuomo asked him “How long do you think we’re looking at? How long do you think we’re having this conversation? Two, five, eight weeks?”
Murphy had previously said the pandemic will probably “bleed meaningfully into May,” at least.
Earlier in the day, the governor announced New Jersey now has at least 22,255 cases of the coronavirus, including 355 deaths, as 3,649 new positive tests and 91 new deaths were reported in the last 24 hours. Those were the highest single-day increases in both cases and deaths since the outbreak began.
Health officials also announced seven hospitals in the northern part of the state notified the first responders they reached “divert” status Tuesday, meaning either the whole hospital or a unit couldn’t accept new patients temporarily.
“We’ve got hospitals in the north, particularly in Bergen County, that are starting to divert, meaning you’ve got to go to plan B, that’s already happening,” Murphy said on CNN. “If people are looking for one message and you’re watching from Jersey it’s simple: Stay home until further notice.”
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy says he anticipates coronavirus the conversation on social distancing to continue be into the month of May. https://t.co/V5NLJL8ost pic.twitter.com/5laWzRvbVi — Cuomo Prime Time (@CuomoPrimeTime) April 2, 2020
Murphy has placed New Jersey into near-lockdown to help slow the spread of the virus and protect hospital capacity, ordering residents to stay at home, banning social gatherings, and mandating non-essential retail businesses to close.
Tell us your coronavirus stories, whether it’s a news tip, a topic you want us to cover, or a personal story you want to share.
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I think that many people on threads related to the recent Chrome 79 bug are completely missing the important points and are instead doing the “place the blame on developers who should known better” game which is a bad approach to talking about what has happened.
LocalStorage, webSQL, IndexedDB have been rock solid solutions for hybrid apps for probably close to a decade. Data eviction seldom happens for hybrid apps. These are stable APIs and have been working reliably for many years. It is not as if the developers have flocked to a new shiny unstable thing and then got burned by it not failing to work as advertised. This bug completely breaks the way the web platform stores data. It doesn’t matter if these APIs should only be used for caching purposes, that is not how the spec puts it and not how people been developing hybrid apps for years. Google owns Android and Chrome, they know that those hybrid apps are storing data in localStorage. They’ve broken something that was stable. I wonder if people would be placing the blame on third-party developers if Apple or Microsoft made shipped an update to windows or iOS that destroyed the sandbox filesystem.
There is massive damage happening in the real world because of this. From vet hospitals losing animal vaccination data, a process that can’t be repeated. To small business losing their financial data. Users faced with an app with zero data, begun been trying to reinstall the apps in hopes to fix this, which only caused further damage as the data is now unrecoverable. Planting the blame in “developers who should known better” is a complete lack of empathy to both the users and the developers who’ve been affected by something completely out of their control. There are developers pulling their apps out of the Google Play store because the onslaught of bad reviews will kill them or because they can’t provide a solution for a bug that happens in layers beyond their control. The bug is not fixable by the app developers. If you have an app that was affected by this, there is nothing you can do.
And for the “developers should use it only as cache” people out there, this affects this use case as well. Using localStorage as a temporary location for data while you’re offline and pushing this data later has been a best practice for a long time. This bug will erase this temporary data. All those field workers, all the remote data collection, goes poof as soon as the phone goes back into mobile coverage and auto-updates chrome before the app have the chance to sync it up.
Lastly the chrome team is not, in my own personal opinion, having the correct approach here. They failed. Their automated test should have flagged this. There should have never been a release with this bug. Treating responsibility like a hot potato and saying “you developers should have tested the beta and reported back” is acting like they don’t have ownership over their own project. | {
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As mobile app technology evolves, it seems logical that our mobile analytics capabilities should evolve proportionally. Yet for the most part, any evolution in the mobile analytics realm is happening at a much more glacial pace. Now that’s not to discount improvements in areas such as data visualisation, product integrations, and real-time capabilities, which have helped product managers gather and dissect their data better than ever before. These advancements are valuable, but do not supersede the underlying disproportion between mobile app technology and our capability to analyse mobile app usage that exists today.
Interestingly, this disparity is due to the data itself – you’ve all heard the quote “the devil is in the data”. But what if I was to tell you that the quantitative data you have been gathering is actually functioning more like a prologue to an important story than the story itself – in this case, your users’ story. This quantitative data gives you a powerful introduction into what users are doing in your mobile app, but it doesn’t allow you to explore their specific experiences. Mobile product managers need data that provides them with the ability to actually see and understand specific user behaviour instead of having to define it by aggregate, numerical data.
However, a few mobile analytics companies, including Appsee, have recognised this need and brought a new type of analytics to market – qualitative analytics.
And as you probably guessed, once you combine qualitative analytics with your quantitative data, you are able to obtain that epic, complete story on your mobile users. But how exactly?
The shortcomings of quantitative analytics
In order to understand the potency of this union, we first need to understand why relying solely on analytics that provides quantitative data (traditional analytics) simply does not cut it.
Let’s just review the definition of quantitative for a moment. Merriam Webster notes the definition as follows:
1: of, relating to, or expressible in terms of quantity
2: of, relating to, or involving the measurement of quantity or amount
3: based on quantity; specifically of classical verse: based on temporal quantity or duration of sounds
Numbers, numbers, numbers – that is the core of the definition. So when it comes to quantitative analytics, basically all of the data and information it collects can be measured with numbers.
This is no bad thing, in fact it’s extremely important. Quantitative data can help you gather insights on overall user actions and usage trends, such as the length of the average user session or how many users completed a certain conversion funnel. But these numbers don’t answer the pivotal question of “why?”. Quantitative analytics can only answer your number based inquiries. Numbers have an extremely important story to tell, but how do you figure out and communicate that story?
Enter qualitative analytics.
What is qualitative analytics and why is it needed?
While quantitative analytics focuses on aspects of your app that can be measured by numbers, qualitative analytics zones in on the one essential element of your mobile app that cannot be delineated by numbers. That element is the user experience; your user’s unique story within your app.
At the moment, how do you know whether your users are frustrated with a certain unresponsive button or confused by a particular feature? To put it simply, no number on a dashboard can effectively describe those specific in-app experiences. In order to fully understand and assess your users’ stories, you need data that enables you to see what your users are experiencing and how they behave. This is the essence of qualitative analytics.
With features such as user session recordings and touch heatmaps, qualitative analytics allows you to actually step into the shoes of your real users (not beta testers) and examine how they truly interact with your app. This is the best way to analyse a KPI as subjective and nuanced as user experience.
Yet the value of qualitative analytics is not limited to inspecting user experience. It also serves as an extremely powerful compliment to your quantitative data.
How quantitative and qualitative make the perfect couple
Quantitative analytics allows you to identify on a numerical basis important trends, issues, and actions within your mobile app. Then, qualitative analytics (such as unique user session recordings) augments this data by supplying the crucial “whys” behind those numbers.
Let’s look at some compelling use cases of this power couple in action.
In-app crashes
Your quantitative analytics tells you that your daily app crash rate has increased by 50%. This is very important, but now you need to understand why this is happening. To obtain valuable visual context behind your crashes, you turn to your qualitative analytics and watch session recordings of crashed sessions from that specific day. This allows you to accurately reproduce a crash and discern the sequence of user actions that led to a crash.
Conversion funnels
You have an ecommerce app with a conversion funnel in place for purchase completion. Your quantitative data tells you that over a seven-day period, 74.4% of your users that visited the “My Cart” screen, dropped out of the funnel and did not trigger the event “Purchase Complete”. These stats alert you to the fact that your users might be encountering a potential issue or multiple issues within the “My Cart” screen. What are the issues exactly? By drilling down to specific session recordings of users that dropped out of the funnel, you can see exactly what might have caused friction within their experience.
In a nutshell, this combination of quantitative data and qualitative information allows you to streamline the process of turning data into information, and information into insights – actionable insights. No more scenarios of drowning in copious amounts of quantitative data and guesswork.
To top it off, by using qualitative analytics to distill quantitative data, you can save valuable time and resources – which product managers often are low on. At the end of the day, this quantitative and qualitative union should empower you to separate the “wheat from the chaff” within your data and make key decisions regarding your product with more confidence. We can’t wait to hear what insights you obtain. | {
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The impending public filing of the expected DOJ antitrust case against Google means big change is afoot for U.S. antitrust enforcement for Internet platforms.
As we look ahead, it’s important to not miss the forest for the trees.
The Senate is having an antitrust hearing on Google. The House is soon releasing a report on Big Tech antitrust. And the DOJ and states are expected to file an antitrust lawsuit against Google.
Some background on my insights and predictions below.
Thirteen years ago, I testified before the Senate Judiciary Antitrust Subcommittee in opposition to the proposed Google-DoubleClick acquisition. I accurately warned of “the stakes of lax antitrust enforcement…” and “missing the forest for the trees,” because the merger obviously “would create extreme market concentration horizontally and vertically, and also tip the online advertising market to a bottleneck.” Since then, I have copiously chronicled Google’s antitrust issues on Googleopoly.net. | {
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The best route for the north-central portion of Calgary's next major LRT expansion would be to tunnel from 20th Avenue North, beneath the Bow River and all the way under downtown, finally emerging in the Beltline, according to the first-stage evaluation of the mega-project.
With an initial ballpark estimate of $1.8 billion, that was the most expensive option being considered by the city, but also the one that is believed to offer the fastest transit times and create the least disruption to existing traffic patterns.
The city is also looking at the possibility of building a new bridge to carry LRT cars over the Bow River, then either carrying the line above grade over downtown or building a shorter tunnel below the city centre. Those options were believed to be roughly $500 million less expensive than the full-tunnel option.
The cheapest option under consideration would be to run the LRT line down the middle of the existing Centre Street Bridge, pegged at about $700 million less than the full-tunnel route.
The full-tunnel route would see the LRT line run underground from 20 Avenue North all the way south to the Beltline in a tunnel beneath both the Bow River and downtown Calgary. (City of Calgary/Screenshot)
Those cost estimates are from February 2015, however, and they are only rough figures of a project that remains a long way from even getting started.
Monday's announcement that the city is leaning toward the full-tunnel option is just a "first step in designing the downtown segment of the Green Line LRT," according to project manager Jon Lea.
"We're starting to get a sense of what this project could mean for the downtown, and we're looking forward to continuing our work with Calgarians to further shape this new transit line," he said in a release.
In total, the city examined five possible routes through downtown, with various combinations of elevated, street level, and underground routes for the Green Line.
An evaluation of environmental sustainability, technical feasibility, cost, alignment with existing city policies, urban development, and public input led city staff to conclude "Option D" — full-tunnel route — best met the criteria.
"We hear often with the LRTs we have today: Why didn't you put them underground?" said Coun. Shane Keating.
"It is the most expensive option, but today is not really about the cost, trying to nail it down. It's saying 'What is the best for the City of Calgary?'"
Beltline route next to be evaluated
The Green Line's route through the Beltline is still to be determined and could include underground, street-level or elevated routes on 10th Avenue, 11th Avenue or 12th Avenue South.
Public input will be sought and more information can be found online and at an "interactive installation" the city plans to host at Olympic Plaza April 18 to 28, in addition to a series of "pop-up events" over the next two weeks.
The route through the Beltline would connect to the southeast portion of the Green Line, which is further along in the planning process, with the route already determined.
The goal of the multi-billion project is to have light-rail transit running all the way from the city's northern edge to the deep-southeast community of Seton. | {
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The U.S. Marines will deploy a 300-person task force to southwestern Afghanistan this spring to help local security forces beat back Taliban gains in the restive Helmand province.
The deployment will last nine months, marking the first in what's expected to become a series of similar rotations for the Marines, officials said Friday. Security in Helmand, a long-time Taliban stronghold that's home to the abundant poppy crop fueling Afghanistan's lucrative heroin trade, has deteriorated precipitously since U.S. forces largely withdrew from the province in 2014. The Marines say they are preparing to encounter hostile conditions.
The task force will serve in an advise-and-assist role, said Lt. Gen. William Beydler, commander of U.S. Marine Corps Forces Central Command. Task Force Southwest, as it will be known, is in the midst of a five-month training workup. Once in theater, the Marines will work alongside "key leaders" from the Afghan National Army's 215th Corps and the 505th Zone National Police "to further optimize their capabilities in that region," officials said.
"Afghanistan remains a dangerous and dynamic environment," Beydler said. "And our aim, training and advising the Afghan forces, is to preserve and build upon the gains they've made. Marines will face risk in this new assignment."
Video: After 15 years, the Afghan army is no match for the Taliban U.S. taxpayers are spending more than $4 billion annually to develop an Afghan security force whose progress has proven difficult to assess, according to a watchdog report to Congress.
There are approximately 8,500 U.S. troops assigned to the NATO mission in Afghanistan. Most are concentrated at major installations in the capital, Kabul, and at the international coalition's main airfield in Bagram. Their chief focus is supporting the Afghan security forces' campaign to thwart the Taliban. A separate mission is focused on secretive counter-terrorism operations, including efforts to target Islamic State loyalists who've seized territory along the Pakistan border in Nangarhar province.
Task Force Southwest will comprise mostly more-senior military personnel pulled from units across II Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, including from the 6th Marine Regiment, officials said. They will be focused on enhancing the Afghans' ability to gather and interpret battlefield intelligence, and on improving upon their logistical coordination and other areas where key "challenges and capability gaps persist," said Brig. Gen. Roger B. Turner Jr., the task force commander.
"The challenges they have," Turner said, "are really intel operations, integration, logistics, sustainment of their forces, administration and things like that." The Afghans have made considerable progress, he later added, a reality that drove the commander's decision to tap personnel with considerable experience. "It’s not a simplistic mission," Turner said. The Afghans have "really gotten to a point where our level of advising needs to be pretty sophisticated to match where their capabilities are."
Turner is a combat-decorated officer who led the 5th Marine Regiment from 2011-2013, time that included a yearlong combat tour in Helmand province. Previously, as an infantry battalion commander, he led combat forces during two deployments to Iraq's Anbar province.
His Marines are replacing an Army unit, Task Force Forge, which has filled a similar advisory role for much of the last year. It's not immediately clear why the Marine Corps is supplanting the Army for this mission, although the Marines did accumulate deep experience in the region between 2009 and 2014, during what would become the war's most violent period. Regardless, officials are planning to own the role for the foreseeable future.
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"We will do this mission as long as we are required," Beydler said.
Turner's task force will be distributed throughout various parts of Helmand, officials said. They declined to identify specific districts. However, one base of operations will be the Marines' former hub in Afghanistan, a sprawling facility known as Camp Leatherneck, where tens of thousands of U.S. military personnel were deployed through the years. The base abuts a coalition airfield.
Sangin, Helmand Ð 05/01/2012: (L-R) Lance Cpl. Jedidiah Morgan, Lance Cpl. Michael Pavlik, and Cpl. Patrick McCall take overwatch positions on rooftops, the best way to see over a maze of high compound walls in the Sangin area. Second Squad, Third Platoon of Baker Co., 1st Battalion, 7th Marines operates out of Patrol Base Fulod, in the "Fish Tank" section of Sangin, an area that has been historically dangerous due to it's high walls, and narrow alleys. PB Fulod in Sangin, Helmand on May 01, 2012. (James J. Lee/Marine Corps Times)
Lance Cpl. Jedidiah Morgan, Lance Cpl. Michael Pavlik, and Cpl. Patrick McCall take overwatch positions on rooftops, the best way to see over a maze of high compound walls in the Sangin area. Second Squad, Third Platoon of Baker Co., 1st Battalion, 7th Marines operates out of Patrol Base Fulod, in the "Fish Tank" section of Sangin, an area that has been historically dangerous due to it's high walls, and narrow alleys. PB Fulod in Sangin, Helmand on May 1, 2012. (James J. Lee/Marine Corps Times)
The Afghans have seen security erode in several Helmand districts, including Marjah, Sangin and in the provincial capital, Lashkar Gah. All have experienced resurgent violence as a determined Taliban seeks to reclaim lost ground and once again push out any political and security entities loyal to the central Afghan government.
"We're viewing this as a high-risk mission that really requires training to ensure our Marines are capable of countering the full spectrum of threat," Turner said. "We're not in any way viewing this as a noncombat mission, or something to take lightly. We're following the situation [in Helmand] closely ... to make sure the training and force protection is commensurate with that threat."
Some estimates suggest the Taliban has retaken more than 80 percent of Helmand province, erasing gains that came at great cost — in money spent and in lives lost — to the U.S. and its military forces. Earlier this week, the Taliban launched a large-scale attack on the Sangin district center, with local sources warning of its potential collapse.
It's a major setback for the Afghan government, which is reeling from a bloody fighting season in which Afghan security forces sustained nearly 15,000 casualties during the first eight months of 2016, according to a recent report from the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, a government monitoring agency.
"It is not uncommon for the southern districts of Afghanistan to see elevated Taliban activity during the winter months," Captain Bill Salvin, a spokesman for Operation Resolute Support, told Military Times. "The weather there is more conducive to year-round fighting. The Taliban has engaged Afghan forces in Sangin district, but our Afghan partners maintain control of the district and continue to fend off Taliban advances."
Holding a special place in the annals of Marine Corps history, Sangin claimed the lives of nearly 50 U.S. Marines, 25 of those from 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, a unit known as Darkhorse. Another 100 British troops also lost there lives due to the violence there.
AS AFGHANS REGROUP, TALIBAN WREAKS HAVOC
A tenuous security environment is not unique to Helmand. Violence continues to haunt several regions in Afghanistan. Nine American service members were killed in action there throughout the last year, according to Defense Department statistics. Another 70 were wounded by hostile activity.
For the U.S. and NATO forces deployed to Afghanistan, the challenges are cyclical. While Afghan forces seek to rebuild following an exhausting 2016 fighting season, Taliban militants continue to wage war across the countryside. Today, of Afghanistan's 407 districts across 34 provinces, 258 are under government control, according to the inspector general's report. Thirty-three districts, areas spread across 16 Afghan provinces, are under insurgent control.
Nearly 120 districts remain "contested," the report says.
U.S. Marines will return to Afghanistan's opium region The United States announced it will send around 300 Marines back to Afghanistan. They will go to the opium-rich Helmand province to train local forces to fight the Taliban. The Marines should begin deploying this year and will remain in the province for nine months. Helmand is the main source of Afghanistan's thriving opium trade, which is worth an estimated $4 billion a year. The Taliban controls 85 percent of the province, which means much of the opium profit funds its efforts. The U.S. and NATO formally ended their combat mission in Afghanistan at the end of 2014. However, thousands of troops remain in the country, where they assist and train Afghan forces and carry out counterterrorism operations.
Nevertheless, senior U.S. officials describe the situation with an air of optimism. "We feel good about the situation right now in Afghanistan with regard to the support we’re providing," Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook said this week. "In terms of bolstering the Afghan security forces, improving their fighting capabilities so that ultimately they can secure the country on their own, we see progress there."
However, the Afghans have been plagued by high attrition, raising questions about their ability to survive another brutal fighting season. The Afghan army comprises about 169,000 soldiers, but last year suffered a 33 percent attrition rate — a 7 percent increase from 2015, according to in inspector general.
Afghan forces are spending the winter working to "regenerate capability and capacity," NATO officials say. Their training includes air integration operations to assist Afghan special forces in calling in combat air support.
"Before March of 2016, the Afghan air force had no ground-attack aircraft," the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, Army Gen. John Nicholson, told Pentagon reporters last month. "They've added eight aircraft for this and — and have also, more importantly, added about 120 Afghan tactical air controllers. So not only are they adding the attack aircraft, they're adding the capability to control those aircraft on the ground.
"When you look at the amount of the population secured by the government, it equates to roughly two-thirds, about 64 percent," he said. "There's also great confidence expressed in the Afghan security forces. And roughly three-quarters of the population say they have faith and confidence in the Afghan security forces."
Andrew deGrandpre is Military Times' senior editor and Pentagon bureau chief. On Twitter: @adegrandpre. Shawn Snow is Military Times' Early Bird editor. On Twitter:
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How an article on Bengaluru bus conductor spurred controversy on Kannada
The police registered an FIR for offending a class or community
news Language
There has been endless debate on whether or not migrants within India should learn the local language. The title of a post by the website Logical Indian has started yet another one, and heated comments have ended in an FIR against a man in Bengaluru.
Samanya Kannadiga, a Kannada organisation, has lodged a complaint against Pritish Kumar Patil for comments the latter made on the comment thread on Facebook. The Gangammana Gudi police station has registered an FIR under Section 505 of IPC (offending a class or community).
All this started after The Logical Indian posted an article "My story: I Gave Her A Hundred Rupee Note & She Started Yelling At Me In Her Local Language"(original title) written by Nupur Anand on January 3.
The article was an account of how she was mocked by a bus conductor after she handed a Rs 100 note instead of change of Rs 2 that she owed the conductor. After few hours of posting the article Logical Indian changed the articl's title to “My story: I Gave Her A Hundred Rupee Note & She Started Yelling".
A little later Samanya Kannadiga wrote an open letter to Logical Indian and Nupur Anand on their blog.
When the second article was posted on Logical Indian's Facebook page on January 4, a man named Pritish Kumar Patil commented on the thread. Using distasteful language and abusive words, he expressed his unwillingness to learn the local language.
"We were just going through the comments on the post and we came across such hateful comments from this person. We traced the person to Jalahalli, where we tried to file a complaint," said Sandeep a member of the organisation.
Pritish wrote an apology letter addressed to the members of the organisations. However, the members went ahead with lodging the complaint the on January 4.
"Though he wrote an apology letter, I wanted this to be a lesson to people who look down up on or feel inferior putting an effort towards learning a language that is local to the city they have migrated to for various reasons," Sandeep said. | {
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“Yes I would, because I think Southern Rail have behaved in a terrible manner,” he said on Radio 4’s Today programme.
The Labour leader called for Southern, which runs services in south London, Surrey, Sussex, Kent and Hampshire, to be stripped of its franchise: “I would want that franchise brought back into the public ownership and public sector.
“Many people who are trying to commute in from Brighton are utterly fed up with Southern Rail and the way that it’s behaved.”
Mr Corbyn declined to condemn Monday’s strike which closed most of the London Underground. He said: “I hope there will be a new offer made by TfL.”
The Labour leader was speaking as one-third of a million commuters find themselves, once again, unwitting victims on the chosen battleground between the rail unions, the railway industry and the Government over modernisation.
The drivers’ union, Aslef, has called three days of strikes this week and more industrial action later in January. Along with the RMT union, which represents guards and some drivers, leaders say they are seeking to block plans for Driver Only Operation of train doors because of fears for the safety of the travelling public if drivers are solely responsible:
“They may not see someone falling between the train and the platform, nor someone caught in the doors,” Aslef said in a statement.
“In an emergency, passengers may be at risk if the driver is working alone on the train.”
The Rail Delivery Group rejected the unions’ assertions. In a statement it said: “Britain has Europe’s safest railway. We will never compromise on safety.
“Britain needs a modern railway to carry huge increase in passengers. Modern trains have automatic door closure, allowing drivers to open and close doors safely meaning smoother, more punctual arrivals and departures.”
Meanwhile British Airways cancelled 22 flights to and from Heathrow as a two-day strike by some members of BA cabin crew began. Most were short-haul flights, serving Aberdeen, Prague and Vienna and other destinations, but one of the four daily services to Boston and the only link to San Jose were also cancelled.
Cabin crew members of the Unite union who are working for BA's Mixed Fleet operation say they having to manage on "poverty pay". | {
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Commuters in Victoria are calling for an overhaul of the Myki system after learning there is almost $80 million worth of unused credit sitting idle.
When a Myki card is lost or expired, the current system doesn't allow for funds left on that card to be transferred to a new one and refunds can't be given unless the card is registered.
With a few dollars here and there, it adds up when you consider the number of commuters who use the Myki system and now there is close to $80 million in discarded funds on lost or expired Myki passes.
Commuters in Victoria are calling for an overhaul of the Myki system after learning there is almost $80 million worth of unused credit sitting idle. (9News)
With a few dollars here and there, it adds up when you consider the number of commuters who use the Myki system and now there is close to $80 million in discarded funds on lost or expired Myki passes. (9News)
"A single use ticket can help, adding phone options to users, even contactless credit cards which some cities have now," Public Transport Users Association spokesman Daniel Bowen told 9News.
Of the $79.6 million, $25 million is sitting on cards that haven't been used since 2016.
A total of 34 million cards have been activated since the system came into place, but they expire every four years.
A total of 34 million cards have been activated since the system came into place, but they expire every four years. (9News)
States like NSW have the Opal card system which allows users to tap their credit card instead of using the Opal card.
Interest gained from the lost Myki money is being used to operate transport, but there are calls for the system to be overhauled. | {
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(NaturalNews) A U.S. military exercise involving hundreds of special operations forces including Navy SEALs and Army Green Berets that is set to kick off in a number of states around the country and focus on the South and Southwest is prompting a number of patriot organizations to man up and launch what they describe as a massive "counter surveillance exercise."In response to these covert domestic military exercises, activists have launched a Facebook page titled " Counter Jade Helm Exercises " that is hosted by Pete Lanteri, former president of Icon Tactical Industries."Since the military wants to infiltrate our towns for practice, then We the Patriots should use this as a counter surveillance exercise!!" states the page's description. "I'm calling on Militias and other Patriot groups to counter this exercise with surveillance of the military's attempt to infiltrate US towns!" Citizens concerned with increased domestic military activity can join the Facebook group to get involved in the counter-surveillance exercises and help safeguard our liberties. Department of Defense PowerPoint presentation posted online describing Jade Helm says that about 1,200 exercise participants will engage in eight-week "unconventional warfare" training with local officials."JH is a challenging eight-week joint military and interagency (IA) Unconventional Warfare (UW) exercise conducted throughout Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, California, Nevada, Utah and Colorado," says the PowerPoint proposal, adding that its aim is "to improve the Special Operations Forces' UW capability as part of the National Security Strategy."The presentation describes the exercises as "Realistic Military Training," which it defines as taking place outside a federal military base or other federally owned property and being "designed to ensure proper coordinate between DOD [Department of Defense] and local and regional authorities." The exercise is scheduled to run from July 15 to September 15.In addition to SEALs and Green Beret troops, other forces involved in the exercises include U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command, USMC Special Operations Command, USMC Expeditionary Units and elements of the 82nd Airborne Division. Facebook post from a 2012 GOP congressional candidate from Georgia, Greg Pallen, says he has information from "a reliable, well-connected inside source" that "militias are on high-alert" over the exercise.Pallen's post also included a Jason A video discussing the exercise as a possible prelude to martial law, given that the troops are special ops forces, not just regular forces, and that they will be operating among the civilian population, at times wearing civilian clothing so they can mesh with locals, rather than on a military base.For its part, the military says the exercise is necessary because the special operations forces need to train amid a changing threat environment. The concern by some is that the special ops troops are focusing on a changingthreat environment, given that some of the states involved in the training, like Texas, New Mexico and Utah, are deemed "hostile."Also, it's important to note that, in preparing for Iraq and Afghanistan, U.S. forces trained with actors who pretended to be Iraqi and Afghani nationals; in some cases, actual nationals from those countries who had been hired by the Defense Department to assist in the training were used.In addition, as noted by the Jason A video, so-called "urban" training by U.S. military aviation and ground forces has been increasing over the past several months. In some scenes, military Blackhawk helicopters can be seen landing in an urban environment, as if dropping off/picking up forces. Also, mock internments of citizens are being rehearsed.In the video, it is unclear whether the military units involved are regular active duty forces or state National Guard units, the latter of which are often seen on civilian highways and in the sky.To learn more or join the Counter Jade Helm Exercises, visit the Facebook page here | {
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RICHMOND, Va. (AP) -- If you're feeling that those who govern Virginia or aspire to govern in coming months are less than forthcoming, you're not alone. Candidates in both parties and the governor they hope to succeed have had accountability about their finances and business dealings forced upon them the past five months by journalists.
First, there was Democrat Terry McAuliffe. He claimed in December that Virginia didn't want to bid on his company's prospective electric car factory. That's relevant because McAuliffe, a former Democratic National Committee chairman and former fundraiser for Bill and Hillary Clinton, is running for governor as a job-creation maven whose politics are moderate and business-friendly.
"That's their choice," McAuliffe said in suggesting in December that Virginia gave GreenTech the brush-off. "Other states -- I think Alabama, South Carolina, Mississippi -- have a very aggressive (effort) to bring manufacturing in. Obviously, Virginia was my first choice."
Turns out his company, GreenTech Automotive, didn't get Virginia incentives because it raised as many questions for Virginia economic development officials under two governors -- a Democrat and the incumbent Republican -- as it answered.
More than 600 pages of documents, emails and records The Associated Press obtained in December under the Freedom of Information Act show Virginia officials were interested, often perplexed and ultimately wary of McAuliffe's fledgling enterprise and its financing.
A major strategy for enticing large overseas investments, principally from China, was a federal program known as EB-5 that grants permanent U.S. residency for every $1 million of foreign capital, or $500,000 in economically struggling areas. From the start, GreenTech officials urged Virginia officials -- including Democratic former Gov. Tim Kaine -- to implement the program. Just as quickly, VEDP officials became skeptical.
"This company is a complete startup venture and it appears the management team has no previous experience in automotive manufacturing," VEDP's Mike Lehmkuhler wrote in a Sept. 10 email to Patrick Gottschalk, then Kaine's secretary of commerce.
The irrepressible McAuliffe was undeterred. For the opening of GreenTech's Horn Lake, Miss., plant last summer, he brought in two old Washington A-List buddies: former President Clinton and former Mississippi Gov. and Republican National Committee chairman Haley Barbour. McAuliffe was still touting GreenTech's economic development prowess in early December with reporters.
What he had neglected to tell anyone until Politico broke the news on April 5 was that he had tendered his resignation letter in November to GreenTech CEO Charles Wang.
In March, scrutiny shifted to McAuliffe's GOP presumptive gubernatorial opponent, Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli.
In July 2011, Star Scientific, a struggling nutritional supplement maker that had started as a tobacco company, sued Virginia disputing $700,000 in taxes the state Department of Taxation says the company owes. In March, the AP reported that Cuccinelli allowed his office to handle the case even though Star Scientific is the lone company in which he holds stock and even though he had received about $13,000 in gifts from the company's CEO, Jonnie Williams.
The story had added resonance because Cuccinelli had defied a tradition observed by six Virginia attorneys general since 1985 who had resigned as the state's top lawyer and chief law-enforcement officer to run full time for governor. Then there were further disclosures by The Washington Post that Cuccinelli had bought additional stock in Star Scientific while his office was battling the company's legal action in court.
Cuccinelli vehemently dismissed any suggestion that his actions constituted a conflict of interest, but on April 4, recused his staff from the Star Scientific lawsuit and turned it over to a private law firm.
Star Scientific is also the subject of a federal securities probe.
The past month brought the most nettlesome tangle of conflicts yet, involving the Executive Mansion and inviting unflattering scrutiny of Gov. Bob McDonnell and the first family and the gifts received from a major campaign contributor.
In March, the Mansion's former chef, Todd Schneider, was indicted in Richmond on four felony counts of embezzlement arising from his time as the governor's official cook. Schneider's attorney, Steve Benjamin of Richmond, said then that Schneider has provided information to authorities since the investigation began in March 2012 and is still doing so.
Schneider, hired as chef shortly after McDonnell was inaugurated in January 2010, resigned at the onset of the Virginia State Police investigation. Richmond Circuit Court records do not detail Schneider's alleged activities.
In the past two weeks, the Post reported that a benefactor picked up $15,000 worth of expenses for a June 2011 Executive Mansion wedding reception for McDonnell's daughter, Cailin. Part of the expense was for the catering, done by Schneider. The money was given to Cailin McDonnell, not the governor.
The benefactor: Star Scientific's Jonnie Williams.
The Post also reported that three days before her daughter's wedding, first lady Maureen McDonnell traveled to Florida and spoke at a seminar for investors and scientists interested in a key chemical in Star Scientific's dietary supplement known as Anatabloc. There is no evidence that she was compensated for the trip.
None of the gifts or payments appeared on McDonnell's January 2012 statement of economic interests, a report state officeholders are required to file each January disclosing their assets, income, gifts, business associations and such. The governor noted that he's not obliged to disclose them under current state law, which requires only that gifts worth $50 or more given directly to a public official be reported, not gifts to members of the official's family.
Here's where it all ties together: Cuccinelli's office obtained and is prosecuting the indictments against Schneider that arose from a state police investigation that remains very alive. At the heart of that criminal probe is a defendant known to be providing investigators information and who catered an important first family celebration underwritten in large part by a mutual friend of and contributor to the governor and Cuccinelli.
___
Bob Lewis has covered Virginia politics and government for The Associated Press since 2000.
Twitter: (at)APBobLewis. | {
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古代ローマと言えば水流トイレと公衆浴場なのに？
水道管はあまり注目されませんが、現代生活においてとても重要な役割を担っています。初期の文明の一つ、古代ローマはそれをしっかり把握していたようです。にもかかわらずローマ時代は、それよりずっと前の鉄器時代よりも寄生虫が広がってしまいました。なぜでしょうか。
寄生虫学のジャーナル、Parasitology紙に発表された研究結果によると、ローマ時代のトイレと家のお風呂は、寄生虫を減らすための対策が何も施されていなかったとのこと。研究を行ったケンブリッジ大学考古学・人類学部のPiers Mitchell氏は、ローマ人はダニやノミに大変悩まされていて、原虫赤痢アメーバによる赤痢によくかかっていたと説明しています。水道管で有名だった古代ローマも、実は結構お腹イタタタな悲惨な時間を過ごしていたそうです。
でもMitchell氏はどうやってその事実を発見したのでしょう？
腸内寄生虫って私たちが思うよりずいぶん耐性があるそうなんです。研究結果の報告書によると｢ほとんどの腸内寄生虫の卵は適切な状態であれば、何千年も保存することが可能。考古学的に、便所土壌や糞石（人間の大便が化石化したもの）、または人間の死亡後に腸の内容物の分解が起こる埋葬土壌から人間の排出物は再生することができる｣とのこと。アメーバの残りものは、それらに反応する抗体によって検出することができます。ノミ、ダニなどは｢土壌の細かいふるいによって検出が可能で、髪の櫛やミイラ、古代の織物などにも見つけることができる｣と記載されています。古代の寄生虫は現代でも十分検出が可能ということですね。
しました。そして下水を街から外へ出し、水をキレイに保つ法令までしっかりありました。それなのに、なんで寄生虫が蔓延してしまったんでしょうか。
Mitchell氏の指摘によると、水道管などの優れたシステムは古代ローマが誇るトイレ・浴場の衛生状況とは全く関係なかったとのこと。まず、ローマ人はガルムと呼ばれる発酵した魚醤が大好きでした。ガルムは古代の化学調味料みたいなものでした。ガルムを入れるとおそらく、食べ物に味わいが加わったんでしょう。でも同時に魚のサナダムシがたくさんのローマ人に寄生しまっていたようです。公衆浴場は衛生的に思えますが、サナダムシをもった人と一緒に入浴することで、病気を広げる役目を担ってしまっていたのかもしれないそうです。
そして何と言っても一番の原因は、街の外へ出す下水の運び方をローマ人が完全に間違っていたということ。食糧の肥料として人糞を使っていました。人糞は肥料としては完全に安全ですが、それは糞が長時間おいて堆肥化されている場合のみ。長時間おくと、寄生虫は死滅し、残りの栄養素が作物の収量を高めるのです。
。下水設備で寄生虫が完全に死滅したことを確認せずに人糞を肥料として使うと、寄生虫はめぐりめぐってまた人間に戻ってきてしまうのです。
このように、古代ローマが誇る公衆トイレはそれほど衛生的ではなかったようです。ちなみに、古代ローマ人も用を足しながら壁に落書きしていたようです。それは水流トイレとともに現代まで生き延びてますね。
image: Craig Taylor
source: Human parasites in the Roman World: health consequences of conquering an empire
Esther Inglis-Arkell - Gizmodo US［原文］
（リョウコ） | {
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This article is part of a series on the highly innovative PascalCoin ($PASC), a cryptocurrency written entirely in the Pascal programming language.
As mentioned in our previous article, thanks to the Safebox model, PascalCoin can achieve infinite scalability; but the innovative cryptocurrency can also accomplish a multitude of features that standard blockchains cannot. An imperative feature that sets PascalCoin apart from the Bitcoin standard is the payload hash function that can be applied to operations on the chain.
Monetized API Using Payload Hash
A real-world use case of the payload functionality in PascalCoin is the ability to implement Monetized APIs (Application programmed interface). By only using a single Pascal Account (‘PASA’), a business can route transactions and store information on different customers and jobs by payload hash. An example of this is the Pascal Account Market at http://getpasa.com which allows a user to purchase an account number by providing a public key to the website. By sending a small amount of PASC to a unique payload based on their public key, an account number will be sent immediately to the purchaser’s wallet. At operation time, Getpasa automatically re-assigns the account number ownership to the purchaser’s public key, therefore transferring the account. Due to the powerful customization of payload hashes, applications can set up a subscription-based payment system that gives a user a unique subscription tier depending on which payload hash they include when sending PASC to it. They could then receive a code to activate the subscription immediately after payment.
Bank Accounts
If a company or user wanted to set up a secure account management system for PascalCoin, they can easily do so through only one account. For every user that signs up or registers with the system, they can be issued a unique Payload hash (just like banking routing numbers) to send to the Pascal Bank. After the first transaction, the Pascal bank would then be able to credit the newly registered user’s account balance with the deposited Pascal. Then whenever an individual wanted to deposit more funds to the account, they would simple re-use the payload hash in order to route the PASC to their personal account. In fact, a well-known cryptocurrency exchange has already put this method into practice. Poloniex Exchange uses a bank-like system with PascalCoin to route new incoming deposits to exchange accounts based on the payload hash. With only one account, Poloniex is able to facilitate the transfer of Pascalcoin internally and externally by use of payloads. With this model, many other cryptocurrency exchanges can easily set up and manage PascalCoin trading, deposits, and withdrawals with only one account number. Instead of generating a new address per user, the exchange simply would generate a unique payload when requested. Because Pascal also supports over 100 transactions a second, millions of users could deposit to only one exchange wallet simultaneously without lag.
User-end Custom Payloads
Yet another use case with the payload function in PascalCoin is the ability for users to include data inside a payload. This can be used for various functions, but an important one to touch on is a user’s ability to include personal and wallet information in operations. Real-world use cases include scenarios where a student could submit a series of responses to a test embedded into a payload and receive a grade back instantly based on what answers they submitted. Users can also participate in lotteries and giveaways by embedding account or shipping information into a payload they submit to the event. Anonymous mixers can even come into play that mix PascalCoins, and then send the coins to an account number specified within the hash submitted. Using a mixer such as this, a user can easily cycle their coins instantaneously thanks to the speed of the blockchain. With the allowance of customizable payloads, users can even interact with exchanges, know-your-customer systems, and other various applications.
Thanks to Pascal’s powerful ability to include payload hashes in every single operation, PascalCoin can perform more advanced operations than a standard blockchain. From banking applications to giveaways, the Payload feature allows every user to send and receive specific data with every operation. This is only one of the many extraordinary features that PascalCoin has available.
For more information and how to get PascalCoin, visit http://pascalcoin.org | {
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As he prepares to release his new solo record, Chip Tooth Smile, Matchbox Twenty frontman Rob Thomas is sharing the personal drive behind the “autobiographical” record, from his 19-year, hurdle-fraught marriage to wife Marisol, to learning to embrace ageing after facing the death of loved ones.
While grief may be a lesser-heard topic on the radio, the three-time GRAMMY winner recently became inspired following a conversation with Counting Crows frontman Adam Duritz, who pointed out that the friends were officially too old to die young. However, the meaning intensified after Thomas lost several loved ones, experiences reflected in the catchy single, “One Less Day (Dying Young),” with lyrics like, “I've seen my friends fall away before their time, and I've been afraid that I may follow in their light.”
“There’s so much focus on songs about staying young forever and I have a lot of friends who are like, ‘Oh man, getting older sucks,’ and it’s like, ‘Wait a minute -- that’s like, the only good alternative,’” Thomas tells ET ahead of Chip Tooth Smile's release on Friday. “You’re born, you hope to get older, every day is a win and the alternative is really bleak. And over the last couple of years, we’ve lost some people who are really close to us, who don’t get that chance to get any older, which makes you realize how much it’s a privilege that’s not afforded to everyone. It’s not just about me and my age group, but about understanding how moving on to that next generation and that next day is a win.”
Thomas says that, like with many hard times throughout his life, it was songwriting that helped him process his grief. He also learned the importance of taking the necessary time to deal with and learn from the losses.
“You realize that, in some levels, life goes on and it’s part of a process that always works out that way,” he says. “But every ending is another beginning, so I think you need to find a healthy balance between reverence and appreciation, and a proper mourning time for the things that you lose. And not leave a piece of yourself with that loss -- move on and try and be stronger and learn from those moments.”
For Thomas, appreciating every day means cherishing every moment with Marisol, a former model, and his 20-year-old musician son, Maison, from a previous relationship. Thomas and his wife have been together for more than two decades, tying the knot in 1999 in Santa Ynez, California, and are preparing to mark their 20th wedding anniversary in October, with Thomas crediting the fact the pair are besties for the strength behind their relationship.
“The other night, my wife and I were out and we realized that after three or four hours the two of us could just sit alone and bullsh** like you do with any of your friends,” he says. “We had the same kind of fun on our own that we do if we’re around a whole bunch of our friends. At the end of the day, she is my best friend and I happen to be married to her and we were saying how if anything ever happened and we were no longer married, we would still probably wind up being best friends. Like, after we hated each other for a good couple of months, we’d probably go back to being best friends!”
The pair’s unbreakable bond is moreso #couplegoals given how they have been tested time and time again over the years. Since vowing on their wedding day to “trust what changes the future may bring,” the two have faced Marisol’s ongoing health issues, which saw her desperately searching for accurate diagnosis and treatment for more than a decade before finally being diagnosed with several tick-bourne diseases, including Lyme disease, following brain surgery in 2015.
The potentially fatal illness causes seizures, pain and visual disturbance, and in Marisol’s case, the infections are also believed to have triggered Hashimoto’s disease and Atypical Trigeminal Neuralgia, which attacks facial nerves and has been nicknamed the “suicide disease,” because it “makes you wish for death.” The couple opened up about the illness during a 2017 interview with ET, during which Marisol recounted her journey from a driven woman co-managing Thomas’ career and running the Sidewalk Angels Foundation (the couple’s non-profit, which assists animal rescue groups) to having her life “stolen” from her. Thomas, meanwhile, likened the condition to having “a weird alien inhabit my wife.”
Since the powerful interview, the couple have continued to open up about living with the illness, which Thomas says is important, given that it’s easy to take one glance at his Instagram profile and misjudge the couple’s lifestyle. While Marisol looks stunning and radiant in Thomas’ sweet posts, the “invisible” nature of illnesses like Lyme disease means many patients are frequently suffering behind their smiles and between their social media posts.
“You see a post like we did the other night and it looks like we’re living this unbelievably charmed, beautiful life and I think it’s good for people to know that, just like with everybody else, those Instagram moments are your highlight reel,” Thomas notes. “We’re showing our best times. She still struggles all the time with the way that she feels -- she was struggling that night.”
“You also really, really learn what you should do with a good time when you have one,” he adds about coping with Marisol’s illness. “When you get a little moment when you’re not in pain and you get a little moment when you can have a good evening, we really appreciate it.”
Marisol’s health battles and the years the couple faced searching for answers and navigating her diagnosis were a strong theme of Thomas’ previous solo album, The Great Unknown, particularly the powerful ballad “Pieces,” which he wrote while spending hours in the desert in Mexico while waiting for Marisol to undergo treatment.
The ongoing significance of the song was evident at a recent fundraising show for the Sidewalk Angels Foundation at Chumash Casino Resort in Santa Ynez, California, where Thomas uncharacteristically asked the audience to take their seats before he sat down at the piano and performed the touching ballad, moving the crowd to dead silence.
Thomas says Chip Tooth Smile is just as reflective of his personal life, representing “everything that’s happening to me from when I put out that last record to now.” The album starting to take shape while Thomas was touring The Great Unknown, and he continued songwriting through Matchbox Twenty’s A Brief History of Everything tour in 2017, amassing several records worth of songs before presenting them to musician and producer Butch Walker, who has worked with Fall Out Boy, Katy Perry, Gavin DeGraw and Taylor Swift. “I had already told everybody that I was going to make a record with Butch Walker … I just never told Butch,” Thomas laughs. “It was kind of like manifest destiny.”
Thomas will hit the road with special guest Abby Anderson on his Chip Tooth Smile tour, kicking off on May 28 in New Jersey, and he confirms that, following the 46-date run, new Matchbox Twenty music is in the pipeline. The group, who started out as Tabitha’s Secret and have been together more than 20 years, last put out 2012’s North and are currently focused on solo ventures, with lead guitarist Kyle Cook currently touring his solo record, Wolves.
“I was just on the phone with Kyle the day before yesterday,” Thomas says of the group’s latest discussions. “It’s a different world out there, so if we want to go out and tour together it doesn’t necessarily mean we have to go sit in a studio for six months and make a 12-song record. We could maybe just make a couple of songs that we think are really good then go out and tour. So, we’re definitely going to be doing something and there’s definitely new music involved with that, but everybody is really enjoying the stuff they’re doing [on their own] as well, so we want to do stuff that makes us happy then get back to Matchbox when that makes us super happy as well.”
In the meantime, Thomas could make one celebrity fan super happy come summer time.
Bachelor in Paradise star and loyally dedicated Thomas fanboy Jared Haibon is preparing for his wedding to Ashley Iaconetti, and after declaring that he was “passionate” about Thomas on television, he has since taken his fandom to a new level by donating 10% of proceeds from the sales of his and Iaconetti’s new children’s book, Lucy and Clark: A Story of Puppy Love, to the Sidewalk Angels Foundation. The couple even made a recent trip out to an Indio, California, charity concert for the foundation, rocking out front row and hanging with the “Timeless” singer backstage.
So, will Thomas be singing at the nuptials?
“They haven’t asked me yet,” he laughs. “I’m not really much of a wedding singer. I did the reception one time for a friend, but it’s not really a habit. Unless they just invite me ... if they just invite me and I get drunk, then you never know what’s going to happen!”
Thomas adds that he was initially wary of the guy who “kept talking Rob Thomas, Rob Thomas, Rob Thomas,” on the ABC reality series, but now thinks highly of both Jared and Ashley.
“I got to meet him and he turned out to be this very sweet, lovely guy and Ashley too -- they’re just a really real couple and very genuine people,” he said. “My first question when I met her was, ‘So, do you hate me at this point? Are you sick of me?’”
While Thomas may not have his invite to the wedding yet, Haibon tells ET that he is high on the guest list.
“Of course, he’s invited!” the reality star said while attending the launch of the Backstreet Boys: The Experience exhibit at the GRAMMY Museum in Los Angeles earlier this month. “He doesn’t even have to sing. On our wedding day, I just want the people who I care about most -- family, friends … and Rob Thomas! Rob Thomas has been such a big, impactful part of my life and my adolescent years leading to my adult years. I would love for him to come to my wedding, but that’s entirely up to him.”
Check out Chip Tooth Smile here and see more on Thomas below.
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I have written quite exhaustively about onigiri, or rice balls, here on Just Bento as well as on Just Hungry. Many people have asked similar questions about onigiri, which seem to just be gaining and gaining in popularity these days. So I've assembled a list of Onigiri FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions). I'll update this list when I see (or remember) other questions periodically.
Basics and culture
What is an onigiri? An onigiri is a savory (salty) compressed ball of rice. It often has a filling or a coating of something savory, but there are also onigiri made of pre-flavored/mixed rice, as well as plain rice onigiri simply made with salt.
An onigiri is a savory (salty) compressed ball of rice. It often has a filling or a coating of something savory, but there are also onigiri made of pre-flavored/mixed rice, as well as plain rice onigiri simply made with salt. How do you pronounce it? o-NI-gi-ri (short 0 at the top, not oh or ooh)
o-NI-gi-ri (short 0 at the top, not oh or ooh) How is it written in Japanese? most often おにぎり (all in hiragana); very occasionally お握り
most often おにぎり (all in hiragana); very occasionally お握り My Japanese friend/my Japanese grandmother/my Hawaiian uncle calls it something else... Onigiri are also often called omusubi （おむすび）. Some more obscure regional names include nigirimama and oninko. You can also drop the honorific o and call it musubi, nigiri, or nigirimeshi (which literally means "hand-pressed rice". What you call it just depends on where you grew up! In Hawaii, a rice ball is called a musubi mostly. There was a big wave of emigration from Japan to Hawaii in the late 19th century, mainly from the western/southern parts of the country, which probably accounts for the use of musubi.
Onigiri are also often called omusubi （おむすび）. Some more obscure regional names include nigirimama and oninko. You can also drop the honorific o and call it musubi, nigiri, or nigirimeshi (which literally means "hand-pressed rice". What you call it just depends on where you grew up! In Hawaii, a rice ball is called a musubi mostly. There was a big wave of emigration from Japan to Hawaii in the late 19th century, mainly from the western/southern parts of the country, which probably accounts for the use of musubi. Why do anime and manga characters love onigiri so much? Onigiri is Japanese comfort food, because Japanese people love rice. Rice is the main staple of Japanese cuisine. (In the movie Kamome Diner (kamome shokudo), discussed at length here, onigiri are called "Japanese soul food", and I think that is very true.)
Onigiri is Japanese comfort food, because Japanese people love rice. Rice is the main staple of Japanese cuisine. (In the movie Kamome Diner (kamome shokudo), discussed at length here, onigiri are called "Japanese soul food", and I think that is very true.) Does an onigiri have to be a triangle? No it doesn't - it can be round, or cylinder shaped, or anything else. There are a few purists who insist that onigiri must be triangular, but I'm not one of them. See Onigiri on parade.
No it doesn't - it can be round, or cylinder shaped, or anything else. There are a few purists who insist that onigiri must be triangular, but I'm not one of them. See Onigiri on parade. Where can I get onigiri in Japan? Just about every supermarket and convenience store sells them, not to mention train station kiosks, vending machines and more. They are as common as pre-made sandwiches are in the West. (Actually you can get pre-made sandwiches as easily too in Japan.)
Just about every supermarket and convenience store sells them, not to mention train station kiosks, vending machines and more. They are as common as pre-made sandwiches are in the West. (Actually you can get pre-made sandwiches as easily too in Japan.) Are onigiri just for bentos? In Japan, onigiri is a basic convenience food. People carry them on hikes, car trips, have them for breakfast, as late night snacks...etc.
In Japan, onigiri is a basic convenience food. People carry them on hikes, car trips, have them for breakfast, as late night snacks...etc. Are onigiri a Japanese invention? They probably are, because of the nature of Japanese style rice (slightly sticky). This type of rice, also called uruchimai, came into wide use around the 11th or 12th centuries, and onigiri may have come into existence then. In China you have steamed glutinous rice wrapped in leaves, but that's a bit different from onigiri. (see okowa onigiri made from sticky rice)
They probably are, because of the nature of Japanese style rice (slightly sticky). This type of rice, also called uruchimai, came into wide use around the 11th or 12th centuries, and onigiri may have come into existence then. In China you have steamed glutinous rice wrapped in leaves, but that's a bit different from onigiri. (see okowa onigiri made from sticky rice) Is Spam Musubi Japanese? Spam musubi is a product of Hawai; it was probably created by immigrants of Japanese descent. Spam was virtually unknown until fairly recently in much of mainland Japan. (Spam is fairly popular in Okinawa, which was occupied until the 1970s by the United States and still has a U.S. military base. It's also very popular in South Korea. Both regions, as far as I can find out, got their Spam habit from Americans.) Personally, I just can't make myself like Spam in any form, so you won't see any spam musubi recipes on this site - sorry! There are plenty of spam musubi recipes online however - see this one on Lunch In A Box, or this step by step on Cooking Cute.
Nutrition
How many calories are in an onigiri? It depends on how big it is or how much rice is used to make it. A typical onigiri has about 1/2 cup of rice, so it's around 100 calories plus whatever is used for the filling.
It depends on how big it is or how much rice is used to make it. A typical onigiri has about 1/2 cup of rice, so it's around 100 calories plus whatever is used for the filling. Does an onigiri have to be made with white rice? You can also make it with brown rice, as long as it's medium-grain Japonica rice or short-grain glutionous rice. See Looking at rice.
You can also make it with brown rice, as long as it's medium-grain Japonica rice or short-grain glutionous rice. See Looking at rice. Are onigiri diet food? Well, that depends on how big they are! Many people find onigiri more filling than sandwiches, but that's a subjective thing of course.
How to make onigiri
Does an onigiri have to have a filling? No it doesn't! The most basic type of onigiri is a shio musubi (塩むすび）, a plain rice onigiri with salt on the outside. This is the kind of onigiri that was carried around in feudal times by samurai and foot soldiers on the warpath. It's a great way to enjoy simple, well cooked good rice.
No it doesn't! The most basic type of onigiri is a shio musubi (塩むすび）, a plain rice onigiri with salt on the outside. This is the kind of onigiri that was carried around in feudal times by samurai and foot soldiers on the warpath. It's a great way to enjoy simple, well cooked good rice. What are traditional onigiri fillings? A list and photos of the most common traditional fillings are on the Onigiri on Parade page. The top three traditional fillings are: umeboshi (pickled plums), shake (salted salmon - how to make your own from fresh salmon) and okaka (katsuobushi or bonito flakes flavored with soy sauce).
A list and photos of the most common traditional fillings are on the Onigiri on Parade page. The top three traditional fillings are: umeboshi (pickled plums), shake (salted salmon - how to make your own from fresh salmon) and okaka (katsuobushi or bonito flakes flavored with soy sauce). Non-traditional fillings? Anything you can imagine! Some suggestions that readers have made in the past include: chopped up olives, anchovies, pickles, a small meatball, cooked chicken, sausage meat, chopped up Spam, corned beef... as long as it's not too wet, compact and a bit salty, anything can be a good onigiri filling.
Anything you can imagine! Some suggestions that readers have made in the past include: chopped up olives, anchovies, pickles, a small meatball, cooked chicken, sausage meat, chopped up Spam, corned beef... as long as it's not too wet, compact and a bit salty, anything can be a good onigiri filling. Help! My onigiri fall apart! This could either be due to using the wrong kind of rice (long grain rice, jasmine rice, basmati rice, etc. are not sticky enough to make a rice ball with), improper cooking of rice (it should not be too dry/hard OR too sticky/gluey) or using a filling that's so oily or watery that the oil/water seeps out into the rice, making it fall apart.
This could either be due to using the wrong kind of rice (long grain rice, jasmine rice, basmati rice, etc. are not sticky enough to make a rice ball with), improper cooking of rice (it should not be too dry/hard OR too sticky/gluey) or using a filling that's so oily or watery that the oil/water seeps out into the rice, making it fall apart. Do onigiri have to be wrapped in nori seaweed? No they don't, though a wrapping does help to keep the rice together. Again see Onigiri on parade. If you want to go wrapping-less but your onigiri falls apart before you can eat it, try transporting them wrapped in plastic wrap. You can even buy special cute onigiri wrapping film!
No they don't, though a wrapping does help to keep the rice together. Again see Onigiri on parade. If you want to go wrapping-less but your onigiri falls apart before you can eat it, try transporting them wrapped in plastic wrap. You can even buy special cute onigiri wrapping film! I hate nori...alternative wrappers? A popular wrapper is salted fresh shiso leaves. (I must confess that when I was a kid, I hated nori! But now as an adult I love it, so it is quite possibly an acquired taste.) Other wrappers include tororo kombu (a thin, salty form of kombu seaweed) and usuyaki tamago (thin omelettes).
Onigiri safety and transport
Can I freeze onigiri, and if so how? Yes onigiri can be frozen very successfully. Just wrap them individually in plastic wrap (cling film), and then in a freezer box or bag to protect it from freezer burn. You can defrost the onigiri in the refrigerator gradually, at room temperature, or zap it in the microwave. See Keeping onigiri fresh and more Don't keep frozen onigiri in the freezer for too long, or they will eventually get freezer burn.
Yes onigiri can be frozen very successfully. Just wrap them individually in plastic wrap (cling film), and then in a freezer box or bag to protect it from freezer burn. You can defrost the onigiri in the refrigerator gradually, at room temperature, or zap it in the microwave. See Keeping onigiri fresh and more Don't keep frozen onigiri in the freezer for too long, or they will eventually get freezer burn. How do I prevent onigiri from getting dried out? Keep them well covered/wrapped up.
Keep them well covered/wrapped up. How long do onigiri last in the refrigerator? How do you keep them safe to eat? This mainly depends on the filling as well as how much salt you use on the surface when you make the onigiri. If you use tuna with mayonnaise or any filling with mayonnaise in it, do not keep more than a day to be safe. If you use traditional fillings, especially umeboshi (pickled salty plums) they will last a lot longer, but no more than a couple of days. Umeboshi has natural antibacterial qualities, so is the ideal filling for onigiri that have to be held for some time - say, made the evening before to be eating or lunch on the road the next day.
In any case, you should make onigiri with adequate salt on the outside, completely cooked fillings (never ever use raw/uncured fish or rare meat) and always use freshly cooked (ideal) or defrosted/reheated rice. If the weather is very warm and humid and you have used spoilable fillings such as tuna/mayo, consider packing your onigiri with an icepack (see Summer Bento Safety).
You shouldn't eat onigiri that has been around outside of proper refrigeration for more than a day. Anecdotally, I have eaten onigiri that was a day old (made the morning before and eaten for breakfast) that had been in packed in a paper back and thrown on the back seat of a car, not in a cooler, and survived without any problems (it was in the fall, not midsummer), but you shouldn't do this regularly! The fillings used that time were umeboshi and salty salmon, for what it's worth - no tuna-mayo or crab salad or other highly perishable filling.
(I've seen a note on this ehow.com page that blithely states that "you can store onigiri refrigerated for up to a week". No you can not! Please, use common sense and be safe not sorry. )
Other questions
Can I use sweet fillings for onigiri? Fundamentally you can use anything you like - it's your food! However, in Japan if you make a ball of rice (which is often sweetened itself, and pounded partly or fully to a sticky paste or dough) and filled with something sweet it becomes confectionery or __wagashi__. Some wagashi that take the rice-with-sweet-filling form include daifuku, mochi of various kinds, _yatsuhashi_ and so on. The wagashi that's closest to the idea of a sweet onigiri is probably _ohagi_ or _botamochi_, glutinous rice "onigiri" of sorts which are filled, covered or both with sweet bean paste, kinako (toasted soy bean powder), sesame seeds and so on. So, to Japanese sensibilities an onigiri is something savory, not sweet.
Fundamentally you can use anything you like - it's your food! However, in Japan if you make a ball of rice (which is often sweetened itself, and pounded partly or fully to a sticky paste or dough) and filled with something sweet it becomes confectionery or __wagashi__. Some wagashi that take the rice-with-sweet-filling form include daifuku, mochi of various kinds, _yatsuhashi_ and so on. The wagashi that's closest to the idea of a sweet onigiri is probably _ohagi_ or _botamochi_, glutinous rice "onigiri" of sorts which are filled, covered or both with sweet bean paste, kinako (toasted soy bean powder), sesame seeds and so on. So, to Japanese sensibilities an onigiri is something savory, not sweet. What's the difference between sushi and onigiri? Again it's a matter of how things are normally categorized in Japanese cooking, but generally speaking anything made with vinegar flavored rice, or sushi rice (sushi meshi or shari) iis sushi. So you could make an onigiri-shaped item with shari, and call it an onigiri, but if a Japanese person ate it s/he would probably think it's sushi in an onigiri shape. Nigiri-zushi, the best known sushi shape with a little ball of rice topped with fish or something else, is sushi that has been shaped with the hands (nigiru) - the same word that forms part of the word onigiri.
See Also | {
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When a man asked Venessa Marco if she could "deep throat," her response was *totally* clever. But what I like even more is that it inspired the performance in the video below.And just to preemptively throw it out there ... the message in this video is *not* directed at all men. Hear it clarified, too, around 1:17. | {
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By Bruno Kelly
MANAUS (Reuters) - Brazil's Amazonas state warned on Thursday that its health system has been overwhelmed by the coronavirus epidemic, with all intensive care beds and ventilators already taken as a result of the outbreak.
As the virus spreads across the country from its epicenter in Brazil's wealthiest city of Sao Paulo, it is highlighting the huge discrepancies in healthcare provisions in this continent-sized country.
Manaus, a city of 2 million in the heart of the Amazon rainforest and the capital of Amazonas, has been particularly hard hit, with 800 confirmed cases. The state as a whole has had 40 deaths out of around 900 confirmed cases.
Manaus is the only city in the state with intensive care units (ICUs).
Rosemary Pinto, head of the state health system, pleaded for people to heed social distancing orders aimed at shutting down all but essential activities.
"There are still too many people in the streets," she said at a news conference.
"Families are sitting out on chairs in front of their homes. There are lines at the banks, including elderly people who are at risk, and that is why so many are dying," she said.
The crisis led the state governor to replace his health secretary on Wednesday.
"Most of the cases are concentrated in Manaus, but when the virus spreads to the interior of the state and reaches the indigenous communities, it will be a catastrophe," said Marcelo Ramos, a federal lawmaker representing Amazonas.
Health experts and anthropologists have warned of the danger of the pandemic decimating Brazil's 850,000 indigenous people because they have no immunity to external diseases and live in communal homes where social distancing is not possible.
So far, the indigenous health service Sesai has reported only six cases of coronavirus among indigenous people.
Four of them are on the upper reaches of the Amazon river near Peru and Colombia, one case is in Manaus, and one reported on Wednesday involves a Yanomami 14-year-old who is stable in an intensive care unit in Boas Vista, capital of Roraima state.
(Reporting by Bruno Kelly; Writing by Anthony Boadle; Editing by Rosalba O'Brien) | {
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Sasquatch
In taverns all around the world, there are stories, songs, and rumours of ape-like humanoids that lurk in the woods or in deep tundra. Most often regarded as a popular folk story, the legend of the sasquatch has endured the test of time.
The sasquatch are so reclusive that drunken stories and ill-founded conspiracies are all that are known. Who is to say which, if any, are true?
Sasquatch? In MY setting? If you are interested in including sasquatch in your setting, consider how best they would fit. Here are some ideas as to their origin, but feel free to come up with anything on your own. Are sasquatch... • Natives of the feywild? • Spiritual protectors of nature? • Beasts of the night that ambush travelers? • An early branch of humankind that escaped extinction by hiding? • Apes awakened to serve a specific purpouse? • Advanced primates keeping tabs on the world for some unknown reason?
Sasquatch Traits
Your sasquatch character has the following traits.
Ability Score Increase. Your Strength and Wisdom scores both increase by 2.
Your Strength and Wisdom scores both increase by 2. Age. Sasquatch reach maturity at age 20 and can live for nearly two centuries.
Sasquatch reach maturity at age 20 and can live for nearly two centuries. Size. Sasquatch are notably taller than humans, ranging from 6 to 8 feet tall with stocky builds. Your size is Medium.
Sasquatch are notably taller than humans, ranging from 6 to 8 feet tall with stocky builds. Your size is Medium. Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Your base walking speed is 30 feet. Darkvision. Accustomed to stalking the wilds at night, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
Accustomed to stalking the wilds at night, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray. Blurred Form. Sasquatch are capable of blurring their form to aid in escaping and keeping their existence a secret. You can cast the blur spell once using this trait. You regain the ability to do so when you finish a short or long rest.
Sasquatch are capable of blurring their form to aid in escaping and keeping their existence a secret. You can cast the blur spell once using this trait. You regain the ability to do so when you finish a short or long rest. Mask of the Wild. You can attempt to hide even when you are only lightly obscured by foliage, heavy rain, falling snow, mist, and other natural phenomena.
Subrace
Choose one subrace for your character: either the forest-dwelling bigfoot, or the arctic yeti.
Bigfoot sasquatch step unseen and unheard through trees and underbrush. Encounters with them spook the occasional hunter or traveler, but their existence is largely unknown.
Fleet of Foot. Your base walking speed increases to 35 feet.
Forest Step. You ignore difficult terrain caused by forest and dense underbrush. In addition, you have advantage on Stealth checks made while in forest terrain.
Yeti
The white-haired yeti roam snowy places, and live in secluded cave dens. Because of the harsher climate they live in, encounters with yeti are even less frequent.
Arctic Acclimation. Thanks to a thick, warm pelt, you have resistance to cold damage.
Frost Step. You ignore difficult terrain caused by snow. In addition, you have advantage on Stealth checks made while in snowy terrain. | {
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A recent Fox News poll suggests that citizens are sick of immigration anarchy and want the system made into an orderly procedure. Fifty-five percent of voters want fewer legal immigrants admitted. Only 3 percent think border security is too strict, while 60 percent regard it as too lax. Sixty-eight percent want adequate border control before other immigration measures are enacted.
Curiously, a strong majority supports a “path to citizenship” as long as certain requirements are in place, the usual list of paying back taxes, learning English, and passing a background check. The 1986 amnesty had requirements too, but an estimated third of those admitted made fraudulent applications. If persons being polled were aware of the Reagan Amnesty’s many failures, it’s likely fewer would want a replay of rewarding lawbreakers with nothing to benefit Americans at all.
Seriously, the current “requirements” are a joke. If the Senate amnesty is passed, there will be a boom in the rubber stamp industry.
Below, under the Senate bill, deported persons will be eligible for American citizenship.
You can reader the raw questions and data at this link. | {
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Article content
TORONTO — A watchdog group says the CBC is planning a fresh round of service cuts, including making Radio Two online-only and merging some English and French programming — but the public broadcaster denies the claims.
Friends of Canadian Broadcasting says executives are set to propose several major cuts when the board of directors meets in Ottawa on June 17 and 18. The group says they learned of these plans through “high-level sources inside the CBC.”
We apologize, but this video has failed to load.
tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or CBC planning massive round of service cuts, watchdog group says Back to video
“This is very serious stuff. Eighty per cent of Canadians like public broadcasting, and they’re going to be very angry when they hear about this,” said the arm’s-length group’s spokesman, Ian Morrison.
“This is the result of Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s antipathy to public broadcasting. We’re going to see it play out in about a month’s time and what we’re doing today is blowing the whistle.”
According to the watchdog, the proposed cuts include a plan to shut down over-the-air distribution of Radio Two — CBC’s FM radio network that plays primarily adult contemporary, classical and jazz — in favour of distributing music solely online. | {
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Consistent political stability and strong economic performance are reasons people want to live in NZ.
More people are moving to New Zealand from Australia instead of the other way around for the first time in decades as Kiwis return to a buoyant economy and are joined by foreigners in search of work.
According to new figures released by Statistics New Zealand, 25,273 people migrated east across the Tasman Sea in 2015, compared to 24,504 who went the other way.
This net flow of 769 to New Zealand is the biggest since 1991 and the number of people coming to Australia is the lowest since the same year.
BRUCE CLARKE NZ attracts three types of people: New Zealand citizens or their children returning, Australians filling jobs in Australian-owned companies, and professionals seeking employment in booming industries.
READ MORE:
* New Zealand's best place to live? Lake Wanaka
* The best travel finds of 2015
* Trans-Tasman competition heats up as foreign airlines enter market
It comes as the country of 4.6 million is experiencing consistent political stability and strong economic performance while other countries falter.
TIM WIMBORNE/REUTERS For the first time in decades, more people are moving to NZ from Australia.
The trend began in the middle of last year and these new figures confirm the anti-New Zealand migration is over, having peaked in 2012 when a total of more than 53,000 fled to Australia.
In 2013, the net migration flow to Australia was 19,600. By 2014, this was down to 3800.
Halting the "brain drain" was a major campaign commitment of Prime Minister John Key who, after more than seven years in power, is a popular leader running a steady, successful government.
For the first time in decades, more people are moving to NZ from Australia.
The continued economic growth, low unemployment numbers, strong New Zealand dollar, budget surplus and migration success story of the country are all feathers in the cap of the Prime Minister, who last year joked that you "wouldn't know who's going to show up" when you're expecting an Australian prime minister.
One victim of this revolving door of political leadership, former treasurer Joe Hockey, last year insisted that the lower tax rates of New Zealand were "unquestionably" part of the exodus.
Professor Paul Spoonley of New Zealand's Massey University says the trans-Tasman migration is highly dependent on economic factors.
"The change began in mid-2015 when the economic indicators of each country sort of flipped around.
"Indicators like unemployment and jobs growth improved in New Zealand and declined in Australia," Professor Spoonley told Fairfax Media.
Previously, the high wages and mining boom of Australia were drawcards but then economic fortunes changed and tensions increased over entitlements offered to New Zealanders.
Most New Zealanders moving to Australia must apply for a Special Category Visa, which denies them the benefits of permanent residency.
Professor Spoonley says the smaller country is attracting three types of people: New Zealand citizens or their children returning, Australians filling jobs in Australian-owned companies, and professionals seeking employment in booming industries like film production and winemaking. | {
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On Thursday, Joe Scarborough examined the way both sides are handling themselves as the fiscal cliff hoopla continues. Particularly, he focused on President Obama who is facing what he deemed to be an interesting and difficult dynamic in his second term — after being treated so poorly in his first.
“In my toughest political battles, every time I won, the bigger the victory, the more gracious I was afterwards,” Scarborough said. “That’s how you get things done.”
Later in the segment, referring to fiscal cliff talks, Brzezinski said, “A man in negotiations does not say to another man, ‘You’re going to cave.’ Ao you say that to another man in negotiations? And you think you’re going to get him to cave?”
“This is all about men,” she added, noting that women would be more reasonable and “actually get something done.”
“It’s going to be very hard for the president,” Scarborough said, especially after a big victory that followed four years of him being told he was an “illegitimate president.” He was told he was not a citizen, Scarborough said. That he was a a socialist, a Marxist, “that he wasn’t even an American.”
“He has been knocked around and treated like a second-class citizen as president of the United States by a third of the American public,” Scarborough said. “And then he wins a big victory and immediately he’s hearing from people like us, ‘You’ve got to be gracious to those people.’ Politics is sort of a rough and ugly game at times.”
The clip below, via MSNBC:
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Berittene Polizei: Start heuer in Wr. Neustadt
Die berittene Polizei ist fix. Der Probebetrieb soll im Juni in der Reitanlage der Theresianischen Militärakademie in Wiener Neustadt starten. Laut Innenminister Herbert Kickl (FPÖ) wird es „keinen Einsatz bei Demonstrationen“ geben.
Die Pferde - 14 sind vorgesehen - müssen erst beschafft werden. Die Anschaffungskosten für Tiere, Ausrüstung und Sättel wurden mit rund 380.000 Euro beziffert. „Der Wiederverkaufswert nach zwei Jahren ist sehr hoch“, so Christoph Pölzl, Sprecher von Innenminister Kickl, der entsprechende Onlineberichte von „Heute“ und der „Kronen Zeitung“ bestätigte. Die laufenden Kosten pro Jahr, unter anderem für Einstell- und Tierarztkosten, wurden mit rund 110.000 Euro beziffert.
Ausbildungsstart für August geplant
Kickl verschickte am Freitagnachmittag an alle österreichischen Polizisten ein Informationsschreiben. Die Beamten wurden unterrichtet, dass es „vorerst keinen Einsatz bei Demonstrationen“ geben werde. In einem mehrmonatigen Ausbildungsverfahren sollen Polizisten mit Pferden verschiedene Einsatzszenarien vorbereiten, eine eigene Dienststelle in der Bundeshauptstadt ist für 2019 geplant.
Bereits am 4. Juni wird das Projektkernteam - ein Abteilungsleiter, zwei Reiterinnen und ein Reiter - ihre Tätigkeiten aufnehmen. Zudem soll die Beschaffung von Ausrüstung und Uniformen starten und geeignete Pferde ermittelt werden. „Für August dieses Jahres ist der Ausbildungsstart geplant“, heißt es im Schreiben.
Polizei sucht Bewerber für die Reiterstaffel
Seit Freitag sucht die Polizei außerdem interessierte Bewerber für die Reiterstaffel. Eine abgeschlossene Grundausbildung sowie mindestens zwei Jahre Außendiensterfahrung und ein gültiger Fitnessscheck sind Voraussetzung.
Kickl beruft sich in seinem Informationsschreiben auf den „europaweiten Trend“, dass Polizeipferde in Großstädten vermehrt eingesetzt werden. „Die erhöhte Sitzposition ermöglicht eine bessere Übersicht und Wahrnehmung von Sachverhalten. Gleichzeitig sind Pferde schnell und ausdauernd, also für längere Streifen gut geeignet“, betonte der Innenminister die Vorteile der berittenen Polizei.
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Error Level Analysis can detect digital image modification is about image analysis with Error Level Analysis (ELA). ELA is an online tool found on fotoforensics.com. It is easy to use and a relatively useful tool to detect digital image modification. Analysis of images with ELA is free and can be used for image formats like JPEG, PNG, and WebP.
The image above shows five “fake” helicopters inserted into a photo using Photoshop CS4. Immediately you can not see the deception but with ELA (Error Level Analysis), you can examine the photo in depth and reveal the scam.
Image Analysis with ELA (Error Level Analysis)
Analysts at all levels can use ELA for image analysis. The program is extensively used in UFO circles to detect fake UFO photos. Also, online media who spread fake news and frequently modifies images can ELA prove to be useful against. ELA is specifically designed to provide quick results and uses algorithms that measure changes in the compression of an image (Error Level Analysis). If there are visible differences in the image after an ELA image analysis, it has probably been digitally modified.
On the ELA website fotoforensics.com you can upload an image or refer to an image URL and put ELA on the error-level analysis immediately. The result will appear a few seconds later on the site with the original image at the top and the results image at the bottom. The resulting image reveals possible differences in the JPEG compression. With JPEG images, the entire image must be about the same level. If a section of the image is at a significantly different error level, it indicates possible digital modification.
Identical edges must have similar brightness in ELA results.
All edges with high contrast should resemble each other with the same intensity. And all edges with low contrast should resemble each other with the same brightness. With an original image, low contrast edges should be almost as bright as edges with high contrast. As for brightness and contrast, the image should be almost the same.
An unedited *.jpg picture (above) downloaded directly from the camera will not give any special visible impact. It will typically be a very dark picture with weak indications of the details in the image. There will be no big differences in brightness and contrast.
Editing in Photoshop reveals digital modification
However, if you load the same *.jpg picture into Adobe Photoshop and start editing it, put a clip of a helicopter from another image taken with another camera into the unedited image, you begin to seriously create visible tracks.
The helicopter in the picture above comes from a picture I took with my Canon EOS 60D. It is inserted into the photo with the Sun Halo and the cigar-shaped UFO taken with a Sony A-100 camera. As expected, the helicopter separates clearly from the rest of the image in ELA results below. The edges of the helicopter have a high contrast and brightness in relation to the surrounding image. Here ELA’s photo analysis revealed digital image manipulation.
ELA’s photo analysis has thus discovered differences in the compression of the image. ELA can see that the inserted helicopter has a slightly different profile regarding compression. It clarifies it in the image with the slightly higher contrast and brightness (error level) around the helicopter.
What ELA photo analysis does not detect
There are also things that ELA photo analysis does not detect. If we take the original photo with the helicopter and load it into Photoshop and make a copy of the helicopter and put it in the same image it comes from, ELA will not see that helicopter No. 2 is false. It is because the compression of the original photo is exactly the same as the clip by helicopter no. 2. The clip comes from the same photo, so ELA detects no difference here, no digital image modification.
In the picture above, the fake helicopter is already inserted in the picture to the left. The one to the right is genuine. And the ELA image analysis below does not provide any useful results. I would be able to insert an entire armada of helicopters without ELA would discover the digital image modification. My fraud would go under the radar here.
However, common sense would probably reveal the deception since it would seem suspicious if a whole fleet of helicopters had the exact same angle in the photo. But what if I take a copy of the real helicopter and rotate it 90 degrees and insert it again?
Again, ELA is not able to see the fraud. Despite the clip with the helicopter is turned 90 degrees, it still reveals no differences in the compression. We need to have a different approach if the Error Level Analysis should be able to detect the fraud.
Digital image modification gives conflicting results
Further digital modification in Photoshop with the fake helicopter enlarged and now twice as large as the real heli, unfortunately, gives a contradictory result, see below. The real helicopter to the right in the picture now stands out more than the fake helicopter to the left in the picture. You will mistakenly believe that the false heli clip is genuine and the real is false…
I actually expected the compression in the enlarged helicopter clip to give clear results, but in this case, the result was the opposite than expected. Only when I reduce the size of the false helicopter in the image, ELA reacts as expected, see below.
The clip with the diminished helicopter to the left in the picture above has a higher contrast and brightness (error level). It obviously does not fit into the rest of the image. We now know the smaller heli has another origin than the original photo…
The picture above (same as the article’s intro image at the top) showing a whole fleet of fake helicopters, visualizes the algorithm behind the error level analysis. Each time the cut of a helicopter decreases in size, the contrast, and brightness increase.
Interim conclusion
ELA image analysis cannot reveal all facets of digital image modification. A JPEG image can easily be modified in Photoshop to an extent without the photo analysis of ELA detecting it. However, we can conclude with the last two images above, that because there are differences in contrast and brightness, the photo must be digitally modified and possibly falsified.
If you feel you can not trust the Error Level Analysis (ELA), you can take a look at the photo’s metadata. It contains information that changes every time a photo is edited in and saved by an image editor like Adobe Photoshop.
The image´s digital fingerprints with EXIF metadata
If you load an unedited photo into Adobe Photoshop and just save it under a new file name without editing it, a subsequent image analysis with ELA will not reveal anything beyond the usual. The image will resemble itself as before it was saved by Photoshop – dark and no big differences in brightness and contrast.
However, a picture will lose some of its quality when it is saved again in an image editor and the compression of the image will, therefore, be slightly changed. This can be seen by the whole picture being slightly brighter in an Error Level Analysis. But the image metadata better known as EXIF data will be able to tell about a photo’s origin. It accompanies the new version of the image (as long as it is not compressed too hard) and is also read by the ELA photo analysis.
EXIF is an abbreviation for Exchangeable Image File Format. These are technical metadata (information) about an image, such as the camera model used, resolution, width, and height of the image, how you have set your optics (fx focal length) and more. And is an image editing program such as Adobe Photoshop used, it will appear from the image’s EXIF data.
Today we have another image data standard called XMP (Extensible Metadata Platform). It is a recently adopted format created by Adobe in 2012 and will also be displayed in the ELA image analysis. It actually shows the same as EXIF data does.
Images on the Internet are compressed
Most images on the internet today are compressed. The reason is obvious. The less a picture fills in the amount of data, the faster it is loaded onto a website. And since smartphones have a fairly low capacity in terms of bandwidth, compression of photos, video, and audio becomes a must to cover the needs of mobile users for fast information on the go.
Nobody wants to sit and wait for minutes before a website fully loads. Loading a website should go quickly, and any webmaster who is ahead on the beat would compress the images before they are posted on a website. The pictures are typically compressed to the utmost, without losing quality. But with optimal compression, the additional EXIF metadata will be lost.
All of my photos on this website are compressed for fast loading. Therefore, EXIF metadata can not be displayed with ELA’s analysis tool or any other EXIF viewer
Basic image metadata
The example from one of my UFO articles shows the analysis of a compressed image. Here, there are no EXIF data, just some basic information. You can view this data by clicking “Metadata” in the box at the top left of the ELA analysis results page
The basic metadata for the example above does not even reveal a date of creation. The line with CREATOR: gd-jpeg v1.0 (using IJG JPEG v62), quality = 82 refers to the component of the underlying PHP code on my WordPress website that has helped to render the image into the browser.
CREATOR: gd-jpeg v1.0 is not a program but a library or protocol if you like, see GD Graphics Library. And IJG JPEG v62 refers to the type of compression, see IJG
CNN image reveals digital image modification
Since September 11, 2001, I’ve been aware of CNN modifying both image and video before it reaches the public. For a news media like CNN, it’s important to look good at the public. Therefore, CNN’s images and videos will always review image processing.
The article here shows a picture of Boeing’s new A380 aircraft type with a beautiful blue sky as a background. Right-click on the image and choose to Copy the URL and ask ELA for an image URL analysis. The result of the analysis will reveal obvious digital image modification…
The result image shows a background that is almost black all over. The plane is “sticking out” in a graphic sense. You can simply see the A380 is a separate clip and the background is a separate clip. Here you have obviously wanted a different background.
Although the image has been subjected to compression and has no EXIF data, it obviously reveals digital image modification. So in some cases, an image analysis with ELA can quickly and easily reveal manual modifications.
Final conclusion
ELA’s photo analysis cannot reveal all facets of digital image modification. If a photo has been edited and modified with components from itself, without clips from other photos taken with other cameras, ELA may have difficulty detecting possible digital image modification. And if an image has been subjected to hard compression, the included EXIF/XMP data will not be visible or reveal anything.
So you risk being left with nothing. And if you can not perform a proper image analysis, you can not conclude anything. You should always have at least a copy of the original photo and not a compressed image from the internet. If an original photo cannot be obtained, I can not in my optics perform a proper photo analysis.
What ELA’s image analysis nor will see, is, if you hang an upturned plate resembling a flying saucer in a fishing line, take a picture of it and claim you have a photo of a UFO. ELA is only effective against digital image modification, not real things that are physically present in a photo.
If an image after analysis on the ELA website shows particular differences in brightness and contrast, the picture has undoubtedly been digitally modified.
However, with ELA, you can always stick to one rule of thumb! If an image after analysis on the ELA website shows particular differences in brightness and contrast (as with the image from CNN), the picture has undoubtedly been digitally modified.
Use the free image analysis tool wisely
After each analysis, ELA offers a direct link to the result of the analysis so you do not need to use the free analysis tool again for the exact same image the following day. A direct link to the ELA result can be found at the bottom left of the ELA results page. Remember to use this link in the future. If you abuse the tool, you risk becoming blacklisted.
The direct link in this case indicates the result of an image analysis of one of my UFO photos mentioned in the article Cigar-shaped UFO and airplane in Sun halo above my hometown Odense (Denmark) back in 2009.
ELA results images on this page
Result 1 LINK
Result 2 LINK
Result 3 LINK
Result 4 LINK
Result 5 LINK
Result 6 LINK
Result 7 LINK
ELA guides (tutorials)
Have you already been to the photoforensics.com website where the ELA analysis tool is available, you have probably discovered how much information there is. Most people would fall backwards and abandon the business to understand all aspects of photo analysis. But somewhere you have to start and you can use the tutorials page as well as take up the challenge and solve some tasks or read their FAQs
I use ELA’s image analysis tool sometimes when some users on Twitter try to fool me with their homemade UFO images. Often it is sufficient simply to enlarge the images and reveal their home-forgery. In most cases, the search for digital image modification with error level analysis has been unnecessary. But it is very good to have if you need to investigate for digital image modification.
Dr. Neal Krawetz critical inputs
I was lucky to meet Dr. Neal Krawetz in a Twitter discussion about a Mars image shared by Twitter user @AntonioParis
Dr. Neal Krawetz and @hackerfactor maintain the foto forensics service after Pete Ringwood, which retired his site in 2012. Dr. Neal Krawetz and @hackerfactor continue this free service, which he should be thanked for.
Unfortunately, he was not satisfied with my article here.
Since I am not really a super expert in this field, but Dr. Neal Krawetz is, it´s easier for me to just show you his critical inputs here. You can then draw your own conclusion based on Dr. Neal Krawetz inputs here.
You quoted "Identical edges must have similar brightness in ELA results." Where did that quote come from? It's not in any of my tutorials. Did you read the tutorial on ELA — especially the section titled "Caveats"? — Dr. Neal Krawetz (@hackerfactor) August 16, 2018
Actually, it´s my own quotes…
"image metadata better known as EXIF data will be able to tell about an photo’s origin"
EXIF is one type of metadata. Not all metadata is EXIF, and metadata does not always tell you about a photo's origin. — Dr. Neal Krawetz (@hackerfactor) August 16, 2018
Thanks for that correction!
"EXIF metadata can not be displayed with ELA’s analysis tool or any other EXIF viewer"
ELA evaluate's compression, not metadata. So: Yes, ELA does not display metadata. (Besides learning what the tool does, you might want to use a spell checker.) — Dr. Neal Krawetz (@hackerfactor) August 16, 2018
Yes, I am still learning…
In your section titled "Basic image metadata": See my tutorial on "Common Mistakes" item #3. Your metadata was stripped. It was last-saved at 82% (via JPEG %; supported by metadata but metadata doesn't have to match). ELA shows attribution added = at least 3 resaves. — Dr. Neal Krawetz (@hackerfactor) August 16, 2018
Thanks for that correction!
Allow me to restate your conclusion:
1. You can't detect what isn't there.
2. These tools evaluate structure, but not the content.
3. You don't understand the impact of a resave.
4. You don't understand how to use metadata. — Dr. Neal Krawetz (@hackerfactor) August 16, 2018
Thanks for that punch!
You wrote "If you abuse the tool, you risk becoming blacklisted." True. On the public site, we ban porn, nudity, and sexually explicit content. We also ban commercial use on the public site, anonymous uploads, bots, resource stressers, and attackers. (See the FAQ.) — Dr. Neal Krawetz (@hackerfactor) August 16, 2018
So now everything should be in its right place…
Related reading
Or go back to category UFO research or homepage Real UFO pictures | {
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That’s where Bueno de Mesquita began programming his computer model. It is based loosely on Black’s voter theory, and it works like this: To predict how leaders will behave in a conflict, Bueno de Mesquita starts with a specific prediction he wants to make, then interviews four or five experts who know the situation well. He identifies the stakeholders who will exert pressure on the outcome (typically 20 or 30 players) and gets the experts to assign values to the stakeholders in four categories: What outcome do the players want? How hard will they work to get it? How much clout can they exert on others? How firm is their resolve? Each value is expressed as a number on its own arbitrary scale, like 0 to 200. (Sometimes Bueno de Mesquita skips the experts, simply reads newspaper and journal articles and generates his own list of players and numbers.) For example, in the case of Iran’s bomb, Bueno de Mesquita set Ahmadinejad’s preferred outcome at 180 and, on a scale of 0 to 100, his desire to get it at 90, his power at 5 and his resolve at 90.
Image Credit... Ted McGrath
Then the math begins, some of which is surprisingly simple. If you merely sort the players according to how badly they want a bomb and how much support they have among others, you will end up with a reasonably good prediction. But the other variables enable the computer model to perform much more complicated assessments. In essence, it looks for possible groupings of players who would be willing to shift their positions toward one another if they thought that doing so would be to their advantage. The model begins by working out the average position of all the players — the “middle ground” that exerts a gravitational force on the whole negotiation. Then it compares each player with every other player, estimating whether one will be able to persuade or coerce the others to move toward its position, based on the power, resolve and positioning of everyone else. (Power isn’t everything. If the most powerful player is on the fringe of an issue, and a cluster of less-powerful players are closer to the middle, they might exert greater influence.) After estimating how much or how little each player might budge, the software recalculates the middle ground, which shifts as the players move. A “round” is over; the software repeats the process, round after round. The game ends when players no longer move very much from round to round — this indicates they have compromised as much as they ever will. At that point, assuming no player with veto power had refused to compromise, the final average middle-ground position of all the players is the result — the official prediction of how the issue will resolve itself. (Bueno de Mesquita does not express his forecasts in probabilistic terms; he says an event will transpire or it won’t.)
The computer model, in short, predicts coalitions. And computers are much better at doing this than humans, because with more than a few players the number of possible coalitions quickly multiplies. With 40 players, the typical size of one of Bueno de Mesquita’s forecasts, there are 1,560 possible pairs to consider just for starters. This is why, he says, his model often produces surprising results. It’s not that it is smarter than humans. But it methodically works through not only the obvious coalitions we know about and expect but also the invisible ones that we don’t.
For Bueno de Mesquita, the first prominent use of the model came in 1979, when the State Department was canvassing academics with expertise on India, including Bueno de Mesquita, to see how some parliamentary maneuverings would unfold. Bueno de Mesquita decided to use his first version of the software (which was, as he puts it, “barely working”) and his own knowledge of India to determine the power players and each of their numbers. Then the university’s mainframe computer worked on the data all night.
In the morning, Bueno de Mesquita said, he was astonished: the predicted victor was a seemingly minor figure, someone discounted by the experts. Bueno de Mesquita shared their opinion, he told me, but he accepted the computer’s verdict anyway. “So I called the person back at the State Department, and told him what I had concluded,” Bueno de Mesquita went on. “And there was a long, quiet period and some laughing. He said: ‘How did you arrive at that? Nobody’s saying that.’ So I told him I had a little computer model. He just guffawed. He said, ‘I wouldn’t repeat that if I were you.’ ”
Three months later, according to Bueno de Mesquita, his prediction turned out to be right.
The son of Jewish immigrants who arrived from Brussels during World War II, Bueno de Mesquita grew up in Manhattan, where his father ran a small publishing company and his mother managed a women’s clothing shop. He went to Queens College when he was 16 — “way too young,” he says — and read history and literature voraciously. (Bueno de Mesquita spent years researching and writing a short novel that defends Ebenezer Scrooge as a kindhearted man.) “He is one the most remarkably intelligent human beings I’ve met in my life, and Bruce does not hesitate to tell you that,” Kevin Gaynor, an environmental lawyer who has twice hired Bueno de Mesquita to advise his corporate clients on “extremely sensitive” government negotiations, told me half-jokingly. “He’s not self-effacing. But he’s not self-effacing in a charming way.” Bueno de Mesquita’s voluminous academic work — he has published 16 books and more than 100 papers — is credited with helping to move game theory and mathematical modeling into the mainstream of political science; according to one count, by 1999 fully 40 percent of papers in the American Political Science Review used modeling. (The figure was so high it prompted deep consternation among non-game-theory political scientists.) While few perform the consulting work he does, other game theorists have produced models very similar to Bueno de Mesquita’s, and he actively promotes his technique, including training N.Y.U. undergraduates to do similar predictions.) He spends half the year at N.Y.U., where he recently finished a four-year stint as the chairman of the political-science department, and half the year at the Hoover Institution at Stanford. Under the terms of his academic contracts, he is permitted to spend one day per week during the academic year doing outside consulting.
It is this consulting, more than his academic work, that has made Bueno de Mesquita both well off and controversial. He began offering predictions to the private sector in 1982, when A.F.K. Organski, a former professor of his, suggested they go into business using Bueno de Mesquita’s model. Business negotiations, they reasoned, were like international relations in that they involved players trying to wheedle and coerce one another. Soon Bueno de Mesquita and Organski (who died in 1998) acquired clients ranging from Arthur Andersen to Union Carbide, which tapped them for advice on placating the Indian government after the Bhopal chemical spill. Today Bueno de Mesquita’s firm essentially consists of himself and Harry Roundell, a former banker at J. P. Morgan who met Bueno de Mesquita when Roundell hired him in 1995 to help the bank figure out how to push for new, favorable regulations in the U.S. They charge $50,000 and up to do a prediction and offer negotiating tips, and they take on 18 to 20 of these assignments a year. Beyond saying it was “a reasonable amount of money,” Bueno de Mesquita would not describe his income from the company. | {
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BELGRADE (Serbia), November 15 (SeeNews) - Serbia's central bank has upgraded its economic growth forecast for the country to 3.6% in 2019 from 3.5% projected earlier, governor Jorgovanka Tabakovic said.
"I would like to emphasise the additional acceleration of investments, which is why the growth of our gross domestic product (GDP) in the third quarter exceeded our expectations," Tabakovic said in remarks at the presentation of the National Bank of Serbia's October inflation report published on the bank's website.
The central bank expects economic growth to accelerate to about 4% in 2020 and to maintain similar dynamics in the medium term, driven by investments, exports and sustainable growth in personal consumption, Tabakovic noted.
Serbia's GDP grew by a real 2.9% year-on-year in the second quarter of 2019, the country's statistical office said in September. On a quarterly comparison basis, Serbia's economy expanded by 1.2% in the second quarter of 2019. | {
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Scientists from The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) and the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) have found a way to induce antibodies to fight a wide range of influenza subtypes -- work that could one day eliminate the need for repeated seasonal flu shots.
"This study shows that we're moving in the right direction for a universal flu vaccine," said Ian Wilson, Hansen Professor of Structural Biology and chair of the Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology at TSRI.
The study was part of TSRI's long-term collaboration to strengthen research against infectious disease with the former Crucell Vaccine Institute, now known as Janssen Prevention Center and headquartered in Leiden, the Netherlands.
The research was published online ahead of print on August 24 by the journal Science.
The Need for Better Flu Shots
Seasonal flu typically causes more than 200,000 hospitalizations and 36,000 deaths every year in the United States, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While a yearly flu shot provides some protection, subtypes not covered by the vaccine can emerge rapidly. This phenomenon was evident in the 2009 spread of the H1N1 ("swine flu") subtype that killed an estimated 151,700 to 575,400 people worldwide.
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In the last decade, several studies from TSRI, Janssen and other institutions have shown that some people are capable of making powerful antibodies that can fight many subtypes of influenza at once by targeting a site on the influenza virus that does not mutate rapidly. Unfortunately, these "broadly neutralizing antibodies," or bnAbs, are rare.
Still, the tantalizing existence of broadly neutralizing antibodies led Janssen and TRSI to try creating an influenza vaccine specially designed to elicit them.
Researchers zeroed in on a possible target: a protein on the surface of influenza, called hemagglutinin (HA). HA is present on all subtypes of influenza, providing the key viral "machinery" that enables the virus to enter cells. Most importantly, the long "stem" region of HA, which connects the virus to cells, plays such a crucial role that mutations at the site are unlikely to be passed on.
"If the body can make an immune response against the HA stem, it's difficult for the virus to escape," Wilson explained.
Fighting 'Bird Flu' and Other Strains
To create antibodies against the HA stem, the research team looked to influenza's own structure, specifically the universal recognition site of the broadly protective antibody CR9114 in the HA stem (described by Dreyfus et al., Science 2012). This vaccine candidate was designed, produced and tested by a team of scientists led by Jaap Goudsmit, head of the Janssen Prevention Center, the paper's first author Antonietta Impagliazzo (responsible for the design) and co-senior author Katarina Radošević.
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The effort represents the first time scientists have been able to cut off the variable head region of HA, designing features able to stabilize the conformation of the original protein, and at the same time faithfully mimicking the key broadly neutralizing site. The ultimate goal was to use this synthetic version of the HA stem in a vaccine to teach the body to make powerful antibodies against influenza virus, priming it to fight off a variety of flu strains.
The scientists then studied the response of rodent and nonhuman primate models given one of several candidate immunogens. They found that animals given one especially stable immunogen produced antibodies that could bind with HAs in many influenza subtypes, even neutralizing H5N1 viruses ("avian" or "bird" flu).
"This was the proof of principle," said Wilson. "These tests showed that antibodies elicited against one influenza subtype could protect against a different subtype."
Scientists at TSRI studied the structure of the immunogen at every point in the process. Using the imaging techniques of electron microscopy (led by TSRI Associate Professor Andrew Ward and postdoctoral fellow Ryan Hoffman) and x-ray crystallography (led by Wilson and TSRI Staff Scientist Xueyong Zhu), the team showed that the most promising candidate immunogen mimicked the HA stem and that antibodies could bind with the immunogen just as they would with a real virus.
With proof that an immunogen can elicit antibodies against the stem region, Wilson said the next step in this research is to see if the immunogen can do the same in humans.
"While there is more work to be done, the ultimate goal, of course, would be to create a life-long vaccine," Wilson said.
Other authors of the study, "A stable trimeric influenza hemagglutinin stem as a broadly protective immunogen," were Nick S. Laursen, Peter S. Lee, and Wenli Yu of TSRI and Fin Milder, Harmjan Kuipers, Michelle Wagner,Ruud van Meersbergen, Jeroen Huizingh, Patrick Wanningen, Johan Verspuij, Martijn de Man, Zhaoqing Ding, Adrian Apetri, Basak Kuekrer, Eveline Sneekes-Vriese, Danuta Tomkiewicz, Anna Zakrzewska, Liesbeth Dekking, Jeroen Tolboom, Lisanne Tettero, Sander can Meerten, Wouter Koudstaal, Jaap Goudsmit and Wim Meijberg of Janssen.
The study was funded by Janssen and also used resources at the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, supported by the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Institutes of Health's National Institute of General Medical Sciences. | {
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Versatile midfielder Lucas Pittinari has arrived in Colorado with a view to finalizing a one-year loan move to the Rapids. The 23-year-old will continue negotiations and take a physical prior to signing his paperwork.
Pittinari has come through the youth system at Argentine top flight club Belgrano, and has gone on to make more than 70 appearances in all competitions over the past five seasons.
Once all the relevant paperwork is complete, the South American will join Marcelo Sarvas and Sam Cronin as new acquisitions in midfield. Other players to join during the offseason include Bobby Burling, Michael Harrington, Zac MacMath, Caleb Calvert and Axel Sjöberg.
The Rapids head to San Diego on Thursday for warm-weather preseason training. They return from southern California on February 5 and have a week back in Colorado before leaving for Las Vegas to tackle San Jose Earthquakes in their first preseason friendly. | {
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The millionaire began his career as a property investor after purchasing a gym in Melbourne's south in 2001 with the help of $34,000 borrowed from his grandfather.
"When I was trying to buy my first home, I wasn't buying smashed avocado for $19 ($15) and four coffees at $4 each," said Tim Gurner, 35, an Australian property tycoon who reportedly has almost half a billion dollars in the bank.
A multimillionaire property magnate in Australia has told young people that if they want to get on the property ladder, they should stop spending so much money on avocado toast and coffee.
He then went on to found his real estate company Gurner in 2015 and, according to 9news, currently has $3.8 billion worth of development projects.
In the interview, the 35-year-old stressed how hard he worked when he was young.
"When I had my first business when I was 19, I was in the gym at 6 a.m. in the morning, and I finished at 10.30 at night, and I did it seven days a week and I did it until I could afford my first home."
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Gurner told the Australian television version of 60 minutes that the problem lay with reality TV stars who give millennials unrealistic expectations.
"This generation is watching the Kardashians and thinking that's normal – thinking owning a Bentley is normal. They want to eat out every day; they want travel to Europe every year.
"The people that own homes today worked very, very hard for it [and] saved every dollar, did everything they could to get up the property investment ladder."
Gurner said one ray of light for young people would be the huge transfer of wealth as baby boomers retired and grew old but added that this could take as long as 20 years to materialize.
The comments echo an editorial piece in The Australian newspaper last year in which Demographer Bernard Salt young people could better afford a home if they stopped spending all their money in expensive cafes.
"I have seen young people order smashed avocado with crumbled feta on five-grain toasted bread at $22 a pop and more. I can afford to eat this for lunch because I am middle aged and have raised my family.
"But how can young people afford to eat like this? Shouldn't they be economizing by eating at home? How often are they eating out? Twenty-two dollars several times a week could go towards a deposit on a house," he wrote.
U.S. congressman Jason Chaffetz also raised debate about where to prioritize income when he said Americans who couldn't afford health insurance should stop buying smartphones. | {
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PARIS (Reuters) - European car sales dropped 7.9% in June, led by bigger declines for Nissan 7201.T, Volvo and Fiat Chrysler (FCA) FCHA.MI, according to industry data published on Wednesday.
Registrations fell to 1.49 million cars last month from 1.62 million a year earlier across the European Union and EFTA countries, the Brussels-based Association of European Carmakers said in a statement. Calendar effects resulted in two fewer sales days in most markets, accentuating the decline.
Registrations for the first half closed 3.1% lower, ACEA said. For European carmakers, weakening demand at home compounds the pressure from a sharper contraction in China and emerging markets that may yet bring more profit warnings.
Nissan’s aging model lineup contributed to a 26.6% June sales slump while Volvo Cars, owned by China’s Geely, saw deliveries tumble 21.7%.
Registrations also fell 13.5% last month at FCA, 10.1% at BMW BMWG.DE, 9.6% at Volkswagen Group VOWG_p.DE and 8.2% for both Mercedes parent Daimler DAIGn.DE and France's PSA Group PEUP.PA. The Peugeot maker's domestic rival Renault RENA.PA suffered less, posting a 3.9% decline. | {
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Nintendo Switch has been unveiled!
In an introductory video released today at //www.nintendo.com.au/nintendo-switch/, Nintendo provided the first glimpse of its new home gaming system and revealed that it is called Nintendo Switch.
In addition to providing single-player and multiplayer thrills at home, the Nintendo Switch system also enables gamers to play the same title wherever, whenever and with whomever they choose.
The mobility of a handheld is now added to the power of a home gaming system to enable unprecedented new video game play styles.
“I hope this first glimpse at Nintendo Switch has made our fans as excited as we are, and has captured their imagination with the possibilities and freedom of play it offers.”
Kamon Yoshimura,
Managing Director of Nintendo Australia
At home, Nintendo Switch rests in the Nintendo Switch dock that connects the console to the TV and lets you play with family and friends in the comfort of your living room.
By simply lifting the Nintendo Switch console from the dock, it will instantly transition to handheld mode, and the same great gaming experience that was being enjoyed at home now travels with you.
The portability of Nintendo Switch is enhanced by its bright high-definition display. It brings the full home gaming system experience with you to the park, on a train, in a car, or to a friend’s apartment.
Detachable Joy-Con controllers reinvent gaming
Gaming springs into action by removing detachable Joy-Con controllers from either side of the Nintendo Switch console.
One player can use a Joy-Con controller in each hand; two players can each take one; or multiple Joy-Con controllers can be employed by numerous people for a variety of gameplay options. They can easily click back into place or be slipped into a Joy-Con grip accessory, mirroring a more traditional controller.
Or, if preferred, the gamer can select an optional Nintendo Switch Pro Controller to use instead of the Joy-Con controllers.
Furthermore, it is possible for numerous people to bring their Nintendo Switch consoles together to enjoy local multiplayer face-to-face competition.
Discover more of Nintendo Switch’s versatile innovation...
Publishers, developers and middleware partners announced
Developers can design their games supporting a variety of play styles which gives gamers the freedom to choose an experience that best suits them.
Today’s video incorporated short glimpses of representative gameplay to demonstrate the liberating nature of the Nintendo Switch home gaming system.
Full game demonstrations, the list of launch window titles, as well as launch date, product configuration and related specifics will be shown and announced prior to the March launch.
Stay tuned to learn more about Nintendo Switch over the coming months!
Go Back | {
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Confession Bear
i wish there were more bots
so i can get my pitchfork of justice | {
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Former Rays and current Cubs manager Joe Maddon took time during a charitable Thanksmas appearance today for his Respect 90 Foundation at the St. Vincent de Paul center in St. Petersburg to talk a little baseball, discussing a big change he will make for next season, the necessity for the Rays to get a new stadium in Tampa, his take on going into the last year of his contract and (briefly) on the departure of pitching coach Jim Hickey.
Among the topics:
• He plans a significant change for next year in his managing style with a shift to more on field coaching work, which is apparently tied to baseball ops president Theo Epstein saying he expects Maddon to be "re-energized" by the challenges after last season's disappointing finish.
"That will be the part that will be different," Maddon said. "I've always kind of stayed free of coaching because I really want to stay out of coaches' way so they can do their job. I've always felt that is the right way to do it. But this year I'm going to get a little more hands-on involved in actually coaching. I think that's where the comment came from. …. I actually want to do less before the game talking to the media and whatever and try to get on the field more often."
• Maddon said last week's departure of pitching coach Jim Hickey was not heath related but said he couldn't get into specifics of what the "personal reasons" were. "He's fine," Maddon said. "He's not ill. His health is fine."
• He reiterated his belief that the Rays need a new stadium – "a legitimate major-league ballpark" — on the Tampa side to survive as a franchise, saying he liked what he saw of the proposed $892 million facility in Ybor City.
"You really need to travel to other major-league venues to understand what you're missing," he said. "It's good for the community. It's good to have that kind of a jewel within the community that draws people to it. I know there's controversy or opinions on where this money is being spent, museums and the arts and education, which I'm all about. But I do believe that a legitimate major-league franchise in a city benefits everybody in that community. Even though you don't feel it directly indirectly you are benefiting from it.
"So I think for the survival of major-league baseball in this community, it needs to be built, it needs to be that nice and it needs to be over on the other side."
• He had no issues and an interesting to response to the Cubs' decision to not discuss a contract extension going into the last year of his five-year deal:
"Lame duck or free agent, are they synonymous terms? Players go into that year annually. Good players go into a season without a contract for the next year. Why would I feel any different as a manager than a good player does, a (Manny) Machado or a (Bryce) Harper, whatever. You could say "lame duck" or you could use "free agent." I think they are both the same term."
Maddon, 65 in February, said he definitely plans to keep managing beyond this season.
• He thought his former Rays team "did great" this season, he still keeps in touch with front office execs Erik Neander and Chaim Bloom as well as manager Kevin Cash, and felt they made several good trades, specifically getting Tyler Glasnow and Austin Meadows.
• He said he wasn't sure the "opener" concept used by the Rays is going to spread and be adopted by other teams given the impact on bullpen usage. | {
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Ο Αλέξης Τσίπρας | Nick Paleologos / SOOC
Την πιθανότητα να υποχωρήσει στο θέμα του αφορολόγητου και της αύξησης του μεσαίου συντελεστή του ΦΠΑ προκειμένου να κλείσει επιτέλους η δεύτερη αξιολόγηση – την οποία ο ίδιος ο Αλέξης Τσίπρας είχε προσδιορίσει χρονικά για τις 5 Δεκεμβρίου, αλλά αυτή η ημερομηνία παρήλθε χωρίς αποτέλεσμα – εξετάζει σύμφωνα με δημοσιεύματα του κυριακάτικου Τύπου η κυβέρνηση.
Οπως αναφέρει η «Καθημερινή της Κυριακής», η διατήρηση των υφισταμένων συντάξεων είναι η ύστατη κόκκινη γραμμή για τον Πρωθυπουργό.
Ωστόσο ο κ. Τσίπρας δεν αποκλείει το ενδεχόμενο να προβεί σε υποχωρήσεις στο αφορολόγητο, αλλά και στην αύξηση του μεσαίου συντελεστή του ΦΠΑ κατά μία ή δυο μονάδες, δηλαδή από 13% στο 14% ή 15%.
Σε ό,τι αφορά το αφορολόγητο, δημοσιογραφικές πληροφορίες που δεν επιβεβαιώνονται από την κυβέρνηση ή τους θεσμούς, ανέφεραν ότι το οικονομικό επιτελείο έχει δεχθεί πιέσεις για μείωση του αφορολογήτου κάτω από τις 3.500 ευρώ, μέσω της περικοπής της επιστροφής φόρου. Μια τέτοια κίνηση θα μπορούσε να εξασφαλίσει επιπλέον έσοδα 2% του ΑΕΠ ή 3,6 δισ. ευρώ ετησίως.
Επιπλέον, το Μαξίμου θέτει ως όρο για να υπάρξει ουσιαστική συζήτηση με τους δανειστές τη συμμετοχή της Ελλάδας στο πρόγραμμα ποσοτικής χαλάρωσης της ΕΚΤ. Για αυτό, πάντως, είναι απαραίτητη η αναφορά των εταίρων σε μεσοπρόθεσμα μέτρα για το χρέος.
Σε κάθε περίπτωση, η διαδικασία της αξιολόγησης θα χρειαστεί αρκετές εβδομάδες ακόμη για να ολοκληρωθεί. Θεωρείται απίθανο να έχει κλείσει ως τις 26 Ιανουαρίου (αυτός ήταν ένας προηγούμενος σχεδιασμός), οπότε συνεδριάζει το Eurogroup, με το τελικό ορόσημο να μετατίθεται στις 9 Μαρτίου και τη συνεδρίαση του διοικητικού συμβουλίου της ΕΚΤ.
Η κυβέρνηση τοποθετεί πλέον την ολοκλήρωση της δεύτερης αξιολόγησης στα τέλη Φεβρουαρίου ή τις αρχές Μαρτίου, πριν την απόφαση του ΔΣ της ΕΚΤ για την ένταξη και της Ελλάδας στο πρόγραμμα ποσοτικής χαλάρωσης. Παραταύτα, από το Μαξίμου, αναφέρει ακόμη η «Καθημερινή», δηλώνουν ότι «δεν βιαζόμαστε εμείς, καθώς δεν έχουμε μεγάλες χρηματοδοτικές ανάγκες για του επόμενους μήνες». | {
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ABOARD THE USS HARRY S. TRUMAN—This 20-story-tall aircraft carrier with a crew of 5,000 made an unplanned diversion from the Gulf to the eastern Mediterranean last week—a quick pivot intended to send a clear message to Russia.
The massive ship serves as a launching point for a near-constant barrage of airstrikes on Islamic State targets in Iraq and Syria. Since November, it has accounted for a little more than half of the total sorties flown over those two countries by the U.S. military.
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She thought she’d be on the phone for a few minutes.
KrisAnne Hall, an attorney and self-proclaimed traveling constitutional educator, had called into a livestream radio show Thursday morning to promote her interpretation of the Constitution and applaud the final occupants at the Malheur Wildlife Refuge for a peaceful end to a more than month-long standoff.
But one man, David Fry, was not ready to go.
“I am actually feeling suicidal right now,” Fry said after the three others had walked out and surrendered to the FBI.
“When he said ‘I am not going,’ for us, there was a moment of silence like we had been punched in the gut,” Hall told TPM the next day.
The saga unfolded for well over an hour as Hall (pictured below) and internet broadcaster Gavin Seim pivoted from constitutional evangelists to mental health counselors. This had not been part of the plan, but they encouraged Fry to walk out of his tent and into law enforcement custody.
When Fry finally gave up, Hall broke down in tears.
“I don’t think I really fully understood the stress of the situation until the FBI turned off the phone, and we knew that he was safe,” Hall said. “You could not see me, obviously, but in my hotel room, my body physically collapsed, and I could not hold back the emotion.”
In the end, it was two women who negotiated the peaceful resolution to the Oregon standoff. With such little trust between the militiamen and the FBI, the women provided a buffer and an alternative path to an end. On Thursday, it was Hall. On Wednesday night, it had been Michele Fiore, a brassy, 45-year-old Second-Amendment-loving Nevada assemblywoman (pictured top), who had convinced the remaining occupiers to surrender and end a 41-day saga.
But the role of women in the Oregon ordeal stretches beyond the contribution of level-headed negotiators. Malheur provided equal-opportunity access for women in the militia and patriot movements to get involved.
While the vast majority of occupiers were men, a handful of women changed the course of the standoff and rose to prominence despite the perception of a right-wing extremist culture dominated by patriarchy. It was an 18-year-old woman who provided one of the first accounts of LaVoy Finicum’s death that was quickly spun into a martyrdom narrative, a woman who acted as a spokesman for the group, a woman who was one of the final four holdouts, and a woman who may have actually kept Fry from hurting himself or others in the end.
“We have historically played a very large role in the defense of liberty so I think what the women were doing in that community was simply being who we were; strong and resolved,” Hall said, claiming that history classes sometimes cover up the role of women in the early days of the country to promote a liberal agenda. “The idea that women are doing this because the men are pointing their fingers and giving orders is ludicrous.”
One of the initial leaders at the refuge was Shawna Cox (pictured right), a woman who had chronicled the 2014 Cliven Bundy standoff against BLM agents in Nevada in a book “Last Rancher Standing.” Cox played a pivotal role in organizing supplies for the dozens of occupiers and serving as a defacto spokeswoman in the first days of the takeover.
It was Cox who stood before the media on Jan. 4, “grabbed a microphone,” and read a “notice of redress of grievance” on behalf of the newly-anointed Citizens for Constitutional Freedom.
While it was common for men at the refuge to have left large families at home in pursuit of adventure in Oregon, Cox, a 59-year-old mother of 12, was unique in that she had come to the refuge by herself while her husband stayed behind in Kanab, Utah.
“She was probalby the leading personality of the women. She had close ties to Ammon and Ryan Bundy, and was one of the standoff veterans,” says Mark Pitcavage, a senior research fellow at the Anti-Defamation League. “She did a lot of the logistics work.”
Cox was riding in the same truck as LaVoy Finicum last month when he fled the FBI and tried to evade a law enforcement roadblock moments before he was shot and killed by state police. She was arrested and charged with “conspiracy to impede federal officers from discharging their official duties through the use of force, intimidation or threats.”
But Cox was not the only woman directly engaged in the confrontation at Malheur.
Eighteen-year-old Victoria Sharp had her role thrust upon her. Sharp, whose single mother had brought her and seven other children to the refuge to sing for the militiamen, was one of the only individuals in the convoy of standoff leaders who was not arrested in the wake of Finicum’s death. She too had been riding in the truck with Finicum on the way to a community meeting. Sharp became a witness, an early voice dictating what had transpired between police and the Arizona rancher. In a recorded interview not long after Finicum’s death, Sharp testified that Finicum had left the vehicle with his hands up when he was killed.
“He got out of the car and he had his hands in the air. He’s like, ‘Just shoot me then!’ And they did. They shot him dead,” she said. “I saw it. I swear to God, just walking with his hands in the air. They just shot him,” she added. “They shot him dead and then after he was down on the ground they shot him three more times.”
Quickly, Finicum became a martyr in the movement, something that egged on the remaining protesters in the final weeks.
One of the final four occupiers, one of the individuals who was actually holed up in a tent in the dead of winter in the vast, southeastern Oregon desert was Sandy Anderson, a 48-year-old former hairdresser– who emerged as one of the toughest minded ideological purists at the standoff.
On Wednesday night before the occupants agreed to surrender, it was Sandy–not her husband Sean Anderson–who was calling the shots.
Clockwise from top left: Oregon standoff participants Sandy Anderson, Sean Anderson, Jeff Banta and David Fry
“I am not going to jail for standing up for my rights,” Sandy Anderson said.
Her husband then chimed in, “If my wife says she’s not leaving, I’m not leaving.”
In the end, Anderson did turn herself over to police.
Oregon was not the first time that women played a critical role in an anti-government occupation, however.
“There always seems to be repeated surprise whenever women are found to be involved in right wing extremism,” Pitcavage says. “A great many women are involved in these movements and the roles that they play may differ from movement to movement and group to group, but they are always present.”
Pivcavage points out that if you go back to Ruby Ridge in 1992, Vicki Weaver, Randy Weaver’s wife who is shot and killed, is “every bit as adamant if not more so than Randy Weaver” about their subscribed ideology. And in the Montana Freemen standoff in the 1990s, Dana Dudley Landers – a member of the sovereign citizens movement– was one of the more hardcore occupiers who was on the run from charges in Colorado, according to CNN. | {
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Broward County on Friday began its manual recount one hour later than originally scheduled for in the state’s U.S. Senate race between incumbent Sen. Bill Nelson (D)-FL) and Gov. Rick Scott (R-FL).
The Miami Herald‘s Alex Harris reported Broward County’s election office, overseen by embattled Supervisor of Elections official Brenda Snipes, only began training voter counters at 7:40 a.m., though the manual recount was scheduled to begin at 7:00 a.m. Harris shared a photo to Twitter of the scene inside the office with vote counters sitting in pairs equipped with color-marked bins to separate votes.
Broward was supposed to start the manual recount at 7 sharp. They’re still settling the hundreds of volunteers & staffers. Training has yet to begin pic.twitter.com/gOrgcJIbUK — Alex Harris (@harrisalexc) November 16, 2018
Training has begun, but volunteers are still filing in. Attorney is reminding everyone what counts as a valid vote and what’s invalid. — Alex Harris (@harrisalexc) November 16, 2018
The vote counting began at 8:00 am, Harris reported: “And we’re off! 8am start time for the manual recount in Broward County. The plan is to finish for the day in 12 hours.”
And we’re off! 8am start time for the manual recount in Broward County. The plan is to finish for the day in 12 hours. pic.twitter.com/gOt3lTqPcp — Alex Harris (@harrisalexc) November 16, 2018
On Thursday, Florida Secretary of State Ken Detzner ordered a recount after a machine recount counted in excess of 8.3 million votes cast in the November 6 election, reported first by the Tampa Bay Times.
The paper reported:
The order gives canvassing boards in the state’s 67 counties three days to pore over thousands of ballots that were rejected by machines because of “overvotes” — a voter appears to have chosen more than one candidate in a race — or “undervotes,” in which a voter appears to have skipped a race altogether. With the help of state guidelines, the canvassing boards, which are allowed to enlist the help of volunteers, will try to determine how these voters intended to vote. It’s not entirely clear how many such overvotes and undervotes exist in the U. S. Senate race. A Times/Herald analysis of state and county data shows the number could be between 35,000 and 118,000 But the determination on how those ballots were cast — and the ability of the state’s elections supervisors to get through all the ballots — could go a long way toward deciding whether Nelson is reelected or Scott ascends from governor to U.S. Senator.
Broward’s late start comes after the county submitted machine recount tallies two minutes after the state’s 3 p.m. deadline on Thursday, nullifying the results. The recount would have boosted Scott’s vote margin by 779 votes and add a margin of 755 votes to Republican Ron DeSantis’s lead over Democrat rival Andrew Gillum in the race for governor.
U.S. District Judge Mark Walker rejected a request to extend the deadline for recounts in the state’s Senate and gubernatorial races yesterday. “We have been the laughingstock of the world, election after election, and we chose not to fix this,” said Walker.
Walker criticized Palm Beach County officials for failing to secure vote-counting machines equipped to handle the high volume of votes.
Palm Beach County’s election supervisor Susan Bucher told officials earlier in the week that it would be difficult to complete the recount on time, something that was not due to a “lack of human effort,” she told the media.
The Riviera Beach official closed Wednesday evening because “when you work about 45 hours in a row, you have to let people sleep.”
Walker was unmoved be the excuse.
The election will be certified November 20 at 9 a.m. | {
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Remembrance: Lingering Hell and Remembered Heroism
I learned two huge historical facts emerging from the horror of the Islamist terror atrocities of September 11, 2001: (1) the toll of premature deaths caused by the lingering toxins at Ground Zero is now within sight of the nearly 3,000 deaths caused instantly and in the attack’s immediate aftermath, and likely eventually to surpass it, and (2) Americans mounted a maritime rescue operation that rescued 500,000 of their brethren trapped in Lower Manhattan — a greater number than the 335,000 British troops rescued from Nazi slaughter or imprisonment during the heroic June 1940 Days of Dunkirk.
Rebuke: An Islamist Member of Congress Is Called Out
On 2019’s 9/11 anniversary, the somber recitation of names of those deceased was punctuated by a stinging rebuke delivered by Nic Haros, whose mother, Frances Haros, was murdered that day:
Good morning, brothers and sisters in good faith. Listen. “Some people did something?” I am here today to honor my 76-year-old mother Francis on the solemn 18th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. Mom, we all miss you and love you very much. This day I also remember over 200 personal friends and co-workers that I knew that died. I remember Virginia Fox, Warren … and Lou … And I remember your sons and your daughters, your parents and siblings and all first responders. I remember all, I remember them all and pray with you for them today. “Some people did something,” said a freshman congresswoman from Minnesota, to support and justify the creation of CAIR [the Council on American–Islamic Relations]. Today I’m here to respond to you exactly who did what to whom. Madam, objectively speaking, we know who and what was done. There is no uncertainty about that. Why your confusion? On that day 19 Islamic terrorists, members of al-Qaeda, killed over 3,000 people and caused billions of dollars of economic damage. Is that clear? But as to whom, I was attacked. Your relatives and friends were attacked. Our constitutional freedoms were attacked, and our nation’s founding on Judeo-Christian principles were attacked. That’s what some people did. Got that now? We’re here today, congresswoman, to tell you who and the Squad just who did what to whom. Show respect in honoring them, please. American patriotism in your position demands it. For God and country, amen.
Omar, hitherto unrepentant as to her odious anti-Semitism and mockery of America’s efforts to combat jihadist Islam in March 2019, felt enough heat from this exceptionally pointed public scolding to tweet:
September 11th was an attack on all of us.… We will never forget the thousands of Americans who lost their lives in the largest terror attack on U.S. soil.… I will continue to fight to make sure we care for the first responders and families who lost loved ones.
But she still equates the trauma of 9/11 with an utterly specious assertion that Muslims in America were subjected to massive “Islamophobia” after 9/11:
It’s important for us to make sure that we are not forgetting the aftermath of 9/11, [when] many Americans found themselves now having their civil rights stripped from them, and so what I was speaking to was that as a Muslim, not only was I suffering as an American who was attacked on that day, but the next day I woke up as my fellow Americans were now treating me as suspect.
In realty, our leftist elites suffer from “Islamophilia”: per multicultural identity politics, they portray Islam as a “religion of peace” and thus largely immune from criticism. No such dispensations are given to Christians and Jews, who face strident attacks. Christians are demonized as intolerant for resisting hyper-secularization of every facet of American life; Jews remain targets for allegedly exercising malevolent economic and political influence behind the scenes.
Aftermath I: The Declining Salience of the Arab-Israeli Conflict
Remembrance should also include the infamous Palestinian 9/11 celebration video. While Israelis mourned the loss of life, Palestinians cheered it. Two days later, Colin Powell, in a PBS interview with Jim Lehrer, had this to say about the Palestinians:
The other day we saw some images from the occupied territories from the West Bank and people cheering what had happened, and that sort of was seared in our mind. But I got a message in from our Consul General in Jerusalem saying that his switchboard is swamped with calls from Palestinians — Palestinian officials, Palestinian people — expressing their distaste for that kind of display, and letting us know that they were expressing their condolences and sympathy to us as well. That is the civilized reaction.
Powell ignored two realities: (1) a public demonstration of any kind in a dictatorship rarely takes place without at least tacit approval of the leadership — clearly the case here, despite public statements to the contrary (belied by Palestinian conduct since), and (2) polls purporting to show Palestinian support for a “two-state” solution never specify that one of them is to be a Jewish state. A look at Middle East attitudes towards the Jews shows how improbable Palestinian support for a Jewish state is. In a 2009 Pew poll, well over 90 percent of Middle East populations sharing a border with Israel viewed Jews unfavorably. But this number includes an only 35-percent unfavorable view of Jews held by Israeli Arabs. Take that out, and the unfavorable numbers are 98 percent in Lebanon, 97 percent in the Palestinian territories and in Jordan, and 95 percent in Egypt. In Lebanon, both Sunni and Shia Muslims were at 98 percent and Christians at 97 percent. Surely after several wars in the past decade, negative opinion of Jews held by publics in Arab lands bordering Israel remains at astronomically high levels.
Jonathan Tobin notes that the demise of Palestinian peace hopes came with the January 9, 2005, election of Mahmoud Abbas, forced by the Bush 43 administration’s view that Palestinian democracy would bring peace:
The election was largely the result of American pressure on both the Palestinians and the Israeli government then led by Ariel Sharon. President George W. Bush and his foreign-policy team had become convinced that the establishment of Palestinian democracy was the necessary prerequisite to peace…. [T]hat Palestinian political culture was capable of sustaining political liberty, let alone choosing peace, was a fantasy. Bush had rightly rejected Arafat — who had been foolishly embraced by President Bill Clinton and Israeli governments led by the Labor party as a peacemaker — as an unreconstructed terrorist. But … Abbas … was no more interested or capable of ending the conflict with Israel than his predecessor.
The Bush 43 administration made clear that “solving” the Arab-Israeli conflict was a key to addressing the Middle East after 9/11. This echoed the post–Gulf War view of the Bush 41 team that led to the Madrid Conference late in 1991. The Bush 43 version was the Annapolis Conference of late 2007. The Oslo Accords of 1993–95 marked the apogee of hope for reconciliation between Israel and the Palestinians. Palestinian refusal to accept a Jewish state, and Palestinian escalation of terror against the Jewish state, make peace not achievable for the foreseeable future. The Obama years saw more pressure on Israel to make concessions, and then Obama refusing to veto UN Security Council Resolution 2334, which declared all territory outside the 1949 armistice lines (the “Green Line”) to be Palestinian territory — including Israel’s holiest sites. While Trump would love to cut a “Deal of the Century,” it is unlikely he will get a chance — even in a second term. (I discuss many of the Palestinian issues in greater detail in several earlier articles for The American Spectator, which the reader can find on my author page.)
Recognizing this, Israel plans to formalize Israeli sovereignty over the Jordan Valley. The verb “formalize” is not to be confused with “annex.” A country cannot annex territory over which it already has sovereign status. The Palestinians, for their part, plan more illegal construction in Area C of the West Bank, despite being prohibited by the Oslo Accords from even having a population there, let alone building anything.
Aftermath II: OPEC’s Petropower Leverage Is Greatly Eroded
After the 9/11 attacks, the U.S. faced a choice: with 15 of 19 hijackers Saudis, we could have pushed Saudi Arabia into the mortal enemy column, or, given that the U.S. was still highly vulnerable to Saudi/OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) petropower, we could have given the Saudis a pass and tried to enlist them in the anti-al-Qaeda coalition. We opted for the second option. A glance at U.S. oil production and U.S. oil import charts, focusing on 21st-century numbers, explains much of that decision. (Another factor: when al-Qaeda carried out a major terror attack inside Saudi Arabia in 2003, the Kingdom increased cooperation with the U.S. counter-terror effort.)
In 2001, the U.S. produced six million barrels of oil per day (mbpd). This fell to four mbpd in 2005 and again in 2008. But with the advent of the fracking industry, jump-started by Bush 43, in 2018 the U.S. was the world’s largest oil producer at 13 mbpd. U.S. oil imports rose in that period from 12 mbpd in 2000 to 14 mbpd in 2010 and now stand at 12 mbpd. Our 21st-century oil consumption numbers hover around 20 mbpd for 2000 and 2018 (and most of the time in between). In December 2018, the U.S. became a net exporter of oil for the first time in 75 years.
In effect, the oligopoly power that OPEC wielded for the first time in 1973, when King Feisal of Iraq imposed an embargo during the Yom Kippur War, and then with a second round of price shocks in 1979, has been broken by the rise of fracking. While Barack Obama claims credit for this rise, it was companies started in the Bush 43 years that got fracking going; Obama blocked several avenues of production on pollution and climate-change grounds. President Trump has promoted fracking and offshore oil production.
The value of shifting petropower away from OPEC was underscored by Iran’s attack on Saudi oil facilities, which knocked out 50 percent of the kingdom’s daily oil production (six mbpd out of 12 mbpd). While this represents only 5 percent of global oil supply, the facility targeted is Saudi Arabia’s most critical. Most directly harmed is China, whose economy has hit — in part due to the Trump tariffs — a 20-year low. Iran has offered to sell more oil to cover the Saudi drop, which Clifford May of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) notes is like an arsonist offering to send a fire brigade. Mark Dubowitz, also with FDD, adds that prior U.S. administrations have tried restraint, but Iran has never positively responded to such gestures.
The strongest evidence that Iran and not its Yemeni client carried out the attack on Saudi Arabia’s prime oil field comes from the attack’s sophistication:
[The north/northwesterly direction of the attack and the failure of missile defense batteries to intercept] suggest a low-level cruise missile attack that hugged the ground at altitudes of under 300 feet. The … arrival rate was very high, possibly even 95 percent … routes were carefully planned to avoid obstacles such as power lines and communication towers. Seventeen individual impact points were struck at the Abqaiq facility, with a smaller number (perhaps as low as two) at Khurais. The weapons were highly accurate — for instance, all twelve of the thirty-meter-wide spheroid gas-oil separation tanks at Abqaiq were hit almost dead center. Much thinner stabilization towers were also accurately struck. There are even indications of finesse in the strike’s “weaponeering,” the technical term for munition selection and modification. Some “aim-points” were clearly hit with large explosive payloads consistent with an Iranian cruise missile such as the 700-kilometer-range Ya-Ali. Yet the gas-oil separation tanks appear to have been struck with high-velocity kinetic force sans explosions, perhaps signaling an effort to damage but not permanently destroy them. Similar finesse was visible in Iran’s May 12 attacks in the Fujairah anchorage off the United Arab Emirates, where four ships had their hulls expertly holed without causing the vessels to spill oil, sink, or suffer massive fires.
In addition, if it turns out that specialized equipment requiring months to manufacture must be ordered and installed, the damage could keep Arab Light and Arab Super Light grades off the market for up to a year.
The Saudi energy minister announced on Tuesday that 50 percent of production has already been restored.
Aftermath III: Israel’s Rise Helps Saudis and Gulf Arabs versus Iran
As the Palestinian mess goes nowhere, and as OPEC’s hammerlock on global economies is loosened, the Saudis and many Gulf Arabs have finally fulfilled the prophecy of Israel’s iconic prime minister, Golda Meir (1969–74):
We can forgive the Arabs for killing our children. We cannot forgive them for forcing us to kill their children. We will only have peace with the Arabs when they love their children more than they hate us.
Facing the need for economic retrenchment as the OPEC financial spigot turns from gusher to sprinkler, Saudi Arabia and many of the Gulf Arabs have concluded that collaboration with a rising Israel beats futile rejection of the Jewish state. Israel’s advanced economy became supercharged after then–Finance Minister Benjamin Netanyahu implemented a deregulation campaign during Ariel Sharon’s stint as prime minister (2003–06); within a few years the public sector declined from 60 percent of GDP to 20 percent. Israel now is a world major player in technology, agriculture, environment (global leader in water desalinization), technology (including internet, computing, and military equipment), energy, and medicine.
When Israel was a negligible factor in the world economy, Arab backing of the Palestinians carried no economic penalty. Now that Israel is a global economic and technology powerhouse it can offer the Arabs enormous benefits — very much needed as the OPEC petrodollar bonanza dwindles. In 2017, Prime Minister Netanyahu issued the first national security strategy since David Ben-Gurion did in 1951. Middle East maven Jonathan Schanzer summarizes its four pillars:
Netanyahu asserts that Israel’s security rests on four main pillars. The first pillar is military power , which derives from deterrence, early warning, defense, and offensive capabilities. The second pillar is economic power , which derives from strengthening the private sector, removing obstacles to trade and commerce, and strengthening global economic ties. The third pillar is political power , which derives from strong alliances, deterrence, ensuring that the Israeli military has a free hand to operate, and eroding the reflexively anti-Israel majority in international organizations. The final pillar Netanyahu describes as social and spiritual power , which might be better characterized as human capital, noting the resiliency of the Israeli people.
As this article goes to press, it is unclear if Netanyahu will be able to remain prime minister. It is also unclear what coalition government will replace his. It is even possible that a third round of elections will be held come December. The American Spectator’s Dov Fischer recently summarized the complex set of scenarios. Voters under parliamentary coalition governance frequently endure “Who’s on first?” election farces.
Also spurring rapprochement is the growing menace of Iran. Its attack on Saudi oil facilities is the latest — and biggest to date — alarm bell. Even a decade ago, we learned from the WikiLeaks cables that the Saudis were petrified about the Iranian threat. About five years ago the Kingdom made clear that it would go nuclear if the Iranians did.
And now Iran has demonstrated a novel, potentially devastating conventional capability. Iran’s breakthrough is the price of our deciding not to push regime change or, at least, destroying its nuclear program long ago. Iran now can threaten us — and the world economy — with low-cost, hard-to-defend conventional munitions by holding Gulf oil facilities hostage.
Another factor in the Iran attack was that on August 26 — less than three weeks before the September 14 attack — President Trump reduced his administration’s conditions for reopening negotiations on lifting economic sanctions from 12 (announced May 20) to three — no nukes, no ballistic missiles, and a longer period of time (past 2030). Abandoned were conditions that Iran not engage aggression against its Arab countries and Israel, not threaten freedom of navigation on international waterways, end global support for terrorists, and cease conducting cyberattacks.
The latest signals coming from Team Trump are a start: Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called Iran’s September 14 attack “an act of war,” and President Trump instructed Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin to impose additional (as yet unspecified) economic sanctions. And Secretary of Defense Mark Esper stated that the Pentagon “is preparing a response” to the September 14 attacks.
The U.S. has a pivotal role in these developments. Long the premier supplier of military equipment to the Kingdom and the Gulf states, it continues to influence events there. President Trump made four key decisions: (1) exit the Iran nuclear deal that guaranteed Iran an ultimate path to nuclear weapons; (2) move the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem; (3) recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights: (4) bypass the failed Oslo pseudo-peace process. These have been coupled with encouraging our Arab allies to strengthen their ties with Israel.
Now the U.S. must assemble a coalition to conduct a significant retaliation against Iran for its dramatic escalation by targeting the Saudi oil fields. It must include a military component, even if the UN takes diplomatic action. And if Iran decides again to up the ante by targeting another major field, the U.S. must make positive regime change its policy goal. Attacking such targets deals a harsh blow to the global economy. We’d surely have Israel and allied Arab states willing, and perhaps others as well. Whether with lots of help or a little, the U.S. must then take the steps needed to effect the demise of Iran’s global jihad — except that a ground presence beyond special ops and intel units is beyond America’s current capability to sustain militarily. In the event, the American public has no appetite for another “boots on the ground” operation after two huge post-9/11 fails.
Bottom Line: Tectonic events have become almost the norm in the Middle East over the past 20 years and figure to continue doing so in the next 20 years. The Middle East over the past century has often produced what Bismarck said of the 19th-century and early 20th-century Balkans: “More politics than can be consumed locally.
Growing Israeli-Arab ties will be crucial to shaping events in the coming decades. This will help counter Iran’s pursuit of nukes, terror, and jihad. Further Israeli-Arab rapprochement is likely if the U.S. plays its cards right — and if American voters next fall re-elect the most pro-Israel president in American history.
John C. Wohlstetter is author of Sleepwalking With the Bomb (Second edition 2014.) | {
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Everyone loves an old-fashioned footballer, and Jeremy McGovern is just about as traditional as they come.
From his gutsy grabs right down to his black footy boots, the veteran of just 22 matches looks like he’s been playing the game since the seventies.
Although it may appear as though McGovern has suddenly stormed onto the big stage from nowhere, in reality his success can be attributed to years of hard work behind the scenes.
The boy from Albany was initially rookie-listed by West Coast for the 2011 season and very nearly threw away his chance altogether when he returned to the club out of condition after an off-season holiday.
But he fought hard to keep his spot in the squad and, after making his debut in 2014, has become a revelation in the backline for the team this season.
McGovern told 6PR that the transition has been a difficult one for him.
Listen to Jeremy's full interview with 6PR below
“It was pretty hard, McGovern said.
“It’s a big lifestyle change for me. Coming from Albany to Perth was a big experience, I’d never really lived up here or anything.
“And doing pre-seasons over the last few years, it’s definitely been a massive learning curve. I’ve had to learn a lot.
“We don’t get the best education on that sort of stuff down in Albany so that was probably the hardest thing, coming up and changing your whole lifestyle to the Perth lifestyle and footy lifestyle.”
It is McGovern’s presence in the air that has perhaps attracted the most attention this year, with commentators and fans alike taking delight in his precise timing and ability to read the flight of the ball.
The 22-year-old say he can thank his father Andrew for this exceptional skill, paying tribute to the advice he was given while growing up.
“The main place I can probably put my finger on is that my old man always used to say to attack the ball in the air and that’s what I’ve been doing since I was a young kid and I guess it’s just grown from there,” McGovern said.
“King of the pack was the only game I ever used to play [at school].
“Not too much running around, just jumping at the ball.”
Aside from his father, McGovern says he has appreciated the assistance of a strong network of coaches who have all supported his development in recent years.
“I probably couldn’t put my finger on one person,” McGovern said.
“That’s probably the beauty of it, there have been a lot of people who’ve really backed me in and helped me out and gave me a few tips along the way, especially [Adam Simpson].
“As soon as he got to the club, he probably backed me in more than anyone and he obviously helped to develop my game.
“[Adrian Hickmott] our backline coach has helped me out a heap.
“And in the early days, Gavin Bell and his development program that he’s got going down here helped me out the most and probably I wouldn’t be where I am today without him.”
Listen to Jeremy's full interview with 6PR below | {
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We received this email for Jordan Kahu on Monday from a Cowboys fan who attended Saturday afternoon's game against the Knights in Newcastle.
Hi,
I just wanted to send a massive thank you to your team and in particular Jordan Kahu.
I am hoping that you could please pass the thanks on to him also.
Saturday night after the Newcastle v Cowboys game, Jordan came out and signed some autographs and took some pics.
One of those was with my daughter, Sienna. Jordan is her sports idol.
As he was getting on the bus he called out to her, asking her name and passed his boots thru the fence.
To him this was probably a simple act. To my daughter it has changed her whole world. Footy is her whole life.
She plays for under 11s here in Cessnock and is subjected to so much discrimination, sometimes feeling down and like she doesn't deserve to play or shouldn't as she's a girl, but then she watches the Cowboys and wants to be just like Jordan as a player.
She slept with the boots beside her and has literally not put them down since she received them.
The smile on her face is contagious.
She keeps saying that not only does she want to be like him as a footy player but as a person.
He was so humble and kind.
So a massive, massive thank you to your players and to Jordan Kahu, as this has impacted Sienna in a positive way and for that I am grateful.
Kind regards,
Belinda | {
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This complicated and strange project began innocently enough when I decided to make a mix CD for my friend’s birthday and went searching for relevant songs. But ‘songs about being xx’ turns out not to be a very straightforward thing to search for and so after burning the CD I was left with a burning question: why had I found so few songs? In this blog post, I look at which ages get sung about and which don’t, and I present a comprehensive list of 189 songs that mention being a specific age. You can download the list here, and below, I go into more detail on three points:
1) How a surprisingly thorny measurement problem was resolved.
2) Some (younger) ages get mentioned in dozens of songs, other (older) ages are barely referenced. I examine these trends quantitatively and compare them to other trends, like how political stances change with age.
3) Quite frankly, it’s impossible to assemble a list like this and not notice that a lot of the lyrics involve older men talking about younger women in a – what seems to me at least – creepy way.
The list (available for download here) looks like this:
Assembling the List
The list is designed as an aid for those making playlists, and so I wanted it to contain only those songs that clearly mentioned an age. The intended listener should easily notice that their age just got a shout out. But that search criteria isn’t easy to implement. Knowing whether a song ‘clearly mentioned an age’ was just my subjective intuition – was there the risk of low inter-coder reliability if I asked anyone else to help? And I was definitely going to need help. There are quite a lot of songs out there and some of them are quite long too.
I worked on getting a more valid and reliable coding scheme together. First, I decided that there had to be an actual number in the lyrics or the title. Singing about ‘being a kid’ wasn’t enough, I needed a particular birthday to be mentioned. The next problem was what to do about songs that mentioned multiple ages. I decided that each song could only be on the list once, and each song would be listed under the most prominent age they mentioned. These judgment calls led to many difficult conversations and much bitterness. For example, ‘Gangstas Paradise’ by Coolio is listed under 24 for the lyric “I’m 23 now, will I live to see 24? I don’t know”, because I think he’s really singing about hoping to be 24, but there are compelling arguments for listing it under 23. I’m trying to work up the nerve to tweet Coolio directly and ask him which age he would say it’s mostly about, but I’m worried he might think that’s weird.
Anyway. With the codebook in place, data collection could begin. This involved listening to the radio and making a lot of notes. I also relentlessly pressured everyone I met into helping me. Thanks to my infectious enthusiasm/campaign of intimidation, I started getting more and more text messages from people who’d heard a song they thought I might be interested in. This data collection strategy is biased towards my own listening habits, and those of my friends, and so particular genres are over-represented. I tried to compensate for this by also searching online lyrics databases, but this probably wasn’t enough to completely rectify the problem.
But that’s how the list was assembled. Now it’s time to start looking at the results. First, let’s look at the overall frequency of songs by age.
The distribution is left-bounded at zero (the first song is “Letter to My Unborn” by 2pac), and is uni-modal. There is an average of 1.9 songs per year, but by age 19, you’ve already used up more than half the songs on the list. The most commonly mentioned age is 17. A few choice quotes sum up the pros and cons of that bewildering age:
“I could dress in black and read Camus, smoke clove cigarettes and drink vermouth, yeah that would be a scream, if I was 17” (I Don’t Want To Get Over You – The Magnetic Fields)
“I played video games in a drunken haze, I was 17 years young” (This Year – The Mountain Goats)
After that peak at 17, there are still a fair few songs until the late 20s, then it really starts to drop off, and after 40 they are extremely rare events. The first age without a song is 34, so if there are any 34yr old songwriters reading this, please fill that gap in the market and I’ll add you to the list immediately. The final entry on the list is “Ironic” by Alanis Morrissette, which mentions being 98.
Music and Age
Hopefully that gives you a flavor of the list. But I think there are a couple of interesting things here worth going over in more detail. For example, why is any age over 19 basically ‘past your peak’ in song terms? Why does being 17 inspire so much more music than being 27 or 37? Does your life just grow steadily less… inspiring… as you get older? Perhaps, MJ Hibbett seems to say. But that would be depressing. Another explanation would be that the music industry focuses on younger and younger acts because they’re easier to package, and so artists probably exist who are writing songs about being middle-aged, but they’re just not as easy to find. This would certainly help explain why the list is so unrepresentative in other ways. A third alternative explanation would be that lots of these songs come from counter-cultural genres of music, and people tend to move out of these counter-cultures when they get older and more involved in mainstream society (Jennings 1979, Strate et al 1989).
To check out this more political explanation, we can compare the list of songs to other variables measuring socialization. Since the list is US-centric, I use the 2006 World Values Survey from the US and graph five-year moving averages of three forms of political participation: joining a boycott, signing a petition, and voting in the last election. The two more conventional forms of participation (voting, and petitions) both rise almost linearly with age. The more unconventional form of participation (boycotts) remains fairly steady although it declines later in life. All three forms of participation are negatively correlated with song frequency, at -0.59 for turnout and songs, -0.72 for petitions and songs, and -0.20 for boycotts and songs, and the first two correlations are statistically significant at conventional levels.
The interesting point here is that the number of songs about being a particular age drops precisely at the age where people in theory become adults (18). For your 18th birthday present, you get the right to vote, but you lose your connection to popular music. From a political point of view these individuals are still young, but their days of being represented in popular music are done. I don’t think you’d want to read too much into the correlations between songs and forms of political participation – just because these things happen at the same time doesn’t mean they are linked – but it’s a nice illustration of the wide-reaching impact of turning 18.
Looking Closer at the Lyrics
One ironic thing here is that many of these songs are written by artists who are still touring decades later, singing songs about being 17 to a whole new cohort of 17 year olds. This brings me to the last point about this list: how creepy some of these songs are. This was a big deal recently, with ‘Blurred Lines’ by Robin Thicke sparking controversy. When you peruse this list, take a look at the lyrics for ‘Stray Cat Blues’ by the Rolling Stones, or ‘Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen’ by Neil Sedaka. The characters narrating these songs come across as the creepiest creeps who ever crept. And there are others that are pretty gruesome too. “She’s Only 18” by the Red Hot Chilli Peppers, “She’s 19 Years Old” by Buddy Guy, “Goin’ Blind” by Kiss… the list, quite literally, goes on. There are a couple of songs from a female perspective (“Fifteen” by Rilo Kiley, and “Fifteen (Nothing Happened)” by Standard Fare) but the vast majority are delivered by men. I think examining this fact is important. As much as I think the list contains a lot of nice birthday songs, it also contains some evidence of which attitudes towards women are present in popular culture. For wider debates about sexism in music, see here for a good discussion, written, incidentally, by one of the artists on the list.
Conclusion: I Wish That I Knew What I Know Now When I Was Younger
I’d like to end by highlighting my favourite age, in terms of the songs. It was a tough call, with 19 having a few great anthems, and 23 also containing a few songs close to my heart, but the winner for me is 25. At that age, you’ve got “25” by Bomb The Music Industry, which I think grad students everywhere should be able to identify with, and “all the young dudes”, written by Bowie and which is a little bittersweet and is perfect for listening to as you stare out of the window. “What’s Up” by 4 Non Blondes is epic especially if you sing it with a bunch of other people walking down the street, and ‘Fly’ by Sugar Ray is also pretty recognizable. It’s a good age, musically.
Well. Many thanks to everyone who helped me collect these songs, I massively appreciated it and I couldn’t have done it without you, and I hope you’re happy with the way the list turned out, and I owe you all a mix cd. Pat Higgins in particular devoted many hours. I hope this spreadsheet is useful for people. Happy birthday(s).
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But wait, the 13th century's still pretty old, right? Yes, but there's a problem here: Snorri wrote the books several hundred years after Scandinavia had been Christianized. Oh, and Snorri himself wasn't exactly a true believer: he declared that the "gods" he was writing about were just dead heroes who got talked up later.
Some random hobo ended up memorialized as Odin.
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That would be bad enough, but Snorri's collections also contained elements that seem to be cribbed from the hot new religion, like Odin sacrificing himself by hanging on a tree and getting pierced by a spear. In fact, some buzzkill scholars have even suggested that Ragnarok itself is no more than a retelling of the end of paganism under Christianity, or even a co-opted version of the Biblical book of Revelation. Basically, Snorri was working at the end of a 200-year-old religious telephone game, and we've just got no way of knowing what was in the original version and what was the result of one guy saying, "You know what religion needs? More giant hammers."
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For more modern ideas that were here before us, check out 11 Modern Technologies That Are Way Older Than You Think and 6 Depraved Sexual Fetishes That Are Older Than You Think.
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Alessandro Cortini
Alessandro Cortini has been working with Nine Inch Nails since 2004. At the time, he was teaching at the Musicians Institute in Hollywood (where he'd studied years before), and he saw a flyer announcing that the long-running industrial-rock band was looking for someone to handle synths, keyboards, and guitars. As he recalled in a 2017 Red Bull Music Academy interview , he auditioned with parts for "Closer" and "Wish" that he'd prepared for guitar and Nord Modular synth patches.Ever since a fortuitous 2005 encounter with a Buchla 200e (a 21-century version of the famous synth maker's classic 1970s modular system), Cortini has also released several albums of drawn-out, melodic, synth-driven solo work, and in 2010 he launched a solo synth-pop project called Sonoio. He shares his contagious love for electronic instruments on his YouTube channel , which is good for a visit if you want to get seriously pumped about hardware.Cortini has been in and out of Nine Inch Nails a couple times since 2004, but he's aboard for the current Cold and Black and Infinite tour, which comes to the Aragon for three sold-out shows Thursday through Saturday, October 25 through 27. This time he'll play more guitar and bass onstage, because he's splitting the electronics with Atticus Ross. I talked to him about how he reached this point in his career, how to push everything you can out of your gear, and how to deliver familiar material onstage but still have fun with it.It took me a fairly long time to come to terms with the idea that if something makes me feel good, it was good enough. The more I was surrounded by people in the scene like Dominick Fernow [who performs as Prurient and runs the label Hospital Productions] or John Brien at Important Records—two of the most helpful individuals in the release of my recordings—the more it confirmed this sort of approach for me. For theandrecords, when Dominick heard them—recordings of things I had made on tour to help me fall asleep—he said he wanted to release them, and I think I said, "What do you mean release it? Release what? These are my own lullabies." He helped me understand, just like John at Important Records did, that there is no written rulebook. Music should be a manifestation of your emotions, or a way for emotions to be placated or dealt with.Finding my voice was a long process. It's something that people with limited tools, limited gear, went through—buying an instrument you saved up for, realizing it's not what you thought it was, having to stick with it, and getting as much out of it as possible before trading it in. Now with a laptop, you can do so much right out of the box.It's weird. One day, I woke up and felt old. "Fuck, I was the kid having fun with a laptop," and now I just want something small, and I'll try to push everything I can out of it. I do integrate more than one instrument when I write now, but the anxiety of having to use more gear just because you have more is a habit worth breaking. I like being able to explore one instrument to its limit, and then making an ensemble of instruments from that one voice. Each instrument is a different language. Like the same phrase in German is a little bit harsher than in French. In French, you can tell someone to fuck off, and it'll sound great. That's how I see instruments.I have a bit from all Buchla periods. The Buchla 200e was the gateway. I remember we borrowed one to film a Nine Inch Nails video in 2005—"The Hand That Feeds"—and I fell in love with it. It was a two-day shoot, and because we were borrowing it, I didn't want to leave it on the shoot, so I said, "You know what, let me just set it up and play with it before I go to bed." I didn't go to bed at all. There had never been any instrument that engulfed me like that.Two years later, I was able to put a down payment down for my first one, and from then on, I moved into the older stuff, denying any semblance of normal adulthood financially. I have some older pieces and some more recent digital instruments as well—different technologies, but all with Don [Buchla]'s soul in them.I think there's a lack of people taking the time to know their instrument. Gear is cheaper than it has ever been. You can sell one piece and buy another. I understand the entertainment value in these things—it's like a video game for your ears—but if you judge the situation from its online presence, you realize that there is a difference in quality of the material between the ones who really deepen their relationship with their instruments over time and the ones who simply exploit the myriad of built-in sonic capabilities they come with out of the box.I've gotten back into guitar lessons while on tour. Downloaded tons of instructional material. I've signed up for online schools and done Skype lessons. But the other day I started setting time restrictions on my digital devices, in order to spend time in the real world and really practice instead of mining for more. It's easy to keep on searching and never sit down to learn, at least to me. I have a problem with managing online information and turning it into valuable, tangible knowledge.If you don't take the time to be just you and a real thing, you accumulate all this information but don't use it correctly. I talked to two people about the latest information on global warming, and it's crazy how it's being treated. I hope it's leaving the same mark on other people as it did on me, but it doesn't seem to. It's gone from the news already. The medium is too volatile to leave a lasting mark, aside from the consequential damages of the medium itself.On that note, I have to say, moving to Berlin and becoming part of that artistic world has been extremely rewarding from a human standpoint. It's been such a natural change. I think I'm better off there than in Los Angeles, because I can be myself both as a musician and a human being, and I'm able to make a living with not too much separation between the two. I'm very grateful when people resonate at the same frequency as me—that's a confirmation that I'm doing what I should be doing.The underground world is completely different from the pop-rock environment, though I love that stuff too. If you play a festival with experimental, underground music, everybody's playing at the same level, just at different times of the day. Everyone gets the same allotment of time, the same stage. There's no "15 minutes under the sun, playing to five people with beers" opening slots. Maybe an 18- to 28-year-old feels like they have to prove something, but I'm too tired, man. Not that I feel I've achieved enough already, but the only person you should make happy is yourself. It's very hard to build a career on satisfying other people, because everybody's taste is changing. So I said, "Fuck it—I'm not gonna do it."Well, I was very lucky. Obviously, working with Trent [Reznor] was a life-changing experience on several levels. From a professional point of view, I went from having to learn an instrument to learning every aspect of touring. I was also very privileged, because even though TrentNine Inch Nails, he left me carte blanche in the studio and live capacity, provided that he understood that everything I was doing was at the service of the band. My goal was to embellish the record, as opposed to doing things exactly as done in the studio.No. When [my solo album]came out, I traveled with the Buchla Music Easel, because most of the shows were based on variations of the same patch. But as time went by, I was playing more shows based on less-reliable instruments. I approach the live show as an excuse to have a second round of fun with whatever I've written, finding the perfect balance between responsible touring and spontaneity. I don't want to have a playback rig—showing up with a laptop and hitting play—but I also don't want to risk having a vintage synthesizer going down canceling the show.With Nine Inch Nails, it's important for me to provide people with whatever they have come and paid for. When it comes to my solo music, everything is based on a record. The live performance is based on the current release, and I present pieces from it—or the whole release in its entirety, which is what I typically do for thesets.was recorded on an EMS Synthi AKS, which obviously I cannot bring. I mean, I could, but it's fragile.So I had to find a solution, which was a four-track recorder—I'd used it with Nine Inch Nails live, and I still do. With Nine Inch Nails, I've always used my hands—playing with delays and modular synths. The four-track came into the frame while doing preproduction for the 2013 Nine Inch Nails tour. I started rearranging some songs, starting with "Hurt," which has a part comprised of four chords. It used to be four samples on a keyboard, but I came up with the idea of putting them on a four-track and fading them in. It worked very nicely. It allowed me to change the pitch, the volume, the panning, the EQ, in real time—approaching the four-track recorder as an instrument.When it came time to do, it was perfect. The script, the score is always the same. I have four-track cassettes of the recording, but when I put them in, I can pick which track to start with, if a track is going to be bright and in-your-face, muffled through reverb, or with distortion. It's like if a voice is clean, you can change the emotional content with effects and equipment—a power chord on a guitar played on a classical nylon string, as opposed to a Gibson Les Paul and a stack of Marshalls. It's the same chord, but the way people react to it or the way you react to it while playing is completely different, emotionally.The four-track and pedals used are just as important as the notes. That's sort of why I went away from the Buchla for a while. It's easy to get stuck into a specific label. It always has been, but it's getting easier and easier.There's a need to keep the child in me alive, and move on to different toys—spending a ton of time with one toy, and when I don't feel creative with it, move on to the next one. I'm lucky that most of the time I end up getting a record out of one.Chicago Music Exchange, because we are very good friends with the guys there and the folks at Reverb. We've got a great relationship with them. We've done videos with them and more are coming. Great family and very cool people. I'll definitely spend a lot of time with them, whether it's at the store or just hanging out. And that's it—after that, I go back to Berlin for a few weeks. I'm excited to be home with my wife and my three cats, playing guitar on the couch. Then we start up again with NIN in mid-November. | {
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Autre ajout de taille à l’équipe du maire Denis Coderre, l’ex-péquiste Scott McKay se présente sous sa bannière dans l’arrondissement de Rosemont.
Il s’agirait d’un retour à l’hôtel de ville pour lui puisqu’il y a assumé sa première charge publique de 1986 à 1994 durant deux mandats sous l’administration de Jean Doré. Il avait tenté sans succès de se faire élire avec le parti Union Montréal en 2005.
Sa carrière s’est ensuite orientée sur la scène provinciale. M. McKay a été chef du Parti vert du Québec de 2006 à 2008, puis député du Parti québécois de 2008 à 2014.
M. McKay a confirmé au Devoir que l’actuel maire de Montréal l’avait convaincu de se lancer, après avoir été pressenti par d’autres partis. Les deux hommes se sont côtoyés à l’Alliance des villes des Grands Lacs et du Saint-Laurent, alliance actuellement présidée par Denis Coderre. « J’ai été très impressionné par son leadership de résultats. Il m’en a parlé cet été et l’idée a fait son chemin », relate Scott McKay.
Il tentera ainsi sa chance au palier de gouvernement où il a été élu pour la première fois à 25 ans. « J’ai déjà été le plus jeune conseiller municipal de Montréal. C’étaient des années passionnantes qui m’ont donné le goût de continuer le service public », affirme M. McKay.
Ni le candidat ni le maire en point de presse n’ont souhaité préciser lequel des districts de Rosemont était visé. Marc-André Gadoury, actuel conseiller pour Étienne-Desmarteau, a annoncé en mai dernier qu’il serait candidat à la mairie de Rosemont, contre François Croteau de Projet Montréal. M. Gadoury avait quitté ce parti en 2015 pour l’équipe Coderre.
« Si les gens de Rosemont me font confiance, mon premier objectif sera de défendre leurs intérêts. Ce qui m’intéresse particulièrement est de faire en sorte qu’on atteigne les objectifs de l’Accord de Paris », a précisé Scott McKay. Les grands principes et les cibles de réduction des émissions de gaz à effet de serre ont certes été discutés et entérinés par les parlements nationaux, mais « là où les objectifs se concrétisent, c’est dans les villes », a indiqué le candidat.
Beaucoup d’annonces pour Projet Montréal
L’organisateur communautaire Robert Beaudry a aussi annoncé qu’il tentera de déloger l’ancien chef de Projet Montréal, Richard Bergeron, dans le district Saint-Jacques, de l’arrondissement de Ville-Marie. M. Beaudry est directeur de PAS dans la rue, un organisme qui vient en aide aux personnes de 55 ans et plus qui vivent en itinérance ou en grave précarité.
Jeudi, les noms des candidats de Projet Montréal dans Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension ont aussi été dévoilés. La militante Giulana Fumagalli affrontera l’actuelle mairesse de l’arrondissement et vice-présidente au comité exécutif, Anie Samson. Sylvain Ouellet, Rafik Bentabel, Rana Alrabi et Rosanie Filato sollicitent quant à eux des sièges de conseillers dans les quatre districts de l’arrondissement.
L’équipe du parti d’opposition dans l’arrondissement de Rosemont est également complète. François Limoges, Stéphanie Watt, Christine Gosselin, Jocelyn Pauzé et François W. Croteau représenteront Projet Montréal dans ces quartiers, a-t-il été annoncé plus tôt cette semaine. | {
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I moved to Brooklyn in May 2015 to start as the first social media staffer on Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign, 273 days out from the Iowa caucuses and 554 days out from Election Day. I tweeted for Hillary through more than 50 primary contests, 40-something debates, two conventions, countless sky-is-falling press moments, and the most soul-crushing, high-stakes, completely batshit-insane general election ever. I worked alongside (literally, inches from) the small, scrappy, incredibly talented social media team: Alex Wall, Julie Whitaker, Diana Fakhouri, Alex Witt, John Buysse, and Hiroki Murakami (not to mention the amazing design, content, video, and digital communications teams).
A year since the best day and the worst night of my life, here’s what I learned about social in politics, working for the first woman ever to win a major party’s nomination and the popular vote, and running against Donald Trump.
Hillary and Trump were the good and evil sides of the same social media coin.
In some ways, the role social media played in 2016 was bigger than Hillary or Trump. Social media is democratic and ubiquitous — two powerful and dangerous things. It can be a tool for empowerment and connection, or, as we’ve seen with the snowballing revelations on fake news and Russian-sponsored ads, it can become a poisoned water supply. Trump represents the most serious threat of political social media: unfettered access to voters, with no accountability or fact-check. Total lack of constraint becomes “authenticity,” which supersedes sanity or competence. It’s an approach that, like the rest of Trump’s ideology and policy agenda, assumes voters are too stupid to realize they’re being fucked with. It bets that people will care more about shock and entertainment value than literally anything else. (As a jaded former Hillary staffer, I’m not sure he’s wrong about the second part. But.)
We did the opposite. Our strategy was fundamentally about respecting voters’ intelligence: We presented the evidence of why Hillary was the superior choice for president, first over another progressive and then over a lunatic. We offered the facts in a cycle driven — from the press to the opposition to the FB-damn-I — by misrepresentation, false equivalence, and lies. When Bernie Sanders said Hillary wasn’t qualified, we didn’t say, “What a jackass” — we laid out Hillary’s decades of experience, newspaper endorsements, and proof of her preparedness. To show voters why Trump couldn’t become president, we didn’t just say, “This guy is fucking nuts” — we offered up his own words and record and let voters decide for themselves. We showed who Hillary is and what she was up against, and we trusted that voters would make the right choice in the end. Sixty-five million voters proved us right.
Still, yes, we failed to reach the right voters. The next campaign will have to balance compelling, authentic content strategy with meticulous targeting. (But you can’t do only one or the other; digital ads alone will not win us an election. People know when they’re being advertised to. And I refuse to believe that voters will get burned twice; there will undoubtedly be more bots and sinister memes, but they’ll meet savvier readers.) In a cycle saturated with fake news, our content strategy was about presenting incontrovertible facts. Given who we’ll be facing again, this will be all the more important in 2020.
But more than our own strategy or Trump’s…whatever he had, 2016 was a warning about what social can do and will become. I’ve seen arguments that social will become less valuable than other outreach tools, like ads or video alone. Respectfully: bullshit. Social media will matter more and more in every election to come. More voters will look to social media as the gateway to everything else — their first stop in learning about candidates and policy and voting. Even more voters will seek out and consume their daily news on social media, maybe surpassing traditional media. Candidates’ distinctive voices and the size of their platforms will determine how effectively they can communicate with voters, even more than in 2016. But social media is dark and full of terrors: All of 2016’s trends toward polarization (driven by the Facebook algorithm, webs of who-follows-whom influence, and politics itself), fake news, fake accounts, and fake memes will only grow. That means the next campaigns’ social teams will be the front line. This work is not entry-level. In addition to surgically-crafted content strategy, those teams will need to figure out how to get around the obstacles between them and their audience: how to fight fake content, break out of echo chambers, and persuade and turn out voters.
Working for a “cool” candidate is easy. Working for the right candidate is harder.
Social media strategy in politics is about introducing your candidate to voters who will never meet them in person. Social media strategy for Hillary Clinton was about simultaneously introducing her to voters and methodically poking holes in 40+ years of stubborn misconceptions about her. Still, on every parameter from experience to temperament, Hillary was unquestionably the right person to be the 45th president.
But of course, she is a woman, and her astronomical approval ratings while in office meant nothing as soon as she sought a promotion. The next woman candidate for president is going to deal with the same shit. Her campaign will have to make an impeccable case for her candidacy while likely having to be as scrappy in building support for her as we had to be.
We were never the cool candidate. It was very, very hard to convince people to “come out” with their support of Hillary. It had to be a different strategy than Obama’s or Bernie’s, who could take for granted that people would like and be willing to share their ideas or likenesses. We started from scratch, deconstructing the things we loved about Hillary — smart, wonky, earnest, serious, badass, indomitable — and figuring out how to make them resonate online. Instead of someone else’s version of “cool,” we showed why knowing issues inside and out and never, ever quitting were worthy of the same respect. We amplified the voices of hundreds of other people who validated our case, from newspaper editorial boards to global leaders, past constituents to passionate supporters, and even the sitting president. If you weren’t going to trust Hillary, we’d show you a chorus of voices you had to trust. Again, incontrovertible evidence to back up our case for the presidency.
We didn’t follow anyone else’s playbook for social content. We didn’t do fluff. We tried, then quickly abandoned Twitter-native cutesy tactics. We went hard on policy, even when we got mocked for it (and we did), and even when the rest of the political media weren’t interested in policy. We gave Trump a taste of Hillary’s signature sass the deserved number of times, but mostly we didn’t mess around: We took things seriously, we called out the racism and misogyny coming out of his campaign, we kept it about the issues, and we made a thoughtful and thorough case for why Hillary should have been the president. In other words, we were true to Hillary’s own personality, occasionally with a social twist.
And we were smart about branding. 95% of social media design out there is branded within an inch of its life — two or three colors, a logo, almost always a photo of the candidate. We created products that intentionally didn’t have Hillary’s fingerprints anywhere on them, to show people that they agreed with, admired, or supported her, even if they didn’t think they did (we called it, semi-jokingly, “un-design”). We took a page out of Bernie’s book and wrote value statements that every progressive agrees with, whoever the messenger. Meg Vazquez, our brilliant social design lead, made pieces using every color, treatment, and type of photograph imaginable while still staying true to the brand. We made a whole series about other trailblazing women that you can’t help but admire — and we built affinity with and respect for Hillary without ever mentioning her name or showing her face. Steadily, we started to see heartening feedback that ranged from “I hate Hillary, but she’s onto something here” to “All right, she’s got my vote.”
Did our shrewd, methodical strategy work? When I started on the campaign, anything that came from Hillary on social media was toxic to all but a fierce band of (mostly female) supporters. By November 2016, we’d broken the internet a few times, went viral by any definition on more posts than not, and saw our most high-priority, messagey content perform best. We were able to tell the kinds of “Hillary is a badass” stories we couldn’t in 2015, and even reluctant voters had to agree. You can’t measure changed minds by vanity metrics, but you can measure shares, reach, and growth over time — and we got that. A lot of it.
Stop chasing Beltway headlines. It will kill you, strategically and mentally.
We didn’t do it all right. The biggest mistake we made as a social program was over-valuing the opinions and attention of political reporters, too often over setting our own narrative or reaching real voters.
Some (smart) people think social IS only useful for reaching reporters, not voters. Again, respectfully: bullshit.
Even if our accounts didn’t have millions of non-reporter followers who cared enough about the content we published to share it with their own friends, chasing the Beltway echo chamber every day is an exhausting exercise. We had enough rapid response just dealing with either defensive stories (good christ, the emails) or opposition (literally any time Trump opened his mouth). Most of the time, we couldn’t control the narrative, no matter what we did. I blame the press for following Trump’s empty stages and outbursts like the Pied Piper, and at the end of the day, we did what we had to do to stay on top of the news cycle. But we should have saved ourselves the head- and heartaches by telling our own story instead of swinging at every pitch.
The single most valuable thing on any campaign, along with money, is time. We spent time workshopping clever lines and developing flashy, flash-in-the-pan content when we could have been talking to voters about what mattered most: Hillary’s plans to make the country better for them. In the final GOTV weeks of the campaign, when the only thing we needed to do was get voters to the polls, we were still sparring with Trump. In 2020 (and, probably, 2018), it’s going to be tempting to take Trump’s bait and clap back at every provocation, but whoever does our jobs then should keep their eye on the prize.
Fighting for what’s right is worth it.
Working for Hillary Clinton for a year and a half was the greatest privilege of my life. Giving up every aspect of my life to do whatever it took to try to stop Trump was worth every second, whatever the outcome. I’m a better person and a better strategist precisely because every one of the circumstances we faced was utterly unusual. An incredibly controversial candidate. The first woman. An unhinged, quadruple-bankrupted, callous, racist sexual predator on the other side. We made some bad decisions, but we made a lot more good ones.
If you’re a social strategist (or a writer, designer, or videographer) — work on a campaign. Don’t just tweet. We need you. Work on a 2018 race in your state to take back the House and cripple Trump’s agenda (as of this writing, we are in extraordinarily good shape to do just that). Work on a 2020 race to make the Democratic Party stronger and then, for the love of god, fire Trump. Social media will be one of the most important battlegrounds. Figure out your plan and fight. | {
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FILE PHOTO: The Daimler is seen during a press conference on the second press day of the Paris auto show, in Paris, France, October 3, 2018. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau/File Photo
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union's competition authority said on Wednesday it had approved the plan of German luxury carmakers Daimler DAIGn.DE and BMW BMWG.DE to combine their car-sharing businesses, subject to conditions.
Under the deal, which includes car-sharing units Car2Go and DriveNow as well as ride-hailing, parking and charging services, Daimler and BMW will each hold 50 percent stakes in a joint venture.
They have offered concessions to address EU antitrust concerns over the deal they hope would let them better compete with U.S. rival Uber and China’s Didi Chuxing.
The European Commission has found the deal would raise competition concerns for free-floating car sharing services in Berlin, Cologne, Duesseldorf, Hamburg, Munich and Vienna. It said Daimler and BMW agreed to a remedy package in the six cities.
“The commitments thus fully address the Commission’s concerns as they will reduce the barriers to entry for competing free-floating car sharing providers,” the Commission said in a statement.
“Therefore the Commission concluded that the proposed transaction, as modified by the commitments, would no longer raise competition concerns. The Commission’s decision is conditional upon full compliance with the commitments.” | {
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There has been an increasing focus in recent months on whether F1 is maximising its commercial opportunities and whether or not too much money is going out of the sport to owners CVC.
But, as F1 ponders the potential impact of either CVC selling, or Ecclestone's time at the top coming to an end, Dennis believes there is great opportunity in the future.
"I cannot see anyone buying into F1 with the view that they are going to lose money," explained Dennis. "They are going to buy into F1 because they think they can make more money.
"But the real test is not so much who owns F1, but who leads F1. And, of course, Bernie is a very hard to follow, no question.
"Whatever follows on from Bernie will be entirely different because there is only one of Bernie - with his style, his experience, his knowledge, his recall, and his ability to aggressively negotiate.
"No skill set like that is going to be matched by one individual, so the model will change."
Rollercoaster ride
Speaking about where he sees F1's revenue going, he said: "Do I believe the number will go up? My prediction is it will probably go down for a while, and go back up again.
"Where it can go is hard to comprehend, but look at the generation of money off of football in the UK, or some of the sports in America. There are sports generating a great deal more revenue."
Spectacle still good
Dennis believes that the long-term health of F1, and ability to attract more income, comes from the fact that he thinks the show is still delivering.
"F1 still, as a spectacle, is pretty good. And when you have had the level of dominance that Mercedes has enjoyed, and we have enjoyed in the past, people tend to say that is an awful F1.
"But still there is more overtaking and at least there is a competitiveness between the two Mercedes driver that formulates itself in media attention, not all positive, but it is there.
"So I do think F1 can generate more income. But that is not in any shape critical of Bernie or CVC. I just think it can have a greater income in the future." | {
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This article is reprinted, with permission, from Truthout.org.
This week, President Obama signed the 21st Century Cures Act, touting the bipartisan mental health measure as “bringing to reality the possibility of new breakthroughs to some of the greatest health-care challenges of our time.” However, the reality behind this legislation is not quite what it appears to be.
The 21st Century Cures Act will increase the ease with which individuals can be involuntarily hospitalized in a locked ward, increase funding for institutionalized settings, and demand that states implement forced outpatient treatment in order to receive funding. Many media reports are suggesting that it will fix a broken mental health system, incorporate patient voices into clinical processes, decrease mass violence and modernize clinical trials. But will it really? Here are seven reasons why Obama’s signing of the 21st Century Cures Act is less than grounds for celebration.
1. Sandy Hook and other tragedies will not be avoided by the measures contained in this bill. There is no debate at this point about the fact that individuals who are diagnosed with serious mental illness are more likely to be victims of crime than perpetrators. Further, they are rarely violent in the first place.
Yet, the “reform” this bill seeks was formulated largely in reaction to the tragic Sandy Hook killings in 2012. It is a product of the assumption that “mental illness” is responsible for mass acts of violence, and that the answer is more psychiatric treatment, often treatment of a coercive and restrictive nature.
However, the story that doesn’t get told is that the perpetrator of that mass shooting was in psychiatric treatment and on numerous psychiatric drugs at the time of the killing. In fact, almost half of all of those who’ve committed homicide were on their prescribed psychiatric drugs at the time of offense. Moreover, forced treatment is associated with increased violence, as are some of the drugs being touted as the answer. Yet, with this bill, forced hospitalization in locked wards becomes a go-to response for an individual who is in extreme emotional distress.
Why does anyone think that doing more of what was already being done is the answer?
2. The “reform” actually sets back many advances made in the 20th century. While hospitals may be a source of respite and healing for many, taking individuals by force and locking them away in the name of “help” is akin to prison and has been ruled inhumane by the United Nations.
How is it that the public has been led to believe that imprisoning individuals who have committed no crime, taking away their privacy and rights, and forcing them to ingest toxic and brain-damaging chemicals for the rest of their lives are advancements? We can all look back and shake our heads in disgrace at the thought of blood-letting, insulin comas and lobotomies. Who will be shaking their heads at us in the future?
The mental health system as a whole has spun a story asserting that if an individual disagrees with a psychiatrist’s framework or understanding, then this is evidence of that person’s disease. This is true even if the dissenting voice is another mental health professional.
The treatments being promoted by this bill are, in fact, associated with increased violence, increased negative attitudes from clinicians, and increased discriminatory attitudes among the public. In turn, this may lead to worse outcomes, poorer quality of life, decreased employment and increased self-hatred.
Despite this, many alternatives to mainstream mental health care have arisen throughout the world demonstrating superior outcomes, increased satisfaction and decreased overall costs to society. This bill ensures that no such programs, in their current form, will ever find their way to the United States.
3. It does not help people live in the community. The Cures Act excitedly references Assisted Outpatient Treatment and its ability to keep people in the community. However, what this treatment entails is holding individuals’ freedom and housing hostage unless they take their drugs and follow the rules. If they do not follow the rules, they may face forced hospitalization as a violation of their court order.
There is no evidence to support the conclusion that forced hospitalization actually decreases violence, aggression or re-hospitalization. It doesn’t. The results are mixed at best and largely are due to mandated efforts to keep people out of hospital, no matter their behavior or reactions.
In fact, this bill takes money away from more humanistic, community-based programs that allow for people to eventually work and function in society. These housing-first alternatives actually appear to be just as effective if not more so than Assisted Outpatient Treatment, without the coercion, loss of rights or force. People also tend to prefer these interventions.
4. No extra money is going towards helping people. In the Cures Act, money is being redistributed away from current programs, such as Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration programs, toward institutionalized settings and medical interventions. This might not be a problem if there was actual certainty of the medical nature of emotional distress, but there is not.
Money is also being taken away from peer support efforts, as these are deemed inessential and a waste of money. Peers, in the mental health system, are considered any individuals who use their own lived experiences with similar issues to support those in crisis. In other words, those who have been there help out those who are having difficulty finding their way. At the same time, the peer supports that are being funded are going to be transformed into some kind of clinical caricature, wherein peers must follow clinical guidelines established by medical doctors that, basically, amount to telling people to take their meds.
Peer support, which can be enormously helpful for many, is being corporatized and “manualized” to fit into the current psychiatric machine. The thing is, relationships don’t always require a manual. And sometimes, when a person has been through something and come out the other side, that person might actually have an idea or two on what could be helpful to someone else.
Imagine if Alcoholics Anonymous followed a strict manual and could no longer exist independent of corporations and institutions.
5. Effective treatment is not the focus of this bill. Congress has told the public a fairytale in suggesting that “early intervention” and faster “treatment” are innovative advancements being promoted by this bill. What these words actually mean is getting drugs to people immediately.
The bill ignores the fact that effective interventions that result in actual biological healing, decreased suffering, increased life satisfaction and decreased aggression tend to come in the form of healthy family relationships, psychotherapy and exercise. Drugs may play a significant role, particularly during times of crisis, but are not the only helpful tool, and they are certainly not a one-size-fits-all solution.
This bill explicitly takes money away from holistic and relationship-based interventions and shifts the money to the profiteering administration of drugs that are only clinically and functionally helpful for a fraction of patients. Even then, drugs are often helpful for short periods, after which the problems are sometimes made worse.
6. This bill is not based on the advocacy of users of mental health services. Many sources cite mental health advocates as a major force behind the development and passage of this bill. However, people with lived experiences of hospitalization, forced treatment and other interventions that will be increased under the provisions of the bill generally do not support this bill. Many have actively and vocally fought against this bill since its original inception in 2013.
The “advocates” described as supporting this bill are largely comprised of family members who are overwhelmed, desperate and motivated not to reflect on family dynamics as possible contributing factors to an individual’s emotional distress in the first place.
The organizations to which many of these so-called advocates belong (such as the National Alliance on Mental Illness) are largely funded by pharmaceutical companies. Pharmaceutical companies are by far the largest benefactors of this bill.
7. Pharmaceutical greed and conflicts of interest underlie everything about this bill. Bernie Sanders summed up quite nicely just how much the pharmaceutical companies (and in turn, Congress members who developed this bill) will stand to profit off such “reform.” Elizabeth Warren went further in describing how the bill and the mental health system have been “hijacked” by the pharmaceutical industry.
Currently, psychiatric drugs already get approved in part due to pharmaceutical companies’ suppression of information about dangerous effects, fatal outcomes, and lack of evidence of clinical efficacy. This bill will now make it even easier for the drugs to quickly come to market.
Snake oil, the infamous placebo that made many a salesman rich over 100 years ago, at least did not kill people.
The 21st Century Cures Act is an epic failure that will result in major profits for pharmaceutical companies and their representatives in Congress. It will increase the suffering of hundreds of thousands of individuals and strip away what little progress has been made in humanistic and holistic care of individuals in emotional distress.
Note: For more in-depth information on the science behind this bill see Regarding the Helping Families in Mental Health Act and The Campaign for Real Change in Mental Health Policy. | {
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Scientists have called for a wide-scale ban on the use of sonar to protect whale populations after a study highlighted a link between the military sound pulses and mass strandings in which dozens of the mammals have died.
Marine biologists have long warned that the creatures' senses could be damaged by sonar, with the unfamiliar noises coming from vessels confusing the animals.
Experts said the mammals often attempt to swim away from the sound source, leading them to become disorientated.
For deep-diving marine life such as the beaked whale, which was the focus of the study, sonar can lead the animals to ascend too rapidly, causing decompression sickness.
This in turn has contributed to an increase in the number of whales dying in mass stranding events.
Dead whales beached on the North Sea coast Show all 8 1 /8 Dead whales beached on the North Sea coast Dead whales beached on the North Sea coast Two dead sperm whales are seen washed up on a beach near Skegness in northeast England. Four sperm whales believed to be from the same pod washed up on beaches in northeast England. Three whales were found on a beach near Skegness and one died on Hunstanton beach AFP Getty Dead whales beached on the North Sea coast 50ft sperm whale beached in Norfolk The dead 50ft (14.5m) young adult male sperm whale beached in Norfolk, which was was part of a group of six spotted in the Wash at Hunstanton, is believed to have been part of a pod that stranded and died in the Netherlands PA Dead whales beached on the North Sea coast 50ft sperm whale beached in Norfolk The dead 50ft (14.5m) young adult male sperm whale beached in Norfolk, which was was part of a group of six spotted in the Wash at Hunstanton, is believed to have been part of a pod that stranded and died in the Netherlands PA Dead whales beached on the North Sea coast 50ft sperm whale beached in Norfolk The dead 50ft (14.5m) young adult male sperm whale beached in Norfolk, which was was part of a group of six spotted in the Wash at Hunstanton, is believed to have been part of a pod that stranded and died in the Netherlands PA Dead whales beached on the North Sea coast 50ft sperm whale beached in Norfolk The dead 50ft (14.5m) young adult male sperm whale beached in Norfolk, which was was part of a group of six spotted in the Wash at Hunstanton, is believed to have been part of a pod that stranded and died in the Netherlands PA Dead whales beached on the North Sea coast 50ft sperm whale beached in Norfolk Two of three dead sperm whales that have washed up on a beach in Lincolnshire, just a day after another was beached in Norfolk PA Dead whales beached on the North Sea coast One of three dead sperm whales that have washed up on a beach in Lincolnshire, just a day after another was beached in Norfolk PA Dead whales beached on the North Sea coast Photo taken from the Twitter feed of the @RNLIskegness of one of three dead sperm whales that have washed up on a beach in Lincolnshire, just a day after another was beached in Norfolk PA
Researchers at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria focused exclusively on beaked whales in the seas surrounding the Canary Islands.
They found that a sonar ban introduced there in 2004 had been effective in reducing whale strandings and called for more sites to be established to prevent further deaths, including in the Mediterranean, where beaked whales are listed as vulnerable.
“Animals may respond to stressful situations by exhibiting the ‘flight or fight response’ with increased heart and metabolic rates, often accompanied by fast movement away from the perceived stressor,” wrote the authors of the report, published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society journal. “We recommend a moratorium on mid-frequency active sonar in those regions where atypical mass stranding events continue.”
Beaked whales regularly dive deeper than one kilometre for longer than one hour, but when exposed to sonar they may dive for more than two hours to a depth of nearly three kilometres.
Peter Tyack, professor of marine animal biology at the University of St Andrews, said exposure to sonar "pushes some whales over the edge – some lose their ability to manage gases under pressure, causing gas bubbles that can injure or kill, and some strand on the beach and die".
He told The Independent: "Current policies are not protecting marine life in UK waters. We need better monitoring of sound in the ocean coupled with policies that reduce exposure of vulnerable species to tolerable limits."
Sonar was developed in the 1950s to detect submarines – and mass strandings of beaked whales were rare before this point.
But between 1960 and 2004 there were more than 100 mass strandings reported and the number of species affected by the pulses increased.
Dead whale washes up on Kent beach - in pictures Show all 4 1 /4 Dead whale washes up on Kent beach - in pictures Dead whale washes up on Kent beach - in pictures Marine experts investigate the mammal Gareth Fuller/PA Wire Dead whale washes up on Kent beach - in pictures The mammal is believed to be a minke whale measuring around 36ft-long (11m) Gareth Fuller/PA Wire Dead whale washes up on Kent beach - in pictures A man takes a picture at the scene where the whale washed up Gareth Fuller/PA Wire Dead whale washes up on Kent beach - in pictures Marine experts and members of the Coastguard stand beside the whale Gareth Fuller/PA Wire
In one case shortly before the Canary Islands ban, fourteen whales beached during a Nato drill involving sonar.
Strandings in 1985, 1988, 1989, 1991 and 2002 also coincided with naval exercises. As recently as last summer five whales died along the Irish coast in a suspected sonar-related incident.
found beaked whales not routinely exposed to sonar displayed the most extreme behavioural and physiological responses, while those inhabiting seas where sonar was routinely – or never – used were least affected.
The latest study's findings suggested that animals which had not become accustomed to the sonar sounds were even more at risk than those which experienced them frequently.
Sarah Dolman, policy manager at Whale and Dolphin Conservation who was not involved in the study, said the latest research confirmed that beaked whales were "very vulnerable" to military exercises.
She told The Independent: "We have seen the likely effects of military activities on our own shores, including with the recent mass stranding of more than 80 Cuvier’s beaked whales off Ireland and Scotland. Experts have said that this event may have been so devastating as to affect a whole beaked whale population, yet nothing has changed.
"We might lose beaked whales around the UK before we even understand them."
The United Nations and other international bodies have warned that sonar is a major threat to the animals.
Up to 145 Pilot Whales Dead in Mass Stranding on Stewart Island Beach in New Zealand
Previous studies have warned about the impact on the basic biological functions – such as feeding and mating functions – of whales and other marine life, including dolphins.
In 2008, the Ministry of Defence admitted that the Royal Navy had been conducting operations close to the Cornish coast where 26 dolphins had died, after having previously denied having any vessels in the area.
The MoD said it was “extremely unlikely” the animals died as a result of the sonar, but most-portems revealed they had no obvious signs of disease when they died after becoming trapped at four sites on the River Percuil.
Peter Evans, of the SeaWatch Foundation, told The Independent: "Beaked whales will always be vulnerable to behavioural disruption and physical damage from loud noises produced by navies using mid-frequency active sonar. The ban on military activities in local waters introduced around the Canary Islands goes some way to reducing the harm this can cause.
"However, there are many areas where naval manoeuvres occur that may not receive such protection. It is therefore important that well-monitored locations are used for such routine exercises and if beaked whales also occur there, that appropriate mitigation actions are applied."
Travis Park, fellow at the Natural History Museum, which runs a UK whale and dolphin stranding project, added: “Whilst I don’t think there will be a ‘one size fits all’ approach to reducing anthropogenic mass stranding events, this is certainly an approach that has merit given its success in reducing the number of these events in the Canary Islands. | {
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After four years of relentless legal effort, the state of Georgia has finally achieved its aim: it has executed an intellectually disabled prisoner in an apparent flagrant violation of the US constitution.
Warren Hill, who was aged 54 but who had the cognitive ability of a young boy, was pronounced dead at 7.55pm on Tuesday, having been administered a lethal injection. It was the culmination of an aggressive push by state authorities to kill him that has seen him served four death warrants in the past four years.
Hill had a lifelong recognised condition of intellectual disability, with his first recording of an abnormally low IQ made at the age of seven. All seven medical experts who saw him – including three appointed by the state itself – concluded that he was mentally impaired by a “preponderance of the evidence”.
Georgia, however, was not satisfied by that unanimous body of opinion, and required Hill to prove he was disabled “beyond a reasonable doubt” – a standard no other state in the union requires and which experts say is almost impossible to match.
Hill was put on death row for the murder of a fellow prison inmate, Joseph Handspike. He was originally sentenced to life for murdering his girlfriend Myra Wright in 1985.
Hill’s execution appears to be a clear breach of the US constitution. In 2002, the US supreme court ruled that it was unlawful to judicially kill an intellectually disabled person, under the Eighth Amendment prohibition of cruel and unusual punishment.
Then last year, in Hall v Florida, the high court made clear that death penalty states could not arbitrarily impose their own definitions of what constituted intellectual disability.
Yet earlier on Tuesday, the same supreme court refused to stay Hill’s execution. It did not explain its decision, with only the justices Sonia Sotomayor and Stephen Breyer dissenting.
Hill’s lawyer, Brian Kammer, who fought doggedly over many years to save his life, called the execution “a grostesque miscarriage of justice” and an “abomination”.
He said:“Georgia has been allowed to execute an unquestionably intellectually disabled man, in direct contravention of the supreme court’s clear precedent prohibiting such cruelty.”
He added: “The memory of Mr Hill’s illegal execution will live on as a moral stain on the people of this state and on the courts that allowed this to happen.” | {
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While Canada was celebrating National Indigenous Peoples Day last week, about 30 members of the Ojibway Nation of Saugeen met outside the locked gates of a half-built community centre to topple Chief Edward Machimity, who has gripped the reins of power in the small northern Ontario community for more than 30 years.
For the members who gathered last Friday, it was a pivotal moment in the short history of the band.
"We don't want another 30 years of dictatorship," said Desiree Jacko, 27, an on-reserve band member.
She is a registered early childhood educator, but says she can't get a job at the local school because of rampant nepotism in the community.
Around picnic tables outside the community centre, while the band's two-member police force watched from across the street, the members selected a new chief and four councillors — known as headmen — to lead the community for the first time in its history.
However, Machimity has refused to cede power. He and his inner circle issued a statement on June 23 claiming the "dissidents" elected themselves through an "unlawful" act.
The new chief and council responded with a statement through their lawyer, Rachael Paquette, saying the new political administration was chosen following the community's custom governance code.
'Lifetime chief'
Edward Machimity was first named chief when the band was created in 1985. Then, in 1997, when the band adopted its own custom governance code known as the "convention," he became chief potentially for life, subject only to a review of his leadership every 21 years.
Machimity and his immediate family control band services in the First Nation, which sits about 400 kilometres northwest of Thunder Bay and has an on-reserve population of about 84 people. They decide who gets a new house or renovations, who gets post-secondary education funding or who gets use of the medical van for appointments.
Many community members say Saugeen is controlled through fear, harassment and bullying.
Chief Edward Machimity shortly before the traditional gathering began last Thursday. Band administrator Violet Machimity, Edward Machimity's wife, stands behind him. (Jorge Barrera/CBC)
While the First Nation is governed by the federal Indian Act, band members can't turn to Ottawa for help. Indigenous Services Canada typically doesn't intervene in internal governance disputes for bands that operate under custom governance codes, preferring to leave it to members to sort out their issues.
There are 358 First Nations under custom governance codes across the country. Most have some form of electoral system to choose their leaders, but a handful of bands follow a hereditary system.
With no help expected from Ottawa, band members decided to act to change their leadership last week at a traditional gathering called by Machimity.
The traditional gathering was first announced at the end of January. The notice was circulated on Facebook and taped up at the post office in nearby Savant Lake, where some band members live. The notice said the 21-year review of Machimity's leadership would be held under the custom code convention and be overseen by Anishinaabe monitors.
But Machimity inflamed tensions in May when he issued a letter to the community announcing that his wife, Violet Machimity, would replace him as chief upon his death. The letter also stated that his son-in-law, Darrell Keesic, would take on an unspecified leadership position with the band once he left his role as police chief.
Machimity, who is in his 70s, also suggested that he believed his own death was approaching and that he was preparing for the "next step" of his journey. He has diabetes-related ailments and has spent time in hospital in Sioux Lookout this year.
The chief set the agenda for the two-day gathering. Day 1 was to be an information gathering session where band members could express their concerns. The band leadership was scheduled to respond to those concerns on Day 2, but there would be no opportunity to discuss the leadership question.
The traditional gathering featured no feasts, ceremonies or social events.
'This is a police tactic'
As the 10 a.m. start time approached last Thursday, band members who started arriving encountered police Chief Darrell Keesic, dressed in civilian clothes and blocking the gate of the community's $4-million recreation centre, which is still under construction.
He demanded band members sign their names in a booklet of blank sheets before they entered the building. The band members were outraged and suspected it was a trick.
Ojibway Nation of Saugeen police Chief Darrell Keesic, left, stands at the gates of the community centre next to Paul Machimity, centre, and Darlene Necan, right, who were pushing for a change in leadership. (Jorge Barrera/CBC)
"It's a blank piece of paper. They could turn around and give it to the federal government and say everybody voted for them," said John Machimity, the chief's brother.
Paul Machimity, whose father was one of the founders of the band and an original headman, told the crowd that Keesic was trying to trigger a conflict.
"This is a police tactic," he said.
Two members of the Ontario Provincial Police's Aboriginal liaison unit showed up in plain clothes, along with a uniformed officer. The gate was eventually opened and band members were allowed to go into the meeting without signing their names.
Saugeen members hold leadership review 2:17
The chief's side was outnumbered at the gathering. Of the roughly 40 people in attendance, about 30 of them wanted a change in their government. Only three people, Chief Machimity's son, Marvin, and his daughters, Norma and Rebecca, all adults, spoke directly in support of his leadership, according to video of the closed-door meeting that was shared with CBC News.
"I agree with the current leadership that is right in front of me. They've shown vision, they've shown respectability and honesty," Rebecca Machimity told the gathering.
"I will not follow any leadership that is full of hate, that uses threats and bullies."
The majority of speakers called for change or levelled various complaints and accusations against Chief Machimity, who sat in a wheelchair at the front of the room, his wife Violet to his right, John Sapay, a headman and his best friend, to his left. Eileen Keesic, another of the chief's daughters and a headman, sat next to Sapay.
Band members discuss the selection of a new chief and council. (Jorge Barrera/CBC)
At one point, John Machimity asked people to raise their hand if they didn't want Violet Machimity to become the next chief, prompting most hands in the room to go up.
Chief Machimity spoke only twice during the meeting, at the beginning and the end.
"I am the lifetime chief and I am determined to stay until I pass on," he said in his opening statement.
In his closing statement, he thanked the members for showing up but reiterated he wasn't going anywhere.
"When we started this meeting, we made a statement that there is no election ... it's just a review," he said.
"I'm lifetime chief."
Then he quoted from the Bible, closed the meeting with a prayer and cancelled the planned second day of the gathering.
He declined an interview with CBC News before the meeting. Violet Machimity threatened to call security when approached for comment after the meeting.
Like Queen Elizabeth
Chief Machimity's son, Marvin Machimity, who is the band's cultural director, compared his father to Queen Elizabeth. Like with the British Royal Family, he said, power in Saugeen passes through blood and birth.
"It's hereditary," he said.
"Otherwise, they could throw out the Queen whenever they choose."
He said the "dissident" side has distorted the truth of the community.
"They have no vision, no insight, no foresight, no intelligence," he said.
"All this is fabricated stories… They don't work. They're mostly on welfare."
Sandra Necan, right, signs her name rejecting the leadership of Edward Machimity. Linda Maggotte-Spade, far left, and Hilda DeRose look on. (Jorge Barrera/CBC)
The next day, on June 21, which happened to be National Indigenous Peoples Day, about 30 people gathered again outside the gate to the community centre, which was locked this time.
The band members took turns signing documents printed with Ojibway Nation of Saugeen letterhead. Below a column titled "no," they signed to indicate they did not support Darrell Keesic's future appointment, the appointment of Violet Machimity as the next chief and the continuing rule of Chief Machimity.
Below the column titled "yes," they signed in favour of the appointment of four new headmen — Betty Necan, Darlene Necan, Joyce Medicine and Ron Machimity.
Ron Machimity was also unanimously chosen as chief after three other band members — Darlene Necan, John Machimity and Joyce Medicine — declined their nominations. Desiree Jacko was unanimously chosen to take Ron Machimity's place as headman.
Ron Machimity shortly after he was selected by members as the new chief of the Ojibway Nation of Saugeen. (Jorge Barrera/CBC)
Ron Machimity's father, Gilbert Machimity, was one of the band's founders and original headmen. He died in 2000.
"Before he passed away he … told me if the old leadership didn't accept me as part of their government with his bloodline, he told me not to push the issue, that there would come a time when I would know when to step in and speak up," said Ron Machimity.
The chief-designate said he would be reaching out to Edward Machimity to discuss the transition in the coming days.
Daisy Maggotte, right, shakes Ron Machimity's hand after his selection as chief. (Jorge Barrera/CBC)
Betty Necan said she hoped this time Ottawa would recognize the change in government, which followed the custom governance code and was held on the second day of the planned traditional gathering.
"We'll see if they listen," she said.
She said she wants to work on changing the band's governance convention to get rid of the 21-year term.
A swearing-in ceremony for the new council is scheduled for July 6. | {
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Driverless cars are driving towards less problems. Mercedes, Audi, Ford and Google are all racing towards making driverless cars a finalized reality, with an estimation that they will be on our streets by 2017 and could help both social and industrial spectrum. They will be driven by computers and by 2025 it has been predicted they could be a global omnipresence.
HSBC stated that driverless cars will be a widespread invention that could revolutionize mobility for individuals. It will enable the elderly to drive, increase fuel efficiency and implement a zero accidents scheme.
The potential for a great reduction of accidents, will ultimately cut insurance costs. According to Eurostat statistics, the largest number of transport incidents happen on the road.
The scale of saving fuel will be huge. It will be more effective than public transport and the avoidance of traffic will not only save fuel, but speed up traffic.
The elderly will continue to travel and remain mobile, when they are no longer able to drive and inexperienced drivers, primarily the young, will not be secluded from driving because of “crippling initial insurance costs.”
However, there are some negatives of driveless cars for the transportation industry. Taxi and bus companies, railroads and short-journey airlines will feel a hit, which could damage them enough to become extinct. The driverless car will offer people more convenience and comfort, so that other options of transportation become outweighed and ignored.
Although driverless cars are ultimately driving for less problems, their focus is on a more universal magnitude. Hotels and other small-scale businesses could also feel the effects of the cars. Overnight travelling will become more available. Pit-stops will no longer be needed if people are able to sleep in their car, while it continues towards the anticipated destination.
Companies that will see a large positive correlation between products sold and the accumulation of driverless cars on the road, will be software sellers.
The top four in-car gadgets that everyone will want are: Starlight headlining (mood lighting), onboard computers, backseat and front-seat TV’s, and a great audio system.
Radio and recorded music businesses will also lose audiences in this futuristic world transporting to our future. Highway speed limits will be raised when the driverless car proves that it can implement a zero accident plan and reduce travel times.
Reports have stated that the driverless cars, although a novelty, is not to be seen as just a toy and that the social and economic implications are enormous. The estimation for the autonomous cars contribution to savings, could amount to $1.3 trillion in the U.S economy alone, with global savings reaching above $5.6 trillion.
The car computerization is set to prove its efficiency. Volvo have proclaimed they will introduce 100 driverless cars on to public roads in 2017, as part of the world’s first large-scale autonomous driving pilot. However, it has been said that Mercedes are currently in the lead with manufacturing autonomous cars.
Driverless cars, although they seem preposterous, are driving towards a future with less problems. With fuel reserves running out daily, fuel efficiency will be one of the main benefits; and with the amount of deaths caused each year by road accidents, limiting this to a number of zero, will also be highly beneficial. Although some may suffer, the greater good that could come from driverless cars has the potential to be huge.
By Melissa McDoald
Opinion/Commenatry
Source
Inauto
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Ukraine Articles, Russia Articles, EU Articles
B/C 300
Ukraine In Jewry’s Crosshairs
By Brother Nathanael Kapner February 4, 2014 © Support The Brother Nathanael Foundation!
Or Send Your Contribution To:
The Brother Nathanael Foundation, PO Box 547, Priest River ID 83856
E-mail: [email protected]
___________________________________
NOW THAT TED CRUZ
has become a libertarian clone
of Jew owned McCain with regard to Ukraine, a sober analysis of events in that country is sorely needed.
The anti-Russian sentiment vis-a-vis Ukrainian unrest reaches all the way to getting the “Jewish vote” in 2016.
That’s what Cruz is after with his anti-Ukraine-government statement: “Putin’s proposed Eurasian Union of which Ukraine would be a cornerstone is an attempt to create a Greater Russia that once made up the Soviet Union.”
Just what the Jews love to hear! Keep painting Putin with a red brush and you’re sure to win an offer from fat cat Jew Sheldon Adelson.
But remember Teddy…as your ship cruises into Tel Aviv’s harbor…Christ’s warning that gaining the whole world (groveling for Jewish votes) leads to a very bad end.
However, with Cruz’ call to address Ukraine’s “abandonment” of democratic principles and its (correct) rejection of an EU bailout in favor of closer ties with Russia, get ready for further pernicious advances of Jew - enabled democracy in action.
No matter how you cut it, Ukraine was facing the overwhelming need for a $15 billion bailout either from the IMF or Russia. Ukraine went with Russia’s better deal.
To get a grip on it all, a brain-jog in poli-sci is needed.
Unlike the US two party system, Europe has multiple parties organizing, morphing, reinventing themselves, forming coalitions, dissolving themselves only to be resurrected, forming new alliances, and constantly changing names.
In Ukraine, an opposition bloc of allied parties with different ideologies is amalgamating against the reportedly corrupt government of the Yanukovych family .
The bloc is named “Maidan,” memed from the locus of Ukrainian independence movements, “Maidan Nezalezhnosti,” the name of Independence Square in the capital Kiev, the scene of violent protest demonstrations.
The new bloc with ongoing rivalries has no clear leader:
• Vitali Klitschko: Boxing champion who leads the Jewish-funded Adenauer/German-backed liberal “Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reform party (UDAR).
Although hailed as a Ukrainian “patriot,” Klitschko has been living in Germany for the past 14 years. Yet the Jew-ruled West is hyping him as the bloc’s spokesman.
• Oleg Tyahnybok: Fierce nationalist who leads the ultra-nationalist All-Ukrainian Union “Svoboda” party, (”Freedom”). Originally the Social-National Party of Ukraine, in 2004 Tyahnybok cleaned up its brand image from its original Neo-Nazi roots and changed its symbols.
The party is aligned with Nick Griffin’s British National Party and Le Pen’s French National Front.
• Arseny Yatsenyuk: Lawyer, economist who leads the center-right All Ukrainian Union “Fatherland” (”Batkivshchyna”) party.
PUTIN WINS—JEWMERICA LOSES
WHILE THE PROTESTS are plainly not spontaneous…with Klitschko flying in from Germany for photo-ops…a pretext for a mass staging of the rent-a-mobs was provided when Yanukovych tabled the “Association Agreement” with the EU.
The agreement was to be an “association” and not an “accession” to EU membership. The EU forbids Ukraine membership so long as non-EU military bases are on its territory.
Knowing this, Putin sealed the 2010-to-2042 “Ukraine Deal Of The Century” when renewing the lease of his Russian Black Sea Fleet’s port in Sevastopol, Ukraine.
The aim of the Jew-run US State Department by its shills Kerry and Jew Nuland is to install a Zio-puppet in Kiev as Ukrainian president who will break the Russian lease.
By doing so, Jewry would deny Russia’s strategic warm water port with access to the Mediterranean; would remove Ukraine’s obstacle to EU membership; AND would acquire the privilege of a NATO occupation of Ukraine.
It’s a resuscitation of Jewry’s ‘Syria opposition strategy,’ reincarnated from its ‘Libya opposition strategy,’ revived from its ‘Iraq opposition strategy,’ ad infinitum.
Jewry’s game plan didn’t work out so hot in those countries so they’re hoping for better luck in Ukraine.
But Putin is too smart for Jew-ruined America.
Already, many organizations in the Crimea are planning “secession” from Kiev and forming a federated republic under the Russian flag.
Calling their republic, “Malorossiya,” (”Little Russia”), otherwise proposed as “Federal State Ruthenia,” Putin will have access to Ukraine’s agricultural breadbasket and the lion’s share of industries that drive the Ukrainian economy.
No matter who the Jews install as their puppet in Kiev, Putin keeps his port in Sevastopol and acquires the Crimean “cornerstone” of his Eurasian Union with the best of Ukraine’s economy as an ipso facto member.
PUTIN IS way ahead of the greedy Jews. He’s not releasing his crucial $15 billion bailout until a new Ukrainian government is formed.
Let them have Western Ukraine if that’s what Jewry wants. Putin gets the best of the Ukraine and the Jews get a divided, chaotic, and weak economy in Kiev.
Bravo Vladimir! You foiled the Jews once again!
___________________________________
Support The Brother Nathanael Foundation!
Or Send Your Contribution To:
The Brother Nathanael Foundation, PO Box 547, Priest River ID 83856
E-mail: [email protected]
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Bottos will soon offer great opportunities to support the development of Artificial Intelligence, with the most important step being the data and model marketplace. Thanks to the underlying blockchain infrastructure and other tools like smart contracts, users will be able to monetize their efforts to produce, clean and, ultimately, sell their data safely and conveniently. Bottos will be the great companion to everyone involved in the development of AI models and programs.
AI Project Development
Karen is a computer scientist that has a great care for her grandmother, who is increasingly getting fragile and in need of assistance. While driving, Karen comes up with an interesting idea about an image and speech recognition system that, with the right development, may help seniors live longer in their own houses, autonomously, without moving to a retirement house and limiting the employment of costly nursing services.
The excitement to see her own grandmother having a more comfortable life in her lifelong house makes Karen to take on the idea and build on it. She spends several months touring around her community and talking to other fellow computer scientists about her plans, finally putting together a team of five people who soon ends up sharing the same enthusiasm for the project.
Together, they figure what data is needed in order to build an algorithm as much efficient as possible, meeting their very first obstacle.
The data market is fierce and highly costing, especially if the aim is to acquire high quality data, mostly aggregated in the few hands of big tech companies who usually charge extremely high prices, if they are willing to in first place.
One day right after dinner Karen, almost hopeless because of the appalling data price tags in the market – and its low quality, lazily scroll around on her Twitter feed until, suddenly, get sight of someone’s retweet about Bottos and its decentralized data market. Karen gets a chill from her back and feels the excitement taking over: finally, a cost effective, innovative solution has come by to let her and her team to proceed with their project.
Karen spends some time getting to know the Bottos AI ecosystem and, together with her team, they start again considering the best way to proceed. They will need high quality data to train their algorithm to master speech and image recognition through machine learning. Furthermore, they realize that getting the data will only be the first step to overcome, with pressing issues like data tagging, data storage and the computational power needed to run their algorithm. Despite so, Karen keeps on exploring Bottos and gladly discover that all they need is available right there, with the opportunity to even monetize their creation and keeping trace of further development.
Karen and her team decide to publish two main requests on Bottos, one asking for the exact data they need and another asking for collaborators. In the meanwhile they start setting up and testing the computational power provided by Bottos and dig out in the model market to see whether something suitable to their case already exists.
After two days, Karen comes up with a list of offers for the data collection task and decide which one to pick, giving start to the data gathering phase. After around a week, the team receive the first bunch of raw data safely stored on the platform and quickly distribute it to other users that will take care of cleaning and tagging it, at a fair price. The process of receiving and distributing data is smoothly regulated by smart contracts that take care of each transaction automatically and based on the Bottos blockchain infrastructure.
At this point, Karen’s team has already prepared the kitchen pantry for the long hours of work ahead to check on the algorithm and feed it with all the data needed, tackling possible issues that may undoubtedly arise. The cleaned and tagged data arrives as stipulated and Karen immediately start the phase of training the AI algorithm, though in the meanwhile she decides to keep the data open and available on the data marketplace in order to further monetize it and to give the opportunity to someone else to use it for other scopes.
Karen’s team spend days and nights feeding and adjusting their model that runs on Bottos systems, finally obtaining a perfectly functioning, highly effective AI capable to correctly recognize people’s requests and environmental sounds and at the same time able to correctly recognize and analyze any single person’s face trait for hints about their health.
After months of hard work and emotion rollercoasters, Karen’s team proudly present their creation publicly and immediately start building a minimum viable product around it to be commercialized. At this point though, Karen takes a swift look back to see how many obstacles still exists in the artificial intelligence field that are practically preventing it to advance faster and takes an important decision: make their model available on the Bottos marketplace so that other developers and researchers can use it to make their own ideas become tangible. This way she not only keeps track of who uses it, for what purposes and what modifications are made, but she can also actively monetize it and generate another income inflow from it. Even more importantly, the development of other models and the push for innovation will be accelerated at a tenfold rate, thus making the approach of a new technological era closer.
Everything will be possible thanks to the Bottos blockchain based AI ecosystem and all its universe of services that includes data and models marketplace, distributed computing services, smart storage system and cutting edge security and transaction technologies. Besides all, Bottos believes in bringing blockchain and AI to everyone, in the most democratized way, in order to support worldwide technological innovation that may provide a better life to everyone. | {
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Kevin Pietersen has thrown a metaphorical hand grenade into England's dressing room ahead of Thursday's third Magellan Ashes Test – openly questioning Alastair Cook's future and accusing the tourists of looking "scared" whenever they face Australia's bowling attack.
Pietersen, sacked after England were whitewashed on their last Ashes tour in 2013-14, also criticised captain Joe Root's failure to lead from the front with the bat during the first two Tests and hinted at possible disharmony within the current set-up.
QUICK SINGLE England hit by new discipline controversy
However, it is Pietersen's scathing verdict on Cook, England's all-time leading Test runscorer and century-maker, that was most striking.
The third match of this series at the WACA, starting on Thursday, will be Cook's 150th Test appearance.
However, referencing comments from former Australia captain Ricky Ponting before the series began that Cook would struggle after giving up the captaincy earlier this year, Pietersen says his former team-mate, who has scored 62 runs across four innings in this Ashes so far, looks like he has lost interest in playing.
The South Africa-born batsmen said: "I don't know if he can turn things around. Ponting talked about it before the series saying he's going to find it very difficult after getting rid of the captaincy to get himself up and turn it around.
Cook's tour gets off to horror start
"Ponting's been through it, he's done it all before. He's played 168 Test matches and he calls things pretty accurately and pretty well and it looks like Cook is not very interested.
"Just the way that he's got out, the manner of his dismissals and also the way he's walked off the field once he's got out. That's the sign of a bloke who goes, 'You know what, maybe my time is up'.
"He might be able to put up a performance in his 150th Test match. He's got a Test hundred at the WACA before. But who knows?
Cook becomes first victim of Ashes summer
"That fire burns in your belly for a number of years and then eventually it starts to go out. I had spotted it before the series and there's certainly no signs at the moment to prove there's any fire in Cook's belly."
Pietersen, who averaged 45.76 in 15 away Ashes Tests, also accused England's batsmen of being timid and looking scared against Australia's pace attack of Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazelwood.
Steve Smith's analysis of Alastair Cook
Speaking on behalf of UK Ashes broadcaster BT Sport, Pietersen said: "There's no drive, there's no real determination to say, 'Well, these Australian bowlers are not bowling 100 miles an hour'.
"They're not bowling at a speed they haven't faced throughout their careers. One or two balls have been 150kph but they're in the 140s, which isn't something that people haven't faced before.
"So to me it looks like the England batters are making out that this Australian bowling attack in their head is some of the fastest they've ever faced, is the scariest bowling they've ever faced and it looks like they're just very nervous when they go out to bat.
Sizzling Starc ends England, collects five-fer
"It's frustrating as a commentator because I want to see somebody try to get on top of the Australian bowlers. That's what I did in my career. I was like, 'The quicker you come, the quicker you're going to go'. And even if I didn't feel good on occasions I made it look like I felt good because that's what you need to do in Australia.
"You need to get on top of them and you need to show them that you're not scared and you're not worried and there's no-one in that England side at the moment that doesn't look scared. And that's my issue, that's the concern."
There were also harsh words for Root, who has failed to convert two half-centuries so far in this Ashes series and was upstaged by a brilliant hundred from opposite number Steve Smith in the opening Test at the Gabba.
Skipper Smith's sublime Ashes century
"Joe Root hasn't set the world on fire at all, absolutely not by any stretch of the imagination," said Pietersen. "So it's not as if we're going to blame everyone else. You need to lead from the front in Australia."
Asked about whether this England team look like they will also be beaten 5-0, Pietersen said: "There are signs with the way that the guys capitulated on the last day of the last two Test matches that, unless they really start well in Perth, then it could happen.
"But this Australian side isn't as good as some of the Australian sides England have played in Australia.
"I don't know how the team operate and I don't know [coach] Trevor Bayliss. We fell apart [in 2013-14], there was just a strained relationship in our dressing-room from the coach downwards. That played a big, big role in what happened.
QUICK SINGLE Bayliss fumes at latest alcohol-fuelled incident
"But I think Bayliss seems very relaxed and chilled and so does Root at the start of his captaincy career.
"I have heard there are rumours that a couple of people didn't want to bowl first in Adelaide [after Root won the toss and did just that]. If a couple of people didn't want to bowl and Root's made that decision and they've lost, yeah there are certain factions that can happen in dressing-rooms when that happens.
"We'll just have to wait and see. I think Perth is going to be a fascinating Test match – to see if the wheels are going to come off or not."
2017-18 International Fixtures
Magellan Ashes Series
Australia Test squad: Steve Smith (c), David Warner (vc), Cameron Bancroft, Usman Khawaja, Peter Handscomb, Shaun Marsh, Mitchell Marsh, Tim Paine (wk), Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood, Jackson Bird.
England Test squad: Joe Root (c), James Anderson (vc), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Jake Ball, Gary Ballance, Stuart Broad, Alastair Cook, Mason Crane, Tom Curran, Ben Foakes, Dawid Malan, Craig Overton, Ben Stokes, Mark Stoneman, James Vince, Chris Woakes.
First Test Australia won by 10 wickets. Scorecard
Second Test Australia won by 120 runs (Day-Night). Scorecard
Third Test WACA Ground, December 14-18. Tickets
Fourth Test MCG, December 26-30. Tickets
Fifth Test SCG, January 4-8 (Pink Test). Tickets
Gillette ODI Series v England
First ODI MCG, January 14. Tickets
Second ODI Gabba, January 19. Tickets
Third ODI SCG, January 21. Tickets
Fourth ODI Adelaide Oval, January 26. Tickets
Fifth ODI Perth Stadium, January 28. Tickets
Prime Minister's XI
PM's XI v England Manuka Oval, February 2. Tickets
Gillette T20 trans-Tasman Tri-Series
First T20I Australia v NZ, SCG, February 3. Tickets
Second T20I – Australia v England, Blundstone Arena, February 7. Tickets
Third T20I – Australia v England, MCG, February 10. Tickets
Fourth T20I – NZ v England, Wellington, February 14
Fifth T20I – NZ v Australia, Eden Park, February 16
Sixth T20I – NZ v England, Seddon Park, February 18
Final – TBC, Eden Park, February 21 | {
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