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KABUL (Reuters) - A new TV channel dedicated to women is set to begin broadcasting in Afghanistan, the first of its kind in a country whose media industry, like many areas of society, remains dominated by men.
Zan TV (“Women’s TV”) launches on Sunday with a staff of all female presenters and producers, following a high-profile marketing campaign on billboards in Kabul and on social media.
Female newsreaders appear regularly on many Afghan channels, but an entire station for women is a novelty. Its arrival highlights the fact that behind the daily stories of violence, change is taking place in Afghanistan, even if it is often slow and patchy.
“I am so happy that this TV station has been created for women because there are women in our society who are not aware of their rights,” said 20-year-old Khatira Ahmadi, a producer at the station.
“So this station represents women and we work to raise the voice of women so they can defend their rights,” she said.
Women’s rights and education as well as media freedom are often cited by the government and foreign aid organizations as among the biggest achievements in the country since the Taliban was toppled in 2001.
Still, Afghanistan is one of the most difficult places in the world for women in the media, and in a poor and war-ravaged country -- with a crowded TV landscape of around 40 stations -- there is no guarantee of success.
Slideshow ( 11 images )
Media entrepreneur Hamid Samar, the founder of Zan TV, said he was banking on potentially large female audiences in big cities like Kabul who are hungry for news and discussion that reflect their own experiences.
“There has been a lot of talk about women’s rights and media rights,” he said. “But we’ve never seen anything special for women and that’s why we’ve done this.”
Zan TV runs on a shoestring using low-cost digital technology and operating out of a basic studio in Kabul, focusing on talk shows along with some programs on health and music.
It relies heavily on a team of mainly young women, many of them students. Youth and enthusiasm make up for what it lacks in experience.
Around 16 male technicians work behind the scenes in areas like graphics, camera operation and editing, as well as teaching female colleagues who have little access to media training.
Some of the female staff like Ahmadi have had to cope with disapproving family members or even brush aside threats in order to pursue their media careers.
But for Ahmadi, among the few staff members with prior television experience, giving a new generation of women a chance to work in media is a major benefit of the station.
“I came to share my experience with colleagues here and I am really happy working along with the other girls,” she said. | {
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Holed up in his digs, snacking on pizza and fizzy drink, Chris Moorman’s Friday nights were a solitary affair... but, boy, were they profitable.
While his mates were out on the town, Chris was playing online poker.
He had learned Texas Hold ’Em at uni and earned £50,000 while still a 21-year-old student.
A year down the line – and with his mum thinking he was stacking shelves – the winnings were mounting. And mounting.
In six months Chris amassed £100,000. Ten years on and he is the world’s top online poker player with a £13million fortune.
He once even left a casino with a million euros in his rucksack.
Not bad, considering he never finished his economics degree.
The Essex lad is now 32, has a base in Las Vegas, a gorgeous wife he met at the poker tables – and a passion for luxury holidays.
Chris was raised in Basildon by NHS worker mum Sonya and credit controller dad Simon.
He went to the University of Essex, then lived in Brighton with pals. And he chuckles as he tells how he kept his gambling secret, saying: “Mum would have gone mad. I was starting to win online but covered my tracks by saying I had a job in a supermarket.”
And when he finally came clean, Sonya feared for him.
Chris explains: “She had only seen poker in the movies and was worried someone was going to shoot me or something. She’d cut out job ads and include notes saying, ‘For when you’ve grown out of this phase’.”
But Chris never did. He won more than a million in prize pots at Cannes in 2011 and LA in 2014. But he has also lost £50,000 in just one day.
He goes on: “Winnings gradually increased over the years. It would have been nice to have a huge win early on but at the same time it kept me more level-headed.
“When I came second at Cannes, it was a bit surreal to win so much. There was another tournament in Italy, so I got a taxi over the border with €1million in my backpack. That was scary.
"The money was easy to carry because euros come in 500 notes. I wouldn’t do it again but, luckily, I got away with it.”
Chris played poker seven days a week in the early days. Meeting Katie – then a poker agent – helped achieve some balance in his life. They enjoyed a dream wedding in Los Angeles in 2015.
His prize pot to date includes more than £10million from online and £3million at live events.
But it took a while to master face-to-face poker. He says: “I didn’t make my first final table for four years, even though I was ranked No1 online.
“I was giving away information with my face, I didn’t feel 100 per cent comfortable. But I built my confidence and have been pretty consistent since 2011.”
Despite his wealth, Chris says he leads a relatively modest lifestyle. He doesn’t drive and isn’t interested in designer clothes.
While based in Vegas with Katie, 35, he spends most of the time on the road – often renting pads on Airbnb. Holidays are his main passion.
He adds: “I once chartered a helicopter with a fellow poker player and our girlfriends to Catalina Island, off California, where we rented an 80-person catamaran just for four of us.
“Then there was cage diving with great white sharks in South Africa, paragliding off a mountain in New Zealand, scuba diving in the Maldives and watching Andy Murray in the Australian Open tennis final.”
Chris is proud of his UK roots and – despite tough memories of being bullied at school – regularly returns home to Essex.
He is mainly pals with his fellow players, who hail from around the globe.
In June, Chris won the World Series Of Poker Gold Bracelet at Las Vegas’s Rio Hotel And Casino. He won 500,000 dollars – around £375,000.
And he grins: “I felt on top of the world. I’d been trying to win it for 11 years so it was a great feeling. I’d worked so hard to get there and all my friends were watching, cheering me on.”
Chris, 888poker’s British ambassador, will head home this week to play the 888Live Festival London at Aspers Casino in East London. The prize pot totals £650,000.
He is also launching his autobiography Moorman: The Inside Story Of The Most Successful Online Poker Player Of All Time at the event.
Chris tells how his passion for poker even rubbed off on dad Simon and paid big dividends back in 2009.
The poker nut arranged for Simon to play an event with him in Manchester – and his dad scooped £88,000. “I’d been professional for a couple of years so he’d started getting into it too,” says Chris.
“I bought him into the tournament for his birthday present.
“There were 500 players, a lot of professionals, and he won the whole thing.
“I’d done 40 or 50 of these events at the time and hadn’t won anything in them, so he was giving me a bit of stick!” | {
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Hunting is one of the lesser explained elements in Red Dead Redemption 2, but by the bottom of this guide, you’ll know your longhorns from your pronghorns.
Getting good/poor pelts to sell is okay. But for crafting, only perfect pelts will do. Pearson and the Trapper aren’t interested in anything lesser.
First we’ll cover the actual hunt, then which weapons and ammo to use and how to craft them, and finally we’ll get into the legendary animals.
Hunting in Red Dead Redemption 2
The game does a decent job of showing you how to use Eagle Eye (press down both thumbsticks) to see trails of animals you can follow. So let’s assume you’ve looked at the map, gone towards the icon of your target animal, and found it.
We’ll cover studying the animal below. But when it comes time to shoot it, you need to use Dead Eye. It’s a game changer.
It doesn’t matter if you sneak up on the animal, snipe it, or chase it on horseback — we do all of the above. Press Left Trigger, then press down on the Right Thumbstick, and your Dead Eye will slow-mo everything. After Dead Eye is levelled up to rank four, it’ll start showing you the weak points of animals, which is essential for getting perfect pelts.
It’s possible to learn these weak points through other means. Early on, you’re told head/neck shots on deer will do the trick. But for other animals, the sweet spot is quite small and hard to hit — especially when the animal is sprinting. Look at the teeny tiny spot on this fox needed to get a perfect pelt:
There are three kinds of hit: fatal, critical, and normal. Normal hits ruin the pelt. Hitting the red zones during Dead Eye should score you a fatal or critical hit. If it’s fatal, the animal dies instantly. If it’s critical (or if you’re using poison arrows), you may have to follow your prey until it collapses.
Those are the right steps mid-hunt — but you won’t start seeing those perfect pelts, skins, and hides until you make the right preparations before you take the shot.
Know Your Prey
There’s a foolproof way to know exactly how to hunt each animal: study them. You can sneak up on them and hold RB, or it’s not too hard to hold RB while chasing them on horseback. But there’s an easier way: use the binoculars. Zoom in on the animal and you’re able to study from afar.
Once done, it’ll tell you which weapon and ammo to use to get a perfect pelt, or hide, or skin. It’ll also tell you the quality of the animal; anything less than a pristine, three-star animal and you’ll have no chance of getting a perfect pelt. Studying is the difference between preying and praying.
If you don’t want to bother with all that, we’ve simplified the official chart below that shows which weapons and ammo you can use to get those perfect pelts, skins, and hides.
The observant will spot that the sniper rifle can give you perfect pelts on medium, large, and massive animals. For “moderate” animals, only the Varmint Rifle will work. For small animals like snakes, only a bow with a small game arrow will get you a perfect result.
From medium-sized animals and up, only a critical or fatal hit will get you the perfect pelt you need. With all of the above, don’t use explosive ammo or you’ll ruin the pelt. Never use a pistol, revolver, or shotgun to hunt. Shotguns only have one niche case with massive animals in which slug ammo can still get you a perfect hide.
If you really wanted to, you could set out with just a varmint rifle and a bow, since critical hits with poison arrows work on medium-sized animals and up. Just be aware that you can’t eat the meat after using a poison arrow.
The sniper rifle also works well on all medium-sized animals and up, and a bit of distance can make the job easy. The descriptions of some animals get even more specific sometimes, requesting long-scoped rifles instead of just a normal sniper.
The ‘Rope a Doe’ Method
If you like the close quarters approach, it’s possible to ride up alongside some animals and lasso them. This method of hunting causes the least damage possible to the pelt.
You’ll have a heck of a hard time sneaking up on the more wary species, and this may be one of those rare times when it’s worth busting out the scent cover.
Rope the animal the same way you would a human you’re about to hogtie. When you dismount and work your way up towards the animal, you’ll be given the option to kill it cleanly.
Upgrading Good Pelts to Perfect
You want an even easier way, you say?
If you hunt the Legendary Buck, you can head over to the Fence and spend $22 make the Buck Antler Trinket, which has the following description:
Player receives higher quality skinned animal parts.
That’s right — a “good” quality pelt, skin, or hide, can effectively just be rounded up to “perfect.” You’ll still have to shoot carefully, so put the dynamite away (for now). But for an earnest attempt at hitting the bullseye, it can be enough to turn a good pelt into a perfect one.
It should be noted this has nowhere near a 100% success rate. Like many games, while a three-star rating system is displayed, it’s entirely likely there’s a numerical rating system under the hood that we don’t get to see. Perhaps the trinket only provides so much of a boost.
You’ll find the Legendary Buck in the mountains northwest of Strawberry. See below for more details on hunting legendary animals.
What Size is My Animal?
Small animals such as snakes, squirrels, songbirds, sparrows, chipmunks, toads, bats, rats, ravens, robins, roosters, blue jays, boobies, cardinals, carolina chickens, crows, ducks, gulls, loons, orioles, parrots, parakeets, pheasants, pigeons, quail, waxwings, woodpeckers, and bullfrogs will be killed by one hit from anything. But only a small game arrow will preserve their skins and pelts perfectly.
Moderate animals include rabbits, jackrabbits, raccoons, skunks, muskrats, iguanas, gila monsters, armadillos, condors, cormorants, cranes, eagles, egrets, geese, hawks, herons, owls, pelicans, possums, spoonbills, turkeys, vultures, and badgers. The only way to get a perfect skin or pelt from these is to use the varmint rifle. Any shot should be fatal, though we’ve had to chase an injured rabbit before.
Medium-sized animals are where it starts to get tougher. These are your beavers, coyotes, pigs, and foxes. Arrows and throwing knives (normal or poison) are suitable, as well as repeaters, rifles, and sniper rifles.
Large animals are where repeaters stop working. These are small alligators, boars, bucks, cougars, deer, big horn rams, panthers, goats, wolves, sheep, turtles, pronghorns, and peccaries. Arrows (normal or poison), throwing knives (only poison), rifles, and sniper rifles will do the trick.
Massive animals include alligators, bears, bison, bulls, cows, moose, elk, and oxen. With this class of animal, the skin/pelt/hide alone will take up your rear horse storage. Improved or poison arrows, poison throwing knives, rifles, and sniper rifles will get you a clean kill. It’s also possible with massive animals to use slug ammo in a shotgun.
Crafting For the Hunt
Setting out to hunt, you should be stocked up on the following, or plan to grab them in the field:
Poison arrows
Small game arrows
Improved arrows
You’ll find the recipe for poison arrows at the Fence for $58. You’ll also find the crafting recipe for dynamite arrows there for $85, and, well… You’ll see below why you might want that.
We haven’t found it necessary to use scent cover, or predator/herbivore bait. But if you find it helpful, go for it. After acquiring the recipe from the Fence, you can craft predator bait with fish meat and berries.
Crafting different kinds of arrows requires flight feathers. You can shoot most birds for this. Pop them right out of the sky if you need, then take a knee and craft as many small game/improved arrows as you can.
In addition to flight feathers, poison arrows require Oleander Sage. This plant has tall, five-petal pink flowers, and grows on the riverbanks around Bayou Nwa.
Doing a quick lap for some Oleander Sage is a quick ride from Saint Denis and has some decent hunting along the way. While you’re picking plants you’ll find plenty of alligators to hunt, as well as boar and other animals.
Hunting Legendary Animals
The Legendary Animals challenge tasks you with hunting five legendary animals, but there are a lot more. Almost every type of animal has a legendary version.
All except for the cows. We guess that would be too legen – wait for it – dairy.
The good news is these are actually easier to hunt, in terms of pelt quality. It doesn’t matter what you do, that pelt will always be a legendary pelt. Incendiary/explosive shotgun shells? Go for it. Dynamite arrows? Sure.
These play out like a world-based quest, similar to when Hosea took you looking for that legendary bear. You’ll get the following notification when you’re in the right area:
You have entered Legendary Animal Territory. Hunt this Legendary Animal by finding and inspecting clues.
Use your Eagle Eye to find clues and investigate. After your second or third clue, you should be able to find the legendary animal nearby. Depending on the animal, you’ll have to either stalk or fight.
Taking the materials gained to the Fence will allow you to buy the trinkets associated with that legendary animal. They all have their own effects. Taking the pelt to the Trapper will give you access to new clothes and gear upgrades.
Legendary Animal Troubleshooting
Occasionally you’ll enter the area and see the following message instead:
You have entered Legendary Animal Territory, but there is too much activity in the area to track the animal.
This means there’s a side activity blocking your hunt. It could be a stranger calling out for help, or it could be lawmen chasing someone nearby. Sometimes you can camp, sleep for a few hours, and resume. Other times you’ll have to swiftly conclude whatever tangential intrigue RDR2 is drawing your attention to.
If there’s a natural predator to your legendary animal in the vicinity, you’ll have to remove that killjoy before you can hunt. The legendary animal didn’t get legendary by sticking around when there are hungry predators loose.
In the case of the Legendary Giaguaro Panther, level nine in the hunting challenge is required before it’ll appear. Once these things are complete, you should be able to see the first clue with Eagle Eye.
How to Sell and Craft With Legendary Animal Materials
If you’re like us, you carried around your first legendary animal carcass across the whole map until you died with it on your shoulder, looking for a place to get rid of it. Pearson won’t take it, the Fence won’t buy it, and the Trapper isn’t interested. For a legendary beast, it’s not too popular.
Fear not! RDR2 does have a “storage” system of sorts. Donating materials to Pearson, or selling them to the Trapper, actually just makes them hold onto it for a while until you’re ready to craft with them.
It’s counterintuitive — the idea of selling a legendary pelt or skin to the Trapper, only to buy it back in the form of clothing? It’s odd, but that’s what you do.
Selling the legendary animal materials gets you about $50, which is very nice. We’ve had some fun with exploding legendary animals with dynamite arrows, and it makes the fight as easy as aim & shoot. But dynamite unfortunately sometimes renders the legendary animal unskinnable, which means you miss out on that minor payday.
Thankfully, you can’t “lose” the pelts and materials. Just visit the Trapper/Fence and they’ll have what you need. There’s only one of each legendary animal, so Red Dead Redemption 2 has done us a solid and made sure you can’t die and miss out on one-of-a-kind gear.
Trinket and Talisman Effects
While the Trapper will deck you out with clothing made from the pelts, hides, and skins, the Fence will make trinkets and talismans out of the claws, teeth, and other trophies you pull. Sometimes these will also require rare collectibles in the world, as well as standard jewellery like a silver earring.
Trinkets only require the legendary trophy. Talismans will require other unique items from the world.
Here’s what the Fence can make for you:
Beaver Tooth Trinket : Permanently slows degradation of all weapons by 10%.
: Permanently slows degradation of all weapons by 10%. Buck Antler Trinket : Player receives higher quality skinned animal parts.
: Player receives higher quality skinned animal parts. Cougar Fan Trinket : Permanently increases your stamina experience bonus by 10%.
: Permanently increases your stamina experience bonus by 10%. Coyote Fan Trinket : Permanently increases your Dead Eye experience bonus by 10%.
: Permanently increases your Dead Eye experience bonus by 10%. Elk Antler Trinket : Permanently increases the value of your looted money by 10%.
: Permanently increases the value of your looted money by 10%. Fox Claw Trinket : Permanently increases the time Eagle Eye can stay active by five seconds.
: Permanently increases the time Eagle Eye can stay active by five seconds. Lion’s Paw Trinket : Permanently increases your stamina experience bonus by 10%.
: Permanently increases your stamina experience bonus by 10%. Moose Antler Trinket : Permanently increases your health experience bonus by 10%.
: Permanently increases your health experience bonus by 10%. Panther’s Eye Trinket : Permanently decreases the speed at which the Dead Eye bar drains by 10% for three seconds.
: Permanently decreases the speed at which the Dead Eye bar drains by 10% for three seconds. Pronghorn Horn Trinket : Stops animals on horseback from spoiling.
: Stops animals on horseback from spoiling. Ram Horn Trinket : Picking Creeping Thyme, Oregano, and Wild Mint yields 2x more herbs.
: Picking Creeping Thyme, Oregano, and Wild Mint yields 2x more herbs. Wolf Heart Trinket : Consume 2x more alcohol before feeling negative effects of being drunk.
: Consume 2x more alcohol before feeling negative effects of being drunk. Tatanka Bison Horn Trinket : Permanently decreases the amount of melee damage received by 10%.
: Permanently decreases the amount of melee damage received by 10%. Alligator Tooth Talisman : Requires the Legendary Alligator Tooth, a gold jointed bracelet, and a set of Vintage Civil War Handcuffs. Permanently decreases the speed at which your Dead Eye core drains by 10%.
: Requires the Legendary Alligator Tooth, a gold jointed bracelet, and a set of Vintage Civil War Handcuffs. Permanently decreases the speed at which your Dead Eye core drains by 10%. Bear Claw Talisman : Requires the Legendary Bear Claw, a silver chain bracelet, and one Quartz Chunk. Permanently decreases the speed at which your health core drains by 10%.
: Requires the Legendary Bear Claw, a silver chain bracelet, and one Quartz Chunk. Permanently decreases the speed at which your health core drains by 10%. Boar Tusk Talisman : Requires a Legendary Boar Tusk, a gold earring, and one Cobalt Petrified Wood. Permanently decreases the speed at which horse health and stamina cores drain by 10%.
: Requires a Legendary Boar Tusk, a gold earring, and one Cobalt Petrified Wood. Permanently decreases the speed at which horse health and stamina cores drain by 10%. Bison Horn Talisman : Requires a Legendary Bison Horn, one silver earring, and one Abalone Shell Fragment. Permanently decreases the speed that the stamina core drains by 10%.
: Requires a Legendary Bison Horn, one silver earring, and one Abalone Shell Fragment. Permanently decreases the speed that the stamina core drains by 10%. Raven Claw Talisman: Requiring one Old Brass Compass, this permanently slows degradation of all weapons by 20%.
Happy hunting, friends. When in doubt, study the animal to see if there are any special requirements that’ll make your life easier. Select the right tools and then Eagle Eye to track, Dead Eye to shoot. You’ll be taking those perfect pelts home in no time. | {
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What to Know Jets owner Woody Johnson is the new U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom
Johnson donated $1 million for President Trump's inauguration
Johnson has owned the New York Jets football team since 2000
The Senate has confirmed New York Jets owner Woody Johnson to be the U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom and former Texas GOP Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison to be ambassador to NATO.
The votes came as the Senate cleared the deck of dozens of nominees as it recessed for August.
Johnson raised money for Trump's presidential campaign and donated $1 million to Trump's inaugural committee. He is chairman and CEO of The Johnson Co., a private asset management firm in New York. He has owned the National Football League team since 2000.
Hutchison served in the Senate for 20 years, retiring in 2013.
Trump has been a critic of NATO, saying its members should devote greater resources to their militaries. | {
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After every break up, one person always ends up better off than the other. Apparently, Generic Kung-Fu Superhero Sidekick is Simon and Kickman is Garfunkel.
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（ＣＮＮ） シリア北部アレッポで昨年、がれきの中から救出された場面の映像が注目を集めた少年、オムラン・ダクニシュ君がこのほど、再びメディアに登場した。今度はアサド政権側の報道機関が撮影した映像で、父モハメドさんがインタビューに答えている。
オムラン君は昨年８月、政権側の空爆が続いていたアレッポ東部の反政府派地域で、自宅のがれきの下敷きになっていたところを救出された。ほこりと血にまみれ、救急車の中でぼう然と座る姿がインターネット上で大きな話題になった。
６日に放映された映像では髪をきれいに整え、元気そうな姿で国営メディアの取材に応じている。アサド政権を支援するレバノン、ロシア、イランの放送局がインタビューに加わり、それぞれの国でこの模様を放送した。映像はさらに、ネットを通じて世界各地に拡散している。
モハメドさんはロシア政府系通信社とのインタビューで昨年の出来事を振り返り、反体制派のグループや外国メディアが政治的目的のためにオムラン君の画像を利用したと主張している。
「息子が軽傷でよかった。政権軍がこの地域を奪還してくれてよかった。私たち家族も今は自宅に戻り、とても良い暮らしをしている」と語った。
アサド政権は情報統制が厳しいことで知られる。反体制派のジャーナリスト、ムサ・オマル氏はこのインタビュー映像について、モハメドさんは政権側から圧力を受け、指示通りの発言をさせられているとの見方を示した。
当時のアレッポからの情報によると、オムラン君の自宅は政権軍かロシア軍の空爆を受けたとみられていた。オムラン君は救助ボランティア組織「シリア民間防衛隊（通称・ホワイトヘルメッツ）」のチームに救出され、病院へ運ばれたがまもなく帰された。この空爆で数人が死亡し、女性や子どもを含む多数の負傷者が出たとされる。１０歳だったオムラン君の兄も亡くなった。 | {
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Abstract According to Tymoczko, ‘[t]ranslations are inevitably partial…This partiality is not merely a defect, a lack, or an absence in a translationit is also an aspect that makes the act of translation partisan: engaged and committed, either implicitly or explicitly’ (2000, p.24). This view is well supported by the alterations that occur in the Chinese translated text of Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials (19952000).
n this paper, I will examine how the notions of genderlessness and formlessness of Guan Yin (觀音), the popular Buddhist prophet, are implicitly fused into the Chinese version of Pullman’s work. First, the paper starts by giving an introduction to the Buddhist notions of gender. The genderlessness and formlessness of Guan Yin will be looked into, and a comparison between Guan Yin and Pullman’s invention, i.e. the daemons, will be made with reference to Judith Butler’s notion of performativity. Next, by using illustrative examples, I will demonstrate how Wang Jing, the Chinese translator, introduces Guan Yin’s genderlessness through various translation strategies, such as the creative translation of pronouns, the ellipsis of pronouns, and other translation skills that bring in Buddhist views of gender. 1. Introduction: Background of Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials and its Chinese Translation As a text begins to be interpreted and translated, its original ideology, values and norms will be shifted, diminished or lost, and new ideas might be added. Among notable children’s books in recent years, Philip Pullman’s trilogy, His Dark Materials (19952000) is considered one of the most prominent. The last volume, The Amber Spyglass, published in 2000, won numerous prestigious prizes, including the Whitbread Book of the Year prize in January 2002 (the first children’s book to receive the award). In 2003, the series took the third place in the BBC’s Big Read Poll. Later on in 2005, Pullman was also announced as joint winner of the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award for children’s literature (‘His Dark Materials’ in Wikipedia, 2008). The novel was then made into a motion picture. The first episode was shown in cinemas worldwide in December 2007. One of the most fascinating elements of Pullman’s trilogy is the invention of daemons. Daemons, as described in the trilogy, are the visible and tangible animal counterparts of human souls. As Squires notes, daemons “reflect the character of their human, but also…can act as a restraint, setting up an externalized internal dialogue.” (2003: 25) From a feminist perspective, one notable feature of Pullman’s daemons is that the appearances of children’s daemons change, while adults’ daemons remain only in one animal form. The different animal forms manifested by children’s daemons can be read as the multiple, fluid expressions of the ‘Self’. When a daemon gradually stops changing and remains in one form, it indicates that the person may have fixated in one identity expression and have it solidified in the unchanging appearance of his/her daemon. The fluid form of children’s daemons becomes more interesting as Wong Jing, the award-winning and professional children’s books translator, translated Pullman’s books into Chinese. In the Chinese version, the translator implicitly adds the idea of form transformation and genderlessness of Guan Yin, the Buddha of Compassion (Li: 2006), who is well-known for the supernatural power of taking on any gender and form to expound Buddhist faith (Xing: 1999). With the objective of investigating how engaged translation may alter the meaning conveyed in the original text, this paper examines the notions of genderlessness and formlessness of Guan Yin that are fused into the Chinese translated text of Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials. I will look into the representations of Pullman’s daemons in the Chinese translation of His Dark Materials. . . The translation strategies that Huang Jing, the Chinese translator uses to introduce Guan Yin’s genderlessness will be analyzed and discussed. However, before starting the comparative study of the source text and the target text, in the following, I will give an introduction to the Buddhist notions of gender, as well as the fluid physical and gender forms of Guan Yin.
2. Buddhist Notions of Gender Buddhism today is well-known for its humanistic elements such as tolerance and equality (Barua, 2008). However, the notion of equality between men and women developed only when religion entered the Chinese culture (Xu and Huang 2006). According to Shi (2005),, early Buddhist scriptures are not only full of negative associations of women, but also misogynist sentiments. Women’s status used to be so low that often they were compared to inferior life forms such as beasts and demons. In “the Tale of King Udayana of Vatsa” in Maharatnakuta Sutra, it is claimed that: Women can ruin the precepts of purity. They can also ignore honor and virtue…As the filth and decay of a dead dog or dead snake are burned away, so all men should burn filth and detest evil. The dead snake and dog are detestable, but women are even more detestable than they are (Paul (trans.) 1979: 2750; Sponberg 1992: 21). Moreover, Buddhists believed that women were not qualified to become a Buddha because of their sins and impurity; men who want to become a Buddha should avoid contact with women. In The Cullavagga, women are described as “cunning, tricky thieves, stay with them and you can’t see the truth).” (取巧多智的賊，和她們同在一塊兒，真理就很難找得着) (Li, 2001: 311). Similarly, in The Law Code of Manu (1871 - 1941), the most authoritative and the best-known legal text of ancient Indiamen, men are warned of the evil nature of women: Seducing men and leading them to the fall are the nature of women…on earth, women can tempt not only the foolish ones, but also gentlemen to stray away from the right path, making them become the slaves of love and flesh. 誘使男子墮落是婦女的天性，……因為在人世間，婦女不但可以使愚者，而且也可以使賢者悖離正道，使之成為愛情和肉欲的俘虜 (1980: 50)。 It was believed that women, trapped by their evil nature, are not capable of reaching the state of Nirvana. To reach Nirvana and become a Buddhist, a woman must work hard and do good deeds in her life. Then, in her next life, she will have a chance to become a man, who can then follow the right path and start his journey to Nirvana (Shi, 2005: 156).
3. Guan Yin, the Genderless Buddha of Compassion The biased view in Buddhist belief changed as changes in the representations of Guan Yin took place. Xing (1999) points out that in Avatamsaka Sutra of the Huayan School, Guan Yin was portrayed as “a brave, courageous man” (勇猛丈夫) in the second century B.C. However, as Buddhism became popular with Chinese believers in the eighth to tenth centuries B.C., Guan Yin has almost always appeared in the form of a charming lady. What is interesting is that Guan Yin today may look like a female, but is in fact “非男非女” (neither male nor female); at the same time, “亦男亦女” (both male and female) (Jiang, 2006: 247). This Buddhist prophet is believed to have the wisdom of seeing through the superficial surface of gender and form. Freed from the restrictions of gender, Guan Yin can take on any gender and physical form to save beings from suffering and ignorance. The following is a description of the formlessness of Guan Yin by Li Ao (2001), a renowned Chinese writer and scholar in Taiwan: Guan Yin has no form of his / her own. The manifestation of Guan Yin occurs in the corporeal forms of everything and everybody. Hence, Guan Yin is not male or female. Guan Yin is also both male and female. Guan Yin can be male or female. When he wants to become a man, he’s a man. When she wants to become a woman, she’s a woman. Besides having the ability to transform interchangeably as a male or a female anytime, anyplace, Guan Yin can also take the form of birds, animals, and beings of any kind, including the form of a green dragon, a white tiger, even you and me. 觀音是無形的，他要靠「現眾身」 在大眾身上顯現來表示自己。所以不男不女、亦男亦女、可男可女、要男就男、要女就女。不但如此男女自如、雌雄隨意，他還可以化為飛禽走獸、化為青龍白虎、化為你和我。(2001: 97) What is remarkable is that unlike the incorporeal Holy Spirit in common Christian belief, Guan Yin’s fluid forms are corporeal and tangible. This feature is clearly demonstrated in the legend of “Guan Yin with the fish basket” in the Tang Dynasty, where it is said that Guan Yin transformed into a beautiful maiden who sold fish in the countryside. Interestingly, Guan Yin is portrayed as the sexual object of desire in the story. Moreover, special attention is paid to the early death of the maiden, her dead body, and its subsequent miraculous transformation... Below is a retelling written by Bagyalakshimi, an Indian scholar (1998), Just as the marriage ceremony was to commence the girl took ill and died. Soon after the burial an old priest visited Ma Lang and requested him to dig up the grave. The coffin contained only pieces of golden bones. The old priest said that the girl was a manifestation of Guanyin who had come to lead people to salvation. After saying this the old man too vanished. From then on the people of the district became Guanyin devotees. It is impressive to see how Guan Yin, with a body of flesh and bone, can rise above the corporeal level. Through Guan Yin, the corporeal form and gender are understood as ‘empty forms’. Buddhist believers are expected to try the best they can to learn how to see beyond the corporeal form (including gender) and perceive it as ever-changing, so that they will be free from stubbornness, and finally overcome all suffering and calamity.
4. Pullman’s Daemons in the Chinese Version: Guan Yin Incarnate? On reading the one and only one Chinese version of Pullman’s His Dark Materials, I find that on the level of story plot, the translator has made an effort to be loyal to the source text. Yet, ideological alterations mostly occur subtly on the level of discourse. Implicitly, the translator engages in importing Guan Yin’s notions of genderlessness into the translated text in the descriptions of daemons. Next, I will examine how the Chinese translator manipulates the source text to make it carry the Buddhist gender notions as manifested in Guan Yin.
4.1. Inherent ‘Guan Yin’ Nature in Pullman’s Daemons Magnified In Pullman’s His Dark Materials (19952000), there are several parallel universes co-existing. In the world of Lyra Belacqua, the female protagonist, all humans possess a body, a daemon/soul, a ghost and a death. While the body is capable of sensing the world around it, the daemon/soul is the part capable of loving the world around it. The ghost, on the other hand, is for learning about the world. When a person dies, his/her daemon fades away, whereas his/her ghost lives on, and a death will lead the ghost to the underworld. While the idea of personal daemons is derived from Greek and Roman philosophy (Levison 1995), a similar saying about humans can be found in Chinese culture. As Xu (2005), a scholar who studies Chinese mythology and philosophy recounts: Humans consist of three kinds of yun [ghosts] and seven types of pa [spirits], together with the body, a being with wisdom and life is formed…the seven types of pa are happiness, anger, sadness, fear, love, hatred and desires. Yun [ghost] is metaphysical in nature but pa [spirit] belongs to the physical world. Hence, when a person dies, his / her three ghosts continue their way [to heaven, underworld and the grave], but his / her seven spirits follow the flesh and dissipate. 人類本來就有三魂七魄形成一個有智慧活動的肉體…七魄有：喜、怒、哀、懼、愛、惡、慾。三魂在於精神中；七魄在於物質。所以人身去世，三魂歸三線路，七魄歸肉體消失。 (79) Comparing Pullman’s inventions with the traditional Chinese myth, the similarity between ‘ghost’ and yun, as well as ‘daemon’ and pa becomes apparent. The Chinese translator may well borrow the equivalent terms yun (魂) andpa (魄) when translating for the terms ‘ghost’ and ‘daemon’ respectively. However, in the translated text, only yun (魂) is used for ‘ghost’. Pa (魄) is discarded and a new term “守護精靈” (guardian creature) is invented for ‘daemon’ instead. The question at issue is: why does the translator use”守護精靈” (guardian creature), a term that does not originate in the source text? Before the discussion, we may first consider the translation theorist, Gouanvic’s idea of habitus, or the set of socially constructed, acquired patterns of thought, behaviour and taste: If a translator imposes a rhythm upon the text, a lexicon or a syntax that does not originate in the source text and thus substitutes his or her voice for that of the author, this is essentially not a conscious strategic choice but an effect of his or her specific habitus, as acquired in the target literary field (2005: 158). Judging from a single example, it is hard to say whether the variation in the translated text is due to the effect of the translator’s specific habitus. Nonetheless, the translation of daemons as “守護精靈” (guardian creature) instead of pa (魄) has, in Gouanvic’s words, ‘imposed a rhythm upon the lexicon”. Semantically, there are two differences between”守護精靈” (guardian creature) and pa (魄): firstly, there is the idea of ‘guardian’ added in”守護精靈” (guardian creature). Secondly, compared to pa (魄), which refers to the seven spirits, the lexicon “精靈” (creature) has less to do with the spiritual but more with a solid, corporeal body of flesh and bones. In the source text, daemons play different roles, such as parent, friend, pet, and protector at different times. The role of being a protector is only one of many. However, in the target text, with the additional meaning of ‘guardian’, it is made explicit to the Chinese readers that the role of daemons, like that of Guan Yin, is to protect humans from harm and danger. The role of the protector is emphasized. As for the use of the more corporeal term “精靈” (creature) instead of pa (魄), the translator prevents the readers from associating daemons with intangible spirits or emotions, as pa (魄) would suggest. Using “守護精靈” (guardian creature) can help readers to perceive daemons as living, physical beings with thoughts, mind, and a physical body. The form and shape changing of daemons, in this sense, is understood to be the same as that of Guan Yin, where dramatic, obvious changes happen to the creature’s body and its physical appearance.
4.2. Genderlessness of Guan Yin Enhanced in the Translated Text Besides magnifying the inherent ‘Guan Yin’ nature in Pullman’s daemons, the Chinese translator has also added elements that do not belong to the daemons in the source text. Comparing Guan Yin with the daemons, it is not difficult to notice that daemons are not exactly the same as Guan Yin the Buddhist prophet. First of all, daemons’ formlessness is subject to more constraints when compared with that of Guan Yin. While Guan Yin can take the form of a human or an animal, daemons can only take the form of an animal. In addition, when a person grows into an adult, the animal form of the daemon will be fixed forever. Secondly, while Guan Yin does not have a fixed sex or gender identity, the biological sex of daemons in Pullman’s work is fixed. They are either male or female, and they are almost always of the opposite sex to their human counterparts. For instance, Pantalaimon (Pan), Lyra’s daemon, is male. No matter how many different forms it takes on, it always remains male. In the source text of the trilogy, Pullman uses pronouns such as he, him and his to refer to Pan. Similarly, the male protagonist’s daemon, Kirjava, is female. Pronouns like she, her and hers are used in the source text to refer to this daemon. 4.2.1 . Genderlessness Imported through Inconsistent Translation of the Pronoun ‘it’ Interestingly, in the Chinese version, this may not be the case all the time. Although on the whole, it is made clear to the Chinese readers that daemons do have fixed sex, in the target text, alterations in the use of pronouns occur several times. Before analyzing the inconsistent use of pronouns in the TT, we can briefly look at the features of the five different third person singular pronouns that commonly occur in Chinese language: 祂 : Similar to it , gender-neutral, refers to a celestial / divine being only
, gender-neutral, refers to a celestial / divine being only 他 : Equivalent to he , refers to male only
, refers to male only 她 : Equivalent to she , refers to female only
, refers to female only 牠 : Similar to it , gender-neutral, refers to an animal or a beast only
, gender-neutral, refers to an animal or a beast only 它 : Similar to it, gender-neutral, refers to non-living object only For some reasons, occasionally in the target text, different pronouns like 他 (He), 它 (It that refers to lifeless objects; gender unspecified) and 牠 (It that refers to animals; gender unspecified), which suggest different gender identities and life forms, are used to refer to the same daemon. In these cases, the Chinese text seems to have made use of the sophisticated system of third person singular pronouns in the Chinese language. Skillfully and subtly, daemons in the target text are provided with a further freedom of formlessness and genderlessness similar to that of Guan Yin, which is different from that suggested in the source text. The following is an example that illustrates my pointin chapter one of The Subtle Knife (1997), the pronoun it is used to refer to Pan: It leapt into her arms, and when it got there, it had changed shape. Now it was a red-brown stoat with a cream throat and belly, and it glared at him as ferociously as the girl herself. (21. My emphasis) It is understandable why Pullman chooses to use it instead of he to refer to Pan in this case. The narrative suggests that Will sees Pan, a daemon for the first time in his life. In Will’s eyes, Pan is an animal and he cannot tell whether it is male or female. In the Chinese version, the translator faithfully translates ‘it’ as 牠, a gender-neutral pronoun that refers to animals only: It jumped into her arms and changed its shape immediately. Now it was a red-brown stoat with a cream throat and belly. It stared at him ferociously, just as the girl stared at him. 牠 跳入她懷裡，迅速变換形狀。現在 牠 是隻紅棕色的鼬，有著奶油色的喉嚨和肚皮， 牠 兇狠注視他的模樣，和女孩如出一轍。(Wang Jing (trans.) 2002: 37. My emphasis.) The pronoun “牠”can no doubt be viewed as an equivalent term for it, the gender-neutral pronoun for living animals. However, a few pages later, the it pronoun in the source text is translated as yet another Chinese pronoun in the translated text. In the source text, Lyra says, “Your daemon en’t separate from you. It’s you. A part of you.” (1997: 26. My emphasis). In the translated text, it is translated as “你的精靈並非和你分開。 它就是你，是你的一部分。” (Wang Jing (trans.) 2002: 43. My emphasis) Here, the Chinese pronoun becomes 它, which can only be used to describe non-living objects. The daemons are not only referred to as genderless, they are also represented as lifeless. At this point, a Chinese reader might wonder: why is the daemon sometimes an animal and sometimes an object? What is the gender of the daemon? The inconsistent use of pronouns causes confusion. There is even more confusion when the translator uses the pronoun ‘he’ (他) to refer to the daemon later on in the passage, “He has already noticed…” (‘ 他已經注意到…’) (Wang Jing (trans.), 2002: 83. My emphasis). The inconsistent translation of the pronoun it provides the daemon with more room for form transformation. Instead of being a male animal, Pan is represented sometimes as a non-living object, sometimes an animal with no specific gender, and sometimes a male. 4.2.2 . Gender ‘Hidden’ through Ellipsis of Pronouns What is also interesting in chapter one of The Subtle Knife (1997) is that Wang Jing, the Chinese translator, seems to have the inclination to avoid and delay telling readers explicitly the true gender of Pan. In the source text, as Will comes to realize that Pan is a daemon with the opposite sex of Lyra, the narrative gradually employs pronouns such as he, his and him to refer to Pan, replacing the gender-neutral it. For example, on page 23 of The Subtle Knife (1997), “Her daemon had changed again, and become a huge brightly-coloured butterfly…The butterfly raised and lowered his wings slowly” (My emphasis). Similarly, on page 24, “Her daemon, a cat again, was dipping his paw in it too, but he backed away when Will came near” (My emphasis). Yet, in the translated text, Pan remains genderless for a much longer period of time. Most of the masculine pronouns used to refer to Pan are avoided. This is done either by using ellipsis, or by insisting on the use of “牠”，the gender-neutral pronoun that refers only to animals. On page 39 of the translated text, the translator uses ellipsis to keep the daemon’s gender hidden: Source text: “The butterfly raised and lowered his wings” (1997: 23) Target text: “蝴蝶緩緩舉翅又落下”(Wang Jing (trans.), 2002: 39) Back translation: “The butterfly slowly raised [ellipsis] wings and then lowered them” Also, on page 40: Source text: “Her daemon, a cat again, was dipping his paw in it too, but he backed away when Will came near” (1997:24) Target text: “她的精靈此時又變回了猫，也將掌子伸入碗內，但威爾一靠近， 牠就立刻退後。” (Wang Jing (trans.), 2002: 40. My emphasis) Back translation: “Her daemon changed back to a cat, dipped [ellipsis] paw into the bowl, but when Will came near, it (the gender-neutral pronoun for animals) backed away”. As shown in the examples given above, time and again, the translator refuses to mention and reveal the gender of Pan. At the risk of being considered unfaithful to the source text, the translator stretches the language and style presented in the translated text and keeps the gender-free notion as much as it can be.
4.3. Daemons’ F orm-fixing I nterpreted and T ranslated as a L amentable L oss Besides magnifying and importing Guan Yin’s genderlessness and formlessness in the daemons, the translator also seems to have taken special attention and concern when Lyra’s and Will’s daemons settled into a fixed form and lose their power of form changing. In the last book of Pullman’s trilogy, Lyra and Will, the two main characters touch each other’s daemon lovingly and intimately with their bare hands. The ecstatic feelings experienced by the boy and the girl are written in detail. At about the same time, the readers are told that the forms of the daemons of both Lyra and Will will not change anymore: And she knew too that neither daemon would change now, having felt a lover’s hand on them. These were their shapes for life: they would want no other (2000: 528). The moment of intimate physical liaison, together with the form fixation of the children’s daemons, can be seen as a symbol of maturity and self-identity formation. On the other hand, it is also a farewell to childhood and the fluidity of forms, a rare quality owned only by children’s daemons. On the loss of the daemons’ free forms, Lyra realizes that it is a loss but she accepts Pan’s fixed form as a pine-marten: “It’s funny,” she said, “you remember when we were younger and I didn’t want you to stop changing at all…Well, I wouldn’t mind so much now. Not if you stay like this.” (2000: 527). Pullman also asserts that neither Lyra, Will, nor their daemons would need or want the freedom and ability to change their daemons’ forms anymore, “they would want no other” (2000: 528). In a sense, childhood, innocence, and the changing forms of daemons are represented as a phase which will have to be relinquished and accepted in life. In the Chinese version, however, the sadness of the loss of fluidity in the daemons’ forms is exaggerated. The expression “neither daemon would change now” is translated as “他們的精靈再也無法改變了” (Wang Jing (trans.) 2002: 577), which, when translated back into English, means “their daemons can no longer change by any means”. This translation implies that the inability to change forms is not just a turn in life, but an undesirable, yet unavoidable consequence of coming of age, if not a punishment. Also, while “they would want no other” (2000: 528) reflects a serene, peaceful state of mind, in the Chinese version, it becomes “他們也不要別的模樣” (Wang Jing (trans.) 2002: 577), which bears the meaning of “they refuse to take on other forms”. In the source text, the word “want” can be read as a lack, desire or need. “Want no other”, in this light, is a bliss because it means nothing is lacked. However, in the translated text, the line “they refuse to take on other forms” shows a hint of stubbornness, antagonism and resistance. Such interesting alterations will be well explained if we look at how the ability of changing one’s form is normally perceived in Chinese and Buddhists. Buddhist believers suggest that there are numerous realms in the universe. Humans and all living beings on Earth belong to the Realm of Desire. Above the physical realm, there exists the Realm of Form, where beings have outward appearances but no desires. Then, above the Realm of Form, there is also the Realm of Formlessness, the highest of all realms (Sadakata, 1997). Celestial beings such as ‘Guan Yin’ belonging to this realm are said to be free from the limitations of the senses and the physical realm. They have no forms or desires. The state of formlessness, therefore, is superior to the state of a fixed form. It is a perfect reflection of the Buddhist belief, which is written in one of the most important texts in Buddhism, The Great Heart Sutra –“舍利子，色不異空，空不異色，色即是空，空即是色，受想行識亦復如是。” In English, this means: Sariputra, form is no different from emptiness; emptiness is no different from form. Form is emptiness; emptiness is form. Feeling, thought, activity, consciousness are also thus (Wong (trans.) 2002: 323324). Simply put, The Great Heart Sutra preaches us that forms such as gender are not ordained by nature. They can be changed according to your will, if only you have the wisdom and allow the changes to occur. Meanwhile, the freedom to escape from the constraints of the senses, form and shape is recognized as a divine gift. It is one step closer to Nirvana, i.e. a condition or place where the being is free from the endless cycle of reincarnation and suffering. On the contrary, losing such a freedom would be like taking a step down. The notion of free self-expression and performativity has long been perceived with a positive light, as well as happily embraced by Chinese readers. Thus, it is understandable why the Chinese translator uses a lamenting tone when the children’s daemons are ‘stuck’ in one form.
5. Conclusion Translation, according to André Lefevere (1992) and Jiri Levy (2000), is not done in a vacuum. It is an important form of rewriting and a decision process influenced by certain linguistic, ideological and poetic factors. As a text begins to be interpreted and translated, its original ideology, values and norms will be shifted, diminished or lost, and new ideas might be added. This view, as I attempted to argue, is supported by the transformation that occurs in the Chinese translated text of Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials (19952000). In the Chinese translation of Pullman’s trilogy, the notion of gender performativity is not only well-preserved, but also made explicit when the translator blends in Buddhist ideas of gender. The ‘genderlessness’ and formlessness of the Buddhist prophet, ‘Guan Yin’, are borrowed to enhance the notion of gender performativity in the source text. Through translation strategies such as the creative translation of pronouns, the ellipsis of pronouns, and the addition of a lamenting tone over the settled form of daemons, the Buddhist views of gender are added and introduced to create a fusion effect in the target text.
Bibliography Bagyalakshimi. The Creation of Goddess of Mercy, from Avloketesvara. Across the Himalayan Gap: An Indian Quest for Understanding China. In Tan Chung (ed.), New Delhi: Gyan Publishing House. <http://ignca.nic.in/ks_41.htm>. (Accessed on 25 Nov 2011). Barua, Sukomai. Buddhism and Humanism: a Reflection. The Buddhist Channel. < www.buddhistchannel.tv> (Accessed on 25 Nov 2011). Gouanvic, Jean-Marc. “A Bourdieusian Theory of Translation, or the Coincidence of Practical Instances:Field, ‘Habitus, Capital and Illusio’”, in Moira Inghillieri (ed.), Bourdieu and the Sociology of Translation and Interpreting. Manchester: St. Jerome, 2005. Jian, Zhon-Xin. X. 姜忠信.《觀音尊像圖譜》。北京：宗教文化出版社, 2006. The Law Code of Manu. 《摩奴法典》選朗善譯，馬香雪轉譯。香港：商務印書局, 1980. Lefevere, André. Translation, Rewriting and the Manipulation of Literary Fame. London, New York: Routledge, 1992. Levison, John. “The Prophetic Spirit as an Angel According to Philo”. The Harvard Theological Review, Vol.88, no.2 (April) 189-207. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1995. Levy, Jiri. “Translation as Decision Process”. Lawrence Venuti (ed.), The Translation Studies Reader. London; New York: Routledge, 2000. Li, Ao. 上山、上山、愛. Taiwan: Li Ao Press, 2001. Li, Li-an. “The Sinicization of Guan Yin Belief” in 山東大學學報，p. 62-68, 2006. Paul, Diana. Women in Buddhism. Berkeley: Asian Humanities Press, 1979. Pullman, Philip. The Amber Spyglass. London: Scholastic Press, 2000, 2001. . Northern Lights. London: Scholastic Press, 1995, 2001. . The Subtle Knife. London: Scholastic Press, 1997, 2001. 普曼，菲力普。譯者王晶。黃金羅盤（ 上下冊）(The Golden Compass) 。台灣：繆思出版社, 2002. 。譯者王晶。奧祕匕首（上下冊）(The Subtle Knife)。台灣：繆思出版社, 2002. 。譯者王晶。琥珀望遠鏡（上 下冊）(The Amber Spyglass)。台灣：繆思出版社, 2002. Sadakata, Akira. Buddhist Cosmology: Philosophy and Origin. Tokyo: Koosei Publishing Co., 1997. Shi, Hou-Zhon.釋厚重。《觀音與媽祖》。臺北縣：稻田出版有限公司, 2005. Sponberg, Alan. “Attitudes toward women and the feminine in the early Buddhism”. In Jose Ignacio Cabezon (ed.), Buddhism, Sexuality, Gender. Albany: State University of New York, 1992. Tymoczko, Maria. ‘Translation and Political Engagement: Activism, Social Change and the Role of Translation in Geopolitical Shifts”. The Translator 6(1): 2347, 2000. Wikipedia. Wikipedia Online. Wikimedia Foundation. <http://en.wikipedia.org>. (Accessed on 25 Nov 2011). Wong, Kiew Kit. The Complete Book of Shaolin: Comprehensive Program for Physical, Emotional, Mental and Spiritual Development. Kedah, Malaysia: Sun Printers, 2002. Xing, Li. 刑莉.《華夏諸神‧觀音卷》。臺北市：雲龍出版社, 1999. Xu, Heng-Shan. 許衡山 .《開天眼神通研究》。臺北市：武陵出版社, 2005. Xu, Hua-Wei & Huang, Shui-Gen. 徐華威、王水根。“中土觀音變性原因探析”, 《天府新論》，p. 186187, 2006. | {
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On the face of it, the decision that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced on Friday, extending by four years a crucial deadline for e-cigarette manufacturers to seek approval of their products, was no more than a stay of execution. But the FDA also signaled a new receptiveness to vaping as a harm-reducing alternative to smoking, which suggests this reprieve could turn into a commutation.
That would be good news for smokers who want to quit and for anyone sincerely interested in helping them. For too long American public health officials have been unreasonably hostile to e-cigarettes, which are far less hazardous than the conventional kind and offer a closer simulation of the real thing than nicotine gum or patches do.
Scott Gottlieb, the new FDA commissioner, seems to appreciate the public health potential of this innovation. "The overwhelming amount of death and disease attributable to tobacco is caused by addiction to cigarettes," he says. "Envisioning a world where cigarettes would no longer create or sustain addiction, and where adults who still need or want nicotine could get it from alternative and less harmful sources, needs to be the cornerstone of our efforts—and we believe it's vital that we pursue this common ground."
Gottlieb's vision of nonaddictive cigarettes involves mandating a gradual reduction in nicotine content, which would increase the risks that smokers face by forcing them to absorb more toxins and carcinogens for the same dose of nicotine. But his interest in less dangerous alternatives to cigarettes is encouraging.
The FDA says "a key piece" of its new approach is "demonstrating a greater awareness that nicotine—while highly addictive—is delivered through products that represent a continuum of risk and is most harmful when delivered through smoke particles in combustible cigarettes." The agency wants to strike "an appropriate balance between regulation and encouraging development of innovative tobacco products that may be less dangerous than cigarettes."
Toward that end, the FDA is giving e-cigarette companies until August 8, 2022, to apply for permission to keep their products on the market under regulations published last year, rather than the original deadline of November 8, 2018. The agency says it will use the extra time to seek additional public comment and develop clearer guidance for the industry.
The 2016 regulations require manufacturers of vaping equipment and e-liquids to demonstrate that approval of their products "would be appropriate for the protection of the public health." It is not clear what that means in practice, but the FDA projected that applications would cost hundreds of thousands of dollars per product, and many observers thought that was an underestimate.
To give you a sense of how expensive and burdensome the process was expected to be, the FDA anticipated that it would receive applications for just a tiny percentage of existing products. The implication was that the regulations would drive the vast majority of companies out of business.
If the FDA is serious about making "less harmful sources" of nicotine "the cornerstone of our efforts," it will develop transparent, straightforward, and practical criteria for approval of current and new vaping products. Standing between smokers and products that can save their lives is surely not "appropriate for the protection of the public health."
Nor is making those products less appealing by arbitrarily restricting flavors. Since supposedly "kid-friendly" e-liquids are very popular among adults who switch from smoking to vaping, it's a bit worrisome that the FDA plans to solicit public comment on regulation of flavors, which it acknowledges may be "helping some smokers switch to potentially less harmful forms of nicotine delivery."
A recent BMJ study suggests that e-cigarettes have accelerated the downward trend in smoking and may account for the first increase in the cessation rate since the early 1990s. "These findings need to be weighed carefully in regulatory policy making," the researchers conclude. Gottlieb's avowed commitment to harm reduction gives us reason to hope the FDA actually will do that.
© Copyright 2017 by Creators Syndicate Inc. | {
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As for molybdate, it only forms in the presence of oxygen. The atmosphere of the early Earth appears to have been nearly oxygen-free.
At the moment, Mars looks more promising to Dr. Benner. The evidence gathered by satellites and rovers suggests that both oceans and continents existed early in the planet’s lifetime. Under those conditions, borate might have formed.
Just this June, some more evidence emerged that supports this idea. Studying a meteorite from Mars, scientists at the University of Hawaii reported that it contained high levels of boron, a component of borate.
The atmosphere of early Mars also shows signs of having contained oxygen, enabling molybdate to form. With a supply of both borate and molybdate, Mars might have been a favorable place for RNA to emerge, and for life to start. A giant impact on the Red Planet could then have kicked up microbe-laden rocks, which later fell to Earth.
In his recent lecture, Dr. Benner did not present this argument as proof that we are Martians. Instead, he offered a way to organize our thinking about the origin of life. One of his lecture slides was entitled “A Logic Tree.” It displayed a series of linked questions that scientists should ask themselves.
The first question is, did life start out as RNA? If the answer is no — and some scientists believe that to be the case — then they have to grapple with a different set of challenges to explain the origin of life.
For scientists who do accept an RNA-based origin of life, however, they need to find chemistry to produce it. Dr. Benner has one hypothesis. If scientists don’t like it, then it’s up to them to find an alternative — which other scientists are indeed doing. | {
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Editor's note: This article was updated at 6:15 p.m., March 22, 2013.
2:41 p.m., March 22, 2013--University of Delaware Police report that there was a stabbing on campus around 2:05 p.m., Friday, March 22, in the Kirkbride Lecture Hall. The suspect was taken into custody immediately.
According to police, the victim, a 20-year-old UD student, was taken to the Christiana Emergency Room and treated for a minor laceration to the back of her neck. No stitches were required, and she was released from the hospital.
The suspect, Alicja E. Stawkowski, 34, of Boulder, Colo., is facing charges of possession of a deadly weapon during the commission of a felony, second degree assault and second degree trespass. She is currently being evaluated at Christiana Emergency Room for physical and mental health.
The police investigation is ongoing. At this time, there is no known connection between the victim and the suspect. | {
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US President Donald Trump has nominated Deputy Secretary of State John Joseph Sullivan as the new ambassador to Russia. If confirmed by the Senate, he will fill the spot vacated by the departure of Jon Huntsman.
Sullivan, 59, has served as deputy secretary since May 2017. He was acting secretary of state in March and April 2018, following the resignation of Rex Tillerson and the confirmation of current Secretary Mike Pompeo.
Most of his previous government experience has been in law, rather than diplomacy. Early on in his career, Sullivan clerked for a Fifth Circuit appeals judge and Supreme Court Justice David Souter, before joining President George W. Bush’s failed 1992 re-election campaign as general counsel.
He served as general counsel for the Pentagon in 2004, during the George W. Bush administration, before moving to the Department of Commerce the next year, where he stayed as general counsel and deputy secretary through 2009.
Also on rt.com ‘Sanctions from hell’ good but tariffs terrible? Washington’s embargo obsession shows lack of ideas
During the Obama administration, Sullivan chaired the US-Iraq Business Dialogue, described as “an advisory committee on economic relations.” He also co-chaired the national security practice at Mayer Brown LLP, a private law firm in Washington, DC.
If confirmed by the Senate, Sullivan would fill the post left vacant by the departure of Jon Huntsman earlier this month. Huntsman, a former governor of Utah, announced his resignation in August, citing the needs of his “growing family and responsibilities at home.”
While Sullivan does not have much in the way of diplomatic experience, his uncle, William H. Sullivan, was the US ambassador to Laos during the Vietnam War and in Iran during the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
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Madden NFL 15 Detroit Lions Team Breakdown
Even though the Detroit Lions didn’t make too many big moves in free agency, they come into Madden 15 as a slightly improved team from an already good team in last year’s game.
We have the full team breakdown below.
Team: Detroit Lions
Offensive Strategy: Spread the ball around. Resist the urge to make every play the Megatron show. Chances are everyone you play will be so concerned about stopping him that your whole offense will be available to you. But get the ball to Calvin Johnson every now and then.
Defensive Strategy: Stop the run and pressure the QB with your front 4. The Lions have one of the best defensive lines in Madden 15. You should be able to stop the run with them and get pretty good pressure on the quarterback.
Strengths: Offense. The Lions offense is loaded in Madden 15. Matthew Stafford is a strong armed quarterback who can make any throw. Reggie Bush is harder to defend in Madden than he is in the actual NFL. Calvin Johnson is the best receiver in the game and its not even close. And then you have 3 awesome tight ends.
Weaknesses: Secondary. The defensive secondary is always so important. People love to pass the ball in Madden. If you can’t stop the pass, Madden 15 will be a long season for you.
Impact Players: QB Matthew Stafford, HB Reggie Bush, WR Calvin Johnson, TE Brandon Pettigrew, TE Eric Ebron, TE Joseph Fauria, DT Nick Fairley, DT Ndamukong Suh, DE Ziggy Ansah, MLB Stephen Tulloch, CB Darius Slay
Key Newcomers: TE Eric Ebron, OLB Kyle Van Noy, SS James Ihedigbo, WR Golden Tate
Additional Remarks: The Detroit Lions have one of the scariest offenses you will face in Madden 15. If you are a Lions fan, that is good news. If you are a fan of any other team, not so much. | {
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On the 15th of October 2016, my cousin, Tiago Coimbra and myself, Daniel Coimbra, left Lisbon on our fully loaded bikes. We were headed for the southernmost tip of Portugal, Sagres.
Our path was the ‘Rota Vicentina’, a historical route that was used by pilgrims, travelers and inhabitants on their travels around the west coast of Portugal. The official route begins in Santiago do Cacém and ends in Sagres. But we began further north, in Troia, culminating in roughly 250 km of remote trails, singletracks, cobblestone paths, rocky hills and endless coastlines.
This trip had been on our minds for a long time and it was decided that October would be the best time to go for it. The unforgiving summer heat had eased and gave way to fresh air, perfect for a 5-day ride.
We started our journey with a short train ride from Lisbon to Setubal, followed by a ferry that took us to Troia, an amazing peninsula with miles of white sandy beaches. Thinking that it would be a short ride from Troia to Santiago do Cacém, we started confidently, only to find that we had to make an unexpected, yet very pleasant stop in Melides.
By noon on the second day we reached Santiago do Cacém, the official starting point of the historical route. Making our way uphill to the church gave us a great overview of the trails ahead. In the evening, a clearing in the forest just outside Cercal, turned out to be our shelter for the night. All night long we heard dogs barking. Sounds coming from the farms in the surrounding area.
The next day greeted us with a beautiful blue sky, wide open fields and we even saw a couple of backpackers hiking on the same trail. The path was smooth and mostly rolling, with a few steep treks.
Later, after refueling in a small and what seemed to be impoverished town of São Luís, we found a camping spot in a dense Eucalyptus field just outside of town. This was spider central, but we had little choice as the sun was setting very quickly.
While setting up camp we heard an animal stalking us. Initially, we thought it was a small wild boar or something similar, but it was probably just a field rat because it spent all night right beside us, occasionally making its presence known by rustling against some leaves.
Feeling pretty tired, we ended up eating too much and even drank two whole bottles of wine! This of course was a big mistake for which we paid for the next morning. Thankfully all the hard climbing had been done the previous day, so we started at dawn with a long descent down the mountain leading us into Odemira.
Here we treated ourselves to a real meal to fight the hangover. While everyone around us was still having breakfast at 11AM I ate a ‘Bitoque’, which is probably one of the most known traditional Portuguese dishes, consisting of a thinly cut steak accompanied by rice, fried potatoes, salad and an egg on top. Tiago had the grilled ‘Febras’. Thinly cut steak, grilled with potatoes and rice. | {
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It's time to put to rest the ridiculous marketing message that Uber is somehow creating entrepreneurs.
Uber drivers are contract labor. Yes, they get to set their own hours. But that's also true of manufacturing laborers who are paid according to how many items they produce or agricultural workers who are "paid by the bushel."
True entrepreneurs start businesses by doing something new. They have control over their ideas. They run their business. They make decisions. They hire people.
Uber drivers do none of these things. They work under conditions set by Uber and then are manipulated to behave in ways that are often contrary to their own interests.
The only new thing about the so-called "gig economy" is that technology helps companies like Uber bypass hard-won worker protections. The result is not more entrepreneurs, but the creation of an economy where being a real entrepreneur becomes harder every year.
Right now, the US is one of the least entrepreneurial countries on earth. It launches fewer startups and few small businesses than most other countries. As Forbes recently pointed out:
"Start-up activity has been slowing down in the United States for about three decades, dropping sharply over the past 10 years. New firms accounted for about 13% of all companies in the late 1980s, but only about 8% two decades later. In the 1980s and 1990s, small number of young, innovative, and dynamic companies grew at very high rates. But in the post-2000 period, startups contributed less to U.S. job creation than they did in earlier decades."
Part of the reason for this decline is the tax code, which is massively loaded against small business. Big companies can pay lawyers and accountants to make certain that they pay little or no taxes. Smaller companies can't afford the high-priced talent and so they pay their taxes through the proverbial nose.
If you think that any of the "tax reform" that's being proposed in Washington D.C. today is going to change any of that, I have a bridge in Brooklyn I'd love to sell to you. Money talks and the big money is all about making more money for billionaires.
Another reason the U.S. lags in startups is that the country only enforces anti-trust laws if a merger would increase consumer prices. Unlike in the past (when the US was full of small businesses), the government no longer breaks up monopolies simply to create more opportunity for competition.
If you think that the Trump administration is going to change this, you're living in Bizarro world. Rather than strengthening anti-trust to create competition, all signs are that the Trump administration will kowtow to whatever the huge corporations want. (Example: letting ISPs sell your web browsing data.)
Finally, the "gig economy" also makes it difficult for real entrepreneurs because most entrepreneurs found small businesses or buy franchises that depend upon the local economy (that is, upon the wealth and financial well-being of their neighbors) to survive and thrive.
Entrepreneurism was at its strongest in the US when there were millions of well-paying union jobs, because then there was plenty of wealth to be spent. Today, the "gig economy" helps create the wealth inequality that makes the U.S. fundamentally hostile to startups and the entrepreneurs who found them.
Here's what real entrepreneurs can do to help fix this:
1. Stop idolizing the guys who run these companies.
There's a tendency among entrepreneurs to lionize the people who've built companies like Uber and AirBnB. They're not role models. From what I can see, they're mostly jackasses.
2. Stop letting them get away with misusing the term.
Every time an executive in a "gig economy" company claims to be creating entrepreneurs, real entrepreneurs should thunder at him--via email or social media--that he's full of crap.
3. Stop electing corporatist politicians.
The "gig economy" needs to be called to heel, not encouraged. This will only happen when we stop electing billionaires and people beholden to billionaires. | {
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PS Vita Exclusive JRPG Atelier Shallie Plus Gets Lots of New Screenshots; Limited Edition
PS Vita Exclusive JRPG Atelier Shallie Plus Gets Lots of New Screenshots; Limited Edition
Giuseppe Nelva January 17, 2016 2:03 PM EST
Today Gust released a large batch of new screenshots of Atelier Shallie Plus: Alchemists of the Dusk Sea, launching in Japan on PS Vita on March 3rd.
The screenshots give us a nice glimpse on the story, including the new content, the alchemy system and part of the cast of the game.
We can also check out the “Premium Box” limited edition, that includes two costumes for Shallie and Sophie, a mini-paperweight, a mini-towel and a 3D card. | {
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has something useful, unique, or important to contribute post has 10,374 comments
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Check out our new site Makeup Addiction
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Gets writer's block Can't fill out job application | {
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Robert Raymond A Sunrise Movement protester in San Francisco on Dec. 11, 2018.
On a clear and sunny morning in San Francisco’s downtown SoMa district, 40 people stand side by side with interlinked arms blocking the entrance to the San Francisco Federal Building. Just a couple of weeks ago this city was shrouded in a suffocating blanket of wildfire smoke that had traveled down from giant blazes in the north. But the haze has since cleared, and its absence has revealed a clarity of vision which stretches far beyond a healthier air quality index. “I’m here today because we have a 12-year deadline,” Lydia Macy, 18, told HuffPost from behind a 40-foot banner that she was helping to hold up. “Climate change is the No. 1 issue that we’re facing in the 21st century, and if we don’t fight we won’t have a world to live in.” A student at Berkeley High School, Macy was joined by hundreds of others in this action organized by the Bay Area chapter of Sunrise Movement — a youth-led organization with the mission to stop climate change and create millions of good jobs in the process. Sunrise Movement’s most recent campaign has been focused on putting pressure on members of Congress to support Rep.-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) in pushing for a Green New Deal, a policy proposal aiming to ensure a just and rapid transition to a decarbonized economy. Following a day of sit-ins and protests on Monday outside the Capitol Hill office of House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) — which drew in thousands and saw more than 130 arrested — the action in San Francisco on Tuesday also targeted Pelosi, whose local district office was just on the other side of the demonstrators’ human barricade.
Robert Raymond The Sunrise Movement demonstration in San Francisco, where protestors called for a Green New Deal.
Pelosi, likely the next Speaker of the House, will be in charge of shaping the House legislative agenda for the next two years. She has not yet endorsed Ocasio-Cortez’s proposal to form a select committee that would take up the Green New Deal. “I took the day off of high school because the science is here and the solutions are clear,” Macy said. “The only thing standing in the way is politics and the people in power.” Macy is part of a growing climate movement which has been occupying forests, shutting down oil pipelines, disrupting fossil fuel conferences, and taking part in many similar forms of civil disobedience and direct action. This movement is filled with young people who don’t see much of a future if we continue on with business as usual. They say they’re done asking politely and are no longer willing to accept the inaction, ineptitude and corruption that pervade the corridors of power. They are willing to put their bodies upon the gears, the wheels and the levers of the carbon economy — and they have very good reasons for it.
NurPhoto via Getty Images Demonstrators at the COP24 climate conference on Dec. 10 in Katowice, Poland, respond to Donald Trump's advisor Wells Griffith saying the U.S. will not reject coal mining or fossil fuel use.
JOSH EDELSON via Getty Images Paradise Elementary School, destroyed during the Camp fire in Paradise in November, California's worst ever wildfire.
And yet the scale and scope of the IPCC’s findings bring us all into the fold. Perhaps not unlike Al Gore’s jaw-dropping emissions chart in “An Inconvenient Truth,” the report seems to have hit a collective nerve. It’s a line in the sand. A point of no return. A warning with apocalyptic implication. “It feels like our future is truly being held in the balance and that I don’t really have a choice anymore,” Isaac Silk, a 26-year-old volunteer with Sunrise Movement’s Bay Area chapter, told HuffPost. “Once you accept the truth of this moment into your heart, there’s no going back.” Sunrise Movement is just one of many organizations channeling the growing movement of youth-driven climate civil disobedience. In the United Kingdom, a group calling themselves Extinction Rebellion has been organizing giant swarms around cities like London and putting together flash mobs that disrupt traffic at high-profile spots. Their aim is to put pressure on those in power and increase the public’s awareness of climate change by disrupting the material flows of the U.K. economy. Larch Maxey is a coordinator with Extinction Rebellion in London. He’s a veteran of the climate justice movement and helped to organize the group’s recent Rebellion Day on Nov. 17. The day of mass civil disobedience drew in around 6,000 people, according to the group, and shut down five major bridges in London.
NIKLAS HALLE'N via Getty Images Environmental activists gather in Parliament Square, London, the U.K., during a demonstration organised by the movement Extinction Rebellion on Nov. 24, 2018. | {
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I came up with this comic when I read about how certain MPs were accused of frivolously wasting taxpayer money by flying business class on flights……that actually had no business class. Why is the truth about this situation (truthfully represented here in this comic) not more of an issue? FT 😛
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india
Updated: Aug 15, 2019 21:41 IST
Pakistani troops targeted forward posts with mortar shells and small arms along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district on Thursday, officials said.
The cross-border firing started around 7 am in Krishnaghati sector of the district and continued for several hours, prompting strong response from the Indian side, a defence official said.
The firing stopped around 5.30 pm, he said.
There have been no reports of any injury or casualty on the Indian side.
(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.) | {
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CHICAGO (CBS) — Hundreds of thousands of Illinoisans have filed record-setting claims for unemployment benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic.
One of them is a struggling single mom who told us Tuesday night that she is out of cash – but the state is putting her money on hold for months.
As CBS 2 Political Investigator Dana Kozlov reported, Marissa Strickland said she has to wait almost five months to see any money at all – a wait that could leave her out of a home – all because of an issue she had two years ago and thought she had rectified.
It turns out the pandemic is not going to change that.
“You have your ups and downs, like I tell people,” Strickland said. “I’m a human being. I’m not perfect.”
Strickland, like so many others, lost her job in March – at the start of Gov. JB Pritzker’s stay-at-home order. She worked out of her home as a customer service representative for a grout company.
Strickland successfully filed for unemployment and got her day to certify – Tuesday, April 7.
“Got my letter, called in certified last week Tuesday, and basically no money,” Strickland said.
Not only was there no money, but when Strickland got a hold of an Illinois Department of Employment Security worker, she was told she would not get any money for 20 weeks.
It is a penalty for a benefit overpayment back in 2018.
“They actually took a portion of my tax return for this year, and it’s all paid back in full,” Strickland said.
Strickland has the letter to prove it. But the 20-week no-benefit and no-retro-pay penalty sticks.
Strickland said it also means she can’t get the unemployment portion of any stimulus help either.
“That sounds highly unusual, and I would like it if my office could hear from that person, because we should overcome that challenge,” Gov. JB Pritzker said when asked about Strickland’s issue on Tuesday. “That doesn’t sound right to me.”
We did contact the Governor’s office, who helped put us in touch with Rebecca Cisco, the spokeswoman for IDES – who had not returned any calls in weeks.
Cisco said the penalty weeks are addressed when someone’s account is dinged for unemployment fraud. The only way to appeal is in circuit court.
“How am I going to live?” Strickland said.
Strickland owned what she called a mistake during a tough time – and wishes during this pandemic, there could be flexibility.
“What if it were you? What if it was a situation where you paid them back, and honestly, you just can’t see why they just don’t have a bit of compassion,” she said, “a little bit of, like, OK, some form of compromise.”
She said she would be fine even if during this shutdown, the state could simply defer her penalty weeks somehow.
But IDES’ spokeswoman said the only way to change the penalty weeks would be to change the law, and there is no discussion among lawmakers, right now, to do that.
CBS 2 is committing to Working For Chicago, connecting you every day with the information you or a loved one might need about the jobs market, and helping you remove roadblocks to getting back to work.
We’ll keep uncovering information every day to help this community get back to work, until the job crisis passes. CBS 2 has several helpful items right here on our website, including a look at specific companies that are hiring, and information from the state about the best way to get through to file for unemployment benefits in the meantime. | {
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This is a new one: Steven Seagal has thrown his name behind a cryptocurrency called “Bitcoiin 2Gen” — yes, with two i’s — a project with a strangely familiar name and even stranger technical details. Perhaps the most baffling aspect of the project, beyond its questionable contributions to the crypto-world, is the fact that it uses a pyramid chart to explain its reward scheme. Really.
It’s hard to say what the scheme is exactly, because like the rest of the project, the details are too vague to say for sure. However, the website talks about a “referral commission,” “recruitment program” and “four-level commission structure to whomever joins their program.”It’s hard to exactly what the referral scheme is, because like the rest of the project, the details are too vague to say for sure. However, the website talks about a “referral commission,” “recruitment program” and “four-level commission structure to whomever joins their program.”
In a press release sent out last week, the project quoted Seagal as mentioning an old Chinese saying from the philosopher Chuang Tsu: “Flow with whatever may happen and let your mind be free. Stay centered by accepting whatever you are doing. This is the ultimate.” The release suggests that Seagal’s endorsement was influenced by his Zen teaching background:
As a Buddhist, Zen teacher, and healer, Steven lives by the principles that the development of the physical self is essential to protect the spiritual man. He believes that what he does in his life is about leading people into contemplation to wake them up and enlighten them in some manner. These are precisely the objectives of the Bitcoiin2Gen to empower the community by providing a decentralized P2P payment system with its own wallet, mining ecosystem and robust blockchain platform without the need of any third party.
The cryptocurrency market is rammed with accusations of scams, but while projects like Litecoin Cash have faced criticism for their naming choices, there’s at least solid technical details in such projects. Bitcoiin2Gen takes a different tack.
It claims to improve on Satoshi Nakamoto’s 2008 cryptocurrency with a faster, safer approach, but its white paper offers little details on how it plans to do that. What we do know is that, despite its Bitcoin-inspired name, it actually plans to use the Ethereum blockchain. CoinDesk notes the site’s domain name was registered to a Panama address in 2015, with ownership changing hands early January.
While its lack of technical information, obscure ownership and questionable claims are all enough to set alarm bells ringing, the cryptocurrency’s initial coin offering that started on February 5 is what definitely raises red flags. There’s a four-level commission structure for miners that join through the accreditation program, with the rewards outlined in an actual, real-life pyramid chart.
A genuine screenshot from the Bitcoiin.com website. Bitcoiin2Gen
Seagal is no stranger to unconventional projects. The Exit Wounds and Under Siege star has previously supported the Russia 2045 team aiming to create robotic avatars for a transhumanist future, while his Lightning Bolt energy drink featured Seagal’s face on the front, sold with the promise of “100 percent pure Steven Seagal Juice.”
But with the Securities and Exchanges Commission warning last November about the dangers of celebrity endorsements, Seagal’s latest idea may well be Half Past Dead. | {
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Editors
USA TODAY
Scott Kelly is home after a #YearInSpace. Let the weird science begin.
NASA astronaut Scott Kelly is back on Mother Earth after 340 consecutive days in space, more than any American in history. Welcome home, Scott! His mission centered on determining how long-term spaceflight affects the human body. Big picture, we want to figure out how to send a crewed mission to Mars. To do that, we have to figure out how to keep astronauts in space a helluva long time without gravity. NASA will perform tests to see how Kelly's body has changed. Those changes will be compared to his identical twin, retired astronaut Mark Kelly, who remained on the ground and is also undergoing tests. What’s Scott going to do now that he’s back on Earth? "I’m going to go home and jump in my pool,” he said. Gravity baby steps.
Leo has an Oscar and the ability to see into our blazin' hot future
Remember when Leonardo DiCaprio said in his Oscar acceptance speech Sunday that climate change was no joke? We just broke another worldwide temperature record. The Earth's temp soared to a record high in February, a whopping 1.5 degrees above average. That's a huge amount in climate science, where records are often broken by hundredths or tenths of degrees. Who's to blame? Us. As usual. Also, El Niño.
Could the eight-member Supreme Court split on major abortion case?
The Supreme Court heard 85 minutes of debate Wednesday on the biggest case affecting reproductive rights since 1992. Abortion clinics in Texas are challenging a state law that imposes tough restrictions on the facilities. Complicating the case is the recent death of conservative Justice Antonin Scalia, leaving the court without a ninth member. If Justice Anthony Kennedy, who likely holds the deciding vote, sides with the court's liberal wing to strike down any part of the law, the ruling could affect similar abortion restrictions in other states. Or Kennedy and the other justices could return the case to Texas for additional fact-finding. Another possible outcome: A 4-4 vote, likely decided by the end of June, would uphold a lower-court ruling that lets the Texas law stand and would apply only to Texas.
Ouch! Lindsey Vonn's ski season comes to crashing halt
It hurts just to watch. Superstar skier Lindsey Vonn ended her season after a crash in the super-G race in Andorra left her with three fractures. Adding insult to injury: Vonn is first in the overall World Cup standings. Vonn's first set of X-rays indicated a hairline fracture that would've allowed her to compete. Later, an MRI and CT scan showed she has three breaks in her tibial plateau. If the leg suffers further damage, it could hurt her future. "This is one of the toughest decisions of my career,” Vonn posted on Facebook.
For politics' oddest Odd Couple, Super Tuesday gives way to Weirdo Wednesday
Donald Trump's Tuesday was super; Chris Christie's anything but. It began as six New Jersey newspapers called for the governor to resign. ("We’re fed up with his opportunism.") It ended with the Twittersphere speculating on #ChristieThoughts, wild commentary on his blank stare during Trump’s awkward news conference Tuesday night. ("Chris Christie looks like he's in a hostage video.") On Wednesday, we chuckled less about "Chris" as "Mr. Trump" came out swinging, this time at a USA TODAY Network report on some black college students who said his campaign ejected them from his rally in Georgia. The press, Trump said, "are such liars. They are disgusting people, I’m telling you.”
You can listen instead:
This is a compilation of stories from across USA TODAY.
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Washington Redskins owner Daniel Snyder told ESPN's "Outside the Lines" that he is adamant he doesn't have to bow to pressure to change his team's nickname because it's not disparaging to Native Americans but instead a term of honor and respect.
Snyder mentioned William Henry "Lone Star" Dietz, the team's first coach whom the Redskins were named after to honor his "Native American heritage," and Walter "Blackie" Wetzel, a former president of the National Congress of American Indians and chairman of the Blackfeet Nation, who helped design and approve the team's logo as examples of the positive history of the nickname.
"It's just historical truths, and I'd like them to understand, as I think most do, that the name really means honor, respect," Snyder told ESPN's John Barr.
"We sing 'Hail to the Redskins.' We don't say hurt anybody. We say 'Hail to the Redskins. Braves on the warpath. Fight for old D.C.' We only sing it when we score touchdowns.
"That's the problem because last season we didn't sing it quite enough as we would've liked to," Snyder said with a laugh.
Barr also asked Snyder, what is a Redskin?
"A Redskin is a football player. A Redskin is our fans. The Washington Redskins fan base represents honor, represents respect, represents pride. Hopefully winning," Snyder said. "And, and, it, it's a positive. Taken out of context, you can take things out of context all over the place. But in this particular case, it is what it is. It's very obvious."
In June, the United States Patent and Trademark Office canceled the team's trademarks in a 2-1 ruling on the basis they are "disparaging to Native Americans." The team has appealed the ruling and has said it is confident it will be overturned.
Several politicians have called on Snyder to change the team's name, including Attorney General Eric Holder, Sen. Harry Reid and former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. President Barack Obama said last year that if he owned the Redskins, "I'd think about changing [the name]."
On Tuesday, Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley said on his Facebook page that it is "probably time" for the Redskins to change the nickname. The team plays in Landover, Maryland, at FedEx Field.
The Democratic governor, who is mulling running for president, posted: "I was asked earlier today and answered that I do believe it is probably time for the Washington Redskins to change their team name.''
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has not pressured Snyder to change the name and has said he stands by his stance that the name honors Native Americans.
Snyder's full interview will air in an "Outside the Lines" special Sept. 2 on ESPN2 at 8 p.m. ET.
The Associated Press contributed to this report. | {
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Despite the lack of information from the Pentagon about President Donald Trump's deployment on April 13 of the "Mother of All Bombs" in Afghanistan—or its aftermath—close to 70 percent of American voters say they "strongly" or "somewhat" support the bombing, according to a new poll.
Defense Secretary James Mattis said Thursday that "he does not intend to discuss damage estimates from last week's use of the military's most powerful non-nuclear bomb on an Islamic State stronghold in Afghanistan," the Associated Press reported.
An Afghan official said this week that the bombing killed 96 Islamic State [ISIS] militants, though "the official provided no proof of the deaths or information on how officials reached the number of 96," as the New York Times notes. There have been no confirmed reports of civilian casualties.
The Times further reported on Tuesday:
It was unclear whether any Afghan or coalition forces have made it to the bombing site five days after the attack. The senior Afghan security official said the day after the bombing that Afghan commandos had done so and, after clearing the site, had handed it over to American military forensic teams. [Zabihullah] Zmarai, the provincial council member, said local officials in Achin told him that neither Afghan nor American forces had arrived at the site. A spokesman for the Afghan commandos, Jawid Salim, agreed. "It is not true that the members of U.S. forensic are at the scene of bombing—no one is there," he said. "We are in the area and we see everything."
According to Agence France-Presse on Wednesday, security forces are blocking both journalists and local residents from accessing the site. The outlet reported:
The blast triggered shockwaves which residents said they felt miles away. It was said by the Afghan defence ministry to have killed at least 95 militants, including some IS commanders and foreign fighters, but no civilians. The statement could not be independently verified, with reporters including AFP correspondents turned away from the site again Wednesday even though there was no sign of fighting in the immediate area. Ahmad Jan, a resident of Achin who fled IS fighting and moved with his family to the provincial capital Jalalabad long before the bomb was dropped, told AFP he had no idea whether his house or relatives survived the attack. "No one can go there, they have completely blocked the area. I don't know if my house is destroyed. They have not even shown any dead bodies to anyone," he said.
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Ali M. Latifi, a writer based in Kabul, Afghanistan, offered this first-hand account in Thursday's New York Times:
Two hills obstructed view of the bombed area. American helicopters flew overhead. Three hours passed but we weren't allowed to proceed further. Officials spoke cheerfully of resounding success and precision of the operation. Yet every time we sought permission to visit the bombed area, they found excuses to keep us away: "The operation is ongoing!" "There are still Daesh"— Islamic State—"fighters on the loose!" "There are land mines!" and finally, "The area is being cleared!" “No civilians were hurt!"
"In the end, 'Madar-e Bamb-Ha' [the Dari translation for 'Mother of All Bombs'] became the star of a grotesque reality television show," she wrote. "We know how much it weighs, what it costs, its impact, its model number, and its code name. We know nothing about the people it killed except they are supposed to be nameless, faceless, cave-dwelling Islamic State fighters. It was a loud blast, followed by a loud silence. It is yet another bomb to fall on Afghan soil, and the future of my homeland remains as uncertain as ever."
But that uncertainty is not reflected in the United States, where respondents to a Politico/Morning Consult survey seem to have been swayed by Trump and the military's latest display of "shock and awe."
"As you may know, the United States recently dropped the military's largest non-nuclear bomb on a cave complex suspected to be controlled by ISIS, in Afghanistan, according to the U.S. Department of Defense," the 1,992 registered voters were asked. "Knowing this, do you support or oppose the military dropping the largest non-nuclear bomb on an ISIS cave complex in Afghanistan?"
Forty-three percent said they strongly supported the action, while 26 percent said they were "somewhat" behind the bombing. Just eight percent said they strongly opposed it.
The results lend credence to author and analyst Phyllis Bennis' call, published this week, "to integrate opposition to these wars into the very core of the movements already rising so powerfully against racism, for women's and LGBTQ rights, for climate and economic justice, for Native rights, for immigrant rights and refugee protections, for Palestinian rights, and much more."
"We'll need new strategies, new tactics," she wrote, "but we continue to stand on the shoulders of those who have gone before us. Our country is waging war against peoples across the globe, indeed waging war against the earth itself. But we are still here, challenging those wars alongside those who guard the earth, who protect the water, who defend the rights of those most at risk."
Indeed, wrote Seelai Popal, Ali A. Olomi, and Laila Rashidie on Thursday, it is time "for people of conscience in the U.S. to step forward and demand an end to the murder of the Afghan people and the poisoning of our land. The terrorism waged by the U.S. and its allies in the name of the 'war on terror' far outstrips the violence of those they claim to fight. It is time for the global community to demand that all militaries stop using our people and our lands as the testing grounds for war and weaponry. It is time to end the occupation of Afghanistan." | {
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Stepmom Nikki Brooks wants you to fill her pov virtual sex and mom teach how to creampie girls how to fill their pussy with cum how much to love her cum inside pussy incest | {
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Find An Event Create Your Event Help Ultimate Beer & Chocolate 2013 Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens
Escondido, CA Share this event: Get Tickets There are no active dates for this event. Not Available Sunday 03 Nov 2013 12:00 PM - Sunday 03 Nov 2013 2:00 PM | $45.00 Get Tickets
Event Ultimate Beer & Chocolate 2013 Join us for a veritable feast of chocolate and beer featuring creations by two of San Diego's finest chocolate makers, Eclipse Chocolat and So Rich Chocolates, and our own renowned Pastry Chef, Tony Martin. Each course of three exquisite truffles will be paired by "Dr." Bill Sysak with two tasty craft beers for an over-the-top exercise in decadence. Only the best will do for San Diego Beer Week!
You'll get 15 sinfully delicious chocolates paired with 10 delectable craft beers--because there's no such thing as too much decadence!
The Decadent Menu:
*FIRST COURSE*
Eclipse - Chile-Spiced Caramel Truffle
So Rich!!! - Cranberry Chipotle Toffee
Tony Martin - White Chocolate, Lime & Tequila Truffle
paired with
Aecht Schlenkerla Eiche Doppelbock & Engelszell Gregorius Trappistenbier
*SECOND COURSE*
Eclipse - Blood Orange Olive Oil Truffle
So Rich!!! - Citrus Crush
Tony Martin - Lemon, Thyme, White Chocolate & Milk Chocolate Truffle
paired with
Hitachino Nest Beer XH & Stone Cali-Belgique IPA
*THIRD COURSE*
Eclipse - Banana Rum Cigar Truffle
So Rich!!! - Prosciutto Toffee
Tony Martin - Milk Chocolate, Kahlua & Coconut Truffle
paired with
Maui CoCoNut PorTeR & Hair of the Dog Adam
*FOURTH COURSE*
Eclipse - Black Sesame Anise Truffle
So Rich!!! - Honey Caramel w/Bee Pollen & Orange Peel
Tony Martin - Black Tea, Rosewater, Bourbon & Milk chocolate Truffle
paired with
Bosteels Tripel Karmeliet & Dieu du Ciel! Solstice d'hiver
*FIFTH COURSE*
Eclipse - Pumpkin Muscovado Truffle
So Rich!!! - Salted Maple Caramel in Milk Chocolate
Tony Martin - Pistachio, Dark Cardamom & White Chocolate Truffle
paired with
Dieu du Ciel! Rigor Mortis ABT & Schloss Eggenberg Samichlaus Location Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens (View)
1999 Citracado Parkway
Escondido, CA 92029
United States 1999 Citracado ParkwayEscondido, CA 92029United States Categories None
Minimum Age: 21 Kid Friendly: No Dog Friendly: No Non-Smoking: Yes! Wheelchair Accessible: Yes! Contact Email:
[email protected]
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One clear, sunny day this past May, the residents of Broomfield, Colorado spotted what was, for most of them, an unidentified flying object.
Surrounded by excited, shouting workers in American blue jeans and orange coveralls, an Erickson Aircrane helicopter hoisted the UFO up off its perch of rectangular white styrofoam and carried it in circles around the local airstrip. The workers took notes and pictures, the local news took even more pictures, and the resulting images went viral. That day, the world met Dream Chaser, the small spacecraft that Sierra Nevada Corporation hopes will become NASA's future ride to the International Space Station.
Dream Chaser recently completed its first milestone in the third round of NASA's Commercial Crew development program, CCiCap, and it's set to be dropped from a helicopter for first landing tests some time later this year. It's the only spaceplane on NASA's short list of CCiCap partners; the other two are Apollo-like capsules designed to plummet back to Earth. For those who love it, Dream Chaser inspires enthusiasm because it reminds them of a Space Shuttle, and because it can do things that a capsule can't.
But while the craft itself is new, Dream Chaser's history goes much further back than that spotting over Broomfield. The Dream Chaser is a Cold War product, replete with secret military programs, spy planes, rocket scientists, Russian trawlers, and Air Force test pilots working in the middle of the desert. Fifty years later, this descendant of a secret Soviet spaceplane might finally see its way into orbit.
Distant branches of a family tree
The American branches of the Dream Chaser family tree begin with Dale Reed, a man who loved anything that flew. Reed spent the 1960s doing experiments at what became known as NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center. The small research station was based at Edwards Air Force Base and located by Rogers Dry Lake, smack in the hot, parched middle of Southern California. As a fresh young aeronautical engineer in 1953, Reed by his own account "drove south from Idaho and west across the Nevada desert to the town of Mojave, California, where I made a sharp southeastern turn into the middle of nowhere."
Two years before, NASA Ames researchers had made an important discovery: a blunt-nosed airplane didn't get hot the way a pointy-nosed one did when it reached supersonic speeds, because a pressure wave held the hot air away from the nose. A blunt-nosed spacecraft was therefore more likely to survive atmospheric re-entry.
It was a breakthrough, but an unsatisfying one for an airplane lover, because the blunt capsule shapes Ames researchers began testing didn't fly very well. They fell through the atmosphere and decelerated at about eight times Earth's gravity, a crushing ride for whoever would be inside. Dale Reed decided that a flying spacecraft was a better option, one with the ability to reenter gently and fly to a specific destination.
Reed didn't favor wings, however. Wings are a problem for re-entry vehicles; they burn up easily and they must be strong enough to withstand the force of reentering the atmosphere at over 20,000 miles per hour while somehow not becoming too large a portion of the spacecraft's weight. But Ames had discovered other shapes that would fly, shapes that more closely resembled bathtubs than airplanes.
Reed read the research papers and began to build models of wingless aircraft, crafted out of paper and balsa, and his fellow engineers gathered to watch them fly up and down the Dryden hallways. Eventually, he convinced his superiors to grant him the small team of people and budget necessary to build full-sized aircraft. The group didn't actually have any money for aircraft research; they only had money for building maintenance. So Reed's boss took their initial budget out of that, and arranged collaboration and political cover from Ames, several hours away at Moffett Field.
Reed's group of friends and colleagues slowly proved that by shaping a spacecraft's body to provide lift, and by giving it a blunt nose, they could enable astronauts to fly back from space rather than just falling down from it. The team built and flew many lifting bodies, changing them on the fly as they had new ideas. They crafted each using wood and metal and whatever knowledge they had picked up from the last one, turning out "flying bathtubs and flatirons" on a relatively quick basis. The first lifting body aircraft was built in roughly three months for a little over $200,000 in 2010 dollars.
Some of the test pilots who flew these vehicles, often engineers or physicists, went on to become famous—men like Chuck Yeager, who broke the sound barrier, and Dick Scobee, pilot of the last Challenger mission. In some cases, the aircraft became famous, too. The M2-F2 went on to star in the opening credits of "The Six Million Dollar Man," and a model of the X-24A became a well-used movie prop. Lifting body technology became part of the Space Shuttle and the X-33 spaceplane.
Lifting body research also became a useful way to figure out what the Soviets were doing.
Back in the USSR
The Russian side of the family tree is where surveillance and a "borrowed" design make an entrance. Western powers were the spies in this episode; they lifted the shape of a Russian spaceplane and gave it a new home in NASA Langley's paper-strewn offices and wind tunnels, changing its name several times along the way.
On June 4, 1982, the Soviet Union launched a small spaceplane called the BOR-4 from Kapustin Yar missile test range in Astrakhan Oblast, Russia. BOR-4 wasn't a real spacecraft; it was meant to test the thermal protection tiles of the Soviet space shuttle, Buran. It flew over Russia and came down again in light seas near the Cocos Islands in the Indian Ocean. A thin layer of clouds covered the sky, but the light remained bright and the Soviets found the craft quickly with a large trawler. They sent a boatload of men to attach a harness and pull it out of the water.
Naturally, when the Soviet Union launched something from a missile test range, other countries became strongly interested. A Royal Australian Air Force P-3 Orion reconnaissance aircraft flew over the BOR-4 splashdown site and took photos of the strangely shaped object. It had tall, inflatable orange cones sticking out of its nose and tail, making it easy to spot in rough seas. It had a scow-shaped nose and small, highly slanted wings.
The Australians weren't sure what to make of it, but they weren't at all shy about buzzing the trawler to take better photos (you can see just how close the Australians came in the video below). The Soviets set off smoke bombs near the spacecraft to prevent the P-3 from getting anything useful, but the wind blew up and the smoke failed to cover much. At the same time, a happy Soviet soldier was getting great video of the Orion P-3. Australian Defense Intelligence immediately sent their pictures to the CIA, while the Soviet soldier turned his film over to his superiors. | {
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Allegations of nepotism and money wasted on luxury apartments NSFAS
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Cape Town - The National Students Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) faces fresh allegations of nepotism, wasting money on luxury apartments and a lack of proper accounting systems. Now strike action could threaten the 2020 bursary application process. This comes as Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology Blade Nzimande made a vote of confidence in the administrator, Dr Randall Carolissen, by appointing him for a second term. Carolissen, who was first brought into the NSFAS by previous minister Naledi Pandor to whip the financial aid body into shape following the resignation of the former board chairperson and subsequently dissolving of the board, is now at the centre of controversy. Sources alleged that since he took over, senior managers seen to be “stumbling blocks” or vocal about alleged irregularities were suspended or targeted for suspension.
“He has created a culture of fear and has misled Parliament and other stakeholders on what is going on at NSFAS. Many senior managers left the organisation,” a source alleged.
Another claimed the R30billion fund scheme was not “anywhere close to being professionally run”, citing attempts to “capture” key departments like supply chain management, human resources, and finance.
Carolissen and the team of seven advisors seconded to help him have been accused of living a lavish lifestyle, with some accommodated at the V&A Waterfront at a cost of as much as R25000 per apartment per month, while students continued to experience problems with receiving of funds and the scheme is under administration.
They also receive rental cars and flight tickets to their home cities.
“Students are being paid manually, that is outside of the IT system without NSFAS receiving registration data. This creates a great risk and there are continuous delays in disbursement of funds,” a source said.
The composition of the team has also been questioned on the basis of race and gender representation and accused of being “operational” and not willing to transfer skills and knowledge, as required.
Weekend Argus has been reliably told that the team responsible for disbursement of funds, known as Sbux, was suspended although one of the specialists had since returned.
An information technology (IT) system, implemented at a high cost, has yet to function optimally.
“As recent as last month, some students received double payments of allowances and these cannot be recovered although they should be regarded as irregular payments.
“Instead managers have chosen to write them off,” a source said.
Some funding partners, including the Department Of Military Veterans and Funza have voiced frustration at the lack of disbursements due to inefficiencies in the IT system.
Weekend Argus knows of at least one funder, the Wholesale and Retail Seta, that has pulled out.
The National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union, which represents employees, held a strike ballot on Thursday over issues that have not been resolved.
They included arbitrary performance payments made as a result of a lack of a performance management system, outdated recruitment policies which have allegedly led to inconsistencies with application of rewards and an increase in grievances.
A whistle-blower is facing dismissal after an internal disciplinary hearing found her guilty of alerting the Department of Higher Education, Science and Technology of an alleged intent to sabotage the appointment of a new board and refusal to co-operate with a ministerial task team to investigate the causes of problems at the NSFAS.
In response to the allegations, NSFAS spokesperson Kagisho Mamabolo referred Weekend Argus to a presentation Carolissen made to the parliamentary portfolio committee on higher education and training last month. The report painted a glowing picture of achievements secured and mentioned that, while significant time and resources were required to address the IT system, some work was being done to put in place policy framework on governance structures.
WEEKEND ARGUS | {
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ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates — Lewis Hamilton may have driven himself into trouble with his Mercedes team after defying direct orders near the end of Sunday’s gripping Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, where the British driver lost his title to teammate Nico Rosberg in a nerve-shredding finale.
Hamilton won the race but needed Rosberg to finish outside of the top three in order to retain his title.
In order to further this bid, he used a technique known as backing up. It was designed to slow Rosberg down and allow pursuing drivers Sebastian Vettel of Ferrari and Dutch teen Max Verstappen of Red Bull to catch up.
Had they both overtaken Rosberg, then Hamilton’s win would have been enough for the title. Vettel and Verstappen were right on Rosberg’s tail in the closing stages as Hamilton refused to accelerate – even after Mercedes asked him twice.
First of all, Hamilton ignored a race engineer’s request for him to speed up and then even rebuffed executive director Paddy Lowe’s explicit order to speed up.
“I’m in the lead right now,” he responded to Lowe. “I’m quite comfortable where I am.”
Wolff described Lowe’s intervention as “the highest escalation (procedure) we have.”
And he appeared to issue a warning.
“Anarchy doesn’t work in any team or any company,” he said. “Undermining a structure in public means you’re putting yourself before the team.”
Asked if Hamilton could face punishment, Wolff said: “I need to form an opinion, which I haven’t yet” and “everything’s possible.”
Rosberg’s view was diplomatic.
“You can understand the team’s perspective and you can understand Lewis’ perspective,” the German driver said. “So that’s it.”
Mercedes wanted Hamilton to speed up because it was concerned that Vettel was gaining ground and could have won the race.
Hamilton was totally unapologetic over the incident in the post-race news conference.
Instead, he openly complained about what he considered to be overly zealous interference.
“I don’t know why they just didn’t let us just race. There was never a moment where I thought I was going to lose the race,” Hamilton said. “It’s a bit of a shame they wouldn’t (just let us race). It’s clear (what) their thought process (is).”
Hamilton wasn’t finished.
“We had already won the constructors’ championship, so it was down to me and Nico today. However, they still felt that they needed to make comments,” Hamilton said. “I’m in a position where I’ve had a lot of points lost in the season, so for me I’m out there fighting.”
Hamilton’s latest reference to lost points is a continuation of previous complaints throughout the season with regards to the engine problems that cost him vital points. None more so than during the Malaysian GP, when his engine failed as he was closing in on an easy victory.
“When I look back on the season, if there’s anything to be negative about (it) would be cars failing in certain places,” Hamilton said on Thursday. “(With the same engine) as the car that wouldn’t stop during testing.”
On Thursday, Hamilton had also brought up another issue that still rankles with him.
Prior to the start of the season, Mercedes swapped several mechanics around from each side of the garage in a bid to end the divide that had been growing between the two drivers’ groups.
“You’ll have to buy my book … down the line … in 10 years’ time when I tell you exactly what happened,” the British driver said. “It will be an interesting read.”
In the immediate future, it will also be interesting to see how Mercedes handles this latest incident with Hamilton now that the season is over. | {
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DO you have enemies? Are you being threatened and are afraid to leave home? Well, worry no more and march ahead, or rather drive ahead, without fear — on offer now are bulletproof and armoured cars.
No bullet or bomb can harm passengers travelling in these safe vehicles. From the outside, they may look as normal as any other luxury four-wheeler plying the roads. But from the inside, their roofs, floors, doors, windshields and windows are all reinforced to make them bulletproof and armoured. In fact, the armoured ones are a sort of double-cabin, one inside another, which makes them bomb-proof. The windows, which usually cannot be rolled down due to their thickness, feel like steel.
With the recent surge in targeted killings in the country, especially Karachi, several agencies providing security are now offering such cars for rent. However, “this is no rent-a-car service,” explains Captain Nadeem Khan, who works at one such company. “Only security companies are authorised to do this and even there, we don’t keep such cars ourselves. We only act as facilitators.”
Also read: FIA busts illegal ‘bulletproof’ workshop in Islamabad
“The vehicle is then arranged by us from the Pakistan Armoury,” adds his colleague, Waqas Khan. “Even though the cars are given out on rent, no rent-a-car service can do this kind of work as it is a complete package: car, driver and an escort vehicle with armed guards.”
Being extra heavy and almost twice the weight of a normal car, these cars require expert drivers. It is recommended that they not be driven in hilly areas. The escort vehicles, with guards, cover and protect passengers as they enter or exit the vehicle.
And it’s an expensive package. Renting a bulletproof or armoured car for 12 hours costs some Rs100,000. Travelling in such a vehicle is also an experience. Passengers can’t smoke, since the car is sealed. Even when the windows can be rolled down, it is by no more than four or so inches. Besides, rolling down a window would be for the passenger to expose himself to harm. There is no need to carry a weapon inside such a car as the passengers are safe, and ought not make it unsafe for others by having a weapon on board.
Take a look: Karachi's elite go bombproof
These vehicles are expensive to maintain. Their suspension needs changing every now and then, along with new tyres and monthly service and maintenance to check for any other issues. Even after that, the car’s life is only five to six years. They are categorised by the level of protection they offer, such as B6 and B9. Even so, none of them is 100 per cent bulletproof as firing at the same spot several times can eventually lead to penetration.
The B9 cars that are also bomb-proof can be armoured here as well, though mostly they come from the UAE where they are custom-made. Then, carmakers such as Mercedes and Range Rover also manufacture them, usually selling them at double the cost of their normal models.
Due to this being an expensive service, such vehicles are usually owned or rented out by foreigners, senior petroleum company employees, or UN workers, etc. In Pakistan, such people aren’t enough in numbers to turn this into a thriving business. Asked if more terror attacks might make it a thriving business, Capt Nadeem shakes his head. “It will only pick up if everyone can afford it,” he smiles. “So everyone needs to get rich first.”
There is also no way of telling if the person renting out such a car is a criminal or terrorist himself. That’s where the government comes in. “The provincial home department issues special licences for the ownership of such vehicles,” explains Capt Nadeem. “Each bulletproof or armoured car requires a no-objection certificate from the provincial government. In order to prevent criminals or terrorists from laying their hands on such a car, these days these certificates are being reissued after careful review.”
Life and death are in God’s hands but it seems people can go to great lengths to keep themselves secure — as long as they have deep pockets.
Published in Dawn, June 9th, 2015
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The Dutchman has come under fire from Kimi Raikkonen and several other drivers for the way he held back his Ferrari rival at the Hungaroring.
Raikkonen in particular was unhappy about the Red Bull driver moving twice to stave him off, and then later only defending the inside line at the first corner once they were in the braking zone.
But speaking ahead of the German GP, Verstappen was unmoved by what his rivals thought, and said he was the one who should have been unhappy because Raikkonen nearly gave him a flat tyre when they collided.
"I think in general I was very happy not to get a puncture, because I got quite a big cut in my tyre," said Verstappen. "I think it was all pretty clear.
"There was nothing said from the stewards as well, so I think I didn't do anything wrong.
"At the end of the day, we are fighting in the championship with Ferrari, so you don't say 'thank you very much, the door is open, you can go.' He didn't do it to me after the first pitstop.
"You are fighting and it is not like we are on a Sunday drive. And that is how I approach the race because we are there to fight, we are there to score points and I think Senna and Prost would have liked it as well."
Verstappen added that his moves had nothing to do with following the letter of the law, but came more from what he said was 'racer instinct'.
He also said that overtaking was always going to be an issue at the Hungaroring because it has never been easy to pass, and that is why he had not tried any crazy moves when stuck behind Raikkonen early on.
Asked about moving across on Raikkonen so late in the braking zone, Verstappen said: "There was no front wing or anything next to my car...I don't think it was that dramatic.
"You know it is very hard to overtake on that track. You could see after my first stop I was on new tyres, I was behind Kimi and couldn't get past. I didn't start to do crazy things, I didn't go too optimistic in the braking zones trying to pass, because there is just no way to get past."
Hamilton view
World champion Lewis Hamilton had an interesting perspective on the matter, as he suggested Raikkonen must have felt it wrong because otherwise he would not have bothered to be so outspoken.
"I've not seen the replay of the race," he said. "Kimi doesn't make too many comments in general, most often it's a serious thing.
"He doesn't talk shit if you know what I mean. If Kimi says it's not right, then it's most likely not right." | {
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) — Although a Miami-Dade judge ruled Friday that county holds of arrested immigrants for ICE is unconstitutional, the debate is far from over.
“Yeah, this is a great win. It’s a great win for the Constitution. It’s a great win for individual rights and it’s a judge who’s courageous enough not to be intimidated by the president of the United States,” said attorney Louis Reizenstein.
In his order, the judge said the ICE holds on county inmates violate “the separation of powers between the state and federal governments … (and) the Constitution of the United States … The Federal government is without power to compel state authorities to house … Federal prisoners.”
Immigrant activists cheered the court’s order.
“The detainers are nothing but courtesy holds. They are not constitutional. They are not an order. We do not want to turn our people over to immigration,” said Maria Rodriguez of the Florida Immigrant Coalition.
While the judge ruled against the county, the practical effect of the ruling on arrested immigrants is not yet clear since the county can appeal the decision, and they plan to, filing a notice of intent to appeal Friday before the state’s Third District Court of Appeals.
It is Miami-Dade County's position that immigration is a federal issue which should be handled in federal court. (1/2) — Mike Hernández (@HernandezMA5) March 3, 2017
Miami-Dade County is planning an immediate appeal to the Third District Court of Appeal. (2/2) — Mike Hernández (@HernandezMA5) March 3, 2017
Mayor Carlos Gimenez spoke with reporters in Doral on Friday and said the county does not accept the state court’s ruling, or jurisdiction in the immigration battle.
“This is federal law. There were plenty of precedents given to this particular judge about why he didn’t really have standing,” Gimenez said. “This issue really needs to be heard in federal court.”
Gimenez said the real solution to immigration woes lies “in the halls of Congress” where lawmakers should come together and enact comprehensive immigration reform.
Just a day before, attorneys for a detained immigrant and Miami-Dade had squared off in court over Mayor Carlos Gimenez’s and the county commission’s decision to honor ICE requests to hold arrested immigrants beyond the time they would otherwise be released.
“The Constitution and the Bill of Rights require probable cause,” Reizenstein told Circuit Judge Milton Hirsch on Thursday.
The county’s detentions for ICE have made for huge controversy and protest. The case before the court involved James Lacroix, a Haitian immigrant charged with chronically driving without a license.
“There is no authority for states to hold individuals under a federal detainer request when their case is closed,” Reizenstein said.
The county countered it has entered into a reasonable agreement with the feds.
“Please, hold this individual on our behalf, pursuant to our authority to detain him, for 48 hours so we can coordinate our agents to go pick that individual up,” said County Attorney Michael Valdes in explaining the ICE requests.
“They think 48 hours is a short period of time?” said Reizenstein. “Let them go sit in the jail for 48 hours and tell us how it feels. This is unconstitutional.”
The mayor and commission agreed to the ICE detention requests for fear of losing federal funding. The detainee’s attorney calls it an unconstitutional ‘caving in.’
“This is nothing more than the federal government threatening and blackmailing states and Miami-Dade County,” Reizenstein said.
As for the Haitian immigrant James LaCroix, ICE picked him up from the county jail for deportation Wednesday, where he was being held after completing his sentence of 7 days for time served.
But this case isn’t about deportation. It’s about the detention policy, one which the judge upended on Friday. However, the judge did not directly order the county to stop the practice of detaining immigrants for ICE. The mayor said the county is going to continue that practice as the ruling is appealed, unless ordered otherwise by a court. | {
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by
The end of America’s unchallenged global economic dominance has arrived sooner than expected, thanks to the very same Neocons who gave the world the Iraq, Syria and the dirty wars in Latin America. Just as the Vietnam War drove the United States off gold by 1971, its violent regime change warfare against Venezuela and Syria – and threatening other countries with sanctions if they do not join this crusade – is driving European and other nations to create their alternative financial institutions.
This break has been building for quite some time, and was bound to occur. But who would have thought that Donald Trump would become the catalytic agent? No left-wing party, no socialist, anarchist or foreign nationalist leader anywhere in the world could have achieved what he is doing to break up the American Empire.
The Deep State is reacting with shock at how this right-wing real estate grifter has been able to drive other countries to defend themselves by dismantling the U.S.-centered world order. To rub it in, he is using Bush and Reagan-era Neocon arsonists, John Bolton and now Elliott Abrams, to fan the flames in Venezuela. It is almost like a black political comedy. The world of international diplomacy is being turned inside-out. A world where there is no longer even a pretense that we might adhere to international norms, let alone laws or treaties.
The Neocons who Trump has appointed are accomplishing what seemed unthinkable not long ago: Driving China and Russia together – the great nightmare of Henry Kissinger and Zbigniew Brzezinski. They also are driving Germany and other European countries into the Eurasian orbit, the “Heartland” nightmare of Halford Mackinder a century ago.
The root cause is clear: After the crescendo of pretenses and deceptions over Iraq, Libya and Syria, along with our absolution of the lawless regime of Saudi Arabia, foreign political leaders are coming to recognize what world-wide public opinion polls reported even before the Iraq/Iran-Contra boys turned their attention to the world’s largest oil reserves in Venezuela: The United States is now the greatest threat to peace on the planet.
Calling the U.S. coup being sponsored in Venezuela a defense of democracy reveals the Doublethink underlying U.S. foreign policy. It defines “democracy” to mean supporting U.S. foreign policy, pursuing neoliberal privatization of public infrastructure, dismantling government regulation and following the direction of U.S.-dominated global institutions, from the IMF and World Bank to NATO. For decades, the resulting foreign wars, domestic austerity programs and military interventions have brought more violence, not democracy.
In the Devil’s Dictionary that U.S. diplomats are taught to use as their “Elements of Style” guidelines for Doublethink, a “democratic” country is one that follows U.S. leadership and opens its economy to U.S. investment, and IMF- and World Bank-sponsored privatization. The Ukraine is deemed democratic, along with Saudi Arabia, Israel and other countries that act as U.S. financial and military protectorates and are willing to treat America’s enemies are theirs too.
A point had to come where this policy collided with the self-interest of other nations, finally breaking through the public relations rhetoric of empire. Other countries are proceeding to de-dollarize and replace what U.S. diplomacy calls “internationalism” (meaning U.S. nationalism imposed on the rest of the world) with their own national self-interest.
This trajectory could be seen 50 years ago (I described it in Super Imperialism [1972] and Global Fracture [1978].) It had to happen. But nobody thought that the end would come in quite the way that is happening. History has turned into comedy, or at least irony as its dialectical path unfolds.
For the past half-century, U.S. strategists, the State Department and National Endowment for Democracy (NED) worried that opposition to U.S. financial imperialism would come from left-wing parties. It therefore spent enormous resources manipulating parties that called themselves socialist (Tony Blair’s British Labour Party, France’s Socialist Party, Germany’s Social Democrats, etc.) to adopt neoliberal policies that were the diametric opposite to what social democracy meant a century ago. But U.S. political planners and Great Wurlitzer organists neglected the right wing, imagining that it would instinctively support U.S. thuggishness.
The reality is that right-wing parties want to get elected, and a populist nationalism is today’s road to election victory in Europe and other countries just as it was for Donald Trump in 2016.
Trump’s agenda may really be to break up the American Empire, using the old Uncle Sucker isolationist rhetoric of half a century ago. He certainly is going for the Empire’s most vital organs. But it he a witting anti-American agent? He might as well be – but it would be a false mental leap to use “quo bono” to assume that he is a witting agent.
After all, if no U.S. contractor, supplier, labor union or bank will deal with him, would Vladimir Putin, China or Iran be any more naïve? Perhaps the problem had to erupt as a result of the inner dynamics of U.S.-sponsored globalism becoming impossible to impose when the result is financial austerity, waves of population flight from U.S.-sponsored wars, and most of all, U.S. refusal to adhere to the rules and international laws that it itself sponsored seventy years ago in the wake of World War II.
Dismantling international law and its courts
Any international system of control requires the rule of law. It may be a morally lawless exercise of ruthless power imposing predatory exploitation, but it is still The Law. And it needs courts to apply it (backed by police power to enforce it and punish violators).
Here’s the first legal contradiction in U.S. global diplomacy: The United States always has resisted letting any other country have any voice in U.S. domestic policies, law-making or diplomacy. That is what makes America “the exceptional nation.” But for seventy years its diplomats have pretended that its superior judgment promoted a peaceful world (as the Roman Empire claimed to be), which let other countries share in prosperity and rising living standards.
At the United Nations, U.S. diplomats insisted on veto power. At the World Bank and IMF they also made sure that their equity share was large enough to give them veto power over any loan or other policy. Without such power, the United States would not join any international organization. Yet at the same time, it depicted its nationalism as protecting globalization and internationalism. It was all a euphemism for what really was unilateral U.S. decision-making.
Inevitably, U.S. nationalism had to break up the mirage of One World internationalism, and with it any thought of an international court. Without veto power over the judges, the U.S. never accepted the authority of any court, in particular the United Nations’ International Court in The Hague. Recently that court undertook an investigation into U.S. war crimes in Afghanistan, from its torture policies to bombing of civilian targets such as hospitals, weddings and infrastructure. “That investigation ultimately found ‘a reasonable basis to believe that war crimes and crimes against humanity.’”1
Donald Trump’s National Security Adviser John Bolton erupted in fury, warning in September that: “The United States will use any means necessary to protect our citizens and those of our allies from unjust prosecution by this illegitimate court,” adding that the UN International Court must not be so bold as to investigate “Israel or other U.S. allies.”
That prompted a senior judge, Christoph Flügge from Germany, to resign in protest. Indeed, Bolton told the court to keep out of any affairs involving the United States, promising to ban the Court’s “judges and prosecutors from entering the United States.” As Bolton spelled out the U.S. threat: “We will sanction their funds in the U.S. financial system, and we will prosecute them in the U.S. criminal system. We will not cooperate with the ICC. We will provide no assistance to the ICC. We will not join the ICC. We will let the ICC die on its own. After all, for all intents and purposes, the ICC is already dead to us.”
What this meant, the German judge spelled out was that: “If these judges ever interfere in the domestic concerns of the U.S. or investigate an American citizen, [Bolton] said the American government would do all it could to ensure that these judges would no longer be allowed to travel to the United States – and that they would perhaps even be criminally prosecuted.”
The original inspiration of the Court – to use the Nuremburg laws that were applied against German Nazis to bring similar prosecution against any country or officials found guilty of committing war crimes – had already fallen into disuse with the failure to indict the authors of the Chilean coup, Iran-Contra or the U.S. invasion of Iraq for war crimes.
Dismantling Dollar Hegemony from the IMF to SWIFT
Of all areas of global power politics today, international finance and foreign investment have become the key flashpoint. International monetary reserves were supposed to be the most sacrosanct, and international debt enforcement closely associated.
Central banks have long held their gold and other monetary reserves in the United States and London. Back in 1945 this seemed reasonable, because the New York Federal Reserve Bank (in whose basement foreign central bank gold was kept) was militarily safe, and because the London Gold Pool was the vehicle by which the U.S. Treasury kept the dollar “as good as gold” at $35 an ounce. Foreign reserves over and above gold were kept in the form of U.S. Treasury securities, to be bought and sold on the New York and London foreign-exchange markets to stabilize exchange rates. Most foreign loans to governments were denominated in U.S. dollars, so Wall Street banks were normally name as paying agents.
That was the case with Iran under the Shah, whom the United States had installed after sponsoring the 1953 coup against Mohammed Mosaddegh when he sought to nationalize Anglo-Iranian Oil (now British Petroleum) or at least tax it. After the Shah was overthrown, the Khomeini regime asked its paying agent, the Chase Manhattan bank, to use its deposits to pay its bondholders. At the direction of the U.S. Government Chase refused to do so. U.S. courts then declared Iran to be in default, and froze all its assets in the United States and anywhere else they were able.
This showed that international finance was an arm of the U.S. State Department and Pentagon. But that was a generation ago, and only recently did foreign countries begin to feel queasy about leaving their gold holdings in the United States, where they might be grabbed at will to punish any country that might act in ways that U.S. diplomacy found offensive. So last year, Germany finally got up the courage to ask that some of its gold be flown back to Germany. U.S. officials pretended to feel shocked at the insult that it might do to a civilized Christian country what it had done to Iran, and Germany agreed to slow down the transfer.
But then came Venezuela. Desperate to spend its gold reserves to provide imports for its economy devastated by U.S. sanctions – a crisis that U.S. diplomats blame on “socialism,” not on U.S. political attempts to “make the economy scream” (as Nixon officials said of Chile under Salvador Allende) – Venezuela directed the Bank of England to transfer some of its $11 billion in gold held in its vaults and those of other central banks in December 2018. This was just like a bank depositor would expect a bank to pay a check that the depositor had written.
England refused to honor the official request, following the direction of Bolton and U.S. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo. As Bloomberg reported: “The U.S. officials are trying to steer Venezuela’s overseas assets to [Chicago Boy Juan] Guaido to help bolster his chances of effectively taking control of the government. The $1.2 billion of gold is a big chunk of the $8 billion in foreign reserves held by the Venezuelan central bank.”2
Turkey seemed to be a likely destination, prompting Bolton and Pompeo to warn it to desist from helping Venezuela, threatening sanctions against it or any other country helping Venezuela cope with its economic crisis. As for the Bank of England and other European countries, the Bloomberg report concluded: “Central bank officials in Caracas have been ordered to no longer try contacting the Bank of England. These central bankers have been told that Bank of England staffers will not respond to them.”
This led to rumors that Venezuela was selling 20 tons of gold via a Russian Boeing 777 – some $840 million. The money probably would have ended up paying Russian and Chinese bondholders as well as buying food to relieve the local famine.3 Russia denied this report, but Reuters has confirmed is that Venezuela has sold 3 tons of a planned 29 tones of gold to the United Arab Emirates, with another 15 tones are to be shipped on Friday, February 1.4 The U.S. Senate’s Batista-Cuban hardliner Rubio accused this of being “theft,” as if feeding the people to alleviate the U.S.-sponsored crisis was a crime against U.S. diplomatic leverage.
If there is any country that U.S. diplomats hate more than a recalcitrant Latin American country, it is Iran. President Trump’s breaking of the 2015 nuclear agreements negotiated by European and Obama Administration diplomats has escalated to the point of threatening Germany and other European countries with punitive sanctions if they do not also break the agreements they have signed. Coming on top of U.S. opposition to German and other European importing of Russian gas, the U.S. threat finally prompted Europe to find a way to defend itself.
Imperial threats are no longer military. No country (including Russia or China) can mount a military invasion of another major country. Since the Vietnam Era, the only kind of war a democratically elected country can wage is atomic, or at least heavy bombing such as the United States has inflicted on Iraq, Libya and Syria. But now, cyber warfare has become a way of pulling out the connections of any economy. And the major cyber connections are financial money-transfer ones, headed by SWIFT, the acronym for the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication, which is centered in Belgium.
Russia and China have already moved to create a shadow bank-transfer system in case the United States unplugs them from SWIFT. But now, European countries have come to realize that threats by Bolton and Pompeo may lead to heavy fines and asset grabs if they seek to continue trading with Iran as called for in the treaties they have negotiated.
On January 31 the dam broke with the announcement that Europe had created its own bypass payments system for use with Iran and other countries targeted by U.S. diplomats. Germany, France and even the U.S. poodle Britain joined to create INSTEX — Instrument in Support of Trade Exchanges. The promise is that this will be used only for “humanitarian” aid to save Iran from a U.S.-sponsored Venezuela-type devastation. But in view of increasingly passionate U.S. opposition to the Nord Stream pipeline to carry Russian gas, this alternative bank clearing system will be ready and able to become operative if the United States tries to direct a sanctions attack on Europe.
I have just returned from Germany and seen a remarkable split between that nation’s industrialists and their political leadership. For years, major companies have seen Russia as a natural market, a complementary economy needing to modernize its manufacturing and able to supply Europe with natural gas and other raw materials. America’s New Cold War stance is trying to block this commercial complementarity. Warning Europe against “dependence” on low-price Russian gas, it has offered to sell high-priced LNG from the United States (via port facilities that do not yet exist in anywhere near the volume required). President Trump also is insisting that NATO members spend a full 2 percent of their GDP on arms – preferably bought from the United States, not from German or French merchants of death.
U.S. overplaying its position is leading to the Mackinder-Kissinger-Brzezinski Eurasian nightmare that I mentioned above. In addition to driving Russia and China together, U.S. diplomacy is adding Europe to the heartland, independent of U.S. ability to bully into the state of dependency toward which American diplomacy has aimed to achieve since 1945.
The World Bank, for instance, traditionally has been headed by a U.S. Secretary of Defense. Its steady policy since its inception is to provide loans for countries to devote their land to export crops instead of giving priority to feeding themselves. That is why its loans are only in foreign currency, not in the domestic currency needed to provide price supports and agricultural extension services such as have made U.S. agriculture so productive. By following U.S. advice, countries have left themselves open to food blackmail – sanctions against providing them with grain and other food, in case they step out of line with U.S. diplomatic demands.
It is worthwhile to note that our global imposition of the mythical “efficiencies” of forcing Latin American countries to become plantations for export crops like coffee and bananas rather than growing their own wheat and corn has failed catastrophically to deliver better lives, especially for those living in Central America. The “spread” between the export crops and cheaper food imports from the U.S. that was supposed to materialize for countries following our playbook failed miserably – witness the caravans and refugees across Mexico. Of course, our backing of the most brutal military dictators and crime lords has not helped either.
Likewise, the IMF has been forced to admit that its basic guidelines were fictitious from the beginning. A central core has been to enforce payment of official inter-government debt by withholding IMF credit from countries under default. This rule was instituted at a time when most official inter-government debt was owed to the United States. But a few years ago Ukraine defaulted on $3 billion owed to Russia. The IMF said, in effect, that Ukraine and other countries did not have to pay Russia or any other country deemed to be acting too independently of the United States. The IMF has been extending credit to the bottomless it of Ukrainian corruption to encourage its anti-Russian policy rather than standing up for the principle that inter-government debts must be paid.
It is as if the IMF now operates out of a small room in the basement of the Pentagon in Washington. Europe has taken notice that its own international monetary trade and financial linkages are in danger of attracting U.S. anger. This became clear last autumn at the funeral for George H. W. Bush, when the EU’s diplomat found himself downgraded to the end of the list to be called to his seat. He was told that the U.S. no longer considers the EU an entity in good standing. In December, “Mike Pompeo gave a speech on Europe in Brussels — his first, and eagerly awaited — in which he extolled the virtues of nationalism, criticised multilateralism and the EU, and said that “international bodies” which constrain national sovereignty “must be reformed or eliminated.”5
Most of the above events have made the news in just one day, January 31, 2019. The conjunction of U.S. moves on so many fronts, against Venezuela, Iran and Europe (not to mention China and the trade threats and moves against Huawei also erupting today) looks like this will be a year of global fracture.
It is not all President Trump’s doing, of course. We see the Democratic Party showing the same colors. Instead of applauding democracy when foreign countries do not elect a leader approved by U.S. diplomats (whether it is Allende or Maduro), they’ve let the mask fall and shown themselves to be the leading New Cold War imperialists. It’s now out in the open. They would make Venezuela the new Pinochet-era Chile. Trump is not alone in supporting Saudi Arabia and its Wahabi terrorists acting, as Lyndon Johnson put it, “Bastards, but they’re our bastards.”
Where is the left in all this? That is the question with which I opened this article. How remarkable it is that it is only right-wing parties, Alternative for Deutschland (AFD), or Marine le Pen’s French nationalists and those of other countries that are opposing NATO militarization and seeking to revive trade and economic links with the rest of Eurasia.
The end of our monetary imperialism, about which I first wrote in 1972 in Super Imperialism, stuns even an informed observer like me. It took a colossal level of arrogance, short-sightedness and lawlessness to hasten its decline — something that only crazed Neocons like John Bolton, Elliott Abrams and Mike Pompeo could deliver for Donald Trump.
Notes
[1] Alexander Rubenstein, “It Can’t be Fixed: Senior ICC Judge Quits in Protest of US, Turkish Meddling,” January 31, 2019. https://www.mintpressnews.com/icc-judge-quits-turkish-meddling/254443/
[2] Patricia Laya, Ethan Bronner and Tim Ross, “Maduro Stymied in Bid to Pull $1.2 Billion of Gold From U.K.,” Bloomberg, January 25, 2019. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-01-25/u-k-said-to-deny-maduro-s-bid-to-pull-1-2-billion-of-gold. Anticipating just such a double-cross, President Chavez acted already in 2011 to repatriate 160 tons of gold to Caracas from the United States and Europe.
[3] Patricia Laya, Ethan Bronner and Tim Ross, “Maduro Stymied in Bid to Pull $1.2 Billion of Gold From U.K.,” Bloomberg, January 25, 2019,. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-01-25/u-k-said-to-deny-maduro-s-bid-to-pull-1-2-billion-of-gold
[4] Corina Pons, Mayela Armas, “Exclusive: Venezuela plans to fly central bank gold reserves to UAE – source,” Reuters, January 31, 2019. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-venezuela-politics-gold-exclusive/exclusive-venezuela-prepares-to-fly-tonnes-of-central-bank-gold-to-uae-source-idUSKCN1PP2QR
[5] Constanze Stelzenmüller, “America’s policy on Europe takes a nationalist turn,” Financial Times, January 31, 2019. | {
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Forget about limos jamming the New Jersey Turnpike on Super Bowl Sunday. New Jersey's priciest traffic jam could well be the private jets stacked up at nearby Teterboro Airport.
The airport, which serves small private jets, is only about 2 miles north of MetLife Stadium as the Lear Jet flies -- making it ideal for jetsetters wanting to fly in and out for the big game.
That has forced the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which overseas the region's four airports, to place limits on the number of private jet landings and take-offs in the days surrounding the game.
"You can't just fly 300 planes out right after the game," said Port Authority spokesman Ron Marsico.
The Federal Aviation Administration is expecting a surge of 1,200 extra private jet flights in the days surrounding the Feb. 2 Super Bowl. Most of those will be destined for Teterboro, as New York's three major passenger airports have only limited private jet flights. The spike will stretch the capabilities of Teterboro, which only handles about 400 take-offs and landings on a typical day, and has parking spots for about 600 planes.
Related: Super Bowl ads sneak peak
So private jets need to reserve take-off and landing times that start the Wednesday before the game, and last until the Tuesday afterward. It's the first time in memory that such reservations have been required. Typically planes can land and take off as soon as cleared by air traffic controllers.
To handle the overflow, Port Authority officials expect many jets to do "stop-and-go" operations -- landing, dropping off wealthy passengers and then flying to another airport to wait out the game. The agency also hired a temporary "ramp coordinator" to work with companies based at the airport to make sure flights don't bunch up.
Related: Company jet too pricey? Rent one by the hour
No one will be able to fly in or out of Teterboro between 2 p.m. and midnight on game day, as security precautions for MetLife Stadium include a "no-fly zone" that includes Teterboro. That could drive some of the private jet traffic to slightly more distant airports, such as Morristown Municipal Airport, about 20 miles to the west. Morristown will also require reservation times for take-offs and landings, but it is not in the no-fly zone.
While there are still take-off and landing slots available, some of the companies that operate hangers and ramps where private jets park report spots are already fully booked for the days around the game. One of those companies, Meridian, booked all 70 of its parking spots even before the Super Bowl match-up was determined on Jan. 19.
Related: Richard Sherman's $5 million rant
"A lot of the people who fly in on their own jets want to see the Super Bowl no matter who the teams are," said Kirk Stephen, marketing manager at Meridian. "We have a waiting list for those who waited to see if their teams got in." | {
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In the early 1500s, at the period known as the Age of Exploration, King Francis I of France sent navigator Giovanni da Verrazzano on a mission to North America in search of new land and wealth. Verrazzano’s voyage to North America brought him to New York Harbor. History seems to gleefully repeat itself five centuries later with French real estate development firm Vinci Immobilier’s expedition to New York in search for new real estate technology and a new economic model for a real estate development firm.
In an attempt to understand New York’s PropTech scene, Vinci Immobilier, a subsidiary of one of the world’s largest construction companies, participated in a five-day “Learning Expedition.” The multi-day event was put on by Schoolab, a France-based innovation studio that houses a range of programs from accelerator programs for startups to intrapreneurship and hackathons programs for corporate clients.
Learning Expedition Manager at Schoolab Ruben Fitoussi planned the trip to New York over a period of four months. For Schoolab, traveling to New York was no easy feat. It was Schoolab’s first trip to New York and the first time that they had consulted for a client in the real estate development industry. Schoolab’s goal was to quickly introduce the 23-person delegation from Vinci Immobilier to the relevant players in the PropTech scene. Schoolab first began with an initial list of over 150 real estate-related companies. They then shortlisted 20 companies.
Fitoussi shared that Tel Aviv was also the other destination that they considered. However, New York’s reputation as the PropTech capital of the world tipped their decision toward choosing New York over Tel Aviv. Upon further comparison of the potential travel destinations, Fitoussi found that more of the built environment startups in Tel Aviv were developing smart city technologies rather than PropTech. Fitoussi also discovered that more of New York’s PropTech startups have progressed beyond the research and development stage and had readily deployable solutions to some of the real estate industry’s thorniest problems.
Keeping the tightly scheduled trip organized, Fitoussi planned each day of the trip around a theme. For the first day, it was “Discovering the Smart City,” where they met with the New York City Economic Development Corporation, Sidewalk Labs and MetaProp NYC. On the second day, it was “Innovative Tools in Real Estate Development,” where the Vinci Immobilier delegation met with Envelope. “Exploring Ideas in Co-working and Co-living” was the theme for the third day, where they met with WeWork and Outsite. On the fourth day, Vinci Immobilier explored “The Developer’s Evolving Economic Model” with Uber, RealConnex, Compass, and ShelterZoom. On the final day, the theme was “The Transformation of the Enterprise,” where they met with IBM and Meetup. As part of their Learning Expedition, Vinci Immobilier executives also engaged in design thinking workshops.
Through the Learning Expedition, Innovation Director at Vinci Immobilier Diego Harari hopes that the delegation will have a renewed sense of strategy and vision for the traditionally-run real estate development firm. Before the trip, executives at Vinci Immobilier never fully contemplated what it means to be a real estate development company of the future, Harari noted. He further added that executives don’t spend their days thinking about how technology can disrupt each function of the real estate development business and process. Although the threat of technology and new PropTech startups will not be immediately felt in the French real estate market, Harari said that Vinci Immobilier needs to “be as prepared as possible for any disruption.”
Compared to New York, France’s PropTech sector is still very much in its infancy. According to Harari, the main reasons are Paris’ relatively small real estate market and the city’s fledgling startup ecosystem. Venture capital funding does not come easy for French PropTech startups. However, the culture is slowly shifting as Harari is witnessing the French tech community’s newfound optimism in President of France Emmanuel Macron’s push for a more robust tech ecosystem.
If a French real estate development firm has the foresight and ingenuity to travel to New York in search for new real estate technology, what are the Manhattan-based firms with all the resources in their backyard doing to answer “What is the real estate development firm of the future?” | {
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I don't think my late parents cheated on one another, but I can't ask them anymore, can't say, But come tell me now this time for real, now that I'm old enough.
As far as I know, they didn't cheat. As far as I know, my mother never cried in a car on the way to her favorite restaurant, like a friend of a friend's mother, who I call the Lorax.
The Lorax's husband told her to get dressed up and pick out the place she wanted to go to, when he had not done so in months, and she spent her fifty-six-year-old day preparing her face, creaming her body, hooking a bra, and doing that thing that women do, touching a part of ourselves we imagine being touched later by a man.
In the car on the way to the favorite restaurant, the Tom Waits song "Shiver Me Timbers" came on.
"I'm leavin' my family / I'm leavin' all my friends / My body's at home / But my heart's in the wind."
Her husband said, Turn it off. Turn it off now.
She said Why, even though she already knew, it was up in her throat like a horse vitamin. She said, If you are about to say something that's going to crush me, then don't take me to my favorite restaurant and do it to me over wine. Pull over, be a man, and do it now.
This story always upsets me. Not because I imagine my parents in these roles. But because I wonder what they'd think if they knew I've been the other woman.
I sat down to write this eighteen different ways. I thought, What does someone want to read about affairs? You've had one and you want to relate to something. You haven't had one but you fantasize about the girl with the keyhole shirt and the shoes your wife would call cheap. Her name starts with a C or a G. You know you and your partner will never have one, but you remember the time your wife, your husband, did not answer the phone for five car-accident hours.
The Lorax has reddish-brown hair and lives in Queens. She's solid and talks a lot.
Every time I meet a married woman, I think about the things she does that likely annoy her husband. I think a great deal about the evanescence of sexuality. The marrow missing from the bone. That's what I want to know. If you're going to wreck some other person's world, what's the good thing you're going to get?
My friend Cobb is from Kentucky. Now he lives in New York, but before he was married to a woman I'll call Blondie. She was hot and perfect-familied, drank a lot, like a college girl. She had a sister, Meg, with dark hair, younger but more mature and sleek. Cobb was happy but not complacent. His wife was both.
After a year or so, Cobb started thinking of dark hair. The swish and wealth of it. On wide southern avenues brunettes jerked his head around. At first not Meg. It was just damn near every brunette. It was forty-five-year-old brunettes at Lancôme counters. It was twenty-seven-year-old cashiers and the dark-skinned Jewish brunettes who perform sure-footed blowjobs on porn sites. Then it was Meg. Then it was the cashier. Then it was both, in his head in the bathroom in the bedroom on a reel billowing like horse manes.
One night at a wine bar, the sisters looked beautiful and disparate. Everybody drank too much and they all went back to Cobb and Blondie's home, and Blondie made it to the bathroom and passed out there, her blond tresses cascading murderously across the tile like southern blood.
As a nation we are obsessed with the moment it happens. When alcohol is involved, the moment is a glance of breath. It's the smell of cologne and lacrosse sweat. Meg is on the bed. Her brother-in-law walks halfway across the room and Meg has this look on her face like pre-sin. A white bra strap is showing.
He kneeled on the bed and she kneeled up to meet him and they kissed and skipped foreplay, pants off, dress hiked up, and they had drilling sex, fast and half-smiling, half look of holy fuck, my sister your wife. The depraved lunacy of gotta have it anyway.
This story doesn't shock me. I see the logic. More than I believe in the sanctity of union and promise, I believe that everybody cheats. If you have not cheated yet, it's because you are still too grateful to be secure, or you have not yet had the opportunity, or the right color of red hair has not come along and sat down at the bar on a Tuesday when the jukebox was playing Leonard Cohen and your manhattan tasted like the future.
Or maybe I'm simply rationalizing and making excuses. Because I relate more to the Lorax's husband than to the Lorax. Because I'd rather be getting fucked in bed than passed out on the bathroom floor.
It's this past summer at a country club in New Jersey where the pool twinkles like 1985. I am reading aloud to a friend from a David Foster Wallace essay in which he talks about how a man who puts his hand at a woman's abdomen while his mouth is between her legs is selfish. Because he wants to know if she comes. He's in it for his ego. Then we talk about cheaters, because I'm telling my friend about a man who was great at that, while he was married. And we talk about the fact that I've been with married men, which I feel taught me to be careful not to get hurt, to know that one day it could happen to me. And she feels it is because I'm worried about losing people, like I lost my parents, so I don't ever put myself in a position to lose. She says I'm just a catalyst for more loss.
We stare across the pool at the families. Dark-haired fathers and blond wives and rows of blond-fur children in Vilebrequin swimsuits.
You shouldn't ever see him again, she says. You're ruining your marriage karma. I say, I'm not sure I believe in it. It's weird you're this fucked-up about marriage, she says. You grew up in a perfect home.
I argue in the general but also in the specific. The fucking moment. The married guy I'm talking about put a cashmere jacket across my shoulders in a downtown bar when the door was open in early spring. I'm happily married, he said in conversation. He had an odd bit of an accent, salt-lick after it's been run through by ten thousand yellow cabs.
Four days later I e-mailed and said I wanted to interview him for a story. I trembled and smiled as I sent it. Six days later we met in a bar far from where he worked and where I lived, but cool and appropriate, and I walked in thinking I was crazy for what I had been thinking, that he was just another married guy, just another finance guy, just another moment in time and scent in a room.
I saw him and I had three beers and I had to run into the bathroom and scream, shriek for fuck's sake. I looked at my face in the mirror and I thought, I have never felt this before. I may never feel this again. Something chemical and explosive. I'll never forget the smell of beer on my breath, that particular evening's smell of beer.
Another bar a few hours later, beer into gin and tonics, side by side on stools, my thigh against his. He says if he weren't married, this would be the best first date he had ever had. He is eight years older. He has a six-month-old baby.
I have to go, he says. I have to go.
He hails me a cab and opens the door for me and I am about to get in, about to be innocent only because he is leading the way, and he puts his hand on my shoulder.
May I kiss you on the mouth? He says it like an apology.
When we saw each other again, he said he didn't want to walk away, that he knew he should but he couldn't.
This time we were in the bar where we'd met, where he knew everyone and he likened me to a jar of cherries beside his glass of Scotch and he kissed me there at the bar and it was the kind that doesn't stop until a full stop. We left together and outside in the street he lifted me into his arms with my legs around his waist and he threw me up against a brick wall. On the way to my apartment a taxi almost hit us and we laughed. He carried me inside and the bottles in my bar stand shook. He threw me on my bed and it was the ideal mix of laughing and panicked desire and he took half my clothes off and his phone rang. We were doing midnight things but across the rest of the city it was 8:00 P.M. and with one hand on my waist, he picked up the phone and said, Yeah honey, don't worry, having a drink with Brian, I'll bring home a pizza.
More than the illicitness of the sexuality, there's a sexuality to the selfishness. To doing precisely what you want to do. Being crudely, smilingly, on the side of the winners. I'm arguing for Wild Moments, because you never know what your last one will be.
She says, I hate myself. She says, This is thrilling.
Call her the Enigma, she works in an office in the center of the city. She's tall and redheaded and thin and in the past she drank a lot and even though she still drinks now, it's different. She's together. She's gotten engaged, it was years in the making. He has a career, the kind that makes the Engima's mother forgive the Enigma's past transgressions. The ring is a holy laurel.
The first morning it's not an affair but a glowing warmth, nobody gets hurt. It begins with an instant message. There's a man in the office who's wildly good-looking, he has great jeans and a hot smile and the other girls and women in the office talk about what he's wearing and how he smells and they trade information like they're handling a rookie card. The Enigma doesn't have the time to, because she is the one he chooses. You look great today, is how it starts.
The Enigma's wearing a white button-down shirt and a dark pencil skirt and her long legs are bare bones in winter and her shoes are popping snake green. Her hair has just been highlighted so it is brighter than yesterday. Everything the Enigma does is done in the extreme — it's part of her maddening charm, especially for a man who is in love with her.
In an office, that's how it works, instant messages on the company server. Soon it's eight hours a day, and soon it goes into night. E-mails, because they're quieter than texts. 3:00 A.M. The idea of someone thinking of you, then, who shouldn't be. In bed with his wife. In bed with your fiancé. Nothing has happened, except everything in your head.
I'm losing it, she writes, at 11:00 A.M. on a Tuesday. I'm so scared. I have so much to lose. I'm floored. I'm so scared. I mean, I won't lose it. I'm just addicted.
I say it's like a drug, and the aftermath of a drug is shit. She says, I know I know I know. But. He's amazing. Though. Like. Every moment is erotic. The way he lifts a pen. We are sexy together. You know?
I speak to dozens more people about cheating, so that I can understand the why. So I can understand me.
More than answering the why, women are always asking why. I'm always answering for the men who aren't present. Yes there's the physical, I just want to put it inside her right this second because she's new and her smell is new and her hair isn't blond.
A guidance counselor tells me he cheats because he wants to feel like his old self, the football player who could get it any time. Lana, the woman in the guidance office, won't fuck him until he is no longer married. But he went down on her once, over the covers on a bed that was neither of theirs with her skirt pulled up to her thighs and her panties slid to the right, and then to the left.
I can think of nothing else, he tells me. I have never wanted anybody more. I have wet dreams. Listen to me. I am a cliché.
Dorian, a forty-two-year-old lawyer, says, I don't feel bad because everything had been building toward dissolution at home. And the girl, nineteen, was wearing Express jeans, a blue tank top, her skin was tan and warm, and she was insanely sexual. Her small hands in the creases of his pants. It went from nothing to a lot more than kissing in the back of the black car. The windows steamed up.
What were you thinking, Dorian?
Dorian was thinking, This is so fucking exciting. All of the negative feelings that come with cheating weren't there at the time, he says. The first time there's a strange hand on your pants, Dorian says, I don't know that there's a better feeling on the planet, I don't care who you are or who you're married to.
Dorian got into bed beside his wife that night. He didn't feel badly. He felt justified. You know, he says, the old saying, "Well, if you were taking care of things at home..."
More than guilt, there is fear. You don't want to be found out, he says. Guys who tell you they feel bad, I think it's bullshit. For the most part, you don't want to rock the boat. You've got a house and a kid and a new home-entertainment center and you don't want to saw that world in half.
Cobb fucked his wife's sister, then left both of them, moved to New York. I want the whole thing, you know? he says. Dorian left his wife, too.
Days after she'd been told by her husband that he's leaving not for anyone in particular but only because he doesn't love her anymore, the Lorax was looking at the family computer. She found an e-mail from her husband to a French Vietnamese woman, the Temptress. It was in French and it said:
I cannot believe I came 23 times in one day. I will never have prostate cancer.
The Lorax's husband came to her from another woman. He left the first Lorax for the second Lorax, and then left the second Lorax for the Temptress, who was two decades younger.
When I see a woman on the subway in her thirties, I hate her, says the Lorax. Every woman in her mid-thirties, I hate them all. I've never felt that way before. But as anyone who has been cheated upon will tell you: Once a cheater, always a cheater. When the Lorax is finally able to get through a full day without crying, it's this thought that buoys her, that he'll do it to the Temptress, too.
Don't you feel bad for the woman alone in the kitchen? says a friend of mine.
Yes, I say. But not as afraid as I am of being her.
I tell a man I meet at a bar about what I'm writing because I'm looking for approval from someone I don't know. He listens and says, Why don't you just argue against monogamy? I'm quiet, I drink my elderflower drink. It's daytime in a great hotel bar on a Saturday and the first few sips of alcohol on an empty stomach always make me feel like I'm happier being on the side that I'm on. His question is smart and important. The answer, the one in my head I'm not sure I want to say out loud, makes me sick, even through the filter of liquor.
I'm more comfortable talking about sex than about love. Or I'm more comfortable saying I want the former than I am admitting I need the latter. Why I don't argue against monogamy is that I'm not evolved enough, maybe, for an open relationship. Most of us aren't. We're marriage animals. But I'm also not trusting enough — or naive enough — to believe in giving up the illicit. Why I don't argue against monogamy is that part of having great moments, I fear, is having both. The monogamy and the illicit thing, and the passion and the guilt that bridges those two foreign countries, are what deepens our layers, even if some of those layers end up morphing into the slick crusted scales of a snake.
On a Saturday the Enigma calls me.
Oh my God, she says. I did it.
Where?
A hotel. Oh my God.
Tell me about it.
Driving there, I felt like a virgin. I got there and he opened the door and he was wearing these great jeans and no shirt and I was like, Really? We had some wine and at first he just laid on top of me on the bed, like it just felt great to have his body on top of mine. Up till now it's just been him brushing his hand against my ass in the elevator, and I have almost been able to come from that.
What about the taxi? I say.
Oh, right, and the taxi, she says, because affairs are full of half-truths, varying truths. You tell one friend there's a guy you have a crush on, another friend that you kissed him, and another you tell that you take cabs with him because cabs are the only safe place and you straddle him in the cab and he puts his hands on your ass and you make out like animals. And then you forget who you told what.
So how was it?
Words can't describe. I was wearing a thin white button-down and like, our bodies together, holy shit, it was so hot, I mean the first time was like crazy, like we had to get it out. It was fucking crazy. The second time was slower. And the third time we did like everything we missed, crazy positions, oh my God, we did it everywhere.
Oh God. Okay. What are you going to do?
I don't know. Tell me what to do. I love X, but I don't know if I can live a life with him knowing what's out there. But I think I can, I mean, I'll have a normal, good life with X.
You know how I feel.
You don't think I should get married.
Yes.
But don't you think people should have last flings? I mean. You sort of told me I could do this.
Yeah, I meant that. Mostly because I think if you didn't do it now, you'd do it after a few kids, and that's worse. I just think it's too early for you to feel this way.
What if I just do this my whole life?
I think you might.
I feel so bad.
You sound excited.
Fuck you.
Maybe an actual individual needs to heal you, says a friend of mine to me. Maybe your parents' death fucked you up and you need someone who's going to change your mind about everything. My brother says to me, Whatever you do, don't get married.
There is a boy I meet in New York who lives in Los Angeles. I know his father professionally. I don't think he's the one by any stretch. Even if I did, I wouldn't admit it to anybody, especially to myself.
People in affairs are hackneyed. They talk about what would have happened if we had met five years ago, seven years ago, twenty-four years ago, if you had been alive then. Nothing probably, is the answer. A Tom Waits song would have come on in the bar and you would have decided her hair was too red or her laugh was too loud. But you can't have it now so you need it.
Maybe my friends are right, and I'm a little broken. But since the death of my parents, it's been easier for me to associate with the devils. I've never been cheated on, to the best of my knowledge, and I know women who would like me to feel it. I understand that. I'm sorry for them, and mindful it can happen to me. Because you are on one side, until you are on the other.
The boy in L.A., his father is slightly mad and also slightly estranged from his son. The father says, You're writing about affairs, hmm? Why don't you write about my son, who is cheating on his fiancée with you?
At first I'm a little gutted, if you can be just a little gutted. It takes me a couple of hours to regroup.
I take an exercise class in Manhattan in which women with clean soy faces and Lululemon everything and Klonopin-sized engagement rings do pliés and lunges and glute moves and everyone looks like swans in mirrors, one long shiny black leg up in the air and the other finding purchase in a powder-blue rug. I feel like an interloper, even though I'm wearing Lululemons, too. There are two women in here who I know have been cheated upon. I know their fiancé and boyfriend and I know what they did with two girls.
I stare out across a roomful of them, Dove deodorant and girlish sweat lite, a shiny black smooth pool of them, pulsing to Rihanna, BlackBerrys blinking up at them from the floor and the swans diving down to do standing splits, getting a closer look at the screen, which maybe says, Out w Brian. Call you later. And the swans reposition like I do, into wide second positions, their Lululemons stretching out like goalposts, they inhale deeply and pulse to the music, gracefully stretching themselves until they can bend all the way in opposition, waiting to become a plateful of olive pits, and me in the corner stroking my scales, until each of us switches positions again.
Names have been changed for privacy.
Lisa Taddeo is a regular contributor to Esquire and is embroiled in reporting for a book on modern sex culture in the vein of Thy Neighbor's Wife.
I don't think my late parents cheated on one another, but I can't ask them anymore, can't say, But come tell me now this time for real, now that I'm old enough.
As far as I know, they didn't cheat. As far as I know, my mother never cried in a car on the way to her favorite restaurant, like a friend of a friend's mother, who I call the Lorax.
The Lorax's husband told her to get dressed up and pick out the place she wanted to go to, when he had not done so in months, and she spent her fifty-six-year-old day preparing her face, creaming her body, hooking a bra, and doing that thing that women do, touching a part of ourselves we imagine being touched later by a man.
In the car on the way to the favorite restaurant, the Tom Waits song "Shiver Me Timbers" came on.
"I'm leavin' my family / I'm leavin' all my friends / My body's at home / But my heart's in the wind."
Her husband said, Turn it off. Turn it off now.
She said Why, even though she already knew, it was up in her throat like a horse vitamin. She said, If you are about to say something that's going to crush me, then don't take me to my favorite restaurant and do it to me over wine. Pull over, be a man, and do it now.
This story always upsets me. Not because I imagine my parents in these roles. But because I wonder what they'd think if they knew I've been the other woman.
I sat down to write this eighteen different ways. I thought, What does someone want to read about affairs? You've had one and you want to relate to something. You haven't had one but you fantasize about the girl with the keyhole shirt and the shoes your wife would call cheap. Her name starts with a C or a G. You know you and your partner will never have one, but you remember the time your wife, your husband, did not answer the phone for five car-accident hours.
The Lorax has reddish-brown hair and lives in Queens. She's solid and talks a lot.
Every time I meet a married woman, I think about the things she does that likely annoy her husband. I think a great deal about the evanescence of sexuality. The marrow missing from the bone. That's what I want to know. If you're going to wreck some other person's world, what's the good thing you're going to get?
My friend Cobb is from Kentucky. Now he lives in New York, but before he was married to a woman I'll call Blondie. She was hot and perfect-familied, drank a lot, like a college girl. She had a sister, Meg, with dark hair, younger but more mature and sleek. Cobb was happy but not complacent. His wife was both.
After a year or so, Cobb started thinking of dark hair. The swish and wealth of it. On wide southern avenues brunettes jerked his head around. At first not Meg. It was just damn near every brunette. It was forty-five-year-old brunettes at Lancôme counters. It was twenty-seven-year-old cashiers and the dark-skinned Jewish brunettes who perform sure-footed blowjobs on porn sites. Then it was Meg. Then it was the cashier. Then it was both, in his head in the bathroom in the bedroom on a reel billowing like horse manes.
One night at a wine bar, the sisters looked beautiful and disparate. Everybody drank too much and they all went back to Cobb and Blondie's home, and Blondie made it to the bathroom and passed out there, her blond tresses cascading murderously across the tile like southern blood.
As a nation we are obsessed with the moment it happens. When alcohol is involved, the moment is a glance of breath. It's the smell of cologne and lacrosse sweat. Meg is on the bed. Her brother-in-law walks halfway across the room and Meg has this look on her face like pre-sin. A white bra strap is showing.
He kneeled on the bed and she kneeled up to meet him and they kissed and skipped foreplay, pants off, dress hiked up, and they had drilling sex, fast and half-smiling, half look of holy fuck, my sister your wife. The depraved lunacy of gotta have it anyway.
This story doesn't shock me. I see the logic. More than I believe in the sanctity of union and promise, I believe that everybody cheats. If you have not cheated yet, it's because you are still too grateful to be secure, or you have not yet had the opportunity, or the right color of red hair has not come along and sat down at the bar on a Tuesday when the jukebox was playing Leonard Cohen and your manhattan tasted like the future.
Or maybe I'm simply rationalizing and making excuses. Because I relate more to the Lorax's husband than to the Lorax. Because I'd rather be getting fucked in bed than passed out on the bathroom floor.
It's this past summer at a country club in New Jersey where the pool twinkles like 1985. I am reading aloud to a friend from a David Foster Wallace essay in which he talks about how a man who puts his hand at a woman's abdomen while his mouth is between her legs is selfish. Because he wants to know if she comes. He's in it for his ego. Then we talk about cheaters, because I'm telling my friend about a man who was great at that, while he was married. And we talk about the fact that I've been with married men, which I feel taught me to be careful not to get hurt, to know that one day it could happen to me. And she feels it is because I'm worried about losing people, like I lost my parents, so I don't ever put myself in a position to lose. She says I'm just a catalyst for more loss.
We stare across the pool at the families. Dark-haired fathers and blond wives and rows of blond-fur children in Vilebrequin swimsuits.
You shouldn't ever see him again, she says. You're ruining your marriage karma. I say, I'm not sure I believe in it. It's weird you're this fucked-up about marriage, she says. You grew up in a perfect home.
I argue in the general but also in the specific. The fucking moment. The married guy I'm talking about put a cashmere jacket across my shoulders in a downtown bar when the door was open in early spring. I'm happily married, he said in conversation. He had an odd bit of an accent, salt-lick after it's been run through by ten thousand yellow cabs.
Four days later I e-mailed and said I wanted to interview him for a story. I trembled and smiled as I sent it. Six days later we met in a bar far from where he worked and where I lived, but cool and appropriate, and I walked in thinking I was crazy for what I had been thinking, that he was just another married guy, just another finance guy, just another moment in time and scent in a room.
I saw him and I had three beers and I had to run into the bathroom and scream, shriek for fuck's sake. I looked at my face in the mirror and I thought, I have never felt this before. I may never feel this again. Something chemical and explosive. I'll never forget the smell of beer on my breath, that particular evening's smell of beer.
Another bar a few hours later, beer into gin and tonics, side by side on stools, my thigh against his. He says if he weren't married, this would be the best first date he had ever had. He is eight years older. He has a six-month-old baby.
I have to go, he says. I have to go.
He hails me a cab and opens the door for me and I am about to get in, about to be innocent only because he is leading the way, and he puts his hand on my shoulder.
May I kiss you on the mouth? He says it like an apology.
When we saw each other again, he said he didn't want to walk away, that he knew he should but he couldn't.
This time we were in the bar where we'd met, where he knew everyone and he likened me to a jar of cherries beside his glass of Scotch and he kissed me there at the bar and it was the kind that doesn't stop until a full stop. We left together and outside in the street he lifted me into his arms with my legs around his waist and he threw me up against a brick wall. On the way to my apartment a taxi almost hit us and we laughed. He carried me inside and the bottles in my bar stand shook. He threw me on my bed and it was the ideal mix of laughing and panicked desire and he took half my clothes off and his phone rang. We were doing midnight things but across the rest of the city it was 8:00 P.M. and with one hand on my waist, he picked up the phone and said, Yeah honey, don't worry, having a drink with Brian, I'll bring home a pizza.
More than the illicitness of the sexuality, there's a sexuality to the selfishness. To doing precisely what you want to do. Being crudely, smilingly, on the side of the winners. I'm arguing for Wild Moments, because you never know what your last one will be.
She says, I hate myself. She says, This is thrilling.
Call her the Enigma, she works in an office in the center of the city. She's tall and redheaded and thin and in the past she drank a lot and even though she still drinks now, it's different. She's together. She's gotten engaged, it was years in the making. He has a career, the kind that makes the Engima's mother forgive the Enigma's past transgressions. The ring is a holy laurel.
The first morning it's not an affair but a glowing warmth, nobody gets hurt. It begins with an instant message. There's a man in the office who's wildly good-looking, he has great jeans and a hot smile and the other girls and women in the office talk about what he's wearing and how he smells and they trade information like they're handling a rookie card. The Enigma doesn't have the time to, because she is the one he chooses. You look great today, is how it starts.
The Enigma's wearing a white button-down shirt and a dark pencil skirt and her long legs are bare bones in winter and her shoes are popping snake green. Her hair has just been highlighted so it is brighter than yesterday. Everything the Enigma does is done in the extreme — it's part of her maddening charm, especially for a man who is in love with her.
In an office, that's how it works, instant messages on the company server. Soon it's eight hours a day, and soon it goes into night. E-mails, because they're quieter than texts. 3:00 A.M. The idea of someone thinking of you, then, who shouldn't be. In bed with his wife. In bed with your fiancé. Nothing has happened, except everything in your head.
I'm losing it, she writes, at 11:00 A.M. on a Tuesday. I'm so scared. I have so much to lose. I'm floored. I'm so scared. I mean, I won't lose it. I'm just addicted.
I say it's like a drug, and the aftermath of a drug is shit. She says, I know I know I know. But. He's amazing. Though. Like. Every moment is erotic. The way he lifts a pen. We are sexy together. You know?
I speak to dozens more people about cheating, so that I can understand the why. So I can understand me.
More than answering the why, women are always asking why. I'm always answering for the men who aren't present. Yes there's the physical, I just want to put it inside her right this second because she's new and her smell is new and her hair isn't blond.
A guidance counselor tells me he cheats because he wants to feel like his old self, the football player who could get it any time. Lana, the woman in the guidance office, won't fuck him until he is no longer married. But he went down on her once, over the covers on a bed that was neither of theirs with her skirt pulled up to her thighs and her panties slid to the right, and then to the left.
I can think of nothing else, he tells me. I have never wanted anybody more. I have wet dreams. Listen to me. I am a cliché.
Dorian, a forty-two-year-old lawyer, says, I don't feel bad because everything had been building toward dissolution at home. And the girl, nineteen, was wearing Express jeans, a blue tank top, her skin was tan and warm, and she was insanely sexual. Her small hands in the creases of his pants. It went from nothing to a lot more than kissing in the back of the black car. The windows steamed up.
What were you thinking, Dorian?
Dorian was thinking, This is so fucking exciting. All of the negative feelings that come with cheating weren't there at the time, he says. The first time there's a strange hand on your pants, Dorian says, I don't know that there's a better feeling on the planet, I don't care who you are or who you're married to.
Dorian got into bed beside his wife that night. He didn't feel badly. He felt justified. You know, he says, the old saying, "Well, if you were taking care of things at home..."
More than guilt, there is fear. You don't want to be found out, he says. Guys who tell you they feel bad, I think it's bullshit. For the most part, you don't want to rock the boat. You've got a house and a kid and a new home-entertainment center and you don't want to saw that world in half.
Cobb fucked his wife's sister, then left both of them, moved to New York. I want the whole thing, you know? he says. Dorian left his wife, too.
Days after she'd been told by her husband that he's leaving not for anyone in particular but only because he doesn't love her anymore, the Lorax was looking at the family computer. She found an e-mail from her husband to a French Vietnamese woman, the Temptress. It was in French and it said:
I cannot believe I came 23 times in one day. I will never have prostate cancer.
The Lorax's husband came to her from another woman. He left the first Lorax for the second Lorax, and then left the second Lorax for the Temptress, who was two decades younger.
When I see a woman on the subway in her thirties, I hate her, says the Lorax. Every woman in her mid-thirties, I hate them all. I've never felt that way before. But as anyone who has been cheated upon will tell you: Once a cheater, always a cheater. When the Lorax is finally able to get through a full day without crying, it's this thought that buoys her, that he'll do it to the Temptress, too.
Don't you feel bad for the woman alone in the kitchen? says a friend of mine.
Yes, I say. But not as afraid as I am of being her.
I tell a man I meet at a bar about what I'm writing because I'm looking for approval from someone I don't know. He listens and says, Why don't you just argue against monogamy? I'm quiet, I drink my elderflower drink. It's daytime in a great hotel bar on a Saturday and the first few sips of alcohol on an empty stomach always make me feel like I'm happier being on the side that I'm on. His question is smart and important. The answer, the one in my head I'm not sure I want to say out loud, makes me sick, even through the filter of liquor.
I'm more comfortable talking about sex than about love. Or I'm more comfortable saying I want the former than I am admitting I need the latter. Why I don't argue against monogamy is that I'm not evolved enough, maybe, for an open relationship. Most of us aren't. We're marriage animals. But I'm also not trusting enough — or naive enough — to believe in giving up the illicit. Why I don't argue against monogamy is that part of having great moments, I fear, is having both. The monogamy and the illicit thing, and the passion and the guilt that bridges those two foreign countries, are what deepens our layers, even if some of those layers end up morphing into the slick crusted scales of a snake.
On a Saturday the Enigma calls me.
Oh my God, she says. I did it.
Where?
A hotel. Oh my God.
Tell me about it.
Driving there, I felt like a virgin. I got there and he opened the door and he was wearing these great jeans and no shirt and I was like, Really? We had some wine and at first he just laid on top of me on the bed, like it just felt great to have his body on top of mine. Up till now it's just been him brushing his hand against my ass in the elevator, and I have almost been able to come from that.
What about the taxi? I say.
Oh, right, and the taxi, she says, because affairs are full of half-truths, varying truths. You tell one friend there's a guy you have a crush on, another friend that you kissed him, and another you tell that you take cabs with him because cabs are the only safe place and you straddle him in the cab and he puts his hands on your ass and you make out like animals. And then you forget who you told what.
So how was it?
Words can't describe. I was wearing a thin white button-down and like, our bodies together, holy shit, it was so hot, I mean the first time was like crazy, like we had to get it out. It was fucking crazy. The second time was slower. And the third time we did like everything we missed, crazy positions, oh my God, we did it everywhere.
Oh God. Okay. What are you going to do?
I don't know. Tell me what to do. I love X, but I don't know if I can live a life with him knowing what's out there. But I think I can, I mean, I'll have a normal, good life with X.
You know how I feel.
You don't think I should get married.
Yes.
But don't you think people should have last flings? I mean. You sort of told me I could do this.
Yeah, I meant that. Mostly because I think if you didn't do it now, you'd do it after a few kids, and that's worse. I just think it's too early for you to feel this way.
What if I just do this my whole life?
I think you might.
I feel so bad.
You sound excited.
Fuck you.
Maybe an actual individual needs to heal you, says a friend of mine to me. Maybe your parents' death fucked you up and you need someone who's going to change your mind about everything. My brother says to me, Whatever you do, don't get married.
There is a boy I meet in New York who lives in Los Angeles. I know his father professionally. I don't think he's the one by any stretch. Even if I did, I wouldn't admit it to anybody, especially to myself.
People in affairs are hackneyed. They talk about what would have happened if we had met five years ago, seven years ago, twenty-four years ago, if you had been alive then. Nothing probably, is the answer. A Tom Waits song would have come on in the bar and you would have decided her hair was too red or her laugh was too loud. But you can't have it now so you need it.
Maybe my friends are right, and I'm a little broken. But since the death of my parents, it's been easier for me to associate with the devils. I've never been cheated on, to the best of my knowledge, and I know women who would like me to feel it. I understand that. I'm sorry for them, and mindful it can happen to me. Because you are on one side, until you are on the other.
The boy in L.A., his father is slightly mad and also slightly estranged from his son. The father says, You're writing about affairs, hmm? Why don't you write about my son, who is cheating on his fiancée with you?
At first I'm a little gutted, if you can be just a little gutted. It takes me a couple of hours to regroup.
I take an exercise class in Manhattan in which women with clean soy faces and Lululemon everything and Klonopin-sized engagement rings do pliés and lunges and glute moves and everyone looks like swans in mirrors, one long shiny black leg up in the air and the other finding purchase in a powder-blue rug. I feel like an interloper, even though I'm wearing Lululemons, too. There are two women in here who I know have been cheated upon. I know their fiancé and boyfriend and I know what they did with two girls.
I stare out across a roomful of them, Dove deodorant and girlish sweat lite, a shiny black smooth pool of them, pulsing to Rihanna, BlackBerrys blinking up at them from the floor and the swans diving down to do standing splits, getting a closer look at the screen, which maybe says, Out w Brian. Call you later. And the swans reposition like I do, into wide second positions, their Lululemons stretching out like goalposts, they inhale deeply and pulse to the music, gracefully stretching themselves until they can bend all the way in opposition, waiting to become a plateful of olive pits, and me in the corner stroking my scales, until each of us switches positions again.
--
Lisa Taddeo is a regular contributor to Esquire and is embroiled in reporting for a book on modern sex culture in the vein of Thy Neighbor's Wife.
Names have been changed for privacy.
PLUS: The 2012 Esquire Sex Survey of Men >>
EARLIER: Why Men Cheat, by Anonymous >>
QUIZ: Will You Get Caught?
Lisa Taddeo Lisa Taddeo is an author and two-time recipient of the Pushcart Prize—her book Three Women can be purchased here.
This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io | {
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Australian face of youth unemployment 'made it up' Published duration 21 September 2016
image caption The Daily Telegraph's coverage of youth unemployment in Sydney
A Sydney teenager portrayed as the face of youth unemployment in Australia has revealed she fabricated her story.
The Daily Telegraph carried a front page story about Amy and her friend Ashleigh, who declared they had no desire to get jobs.
They were branded a new breed of "dole bludger", sparking a media debate about NEETs, young people "not in employment, education or training".
The treasurer had vowed to personally look into their unemployment benefits.
'I just want to chill'
The young women spoke to the newspaper in the car park of a welfare centre in Mount Druitt, a western Sydney suburb negatively stereotyped as having high levels of poverty.
They told the paper they preferred to spend their days "chilling" at McDonald's and driving an old hatchback off road than working.
image copyright AFP image caption Treasurer Scott Morrison said he would take the case up with the social services minister
"They pay you nothing so why would I rock up?" Amy said.
"I call in sick when I'm over it and then they just get rid of me. Not fair really because I just want to have a good time and chill but I don't want to be fired."
A public backlash ensued after they rejected job offers from McDonald's saying: "Can't get there... I have no car."
But Amy's father, Steven, revealed this week that his daughter has actually been employed for the past seven months.
"She's just a silly little teenager who was acting up and wanted her five minutes of fame," he told the Daily Telegraph.
"She made the whole thing up… She's a good girl and has been depressed recently. I'm sending her to see a counsellor."
"I do work," Amy said. "I don't know why I made it up, I thought I was being cool."
'Invest in youth'
According to the OECD, 580,000 young Australians are classified as NEETs - an increase of 100,000 since the 2008 global financial crisis.
Social Services Minister Christian Porter has been resisting calls to increase the A$38 (£22; $28) per day youth welfare allowance, which he described as purposely low in order to make it "challenging to subsist".
"The encouragement is there to move off those payments quickly," he said
But the opposition Labor party says the government needs to invest in the unemployed to get them into work.
"Cutting benefits for young people and leaving them with nothing to live on is not investing in them," said Jenny Macklin, the opposition social services spokeswoman. | {
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This avenue of gameplay exists in video and table top RPGs, but it’s pretty much the same no matter how you approach it.You (and, most likely, a party of your friends) decide to go off course in your game, wonder into an area you have absolutely NO business being in, finding an enemy that is well above your acceptable challenge rating (for you non-nerds, basically a dude way more powerful than you should be fighting at this point in the game) and somehow, through just sheer blind stupid luck, willpower, tenacity, determination and using up EVERY single disposable item you have, you manage to overcome this enemy.The comedy being that, later in the adventure, this dude will just become a standard bad guy that you mow down on your way to bigger and better things, but on this particular day, at this particular time, they may as well have been God…and you won.The game mechanics weren’t built to support this, and suddenly you’re up 2, 3, 4, 5 levels, with way more gold than you should be carrying at this point in the game.You then get back on course to your next adventure, absurdly outclassing everything you encounter because of this one stupid gambit you risked that paid off ABSURDLY well. | {
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India’s usually low-profile space agency, ISRO, suddenly had the spotlight pointed at it after the success of the Mangalyaan Mars mission. And since then it has been constantly in the news – launching a record 104 satellites, testing the Crew Module on its biggest GSLV Mk3 rocket, testing the RLV (Reusable Launch Vehicle) and more recently about the Gaganyaan manned space mission.
Now, it intends to take on SpaceX. More specifically the company’s Falcon 9 reusable rocket. According to a report in TOI, the agency is now focusing on reusable rockets. ISRO may be doing this to cut down on launch costs further.
ISRO is looking to test the Vertical Take Off and Vertical Landing (VTVL) technologies in what is called the ADMIRE test vehicle. According to ISRO’s Dr. B N Suresh the ADMIRE test vehicle will prove tech such as retractable legs, retro propulsion and steerable fins.
These technologies will help in the vertically landing the rocket back near the launch pad.
BCCL
The rocket will use other indigenous technologies like NAVIC navigation receiver so that it can accurately land at the designated spot. Dr. Suresh also said “a test and landing site is being developed by Isro for this."
But this isn’t the only reusable technology that ISRO is working on. Last year, the agency test launched the RLV demonstrator. A winged spacecraft, it is meant to be launched vertically and after injecting the payload in orbit, come back to base for a landing like an airplane. The RLV is supposed to undergo another test with the craft being dropped from a plane to verify its landing ability.
Reusable launch crafts are all the rage these days because they not only reduce costs to launch stuff into space but also allow for more frequent launches than expendable rockets. | {
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A $1.25 million lottery win in 2002 was equally attributable to a married couple, instead of solely from one spouse, the Court of Appeal ruled on Thursday (2 May). (Yahoo News Singapore file photo of a 4D ticket)
SINGAPORE — Lottery winnings constitute a “matrimonial asset” and form part of the pool of monies to be divided between a divorcing couple, the Court of Appeal ruled on Thursday (2 May).
The apex court was delivering its verdict for an appeal by a 55-year-old wife against ancillary orders in divorce proceedings with her 63-year-old husband, who had described himself as an inveterate gambler. The couple separated in 2004.
A High Court judge had earlier apportioned 42 per cent of the $9.3 million in matrimonial assets to go to the wife and 58 per cent to the husband. These assets included the $1.25 million lottery winnings.
Matrimonial assets in divorce proceedings are divided equitably, but not equally.
Wife contested distribution of assets
The wife contested the distribution of the lottery winnings, claiming that she was responsible for 95 per cent of indirect contributions to the marriage. She argued for the matrimonial assets to be divided such that she got 80 per cent.
Contrary to the High Court judge’s finding that the husband had won the lottery in 2002, the wife claimed that it was she who had won the Singapore Pools 4-D bet.
Accordingly, she argued that a greater proportion of direct contributions should have been attributed to her.
The lottery winnings had been deposited in the couple’s joint bank account and the money was used to repay the mortgage loan for their matrimonial home.
Separately, the husband had also won $201,028 in 2011, $48,210 in 2012 and $1.032 million in 2013 via lottery. These sums, which were deposited in his personal bank account, were not part of the matrimonial assets.
Intention behind purchase of lottery ticket matters: Apex Court
Judge of Appeal Andrew Phang, who delivered the Court of Appeal’s ruling on Thursday, said, “we are of the view that whilst who purchased the winning ticket is one of the factors that ought to be taken into account.... the more important point where lottery winnings are concerned is the intention with which the ticket was purchased.”
It would be extremely difficult for a spouse who bought a winning lottery ticket to argue that he or she was the sole contributor of the winnings to the pool of matrimonial assets, said the court, which also comprised Justices Belinda Ang and Woo Bih Li.
The apex court found that the husband did not buy the winning ticket in 2002 with the intention of keeping the winnings for himself, having deposited the cash into the couple’s joint account and using the money to pay down the mortgage. This was a strong indication that he had bought the ticket with the intention of benefitting the family, instead of merely himself alone.
Added the court, “In so far as the attribution of lottery winnings with regard to contributions to the pool of matrimonial assets is concerned, there is a presumption that both spouses contribute equally to that pool unless the spouse who purchased the winning lottery ticket can show that he or she purchased the ticket with a view to only benefitting himself or herself and not with a view that the family as a whole should benefit from such winnings should they materialise.”
The Court of Appeal reversed the High Court judge’s decision only in relation to the 2002 lottery win, ruling that it was to be attributed to each spouse equally.
Accordingly, with the overall direct contributions of the wife rising, and taking into account her indirect contributions, the apex court ruled that her overall ratio of her contributions was 49.1 per cent instead of 42 per cent.
The court also ordered $20,000 in costs in favour of the wife.
More Singapore stories:
Spat over fan switch at aged home led to death of 71-year-old man
Construction site supervisor jailed for graft over tip-off for mosquito breeding checks
5 women attacked teen outside St. James night club for flirting with their friend's boyfriend
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Looking to become a more civic-minded citizen? Consider signing up for Scottsdale City Government 101, a wonderful opportunity to learn more about the ins and outs of running a city!
Registration opened this month for this series of free Scottsdale City Government 101 classes, and the public is invited to get involved and become more well-informed! Everyone is encouraged to participate, whether you are a prospective City Council member, community leader, Board or Commission member, neighborhood association leader or volunteer!
These classes presents the “nuts and bolts” of city government, and they will begin in March. The classes are a great educational tool that summarizes the overall process and functions of the Scottsdale city government.
This free program will cover topics including economic development, city manager and city treasurer, community services and preserve, public safety, fire and police, planning, development services and transportation, mayor and council, public works and water resources, city clerk and city auditor. These informative sessions will help participants more clearly understand how the City of Scottsdale operates.
There will be speakers on hand for the classes, including executive level managers, administrators and directors. To allow participants to discuss issues and ask questions in a relaxed, comfortable setting, the class sizes will be limited, so register today.
The classes will be held at the Community Design Studio, located at 7506 E. Indian School Road. They will be held on Thursdays from 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm, beginning on March 23 through May 11. Light refreshments will be served at the classes.
To register, please visit the official City of Scottsdale website. | {
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An audio version of this story.
Crews have completed a 500-foot-long pipe section that will as a bypass around the broken gasoline pipeline that has caused havoc for commuters along the East Coast.
Officials at Alpharetta-based Colonial Pipeline Co. say gas should be flowing again Wednesday.
The bypass around one of its leaky pipelines has been tested and approved.
The major leak that was discovered earlier this month in Alabama led to spotty outages at stations and higher prices overall.
Despite the bypass, commuters could still see scattered outages and higher prices for at least a few more days.
“You know it’s going to take some time to get that fuel back into the system and get it delivered to the local outlets,” said AAA spokesman Garrett Townsend.
The statewide average for a gallon of regular, unleaded gas is 28 cents higher today than it was a week ago.
As for metro Atlanta, the average cost for a gallon is $2.52, about 36 cents higher from last week.
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MUMBAI: The benchmark Sensex on Thursday settled at an all-time closing high at 21,164.52, notching up a gain of 130.55 points, on heavy buying in bluechips led by consumer durables and banks as attractive earnings triggered a new wave of optimism.
The gains came on the back of heavy volumes, amid expiry of monthly derivative contracts. The Sensex, which had gained 464 points in past two sessions, ended 130.55 points, or 0.62 per cent, higher at 21,164.52, a new all-time closing high.
The index touched an intra-day high of 21,205.44, just shy of the peak of 21,206.77 set on January 10, 2008.
On Wednesday, it had closed at 21,033.97. Gains logged by 21 Sensex stocks including SBI, ICICI Bank, RIL, TCS, Bharti Airtel, ONGC, Tata Steel and GAIL India helped the Sensex extend its winning run.
On similar lines, the broad-based National Stock Exchange index Nifty spurted by 47.45 points, or 0.76 per cent, to end at 6,299.15. It had earlier touched intra-day high of 6,309.05.
Also, SX40 index, the flagship index of MCX-SX, closed at 12,545.13, clocking a gain of 30.32 points or 0.24 per cent.
Brokers said foreign funds remained net buyers in Indian equities and better-than-expected earnings by leading companies raised further hopes of more capital inflows.
Sectorally, the BSE Consumer Durables index gained the most by rising 2.65 per cent, followed by PSU index (2.47 per cent), Banking index (1.93 per cent), Metal index (1.73 per cent) and Oil & Gas index (1.44 per cent).
For the month of October, the BSE Sensex rose by 9.20 per cent, or 1,784.75 points. | {
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MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — The Minneapolis NAACP is calling for action after allegations of racism at a Twin Cities restaurant.
The organization’s leaders say two African-American diners — Tyrone Williams and Chauntyll Allen — recently sat down for a meal at Joe’s Crab Shack in Roseville when they discovered a disturbing image embedded inside of a decorative table at the restaurant.
The diners, according to the NAACP, found a picture that depicted two black men being hanged, surrounded by a white crowd, with the caption next to one of the victims that read, “All I said was that I didn’t like the gumbo.”
Doing some quick research at their table, the NAACP says the diners discovered that the picture was authentic and depicted a real hanging from Texas in 1896. They notified the manager, who the NAACP says was apologetic.
Related: Joe’s Crab Shack, Roseville Respond To Hanging Picture Controversy
“Me and Chauntyll, we just felt sick and confused,” Williams said. “It was just sickening.”
Allen said the restaurant manager told her this may not be an isolated incident.
“When we talked to the manager, he said that he was pretty sure that these tables were designed by a particular person,” she said, “and if that particular person had the mindset to pick that particular picture, I’m sure they picked quite a few more that are similar.”
In response, the NAACP is demanding a public apology from the corporate offices of the restaurant, immediate removal of any similar pictures in tables at restaurants around the country, and a donation to a local community-based organization that serves African-American youth and teenagers.
The City of Roseville released a statement regarding the imagery on Friday.
“The City of Roseville was shocked and saddened to learn of the racist imagery being openly displayed,” the city said in the statement. “The City condemns this type of display in the strongest possible terms and calls on Joe’s Crab Shack to remove any and all racist imagery not only from its Roseville location, but all of its restaurants nationwide.” | {
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Melania Trump is hiring a team of staffers to help her fight back against social media attacks after Chelsea Handler was accused of immigrant-shaming her.
The comedian said that she wouldn't interview the First Lady because 'she can barely speak English', despite the fact that 46-year-old Slovenian native being fluent in French, Italian, German, Slovene and English.
White House insiders said that the First Lady is close to finalizing a team to manage the attacks against her and her ten-year-old son Barron.
White House insiders said that Melania Trump is close to finalizing a team to manage the social media attacks against her and her ten-year-old son Barron
Chelsea Handler (above on Saturday at Sundance Women's March) is being accused of immigrant shaming First Lady Melania Trump after saying that she can barely speak English despite the fact she is actually fluent in five languages
It's believed that former Vogue staffer and Met Ball organizer Stephanie Winston Wolkoff has been tapped to as Melania's chief strategist
It's believed that former Vogue staffer and Met Ball organizer Stephanie Winston Wolkoff - who also planned Trump's inauguration events alongside Tom Barrack - has been tapped to be Melania's chief strategist, according to Page Six.
Wolkoff is reportedly helping interview candidates for Melania's chief of staff, communications chief and social secretary.
Melania has remained silent about comments made about her and Barron following President Donald Trump's inauguration.
President Donald Trump's lawyer, Michael Cohen, however, slammed Handler after the comments.
'Shame on Chelsea Handler for attacking our first lady in such a despicable manner,' he told Page Six.
On July 19, 2016, Handler tweeted the above message about Melania in relation to her husband
A Twitter user responded (above) to Handler's initial tweet saying that her joke wasn't funny and how she 'will bring beauty and grace back to The White House'
He added: 'Don't be fooled by her accent. Melania is bright and articulate. To be clear, our first lady speaks multiple languages, I believe five. How many languages do you speak, Chelsea?'
Handler made comments about Handler in a video to Variety after leading the Women's March at the Sundance Film Festival on Saturday.
President Donald Trump's lawyer, Michael Cohen, slammed Handler's comment
The 41-year-old actress also said she wouldn't book the former model or President Donald Trump on her Netflix show because she doesn't 'respect either one' of them.
She then launched into a speech about how 'divisiveness' is not 'the answer'.
'Divisiveness is not the answer,' Handler explained. 'And I think to get that message, we have to reach across party lines, forget your party.
After the row on Tuesday, Handler shared this teary Instagram photograph on Instagram, writing alongside it: 'I stand with Planned Parenthood. It's time to action'
Handler responded back and wrote: '@karen_snowdy @MELANIATRUMP just as soon as she learns how to speak English'
Handler wrote the above message about Melania to her Twitter on November 4 in reference to a campaign speech Tim Kaine delivered in Spanish
Handler wrote the above message to Twitter on October 28 after Trump shared that Melania would have a more public speaking engagements during a sit down interview with ABC News
'I'm registering as an Independent. I'm not gonna be a Democrat anymore because it's too divisive. This isn't working, this two-party system.'
When asked if she saw the president at Sundance, what would she say, Handler replied, 'F*** off. I mean, gross.'
This isn't the first time Handler has criticized the president or his wife of 12 years.
Since at least July 2016, Handler has written several messages over the course of the election campaign about Melania on Twitter.
On July 19, 2016, Handler tweeted: 'I wonder if @MELANIATRUMP is enjoying her wheaties (sic) this morning or if she's too busy pitching Donald state of the union speech ideas.'
Handler wrote the above message about Melania to her Twitter on October 19 in an apparent reference to how her husband pronounces the country 'China'
Handler wrote the above message about Melania to Twitter on October 9 during the presidential debate
A Twitter user responded to Handler's initial tweet saying that her joke wasn't funny and how she 'will bring beauty and grace back to The White House'.
Handler responded back and wrote: '@karen_snowdy @MELANIATRUMP just as soon as she learns how to speak English'.
In another tweet from October 28, Handler wrote: 'Trump said Melania will give two or three more speeches… Hopefully an interpreter will be present.'
On November 4, she took to Twitter again and wrote: 'Tim Kaine delivered a speech entirely in Spanish. Still easier to understand than Melania.p (sic)'
A representative for Handler could not be reached by DailyMail.com. | {
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But the immediate impact will be very limited at best. First, federal inmates accounted for just 14 percent of the nation’s 1.6 million prisoners last year. Second, Mr. Holder has limited authority to enact permanent reforms without Congressional action. Third, it’s unclear how federal prosecutors will enforce his plan. To maximize its impact, the Justice Department needs to track implementation by the 93 United States attorneys around the country and hold them accountable for enforcing the policy.
For lasting national impact we need to look at the states, where most criminal defendants are sentenced. Over the past few years, a quiet revolution has been brewing in state capitals. Historically low crime rates and shrinking state coffers have led to a nascent consensus among lawmakers and advocates across the ideological spectrum that our addiction to incarceration is not sustainable, effective or humane. Republican governors in cash-strapped states have been among those leading the charge. States as varied as Texas, New York, Colorado and Michigan have passed reforms that have stabilized or significantly reduced prison populations without increasing crime.
What Mr. Holder has done is turn up the dial, lending his imprimatur to a growing sense of national urgency and moral necessity. The muted reaction to his announcement from ardent conservatives is a reflection of the shift in debate.
But this is no time to rest. Those who seek a fairer criminal justice system, unclouded by racial bias, must at a minimum demand that the government eliminate mandatory minimum sentences, which tie judges’ hands; rescind three-strikes laws, which often make no distinction between, say, armed assault and auto theft; amend “truth in sentencing” statutes, which prohibit early release for good behavior; and recalibrate drug policies, starting with decriminalization of marijuana possession and investment in substance-abuse prevention and treatment. Federal aid to state and local agencies, like the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant and the Community Oriented Policing Services, must prioritize diversion and rehabilitation over arrest and incarceration.
I am not naïve about the challenge, or of the needs of crime victims. In 1992, as I was finishing high school, my 71-year-old paternal grandmother was murdered in a house robbery in Sahibabad, India. The killing remains unsolved, and the anguish it caused my family will never fade away. But in America, our criminal justice system has too often focused on vengeance and punishment (and racial suspicion) rather than on crime prevention, restitution for victims and the social and economic reintegration of released prisoners into our communities so that they do not turn to crime again. | {
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But SummerSlam is serious business. One of WWE’s most popular pay-per-view matches, it is the seventh-most expensive event held at the Barclays Center since it opened in September 2012. With an average ticket resale price of $332, SummerSlam cost more to attend than concerts by Beyoncé, Pearl Jam or Jay-Z, according to the website SeatGeek.
Mr. Stewart, a wrestling fan whose tense relationship with the wrestler Seth Rollins has been well-documented, surprised spectators Sunday by stepping into the ring.
Slipping under the ropes during a winner-takes-all match between Mr. Rollins and John Cena for the World Heavyweight and United States champion titles, Mr. Stewart threw a metal chair into Mr. Cena. | {
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Authorities say they found marijuana-growing operations at three of the four locations where eight family members in rural southern Ohio were found fatally shot.
BREAKING UPDATE - 6:40 p.m. on April 25
A law enforcement source confirmed that investigators found roughly 200 marijuana plants growing inside one of the four crime scenes where eight people were killed Friday in Pike County. The Pike County Prosecutor said investigators also found two marijuana crops growing outdoors.
The source said the size of operation indicates it was being grown for sale, not for personal use.
A second law enforcement source said that investigators are looking at numerous avenues as a motive for the killings among them is whether there is a Mexican drug cartel connection, a possible drug turf war or a family feud.
---
Original Story
The slayings of eight family members in rural southern Ohio was a "pre-planned execution," authorities said Sunday, telling residents they are safe but to arm themselves if they're fearful.
The Friday killings at four homes near Piketon was "a sophisticated operation," Attorney General Mike DeWine said at a news conference in the small community that has been on edge since seven adults and one teenage boy were found shot in the head.
Authorities remained tight-lipped Sunday about details of the investigation, any suspects or motives for the crime. They said they found marijuana operations at three of the crime scenes, but didn't say if the deaths were linked to pot.
At one of the homes, investigators found hundreds of marijuana plants, including two indoor grow operations and a third outside.
Pike County Sheriff Charles Reader said that in his 20 years in law enforcement, he never interacted with the Rhoden family "in a criminal nature." He said it was clear the family was targeted, however, and he's told the victims' relatives to arm themselves.
Reader said he didn't believe safety was an issue for others, but he said "If you are fearful, arm yourself."
Authorities have been scrambling to determine who targeted the clan and why. Investigators have interviewed between 50 and 60 people in hopes of finding leads, and a team of 38 people is combing wooded areas around the shooting scenes to ensure no evidence was missed, authorities said.
DeWine said the state's crime lab was looking at 18 pieces of evidence from a DNA and ballistic standpoint, and five search warrants have been executed. Autopsies were expected to be completed Monday.
"This was very methodical. This was well planned. This was not something that just happened," said Reader, noting most victims were targeted while they were sleeping.
The victims were identified Saturday as 40-year-old Christopher Rhoden Sr.; his 16-year-old son, Christopher Rhoden Jr.; 44-year-old Kenneth Rhoden; 38-year-old Gary Rhoden; 37-year-old Dana Rhoden; 20-year-old Clarence "Frankie" Rhoden; 20-year-old Hannah Gilley; and 19-year-old Hanna Rhoden.
Hanna Rhoden was in bed with her newborn baby nearby, authorities said. The infant was 4- or 5-days old. The newborn, Hannah Gilley's 6-month-old baby, and one other small child were not hurt.
Since the slayings, authorities have refused to discuss many details of the crime, a potential motive, weapons, or the search for the assailant or assailants.
"We don't know whether it was one or more people involved in this," DeWine said.
More than 100 tips have been given to investigators, who've set up a number for people to call as police seek information about the crimes. A Cincinnati-area businessman also put up a $25,000 reward for details leading to the capture and conviction of the killer or killers. | {
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NPR News Nuggets: Love At Sea, Peanut Butter Jailbreak Time & City Hall Climbs
Enlarge this image toggle caption Mitchell Leff/Getty Images Mitchell Leff/Getty Images
Here's a quick roundup of some of the mini-moments you may have missed on this week's Morning Edition.
Looking for love
Man Climbs 500-Foot Philly City Hall Listen · 0:28 0:28
Despite not being a castaway, as The Police would suggest, 49-year-old Craig Sullivan was still hoping that someone would get his message, or should we say messages, in a bottle. As Morning Edition host Rachel Martin said on Monday, Sullivan set out to cast 2,000 bottles into sea with the hope of finding romance — again. The idea of looking for romance this way may seem archaic, but Sullivan explained his reasoning through a blog post. In it, he recounts the previous 18 months of his life in which he had to readjust after having lost his wife to cancer. He says that when he realized he was lonely and missed "the simple acts of companionship," online dating wasn't for him.
In Search Of Love, Too Many Messages In The Bottles Listen · 0:30 0:30
He was inspired by both the lyrics to "Message In A Bottle," and a letter the late author Amy Krouse Rosenthal penned, titled "You May Want To Marry My Husband," in The New York Times before she died from cancer. Despite all the inspiration and old-school romantics, Sullivan did not get the responses he was looking for. Instead, he got a lot of feedback criticizing him for littering when the bottles and messages started washing up on Britain's shore. Helen Gill was one of the recipients, and as The Telegraph reported, she sent back a message of her own encouraging a different approach. "I would ask you to think of another more environmentally friendly way of carrying on with your campaign. When visiting our beaches you should leave only footprints," Gill said. Sullivan did decide against sending out the rest of the bottles, but it wasn't a pointless act. He received responses from people who had also lost a loved one, and shared their stories with him.
This is nuts
Enlarge this image toggle caption Scott Olson/Getty Images Scott Olson/Getty Images
It's peanut butter jelly time, except in this nugget, the jelly will be substituted with a bit of jailbreak. The substitution comes from 12 inmates at the Walker County Alabama Jail. As Morning Edition Steve Inskeep said on Tuesday, the inmates didn't have to dig a series of tunnels to get out of jail. Instead, they used peanut butter and altered the numbers over the doors. As AL.com reports, Walker County Sheriff James Underwood knows this trick may sound nutty.
The Great Peanut Butter Escape Of 2017 Listen · 0:29 0:29
"Changing numbers on doors with peanut butter — It may sound crazy, but these kinds of people are crazy like a fox," Underwood said. "And crazy as the plan might have been, it did fool a newly-hired guard who thought the door he was opening was to a cell, not the outside. When the door was open, the inmates rushed out and scaled a fence. Their freedom didn't last long though, 11 of the 12 inmates were captured by the next morning and the last one was found in Florida. While peanut butter worked in this plan, there's no guarantee it would have gotten the same results if they used jelly.
A not-so-good idea
Let's start out by saying this: Do not try a stunt like this at home. Many cities across the world have tall buildings and towers that you can visit, go to the top and look down. A lot of people really enjoy this type of activity, but that doesn't seem to be the case for a man named Carson King. As Morning Edition host Steve Inskeep said on Wednesday, King got quite the view of Philadelphia after he climbed to the top of City Hall, a 548-foot-high tower. Though the real feat is that city officials had no idea — until he posted a video. In the video, that has since been deleted, King does admit that people at home shouldn't try this. Now, as The Philadelphia Inquirer reported, police are hoping to talk to King, but haven't decided whether or not they will press charges. But they do want to stress that other people should not try to replicate King's climb. | {
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1991 – homosexuality was still illegal in the South of Ireland (it would be decriminalised in 1993). A ruling in 1988 that the Irish state was in breach of the European Convention of Human Rights had prompted a widespread debate in society on the issue of equality for gay and lesbian people.
The following article first appeared in the Winter 1991 edition of An Glór Gafa/The Captive Voice: The Voice of the Irish Republican Prisoners of War magazine which was produced by An Phoblacht. At the time, author Brendí McClenaghan was a POW in Long Kesh. We republish it here in full.
Invisible comrades – Gays and lesbians in the struggle
Gay men and lesbian women have been involved in the struggle for national liberation and independence as long as any other section of our people. You might claim that you have never known nor met a gay man or lesbian woman, but you have met one or more – today, last week, last year, 22 years ago – for they have been among us, in struggle alongside you.
The primary reason you have not noticed them is that the prevailing culture in our society in relation to sexuality in general, and homosexuality in particular, compels gays/lesbians to conform, thus their sexuality becomes invisible.
Women as a whole were also once virtually invisible in the national struggle. In recent years, however, that have argued forcefully that women's liberation must be an integral part of that struggle. In order that the concept of women's liberation be recognised and accepted as an equal, valid component, women comrades confronted their male counterparts with the contradictions of sexist words and actions.
While there is still a long way to go to overcome male chauvinism and sexism, at least today women have succeeded in putting feminist issues on the agenda of the anti-imperialist fight.
It is now time, indeed long past time, to open up debate among republicans on the issue of gay and lesbians, our oppression and its causes, and on our right to be visible equal partners. I believe that national liberation by its very nature incorporates gay/lesbian liberation as an integral part, and it is only through open debate leading to an understanding of gay/lesbian experience that our equality in struggle can be made a reality.
Social and economic oppression is something the people in the whole of Ireland have suffered, and in the North of Ireland the weight of British occupation is an added burden. As gays/lesbians we are doubly oppressed for we had to endure further repression within our families, local communities and within the Republican Movement because of our sexuality. This manifests itself in many ways and affects every part of our lives.
The state's laws deny equality in marriage, education, social welfare, employment, adoption, life insurance . . . the list is endless. The state denies gay/lesbian relationships the same recognition as heterosexual relationships under the civil law.
While British law allows for consensual relationships between men over 21, the position in the 26 Counties remains that gay men of any age are liable to imprisonment because of their sexuality – and this in spite of the fact that the Dublin Government has accepted, in theory, the ruling by the European Court of Human Rights that present legislation is in breach of the rights of gay men.
Both the British and Irish states have appalling records in the area of gay/lesbian rights, especially when compared to other countries in Europe. The legal age of consent is 16 in Portugal, Switzerland and Holland.
The legal status of gays/lesbians reflects attitudes in the wider society. All the churches promote traditional, stereotypical views in relations to matters like contraception, abortion, sex education for young people and the rights of women in marriage. The Catholic Church in particular seeks to maintain its control over our lives and our sexuality and it has spawned organisations such as Family Solidarity, whose views on homosexuality range from the patronising to the downright chilling:
"If homosexual acts are legalised, the likelihood is that this will be interpreted as a major reversal in social policy, and as recognition by society that for those who are so inclined, engaging in these unnatural, unhealthy and immoral acts is now to be seen as a right . . .
"[Legislative reform] would send shock waves through every part of society, the structure of marriage and the family would be interfered with, the rights of children and their parents violated and the freedom and autonomy of religious institutions and schools would be seriously breached."
– Family Solidarity News, Spring, 1991.
In short, the end of civilisation as we know it because of men loving men and women loving women!
Such attitudes, which are based on intolerance, misinformation and fear, serve only to demonise gays and lesbians in the minds of the Irish people, evoking images of us as depraved men and women wreaking havoc throughout society.
While oppression from the state and the institutions of society adversely affects the quality of life for gays/lesbians, there are other forms of oppression which are as much, if not more, detrimental. Gays and lesbians face oppression daily from family, comrades, neighbours and friends due to the irrational fear of and deep prejudice against homosexuality.
The most direct expressions of such homophobia are insults, derision and threatened or actual violence. Indirect expressions are sometimes harder to pin down but are nonetheless just as offensive: the pressures to "be what you are but keep it secret and don't rock the boat". This is nothing short of moral blackmail as it is usually accompanied by comments like "What will the family think?" or "It will harm the Movement/struggle". Thus gays/lesbians are forced into invisibility within both the community and the Republican Movement and consequently within the struggle.
This is a situation which must be confronted not only by gays and lesbians but by everyone who espouses the ideals of republicanism. "We declare that we desire our country to be ruled in accordance with the principles of liberty, equality and justice for all," states the 1919 Democratic Programme of Dáil Éireann.
Republicans who have always been to the fore on issues of justice and equality must begin to recognise the oppression of gays/lesbians and to identify with their needs. Republicans must acknowledge and resolve the contradictions in their attitude and behavior which add to that oppression.
Our participation in the national liberation struggle is not a detraction; on the contrary, our involvement is a reinforcement that the struggle is indeed about the freedom and equality of all who are oppressed. No one should feel excluded.
Gay men and lesbian women, especially gay/lesbian comrades within the Republican Movement, must begin the process of full integration and acceptance into the struggle by becoming more visible and making our voices heard on issues that affect us. The prejudices of others can be resolved only by confronting them and by exposing the oppression that those prejudices give rise to, with the resultant fear, isolation and violence.
he experience of such feelings is not imaginary; they are a daily reality for gays and lesbians in the Bogside, Falls, Monaghan, Dungannon, Arydoyne, Ballymun, Crossmaglen and every other town and village in Ireland.
The key to gay/lesbian liberation lies in the success of the national liberation struggle. Gays and lesbians must be a visible part of that struggle so that everyone will recognise that we fought to end the oppression of all. This vital necessity is stressed by those involved in other wars of liberation.
Simon Nkoli, a gay activist involved in the Delmas treason trial in South Africa in 1986, has this to say:
"There are lots of gay activists involved in political organisations but because of the pressure put upon the gay and lesbian community we are afraid to come out. 'What will people think if they know I am a gay person? I'd better fight against apartheid in a hidden way.'
"The danger of that is that when South Africa is liberated we as gay people will seem never to have taken part in liberating our people. What will we say if people ask, 'What did you do to bring about change in this country, where were you during the battle?' We'd have to come back to them and say 'We were with you but we didn't want you to know we were there.' That would be a foolish answer."
Gays and lesbians need to seek out the strength and support of each other, and of those around us who are receptive to the cause of our liberation. There is a need for gay/lesbian comrades to discuss together the issues that affect our lives and which retard participation in the national liberation struggle. In isolation we stand alone and remain invisible, continuing to be oppressed not only by the state but within our own communities.
Through mutual reinforcement and support we can break down the isolation that each feels and discard the cloak of invisibility that has for too long made a misery of, and destroyed, the lives of gays and lesbians. Together we can articulate the relevance of gay/lesbian liberation, confront the homophobia that faces us and attempt to resolve it through dialogue and discussion. This can only be based on logic and facts, not on the myths and mis-truths deliberately fed to our people by those who seek to maintain control over every aspect of our lives: social, political, cultural, economic and sexual.
Everyone has a role to play in the struggle to end all oppression. Those who are themselves oppressed have an obligation to ensure that they do not contribute in any way to the oppression of others. To do otherwise is to deny the essence of the struggle for 'liberty, equality and justice for all'. | {
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Cyclist Killed on Howard Deadly collision with a box truck occurred on block before protected bike lane begins
Update: a People Protected Bike Lane Protest has been scheduled for tonight/Friday, March 8, 5-6 p.m., on Howard between 5th and 4th Street
A woman riding a Ford GoBike west on Howard Street was killed in a collision with a box truck at around 8:15 this morning, just prior to the intersection with 6th Street.
The collision was brought to the attention of Streetsblog and the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition by Morgan Bellinger via email. “I passed through the spot where the accident happened before the police got there this morning. I have what I can only assume to be extremely graphic GoPro footage of the aftermath. I certainly haven’t looked. Please let me know if it could possibly be helpful. Otherwise I will definitely be deleting it.”
Police at the scene were still conducting their investigation at 10 this morning, but SFPD spokesman Officer Robert Rueca confirmed that a woman was killed and that the police have multiple witnesses and they are currently talking with the truck driver. It also seems likely there is video evidence, given the proximity of a security camera over the area, although Rueca could not confirm that.
Binod Singh was smoking a cigarette across the street when he heard the crash. He did not witness the initial impact, but said he thinks the white car in the lead image opened its door and the cyclist was either struck or attempted to maneuver around it and got caught under the wheels of the truck. It’s also possible the truck was starting to make a right turn and swept over the cyclist, although there’s no way to know until the police share the truck driver’s statement and complete their investigation or video of the crash is released.
Supervisor Matt Haney, whose district includes Howard Street, was at the scene and spoke with Streetsblog and other journalists. He emphasized that the recently installed protected bike lane on Howard starts on the other side of 6th, and if this infrastructure had simply been extended down the length of the street, it seems unlikely this crash would have happened.
Streetsblog will embed video of the full interview below.
“It baffles me why bike lanes deemed useful on one street or block are suddenly not necessary at the end of a block, so they just disappear right under your wheels,” wrote Devon Warner, who organizes the annual Ride of Silence commemoration for cyclists killed on the streets of San Francisco. “This is what killed Dianna Sullivan. Have we learned nothing??? …We must have protected intersections and bike lanes.”
This latest tragedy comes on the heels of a spate of deaths on San Francisco streets. Walk S.F. puts this year’s count at five pedestrians killed, one bicyclist, and two vehicle passengers. “We have a crisis on our streets,” wrote Walk S.F.’s Jodie Medeiros, in an email to Streetsblog. “We have an obligation to protect people who are doing the right thing by walking, biking and taking transit.”
Earlier this week Mayor Breed called on the police to focus enforcement efforts on speeding, failing to yield in crosswalks, and other dangerous motorist behaviors. She also asked SFMTA to work faster to get quick-fix safety measures installed throughout the city.
Meanwhile, Streetsblog has an inquiry out to SFMTA to find out the official reason why none of SoMa’s newly installed protected bike lanes continue between 6th and the Embarcadero, and will update this post accordingly.
“The SFMTA keeps prioritizing street parking over people’s lives. That is the case here on Howard as well. I’m so mad,” said Matt Brezina, the advocate who organizes People Protected Bike Lane protests to get better cycling infrastructure. “We are going to keep losing members of our community until the SFMTA and our mayor take bold action. Less community meetings, less delay, more protected lanes now.”
Video of Haney talking about the crash, and the city’s lackluster safety efforts on infrastructure, below: | {
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Булки со свежайшей говядиной, которую при тебе нарезает повар, приправив щедро горчицей. И 100 вариаций кебаба от индийских поваров. Мальчики с хот-догами, девочки с картошкой, запах гари и дыма, улицы, пропитанные ароматом шашлыка, — это все гастрономически тысячеликий Лондон. Город, в котором мы проели последние деньги и заложили за бургер из Byron душу. Картинки с рынков еды и традиционное сравнение магазинных цен у них и у нас — в этом материале.
Британцы, обогатившие мировую культуру почти во всех ее сферах, не очень преуспели в плане еды. В мировых кулинарных книгах они не оставили записей-вех. У этих ребят все просто, по-быстрому, без выпендрежа. Классический английский завтрак — яйца, овсянка, хлопья, бекон, сосиски, хашбрауны, бобы в соусе, тосты. На обед они могут перебиться сэндвичами, на ужин — говяжьим или бараньим стейком, а может, парой-тройкой пинт пива без закуски.
Из традиционных британских блюд наиболее известны Fish and Chips. Это рыба в кляре с жареной картошкой, фасолью и прочим гарниром, который варьируется в зависимости от пафосности паба. Отличаются и цены — Fish and Chips в Лондоне подают и за 6, и за 20 фунтов. Стоит ли рыба с фри и моченым луком полмиллиона белорусских рублей? Да никогда.
Еще из кулинарных изюминок — пироги с различными начинками и оставшаяся с прошлых элегантных времен традиция чаепития. Традицию сейчас, как показалось нам, раскручивают не очень. Какой тут чай, когда эль льется рекой! В элитных местах предлагают на хрустальном блюдце чашечку чая (по цене 700 фунтов за кило), но нас бы в такие не пустили.
— Простые британцы абсолютно не заморачиваются на изысканности блюд и сложности рецептов, — рассказывает эмигрировавший в Англию 6 лет назад Александр. — Любят жаренную на сковороде рыбу. Уважают лосось. Морепродукты очень популярны. Как и экофуд — но это мировая тенденция. Еще у них очень крутые пироги — по сути, гуляш в тесте. А самое распространенное блюдо — карри. Причем они считают его уже не индийской, а именно британской едой. Рецепты большинства блюд простые, а вот в пабах стараются удивить подачей. Вам могут принести бургер на сколе сланцевого камня. Или сэндвич в эмалированном тазике. А потом стакан сока в чашке из старого бабушкиного сервиза. Есть 5-6 традиционных видов десертов, включая коврижки и пудинг, которые тоже стоит обязательно попробовать.
Рыбой в тазике Лондон вас удивит вряд ли. А вот разнообразием уличного фастфуда по-хорошему ошарашит. Речь не о сетевых забегаловках, которые у нас величают ресторанами, а о еде в стиле хенд-мейд. Ее делают при тебе в макашницах, на столах в тесных кафешках без громких вывесок, подают из стилизованных кабин такси. Не боятся ни санстанции, ни исполкома, ни МЧС. Вы скажете, что все это нестерильно и неправильно, пожароопасно, неэстетично. А лондонцы ответят, что видали стерильность в гробу. Если у города нет запаха и вкуса, то это и не город вовсе, а что-то резиновое, полуфабрикат. Полуград, точнее.
Самый колоритный фастфуд нужно искать в этнических районах (в Чайна-тауне, к примеру) и на рынках.
Стоит заглянуть на Camden Market — здесь продают эквадорские бургеры и испанский хамон, готовят паэлью и бразильский стейк. А еще позволяют продегустировать это бесплатно. Готовку кулинары превращают в шоу. И улыбаются всем почему-то, чудаки…
На лондонских рынках можно найти точки с едой для вегетарианцев и веганов, лотки с пищей без глютена и без желатина. Для тех, кто предпочитает здоровое питание, здесь раздолье. На специальном веганском сайте указаны адреса магазинов с правильными продуктами, бары, где наливают веганское вино и пиво. А в веганском календаре событий больше, чем во всем туристическом Минске.
Borough Market — еще один рай для гурмана. Здесь продают экоовощи, экомясо, экомолоко, морепродукты, нарезают и намазывают, делают одни из лучших в городе бургеры с олениной. Здесь можно найти самую элитную говядину в мире. Судя по ценам, ставшая говядиной корова видала в своей жизни столько красоты и счастья, сколько не уготовано увидеть большинству из нас.
Отсюда сложно уйти, не потратив и пенни. Скорее всего, вы потратите гораздо больше.
100 граммов за 200 тыс. — деликатесы везде стоят дорого. Особенно в Лондоне
Лондонскому хенд-мейд фастфуду посвящено несколько интернет-страничек. В городе регулярно происходят тематические фестивали уличной еды. Что-то подобное попытались провести и в Минске в этом году. Хорошее начинание!
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Фастфуд — это больше для туристов и для вылазок в выходные. А что с ценами на обычную еду в магазинах? Мы заглянули в гипермаркеты нескольких крупных сетей — Morrisons, Tesco, Sainsbury’s. Ничего хорошего от одного из самых дорогих городов мира не ожидали. Вот он, едва ли не единственный мегаполис, который точно побьет Минск по всем фронтам!
Так оно, конечно, и вышло — в Лондоне дороже. За исключением буржуазных излишеств вроде мягкой туалетной бумаги, свинины, помидоров черри, некоторых видов алкоголя. Но столь ли существенна разница по другим позициям, если говорить о качестве еды и пропасти в доходах между нами и ними? Решайте сами.
Цены в таблице приведены в рублях по актуальному курсу НБРБ.
Товар/магазин Sainsbury’s (Лондон, Великобритания) «Гиппо» (Минск, Беларусь) Молоко (2%, 1 л) 21 700 8200 Яйца (1 дес.) 37 500 22 400 Картофель мытый фасованный (1 кг) 22 000 17 100 Лук (1 кг) 27 500 7100 Помидоры черри (1 кг) 65 000 81 800 Бананы (1 кг) 18 700 21 900 Апельсины (1 кг) 38 500 25 100 Яблоки (1кг) 27 500 12 600 Морковь (1 кг) 16 500 Не было в продаже Говядина (стейки, 1 кг) 183 600 122 900 (тазобедренная часть) Свинина (стейки, шея, 1 кг) 110 000 (на акции) 119 900 Куриная голень (1 кг) 55 000 44 800 Куриная тушка (1 кг) 59 000 35 000 Черный хлеб (800 г) 25 700 9800 Ананас (1 шт.) 27 500 Не было в продаже Спагетти (500 г) 36 000 21 900 Подсолнечное масло (1 л) 31 000 25 700 Оливковое масло (1 л) 120 000 64 900 Длиннозерный рис (1 кг) 35 000 18 200 Кофе Nescafe Gold 137 000 (200 г) 112 700 (190 г) Martini Bianco (1 л) 217 000 219 900 Виски Jack Daniels (0,7 л) 412 000 485 000 Пиво (евролагер, 0,5 л) 30 000 13 600 Туалетная бумага (трехслойная, 8 рулонов) 64 000 69 100 Зубная паста Colgate Total (100 мл) 41 000 42 100
Сравнение, разумеется, весьма условное. В местных магазинах лежит говядина и по 60 фунтов за кило — налетай! Но дешевая альтернатива будет всегда.
В Британии, как и в других странах Европы, несколько отличная от нашей структура шопинга. Скидки в продуктовых магазинах здесь действительно ощутимы, это не маркетинговый фокус. Магазины предлагают 4 упаковки со стейками по цене трех, отдают три бутылки молока за две. Реально получить скидку в 25%, если возьмешь больше 5 бутылок вина, и т. п. Акции регулярны, побуждают покупать больше и дешевле, чтобы сэкономить. И экономия для большинства местных — не пустой звук, а осознанная необходимость. Хоть в этом Минск и Лондон схожи.
Британский цикл Onliner.by:
Перепечатка текста и фотографий Onliner.by запрещена без разрешения редакции. [email protected] | {
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BECAUSE so many Muslim men have their first sexual encounters with other males, they are inclined to bugger their wives out of ignorance, says Wedad Lootah, who has caused outrage in the Middle East with a frank book entitled Top Secret: Sexual Guidance for Married Couples.
In her book, published earlier this year, the Dubai marriage counselor celebrates the female orgasm, confronts taboo topics in Islam like homosexuality, and urges Arabs to transcend the backward traditions that limit their sexual happiness.
According to the New York Times, the book has drawn praise from some liberals and death threats from conservatives, who say she is guilty of blasphemy or worse.
Said Ms Lootah:
People have said I was crazy, that I was straying from Islam, that I should be killed. Even my family ask why I must talk about this. I say: ‘These problems happen every day and should not be ignored. This is the reality we are living’.
She is not a liberal by Western standards. One of the themes of her book is the danger of anal sex and homosexuality generally, not because of AIDS but because they are banned by the Koran. But her openness about the issue was itself a shock to many.
In Saudi Arabia and other countries where the genders are rigorously separated, many men have their first sexual experiences with other men, which affects their attitudes toward sex in marriage, Ms. Lootah said.
Many men who had anal sex with men before marriage want the same thing with their wives, because they don’t know anything else. This is one reason we need sex education in our schools.
She is also emphatic about the importance of female sexual pleasure, and the inequity of many Arab marriages in that respect. One of the cases that impelled her to write the book, she said, was a 52-year-old client who had grandchildren but had never known sexual pleasure with her husband.
Finally, she discovered orgasm! Imagine, all that time she did not know.
Publishing the book, she notes, was a difficult choice. Her father supported her, but other family members sometimes wondered why she had to be so public about it all. After it was published a man called her office phone and threatened to kill her. Other threats appeared on the Internet.
She brushes them off, saying she has declined an offer of protection from the government. Besides, she adds, educating the public is worth the risk. | {
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Scientologists hold a 'blackmail file' on John Travolta to stop him leaving the faith, which includes 'damaging material' from his sessions with auditors at the church, it has been claimed.
A documentary investigating the religion and its secret California-based headquarters features a number of allegations about how members are threatened and tortured in prison-style camps and cut off from their family if they decide to leave Scientology.
Others belonging to the most senior order of the faith have been forced to play musical chairs to the sound of Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody in a fight to secure a chair to stay in the church, it was claimed.
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A documentary claims to have revealed secrets about the church of Scientology, including that members hold a blackmail file on John Travolta and others have been subjected to hard labour in 'prison camps'
The allegations featured in 'Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief', a documentary shown on HBO in America on Sunday evening.
The claims have been disputed by the Church of Scientology who have branded those who featured in the show - many former senior members - as 'admitted' liars and perjurers and 'professional anti-Scientologists.'
Directed by Alex Gibney, Going Clear aimed to expose the secrets behind the mysterious faith followed by thousands of people including film stars John Travolta and Tom Cruise. It included interviews with former senior members and officials who made explosive claims about punishments endured by members and how followers have been manipulated.
These included descriptions of a 'prison camp', revealed by former member Sylvia 'Spanky' Taylor. People put into this camp are forced to do around 30 hours of hard labour, broken up by three hour rest breaks.
Spanky was once the point of contact between the Church and Travolta and said she was sent to this 'prison camp', known as the Rehabilitation Project Force which, she claims, is where members are 'reindoctrinated.'
The documentary also claimed Scientology chiefs hold a 'black PR package' on Travolta, with all the disclosures he made during auditing sessions. During these sessions a trained auditor asked pointed questions such as 'What are you willing for me to talk to others about?'
Travolta is said to have requested that his sessions were not filmed, but secret cameras were allegedly installed anyway.
As well as the claims about Travolta, former senior members of the faith told documentary makers about the various forms of punishment meted out by leaders.
The show claimed there is a 'black file' on John Travolta, which includes records of his auditing sessions
Senior members of Scientology, that are part of the higher Sea Org order, apparently are forced to play musical chairs to Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen to vie for a place in the church, as a form of punishment
Another form of punishment involved members of the highest ranking order within the Scientology church, Sea Org, whose members are said to be punished by being thrown in 'The Hole'.
As well as beatings in 'The Hole', they are allegedly also subjected to demeaning tasks including mopping up the floor with their tongue to force t them to confess their crimes against the Church.
Others are apparently ordered to play musical chairs to the sound of Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody - fighting each other for chairs which allow them to remain in the church, with losers being expelled.
Being expelled from the Church of Scientology comes at a high price, because all friends and family that are still with the religion are forced to cut any ties with departing members.
Scientology is believed to be one of the reasons behind the breakdown of Tom Cruise's marriage to Katie Holmes because he was understood to have wanted to send their daughter Suri to Sea Org, according to reports at the time. In an interview with the New Yorker in 2012, Scientology spokesmen denied the claims.
Tom Cruise allegedly worked with the Church of Scientology to wire tap former wife Nicole Kidman's phone
This strictest order of Scientology is run with rigid rules, with members being paid just $50 a week and being forced to leave if they have children. Members must pledge their allegiance to the faith for a billion years.
It has also been claimed that the church helped Cruise find a new girlfriend when he opened a new site in Spain and was single.
Officials are said to have found scientologist Nazanin Boniadi and had her braces removed, spent $20,000 on clothes and had her hair dyed to Cruise's liking, the Huffington Post reported. The relationship soon ended.
Former senior executive Mark 'Marty' Rathbun was also interviewed for the documentary and made claims about the church's tax requirements. Rathbun was a senior aide to the current leader of the Church of Scientology, and alleged the church's goal was to be recognised by the Inland Revenue Service (IRS) in order to be made a fully tax-exempt religion, which it achieved in 1993.
Members are said to have filed dozens of lawsuits against IRS and employed private investigators to dig for information in a bid to get the church recognized.
Sylvia 'Spanky' Taylor - once a member of the Church and the point of contact with John Travolta - described a prison camp where members would be forced to work 30-hour shifts, with around three hours of breaks
Another senior former member interviewed was Paul Haggis, a former director of the church. He said once members reached a certain level they would see founder L. Ron Hubbard's handwritten account of the creation myth.
This states that Zenu, a galactic dictator froze people and dropped their bodies into volcanoes, 75 million years ago. These spirits are said to have jumped into the bodies of newborns and are now used as the explanation for the source of all of our anxieties and fears. Hubbard is also said to have created 'Ethics' - a series of punishments for auditors who made mistakes.
Mr Haggis left the church citing problems with its stance on gay rights, after his two gay daughters told him how they were being treated by members. The Academy Award winning filmmaker wrote an infamous resignation to Tommy Miscavage, Scientology's chairman and Hubbard's successor, saying he was disappointed that he had failed to denounce actions of a San Diego church against gay people.
The documentary, based on a book by journalist Lawrence Wright, also claims that when the church thought Cruise was ‘slipping away’ during his marriage to Nicole Kidman, it worked with him to wiretap her phone, a claim that is flatly denied.
In an interview with Business Insider Gibney said he took great steps to ensure that those who spoke out were not put into a compromising position and he ensured he never filmed them at their homes or arrived at a meeting point at the same time.
He added: 'I often used throw-away phones and encrypted e-mail. People were so frightened.'
The Church of Scientology, which is believed to have around 50,000 members, denied the allegations featured in Going Clear and said the statements included were 'entirely false.'
Alex Gibney (left) directed the documentary and interviewed senior former members and Paul Haggis (right)
The documentary was screened in America on Sunday evening and is based on Lawrence Wright's book
In a statement it said: 'The Church has documented evidence that those featured in Gibney's film regurgitating their stale, discredited allegations are admitted perjurers, admitted liars and professional anti-Scientologists whose living depends on the filing of false claims. All have been gone so long from the Church they know nothing of it today.
'Yet Gibney and HBO stonewalled more than a dozen requests by the Church to offer relevant information about them, with more than 25 individuals with first-hand information eager to speak. To this day, neither HBO nor Gibney can deny that they have yet to present the Church with a single allegation from the film so the Church may have an opportunity to respond. The Church never sought special treatment, only fair treatment.'
Since Going Clear premiered at the Sundance Festival in January, the church has created a website dedicated to criticising the film and released its own version, called 'Get the truth.' Representatives also branded the documentary a 'bigoted propaganda piece.'
Other famous members have also criticised the show. Danny Masterton, a second generation Scientologist and former star of 'That 70s show', said he thought the book the documentary was based on was full of lies.
He told eonline: 'I wonder if Sundance would allow a documentary of, like, eight people who hate Judaism. But you know, my religion's fair game, I guess, "cause it's new".'
At the end of the documentary Gibney lists the people who refused to be interviewed, which included Miscavige, Travolta, Cruise and Kidman.
MailOnline has contacted John Travolta for comment. | {
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It will not be “Welcome Back, Koetter” for the 2019 season in Tampa.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers reportedly have fired head coach Dirk Koetter, who completed his third season with a 34-32 loss to the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, NFL Network reported. It was the fourth loss in a row and the 11th in 14 games after the Bucs opened the season 2-0 with surprising wins over the Saints and Eagles.
Over three seasons, Koetter’s record was 19-29 for a .395 win percentage, which is just above the franchise’s all-time (and NFL-worst) .385 mark since the club started playing games in 1977. The Bucs have only two winning seasons in the past decade and last made the postseason following the 2007 season.
The status of general manager Jason Licht remains unclear.
The Bucs reportedly have decided to bring back QB Jameis Winston for a fifth season, so whoever gets this job will first be tasked with trying to get the most out of the former No. 1 overall selection in 2019.
And that next head coach might have a name whom fans recognize. According to multiple reports, the Bucs ownership might be willing to spring for a big-name, established coach. Will the Bucs be going after a Harbaugh — either Michigan’s Jim or the Ravens’ John?
Fox’s Jay Glazer reported Sunday that the Glazer family spoke with Jim Harbaugh last year, so it would not be surprising to see them take another stab at the Michigan head coach whose tenure there has been disappointing.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter also indicated that multiple teams might be willing to speak with the Ravens about John Harbaugh, even though Baltimore gave Harbaugh a strangely worded and oddly timed statement that the franchise would have him back in 2019 while the two sides worked on a long-term contract.
In last week’s Pro Football Weekly podcast, we discussed the possibility of John Harbaugh being in demand from multiple teams and how his future in Baltimore remained murky. It likely would require compensation in the form of a trade, and there could be more than one team bidding for his services, so it’s not clear if the Bucs would be willing to do that. The last time any franchise executed a coach trade, it was the Bucs landing Jon Gruden, who led Tampa Bay to its first and only Super Bowl title.
Jim Harbaugh spent four years as an NFL head coach with the San Francisco 49ers, compiling a record of 44-19-1 (a .695 win percentage). He reached three straight NFC championship games and one Super Bowl, with the 49ers losing in XLVII.
John Harbaugh, of course, beat his younger brother in that game. His head-coaching record with the Ravens is 103-72 (.589), with a 10-5 mark in the playoffs. | {
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Entering the migrants' camp outside Dunkirk, a hand-painted sign offers "Liberty, brotherhood, equality, sisterhood, welcome." A more official-looking board beneath it explains that the camp aims to enable migrants "to stop, to rest, and to think about their route … in complete safety." Next is a building used for laundry, a small office, a nurse's room, a burnt-out health center, a wood store, a communal kitchen, a shower block, a children's play area - and row after row of chipboard cabins, each numbered, that house around 1,400 people.
These migrants are determined to reach Britain, despite the government's refusal to take any more than 350 minors from the "Jungle" camp in Calais after it closed last October. Since then, the population of the Dunkirk camp, La Linière, has doubled. Most residents are Iraqi Kurds, Afghans, Iranians or Vietnamese. They are prepared to pay thousands of pounds to be smuggled onto a lorry bound for Britain, leaving from Zeebrugge, Dunkirk, Calais or Boulogne. But while they wait, perhaps while they persuade relatives back home to help with the transfer of funds, they exist here.
Read: Calais migrants to be dispersed across France
Read: Suspected migrant smugglers lead Belgian police on fatal high-speed chase
"It's 100 times better than it used to be," says Lydie Granger, pastor of a local Evangelical church that distributes clothing, trainers and sleeping bags to the camp's residents. Of the previous camp, where migrants lived in a muddy sprawl of flimsy tents, she said she found herself wondering: "Is this France?" However, even the new camp is showing signs of wear and tear. "The shelters are run down and the showers are really bad now - hundreds and hundreds of people going through them for a year," she told DW.
Misery and desperation pervades the camp
Fleeing violence, but encountering yet more
One resident, Suren Salar, 27, a Kurd from the Iraqi city of Kirkuk, told DW he was injured in a bomb attack by a Sunni insurgent group in 2005, and rolled up his sleeves and trouser legs to show the burns. Another man, Twan, said he had fled Mosul five months ago and his house there had been "finished" in the anti-"Islamic State" (IS) push. A handful of residents are Iranians who have become Christians, seeking refuge because conversion can lead to jail or a death sentence back home.
Having done the hard part, refugees find the presumed safety of the camp very often to be elusive. "Yesterday, ta-ta-ta," says Twan, miming shooting with his hand. "Mafia." Another resident, speaking from the privacy of her cabin, elaborates. "It was outside my door, at around 5 p.m," says Sarah, an Iranian convert whose husband entered Britain three months ago after paying traffickers £3,000. The local paper La Voix du Nord reported that four migrants and a security guard were injured in the shooting. The paper carries similar reports every few months. Migrants say gunfire comes from Kurdish gangs who control the camp. The day after the incident, special police boosted the security presence on the camp gate.
Getting their point across
A member of the local government in an office by the entrance said she was not authorized to speak to the press. The local and regional préfectures also declined to comment.
Another camp, more misery
A hierarchy has developed within the camp: Iraqi Kurdish men are best connected and resourced; below them are non-Kurds, non-Muslims, and women and children. A report by the Observer newspaper concluded sexual abuse was "common" in the camp, and found instances of women and children being raped in return for food or passage to Britain. A volunteer at the women's center told DW the center was burnt down in January - it was quickly rebuilt - but aid volunteers believed it to have been razed by men jealous of the provision.
If the situation for Middle Eastern migrants seems unregulated, then that of the estimated hundreds of African migrants in the Pas de Calais is even further removed from any kind of state infrastructure. Fifty miles inland, outside the village of Norrent-Fontes, is a sad huddle of huts and decrepit caravans. A notice on the approach to them commemorates a 25-year-old who was beaten to death by smugglers last October.
The dismal situation is exacerbated by poor hygiene standards
Stray cats wander over the huts, caravans and litter, the cold wind carries the smell of urine, and in the thick, wet mud lies a dead rat. One man said he was an Ethiopian Muslim but shouted, "No photos, no journalists," and a softly spoken Orthodox Christian named Helen, when asked whether it's worth it, replied: "It could be."
Read: Amid rats and mud, refugees struggle in French camp
A helping hand?
Helping the migrants presents a dilemma. Pastor Granger distinguishes between helping the stranger and aiding criminality. "We are not pushing them to go illegally," she told DW. In addition to giving out food and clothes, volunteers offer lifts from the camp to twice-weekly services and meals. "[We] pray for them, for God's favor and protection. I'm not saying God's favor is to help them to go illegally but … I'm looking at their desperate situation."
The church's volunteer Laila Mohamed, who works in both camps, points out the dozens of young men in dark coats and carrying rucksacks drifting across a local hypermarket car park at dusk. "They go in the truck, the truck is sealed, and they stay in the truck til the following day. That's what I have been told."
Read: Calais refugees adapt to life in the UK
Rather than increase accommodation for migrants to prevent people sleeping rough - with the associated social and hygiene risks - local authorities turn a blind eye and want to reduce the existing provision in La Linière to 300 migrants.
However, Pastor Granger and Laila Mohamed do not believe the number of migrants entering the area will fall. They list political and religious pressures in Iraq, Syria and Iran, climate change, poverty in Eritrea and Egypt, and increasingly, Yemenis fleeing conflict as a never ending source of misery and persecution. Pushed by a lucrative smuggling route, the number of migrants in northern France seems more determined by smugglers exploiting geopolitics than by local politics.
Abigail Frymann Rouch traveled with World Watch Monitor. | {
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A cyclist rides past the closed trail sign and orange fencing that stretches across the entrance to the Sale Barn Trail on the southeast side of Durango. | {
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Donald Trump's controversial pardon of Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio may not go through due to a US district court judge.
Judge Susan Bolton of the US District Court handling Mr Arpaio's case has cancelled a sentencing hearing for the former Maricopa County sheriff but stopped short of throwing out his conviction.
Instead, Judge Bolton said that because a presidential pardon carries an implication of guilt she wants both Mr Arpaio's lawyers and the US Department of Justice to submit briefs on why she should or should not vacate Mr Arpaio's conviction.
She has scheduled oral arguments for 4 October on the matter and will make a decision at that point.
A civil suit was originally brought by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) for Mr Arpaio's alleged racial profiling for detaining Arizonans who looked to be of Mexican or Latin American descent under suspicion of being in the US illegally.
"The judge trying that case not only found that Arpaio's policies constituted racial profiling, he also found Arpaio to be in civil contempt of court and referred him to [Judge Bolton] for the criminal contempt," USA Today reported.
The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Show all 9 1 /9 The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the media White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer takes questions during the daily press briefing Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Trans-Pacific Partnership Union leaders applaud US President Donald Trump for signing an executive order withdrawing the US from the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations during a meeting in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington DC. Mr Trump issued a presidential memorandum in January announcing that the US would withdraw from the trade deal Getty The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Mexico wall A US Border Patrol vehicle sits waiting for illegal immigrants at a fence opening near the US-Mexico border near McAllen, Texas. The number of incoming immigrants has surged ahead of the upcoming Presidential inauguration of Donald Trump, who has pledged to build a wall along the US-Mexico border. A signature campaign promise, Mr Trump outlined his intention to build a border wall on the US-Mexico border days after taking office Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and abortion US President Donald Trump signs an executive order as Chief of Staff Reince Priebus looks on in the Oval Office of the White House. Mr Trump reinstated a ban on American financial aide being granted to non-governmental organizations that provide abortion counseling, provide abortion referrals, or advocate for abortion access outside of the United States Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Dakota Access pipeline Opponents of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines hold a rally as they protest US President Donald Trump's executive orders advancing their construction, at Columbus Circle in New York. US President Donald Trump signed executive orders reviving the construction of two controversial oil pipelines, but said the projects would be subject to renegotiation Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and 'Obamacare' Nancy Pelosi who is the minority leader of the House of Representatives speaks beside House Democrats at an event to protect the Affordable Care Act in Los Angeles, California. US President Donald Trump's effort to make good on his campaign promise to repeal and replace the healthcare law failed when Republicans failed to get enough votes. Mr Trump has promised to revisit the matter Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Donald Trump and 'sanctuary cities' US President Donald Trump signed an executive order in January threatening to pull funding for so-called "sanctuary cities" if they do not comply with federal immigration law AP The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the travel ban US President Donald Trump has attempted twice to restrict travel into the United States from several predominantly Muslim countries. The first attempt, in February, was met with swift opposition from protesters who flocked to airports around the country. That travel ban was later blocked by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The second ban was blocked by a federal judge a day before it was scheduled to be implemented in mid-March SANDY HUFFAKER/AFP/Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and climate change US President Donald Trump sought to dismantle several of his predecessor's actions on climate change in March. His order instructed the Environmental Protection Agency to reevaluate the Clean Power Plan, which would cap power plant emissions Shannon Stapleton/Reuters
JudgeBolton then asked the US Attorney in Arizona to try the case for Mr Arpaio allegedly disobeying the order to stop the racial profiling, but that office declined. That is when the US Department of Justice stepped in.
Washington DC-based lawyer Kimberly Curtis told The Independent that a presidential pardon does not necessarily "imply" guilt in the way Judge Bolton's decision may suggest.
However, Mr Arpaio's case is a little more complicated. Presidential pardons only cover federal crimes, so technically Mr Trump has not pardoned his racial profiling but the alleged contempt of court charge.
Trump defends Arpaio pardon
"The issue with [Mr] Arapio is he was actively appealing his conviction when he was pardoned. So there is an unknown question about which takes precedence- the pardon or the appeal," Ms Curtis said.
Normally, with a presidential pardon the defendant waives the right to an appeal however, Mr Arpaio's lawyer Mark Goldman has not indicated as yet whether his client will drop the appeal.
Ms Curtis said Mr Trump may have "jumped the gun" on pardoning Mr Arpaio before the appeal was dropped.
Mr Trump said Mr Arpaio has been treated "unbelieveably unfairly."
"He's done a great job for the people of Arizona, he's very strong on borders, very strong on illegal immigration, he is loved in Arizona," Mr Trump said.
However, according to a recent poll the majority of Americans - around 60 per cent of respondents in a poll conducted by NBC News/SurveyMonkey - said it was "wrong" to pardon the former sheriff. | {
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It tumbles to the ground in a graceful arc, the hands that held it going limp, a figure blasted backwards. Prison bars shatter.
Something shifts in its sleep.
"...death will be unleashed, and the red will herald the green."
Prologue: The butterfly effect
*June, 1992: approximately 90 minutes after graveyard event*
A large black dog slowly rose from behind a headstone, blood dripping from its fur. Even Sirius's quickest Animagus transformation had not completely stopped the black threads from cutting into him, but his thick ruff and rapidly dropping height had saved him from the brunt of the damage.
A few seconds later, the dog's form blurred slightly, resolving into a human on hands and knees. Sirius stood, stepped over a body, and knelt to pick up his wand. With a muttered episkey, his throat was whole once more. His physical ills healed, he was free to consider what he had just witnessed. He carefully walked to the altar before him and removed a small knife from a pocket on the inside of his robe, ready to stab if the girl so much as twitched. He'd come too far to be taken down by some overpowered undead thing. After a minute of watching, he stepped back, satisfied that she was truly unconscious.
As he walked backwards, he heard the rush of wind which heralded incoming broomsticks. He jumped back behind a nearby tombstone, eyes trained on the horizon. A few moments later, he muffled a laugh as he saw who Bones had sent. Aurors Nobbs and Colon were legendary in underground circles, known even to someone like him who'd spent the past 10 years in hiding. Their so-called special forensics team had a gift for deriving precisely the wrong conclusion from almost any piece of evidence. In fact, if what he'd heard on the grapevine was correct, the DMLE had bandied about the idea of charming each of them with compulsions to say the opposite of what they believed for a few years before the idea was vetoed. With a quick tap of his wand, he was disillusioned.
The broomsticks touched down heavily as the two aurors stepped off. They quickly began cataloguing the scene, in a way which men unfamiliar with Nobbs and Colon might categorize as professional, or even expert. After both men finished 'examining' the scene, they returned to the altar to discuss their conclusions. Sirius moved closer to listen. After almost dying, he needed a laugh. Who knew, maybe they would reveal something he could use.
"Nobby, this seems a right proper mess." Colon began amiably.
"That it does, Fred. Dark magic is always a nasty business." Nobbs replied.
"Not only that, Nobby. Why's there a girl here?"
"Well..." Nobbs responded sheepishly, "I don't know if you know this, Fred, but dark wizards sometimes...you know...do things to innocent young witches..." Insofar as Nobbs could be described to have human facial expressions, he was blushing.
"I knew that," Fred responded, eyebrows narrowing. "I've been on the force since you were still in your mother's womb, Nobby. I've seen everything these people do."
Nobbs nodded, expression penitent.
"I didn't mean to insult your policing experience, Fred. It's just..." he trailed off.
"Just what?" His partner demanded, leaning forward.
"Just..." A bead of sweat formed on Nobbs's forehead as he desperately tried to dig himself out of the hole he'd just put himself in. "Being the...shining beacon of morality which you are, you are sometimes a little bit...reluctant to assume the worst of criminals."
Colon leaned back, mollified. "I guess you're right, Nobby. That's why I have you here with me, right?" he said jovially. "After all, it can't be for your policing expertise."
Nobbs forced a chuckle before hastily changing the topic. "What do you think killed all the death eaters, Fred? I tried that priory incantaters spell that Bonesy showed us on you-know-who's wand, but it didn't work."
"Did you remember the swish and flick, Nobby?" Fred replied. "No spell works without the swish and flick."
"Are...are you sure that isn't just Wingardium Leviosa, Fred?"
Fred opened his mouth, but nothing came out. A few seconds later, he found his voice. "Yeah, that was it. I was just testing you, and you passed."
Nobby tilted his head, confused, then decided that Fred's idiosyncrasies were above his pay grade. "Anyway...if the spell didn't work, then it must not have been magic what killed 'em, right?"
Fred's eyes clouded over as his thoughts ponderously moved to accept this new fact. "That's a good point, Nobby. I remember a friend of mine who was on Azkaban duty this year-" both Aurors shuddered simultaneously, remembering their times on the Azkaban stint, "who mentioned that Bellatrix broke out using some secret muggle magic called...what was it...opposite reactionaries!"
Nobby's eyes widened. "So you're saying this muggle magic could've been what killed the death eaters?"
Colon nodded. "I'd never insult muggles, of course, they're the salt of the earth, but some of the stuff they do is downright creepy. I mean, imagine it: you're just walking along and then suddenly your head is opposite reactionaried right off your shoulders. It's unnatural. Now you-know-who's used their dread powers, who knows what'll happen."
Nobby thought for a second before his eyes brightened. "That's why you-know-who's hands are burned! Bahry One-hand was in St. Mungo's for weeks after the breakout and he was burned too! Opposite reactionaries must also give the muggles power over fire! And that means..."
"He tried to call up their power but couldn't control it," Colon finished. "That's...that's poetic justice, that is. We should get back to headquarters, Bonesy will want my report soon."
Nobbs nodded as the two strode away. As they mounted their broomsticks, he turned to Colon. "Have you heard about what happened back in Hogwarts? Word's getting around that someone took the stone from Flamel."
Sirius's eyes widened. The philosopher's stone had been taken? When? By whom? And, more importantly, how could he get his hands on it? With the elixir and gold, he could live his life like a king. He stood up, visualizing one of his many safehouses in preparation for apparition. It was time to retreat and plan. For the first time in years, he had a goal besides survival.
*June, 1993. Location: Mountains of Switzerland*
Bellatrix dove sideways behind an outcropping of rock, package still cradled protectively against her chest. A few curses whistled past the stones, harshly impacting the rocks behind her. From the size of the marks they left, these Aurors had definitely been aiming to kill, not to subdue. Bellatrix hadn't remembered the Swiss Guard being quite so brutal, but perhaps that was the effect of breaking into the Geneva branch of Gringotts and forcibly retrieving what her Lord had given her before he took her arm. If those people hadn't wanted to get turned into lifeless corpses, she reasoned, they shouldn't have stood between her and her Lord. Most of them were probably dirty muggle-lovers anyway.
Bellatrix flicked her wand a few times, surrounding the package in magical shielding before sending it to a pocket of dimensionally folded subspace only she could access. She didn't realize that these were the effects of the spell, of course. Her Lord had told her that this spell was to be used for safekeeping, and that was all she needed to know.
After making sure her package would remain safe, she stood up from behind the rocks, body already wreathed in multicolored, multifaceted shields. Even without the use of her left arm, Bellatrix Lestrange was still a force to be reckoned with, and she was about to give these pathetic aurors an object lesson in angering a superior magic user. With a wild laugh, she launched herself over the rocks, wand already out and firing.
The one survivor of her attack, found 30 miles away with almost all his bones broken, later described his memories thusly: "I...I couldn't see anything clearly. She stood up and laughed and we readied our wands on her. Then...then the world was fire and destruction. I could have sworn that there were more copies of her spells than there were aurors on our side."
*Approximately 47 seconds later*
Bellatrix stepped over the body of the last auror, brushing the ashes of the second to last off of her dress. She looked up at the sky, trying to pinpoint the location of the one unfortunate who had stepped into the path of her Singularius Nex Maximus Clonizavit. After a few seconds, she decided it wasn't worth the trouble to shoot the auror with a Killing Curse in midair. After all, she had a job to finish. She pointed her wand upwards and whispered a quick spell to summon the dark mark where she stood, burning it into the air above her. That would hopefully keep the aurors busy for a while. After looking over the scene once more, she apparated to the nearest of the Dark Lord's safehouses. Once she checked over the place for magical surveillance and reassured herself that the only bugs there were ones she herself had placed, she resummoned the package. It landed softly on the ground, magical shields cushioning its landing before winking out. She knelt next to it and read the message on the parchment wrapping once more.
"My dear Bella,
You do, of course, know that I am immortal. However, at times, preservation of my immortality requires certain sacrifices. Therefore, if I am ever unresponsive for a year, open this package and put on the locket within. Then, read the runes below."
Bellatrix flicked her wand once, resummoning a perfectly accurate clock already linked to a preprogrammed date. It had been a long year of waiting without him, but it was his will.
The moment the clock flashed green, she slowly opened the package, lovingly putting on the locket. She lifted the note again, carefully reading the runes on it. While she didn't know it, these runes were a precise transliteration of a parseltongue statement.
"I conssent to indefinite posssesssion by the sspirit contained within thiss gold."
Suddenly, the locket glowed as the magic held within it leaped into life.
Initialize recovery procedures.
The spell first activated an initial failsafe, fully backing up all information it held.
Step 1: Memorial comparison.
The spell awoke the horcrux 1.0 consciousness within it for long enough to link up to the horcrux 2.0 network to which that consciousness was connected. It then compared the network to its recently stored version of the network, checking for any differences.
Alert: Horcrux memory compromised! Failures detected throughout memorial system!
The locket sent out a magical alarm pulse to every other artifact hooked into its system, causing them all to compare their own backups. After the other artifacts reported similar results, the locket moved on to the next stage of its programming.
Step 2: Release Horcrux consciousness.
Bellatrix's eyes widened as she felt an immediate rush of magic into her. Unlike most magics, this spell felt strange, yet hauntingly familiar. A few seconds later, she collapsed, eyes flashing red. When she stood up, her mind was no longer in control.
Voldemort rose, taking a few steps to get used to his new body. With an almost contemptuous flick of his new wand, he conjured a silvery arm which fit itself onto the stump by his shoulder. After he was satisfied at his magical prosthetic, he carefully opened his mind to the Horcrux 2.0 network, examining it for inconsistencies. What he found shocked him. The sheer amount of memory gaps looked almost like someone had obliviated him. On its own, this was strange: after all, why would someone have obliviated him rather than killing him outright unless they knew his secret? When he combined that question with the memories he could salvage, the picture grew downright alarming, with one person at the center of the whole event. And so, as he walked forward and let the Horcrux 2.0 system repair itself from his memories, one thought was clear in his mind: Find Harry James Potter-Evans-Verres.
A/N: And so it begins. Sadly, I won't be able to update this that regularly for a while, though I hope I will be able to update by the summer.
Please review! | {
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How fast is TensorFlow on a GPU compared to a CPU? Tested on a NVIDIA GTX 1070 with a MSI GT62VR 6RE Dominator Pro laptop - by Magnus Erik Hvass Pedersen. | {
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The Cleveland Indians and the Minnesota Twins will meet in a two-game series at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico on April 17-18, 2018, Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association announced on Wednesday. The games will mark the first time that either team has played in Puerto Rico.
"It's going to be a dream come true," Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor said. "I always wanted to play in Puerto Rico in front of fans and now that we are going to have the opportunity next April, it's going to be unreal. I am looking forward to seeing my family and seeing the fans over there. It's going to be awesome."
The two-game set, which will serve as Twins home games, will represent the first regular-season games played in Puerto Rico since the Mets and the Marlins held a three-game series at the historic ballpark in June 2010.
"The Minnesota Twins are honored to visit Puerto Rico and represent Major League Baseball in this international showcase," Twins president & CEO Dave St. Peter said. "The Twins look forward to joining MLB and the Cleveland Indians organization in celebrating Puerto Rico's rich baseball heritage and growing influence on our game."
MLB also held regular-season games in San Juan in 2001, when the Rangers and Blue Jays opened the regular season, and in 2003 and '04, when the Montreal Expos played a portion of their home schedule at Hiram Bithorn Stadium.
"It seems to be a really good fit, at least given current rosters, of players that will have an opportunity to represent Puerto Rico," Twins manager Paul Molitor said. "We think the weather will probably be better in Puerto Rico than here in April. It will be an exciting trip for all those that get to take part."
Both teams are made up of a number of players from Puerto Rico, who also represented the team during the 2017 World Baseball Classic. The two players on Cleveland's active roster include catcher Roberto Perez and Lindor.
"I know it can be difficult getting people ready, but this really isn't that difficult to do," Indians manager Terry Francona said. "We are going to go somewhere and play anyway, I think it's good for the game."
Meanwhile, the Twins players include slugger Kennys Vargas and outfielder Eddie Rosario , along with right-hander Jose Berrios . Left-hander Hector Santiago , who is currently on a rehab assignment with the Triple-A club, also took park in the classic this past spring.
"We are excited for the opportunity to play at home in front of our people and our families," Vargas said. "It's a part of my dream to wear a Major League uniform for my country and my town. It's great to get the opportunity to try and hit a home run for Puerto Rico." | {
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U.S. Dollar and Yuan banknotes are seen in this picture illustration taken May 8, 2017. Picture taken May 8, 2017. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistan is considering a proposal to replace the U.S. dollar with the Chinese yuan for bilateral trade between Pakistan and China, the English-language daily newspaper Dawn reported on Tuesday.
Bilateral trade between the countries totaled $13.8 billion in 2015 to 2016.
Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal, who has been central to the planning and implementation of China-Pakistan economic ties, was reported discussing the proposal after unveiling a long-term economic development cooperation plan for the two countries.
Iqbal said Pakistan would continue to use the rupee domestically.
The long-term plan highlighted key cooperation areas between the neighboring states including road and rail connections, information network infrastructure, energy, trade and industrial parks, agriculture, poverty alleviation and tourism.
The plan marks the first time the two countries have said how long they plan to work together on the project, known as the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC,)taking the economic partnership to at least 2030.
China has already committed to investing $57 billion in Pakistan to finance CPEC as part of Beijing’s “Belt and Road” initiative to build a new Silk Road of land and maritime trade routes across more than 60 countries in Asia, Europe and Africa. | {
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GETTY More than 110,000 migrants are estimated to have arrived in Europe since the turn of the year
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The handbook - an "action plan on migrant smuggling" - will offer hauliers "best practice advice" on minimising the risk of stowaways in lorries. The astonishing revelation came after Ukip MEP Mike Hookem accused the European Commission of "putting EU rules above the safety of haulage drivers". Machete-wielding migrants have turned Calais into a "war zone" with truckers saying they have to cheat death to keep Britain moving. During 12-months of chaos gangs have targeting UK-bound freight with drivers threatened at knifepoint, beaten and their trailers torn to shreds as armed refugees run amok. Some companies now avoid the gauntlet of hate and avoid the port altogether. The Road Haulage Association (RHA), which represents British truckers, said it was "only a matter of time" before one was killed.
GETTY The self-help manual is not expected to be ready until next year
European Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos denied the Schengen Area had assisted people trafficking and turned transport routes into gauntlets. But a promise to publish a handbook provoked fury this side of the Channel after months of well-documented running battles in Calais. RHA chief executive Richard Burnett said: "Publishing a guidance booklet next year is not going to make any difference to the current crisis at Calais. "We stand by our call for the deployment of the French military in and around the port now. Only they have the resources needed to stop this migrant mayhem. Failure to do so means it's only a matter of time before a British bound driver is seriously hurt or even killed." Many blame the lack of border controls for vast numbers of migrants being able to make their way to France and Belgium from southern Europe.
GETTY A British truckers union said it would only be a matter of time before someone was killed
Mr Hookem, who was threatened with a gun last summer during a visit to a migrant camp near Dunkirk, claimed the failure to re-impose border checks put "EU rules above the safety of haulage drivers". He said: "For many months, British drivers have been trying to get their voices heard as their lorries are ruined, their cargo damaged and their lives in danger as they are threatened with crowbars and other weapons. "The reason these people can get to camps in Calais, Dunkirk and now Zeebrugge is because of Schengen and the EU becoming a borderless zone which naturally facilitates the illegal movement of people." One trucker called the "action plan" a joke, adding: "We need physical help, not a bit of paper to cover up the fact they are doing nothing."
GETTY Ukip MEP Mike Hookem called for more to be done about the danger to truckers
Some £89billion worth of UK trade passes through Calais each year but violence engulfing the port is now so bad many haulage companies are avoiding it altogether. Two thirds of haulage companies claim they have bene forced to change routes or schedules to avoid the crisis in Calais. Ukip employment spokeswoman Jane Collins said: "By the time the European Commission get round to doing anything there won't be any British people working in haulage, just foreign lorry drivers in old British trucks working for the people traffickers." | {
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T HE HOME OFFICE’S waiting room stretches the length and breadth of Britain. Somewhere in the queue is a 35-year-old Nigerian called Kemi. When she applied for asylum, in 2016, London seemed like heaven compared with the domestic abuse she suffered back home. She came to study but stayed after becoming pregnant, fearing that her baby, like her other two daughters, would suffer genital mutilation if she went back. Now, Britain seems closer to purgatory. She shares her flat with two other families. Antidepressants offer little respite. When her £38 ($47) weekly allowance runs out, she sometimes begs for money. Yet, like almost all those on the asylum waiting list, she is banned from working. “I have my hands, I have my skills,” she says. “I don’t need the government’s money. I want to be able to make my own.”
The queue moves slowly. About half of asylum applicants wait more than six months for a decision, up from a fifth in 2015. Applications fell during this period, but staff were diverted to clear a backlog of candidates waiting more than ten years for a decision and to run the post-Brexit settlement scheme for Europeans, says Jill Rutter of British Future, a think-tank.
The logjam has rekindled opposition to the work ban. Most rich countries allow asylum-seekers to work within a few months of submitting an application. They can take a job straight away in Canada and Sweden and after six months in America. In Britain, they could work after six months until 2002, when the then Labour government imposed the ban after a surge in asylum applications. Officials reckoned making money while on the waiting list encouraged applications, even by those with little chance of success. Since 2010, those on the list for more than a year can work, but only if they take a job on the government’s list of shortage occupations. “It was not a very useful shift,” says Ms Rutter. “They’ve very specific jobs: radiographer, ballet dancer.”
There is little evidence that the work ban deters migrants. Surveys of asylum-seekers find that only a sixth knew before they came to Britain that they would not be able to work. Kemi was among those who assumed she would find a job. Factors such as ability to speak the language and the presence of relatives and friends have a greater bearing on a migrant’s decision to come to a particular country than short-term concerns like the application process.
Lifting the ban would clearly help asylum-seekers themselves. Forced inactivity allows skills to atrophy and can contribute to mental illness, says Cornelius Katona of the Helen Bamber Foundation, a charity. The job ban also cheats the taxpayer, as in practice many asylum-seekers find work in the grey economy. Two-thirds of legitimate company bosses think they should be allowed to work after six months, according to a poll published on September 16th by Refugee Action, another charity. And changing the rules would not necessarily prove a vote-loser. British Future found that the vast majority of voters do not know about the ban. More than two-thirds would support a right to work after six months.
The ban is at odds with the rhetoric of recent governments that benefit claimants must contribute to society. “It goes hugely against the man on the street’s common sense,” says Stephen Hale of Refugee Action. Lifting the ban may be too good an opportunity to pass up. The Home Office does not often have the chance to please do-gooders, populists and bosses at once. ■ | {
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This article was co-authored by Kelli Miller, LCSW, MSW. Kelli Miller is a Psychotherapist, Author, and TV/radio host based in the Los Angeles, California area. Kelli is currently in private practice and specializes in family and couples' relationships, depression, anxiety, sexuality, parenting, and more. Kelli also facilitates groups at The Villa Treatment Center for those struggling with alcohol and drug addiction. As an author, she received a Next Generation Indie Book Award for her book "Thriving with ADHD: A Workbook for Kids" and also wrote "Professor Kelli's Guide to Finding a Husband". Kelli was also the host of "The Dr. Debra and Therapist Kelli Show" on LA Talk Radio. You can also see her work on Instagram @kellimillertherapy. She received her MSW (Masters of Social Work) from the University of Pennsylvania and a BA in Sociology/Health from the University of Florida. This article has been viewed 1,342,226 times.
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You may feel like nobody cares about you, but remember you’re worth caring about no matter how bad you feel right now or what anyone says! To show yourself some self-love, remind yourself that it’s okay to be imperfect. Whenever you start to feel down, watch movies or TV shows that make you laugh to boost your mood. Animals can also be a great support during hard times, so spend time with your pet or see if someone you know has a pet you can play with. Even if you feel like there’s no one you can talk to, you can get support online from a therapy website like Blah Therapy. If you often feel hopeless or worthless, consider visiting a psychiatrist so they can offer more solutions, such as therapy or medication. For more help from our Counseling co-author, including how to meditate when you feel upset, read on! | {
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Pic: ZeroHedge.
H/T ZeroHedge for a quick, accurate, summary what is the day’s most important story (although the MSM judged by Google News does not think so): Trump Tells DHS To Prepare For Border Wall Construction Jan 3, 2017.
A memo from the Department of Homeland Security, which was recently reviewed by Reuters, suggest that the Trump administration plans to hit the ground running on the construction of that U.S.-Mexico border wall when they move into the White House later this month. The memo apparently summarized a meeting held between DHS officials and Trump's transition team on December 5th in which requests were made for an assessment of "all assets available for border wall and barrier construction."
The link is to Exclusive: Trump team seeks agency records on border barriers, surveillance By Julia Edwards Ainsley Reuters Tue Jan 3, 2017. (How funny that a foreign news agency is the one to break such a story!)
Crucially, in addition to the Wall Reuters reported
The transition team also asked for copies of every executive order and directive sent to immigration agents since Obama took office in 2009, according to the memo summarizing the meeting. Trump has said he intends to undo Obama's executive actions on immigration, including a 2012 order to allow children brought to the U.S. illegally by their parents to remain in the country on temporary authorizations that allow them to attend college and work. The program, known as DACA, collected information including participants' addresses that could theoretically be used to locate and deport them if the policy is reversed. Another request of the transition team was for information about whether any migrant records have been changed for any reason, including for civil rights or civil liberties concerns, according to the internal memo seen by Reuters.
This suggests the Trump team is not just going to build a monument and avert its eyes. Reversing Obama’s Stealth Amnesty and the not-so stealthy atrocity of Obamnesty is a tremendous prize.
And it is very wise. As Brenda Walker has pointed out in Open-Borders Republicans Gear Up to Fight President Trump’s Enforcement Agenda Trump’s enemies – the RATS – are thirsting for a chance to sabotage him and gratify their paymasters.
A renewed wave of Grassroots enthusiasm will supply the force to stop them. | {
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El secretario general de Sanidad, Rubén Moreno, ha advertido este jueves a las comunidades autónomas que están devolviendo la tarjeta sanitaria a los inmigrantes irregulares porque, según asegura, puede tener "consecuencias catastróficas" como multas millonarias a diario por parte de la Unión Europea y la paralización de todos los fondos europeos.
Moreno se ha expresado de esta manera durante su comparecencia en la Comisión de Sanidad y Servicios Sociales del Congreso, en la que ha expuesto los presupuestos de su Secretaría para el próximo año. Según ha dicho, al devolver la tarjeta sanitaria a inmigrantes irregulares en algunas comunidades, España volvería a la situación previa de la reforma sanitaria y, asegura, eso implicaría pagar multas millonarias cada día y la paralización de los fondos europeos, entre otros.
"Significaría que cada día que pasa de incumplimiento es una multa millonaria, paralizar todos los fondos europeos que recibe España, y asumir la tesis del dictamen motivado, que significa que cualquier ciudadano europeo que venga aquí tenga o no seguro le tienes que dar tarjeta sanitaria, según cómo esté escrita la norma", ha avisado Moreno. El Gobierno se comprometió hace cinco meses a devolver la atención primaria a inmigrantes en situación irregular tras retirarles la sanidad universal en 2012, excepto a embarazadas, menores y urgencias. La nueva fórmula todavía se desconoce pero han descartado la entrega de la tarjeta, por tanto, no tendrían una atención normalizada.
Según dice, si las comunidades autónomas devuelven la tarjeta sanitaria a los irregulares, también tendrían que atender a los ciudadanos europeos que acudan a esa región tras tres meses de residencia y que no paguen el seguro en su país de origen.
"Imagínate tratar a los pacientes europeos y que en lugar de asumir los costes el país de origen lo haga la comunidad autónoma que le toque", ha dicho el secretario general, en declaraciones a los periodistas tras la comparecencia.
Ante las críticas de la diputada del PSOE Guadalupe Martín por no haber materializado aún la devolución de la asistencia sanitaria a los inmigrantes en situación irregular, como anunció el ministro de Sanidad, Alfonso Alonso, Moreno ha señalado que se tiene que estudiar "muy bien" la manera por los problemas que podría acarrear.
Además, ha indicado que, tal y como ocurre siempre que las comunidades aprueban normas propias, están siendo estudiadas por parte de la Abogacía del Estado. Ha explicado que medidas como las adoptadas en la Comunidad Valenciana, Baleares o Cantabria para atender a los inmigrantes en situación irregular "probablemente pudieran estar vulnerando las competencias" que constitucionalmente son del Estado aunque ha aclarado que hay que estudiarlas. | {
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The King is dead. Long live the King! Root cause analysis of the latest Internet Explorer zero day – CVE-2018-8174
In late April 2018, a new zero-day vulnerability for Internet Explorer (IE) was found using our sandbox; more than two years since the last in the wild example (CVE-2016-0189). This particular vulnerability and subsequent exploit are interesting for many reasons. The following article will examine the core reasons behind the latest vulnerability, CVE-2018-8174.
Searching for the zero day
Our story begins on VirusTotal (VT), where someone uploaded an interesting exploit on April 18, 2018. This exploit was detected by several AV vendors including Kaspersky, specifically by our generic heuristic logic for some older Microsoft Word exploits.
After the malicious sample was processed in our sandbox system, we noticed that a fully patched version of Microsoft Word was successfully exploited. From this point we began a deeper analysis of the exploit. Let’s take a look at the full infection chain:
The infection chain consists of the following steps:
A victim receives a malicious Microsoft Word document.
After opening the malicious document, a second stage of the exploit is downloaded; an HTML page containing VBScript code.
The VBScript code triggers a Use After Free (UAF) vulnerability and executes shellcode.
Initial analysis
We’ll start our analysis with the initial Rich Text Format (RTF) document, that was used to deliver the actual exploit for IE. It only contains one object, and its contents are obfuscated using a known obfuscation technique we call “nibble drop“.
After deobfuscation and hex-decoding of the object data, we can see that this is an OLE object that contains a URL Moniker CLSID. Because of this, the exploit initially resembles an older vulnerability leveraging the Microsoft HTA handler (CVE-2017-0199).
With the CVE-2017-0199 vulnerability, Word tries to execute the file with the default file handler based on its attributes; the Content-Type HTTP header in the server’s response being one of them. Because the default handler for the “application/hta” Content-Type is mshta.exe,it is chosen as the OLE server to run the script unrestricted. This allows an attacker to directly call ShellExecute and launch a payload of their choice.
However, if we follow the embedded URL in the latest exploit, we can see that the content type in the server’s response is not “application/hta”, which was a requirement for CVE-2017-0199 exploitation, but rather “text/html”. The default OLE server for “text/html” is mshtml.dll, which is a library that contains the engine, behind Internet Explorer.
Furthermore, the page contains VBScript, which is loaded with a safemode flag set to its default value, ‘0xE’. Because this disallows an attacker from directly executing a payload, as was the case with the HTA handler, an Internet Explorer exploit is needed to overcome that.
Using a URL moniker like that to load a remote web page is possible, because Microsoft’s patch for Moniker-related vulnerabilities (CVE-2017-0199, CVE-2017-8570 and CVE-2017-8759) introduced an activation filter, which allows applications to specify which COM objects are restricted from instantiating at runtime.
At the time of this analysis, the list of filtered CLSIDs consisted of 16 entries. TheMSHTML CLSID ({{25336920-03F9-11CF-8FD0-00AA00686F13}}) is not in the list, which is why the MSHTML COM server is successfully created in Word context.
This is where it becomes interesting. Despite a Word document being the initial attack vector, the vulnerability is actually in VBScript, not in Microsoft Word. This is the first time we’ve seen a URL Moniker used to load an IE exploit, and we believe this technique will be used heavily by malware authors in the future. This technique allows one to load and render a web page using the IE engine, even if default browser on a victim’s machine is set to something different.
The VBScript in the downloaded HTML page contains both function names and integer values that are obfuscated.
Vulnerability root cause analysis
For the root cause analysis we only need to look at the first function (‘TriggerVuln’) in the deobfuscated version which is called right after ‘RandomizeValues’ and ‘CookieCheck’.
To achieve the desired heap layout and to guarantee that the freed class object memory will be reused with the ‘ClassToReuse’ object, the exploit allocates some class objects. To trigger the vulnerability this code could be minimized to the following proof-of-concept (PoC):
When we then launch this PoC in Internet Explorer with page heap enabled we can observe a crash at the OLEAUT32!VariantClear function.
With this PoC we were able to trigger a Use-after-free vulnerability; both ArrA(1) and ArrB(1) were referencing the same ‘ClassVuln’ object in memory. This is possible because when “Erase ArrA” is called, the vbscript!VbsErase function determines that the type of the object to delete is a SafeArray, and then calls OLEAUT32!SafeArrayDestroy.
It checks that the pointer to a tagSafeArray structure is not NULL and that its reference count, stored in the cLocks field is zero, and then continues to call ReleaseResources.
ReleaseResources, in turn will check the fFeatures flags variable, and since we have an array of VARIANTs, it will subsequently call VariantClear; a function that iterates each member of an array and performs the necessary deinitialization and calls the relevant class destructor if necessary. In this case, VBScriptClass::Release is called to destroy the object correctly and handle destructors like Class_Terminate, since the VARTYPE of ArrA(1) is VT_DISPATCH.
This ends up being the root cause of the vulnerability. Inside the VBScriptClass::Release function, the reference count is checked only once, at the beginning of the function. Even though it can be (and actually is, in the PoC) incremented in an overloaded TerminateClass function, no checks will be made before finally freeing the class object.
Class_Terminate is a deprecated method, now replaced by the ‘Finalize’ procedure. It is used to free acquired resources during object destruction and is executed as soon as object is set to nothing and there are no more references to that object. In our case, the Class_Terminate method is overloaded, and when a call to VBScriptClass::TerminateClass is made, it is dispatched to the overloaded method instead. Inside of that overloaded method, another reference is created to the ArrA(1) member. At this point ArrB(1) references ArrA(1), which holds a soon to be freed ClassVuln object.
After the Class_Terminate sub is finished, the object at ArrA(1) is freed, but ArrB(1) still maintains a reference to that freed class object. When the execution continues, and ArrB is erased, the whole cycle repeats, except that this time, ArrB(1) is referencing a freed ClassVuln object, and so we observe a crash when one of the virtual methods in the ClassVuln vtable is called.
Conclusion
In this write up we analyzed the core reasons behind CVE-2018-8174, a particularly interesting Use-After-Free vulnerability that was possible due to incorrect object lifetime handling in the Class_Terminate VBScript method. The exploitation process is different from what we’ve seen in exploits for older vulnerabilities (CVE-2016-0189 and CVE-2014-6332) as the Godmode technique is no longer used. The full exploitation chain is as interesting as the vulnerability itself, but is out of scope of this article.
With CVE-2018-8174 being the first public exploit to use a URL moniker to load an IE exploit in Word, we believe that this technique, unless fixed, will be heavily abused by attackers in the future, as It allows you force IE to load ignoring the default browser settings on a victim’s system.
We expect this vulnerability to become one of the most exploited in the near future, as it won’t be long until exploit kit authors start abusing it in both drive-by (via browser) and spear-phishing (via document) campaigns. To stay protected, we recommend applying latest security updates, and using a security solution with behavior detection capabilities.
In our opinion this is the same exploit which Qihoo360 Core Security Team called “Double Kill” in their recent publication. While this exploit is not limited to browser exploitation, it was reported as an IE zero day, which caused certain confusion in the security community.
After finding this exploit we immediately shared the relevant information with Microsoft and they confirmed that it is in fact CVE-2018-8174, and received an acknowledgement for the report.
This exploit was found in the wild and was used by an APT actor. More information about that APT actor and usage of the exploit is available to customers of Kaspersky Intelligence Reporting Service. Contact: [email protected]
Detection
Kaspersky Lab products successfully detect and block all stages of the exploitation chain and payload with the following verdicts:
HEUR:Exploit.MSOffice.Generic – RTF document
PDM:Exploit.Win32.Generic – IE exploit – detection with Automatic Exploit Prevention technology
HEUR:Exploit.Script.Generic – IE exploit
HEUR:Trojan.Win32.Generic – Payload
IOCs | {
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Here's more on the poll, from Yahoo News:
A month after Joe Biden was attacked by Sen. Kamala Harris over his record on race at the first Democratic presidential debate, the former vice president appears to have steadied himself, according to new polling released this week. And one national poll, released by Fox News, appears to have gotten under President Trump’s skin.
According to CNN’s poll of polls, which averages the results of the most recent national surveys, Biden (30 percent) has opened up a wide lead over Sens. Elizabeth Warren (16 percent), Bernie Sanders (14 percent) and Harris (12 percent), who has slipped back to fourth place from second. The California senator shot up to 17 percent in the same poll immediately following the first debate, then trailing Biden by just 8 points. She now trails him by 18.
Dan Bongino Exposes Obama, Mueller and Comey: “The Biggest Scam In American History”
More encouraging for Team Biden is his lead in South Carolina, a state in which Harris has campaigned extensively. According to a Monmouth University survey of likely Democratic primary voters conducted earlier this week, Biden (39 percent) holds a commanding advantage over Harris (12 percent), who is followed by Sanders (10 percent) and Warren (9 percent). Notably, Biden has retained his strength among African-American voters, even over Harris, who is African-American: He leads there with 51 percent over Harris, at 12 percent.
And according to a Quinnipiac University poll released this week, Biden (50 percent) is the only candidate in the Democratic field who has more support than Trump (42 percent) among voters in Ohio. Trump has a 1-point edge (46 percent to 45 percent) over Sanders and Warren in Ohio in those theoretical general election matchups, while he is tied with Harris there.
Biden also has the edge over Trump in Florida (50 percent to 41 percent), Pennsylvania (53 percent to 42 percent) and even Texas (48 percent to 44 percent), Quinnipiac found.
But the poll that caught Trump’s attention was this one.
According to a Fox News survey released Thursday, Biden leads the president by 10 points (49 percent to 39 percent) among registered voters. Sanders holds a 6-point advantage over Trump (46 percent to 40 percent), but that’s within the poll’s plus-or-minus 3-point margin of error.
Trump predictably took the results in stride, with the philosophical calm with which he treats all bad news.
Did CBS Just Publish The Infamous “Clinton Kill List”?
"[email protected] is at it again," Trump tweeted. "So different from what they used to be during the 2016 Primaries, & before — Proud Warriors! Now new Fox Polls, which have always been terrible to me (they had me losing BIG to Crooked Hillary), have me down to Sleepy Joe.”
“Even considering the fact that I have gone through a three year vicious Witch Hunt, perpetrated by the Lamestream Media in Collusion with Crooked and the Democrat Party, there can be NO WAY, with the greatest Economy in U.S. history, that I can be losing to the Sleepy One,” the president added. “KEEP AMERICA GREAT!" | {
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In February, Amazon.com launched its long-awaited subscription video-streaming service as part of Amazon Prime, setting itself up to be a serious rival to Netflix. If we’re honest, it has yet to take off but let’s not be too harsh on a service that is essentially a bolt-on to its existing Amazon Prime annual subscription that offers free two day shipping with no minimum purchase amount for $79/year.
Today however we’re hearing reports via the WSJ that Amazon may soon launch a book equivalent of the service, charging a fixed monthly fee for access to a library of books. Amazon will reportedly offer book publishers a substantial fee for their involvement in the program.
The idea isn’t entirely new with services like ‘the library’, booksfree.com and bookswim existing for some time but both are currently primarily for offline paperbacks and hardbacks. There’s also 24symbols which recently launched a near identical offering, but currently only features titles that are public domain rather than premium bestsellers. With Amazon’s Kindle platform and intimate relationships with every premium publisher on the planet, this is a unique new space only the likes of Amazon and Apple are likely to be able to cater to.
Assuming this is true, my bet is on Amazon to dominate thanks to its first mover advantage and a name synonymous with books. Let’s face it, iBooks hasn’t had quite the impact we would have expected to see from a digital giant like Apple. I’d argue this is because of its lacking selection of books, poor access across multiple mobile platforms and its fewer features such as desktop reading, community highlighting, etc.
As with most subscription based online streaming or rental services these days you can expect this to only be available in the US.
Read next: Apple releases OS X Lion 10.7.2 with iCloud beta build 11C55 to developers | {
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The UK’s largest Trade Union have indicated that they will be pushing for a vote to reintroduce Mandatory Reselection at the upcoming Labour Conference in September. If passed, a vote to reintroduce the process would mean that MPs who are unpopular within their Constituency Labour Party (CLP) could be more easily replaced through a democratic vote of local members before any forthcoming General Election.
The process of Mandatory Reselection was one of a vast swathe of powers taken away from Labour members under the leadership of Neil Kinnock – a move that essentially granted Labour MPs a job for life, even if they became deeply unpopular with their CLPs.
The abolishment of the process in the 80s essentially allowed free-rein for the party to lurch to the political right, and firmly away from the views of the vast majority of members. Indeed, from the beginning of the 1980s until 2008, the party ended up losing more than two thirds of its entire membership, falling from around 600,000 to a historic low of just over 170,000 in 2008.
However, since Jeremy Corbyn’s election to Labour leader in 2015, party membership has soared once again, with around 350,000 members joining in the 3 years since his unexpected rise to power in 2015.
Yet, with vast numbers of people flocking back to the party to support a leader who truly shares Labour’s historic left-wing values, many of the party’s right-leaning MPs have made Corbyn’s life extremely difficult.
Three years of searing criticism and outright mutiny within the Parliamentary Labour Party has unsurprisingly led to a large proportion of members feeling that right-wing MPs are actively working against the interests of the party in a bid to simply further their own failed neoliberal agenda.
Indeed, just yesterday it was reported that a group of around 12 right-wing anti-Corbyn Labour MPs were holding secret meetings with the intention of sabotaging a Corbyn-led government, should the party win the next General Election.
The plotters – said to include numerous outspoken Corbyn-critics such as Chuka Ummuna, Stephen Kinnock and Liz Kendall – were reportedly aiming to wait until Labour were elected into government and then break away from the party to ensure that they could not form a government.
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Unsurprisingly, such an brazen show of disloyalty from elected Labour MPs went down like a lead balloon with the membership – leading to a massive increase in demands for the reintroduction of Mandatory Reselection.
And now, following the latest surge, a Senior source within the UK’s biggest Trade Union, Unite, has reportedly given the green light to push for a vote on the issue at the upcoming Labour conference in June.
According to the Skwawkbox website, a Senior Unite source said:
“Mandatory reselection is our policy so expect us to push this at the conference. If it didn’t get through I would expect us to be actively looking to use the trigger process.”
Unite initially voted to support the policy of Mandatory Reselection back in 2016 at a time when Corbyn’s leadership was fragile amidst the infamous so-called ‘chicken coup’ mounted by right-wing MPs who predicted he would lead the party to electoral oblivion.
However, after surviving the coup by defeating Owen Smith in the 2016 Labour leadership contest, Corbyn then went on to lead Labour to their biggest General Election vote increase since 1945 – a result which saw Corbyn’s position as leader strengthened significantly.
And now, with Unite holding significant voting power within Labour’s ruling body, as well as a large proportion of Corbyn-supporting Labour delegates and other Trade Unions also expected to back such a vote, the days of openly disloyal right-wing Labour MPs actively working to keep the Tories in power may well be severely numbered. | {
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Según las últimas novedades compartidas a través de los foros de discusión Reddit, un usuario publicó las coordenadas para la busqueda de un tesoro escondido en la ciudad de Maracaibo, estado Zulia, Venezuela.
Según la publicación compartida por el usuario oscar_salas93, un usuario anunció un nuevo tesoro escondido a través de la plataforma Findbitcoin.cash, con la localización de un código QR que posee más de $70 dólares americanos equivalentes en Bitcoin Cash (aproximadamente 0.16 BCH).
El link en cuestión cuenta con una foto del sitio donde podría estar ubicado el código QR, pero sin ser muy específicos con su ubicación exacta. Según las condiciones del juego, los usuarios deben merodear cerca de las coordenadas publicadas a través del enlace con el fin de encontrar el papel con la información.
El usuario detrás del evento también tiene una cuenta twitter con el nombre “PremioVereda”, donde publica pistas e información con respecto al código escondido. También, a través de la red social, se avisará una vez el premio haya sido encontrado y reclamado.
Hay un código QR con $70 dólares americanos en la Vereda del Lago, Maracaibo. Encuéntralo. Dirección de Bitcoin Cash: 1ETnLaLmgnGqzi18FUgYND7gkTfjozufBV pic.twitter.com/M9ALFlprJx — Vereda premio (@PremioVereda) May 28, 2019
Los usuarios que deseen aventurarse una tarde en el parque La Vereda del Lago, sitio donde se encuentra escondido el tesoro, solo deben descargar la aplicación Bitcoin.com o Electron Cash para escanear el código QR y transferir los fondos a su cartera personal. No es necesario escanear el papel en el sitio, ya que pueden llevarse el código QR y escanearlo en un sitio más seguro.
Por los momentos el valor del premio se mantiene por encima de los $70 dólares americanos, aunque de tardar más tiempo en ser encontrado podría aumentar su valor por las fluctuaciones de precio recientes.
🚨 #HiddenTreasure Alert 🚨 New #BitcoinCash #HiddenWallet In #Venezuela Hemos escondido $70 dólares (al momento de escribir este mensaje) en Maracaibo, Venezuela. El premio está escondido en la Vereda del Lago….https://t.co/HJY2Hx00M2 — Find Bitcoin Cash (@FindBitcoinCash) May 28, 2019
Si deseas aventurarte en la busqueda de este premio, en el siguiente link está toda la información necesaria.
Fuente. | {
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New York Islanders forward Brett Gallant made quite an impression in his NHL debut Tuesday, taking care of Ottawa tough guy Matt Kassian in a timely manner.
[Courtesy @IslesEnforcers]
What's more impressive is that Gallant is listed at 190 pounds, while Kassian weighs in at 240.
The 25-year-old amassed 245 penalty minutes in 56 games with the AHL's Bridgeport Tigers prior to being called up by the Islanders, so clearly this wasn't his first dance. | {
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^^^Super insightful video on what’s really going on from the inside
as well as commentary on why the virus is spreading so quickly within China^^^
The Corona Virus has emerged very quickly – so much so that at this present time there are no vaccines or medicines to combat it and health officials still aren’t quite sure how to care for presumptive cases.
What we do know, however, is that there are measures in place – so why is it then that, even in the face of a potential pandemic, we still can’t get some members of society to co-operate?
Ever see the movie Contagion, starring Laurence Fishburne and Kate Winslet?
It’s a grim look at what could one day happen to our society (as has happened in other mass extinction events in the past).
About halfway into the movie, all people across the country have been made well aware that basic hygiene is one of the most effective ways to stall the virus.
And yet, there is a scene in which a secondary character is part of a line-up of people waiting for a shot of a vaccine at a pharmacy.
One of the men in the line is coughing every five seconds or so…and makes zero effort to cover his mouth.
When the secondary character asks him to cover his mouth, he replies with “Fuck off, Lady!” and continues to contaminate the air in the room.
China, where the virus is stemming from, has a reputation for being a population that doesn’t believe in watching its hands (keep that in mind next time you’re there and ordering food from a restaurant).
Here in the west, while proper hygiene is taught in schools and implored by polite society, it is not enforced.
For proof, just go stand in a public bathroom, be it at a mall, restaurant – anywhere public – and observe how many people either merely rinse their hands after a number 2…or don’t wash at all.
Unfortunately, the Chinese government is far too occupied doing PR work in overtime trying to save face in light of the fiasco of how poorly the Corona outbreak has been handled to be focusing on forcing its population to embrace basic hygiene practices.
While the west can do nothing to change the behavior of its less hygienic members of society, it can, at the very least, do more to block the entry of the Chinese until the virus begins showing signs of abetting.
Sure, this is a controversial measure, one that would no doubt arouse accusations of xenophobia and racism, but at what point do we shrug these notions aside as a means of taking the massive action that the Chinese government will not?
Recommended Basic Safety & Prevention Equipment:
Wrap-around safety glasses
Medical-grade safety mask
Medical-grade vinyl gloves | {
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Holes are generally bad things. Those of us who teach building science spend a lot of time showing people how to measure the effects of holes, how to seal them up, and why they’re bad in the first place. That’s not universally true, of course. Some holes we do want, but we also want to be able to control what happens in those holes, as with a door or window.
The story I’m about to relay to you involves two holes. One of them was discovered decades ago. The other just appeared in the past two years. These two holes are connected. The fate of the older hole, which we’d like to see get smaller, is now bound up to a degree with the presence of the newer hole, which the EPA could close up completely but hasn’t.
This is a dirty little secret of the EPA and the HVAC industry. It involves the environment, the costs that homeowners pay to buy and maintain air conditioners and heat pumps, and a legal loophole that’s starting to look as big as the ozone hole. It’s the story of what’s come to be called the “dry-ship R-22 unit.” If you’re hearing about this for the first time, you’re not alone. I just found out about it myself.
Can air conditioning make you go blind?
My connection to the world of heating and air conditioning contractors goes way back. My grandfather (Allison Sr., whom I called Pappaw) had a heating, AC, plumbing, and electrical business (Bailes Electric) in Leesville, Louisiana, and I used to spend my teenage summers going out on calls with him and my uncle. (The photo of the measuring cup below, which sits on my desk, is from an earlier business he had with his brother, Russell.)
One of the things we often did on calls was put the gauges on air conditioners to check the refrigerant charge. Often, Pappaw or my uncle would prepare to fix a hole in the system by emptying all of the refrigerant first. Back in the ’70s, there were no refrigerant capture systems or regulations, so we sprayed a lot of refrigerant out of the hole at the end of the hose on the gauges. The refrigerants of choice at the time were the chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), which usually went by their trade name, Freon.
Remember that stuff? I did a science fair project on CFCs and their effect on our atmosphere in 1978. It turns out that the stuff migrated up to the stratosphere, where it has a tremendous appetite for the three-atom form of oxygen, called ozone. That’s bad. Ozone in the stratosphere has a tremendous appetite for ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun. That’s good. UV radiation, you’re probably aware, has a tremendous appetite for skin cells, causing cancer when we get too much of it. That’s bad.
The bottom line: CFCs destroy ozone, which leads to more UV radiation, which leads to more cancer.
The amount of ozone in the lower stratosphere has decreased about 4% per decade since we discovered this effect in 1974. In addition, a huge ‘hole’ in the ozone layer develops in the polar regions every spring, and scientists have documented the changes in the ozone hole since discovering it in the 1980s. The ozone levels in the hole are running about half what they were 1980. (See graph below.)
You also may have heard reports of sheep going blind in Chile because of the extra UV. It turned out to be a local infection rather than the additional UV radiation coming in through the ozone hole. Still, CFCs destroy ozone, which leads to more cancer and other problems. The science is pretty solid here.
In 1987, the Montreal Protocol began the phase-out of CFCs with a plan to move to less harmful refrigerants. In the early ’90s, CFCs were phased out and replaced with the HCFC R-22 in air conditioning systems. Its use was to be temporary, as the 1993 decision to move to more ozone-friendly refrigerants would end the use of new R-22 HVACR systems (the R is for refrigeration) at the end of 2009. The more benign HFC R-410A became the replacement, and it was set to become the only game in town for new systems manufactured starting in 2010.
A loophole the size of the ozone hole
The US EPA gave manufacturers and contractors some wiggle room, naturally. They couldn’t just tell the manufacturers they had to destroy all their unsold units in 2010. They also couldn’t just strand all the people out there who already had R-22 in their air conditioners. As a result, manufacturers could sell their stock of R-22 units until depleted, continue to make parts to maintain the existing systems, and keep making R-22 refrigerant until 2020.
If you go to the EPA’s website to read about the phase-out of R-22, you’ll find this statement: “[H]eating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) system manufacturers may not produce new air conditioners and heat pumps containing R-22.”
Do you see the loophole? As long as they ship the units “dry,” manufacturers concluded, they could continue to make and sell air conditioners and heat pumps designed to use R-22. Hence the term “dry-ship R-22 unit.” Rather than charging them with R-22 at the factory, they fill them with nitrogen and let the contractors add the R-22.
Clearly, this violates the intent of the regulation phasing out R-22 when these dry-ship R-22 units are used as new installs. There’s your loophole the size of the ozone hole.
Yeah, but how many are really doing it?
As it turns out, a surprisingly high percentage of new systems are in the “dry-ship R-22” category. Recently I was speaking with an HVAC supply house executive who told me that these loophole escapees make up about 30% of the units they sell. The author of an article on dry ship R-22 units on the Contracting Business website interviewed his local suppliers and found the following: “One supplier told me it was about even. Several more said they sell slightly more dry units than R-410a systems. One supplier told me they sell four to five times as many dry units as complete systems.”
Yes, some of these might actually be used as they’re intended — as replacement components in existing systems — but I think most people in the industry know that the majority of these dry-ship R-22 units are new installs.
Who’s to blame?
From what I hear, it was a manufacturer of low-end equipment that first walked through the loophole and starting making dry-ship R-22 units. When the EPA didn’t step in to close the loophole, the race was on. Both the EPA and the HVAC industry share the blame.
The makers of higher-end equipment don’t want to give up market share to those on the lower end who can exploit a bigger price difference. The dealers and the contractors, likewise, have to compete, and the EPA has forced their hand by allowing this situation to continue.
Both sides are to blame, but one is more to blame than the other. Yes, the HVAC industry is exploiting the loophole, but the EPA has the power to close it and has not. The EPA could have shut this down as soon as it became apparent.
Carrier has even petitioned the EPA to close the loophole. John Mandyke of Carrier, in an interview with ContractingBusiness.com, explained it this way: “As an industry, we were prepared for the R-22 transition — manufacturers had invested in the new technology and contractors had invested in technician training, as well as in helping consumers prepare for this transition. The loophole threw all that up in the air.”
As long as the manufacturers keep making the dry-ship R-22 units, though, the downstream companies — dealers and contractors — feel the pressure to play the game, too. Not all of them, however. I know of one contracting company that, out of the more than 2,000 condensers they’ve installed since this came up, only about 10 have been dry-ship R-22 units.
Why you should ask for R-410A
If you’re a builder or contractor installing new HVAC systems or a homeowner in the market for a new air conditioner or heat pump, you really should make sure that you don’t get a new system that has what should be an illegal refrigerant. Here’s why dry-ship R-22 units are a problem:
R-22 destroys more ozone than R-410A.
R-22 will get more and more expensive as we approach the end of its production in 2020.
Once production of R-22 ends, homeowners may end up having to by a new air conditioner sooner than if they’d bought the R-410A system.
The presence of so many dry-ship R-22 units has stalled the full-scale adoption of R-410A systems.
Even if you don’t believe or care about the ozone hole and skin cancer, this loophole is going to cost people more money when they’re being promised savings. Consider this: A contractor installs a dry-ship R-22 air conditioner for a customer this year. In 2020, manufacturers will stop making R-22. In 2021, it may be more cost-effective to replace the customer’s air conditioner than fix it because of the exorbitant cost of R-22. The customer gets 9 years of use from an air conditioner that should last 15.
This whole dry-ship R-22 unit game has been a dirty little secret of the EPA and the HVAC industry with plenty of folks in the industry and government willing to justify jumping through the loophole. Yes, there are some folks with admirable ethics and good motivations, but those of us who are buyers need to be aware of this issue. A contractor may make a compelling case to you about why the loophole is a good thing. Don’t follow them through that hole; the footing isn’t all that steady on the other side.
Allison Bailes of Decatur, Georgia, is a RESNET-accredited energy consultant, trainer, and the author of the Energy Vanguard blog. You can follow him on Twitter at @EnergyVanguard. | {
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On Tuesday, voters turned out in record numbers for the midterm elections — and there is good evidence that health care motivated many of them to head to the polls. They voted to expand Medicaid in several states and elected more women than ever before to represent them in Congress.
But less than 24 hours after ballots were cast, the Trump administration moved to undermine access to women’s health care, releasing a series of rules, one proposed and two final, attacking insurance coverage for both abortion and contraception.
On Wednesday, the Department of Health and Human Services issued a proposed rule that would create burdensome and unnecessary regulations designed to cause insurance companies in the Affordable Care Act’s health insurance marketplace to stop covering abortion care. The proposed rule could push abortion care out of reach for many of the 1.3 million people who purchase plans through the government marketplaces, and possibly more if insurers opt to drop coverage in additional plans.
Without coverage, some may be forced to delay care or may be unable to access care altogether. Low-income women and families, for whom denial of abortion care can mean being pushed deeper into poverty, will bear the greatest burden if the rule takes effect.
Another set of rules released Wednesday would allow virtually any employer or university to deny people birth control coverage on the basis of religious or moral objections. These rules are the administration’s latest attack on the ACA’s popular birth control benefit, which requires insurance plans to cover birth control without a co-pay. In short, they mean that you could lose birth control coverage — a benefit that is guaranteed by law — simply because your boss objects to it.
The timing of these rules, just a day after the election, was a calculated move. It illustrates that the Trump administration is well aware that pushing health care out of peoples’ reach doesn’t do well at the ballot box. And that’s exactly what these rules will do if they take effect.
The rules on birth control coverage are set to take effect in 60 days, but earlier versions of the rules proposed last year have been blocked by courts in Pennsylvania and California. Courts could, and should, block this week’s final rules as well.
The proposed rule on abortion coverage cannot take effect until after a public comment period, so stay tuned for ways to make your voice heard in the coming months. The administration may have waited until after you cast your ballot to levy its latest attack, but you can still make sure that they know you are watching and that you won’t stand for it. | {
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Mark Snyder
Detroit Free Press
The focus for most of the Michigan football team next week is on experiencing Rome, Italy.
The Wolverines will spend nine days there seeing the famous sights, while also holding three spring practices.
About 20 to 25 players are looking past that, though, as they’ll study abroad for a few weeks following the trip. The chance for the players to branch out following the trip was U-M coach Jim Harbaugh’s stated emphasis, giving them an opportunity they might have never considered.
Each player made a different choice for an individual reason. Some were spurred by curiosity, academics, or a world interest.
And some had no preference on where they would land.
The players will study in six different countries: Austria, Costa Rica, Argentina, Iceland, Belgium and Spain.
Offensive guard Ben Bredeson will join “six or seven” teammates for three weeks in Barcelona.
“When I heard about the opportunity, I jumped right on it,” Bredeson said.
Bredeson closed the winter semester Tuesday with a final exam, completing a class about the role sports plays beyond the field.
“You learn how sports affects different social institutions and structures and how people react to it,” he said. “I thought it was really interesting.”
Related:
Michigan's Rashan Gary becoming the force many expected
That moved him to sign up for “Sports and Society in Barcelona,” where he’ll spend a few hours each day in class and free time exploring the city and country.
On his list: see an FC Barcelona soccer game.
Soccer was enough to persuade cornerback Keith Washington.
After the Italy trip, he’ll return to Michigan with the team for a day before heading to Buenos Aires, Argentina, because he’s a “big soccer fan.”
He played when he was young and he has tracked the success on Lionel Messi and other stars around the world.
“Seeing the fans and how passionate they are for their sport, why not go to an area that’s focused on soccer?” he said.
Last summer, he attended the International Champions Cup match at Michigan Stadium.
“I wanted to try something new, a new experience for me,” said Washington, who will study sports and culture.
Much like his decision to come to Michigan from Prattville, Ala., Washington is stepping out of his comfort zone with his trip to Argentina. He is not going with any teammates and will instead join a group of U-M students he met last week.
“I wanted to take the opportunity,” he said. “I figured I wouldn’t do it any other time in my life, so take it?”
He knows it will involve a lot of flying, but the opportunity to separate his mind from spring practice will be a welcomed break.
For quarterback/holder Garrett Moores, the decision is about life after football.
He chose Brussels, Belgium, and will go through a program with no classes, simply attending meetings of the European Union “security council, human rights watch, Russia ambassador.” As far as he understands, it'll be low tech, with pencil and paper and no cell phones.
“I’m looking forward to it,” said Moores, who will be there two weeks, concluding with a research paper.
Watching the EU's inner workings is an extension of his political science degree, seeing the a foreign cosmopolitan city up close.
“We have a day trip to Paris and Amsterdam,” he said. “From what I’ve heard just being in Brussels, just the cultural experience will be so much different than the United States, I’m looking forward to it.”
Wilton Speight’s motivation was more open-ended. The Michigan quarterback just wanted to go somewhere, so he asked the U-M staffer who probably has seen more than anyone else.
“David Turnley, our team photographer has been everywhere in the world and I just said I want to learn the most about everything,” said Speight, who will travel with current players, former players and he’ll see his brother from Virginia Tech who is abroad. “I’m a Christian and Armenia was the first Christian country in the world and he’s been there a few times. So he said you can’t not hit that while you’re over there. That’s why I’m going.”
Harbaugh’s push got Speight going on the journey to Brussels and Armenia.
“Coach told me this is a once in a lifetime opportunity, go make the most of it,” he said.
U-M chat recap: Safety Khaleke Hudson a breakout candidate
Contact Mark Snyder: [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @mark__snyder.
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Von Josef Kelnberger, Stuttgart
Die Stuttgarter Pfarrerin Gisela Dehlinger hat lange Zeit geheim gehalten, dass sie mit einer Partnerin zusammenlebt. Irgendwann hatte sie das Versteckspiel satt. Sie war dabei, als sich vor zwei Jahren die "Initiative Regenbogen" gründete, eine Vereinigung evangelischer Kirchengemeinden, die offen sind für lesbische Pfarrerinnen und schwule Pfarrer.
Mit ihrem Outing und ihrem Kampf für die öffentliche Segnung gleichgeschlechtlicher Paare hat sie sich viele Feinde gemacht im pietistisch durchdrungenen Schwabenland - nun plötzlich kann sie sich vor Unterstützern kaum retten. "Besser spät als nie", sagt Gisela Dehlinger, "ich freue mich sehr."
Abstimmung auf der Synode hat Folgen
Die Evangelische Landeskirche in Württemberg zählt in Deutschland zu den restriktivsten beim Umgang mit der Ehe für alle. Deshalb haben nun mehr als 80 Prozent der Dekane - die mittlere Führungsebene der Kirche - einen Appell an Landesbischof Frank Otfried July unterschrieben, der Ausgrenzung ein Ende zu setzen. Es ist ein beispielloser Aufstand gegen die Reste des "Pietcong", wie man die schwäbische Spielart des Pietismus in den 1970er-Jahren taufte - angelehnt an die vietnamesische Befreiungsarmee, die aus Bunkern und Tunneln heraus gegen US-Truppen kämpfte.
Die pietistische Gemeinde ist vielfältiger geworden, doch vergangenen Herbst machte sie ihrem alten Namen alle Ehre: Auf der Synode, dem Kirchenparlament, blockierte sie einen vom Landesbischof vorgelegten Kompromissvorschlag. Demnach sollte jede Kirchengemeinde mit Dreiviertelmehrheit beschließen können, schwule und lesbische Paare öffentlich zu segnen. Dass die Pietisten die Ehe für alle zur Identitätsfrage erkoren und selbst dieses hohe Quorum - 75 Prozent - ablehnten, hat die Liberalen erzürnt. Das Gewissen der anderen? Schien die Pietisten nicht zu interessieren.
Die Dekane geben nun dem Unmut an der Basis eine Stimme. Was aus den Gemeinden berichtet wird: Junge Leute fühlen sich vor den Kopf gestoßen, Theologie-Studenten geraten ins Grübeln, ob diese Kirche ihre Zukunft sein kann, Pfarrer gehen in die innere Emigration. Manche Lesben und Schwule, so heißt es, kündigen ihre Mitarbeit in den Gemeinden auf, andere flüchten über die Landeskirchengrenze. Das Bundesland Baden-Württemberg ist in dieser Frage geteilt. Die Landeskirche Baden gewährt, wie auch jene im Rheinland und Berlin, Schwulen und Lesben nicht nur öffentliche Segnungen, sondern ganz reguläre Trauungen.
Was der Aufstand bewirken kann? Bischof July sucht derzeit, so lässt er wissen, nach einem neuen Kompromiss. Die Abstimmung auf der Synode - nur zwei Stimmen fehlten zur erforderlichen Zweidrittelmehrheit - betrachte er als Verpflichtung, in der Sache nicht zu ruhen. Der Stuttgarter Stadtdekan Søren Schwesig, der den Appell an July mitunterschrieben hat, hofft auf eine schnelle Lösung. Wegen der großen medialen Aufmerksamkeit werde der Konflikt zur Existenzfrage der Kirche schlechthin aufgebauscht; es gebe Verletzungen auf beiden Seiten. Pfarrerin Gisela Dehlinger konnte gerade drei neue Gemeinden in der "Initiative Regenbogen" begrüßen. Langsam, so glaubt sie, setze sich die Erkenntnis durch: "Eine Volkskirche darf niemanden ausgrenzen." | {
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Men andra ska orka. Andra ska orka ta emot hat och hot för att de är journalister som granskar Sverigedemokraterna. Andra ska orka gå till jobbet, trots att en text kan leda till hot om våldtäkt eller att ens egen familj utsätts för mordhot. Andra ska orka ta emot hat för att de kommer från ett annat land, talar ett annat språk.
Att Jimmie Åkesson säger sig inte ha orkat, är något som alla de som kliver upp till arbetsdagar av hat och hot kan förstå. Åkesson beskriver själv väl vad hatet kan göra med en människa i sitt brev där han förkunnar att han drabbats av utbrändhet:
"I min situation försöker man skaka av sig allt det där - okvädningsorden, hoten, avskyn. Man intalar sig själv att inte ta det personligt, att låta det rinna av. Den strategin må fungera på ytan, åtminstone en tid, men i själva verket sätter det djupa spår."
Orden hade likat gärna kunnat vara skrivna av någon av alla de journalister som Jimmie Åkesson utpekar som delvis skyldiga till hans utbrändhet när han i samma brev nämner deras arbete som exempel på vad som stulit hans energi:
"Våra motståndares ihärdiga försök att få stopp på våra framgångar, mediernas många gånger vedervärdiga kampanjjournalistik och extremisternas omåttliga hat är några exempel."
Vad Jimmie Åkesson dock inte vill kännas vid, är att politiskt motstånd, och granskande journalistik, är en fullkomligt normal del av en fungerande demokrati. Trots det väljer Åkesson dock alltså att nämna demokratins grundpelare, i samma mening som extremisters hat.
Det politiska motståndet och den mediala granskningen är del av politiken villkor. Och Sverigedemokraterna är på intet vis mer utsatta för granskning än exempelvis Socialdemokraterna.
Om Jimmie Åkesson är utbränd, är det onekligen tragiskt att Jimmie Åkesson känner att han inför sina egna anhängare måste försvara att han är sjuk och förkunna att "Många kommer att ha åsikter och teorier om detta. Några kommer säkert, i vanlig ordning, att prata om "gnäll" och "offerkofta". Jag kan dock inte ta kortsiktig hänsyn till vad andra tycker." Klimatet inom Sverigedemokraterna är uppenbarligen hårt, om deras egen partiledare är rädd för att sjukdom kommer uppfattas som gnäll. Kanske beror det på att psykisk sjukdom så ofta av Sverigedemokraternas anhängare används som ett skällsord och anklagelse, som slungas mot de politiska motståndarna och de som granskar.
Den tystnad som omgärdat Sverigedemokraterna efter valet, visar alldeles oavsett att Jimmie Åkesson bär Sverigedemokraterna på sina axlar. Där i ligger också Sverigedemokraternas svaghet. Ett parti som inte är starkare än en partiledare, och partiledning, är egentligen inget parti. Och för befolkningen är Jimmie Åkesson i mångt och mycket en synonym för Sverigedemokraterna.
I Jimmie Åkessons frånvaro tar nu chefsideologen Mattias Karlsson över. Att Jimmie Åkesson är sjukskriven på obestämd tid, förändrar inte partiets politik. Och hans parti har fortsatt starkt väljarstöd. Att Jimmie Åkesson försvinner ut ur offentligheten och politiken, försvagar dock tvivels utan Sverigedemokraterna. | {
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Today is Alex Malarkey‘s 20th birthday. (Happy birthday, Alex.) And if you’re not familiar with his name, you may be familiar with his story.
About eight years ago, he was listed as the co-author of a book called The Boy Who Came Back from Heaven.
The title speaks for itself, but here’s the description of the book as published by Tyndale House:
In 2004, Kevin Malarkey and his six-year-old son, Alex, suffered an horrific car accident. The impact from the crash paralyzed Alex — and medically speaking, it was unlikely that he could survive. “I think Alex has gone to be with Jesus,” a friend told the stricken dad. But two months later, Alex awoke from a coma with an incredible story to share. Of events at the accident scene and in the hospital while he was unconscious. Of the angels that took him through the gates of heaven itself. Of the unearthly music that sounded just terrible to a six-year-old. And, most amazing of all… Of meeting and talking to Jesus.
Wow. Alex fell into a coma, supposedly visited Heaven and saw Jesus, then regained consciousness and told the world about it with the help of his father. His book arguably jumpstarted that whole genre of people who tell us about their visit to Heaven, including Colton Burpo‘s late-2010 book Heaven is For Real and Dr. Eben Alexander‘s Proof of Heaven in 2012.
But then something weird happened in 2014. Alex’s mother Beth wrote on her now-deleted blog that she disowned the book. It wasn’t just wrong on the theology; it was exaggerated:
When Alex first tried to tell a “pastor” how wrong the book was and how it needed stopped, ALex was told that the book was blessing people… … ALex’s name and identity are being used against his wishes(I have spoken before and posted about it that Alex has tried to publically speak out against the book), on something that he is opposed to and knows to be in error according to the Bible. How can this be going on???
That was pretty bad. But it went under the radar for the most part. The book was still selling. The publishers weren’t about to remove the book from their catalogue. It gained another life due to the success of the other Heaven books. People wanted to believe it was real. And this revelation would’ve destroyed that narrative, along with the hopes of many Christians.
But several months later, Alex corroborated her story. He wrote an open letter on the website Pulpit & Pen saying that the story was fiction and he was exploited:
“An Open Letter to Lifeway and Other Sellers, Buyers, and Marketers of Heaven Tourism, by the Boy Who Did Not Come Back From Heaven.” Please forgive the brevity, but because of my limitations I have to keep this short. I did not die. I did not go to Heaven. I said I went to heaven because I thought it would get me attention. When I made the claims that I did, I had never read the Bible. People have profited from lies, and continue to. They should read the Bible, which is enough. The Bible is the only source of truth. Anything written by man cannot be infallible. It is only through repentance of your sins and a belief in Jesus as the Son of God, who died for your sins (even though he committed none of his own) so that you can be forgiven may you learn of Heaven outside of what is written in the Bible… not by reading a work of man. I want the whole world to know that the Bible is sufficient. Those who market these materials must be called to repent and hold the Bible as enough. In Christ, Alex Malarkey.
He was still a Christian, but the rest of the story was a lie. He never went to Heaven but said he did for the sake of attention. And for those who found solace in his story, he said his (false) testimony should never have overtaken the gospel itself.
What did that statement say about the publishers who were profiting from his lie (and who never fact-checked his claims despite calling it a “true story” on the cover)?
Hell, what did that say about his father?!
Tyndale House, the publishers, said a couple of days after that statement came out that they would stop selling the book. Though by that time, the book was no longer making headlines.
And now we have a new twist to this case.
According to Courthouse News Service, Alex has sued Tyndale House. He says that he hasn’t made a dime from the book even though it’s his name and likeness and “story” that made them millions of dollars. Adding insult to injury, the lawsuit notes that Alex “survives on Social Security payments and support from his mother” and that they’re “on the verge of being homeless.”
Specifically, Alex says Tyndale House knew he wasn’t the author of this book, that he never consented to being listed as the author, and that the story wasn’t accurate. But they went ahead and used his name and likeness to sell a lie.
He also says that, by spreading the myth, “Tyndale House placed Alex, a Christian, in the highly offensive position of either having to lie and claim that the false story… was true, or else having to fight back against Tyndale House, its massive publishing operation, and promotional campaign to let the truth be known.”
He’s suing now because he’s a legal adult with appropriate standing to bring forth this case. And he wants the money they made off of him.
If Alex can prove Tyndale House knew the story was a lie and that he had nothing to do with it, this could get really interesting. Not only would it mean a Christian publisher put profits over the truth, it could be a costly mistake for the Tyndale folks.
They haven’t issued any public statements about the lawsuit, but you can bet they’ll fight back vigorously.
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Snooker, chess, bridge and tug of war are among the 26 sports to have applied for inclusion in the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.
Baseball and softball have also applied, as has squash, after they were the sports to miss out when wrestling was reinstated by the International Olympic Committee in 2013 having initially been dropped for 2020.
Squash will be hoping to be included for the first time after missing out to golf and rugby sevens for the 2016 Games while baseball and softball, popular in Japan, is bidding to return having been dropped following Beijing 2008.
The Tokyo 2020 additional event programme panel will now narrow the 26 applicants down to a shortlist to be announced on 22 June, with a final decision due to be made by the IOC in August next year.
The decision will be made based on whether the applicant can “serve as a driving force to promote the Olympic movement and its values, with a focus on youth appeal” and “add value to the Games by engaging the Japanese population and new audiences worldwide, reflecting the Tokyo 2020 Games vision”.
The traditional Japanese sport of sumo has also lodged an application as have karate, American football, tenpin bowling, polo and orienteering.
Full list of federations to have applied for inclusion in the 2020 Olympic Games
World Air Sports Federation (FAI), International Federation of American Football (IFAF), World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC), World Confederation of Billiards Sports (WCBS), Bowls Sports World Confederation (CMSB), World Bowling (WB), World Bridge Federation (WBF), World Chess Federation (FIDE), World DanceSport Federation (WDSF), International Floorball Federation (IFF), World Flying Disc Federation (WFDF), World Karate Federation (WKF), International Korfball Federation (IKF), International Netball Federation (INF), International Orienteering Federation (IOF), Federation of International Polo (FIP), International Racquetball Federation (IRF), International Federation of Roller Sports (FIRS), International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC), World Squash Federation (WSF), International Sumo Federation (IFS), International Surfing Association (ISA), Tug of War International Federation (TWIF), World Underwater Federation (CMAS), International Waterski & Wakeboard Federation (IWWF), International Wushu Federation (IWUF). | {
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An overwhelming percentage of voters say it’s better to send illegal immigrant children surging across the border back home, rather than trying to house them in the U.S., said a new Republican poll released Tuesday.
And voters also take a dim view of having President Obama act on his own to try to fix immigration policy, with nearly three-quarters saying he should instead find ways to work with Congress, according to the survey by the Polling Company Inc.
“The children-at-the-border-crisis has brought into sharp relief public opinion about immigration. Out of sight, out of mind is over,” Kellyanne Conway, the pollster, said in a memo outlining the key findings.
Polling on immigration is notoriously tricky, and Americans often say they support policies that are in conflict with one another when it comes to federal law. This latest survey, though, suggests that the surge of children coming across the border has affected the way Americans view the situation.
The poll found that a majority of voters peg immigration as either the top issue, or among the top three, that they want to hear about ahead of November’s elections.
Those that do place it that high are far more likely to take a strict stance on it, favoring sending illegal immigrants home and even calling for a reduction in legal immigration. Those who rate immigration as a lower priority issue are more likely to support boosting legal immigration, and less likely to care if illegal immigrants are sent home.
The survey of 1,001 likely voters, taken in mid-July, just as the surge of illegal immigrant children was peaking in the news, found that 65 percent said they should be sent home in order to send a signal to others considering coming. Only 22 percent said they should be housed in the U.S. to keep them safe from dangers at home.
And asked whether they supported Mr. Obama acting alone to grant tentative legal status to millions of illegal immigrants — an action the White House is considering — opposition was overwhelming: 74 percent said he should instead work with Congress, while just 21 percent said he should go it alone.
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As the University of Louisville basketball program recovers from the FBI investigation bombshell that rattled the school and team, interim head coach David Padgett is now taking on the challenge of recruiting amid uncertain times.
Padgett's first stop is St. Louis, where on Tuesday he was scheduled to visit Class of 2018 point guard Courtney Ramey, who committed to Louisville in February but withdrew his pledge the day after news broke of the FBI inquiry into corruption in college basketball recruiting.
Ramey's father, Terrell, confirmed Padgett's plans to the Courier-Journal, saying they were receptive to Padgett's overtures. Padgett was the primary recruiter for Ramey, who picked the Cards over scholarship offers from Creighton and Florida.
"David has always been good to us," Terrell Ramey said, "and he was proactive during the entire situation last week."
Since Ramey's decommitment, coaches from Marquette, Missouri, Ohio State and Purdue have visited the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's metro area player of the player, who is ranked 46th nationally by 247Sports.com.
Landing a re-commitment from Ramey would be a big boost for a Louisville program reeling from the suspension of Hall of Fame coach Rick Pitino, who is likely to be fired by the school at Monday's University of Louisville Athletic Association special meeting.
Assistant coach Jordan Fair and associate head coach Kenny Johnson were placed on paid administrative leave on Friday while the university reviews their employment status.
More on Padgett: How a basketball family shaped U of L's new coach
More:5 ways David Padgett could land the Louisville basketball coach job permanently
A Justice Department source confirmed to the Courier-Journal that Pitino was one of the unnamed Louisville coaches in the federal criminal complaint, and there are two other unnamed Cards coaches mentioned in the document.
Padgett, 32, was appointed as the team's acting head coach on Sept. 29, and he is working through various tasks related to putting the program back together. One element of that rebuilding process is finding three full-time assistant coaches to help him coach this season.
Another key part is recruiting.
Louisville lost pledges from Ramey and Florida guard Anfernee Simons, a Class of 2018 scorer who is ranked in the top 10 nationally by several recruiting outlets. A Class of 2019 guard, Trinity High's David Johnson, dropped his pledge, too.
"This is such an uncharted territory, such an unknown," said Jerry Meyer, the director of basketball scouting for 247Sports.com. "David's a great guy to have in charge, but Louisville doesn't know what it's looking at. ... Padgett's really going to have to sell himself, to recruit and get them to look past that. It's a difficult situation, to say the least."
The Cards have at least two open scholarships to fill in the 2018 class, but that number could grow to six depending on the status of several current players, which adds to the uncertainty Louisville already faces with a potential NCAA investigation looming once the FBI inquiry ends.
The eligibility status of freshman wing Brian Bowen, whom the Courier-Journal has identified as the unnamed Player 10 in the FBI complaint, is unclear as Louisville holds him out of practices and workouts.
Juniors Deng Adel and Ray Spalding and sophomore V.J. King are also included on several NBA draft projection boards and could explore the draft process this spring.
After the 2017-18 season, Louisville could be down to seven scholarship players, with Connecticut transfer Steven Enoch becoming eligible after this season.
Among that group, the Cards only have two guards, plus wings Jordan Nwora and Dwayne Sutton. Freshman Lance Thomas can play both forward spots, while classmate Malik Williams can help Enoch at power forward or center.
More Louisville basketball:New Albany's prized recruit Romeo Langford no longer considering Louisville basketball
Read this:University of Louisville enrollment is steady. But with latest scandal, can its luck last?
But Louisville needs reinforcements if it wants to stay competitive in the Atlantic Coast Conference past this season.
Louisville's recruiting efforts prior to the FBI scandal focused on guards, a need Ramey and Simons satisfied, and then on one wing and one big man.
New Albany High star wing Romeo Langford and New York center Moses Brown both said they dropped Louisville from consideration.
Simons, who pledged to Louisville 11 months ago, told ESPN he made his decision to decommit once Pitino was suspended. Since his announcement, nearly 30 programs reached out to the 6-foot-3-inch IMG Academy guard.
Coaches from Florida, Florida State and South Carolina met with Simons and his family in recent weeks, and he also picked up scholarship offers from Dayton, Louisiana State, Memphis, Texas A&M and Virginia Tech.
Padgett has not yet reached out to Simons, but his mother, Tameka Simons, said their family would be receptive to re-opening the lines of communication.
"Sure, we are open to that," Tameka Simons said. | {
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David and Reihan battle it out over populism while Charlie goes on a rant about the unconstitutionality of presidential declarations of emergency on today’s gripping edition of The Editors.
Editors’ picks:
• Rich: An article in the new issue on conservatism by the late Charles Krauthammer.
• Reihan: Fred Bauer on a unifying agenda.
• Charlie: Kyle’s article on morality clauses in contracts.
• David: Andy’s piece on Trump giving Mueller reasons to pursue the collusion probe.
Light items:
• Rich: Commentary Magazine.
• Reihan: Liberty Lane, a conservative children’s book series by Josh Bansal and Amalia Halikias.
• Charlie: Hamburgers.
• David: The Great Aquaman War of 2019.
The Editors is hosted by Rich Lowry and produced by Sarah Schutte. | {
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３月２５日、中国当局は、ブラジルの食肉不正疑惑を受けて決めた禁輸措置を解除すると発表した。これに先立ち、ブラジル側は疑惑を巡る捜査の詳細を明らかにしていた。写真はチリ・サンチアゴでブラジルからの輸入肉を検査するチリ政府公衆衛生検査官。２３日撮影（２０１７年 ロイター／Ivan Alvardo）
［ブラジリア／北京 ２５日 ロイター］ - 中国当局は２５日、ブラジルの食肉不正疑惑を受けて決めた禁輸措置を解除すると発表した。これに先立ち、ブラジル側は疑惑を巡る捜査の詳細を明らかにしていた。
最大の輸出先である中国のほか、エジプトやチリも禁輸措置を解除し、問題が鎮静化に向かうと期待されている。
食肉業界はブラジルの深刻な景気後退（リセッション）の影響を受けていない数少ないセクター。ブラジルのテメル政権はこの疑惑が業界のダメージにつながることを懸念し、輸出相手国に対し不正は限定的なものという説明に努めている。
マッジ農相は中国の決定を歓迎し、捜査に直接関連する２１の加工工場からの輸出を禁止する措置を継続すると述べた。 | {
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NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, which has overhauled understanding of the Red Planet since 2006, has passed 200 terabits in the amount of science data returned. The data returned by the mission alone is more than three times the total data returned via NASA's Deep Space Network for all the other missions managed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., over the past 10 years.
While the 200 terabits number includes all the data this orbiter has relayed to Earth from robots on the surface of Mars, about 99.9 percent of the volume has come from the six science instruments aboard Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. The 200 terabits are equivalent to the data volume in three nonstop months of high-definition video. The number does not include the engineering data that specialists operating the orbiter from JPL and Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver, use for monitoring its health and performance.
The spacecraft pours data Earthward using a dish antenna 10 feet (3 meters) across and a transmitter powered by 215 square feet (20 square meters) of solar cells. Multiple sessions each day with giant dish antennas of the Deep Space Network in California, Spain and Australia enable Earth to receive such a torrent of data from the orbiter.
"The sheer volume is impressive, but of course what's most important is what we are learning about our neighboring planet," said JPL's Rich Zurek, the project scientist for the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.
The orbiter's instruments have examined Mars from subsurface to atmosphere in unprecedented detail. One instrument has provided images revealing features as small as a desk in surface areas equivalent to one-third of the United States (1.92 percent of Mars' surface). Another has covered areas equivalent to about 82 percent of Earth's land area (83.6 percent of Mars' surface), with resolution showing features smaller than a tennis court. These cameras have viewed many areas repeatedly, providing three-dimensional information from stereo and revealing several types of landscape changes over time. Other instruments identify surface minerals, probe underground layers, examine cross-sections of the atmosphere and track weather globally.
"The mission has taught us about three very different periods of Mars history," Zurek said.
Its observations of the heavily cratered terrains of Mars, the oldest on the planet, show that different types of ancient watery environments formed water-related minerals. Some of these would have been more favorable for life than others. In more recent times, water appears to have cycled as a gas between polar ice deposits and lower-latitude deposits of ice and snow. Extensive layering in ice or rock probably took hundreds of thousands to millions of years to form. The present climate is also dynamic, with volatile carbon dioxide and, possibly, flows of briny water forming dark streaks that are observed to appear in the warmest seasons and places and fade in colder weather.
"Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has shown that Mars is still an active planet, with changes such as new craters, avalanches and dust storms," Zurek said. "Mars is a partially frozen world, but not frozen in time."
Each of the 200 trillion bits of science data from the orbiter has followed a complex path, aided by sophisticated software to make it feasible for a small team to handle tens of billions of new bits daily and get the data products to the appropriate scientists.
Data gathered by the orbiter's instruments and relayed from rovers are recorded onto the orbiter's central memory. Each orbit around Mars takes the spacecraft about two hours. For part of each orbit, Mars itself usually blocks the communication path to Earth. When Earth is in view, a Deep Space Network antenna on whichever part of Earth is turned toward Mars at that hour can be listening. Complex preparations coordinate scheduling the use of the network's antennas by all deep-space missions -- 32 of them this month. Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter typically gets several sessions every day.
"The Deep Space Network collects the incoming data into 30-minute chunks," said Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter software engineer Bryan Allen, of JPL. "At that point, it doesn't matter which products are in it -- just a big pile of bits."
The chunks of mixed data from the antenna stations in California, Spain and Australia come to JPL, where software sorts it into specific products, such as an image from a camera, measurements from a scan of the atmosphere, radar readings from the subsurface sounder, or data from a rover. Another process at JPL determines which products to send where -- such as to a mineral-mapping team in Maryland, a camera team in Arizona, a radar team in Italy. On a typical recent day, the system sorted 58 billion bits from Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter into 303 data products.
The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter mission met all its science goals in a two-year primary science phase ending in 2008. Three extensions, the latest beginning in 2012, have added to the science returns. The longevity of this mission and of NASA's even longer-lived Mars Odyssey orbiter, which has been studying Mars since 2002, have given researchers tools to study seasonal and longer-term changes on the Red Planet.
JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and Mars Odyssey projects for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. Lockheed Martin Space Systems built both orbiters and collaborates with JPL to operate them. JPL operates the Deep Space Network for NASA's Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate, Washington. For more information about the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, visit http://www.nasa.gov/mro and http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/mro/ .
News Media Contact
DC Agle/Guy Webster 818-393-9011/354-6278Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, [email protected] / [email protected] | {
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Drug companies, regulatory bodies and research groups are in a deadlock over plans to throw open the vaults of sensitive data gleaned from clinical trials. But just as the battle seems to be coming to a head, a study (B. Wieseler et al. PLoS Medicine 10, e1001526; 2013) has revealed exactly why the restricted information could be so valuable to researchers.
According to the analysis, crucial trial information, such as mortality rates and serious side effects, is missing from much published data. But it can frequently be found in standard non-public documents prepared by industry, known as clinical study reports (CSRs). Missing information uncovered by the study includes details of depression symptoms in trials for antidepressant drugs, and details of heart attacks and strokes in diabetes-drug trials. “These are very, very important variables and outcomes,” says the study’s lead author, Beate Wieseler, head of the drug-assessment department at the Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care in Cologne, Germany.
Wieseler strongly supports making all CSRs publicly available. “That is not an option, but a necessity,” she says. “There should be no question that these documents be made available.”
Source: B. Wieseler et al. PLoS Medicine 10, e1001526; 2013
The issue of CSR access is shaping up to be a key sticking point in a major European push to make available more data from clinical trials. Drug companies send the reports to the European Union’s European Medicines Agency (EMA) when they apply for licences to sell their products, and the agency has made clear that it would like to release the forms as part of a drive to increase transparency. It is currently drawing up a policy to that effect. Advocates of transparency say that such a policy will allow greater scrutiny of the benefits and harms of drugs, and will help researchers who are working on cures for diseases.
Some companies, including pharmaceuticals giants Roche, based in Basel, Switzerland, and GlaxoSmithKline in London, have already said that they will make their CSRs available to vetted researchers. But industry has pushed back against the wider moves to greater transparency.
In an e-mail to Nature, Richard Bergström, the director-general of the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA), said that in their current state, CSRs are fundamentally unsuitable for publication. The EFPIA believes that the EMA’s proposed mechanisms for protecting the commercially sensitive and personal details contained in many of these documents are inadequate — the mechanisms require that information be ‘de-identified’ and released only for bona fide research purposes. Such personal data must be properly redacted if these documents are to be made public, says Bergström.
“My members are very concerned about this,” he says. “If the EMA accepts our redactions, we have no problem.” If the agency disregards the EFPIA’s concerns, however, Bergström warns that there may be a series of lawsuits against the EMA.
The EMA has already been taken to court by two biotechnology companies, AbbVie of North Chicago, Illinois, and InterMune of Brisbane, California, to block release of their information under existing rules, whereby any researcher can request information. The cases are ongoing and have severely restricted releases of other requested data.
But advocates of greater transparency are fighting for the EMA to release all data, which they say can easily be anonymized.
In the study, Wieseler and her team examined the information in 101 CSRs given to them by pharmaceutical companies, and compared it with the information about the same clinical trials that is available in the public domain, found in journal publications and reports in trial registries.
“What’s portrayed in the journal world does not reflect the whole truth.”
The unpublished sources provided considerably more information on the key findings, or outcomes, relating to the treatments being assessed, including mortality rates and adverse events. In total, the team found 1,080 outcomes relevant to patients. Complete information was available for 86% of these in the CSRs, but for only 39% in the publicly available information. When looking only at outcomes related to harm — such as adverse reactions to a drug — the researchers found that complete information was found for 87% of outcomes in the CSRs, but for only 43% in public records. In some cases, no public information was available at all for a given CSR. But when looking only at cases in which there was both a CSR and a public document, the researchers found similar proportions of missing information in the publicly available records (see ‘Inside drug-company data vaults’).
“Does it surprise me? No. Is this stuff really important? Yes,” says Carl Heneghan, director of the Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine at the University of Oxford, UK, and co-founder of a group called AllTrials, which campaigns for more clinical-trial transparency. “It’s becoming obvious that what’s portrayed in the journal world does not reflect the whole truth.”
In a public consultation that ended last week, the EMA’s proposals attracted support from other quarters. The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, the UK drug regulator, says that it welcomes the EMA’s proposals, “and will work to align our position with theirs”.
A joint response from UK biomedical-research funders, including the Wellcome Trust and the Medical Research Council also backs the EMA’s plans. However, the group voices concerns over the sharing of data from individual patients; it says that more safeguards should be put in place to ensure that data are given only to trusted researchers who will not “wrongfully contradict” the results of trials.
The EMA hopes to have its policy in place by the start of next year. Documents without sensitive personal data will be made available for download from its website, whereas those that do contain such data will be available only after anonymization to vetted researchers. Documents with commercially confidential information will be released separately. | {
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Venezuela's economic crisis has stretched into 2018 after government forces forcefully quashed protests against President Nicolas Maduro's government last year, killing at least 120 in the process. In recent weeks, the black market exchange rate — far more trusted than the government's laughably rosy official rate of 10 Venezuelan bolivars for one U.S. dollar — has spiraled out of control, recently topping 200,000 bolivars for a dollar, per DolarToday.
Expand chart Data: dolartoday.com; Chart: Lazaro Gamio / Axios
Why it matters: The crippling economic forces that spurred last year's protests against the Maduro regime have accelerated, and many ordinary Venezuelans not only can't afford food but also often don't have the cash to pay for it.
For normal Venezuelans, the country's hyperinflation takes an exacting toll on daily life. Per a report from CNN Money's Stefano Pozzebano, citizens in Caracas now wait for hours at banks to obtain their daily allowance of cash, equivalent to just a few cents and worth less and less each day.
Venezuelans are forced to contend with completely arbitrary daily withdrawal allowances. Pozzebano's report details his attempt to get cash in the Venezuelan capital, ultimately getting 10,000 bolivars — that day's allowance — after visiting four banks over four hours. That day, 10,000 bolivars equaled six U.S. cents.
with completely arbitrary daily withdrawal allowances. Pozzebano's report details his attempt to get cash in the Venezuelan capital, ultimately getting 10,000 bolivars — that day's allowance — after visiting four banks over four hours. That day, 10,000 bolivars equaled six U.S. cents. The country's government assistance program gives citizens bags of essential goods at subsidized prices. Those goods have been shrinking in both size and quality as foreign investment in Venezuela collapses, but even they cost 30,000 bolivars each.
gives citizens bags of essential goods at subsidized prices. Those goods have been shrinking in both size and quality as foreign investment in Venezuela collapses, but even they cost 30,000 bolivars each. Bloomberg notes that, according to its Cafe con Leche Index, the price of a cup of coffee in Caracas has risen from 5,500 bolivars to 45,000 bolivars in just 12 weeks. That pace, should it continue unabated, indicates an eye-watering annualized inflation rate of 448,025%.
For the macroeconomic forces behind Venezuela's collapse, Harvard professor — and former Venezuelan minister of planning — Ricardo Haussman collected some mind-boggling stats last year for Project Syndicate: | {
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agree on the 4legs, i guess they had to make differ from ninetails, i guess a smartmove, the way theyve gone from the 1st 2. this idea for the final seems fitting. id wish theyd make the final differ much more, cuz the fur/ face did not change much from 1 to 2. kinda like snivy to servine werent to diff. since its def confirmed it uses the stick, im sure itll be using it as a final as well. they should offer a much more drastic change tho, as cool i am w/ur design, it still doesnt change much.. | {
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THERE’S UNCERTAINTY OVER Joseph Duffy’s future on the UFC roster after the Irish lightweight revealed that negotiations regarding a new contract haven’t gone according to plan.
Duffy, who moved to the UFC from Cage Warriors in January 2015, has one fight remaining on a five-fight deal. The 28-year-old has been offered a new contract to extend his stay with the organisation, but the terms aren’t what he was hoping for.
Duffy also told The42 that he has been offered a bout on UFC Fight Night 99, which takes place in Belfast on 19 November. However, that has so far been rejected as Duffy believes a win over the proposed opponent — whose name he didn’t reveal — will do little to advance his career.
“Of course I’d be very disappointed to miss the Belfast card but I just feel that the fight I was offered didn’t make sense,” said Duffy, who was born in Donegal and is currently based at the Tristar camp in Montreal. “There was no real upside to the fight for me. With it being the last fight on my contract, I feel there’s no benefit for me in taking it.
“This is the fight game and at this level every fight I take has to mean something to me in more ways than one. I’m training hard and I feel great. I’ve never been more focused than I am right now so I guess it’s just a matter of waiting for the right fight for me.
“I want names that mean something and I’m ready to start my training camp as soon as that happens. If it’s Belfast then it’s Belfast, if not then so be it.”
Duffy was snapped up by the UFC after a 5-1 Cage Warriors run which began with a win over Conor McGregor. Source: INPHO/Cathal Noonan
Duffy’s professional record reads 16-2, with his four fights in the UFC to date yielding three first-round victories. The only setback was a decision loss at UFC 195 back in January when he faced Dustin Poirier, who’s now ranked seventh in the lightweight division and headlines this weekend’s UFC Fight Night 94 card against Michael Johnson.
The Burtonport native bounced back in emphatic fashion in July, when he needed just 25 seconds to dispose of Mitch Clarke. Duffy is adamant that he’s ready for another tilt at a ranked opponent, having learned a great deal from his defeat to Poirier — a bout which was originally due to headline UFC Fight Night 76 in Dublin last October, until Duffy was removed from the card after sustaining a concussion in training.
“In this game it’s all about the right fights at the right time. I’m still on my first contract so we’re not exactly making enough money to set ourselves up for life, and in this game one injury could end your career in an instant,” explained Duffy, who earned a disclosed $20,000 for his clash with Poirier, while his opponent picked up $84,000.
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“I believe there are a lot of guys in the top 10 who I match up well against and obviously my competitive side wants all top 10 guys. But the reality is that I’m not getting paid top 10 salaries and that’s where we’re at right now.”
Talks between the UFC and Duffy over a new contract have reached an impasse for now, and he admits there’s a strong chance that he’ll add to the growing trend of UFC athletes testing free agency after he fights out the last bout on his current contract.
Duffy’s team-mate, former UFC welterweight title challenger Rory MacDonald, recently became the latest high-profile departure when he took up a contract offer from rival promotion Bellator instead of accepting what was on the table from the UFC.
Duffy submits Mitch Clarke at UFC Fight Night 90. Source: Tommy Lakes
With Cathal Pendred and Paddy Holohan retiring in 2015, and Paul Redmond and Norman Parke both being released by the UFC, losing a fighter of Duffy’s calibre and popularity would be a significant blow to the UFC in Ireland.
“No, I’m not close at all [to signing a new deal]. I have been offered a new contract to sign but I don’t feel like I’m valued. The negotiation seems to be a case of take it or leave it,” Duffy explained.
“I’m not asking for a massive increase, just what I believe I’m worth as a professional mixed martial artist. It’s definitely looking like I will be testing free agency, but not by choice.”
Duffy added: “I feel that I’ve done what’s been asked of me from the UFC by putting on exciting fights and always going for the finish. I feel the fans appreciate that also.
“No matter who you’re fighting in the UFC, you’re up against the best in the world. Three of my opponents didn’t get out of the first round. I’ve had one decision loss against a ranked opponent and three first-round finishes, so I’m happy with how I’ve performed in the UFC.” | {
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Buffalo Trace Distillery has announced a second, limited release of its award-winning E. H. Taylor, Jr. Four Grain Bourbon Whiskey, available this spring.
This is the last call for this bourbon, as there are no plans of further releases in the near future.
The first version was released in the Spring of 2017 and was named The 2018 World Whiskey of the Year by Jim Murray’s Whiskey Bible.
The E. H. Taylor Four Grain was made from a bourbon recipe using corn, rye, wheat, and malted barley. These four grains were chosen since they are the grains E. H. Taylor would have had access to when he set up shop at Buffalo Trace (then the O.F.C. Distillery) in the late 1800s, the company says. During the 1860s, Taylor traded in grains and learned that they can vary tremendously from different farmers and harvests.
The Four Grain has been described as having a nose reminiscent of a chocolate roast malt, a flash of spice attached to barely perceptible ulmo honey, followed by a taste complemented by deeper Manuka honey and licorice notes. The finish is said to be a “slow, lightly oiled, gently spiced chocolate fade, which goes on and on.”
The E. H. Taylor Four Gain is a small batch bourbon aged for 13 years, 100 proof, Bottled-In-Bond. Suggested retail pricing is $69.99 per 750-ml. bottle, the same as the first Four Grain release last year. It is part of the Colonel E. H. Taylor, Jr. collection, first released in early 2011 with several subsequent releases since then.
The Four Grain Bourbon displays a vintage label and is offered inside a canister reminiscent of Taylor’s whiskey package from more than 100 years ago. These six-bottle cases will be shipped in a wooden box modeled after the wooden crates used by Taylor to transport goods during the days before Prohibition.
Colonel Edmund Haynes Taylor, Jr. is widely considered one of the founding fathers of the bourbon industry, fighting for the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897, nearly three decades after he purchased the distillery that is known today as the Buffalo Trace Distillery. During his time, Taylor implemented several innovative methods still used today by Buffalo Trace, such as climate-controlled aging warehouses.
This special bottling of Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr. Four Grain Bourbon Whiskey will be available this spring in limited supply. | {
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「 フリップフラッパーズ 」
イントロダクション
あなたには、世界はどう見えているんだろう―――。
(C)FliFla Project
Blu-ray・DVD好評発売中！
フリップフラッパーズ１
発売日：2017年1月6日
収録内容：1～2話+映像特典
Blu-ray（BIXA-1151）：￥7000（税抜）
DVD（BIBA-3111）：￥6000（税抜）
http://flipflappers.com/bluray/
1.18 オリジナルサウンドトラック発売！
オリジナルサウンドトラック
「Welcome to Pure Illusion」
発売日：2017年01月18日
品番：LACA-9484 ～ LACA-9485
価格：3,300円（+税）
発売元：株式会社ランティス/High Position
販売元：バンダイビジュアル株式会社
http://www.lantis.jp/
http://ichiba.nicovideo.jp/item/azB01K4U1DIS
http://ichiba.nicovideo.jp/item/azB01KMSUT50
リンク
アニメ「フリップフラッパーズ」公式サイト
ニコニコチャンネル フリップフラッパーズ
2017年1月より配信の最新アニメをチェック！
★ニコ生で放送されるアニメ特番の紹介チャンネルはこちらから！★
★ニコニコアニメスペシャル一挙放送チャンネルはこちらから！★
放送スケジュール
初めてニコニコ生放送をご利用になる方へ
プレミアム高画質 | {
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WARNING: Game made for the game jam "Make Something Horrible". So, yeah. It's meant to be horrible ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
What if famous games had been made by a different studio? This is the theme of the Make Something Horrible 2018 game jam by Canard PC: https://itch.io/jam/make-something-horrible-2018
My entry is Katamari's Gate, or Baldur's Gate made by Keita Takahashi.
(Of course, Keita Takahashi is in no way involved in the development of this silly game, neither is any right owner of Baldur's Gate or Katamari, this is only a fun/parody game.) | {
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Open this photo in gallery Emergency responders tend to a female shooting victim on Replin Road in Toronto on June 24, 2018. John Hanley/The Globe and Mail
Toronto is calling on the provincial and federal governments for support as the city combats a rising wave of gang-fueled shootings. The death toll mounted Wednesday as another victim of a rash of weekend shootings died in hospital.
Mayor John Tory says he wants to meet with Ontario Premier Doug Ford and federal Public Security Minister Ralph Goodale “as quickly as possible” to co-ordinate a response to gang-and-gun violence in Canada’s biggest city, wracked by 208 shootings so far this year − an increase of nearly a fifth from 2017.
Mr. Tory, while saying Toronto remains a safe city, expressed “grave concern” about the mounting toll. “That’s all the reason why we have to redouble our efforts to get these gangsters, round them up, get them off the street,” Mr. Tory said, noting that the police force is hiring 200 new police officers by the end of the year.
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The mayor said he will press the province to tighten bail guidelines for some people arrested with firearms, and ask Ottawa to quickly disburse to Toronto its share of $328-million in promised anti-gang funding.
At least 10 people have been shot in Toronto in the past five days – a wave that Mr. Tory and Toronto Police Chief Mark Saunders have said is “90 per cent” gang-related.
In a radio interview on Tuesday, Mr. Tory clarified that he is not referring to the victims, but the people pulling the trigger.
Related: Children as young as 10 being recruited into Surrey, B.C. gangs, report finds
Related: Four stabbed on bus in Brampton, Ont.; suspect arrested
Read more: Two shot and killed on Canada Day weekend, as activists urge city, Toronto police to do better
Of the shootings in recent years, the mayor said police have told him: “It is a combination of retaliatory strikes, where one gang does something and another gang retaliates. It’s a combination of turf wars that they have over drugs and other kinds of things like that.“
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Toronto Police spokesperson Mark Pugash confirmed Wednesday that one of the victims in the Kensington Market shooting on Monday has died. He would not provide any information about the victim’s identity, or the condition of the other victims.
Asked if detectives are probing potential links between this shooting and one the day before at Queen and Peter Streets, in which two men were killed, Mr. Pugash said he would not comment on these specific investigations, but that police “always look to see whether there are connections.”
Around 8 p.m. on Saturday, three people were shot in the downtown entertainment district. Two men – Jahvante Smart, 21, a rapper also known as Smoke Dawg, and Ernest Modekwe, 28, both from Toronto – were killed.
On Sunday, around 10:30 p.m., shots rang out in the Kensington Market area. Four people were injured and taken to hospital.
On Tuesday, a man was shot at King and Portland Streets at about 2:45 a.m.
Mr. Tory said he and Chief Saunders have discussed some short term actions, such as more security cameras, more resources and accelerating reforms to divert non-emergency calls away from uniformed police.
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Mike McCormack, president of the Toronto Police Association, said under-staffing is a challenge for police in responding to shooting calls and gang violence generally.
He also said reforms of police stops known as street checks or “carding” – a practice found to disproportionately target people of colour but that many officers said was an important intelligence-gathering tool – have forced police to be “reactive” rather than pro-active.
Peel Region Police Chief Jennifer Evans has also blamed the end of street checks for the rise in violence.
Mr. Tory said on Tuesday that any notion that a simple solution can be found to gun violence is wrong.
“I’ve seen the police union president out there pretending that the entire answer to this rests in hiring more police officers. Other people are suggesting the entire answer rests in bringing back carding,” Mr. Tory said. “I think that anybody who suggests to the people of Toronto that they have the entire answer in one little slogan or one little policy proposal is misleading the people of Toronto and giving them false hopes. It’s a very complicated issue.”
Mr. Tory said his office is doing an inventory of all programs funded by all three governments aimed at curtailing gang violence or helping at-risk youth, to see if funding ran out for any successful programs. Often, such programs are funded for only three or four years.
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He told reporters the federal government had recently allocated hundreds of millions of dollars to fight gang activity, but that the province and the city must apply for the funding.
Last November, Mr. Goodale announced $328-million in new funding over five years as part of efforts to reduce gun crime across Canada. He said the government is still working out how the funds will be distributed.
“Obviously, when people do not feel safe, when they feel that random attacks can take lives and cause serious injuries to innocent people just walking down the street and minding their own business, obviously that’s a deep concern,” Mr. Goodale said in a radio interview on Tuesday.
Both Mr. Tory and Chief Saunders suggest offenders are being released on bail too quickly, and are cycling back into the same criminal networks.
Mr. Tory told reporters that among the reforms, he and police hope the province will pursue is stricter guidelines that would instruct Crown attorneys to argue against bail for anyone already out on bail and caught with a gun, and for anyone previously convicted of a gun crime.
Mr. Tory has said police have complained that suspects in gun crimes are soon back on the street.
Story continues below advertisement | {
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QUEBEC—One week after six of their own were gunned down in a deadly attack, worshippers from a Quebec City mosque led hundreds of residents on a march to promote unity and tolerance on Sunday.
After a 6 km walk under snowy skies, mosque president Mohamed Yangui read a message he said was written by the family of the victims of the tragedy.
“My brothers and sisters, you are our family,” the message began.
“Thank you to our community who came from Montreal, from Sherbrooke, from Ottawa in Ontario and elsewhere.”
The message went on to thank Quebec City officials and first responders as well as Quebecers and Canadians for their sympathy and support in the week since the massacre.
“Thank you everyone, for your sympathy and your love,” Yangui read.
The march began at Laval University, where one of the victims taught, and made its way to Quebec’s legislature.
The crowd grew as the march progressed, as people from the sidewalks linked arms with the marchers and joined in chanting slogans such as “All Canadians! All Quebecers!” and “No to violence, no to hate.”
Ali Dahan, a former diplomat, said he was marching in memory of his friend Azzedine Soufiane, who was among the six men who were gunned down during evening prayers the week before.
He said he’d seen Soufiane, a grocer and father of three, the day before the shooting.
“He was so kind and he was interesting, everything that was peace and love,” he said. “I couldn’t believe the next day he was dead.”
One woman, who gave her name as Fatima, struggled to find the words to explain the loss suffered by the community.
“It will always be painful because what happened cost us so dearly,” she said. “It’s as if (the shooter) chose the stars of our community.”
The six victims, aged between 39 and 60, were killed when a gunman stormed the mosque and opened fire on men who were attending prayer. Several others were wounded.
He also said it was important to build on the goodwill of the past week to create lasting change.
Organizer Reda Kada said the march was a way for members of the Muslim community to reach out and respond to the messages of solidarity they’ve received over the past week.
“We want to prove to everybody that we want to stay here and work with the people of Quebec for peace and unity,” he said.
One of the organizers, Smail Kalla, announced that the last of the six victims had been buried in Montreal on Sunday. He said burials for other victims took place over the weekend in Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia.
At the end of Sunday’s march, a moment of silence was held in honour of those who were killed and injured.
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A second moment of silence was dedicated to the family of the man charged in connection with the killings. An organizer described the family members of Alexandre Bissonnette as fellow victims of the tragedy.
About 30 men returned to the mosque for Sunday evening prayers -- the same service that was brutally interrupted a week earlier.
The men’s prayers were held upstairs since the ground floor, where the shooting took place, remains closed for renovations.
In the mosque, bouquets of flowers had been placed around the dried bloodstains that still dotted the green-and-beige-striped carpet, and condolence cards sent from across Canada were tacked to the walls.
The mosque’s president has said the decor will be changed as part of renovations.
The mosque reopened to worshippers on Saturday.
One man, who lingered on the ground floor after prayers, noted the crowd was about the same size as usual.
“We have (kept) doing things the same,” he said as he left.
Bissonnette, 27, faces six counts of first-degree murder and five of attempted murder using a restricted firearm.
He is due to appear before a judge this month on the allegations, which haven’t been tested in court.
Bissonnette, 27, faces six counts of first-degree murder and five of attempted murder using a restricted firearm.
He is due to appear before a judge this month on the allegations, which haven’t been tested in court. | {
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Let me reply, first, by saying that your implication that I am someone who cannot be trusted to tell the truth is one that I find deeply offensive.
The facts are as follows.
1. There is no connection whatever between Central Europe Trust Co Ltd, of which I have been Chairman since 1990, and the Global Warming Policy Foundation, of which I have been Chairman since its inception in 2009. I would add that I disposed of my shareholding in Central Europe Trust Co Ltd some time back.
2. As I pointed out to John Prescott, who raised this non-issue under cover of parliamentary privilege more than two years ago, Central Europe Trust Co Ltd is an advisory firm which, over the years, has had clients in most industries, although its main focus has been telecommunications. It has not, in fact, had any oil company clients for many years now; and at the present time its only involvement in the energy industry is a very small interest in wind and other renewables in central Europe.
3. CET Polska, which was originally a subsidiary of Central Europe Trust Co Ltd, has for some years now been controlled and majority owned by its Polish partners, and the only connection between the two entities now is collaboration on an ad hoc basis. I have no financial interest in CET Polska, and am neither a Director of, nor a shareholder in, the company.
4. As with other think tanks, the Global Warming Policy Foundation is composed of its Board of Trustees and its employees, headed by its Director. The Academic Advisory Council is a group of entirely independent individuals, holding a wide range of views, one or more of whom may be asked from time to time to undertake peer review of a forthcoming GWPF publication or some similar task. Needless to say, no member of the AAC would be asked to undertake anything where there was a possible conflict of interest. It may be that, given his new responsibilities, Professor Plimer will choose to step down from our AAC; but that is a matter for him. | {
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New Zealand Warriors chief Jim Doyle has urged the NRL to revisit its protocols around team announcements, believing the risk of inside information being passed on for gambling purposes could be limited by overhauling the system.
Doyle was in charge of the NRL's integrity unit during his stint as the chief operating officer at Rugby League Central and oversaw a raft of new measures to protect the game's integrity. They included the limiting of the exotic markets that betting agencies were allowed to offer and an expansion of the game's registration scheme, which meant club directors and staffers were bound by the same code of conduct – and the same sanctions for breaking it – as the players.
The former New Zealand Rugby League boss was close to implementing another fundamental integrity change before taking the Warriors job. Doyle had proposed that the naming of football teams be delayed, initially by a day, as part of a strategy to ensure the team that runs onto the park is the same as that named earlier in the week. The initiative was put forward following concerns that information about team changes was being passed on to individuals to gain a betting advantage, a valuable commodity in the punting arena.
The NRL was poised to shift the naming of teams from Tuesday to Wednesday for the 2015 season, but the plan was aborted when Doyle took the Warriors job midway through 2014. It is understood one of the reasons for aborting the proposal was concerns the official match-day program, in Big League magazine, would be affected. | {
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¿Cuánto hay de cierto en el interés de LA Galaxy por Benítez?
Durante el fin de semana se instaló que desde la MLS vendrían por el 10 de Independiente. ¡Enterate!
Como el mercado de pases de Independiente es sumamente lento, cualquier tipo de rumor se transforma en noticia y luego la bola de imprecisiones es imposible de frenar. Las redes sociales se transformaron en un escenario ideal para las suspicacias, pero las certezas no abundan.
El pasado fin de semana se instaló que Guillermo Barros Schelotto está totalmente interesado en llevarse a Martín Benítez para Los Ángeles Galaxy de la MLS. Así como el DT lo buscó antes de comprar a Cristian Pavón de Boca, supuestamente ahora volvería a la carga por el atacante de Independiente.
Según averiguó InfiernoRojo, siguiendo la línea de las últimas dos semanas, ningún tipo de oferta llegó a Avenida Mitre 470, ni llamado a dirigentes, ni mensaje al representante de Benítez. No se inició ninguna negociación, no está encaminada la venta, ni tampoco pusieron una cifra más allá de la cláusula de salida de 20 millones de dólares.
¿Podría aparecer un sondeo en el futuro? Por supuesto, pero de momento no hay nada formal. Sí es real que la comisión directiva considera que este sería un muy buen mercado de pases para transferir a Benítez. Por edad, por rendimiento y por perspectiva, cualquier oferta será escuchada y analizada, ya sea de la MLS, de México, de Sudamérica, de Europa o de la propia Superliga. | {
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Merry Jane, the cannabis news and lifestyle media platform which received an Emmy nomination for its production role in VH1’s “Martha & Snoop’s Potluck Dinner Party,” has announced a new lineup of content including a new short-form series in conjunction with Wiz Khalifa and Taylor Gang, as well as new episodes of “Talking Buds,” the series helmed by Seth Rogen’s creative agency, Point Grey.
Also on tap: an interview of Floyd Mayweather, premiering ahead of the Mayweather vs. McGregor fight on August 26. In the GGN exclusive, Mayweather discusses coming out of retirement, business, sex, politics and, of course, cannabis. Also in the works is a Snoop-produced show called “Queens of the Stoned Age,” which will gather a diverse group of engaging women.
The Khalifa show combines elements of “Jackass” and “American Ninja Warrior,” with a weed theme. “Talking Buds” “humanizes various strains of cannabis, giving each a personality to creatively explain the effects of the strain when consumed,” the company stated in an announcement. | {
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