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The death of Nikola Tesla, the scientist Elon Musk named his high-tech car company after, is to be the subject of a new documentary from the Science Channel, according to The Wrap.
Deadly Intelligence is a new series that will also investigate the mysterious circumstances behind the deaths of other scientific geniuses in addition to Tesla, which is set to air this April.
A new teaser for the show has been released, which shows that the first episode will investigate the death of Frank Olson, the American biological warfare scientist and Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) employee who worked at Camp Detrick in Maryland.
According to The New York Times, during a meeting at the facility in 1953, Olson is said to have been covertly dosed with LSD by his CIA supervisor and plunged to his death from the window of a 13th-story New York City hotel room just nine days later.
There have been various theories over the years about his death, including the allegation of murder, after the U.S. government first described his death as a suicide, and then as misadventure. It will certainly be interesting to see what new pieces of information have been uncovered in the documentary. According to the teaser, Olson’s knowledge of the CIA was “explosive” and the documentary hints at the possibility that he could have been killed because knew too much.
There will be eight one-hour episodes in the series, following experts attempting to uncover secrets and new information surrounding the deaths of these cutting-edge scientists. Caroline Perez, vice president of development and production, Science Channel, told the site: “Innovative scientists have always run the risk of creating or discovering something so dangerous — or valuable — that others would kill for it.”
There’s no word yet on what will be uncovered when looking into the death of inventor and physicist Nikola Tesla, although it will most likely delve into the significance of one of his most dangerous inventions, the weapon of mass destruction called the Death Ray. Tesla was found dead in a hotel room, with his safe cracked open and research missing, in 1943.
As well as Olson and Tesla, the other late scientists the show will focus on include Canadian artillery engineer Gerald Bull, American rocket engineer Jack Parsons, and American researcher Shane Todd, who died under disputed circumstances in Singapore in June 2012.
Are you exciting about Deadly Intelligence? Let us know in the comments below. | {
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"I must give thanks to the souls of the dead. Another day in which I can clearly behold this world."
— Yhwach in " HEAR,FEAR,HERE " in
Overview Image Gallery
Yhwach (ユーハバッハ, Yūhabahha), often referred to simply as "Your Majesty" (陛下, heika) by his underlings, is the Father of the Quincy (滅却師 (クインシー)の父, Kuinshī no Chichi) and the emperor of the Wandenreich, with the designation "A"[2] - "The Almighty".[1] He is the son of the Soul King.[3]
Contents show]
Appearance
Yhwach is a tall man with a long face, broad chin, and pronounced cheekbones. He has long black hair, which reaches to his lower back, and reddish-brown eyes with thin eyebrows. He has well-kept mutton chops and a connected mustache, but is otherwise clean-shaven. His usual attire consists of a white, double-breasted trench coat, which has the Wandenreich symbol on the middle, with large buttoned cuffs and lapels, white trousers, and trench boots.[4] Over this, he wears a tattered, ankle-length maroon-black cloak, which has a red ribbon near the neck and is fastened to the left with a single large button.[5]
As noted by Ōetsu Nimaiya, the manifestation of Ichigo's Quincy powers heavily resembles Yhwach's appearance from 1,000 years ago;[6] similarly, the Bankai form of this manifestation[7] looks like Yhwach when he was in his teenage years.[8] During the Wandenreich's second invasion, his maroon-black cloak is replaced with a white version.[9] After absorbing Mimihagi's powers, Yhwach gains a black pattern of eyes running down the left side of his face and onto his chest, and his left eye becomes inverted in coloration.[10]
After completely absorbing the Soul King, Yhwach gains a dark mask of eyes covering the upper half of his face and begins constantly oozing darkness.[11] Later on, darkness begins flowing from and covering his entire body, leaving only his hands, feet, knees, and part of his face and chest visible.[12]
Personality
Yhwach is a self-proclaimed lover of peace, hating conflict and believing painful battles should be ended as quickly as possible.[13] He holds the first generation of the Gotei 13 in great respect, for they were Shinigami who could strike fear into his heart. He especially admired Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto, whom he called a demon for treating his subordinates as expendable ashes. Yhwach despises values like justice and honor, which is why he hates how the Gotei 13 became "weak" during the 1000 years of his absence.[14] He also dislikes lies, and does not give any falsities to the existence of his subordinates.[15]
Yhwach treats his subordinates and the Quincy very differently. He is very fond of some of them, calling them his sons. He puts great effort into forcibly recruiting them into his empire.[16] Yhwach can show mercy and appreciation, thanking Royd Lloyd for sacrificing himself in a suicidal mission and granting him a quick death via obliteration after the latter lost most of his torso.[17] Yhwach dislikes blind loyalty, and was glad that his Sternritter showed outspoken discontent with his choice of successor.[18]
In front of his subordinates, Yhwach is a man adamant in his disapproval of infighting, though he will not hesitate to stop the conflict using the most brutal methods possible.[2] Yhwach's contempt for Arrancar is apparent, mercilessly wounding and slaying even those who have sworn allegiance to him when he deems them to have fulfilled their use.[4][19] After his awakening, Yhwach heartlessly robbed "impure" Quincy of their powers, causing many to die.[20] Yamamoto states this same disregard extends to all of his underlings, regardless of species or position, and is an attitude which Yhwach has allegedly always possessed;[21] this is proven when he ultimately uses his Auswählen to fatally steal power from Gerard Valkyrie, one of his elite guards, and Jugram Haschwalth, his trusted second-in-command and other half, after absorbing the power of Ichigo Kurosaki.[22]
Yhwach believes that he and his Sternritter are comrades and that they should be prepared to assist each other whenever necessary, even if it means certain members should be sacrificed for others; he demonstrated this belief by using Auswählen to steal the life force of the Sternritter who had been left behind in order to revive his fallen Schutzstaffel.[23]
Yhwach wants to create a world without fear of death, which is done by collapsing the Human World, Soul Society, and even Hueco Mundo together.[24] Yhwach also cannot stand his father's existence as the Soul King, a sealed and mutilated linchpin made to stabilize the Soul Society and keep the worlds separate.[25] He wishes to cease his father's "endless humiliation".[26] This desire of his is so strong it even seeps into other Quincy who have his blood, and they will be forced to slay the Soul King.[27]
History
As a baby, Yhwach could not see, hear, speak, or even move. Despite this, he was not afraid, and would not have cried even if he had the ability to because he knew he would continue to live on. The people around him treated Yhwach with great reverence because everyone who touched Yhwach found they gradually gained something which they lacked. This occurred because Yhwach possessed the power to share out his own soul. Anyone who touched him received a fragment of his soul, and those fragments healed the wounds which their own souls alone could not. At the same time, as their wounds slowly healed, the various aspects of each person were all imprinted upon the fragments of Yhwach's soul which they had received until those fragments returned to Yhwach at the moment of their owners' deaths. Even though none who touched Yhwach lived for much longer, the people continued to gather around him. As he regained the fragments of his soul that he had shared out, Yhwach's body began to gain function. In time, when his deaf ears became able to hear, Yhwach realized the people had begun to call him by an unusual name: "YHWACH". He understood this was the name of the God these people worshiped, but he chose nonetheless to take this name for his own.[28]
Yhwach is credited with being the progenitor of the Quincy, which they revere as their king and his blood flows in every Quincy.[29] Later, he eventually discovered a much more powerful way to distribute his soul: by engraving a letter, signifying an ability, directly onto another's soul, he could share out his soul more deeply, and with greater power.[30] Lille Barro was the first Quincy Yhwach bestowed a Schrift upon.[31] At some point during his history, Yhwach was given the letter "A".[2] In over 200 years after his birth, Yhwach himself had form a kingdom of Quincy known as the Lichtreich (光の帝国 (リヒトライヒ), Rihitoraihi; German for "Light Empire", Japanese for "Empire of Light") that conquered the northern lands where Jugram Haschwalth and Bazz-B's village and forest were located, both of which he burned down. Five years later, he informed Zeidritz that he wished to create a new army. When Zeidritz pointed out how they had conquered all the nearby countries, Yhwach stated they had not yet conquered Soul Society before revealing that he intended to create an army called the Sternritter for this purpose.[32]
Eventually, Yhwach sent out two of his personal guards, Hubert and Argola, to inform nearby villages of the formation of the Sternritter. While Bazz-B was confronting Hubert, Yhwach arrived and pinned almost everyone present to the ground with his Reiatsu. Declaring his intention to find a right-hand man, Yhwach selected Haschwalth, whom he recognized as his other half.[33] Yhwach declared that Haschwalth would join the Sternritter before preparing to leave. However, when Haschwalth claimed that Bazz-B would be a better right-hand man to him, Yhwach noted that this was just as he had foreseen before revealing that Haschwalth shared his ability to grant powers to others. After explaining how this was the catalyst behind Bazz-B's prodigal powers, Yhwach told Haschwalth that he needed the latter at his side before being defended from Bazz-B's Heilig Pfeil by Haschwalth.[34]
About 1,000 years ago, Yhwach engaged in battle with the Shinigami during which he fought Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto, with neither leader succeeding in killing the other.[35] Sometime around or during the course of this event, Yhwach witnessed the capabilities of Yamamoto's Bankai, Zanka no Tachi.[36] After his battle with Yamamoto, Yhwach supposedly lost his powers. Quincy folklore spoke of him as "The Sealed King": after 900 years of being sealed, he would regain his pulse; after another 90, he would regain his intellect; and after 9 more years, he would absorb the power of every "impure" Quincy to make their abilities his own. With Auswählen, he did this to Kanae Katagiri, killing her, and to Masaki Kurosaki, who died during her fight with Grand Fisher due to the loss of her powers.[37] All "impure" Quincy were killed except for Uryū Ishida.[38] Yhwach later reveals this song is known as the Kaiser Gesang (聖帝頌歌 (カイザー・ゲザング), Kaizā Gezangu; German for "Emperor Song", Japanese for "Praise-Song of the Sacred Emperor"; Viz "King's Hymn") and has another verse stating the "Sealed King" would regain the world after 9 days.[39]
When Äs Nödt survived an incident and was hospitalized, Yhwach visited him and granted him power.[40] At some point during the seventeen months after the defeat of Sōsuke Aizen, the Wandenreich conquered Hueco Mundo, and Yhwach personally defeated its ruler, Tier Harribel. Imprisoning her, he claimed the territory of Hueco Mundo for the Wandenreich, regarding it as another foundation stone for the invasion of Soul Society.[41][42][43]
Plot
The Thousand-Year Blood War arc
Upon Luders Friegen's return to the Wandenreich base, Yhwach states he dislikes conflict and severs Luders' arm as punishment for arguing with Asguiaro Ebern.[4] After Luders declines his offer to lie down before him in exchange for his legs, Yhwach questions his estimate of five days being required for them to prepare for the war with Soul Society.[44] Asking Luders if he is a prophet, Yhwach listens to Luders' denial of this title and asks him why he had been talking about the future, for he only wanted to know about what was happening at the present point in time, before killing Luders. Turning his attention to Ebern, Yhwach admits he has no reason to praise or blame Ebern, for he effectively delayed Ichigo Kurosaki, and states his role is over before saying Ebern will be a foundation stone for peace in death. When Ebern is decapitated, Jugram Haschwalth asks Yhwach if it is alright to kill the Arrancar, for they do not need to be taught how to fight. Dismissing this, Yhwach climbs newly-formed stairs to a room behind his throne and states they can acquire as many as they need, thanks to Hueco Mundo already being their dominion, as he looks at the imprisoned Tier Harribel.[45]
When told Ebern's medallion was used, but was unable to seal Ichigo's Bankai, Yhwach cites a special plan would be needed to do so. Declaring "hot-blooded fools" could be useful at times, he instructs Haschwalth to have the Jagdarmee of Hueco Mundo collect "a few idiots" alive.[46] Later, when told of Ichigo's ongoing battle with Quilge Opie, Yhwach notes this is the perfect opportunity to invade Soul Society before ordering all of the Sternritter to be notified.[47] Later, Yhwach appears in the air above Ryūnosuke Yuki and members of the 13th Division as they ready themselves for battle and states thinking they will attack from one of Seireitei's gates makes sense before saying war is always a bitter affair.[48] When the group loses their composure in the face of Hidetomo Kajōmaru's defeat, Yhwach permits Haschwalth to spare the others if he thinks it is the benign choice.[49]
Later, as Captain-Commander Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto realizes his opponent was not Yhwach, but was instead his subordinate Royd Lloyd, who had used his abilities to mimic Yhwach's disposition, memories, and appearance, the 1st Division barracks are destroyed. Appearing behind Yamamoto, Yhwach thanks Royd for his service before incinerating his remains. When asked what he had been up to this entire time, Yhwach asks Yamamoto what lies beneath the 1st Division building before explaining how he had gone to the Central Great Underground Prison to speak with Sōsuke Aizen, though his offer to join their army was predictably declined. Continuing, Yhwach asks Yamamoto if he has exhausted his power fighting Royd.[50]
When Yamamoto attempts to use his Bankai again, Yhwach steals it with his medallion and reveals it is not that they were unable to take Yamamoto's Bankai, but the power of Zanka no Tachi is too enormous for anyone other than Yhwach himself to handle, so he ordered Royd not to do anything regarding this until he had returned. Goading the Captain-Commander by asking if he should use Yamamoto's Bankai to resurrect the dead Shinigami, Yhwach manifests a second weapon from above. With a wave of his sword, Yhwach bids Yamamoto farewell and attacks him.[51]
With Yamamoto bifurcated by the attack, Yhwach derides him and attempts to leave, only for Yamamoto to grab hold of his cloak. Cutting off the Captain-Commander's arm, Yhwach reveals he had not listed him as a Special War Power because of his foolish reluctance to exploit others, which had made him grow weak. Stating the original Gotei 13 was a group to be feared, and Yamamoto did whatever it took to win, Yhwach says Soul Society will die soon, but unbeknownst to Yamamoto, the Gotei 13 died 1,000 years ago. Unleashing innumerable arrows from an outstretched finger, Yhwach completely obliterates Yamamoto's body.[52]
After ordering Haschwalth to inform the Sternritter that they are to demolish Soul Society, Yhwach observes the ensuing devastation in the wake of the advancing Soldat. With the Seireitei and the main forces of the Gotei 13 decimated, Yhwach prepares to declare a retreat in order to await the Royal Guard's inevitable arrival, only to be startled by an explosion in the air above him.[53] Confirming the Reiatsu is indeed Ichigo's, Yhwach declines Haschwalth's request to eliminate him and states they are leaving. As Tensa Zangetsu is thrust into the ground before them, they are intercepted by Ichigo.[54]
Though unaware of exactly how Ichigo had escaped Quilge's jail, Yhwach congratulates him on doing so before asking Ichigo if he is really intending on fighting with his body's current condition. When asked if he is the enemy's leader, Yhwach states he both is and is not before confirming he is responsible for the current state of Soul Society. As an enraged Ichigo emits a large amount of Reiatsu, Yhwach is left with no option other than to crush him. Unaffected by a Getsuga Tenshō, Yhwach pins Ichigo to the ground before subduing him by stabbing him in the throat with his sword. Affirming Ichigo is still breathing, Yhwach orders Haschwalth to bring Ichigo back to their castle, where they can recruit him into their army. When Ichigo awakens, Yhwach deduces the pronounced veins stopping his sword are in fact Blut Vene before being engulfed by Ichigo's Reiatsu.[55]
Emerging mostly unharmed, Yhwach admits he had made a mistake in using a pure Quincy to stop Ichigo, for this awoke the memories in his Reiatsu. He reveals in trying to escape Quilge's jail, Ichigo absorbed some of the surrounding Reiatsu, which awoke the memories deep within his soul and allowed him to escape, for the jail cannot trap a Quincy. Stating Ichigo knows nothing about himself, not even about his own mother, Yhwach threatens to drag Ichigo to the Wandenreich and tell him everything there. As the two clash, Yhwach prepares to stab Ichigo, only for shadows to appear below him. When told his time outside of the Schatten Bereich is up, Yhwach realizes Aizen had confused his perception of time while they spoke and turns to leave. As Haschwalth intercepts Ichigo's subsequent attack, Yhwach departs while declaring he will return for Ichigo.[56]
Several days later, he asks Haschwalth where the subject is. When Haschwalth states he is here, Yhwach greets the newly recruited Uryū Ishida before proclaiming they will fight together.[57] Yhwach is later saluted by the Sternritter as he announces he has information for them.[58] Announcing Uryū will become his successor, much to the dismay and shock of several Sternritter, Yhwach states they do not need to doubt his decision because they will see Uryū's power for themselves in the upcoming fights.[59]
Later, in his chambers, Yhwach tells Uryū the ceremony is over and states Uryū's power will soon awaken. Saying he will give Uryū a Schrift, Yhwach bestows him with the letter "A", which is his own letter as well.[2] When Uryū asks why he specifically was chosen as his successor, Yhwach asks why he is alive, much to Uryū's shock, before stating all mixed blood Quincy died during Auswählen except for Uryū. Proclaiming he named Uryū his successor because he was the first one to survive Auswählen in all of history, Yhwach surmises Uryū possesses a power which can surpass his own, which is why he was chosen to succeed him. Stating Uryū does not have to question anything, Yhwach tells him to come with him.[60]
Shortly after the Seireitei vanishes, Yhwach appears on a building with Uryū and Haschwalth and states the invasion is complete before asking Uryū if he knows the Kaiser Gesang. When Uryū confirms this and recites it, Yhwach notes there is another verse: after 9 years of regaining his powers, he will regain the world in 9 days. He instructs Haschwalth and Uryū to come, for the world will end in 9 days.[61] Later, Yhwach elaborates on how the Wandenreich managed to make Seireitei vanish and reveals the Quincy escaped into the Seireitei, the most vulnerable area in Soul Society, and created a space in the shadows after they lost the war 1000 years ago, which is why they named themselves the Hidden Empire.[62]
When the Shinigami reclaim their Bankai by using the Shin'eiyaku invented by Kisuke Urahara, Uryū asks Yhwach if he had expected it to happen.[63] Confirming this, Yhwach states he had indeed predicted it before noting the Sternritter seem to be reveling in this event.[64] As numerous Sternritter across the Seireitei activate their Quincy: Vollständig, Yhwach proclaims the Shinigami will now taste true despair.[65] Later, at the Wandenreich HQ, BG9 and Cang Du sit tied up before Yhwach, who says he is going to judge the Sternritter who lost. As Yhwach has Haschwalth step forward, BG9 begs him to wait and admits they lost before pointing out how the activation of their Quincy: Vollständig resuscitated them. As BG9 states they can still fight for him, Yhwach says they should be grateful for having survived.[66]
Later during the night, Yhwach falls asleep. When Mask De Masculine is defeated, the sleeping Yhwach calls James back.[67] When dawn comes, Yhwach wakes up and thanks the souls of the fallen for his continued ability to perceive the world.[68] Later that day, Yhwach watches silently as the meteorite which Gremmy Thoumeaux summoned hurtles toward the Seireitei.[69] Soon afterward, when Ichigo arrives in the Seireitei, Yhwach notes his appearance and informs Haschwalth and Uryū that they will begin.[70] Watching Ichigo and Candice Catnipp's battle from afar, Yhwach tells Haschwalth to summon "the key". As Haschwalth does so, Yhwach says they will thank the one who brought them to the light.[71] As a beam of light pierces the heavens, Yhwach tells everyone to be with him.[72]
Yhwach begins speaking to Ichigo and explains how Ichigo's clothes possess enormous defensive powers because they are made from the bones and hair of Royal Guard members, allowing Ichigo to break through the 72 barriers between Soul Society and the Soul King Palace unscathed. However, Yhwach reveals that because of this power, the barriers are unable to reform for the following 6000 seconds, causing Ichigo to realize he plans to depart for the palace.[73] Ichigo quickly reaches their location, causing Yhwach to take note of his arrival. He watches the short confrontation between Uryū and Ichigo before telling Uryū it's time to go. He asks Uryū if he said farewell considering this will be forever and then starts ascending towards the palace together with Uryū and Haschwalth.[74] Soon afterward, Yhwach, Haschwalth, and Uryū arrive at the Soul King Palace.[75]
When Yhwach notes where they are, Haschwalth claims to know how he feels, but Yhwach states a rotten gravestone does not make him feel anything before having Haschwalth summon several Soldat to invade. When Tenjirō Kirinji arrives, defeats the Soldat, and introduces himself, Yhwach demands to know if Kirinji believes he can defeat him, prompting Kirinji to confirm this before engulfing those present in his hot spring water. After explaining the water's properties, Kirinji releases his Zanpakutō and attacks Yhwach.[76] Kirinji's attacks all miss Yhwach despite the latter not dodging them. Yhwach walks away from Kirinji only to be confronted by Senjumaru Shutara, who says it has been a long time. She gives out that he has entered the palace without an invitation and has her soldiers surround him. The soldiers attack Yhwach, but they too are unable to hit him. The confrontation is interrupted when Sternritter "W" Nianzol Weizol appears out of the ground.[77]
After Nianzol is killed by Senjumaru, Yhwach watches as she summons more soldiers and claims that he can now be harmed. Countering this, Yhwach summons several Soldat from his shadow to combat Senjumaru's soldiers. He then calls on his Schutzstaffel - Gerard Valkyrie, Lille Barro, Pernida Parnkgjas, and Askin Nakk Le Vaar - to take on the Royal Guard.[78] After Nimaiya defeats his Schutzstaffel, Yhwach's hands begin to glow as Nimaiya challenges him.[79] Yhwach activates Auswählen and steals the power and lifeforce of the Sternritter in the Seireitei below in order to revive his Schutzstaffel, whom he tells to go forth.[23]
After initiating the Auswählen and the destruction of the Cage of Life, Yhwach appears before Ichibē Hyōsube and asks him if he will allow him to pass, only for Ichibē to tell him to be careful speaking his name so easily, for it is likely to crush his throat.[80] When Ichibē draws a line on the floor and states this is where he will defeat him, Yhwach notes this is a bit small before claiming Ichibē will die three steps before this. However, Yhwach is interrupted when an enormous hand shoves him off the side of the palace. When Ichibē explain to him that this hand will push him 1000 ri away, Yhwach attempts to say something, but finds he cannot speak. After Ichibē pushes him downward with another hand, Yhwach punctures his own throat and proclaims that he gives himself the power of voice before using Sankt Bogen to shoot himself through the chest with a Heilig Pfeil, prompting Ichibē to note he must kill him.[81]
Noting that he must kill Yhwach because of his failure to atone, Ichibē draws his brush as Yhwach prepares to clash with him.[82] Ichibē and Yhwach clash, with Yhwach noting that he looks much happier than he expected. When Yhwach deflects Ichibē's brush with his arm, Ichibē reveals that his brush can cut names as a shocked Yhwach's arm falls to his side. Ichibē reveals that Yhwach's arm is now Ar and that his physical capabilities have been cut in half before slashing him down the center of his body, causing Yhwach to fly back into the palace. Moving back to the palace, Ichibē asks Yhwach what he thinks about being cut to pieces, prompting a grinning Yhwach to demand to know if he looks like he is suffering as Reishi gathers around him.[83]
Yhwach gets to his feet as he explains to Ichibē that he can merely restore anything which Ichibē takes from him and that everything in the world is his for the taking before sending his Reishi pillars hurtling toward Ichibē. When Ichibē blocks the pillars and uses Bakudō #62. Hyapporankan on him, Yhwach activates Blut Anhaben to protect himself and explains how it is a defensive wall that expands outside the body. Ichibē uses Ura Hadō: Sannodō — Teppūsatsu to seemingly break through and grabs Yhwach by the neck, but Yhwach reveals that Blut Anhaben consumes everything around it as black lines appear on Ichibē's arm. However, Ichibē merely ruptures Yhwach's face and reprimands him for daring to invade the body of a Royal Guard before releasing his Zanpakutō, Ichimonji.[84]
Noting he does not sense any Reiatsu despite Ichibē releasing his Zanpakutō, Yhwach looks at Ichimonji and tries to figure out what is wrong, prompting Ichibē to ask him if he cannot tell the difference between a pen and a sword before attacking him. As he and Ichibē clash, Yhwach points out how Ichibē is merely spraying ink everywhere before proclaiming that he will simply take back his powers no matter how many times Ichibē removes them. However, Yhwach falls silent with shock, prompting Ichibē to reveal his sword does not have a name anymore before explaining how anything Ichimonji covers in ink loses its name. When Ichibē asks him if he really believes he can kill him now, Yhwach holds out his hand and claims he will simply steal Ichibē's powers before using Sankt Altar. However, Ichibē effortlessly shrugs off the spell and explains how his Zanpakutō wields the power of darkness, which is why Yhwach cannot steal his power, before covering Yhwach's face in ink.[85]
As Yhwach stands covered in ink, Ichibē notes it must have been painful for him to lose his name before activating his Bankai, Shirafude Ichimonji, and giving Yhwach the name of Black Ant. Ichibē smashes Yhwach through the floor with a giant foot and bids him farewell before crushing him between two giant hands. Wondering if this is how it will end for him, Yhwach bursts through the floor of the palace entrance and attacks Ichibē, who wonders what is going on as Haschwalth reveals this is the power of The Almighty.[86]
Yhwach notes Ichibē must have many questions about how he can be doing this before explaining how The Almighty allows him to see into the future and use any power he knows of, which means he cannot be defeated. When Ichibē attempts to defeat him by using the black on his body for Futen Taisatsuryō in order to strip him of everything he possesses, Yhwach points out how he has regained his name and proclaims he will be the one to take everything away from Ichibē before blasting him.[87] Noting that Ichibē died in three steps just as predicted, Yhwach observes that the Royal Guard have been defeated and proclaims the Soul King is next.[88]
Soon afterward, Yhwach reaches the main palace, where he slaughters the Soul King's servants before confronting the Soul King himself. Claiming the Soul King is an imperfect god too weak to run away, Yhwach proclaims he shall end his humiliation here and notes the Soul King likely foresaw this day[89] before stabbing the Soul King, whom he addresses as his father and bids farewell.[90] However, Yhwach is interrupted by the arrival of Ichigo and his friends behind him. Mentally cursing Ichibē, Yhwach turns to face Ichigo.[91]
When Ichigo states that they have come to stop him, Yhwach admits he had already seen it before explaining how he can see the future due to his new eyes and how he knows about Ichibē's revival before revealing the impaled Soul King behind him. Ichigo leaps past him in an attempt to help the king, but Yhwach lets him do so while stating that Ichigo must be prepared to destroy Soul Society. When Ichigo's right side is enveloped in Blut Vene veins, Yhwach explains how the Quincy blood within him will never permit the existence of the Soul King and invites him to watch the destruction of Soul Society as Ichigo slashes the Soul King across the chest.[92]
Yhwach explains to Ichigo how his power allowed him to transfer the Reiatsu still present in his sword to Ichigo, which his blood reacted to. When Ichigo attacks him, Yhwach effortlessly blocks his sword and points out how it is pointless to fight him any further because Soul Society will be destroyed regardless.[93] Yhwach goes on to explain how the Soul King keeps the flow of souls in balance and claims it is Ichigo's fault that everything will fall apart, only to stop in surprise upon seeing several razor-sharp wires placed around him by Yoruichi, who tells Orihime to revive the Soul King. However, when Orihime's Sōten Kisshun shatters around the king, Yhwach proclaims that the Soul King will never draw breath again.[94]
However, Yhwach is shocked when Jūshirō Ukitake's Kamikake appears in the palace and wraps itself around the Soul King. Recognizing this as the work of Mimihagi, the one being whom his eyes cannot predict, Yhwach demands to know if the Soul King's right hand is beginning to feel sentimental toward Soul Society after protecting it for all this time.[95] Yhwach attempts to destroy both the Soul King and Mimihagi, but is stopped by Ichigo, who grabs his arm and dispels his attack. Asking Ichigo why he is doing this, Yhwach points out how he is the one who cut the Soul King in half and states that Ichigo's blood cannot permit the Soul King's existence, but Ichigo states he is here to save all the realms, prompting Yhwach to demand to know if Ichigo believes that he is the only one who can do this. Ichigo proclaims he cannot simply sit by before blasting Yhwach within the palace with a Getsuga Tenshō. When Ichigo tells him that he will not do his bidding despite Yhwach's blood running in his veins, Yhwach claims that this will be decided by his eyes alone.[96]
Yhwach tells Ichigo that he has never intended to make Ichigo do his bidding. When Ichigo questions what this means, Yhwach claims that all of Ichigo's battling and growth up until now have been in preparation for him killing the Soul King and that all of Ichigo's decisions benefited him because they share the same blood, prompting Ichigo to angrily attack him before proclaiming that he still intends to stop him. However, Yhwach asks Ichigo if his resentment toward him is truly justified before claiming that it is Ichigo's own weakness that led to his mother dying. After Uryū appears and shoots Yoruichi in the shoulder, causing her barrier around the Soul King to shatter, Yhwach catches the top half of the Soul King. Yoruichi begins throwing spheres at him, but Yhwach has Pernida warp her arm before throwing her out of the palace himself. After Uryū distracts an attacking Ichigo, Yhwach rips Mimihagi off of the Soul King.[97]
After Uryū knocks Ichigo and the others off the palace, Mimihagi attempts to attack Yhwach, who merely wonders if it is trying to hinder its own child before dispersing it with a strike. Noting that Mimihagi is now far below him, Yhwach absorbs Mimihagi through his hand and decides to take everything that once belonged to the Soul King before firing a beam of darkness through the floor of the palace.[98] As his beam strikes the Shakonmaku and spreads a veil of darkness over the Seireitei, Yhwach begins staggering before dissolving into a mass of one-eyed black creatures that begin swarming the Schutzstaffel. Haschwalth appears and explains that Yhwach is unable to keep all of the Soul King's now-released power within himself and is simply releasing it in the form of these creatures as the swarm begins pouring out of the palace and heading for the Seireitei below.[99]
Soon after, Yhwach completely absorbs the Soul King.[100] When Haschwalth and the others enter the Soul King's chambers, which are covered with darkness, Yhwach turns around to reveal that he has gained a mask of eyes across his face. Noticing Askin backing away from him in shock, Yhwach wonders if he is afraid and assures them that they will get used to it before noting that he never expected to have too much power as the top of the palace shatters. When a kneeling Haschwalth asks him to lead them, Yhwach addresses him as his firstborn and states they will begin by creating a new country for the Quincy.[101]
Yhwach brings the Wandenreich city to the Soul King Palace,[102] which he connects to the surrounding cities to form a Quincy Zeichen; soon after, he creates a large, tower-like palace for his new stronghold. When Ichigo, his friends, and the Gotei 13 arrive in the Soul King Palace, Haschwalth reports their intrusion to Yhwach, who decides to make the tower the cornerstone of his new world, the Wahrwelt.[103] Soon after, Liltotto Lamperd and Giselle Gewelle confront Yhwach, who quickly dispatches the two before returning to his slumber.[104]
While sleeping, Yhwach has a vision of Ichigo arriving and bifurcating him. He then wakes up as morning arrives, regaining The Almighty as he remarks that his dream was wonderful to the point of being a nightmare. Ichigo then arrives at the throne room, and Yhwach asks him what took him so long to arrive, referring to him as his "son of darkness."[105] Ichigo stands before Yhwach, who notes that Ichigo's newly-attained true power is causing his Reiatsu to become visible around him before revealing that he is not using The Almighty to predict Ichigo's moves because he wants to savor this reunion. When Yhwach claims that Isshin Kurosaki was merely a surrogate father for him, Ichigo decries him being his parent because he is the one who killed Masaki Kurosaki.[106]
As Yhwach claims Ichigo is still a petulant brat, Ichigo leaps toward him and fires a Getsuga Tenshō, which Yhwach blocks with a torrent of Reiatsu that attacks Ichigo, prompting Orihime to block it with Santen Kesshun. When the Reiatsu pushes past the barrier, Ichigo cuts through it with his shorter sword before leaping toward Yhwach once more, only for the Reiatsu to stop his assault as Yhwach claims that Masaki died so he could create Ichigo. Proclaiming that Ichigo should not sulk because there is no greater honor than this, Yhwach flings him into a wall before standing up as he prepares to demonstrate his true power.[107]
Yhwach tells Ichigo that they are done talking as Ichigo charges at him again. Berating Ichigo for charging in so recklessly, Yhwach stifles Ichigo with Reiatsu again as he says that they should not rush things since Ichigo's death is inevitable. Yhwach tells Ichigo that it took a lot of work to create him and that he should stop making light of it, as his abilities were never his to begin with, before surrounding Ichigo with his Reiatsu.[108] As Ichigo continues to charge him, Yhwach wonders why he is so eager to die and notes that he will destroy both Soul Society and the Human World if not stopped. When Orihime covers Ichigo with her Sōten Kisshun, Yhwach points out how she is saying "no" by healing Ichigo and telling him to keep fighting before blasting Ichigo with more Reiatsu while ordering him to expend all his Reiatsu and die for his allies. However, upon seeing the tip of his blade turning white, Ichigo has Orihime block Yhwach's next blast with Santen Kesshun. An explosion of Reiatsu engulfs Ichigo, prompting Yhwach to realize what his endgame is as the dust clears to reveal Ichigo has entered a partially Hollowfied form.[109]
After greeting a shocked Orihime, Ichigo confirms Yhwach's assessment that this is the form he takes on when melding with his Hollow powers before explaining how he reforged his Zanpakutō after his Hollow and Quincy powers came into balance with one another. As Yhwach grins at Ichigo's strategy of awakening his powers with his Reiatsu, Ichigo moves in front of Santen Kesshun while telling Orihime to keep up her guard before unleashing his Reiatsu, which destroys most of the room around them. Yhwach commends Ichigo's power and forms his broadsword, only for Ichigo to grab him before slashing at close range. As more of the tower is destroyed by the force of the attack, Yhwach blocks Ichigo's blade with his bare hand and claims that he could not be harmed by Ichigo's level of strength before tossing him back. However, Ichigo proceeds to form a Getsuga Tenshō and fuse it with a Gran Rey Cero before firing it at Yhwach, who is cut deeply.[110]
Noting that a combined attack like this is fitting for a racial hybrid like Ichigo, Yhwach grabs and repels the augmented Getsuga Tenshō before proclaiming that Ichigo is out of his league. Ichigo clashes with Yhwach, who details Ichigo's probable train of thought before declaring that his window of opportunity is gone as he activates The Almighty, which he admits is the result of him no longer being able to underestimate Ichigo's power. Clashing with Yhwach repeatedly, Ichigo draws his other sword and strikes, only for Yhwach to form a second sword and repel Ichigo in turn. As Ichigo moves around, his feet are impaled by shadow blades emerging from the places he lands on, causing him to realize that Yhwach has set up traps. After planting his sword in the ground, Yhwach states that Ichigo has likely been told that The Almighty allows him to see the future, prompting Ichigo to note that his attack should not connect if this is true. Grinning, Yhwach slashes at Ichigo, who leaps back and lands on top of a pillar as Yhwach details his thought process of growth during a fight causing the future to change before telling him to stay there if he believes this. As Ichigo is stabbed by long shadowy blades from the wall behind him and falls to the ground below, Yhwach appears in front of him and reveals how Ichigo miscalculated by assuming that the future is linear before explaining how it is instead akin to countless grains of sand in the wind that he can choose and move between at will. Telling Ichigo to keep pushing forward and moving between grains of sand without despairing, Yhwach watches as Ichigo activates his Bankai.[111]
Immediately after Ichigo activates his Bankai, Tensa Zangetsu, in a burst of energy, Yhwach breaks off part of the blade with his bare hand, leading a shocked Ichigo to wonder how he did this without moving. Yhwach notes that Tensa Zangetsu is indeed a fearsome Bankai and reveals that he used the future to break it before breaking off Ichigo's horn as well while reminding him to not drop his guard. When Yhwach throws his horn at him, Ichigo bashes it away with the remainder of his Bankai, only for Yhwach to appear behind and slash him out of the air and into the ground below. Attacking Ichigo once more, Yhwach closes in on him and slashes, only for Orihime's Santen Kesshun to block his blade. However, Ichigo is still wounded, prompting Yhwach to reveal that The Almighty lets him transform the future as well as foresee it before telling Ichigo to despair for him.[112]
Yhwach states that The Almighty is no different from Ichigo and Orihime's powers because he can also influence only what he can see, which is the entirety of fate. Yhwach claims that Ichigo has only been able to overcome his despair and change his fate up until now because he was not present and declares that he will cut down any future Ichigo tries to create for himself before telling Ichigo that he can begin despairing now, prompting Ichigo to begin screaming in anger. Soon afterward, Ichigo coughs up blood after being attacked by Yhwach, who grabs him by the head while noting that he expected more of a fight from Ichigo. When Ichigo loses all hope of winning, Yhwach drops him while claiming that all Ichigo accomplished was providing him with some entertainment before preparing to take back the power he had given to Ichigo.[113]
Black veins encompass Ichigo and the surrounding area as Yhwach absorbs his Quincy and Hollow powers. As his merged Hollow form dissipates, Ichigo falls to the ground, unconscious, as Yhwach laughs maniacally before initiating a third Auswählen, which drains power from Haschwalth and kills Gerard. Power is drawn from all over the area to the top of Wahrwelt, where Yhwach has opened a portal and bids Ichigo farewell while promising to bring ruin to all of existence now that he no longer has need for him or the Sternritter. When Rukia and Renji appear, Yhwach expresses annoyance at having so many weaklings be sent after him and notes that they are probably too exhausted to take another step before deciding to leave the portal open so they can pursue him if they wish, which he will reward them for by slaughtering them in their time of greatest happiness. As he promises them that they will feel the looming shadow of death for all eternity, Yhwach steps into the portal.[114]
Shortly afterward, Yhwach arrives in the Seireitei, where he is greeted by Aizen in his chair. After destroying Aizen's restraints, Yhwach responds to Aizen's claim of Ichigo giving him too much trouble in the Soul King Palace by reminding Aizen that he was the one whom Ichigo defeated before noting that protecting Soul Society does not seem like something that would be in Aizen's best interests. When Ichigo and Renji suddenly attack him from behind, Yhwach repels them and claims to have already foreseen Ichigo coming here and having his Bankai broken once more. However, when Tensa Zangetsu is merely cracked instead of completely destroyed as he had planned, Yhwach notes that Ichigo possesses a great deal of good fortune.[115]
After pushing Ichigo back with a blast of Reiatsu that destroys part of Sōkyoku Hill, Yhwach questions why he did not let Orihime heal his wounds prior to coming here before reminding Ichigo that he was told he would be unable to do anything even if he followed. When Renji seemingly attacks him with his Bankai, Yhwach severs his left arm while claiming that all Bankai are rendered impotent against him before deciding to crush Renji with his own hands in order to prove this point. Suddenly, Aizen appears with Kyōka Suigetsu in hand and intervenes, prompting Yhwach to ridicule him for defending one of the "losers" which he so detests, before using Hadō #99. Goryūtenmetsu, which ruptures the ground around them and forms a large energy dragon in the air above as Aizen rushes forward. Despite this, Yhwach merely points out that Aizen's sword is cracked before sending him hurtling back with an energy blast. When Ichigo appears behind him, Yhwach blows off his arm and stops his blade while noting that Ichigo decided to ally himself with Aizen before pointing out how even Kyōka Suigetsu was useless before his power. Reminding Ichigo that he can see everything, Yhwach shatters Tensa Zangetsu and bids Ichigo farewell before seemingly blowing a hole in his torso as he prepares to destroy Soul Society. However, Aizen, having disguised himself as Ichigo, merely notes that Yhwach's vision of Ichigo attacking him is interesting while impaled on Yhwach's hand. Suddenly, the real Ichigo impales Yhwach from behind with Tensa Zangetsu before unleashing a powerful Getsuga Tenshō.[116]
As Ichigo cuts him in half, Yhwach dissolves into a mass of darkness, which shortly afterward engulfs a shocked Aizen. Noting that the power of Kyōka Suigetsu appears to have run out, Yhwach reforms as he asks Ichigo if he really thought an attack of that caliber would be enough to kill him before proclaiming that he can even rewrite futures where he dies using The Almighty. Yhwach bashes Tensa Zangetsu out of Ichigo's hand and engulfs him and the rest of the Seireitei in his darkness before declaring that everything will lose its form and become one before his power. However, Yhwach is interrupted when Uryū fires the silver arrowhead through his chest, to the surprise of both him and Ichigo, as his darkness suddenly clears from his body, prompting Uryū to tell Ichigo to move now. With his cracked Bankai in hand, Ichigo leaps toward Yhwach, who is beginning to regain his powers and seemingly shatters the blade in his hand. However, the blade instead crumbles to reveal the original Zangetsu in Ichigo's hands, prompting a stunned Yhwach to realize that this is what Haschwalth was trying to warn him about with his dream as Ichigo cuts him in two.[117] Yhwach grabs hold of Zangetsu and laments to Ichigo how the path is being closed to the world without fear, and further laments how existence will continue as it always has in a cycle of life and death.[118]
Ten years in the future, Yhwach attempts to use The Almighty to destroy the future by infiltrating it with his Reiatsu, but due to Ichigo defeating him ten years prior the Reiatsu vanishes altogether.[119][120]
Equipment
Quincy Cross: Yhwach carries a version of the Quincy Cross, consisting of five points, which forms part of an elaborate, circular medal featuring a number of stars and a descending striped ribbon. This is attached to the left breast of his trench coat, so it is often concealed beneath his cloak.[121] The Cross was rendered useless when Ichibē Hyōsube used his Ichimonji to remove its name, and therefore its power.[122]
Medallion: Yhwach possesses a round device which is roughly the size of a person's palm and has the Wandenreich insignia etched onto its surface. When activated, the device can steal a currently released Bankai in the immediate vicinity. Yhwach used it to take Captain-Commander Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto's Zanka no Tachi.[122]
Powers & Abilities
Soul Distribution Power (魂を分け与える力, Tamashī o wakeataeru Chikara): Yhwach was born with the innate ability to distribute a piece of his soul to another by being touched by them.[123] Yhwach acquires power by bestowing an ability, allowing its wielder to cultivate it, and then taking it back.[124]
Flawless Healing: In Yhwach's distribution of his soul, the wounds which one's soul could not heal alone would finally heal. This power healed the physical, mental, and spiritual ailments of those who touched Yhwach. While the wound of a person healed, all of their knowledge, skills, and talents would be engraved inside the piece of soul they received from Yhwach. Those healed in this way had their lifespan drastically reduced, and once the person had died, the augmented fragment would return to Yhwach. In turn, Yhwach slowly gained the usage of his dormant motor skills and senses.[28] [125]
Power Bestowal (via Letter Empowerment): While all Quincy have the power to collect Reishi from their surroundings to make it theirs, Yhwach can do the opposite: he has the power to share his spirit with others. However, he eventually discovered a much more powerful way to distribute his soul: by engraving a letter, signifying an ability, directly onto another's soul, he could share out his soul more deeply, and with greater power. He does this by having others drink his blood within a ritual.[126]
Soul Absorption: Yhwach can forcibly retake the soul fragments of his soul that he has shared out.[127] The only time that Yhwach can return to being the Father of the Quincy and gather his strength is in his sleep. None can be permitted to disturb him while he rests. If he does not continue to absorb souls, he will eventually revert to his original state, completely deprived of his senses once more.[128]
Enhanced Condition & Longevity: Every time he regains a piece of his soul, Yhwach becomes stronger and lives longer.[129]
Sleep-Induced Power Swapping: Yhwach and Haschwalth are two sides of a balanced scale. While Yhwach returns to being the Father of the Quincy, Haschwalth take up the mask of the ruler in his stead, as they are connected.[130] Once night falls and Yhwach falls asleep, his power will be swapped with Haschwalth's.[131]
The Balance (世間調和 (ザ・バランス), Za Baransu; Japanese for "World Harmony"): Yhwach gains Haschwalth's The Balance while Haschwalth gains Yhwach's The Almighty.[132] However, since Yhwach is asleep whenever he gets The Balance, he does not use it.
Auswählen (聖別 (アウスヴェーレン), Ausuvēren; German for "Select", Japanese for "Holy Selection"; "Consecration" in the Viz release): After 990 years of being sealed away, Yhwach used this ability to restore his lost powers. After selecting Quincy whom he deems impure, including those with mixed blood, Yhwach can steal their powers and make them his own. This process is ultimately fatal to its victims, particularly those who are already weak.[133] Upon Yhwach's activation of this ability, his targets are engulfed in massive columns of light. Even being near the columns of light is enough to strip a Quincy of their power.[134] It absorbs energy from those Quincy judged to be unnecessary and sends it to those who need it in a redistribution of power. Those taken from will perish, while those on the receiving end are revitalized with greater strength than they possessed before. It transfers not physical accumulations of Reishi, but pure energy. As such, even Kirio Hikifune's Cage of Life, which blocks all spiritual matter, cannot prevent its use.[135] However, if Yhwach's blood makes contact with the Still Silver formed within the hearts of those he targets with Auswählen, he will briefly lose all his powers.[136]
Self-Power Restoration: Should Yhwach's physical or spiritual capabilities be impaired by his opponent, he can easily restore them. When Ichibē Hyōsube's Name Curse crushed Yhwach's voice and prevented him from speaking, Yhwach granted himself the power of voice once more by digging his fingers into his throat and channeling Reishi into the openings.[137] When Ichibē's sealed Zanpakutō caused Yhwach's physical and spiritual power to be halved due to Ichibē cutting his name in half,[138] Yhwach restored them by summoning and absorbing several ribbons of Reishi inscribed with Roman letters.[139]
Sankt Altar (簒奪聖壇 (ザンクト・アルタール), Zankuto Arutāru; German for "Saint Altar", Japanese for "Usurpation Altar"): Yhwach summons five orbs of energy in the air around a target that shoot out concentrated beams of energy at the target, forming the pattern of a large Quincy Zeichen; these beams robs the power of their target and gives it to Yhwach.[140]
Reiatsu Infusion: Yhwach can transfer his Reiatsu to others through contact with a object he has infused his Reiatsu into. If a Quincy receives some of his Reiatsu, their Quincy blood forces them to attack the Soul King if he is nearby because the king "cannot be forgiven";[141] this is visually represented by Blut Vene veins spreading across the part of the user's body where they received Yhwach's Reiatsu.[142]
The Almighty (全知全能 (ジ・オールマイティ), Ji Ōrumaiti; Japanese for "All-Knowing"): When Yhwach activates The Almighty, his irises and pupils split in two.[143] After Yhwach was sealed away, it took 900 years for his heart to begin beating once more, 90 years for him to regain awareness, and 9 years for him to regain his power. If he were to open his eyes before those final 9 years had fully elapsed, he may have been unable to fully control his power and accidentally stolen all of the power from his loyal Sternritter. With this power's activation, Yhwach achieves his full strength.[144] Yhwach gains an additional pupil in each eye after nullifying Ichibē's Futen Taisatsuryō.[145]
Omni-Precognition: Yhwach can see everything that is to occur from the present moment into the far-flung future. He can "know" everything that lies within that gaze.[146] Rather than seeing a linear future, Yhwach observes all possible futures at once like countless grains of sand in the wind, and can thus act accordingly using the knowledge he has gained to anticipate and counter his opponents.[147] However, Yhwach is unable to predict the actions of Mimihagi, the right hand of the Soul King.[148]
Future Acausality: Yhwach states that the true power of The Almighty is the ability to alter the future into whatever outcome he desires.[149] He utilizes this power by setting up traps where he knows his opponents will be[150] and preemptively attacking them before they realize. He can also outmaneuver any defense and countermeasure they use to protect themselves in order to facilitate his attacks.[151] He can even alter the future if it would end in his death,[152] in which the last remnants of his powers would attempt to resurface ten years later.[153]
Power Intuition: Any power of which he "knows" will become his ally.[154]
Reactionary Power Immunity: That power will not only be unable to defeat him, but become unable to harm him in any way.[154]
Concussive Force: Yhwach can fire blasts of force powerful enough to send combatants as powerful as Yoruichi Shihōin and Ichigo Kurosaki flying from his hands.[155]
Consumption: Yhwach can consume other beings via physical contact, including higher beings and in doing so, absorbs their powers and energy, and can contain their great essence within his body, making their power his own. The process can vary in length, being instant with those lower in power than him and taking longer for more powerful beings.[156][157]
Reishi Manipulation: As a Quincy, Yhwach primarily absorbs spiritual energy from the atmosphere, and combines it with his own spiritual energy to form weapons.[158] He has an easier time collecting this energy in environments with higher concentrations of Reishi such as Soul Society or Hueco Mundo.[159] Yhwach can collect Reishi and solidify it at will. He created an intricate throne, which he later deconstructed with ease, and reconstructed it into a set of steps in order to ascend to a higher level of Silbern.[160]
Hirenkyaku Master: After destroying the 1st Division HQ, Yhwach moved a great distance and appeared behind Yamamoto without being noticed.[161] He overwhelmed Ichigo while the latter was using his Bankai, Tensa Zangetsu.[162]
Blut (血装 (ブルート), Burūto; German for "Blood", Japanese for "Blood Guise"): An advanced Quincy technique which grants one inhuman offensive and defensive capabilities, generated by making Reishi flow into the user's blood vessels. The independent forms for attack and defense cannot be employed simultaneously.[163]
Blut Vene (静血装 (ブルート・ヴェーネ), Burūto Vēne; German for "Blood Vein", Japanese for "Stilled Blood Guise"): With his Blut Vene active, Yhwach can withstand a Bankai-enhanced Getsuga Tenshō without sustaining any injury.[164]
Blut Vene Anhaben (外殻静血装 (ブルート・ヴェーネ・アンハーベン), Burūto Vēne Anhāben; German for "Wearing the Blood Vein", Japanese for "Shell of Stilled Blood Guise"): Yhwach extends his Blut Vene outside of his body to create a forcefield that blocks incoming attacks. It can easily block mid-level Kidō spells, such as Bakudō #62. Hyapporankan, even when employed by a member of the Royal Guard. The forcefield consumes everything around it, including living beings, in order to maintain itself. When activated, it creates the Blut Vene vein pattern on the surface of whatever it attempts to consume.[165]
Energy Manipulation: After absorbing the Soul King and Mimihagi, Yhwach is now surrounded by very thick black energy which he can manipulate as he pleases, both for offense and defense.[166]
Immeasurable Spiritual Power: Yhwach's power is far above that of an Espada: according to Quilge Opie, Tier Harribel was "utterly powerless" before him.[43] He claims to be the only one powerful enough to wield Captain-Commander Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto's Bankai.[122] Yhwach easily defeats Mimihagi, the Soul King's right arm, and taunts it by saying it is far inferior to what he is now.[167] 1000 years ago, he pinned dozens of people, including a teenage Bazz-B, to the ground with his Reiatsu alone, causing Bazz-B to label him a monster.[168]
Enhanced Strength: During his short fight with Ichigo, Yhwach displayed impressive physical strength. When he stabbed Ichigo in the neck, the force of his attack caused the ground beneath them to shatter.[169]
Enhanced Endurance: Yhwach is a considerably resilient combatant, piercing his own throat and impaling himself with a Heilig Pfeil during his fight with Ichibē Hyōsube without slowing down or showing any signs of physical strain afterward.[170]
Shadow: Yhwach is able to create portals using his Shadows, however unlike other Quincy, Yhwach does not use a stance to summon a portal, he instead can use it will without any movement.[171] Yhwach can even choose the indivduals he wishes to summon.[172]
Swordsman: Yhwach is proficient enough in swordsmanship to effortlessly clash with and repel a captain-class combatant. In battle, he can easily perform a take-down on his opponent with one hand while wielding his sword in the other.[173]
Hand-to-Hand Combatant: Aside from his Quincy skills, Yhwach possesses a certain level of proficiency in hand-to-hand combat. He was able to quickly subdue and pin down Ichigo Kurosaki, who had his Bankai active at the time, before the latter could react or defend himself properly.[174]
Reishi Sword: Using his Quincy Cross, Yhwach can gather both spirit energy and particles and transform them into weapons. Unlike the bows displayed by most other Quincy, his particular weapon manifests in the form of an ornate sword, reminiscent of a Dadao, with a relatively long handle and a cross-guard shaped like a bird.[175]
Sankt Bogen (大聖弓 (ザンクト・ボーグン), Zankuto Bōgun; German for "Saint Bow", Japanese for "Great Holy Bow"): Yhwach manifests an enormous bow anywhere within his general vicinity with proportionally large Heilig Pfeil, which carry enough force to propel him back up to the Soul King Palace with a single shot.[176]
Heilig Pfeil (神聖滅矢 (ハイリッヒ・プファイル), Hairihhi Pufairu; German for "Holy Arrow", Japanese for "Sacred Destruction Arrows"): By collecting more Reishi, Yhwach can form the spiritual arrows which are typical of other Quincy bows. He can also generate them without the need of a Spirit Weapon, instead forming and firing them with just an outstretched finger. These arrows appear as simple blasts of Reishi shaped like the Quincy Cross, though they still retain enough force to create deep cavities in the ground.[177] He can fire them in rapid succession as a continuous barrage, which can destroy an adversary as durable as Captain-Commander Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto.[178]
Reishi Broadsword: With a simple, horizontal cutting motion directed at the sky, Yhwach manifests an enormous bow in the air above himself, which in turn fires an arrow back towards the ground in front of him. The length of this arrow is comparable to Yhwach's own height and, by gripping it near the base of the shaft, he can wield it in a manner similar to a large broadsword. Two protrusions jutting out diagonally on either side form the sword's cross-guard which, alongside the handle, form a shape reminiscent of the Wandenreich insignia. The blade of this weapon can effortlessly bifurcate an opponent, including one as powerful as Yamamoto.[179]
Soul King Powers
After absorbing the Soul King and his right hand, Yhwach gains a wide variety of new powers and abilities.
Barrier Generation: Yhwach can create an enormous black barrier over an area by merely unleashing darkness from his fingertip.[180] He can target an area hundreds of miles away from him, and the barrier is large enough to cover the entire Seireitei.[181] However, the barrier can be cracked by attacks of extreme power (such as a Hadō #90. Kurohitsugi), and because of its sheer density, it will collapse in on itself if such a crack is targeted with concentrated Reiatsu.[182]
Eyeball Creatures: Yhwach gains access to the unrestrained power of the Soul King, which manifests itself in the form of masses of tiny, black, baby-like,[183] single-eyeballed creatures that swarm from Yhwach himself. These creatures do not appear to possess sentience, but will actively and only target Shinigami due to them being the enemies of the Soul King, ignoring other nearby spiritual beings like Quincy in the process.[184] When attacking Shinigami, the creatures will swarm them in droves[185] and attempt to devour them.[186] However, though they are resistant to physical attacks,[187] the creatures are easily crushed by intense Reiatsu[188] and can be obliterated entirely by high-level Hadō spells.[189]
Enhanced Spiritual Power: Yhwach's spiritual power is bolstered to incredible heights, to the point where he refers to it as "an excess of power". By simply exerting his Reiatsu, he can destroy large structures like the Greater Soul King Palace.[190] His Reiatsu itself takes on a constantly visible form of darkness flowing from him[191][192] and is potent and concentrated enough that Yhwach can actually use it in combat for both offense and defense.[193][194][195]
Increased Reishi Control: Yhwach's natural control over Reishi in the atmosphere as a Quincy have been greatly increased, to the point where he can manipulate all the Reishi in the Royal Realm so that only Quincy can use it to create stepping platforms in midair, greatly hindering his Shinigami enemies.[196]
Matter Transmutation: Yhwach gains some degree of control over physical matter; his first true demonstration of his newfound power was to move the Wandenreich City that had replaced the Seireitei to the Royal Realm[197] and reshaping it and the existing structures in the palace to form a gigantic Quincy Zeichen.[198] Furthermore, in order to goad his enemies into attacking, Yhwach created a massive, towering fort in the center of the new palace in a matter of seconds.[199]
Worldly Assimilation: Yhwach can manually merge the Human World, Soul Society, and Hueco Mundo into one. In the process of doing so, his power sprouts from the ground, enveloping and collapsing everything.[200]
Weaknesses
Power-swapping : Yhwach's power is destroyed if Jugram Haschwalth dies while having it. [201] Furthermore, if Haschwalth uses The Almighty , it relays to enemies that Yhwach is defenseless. [202]
: Yhwach's power is destroyed if Jugram Haschwalth dies while having it. Furthermore, if Haschwalth uses , it relays to enemies that Yhwach is defenseless. Still Silver: If Yhwach's blood makes contact with the silver created in the hearts of his Auswählen victims, his powers will be briefly disrupted, leaving him vulnerable to attack.[203]
Appearances in Other Media
Video Games
As part of the third anniversary celebration of the game Bleach: Brave Souls, Yhwach has been introduced to the game's roster as the first character who did not appear in the anime prior. He is a ranged character with the "Captain Killer" ability, and all of his attacks except for his special can inflict Paralysis. His special attack is The Almighty (全知全能, Zenchi Zennō), where he strikes with a sword infused with the Soul King's power, causing immense damage, inflicting Weaken, and creating a barrier around himself; afterwards, he takes on his Soul King appearance and all his attacks inflict Weaken instead of Paralysis.
Novels
In the novel Bleach: Can't Fear Your Own World by Ryōgo Narita, following his death in combat against Ichigo, Yhwach's defeated corpse is turned into the new linchpin to sustain the worlds. This is possible due to him absorbing the previous Soul King's power.[204]
Trivia
Quotes
(To Asguiaro Ebern and Luders Friegen) "How many times do I have to tell you? I will tolerate no petty bickering in my presence. Conflict does not please me."[4]
(To members of the Thirteenth Division) "Conflict is always such a bitter affair."[211]
(To Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto) "We were never incapable of stealing your Bankai. However, your power is so great, I suspect none but myself would be capable of controlling it. For that reason, I instructed Royd not to appropriate it until I returned. So, what now? Perhaps I should use the power of your Bankai to call back the bodies of your one-time subordinates?"[212]
(To Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto) "The original Gotei 13 that you established were 'defenders' in name only. They were nothing less than a brutal mob of killers. But that is precisely why they were a force to be feared. And you, Shigekuni Yamamoto, standing at the head of that group, were a true demon of the sword. You used whatever means available to defeat your enemies, and the deaths of others, even your own subordinates, carried no more weight to you than a speck of ash. But that all changed when you exterminated the Quincy. You had won for yourselves a world of peace. You found things that you desired to protect, to treasure, and in doing so, you became a group of weaklings, ready to hesitate in the name of your meaningless justice or pride. Allow me to tell you what you have failed to realize until the day of your death. Soul Society will die here today. But the Gotei 13 died with us, a thousand years ago."[213]
(To Ichigo Kurosaki) "I had intended to take you back with me and re-educate you at a more gradual pace, but it seems there will be no time for that. I will drive you to submission and take you with me by force."[214]
(To Ichigo Kurosaki) "Farewell, Ichigo Kurosaki. I will come for you again. So heal your wounds and wait, my precious son...born in the dark."[215]
(To Uryū Ishida) "It pleases me that you are not such a fool as to simply accept this decision unquestioningly. However, your judgment is lacking. The reason why I have appointed you as my successor should be simple enough to deduce. You do not see? Then let me ask you this. Uryū. Why are you alive right now? It seems you are quick to understand. Nine years ago, when I carried out my 'Auswählen', all living Gemischt Quincy breathed their last. All but you. You are the only Quincy in all of history to survive my Auswählen. This is why I referred to you as the 'final Quincy to survive in this world'. There is something you possess that surpasses even my own power. That is why I chose to name you as my successor. Understand your place, Uryū. There is no need for doubt. You need only come with me."[216]
(To Uryū Ishida and Jugram Haschwalth) "The sealed King of the Quincy. Over 900 years, he shall recover his heartbeat. Over 90 years, he shall recover his intellect. Over nine years, he shall recover his power. And over nine days, he shall recover the world. Let us go forth. Uryū. Haschwalth. These nine days will be the end of this world."[217]
(To Uryū Ishida) "I had anticipated this situation. It would be foolish to hope that the Shinigami whose Bankai had been stolen would not seek a way to recover them. Eventually, they would surely find a way to take back what was theirs. However, even though we had anticipated it...Truly, this is cause for celebration! Rejoice, my Sternritter! From here on out, you taste true despair."[218]
"I must give thanks to the souls of the dead. Another day in which I can clearly behold this world."[219]
(To Ichibē Hyōsube) "How do I feel, you ask? Do I look like I am in poor spirits? Division Zero reign supreme over all other Shinigami, and even you, their leader, fear my power so greatly that you saw fit to strip me of half of it. Could anything be more satisfying? However, I am afraid you may be disappointed. For even that half of my power which you have stripped away, I can quite easily grant to myself once more. If you cannot understand it, then allow me to explain. Nobody can take anything away from me, even with the power you hold, Hyōsube Ichibē. If you were unaware, then it is time for you to learn. Everything in this world exists to be taken by me!"[220]
(To Ichigo Kurosaki) "Why do you speak of 'stopping' me? What am I to you? Am I not your mortal enemy? You stand before the man who killed your mother, and you cannot even say you will 'kill' him. That is your weakness."[221]
(Regarding his dream of Ichigo Kurosaki defeating him) "Such a wonderful dream. The nightmarish ones are always the most enjoyable."[222]
(To Ichigo Kurosaki) "You speak of your mother. Surely you are more of a man than that, Ichigo! What point is there in grieving her death? She died because it was her time. Her life served its purpose - to give birth to you, and then become my nourishment. Why does this displease you? What greater happiness could she possibly have hoped for?!"[223]
(To Ichigo Kurosaki) "The future is not a single, straight path stretching out from the past. The future is like countless grains of sand scattered outward from the present. Though they may seem utterly different, each one of those countless grains is a future. To put it another way, each grain represents one of countless 'possibilities'. Ichigo. I enjoy speaking of 'hope'. 'The future can be changed.' That is most certainly true. A wonderful truth, rich with hope. 'You can evolve in the course of battle.' True enough. That, too, is a truth filled with hope. However, to 'change the future' is merely to shift from one of those grains of sand to another in the vast, scattered cloud. And I have the ability to gaze down upon all of those grains from on high."[224]
(To Rukia Kuchiki and Renji Abarai) "You are certainly resilient. To think that some would still remain to pursue me. But with the plethora of wounds you bear, you can scarcely even move from where you stand. Still, if you wish to pursue me, feel free. I will leave this gate open. If you do come after me, I will honor that spirit by granting you a glorious death. I will survey your futures from this point on and choose the moment at which you feel the greatest happiness. That is the moment when I will take your lives. For the rest of your lives, whenever you feel happiness, you will remember my words. And each time, you will tremble in fear of your promised death. Forever."[225]
(To Ichigo Kurosaki) "The path has now closed, Ichigo. The path to a world without fear. The Human World, Soul Society, Hueco Mundo. They belong together as one. They should have been brought together, that life and death may mingle as one. But now that path exists no longer. All thanks to you, Ichigo. How disappointing. Because of you, life and death will not lose their form. All living things will continue to live their lives in fear of death...for all eternity."[226]
Battles & Events
Events
Battles
References
↑ 1.0 1.1 Bleach manga; Chapter 609, page 16 ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Bleach manga; Chapter 543, page 16 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 611, page 16 ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Bleach manga; Chapter 484, pages 16-17 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 495, color page ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 540, pages 15-17 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 409 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 565, page 4 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 554, page 5 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 620, page 16 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 626, page 10 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 673, page 17 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 547, page 14 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 511, page 11 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 603, pages 13 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 514, pages 8-17 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 510, pages 8-9 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 544, pages 1-2 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 485, pages 14-15 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 537, page 10 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 506, pages 9-11 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 680, pages 13-15 ↑ 23.0 23.1 Bleach manga; Chapter 603, pages 12-17 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 686, pages 12-13 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 615, page 7 and 14 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 612, page 2 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 614, pages 13-16 ↑ 28.0 28.1 Bleach manga; Chapter 565, pages 3-6 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 537, pages 9-11 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 565, page 11 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 565, pages 11 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 631, pages 13 & 16-17 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 632, pages 5-6 & 14-17 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 633, pages 1-16 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 489, pages 16-17 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 506, page 2 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 537, pages 7-10 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 544, page 3 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 546, page 14 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 570, pages 1-3 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 485, pages 16-17 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 486, page 10 ↑ 43.0 43.1 Bleach manga; Chapter 487, page 17 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 485, pages 1-2 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 485, pages 12-17 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 486, pages 14-16 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 489, pages 12-13 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 493, pages 16-17 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 497, pages 13-14 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 510, pages 4-10 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 510, pages 11-17 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 511, pages 4-13 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 511, pages 13-18 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 512, pages 13-17 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 513, pages 4-17 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 514, pages 1-17 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 537, pages 15-17 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 542, page 15 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 543, pages 1-7 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 544, pages 1-5 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 546, pages 12-15 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 547, pages 10-11 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 554, pages 4-5 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 554, pages 13-14 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 554, page 17 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 559, page 10 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 565, pages 5-6 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 565, pages 16-17 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 577, pages 5-6 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 582, pages 15-17 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 584, pages 3-6 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 584, pages 16-17 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 585, pages 2-5 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 586, pages 8-15 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 587, pages 17-18 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 588, pages 3-13 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 597, pages 5-17 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 599, pages 1-7 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 602, page 17 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 604, page 15-17 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 605, pages 6-17 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 606, pages 1-3 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 606, pages 10-17 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 607, pages 2-18 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 608, pages 3-17 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 609, pages 1-17 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 610, pages 6-17 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 611, pages 1-4 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 612, pages 1-2 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 611, pages 16-17 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 613, pages 11-13 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 614, pages 10-17 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 615, pages 5-10 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 615, pages 15-17 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 617, pages 6-9 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 618, pages 9-17 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 619, pages 1-16 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 620, pages 13-17 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 621, pages 3-10 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 625, page 17 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 626, pages 9-17 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 627, pages 8-9 & 14-15 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 628, pages 14-17 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 635, pages 1-4 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 672, pages 7-9, 17 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 673, pages 5-8 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 673, pages 8-17 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 674, pages 1-6 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 675, pages 6-17 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 676, pages 4-17 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 677, pages 1-17 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 678, pages 6-17 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 679, pages 1-4 & 14-17 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 680, pages 2-6 & 16-18 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 682, pages 1-2 & 11-17 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 683, pages 1-17 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 684, pages 1-17 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 686, pages 11-12 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 685, page 16 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 686, pages 3 & 10-11 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 506, page 13 ↑ 122.0 122.1 122.2 Bleach manga; Chapter 608 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 565, page 2 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 633, page 11 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 565, page 2-3 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 565, pages 11-12 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 565, page 3 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 565, page 8 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 565, page 15 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 565, page 9 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 630, page 17 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 659, pages 11-12 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 537, pages 7-8 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 603, page 17 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 604, pages 9-10 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 684, page 11 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 605, pages 14-15 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 606, pages 13-17 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 607, pages 2-3 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 608, pages 12-14 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 615, pages 6-7 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 614, page 15 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 609, page 12 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 610, page 2 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 610, pages 15-16 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 610, page 7 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 677, pages 14-16 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 617, page 8 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 678, page 16 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 677, pages 8-10 & 13 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 678, page 12-15 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 684, page 7 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 686 page 12-16 ↑ 154.0 154.1 Bleach manga; Chapter 610, page 7 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 619, pages 11 & 14 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 620, pages 14-16 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 621, pages 6 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 49, page 3 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 547, page 11 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 485, page 15 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 510, pages 5-6 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 514 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 499, pages 8-9 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 513, pages 11-12 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 607, pages 10-14 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 673, page 11 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 620, page 14 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 632, pages 14-15 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 513, page 14 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 605, pages 14-17 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 597, page 14 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 599, pages 4-7 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 513, pages 13-14 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 513, pages 12-13 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 510, page 12 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 605, pages 15-17 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 510, pages 7-8 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 511, pages 12-13 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 510, pages 12-16 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 620, page 17 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 621, pages 3-5 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 622, page 16 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 621, page 15 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 621, pages 7-10 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 621, page 13 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 622, page 7 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 621, pages 13-15 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 621, pages 16-17 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 622, pages 9-11 & 14 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 626, pages 12-13 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 626, page 8-9 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 676, page 6 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 673, pages 12-16 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 674, pages 4-6 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 675, pages 5, 7-8 & 10-11 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 628, pages 9-10 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 627, pages 7-11 & 14-17 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 628, pages 4-5 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 628, pages 13-14 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 684, pages 4-9 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 630, page 17 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 661, page 4 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 684; page 11 ↑ Bleach novel; Can't Fear Your Own World, Prologue 1 ↑ 13 BLADEs., page 255 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 601, page 16 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 632, page 2 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 633, pages 9-11 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 640, pages 8-11 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 656, pages 3-4 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 493, page 17 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 510, pages 11-12 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 511, pages 11-12 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 514, page 8 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 514, page 17 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 544, pages 2-4 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 546, pages 16-17 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 554, pages 14 & 17 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 565, page 19 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 607, pages 2-5 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 619, pages 5-6 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 672, page 9 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 673, pages 8 & 15-16 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 677, pages 14-16 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 680, pages 17-18 ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 686, pages 15-16 | {
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North Korea temporarily shut down its 5-megawatt nuclear reactor, a key facility in its production of plutonium, or operated it at reduced levels following problems with a dam providing cooling water, a U.S. think tank said Friday.
The website 38 North, run by the U.S.-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, made the analysis based on satellite imagery, citing the absence of "white foam discharge" that occurs when the reactor runs.
The foam was absent in the May 16 image, but reappeared on imagery from May 18-22, according to the website.
"Imagery from early April to mid-May indicates that the 5-MWe reactor was probably shut down or operated at reduced power levels for an undetermined amount of time," it said.
The reactor at the North's main Yongbyon nuclear complex has been the source of weapons-grade plutonium for the communist nation. The small reactor is capable of producing spent fuel rods which, if reprocessed, could give the regime enough plutonium to make one bomb a year.
The suspected shutdown or reduced operations came after a sand dam built in March across the Kuryong River to provide cooling water for the reactor failed in two places between April 7 and May 16, the website said.
When it became apparent the dam was failing, the reactor's operators could have "worried its loss could cause the river channels to shift further to the east away from their cistern, and shut down or reduced the power of the reactor for safety reasons," the website said.
"When that didn't happen, because the dam did not completely fail and the river water was higher than normal, the decision was made to restart it," said.
In addition to the 5-megawatt reactor, the North has also been building a larger-scale light water reactor at Yongbyon that experts say could give Pyongyang enough plutonium to make about five or six weapons a year.
The new reactor is "externally complete" but the facility has yet to become operational, according to 38 North.
It is unclear whether the start-up has been delayed or if the project is proceeding according to schedule, but if it has been delayed, one possible cause could be the difficulty the North Koreans face in producing light water reactor fuel assemblies, it said.
Another possibility could be the continued failure of the dam, meant to ensure a steady, reliable supply of water for the reactor's cooling system, it added. (Yonhap)
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The answer is, of course, a lot. A rotating crew of fifty to sixty men has toiled nine hours a day, seven days a week for three months, slowing transforming the heaping pile of dirt and rock burying a hundred feet of SR-2 into a dusty repaving operation of the kind you’d see on Any Street, U.S.A.—screeds, rollers, asphalt trucks—except this one is still under daily assault from falling rocks as the mountain keeps crumbling. And so it's being met with a second effort to safeguard the road with a massive new retaining wall and steel net to cover the raw slope and catch (or attenuate in the technical parlance) any tumbling boulders.
Yet the February 15 landslide, the biggest to hit Angeles Crest in decades, has shut down a four-mile chunk of the highway's heavily-traveled southern half for months, and it will stay closed until mid-June at the earliest. This is a rarity for Caltrans, which makes its bones fixing far-flung roads melted by wildfires or buried by avalanches; whatever you think about the speed of your local repairs, know that there are workers out there fixing minor disasters in some godforsaken corner of nowhere pretty much every hour of the day in a state like California. Estimated reopening dates have come and gone. It’s enough to make you wonder: What’s going on up there?
Harris is a senior geologist with the California Department of Transportation, or Caltrans, and he's not much for complaining as he stands at the site in late April and stares at the ragged scar left by the landslide. But it's hard to think of thirty feet of rubble—an entire chunk of the mountain, dismembered—sitting atop a road he's tasked with protecting in any other fashion. Angeles Crest is the only path traversing the entire San Gabriel range, a historic trail paved with the can-do determination of an optimistic country, a critical link for the remote businesses and residents perched among the peaks, and a world-famous enthusiast playground 20 minutes from Los Angeles. It also doubles as State Route 2, which means Caltrans is locked in a Sisyphean battle to maintain 66 miles of a road surface suitable for 55-mph traffic through a mountain range that’s actively trying to destroy it.
The rock was pressed into existence at least half a billion years ago deep underground. Eons of tectonic transit ended here in southern California sometime in the late Cenozoic with it lodged in the violent seam between the Pacific and North American plates. Those crushing forces lofted the ancient mass thousands of feet into the sky as the San Gabriel Mountains. And in February, about ten million pounds of it came crashing down on Angeles Crest Highway, where it finally became Christopher Harris' problem.
"I know that it’s important to get this reopened. There’s no reason for a road to exist unless you can use it as a road. But that," Harris says, pointing at a softball-sized rock lying in the middle of a travel lane, the latest to fall that day. "That could kill you."
The road wasn’t swept away like Route 1 in Big Sur when an entire peninsula collapsed into the sea in 2017. Angeles Crest Highway held fast—"It's a good, solid road bed, and they made it well," Harris says—and survived the debris fall mostly intact. But it’s still not safe for regular traffic, and it only takes a minute at the site to see there’s a whole lot more to do before it is. Caltrans currently estimates it's spent over half a million dollars on the cleanup so far.
Rock scalers are the advance troops in this particular battle between man and geology. They are highly-specialized climbers who scamper up the inimical terrain and use hand tools and occasionally explosives to remove any and all loose rock, some of which can be dislodged with a single finger. It's incredibly dangerous work, strung up by ropes anchored to a surface that's already experienced a catastrophic failure. But there's no other way of ensuring the mountain is out of ammunition, and no real progress can be made on the main body of the slide until this risk is neutralized.
Stabilizing a landslide zone isn't just a matter of removing the material that's already fallen. To start, you've got a great mass of loose material stretching from the road to back up the slope. Harris likens it to digging a hole in the beach—scoop out the bottom and the hole just backfills from up top, creating the potential for another slide. The trick is to get at it from above and remove anything that's loose. Sometimes, Harris says, you get lucky with a utility road snaking nearby that affords easy access. Other times, when faced with a 70-degree incline, you send in the rock scalers.
That fateful radio call kicked a sprawling, dormant machine into motion. Caltrans quickly dispatched two front-end loaders to the site in a hopeful bid to start clearing the road; once the scale became apparent, the agency sent out emergency contracts to qualified debris disposal firms. As the lead geologist in Caltrans District 7, which covers the San Gabriel Mountains, Harris went to see the disaster himself that very first day. And he immediately knew it was going to be a long process to clean it up.
So constant is the fight against rockfalls along Angeles Crest that every single day, Caltrans runs battered snowplows up and down its entire length to shove small boulders out of the road. One of those units first came upon the landslide that Friday and radioed it in. Miraculously there was no one underneath when it let go, though as Harris pointed out, there's no way of knowing for sure until you start digging. The story would have been much different had it come down just 24 hours later in the middle of the weekend when the road is packed with car clubs, nature fiends, and sightseers alike.
At around noon on February 15, a gray, drizzly Friday, the mountain could hold it together no more. In an instant, millions of pounds of dirt and rock tumbled down on Angeles Crest Highway, burying a dinky retaining wall built in the aftermath of a much smaller slide in 2006 and both lanes of the roadway under 30 feet of rubble. The force of the landslide also sent debris cartwheeling over the pavement's far edge and down the slope another 300 feet. Harris, ever the underseller, says it "probably made a pretty good noise."
The winter of 2018-19 was already zooming toward the record books at the end of January as storm after storm flew off the Pacific and cluster-bombed the mountains with flooding rains and drifting snow. It started with a single crack. Sometime in early February, a small rift opened in the earth, no more than five feet long and an inch wide at first, a few hundred feet above a particularly scenic bend in the highway just north of Mount Wilson. Tension cracks are classic harbingers of a landslide, a sign that the ground is literally coming apart. But there was no one to see the linear canary sprawled amidst the chaparral and yucca as it grew over the coming days, rain working its way down into the rock and unlocking the slope from within.
Looming 10,000 feet over Los Angeles like an unsteady drunk uncle, the San Gabriels are among the fastest-growing and fastest-eroding mountains in the world, vomiting loose rock with prodigious enthusiasm. Slides occur regularly across the range's 970 square miles of crumpled earth. It's not so much a question of when they fall but where they land. That natural instability is exacerbated by some truly wild weather swings—hot, dusty, distinctly Mediterranean in the summer, and winters where it's not uncommon for a foot of rain to fall in a day. It's through this gauntlet that California built Angeles Crest Highway in stages between 1929 and 1956.
After a few weeks—all the while, the rains kept coming, triggering smaller slides and further complications—it was time to bring the spider out to play. A spider excavator is an all-terrain digger sitting on a quadrangle of articulating arms and anchors that allow it to sit mostly level on slanted ground. It quite literally climbs its way up from the bottom, a many-ton mechanical arachnid heaving itself skyward for the better part of an hour to reach the top of the pile. Once there, its brave operator removes bucketfuls of dirt and rock to slowly but surely erase the landslide from above.
He works the controls with his seatbelt off and the door open in case he needs to jump free as the rig falls away beneath him; even when it's "anchored," it's forever slipping towards the precipice. Seeing the spider perched 200 feet above his head, one visiting California Highway Patrol officer asked, "Does he have a harness for those balls, too?"
Caltrans
The spider excavator was on site for most of March, working its way down to fully expose the dramatic scar left by the slide. Crews rigged up a pulley system to fling diesel up the mountain and cut down on time-consuming fuel stops. Back down on the road, workers could begin tackling that 30-foot pile of regolith. Enough material to overfill the Goodyear Blimp was gradually carted down the road to a U.S. Forest Service-approved dumping site where it's piled in a massive mound that will be seeded with native grasses and returned to the landscape. The battered pavement of Angeles Crest Highway finally emerged at the end of the month, as did the stumpy old retaining wall—bent and splintered but still intact. Harris will admit to smiling at the sight. The slide's mass is officially gone. The danger, however, is not.
Jonathan Harper
The Plan to Fix Angeles Crest Highway Caltrans couldn't pick a better front man for the San Gabriels than Christopher Harris, whose energy is a perfect match for the mountains—latent, reserved, and always ready to strike down a silly question. He's been with Caltrans for 28 years, seen a lot over those three decades. He's not prepared to let something like the biggest landslide in recent memory on Angeles Crest Highway push him into a philosophical discussion on the fight against nature itself. He just wants to get it done.
Jonathan Harper
I met Harris walking down the road toward the landslide on a gorgeous Monday morning after being shepherded through two police roadblocks that exist because one simply doesn't do the job. The mountainside came down in the middle of a sweeping right-hand bend above a tight canyon; approaching from the south provides a perfect view of the entire slide site both above and below the road. The scale is such that it looks curiously small until you pick out the tiny dump trucks shuttling back and forth across its face. Where once existed rocks, plants, and animal burrows there is nothing, a void, a giant halfpipe a hundred feet wide gouged deep into the earth and scored by unthinkable violence. Get closer, and the remaining slope is so steep that you can barely see fifty feet up when standing directly under it. I could only think one thing: That spider operator is f*cking insane. But Harris has an even more daring operation to impress a soft-handed lowlander. The week before my visit, a natural spring opened up in the middle of the newly-exposed rock face, spewing 14 gallons a minute and digging a destabilizing cave. It was too dangerous even for the rock scalers—so the contractor used a construction crane to lift workers up to the site and seal it.
Still, with its intact road and paving equipment, the worksite manages the passing resemblance to any municipal construction project until I notice the watchman. He's standing on a berm across the road from the slide, staring intently up at the windswept slope, and his entire job is to watch and yell "ROCK!" the moment he sees something move. He does not break focus. There's no way to completely stop the rocks from falling; Harris says it's the wind that makes him the most nervous. "A gust will get swept up in this channel here," he says, pointing to the halfpipe, "and literally lift rocks off the face of it." Usually they're small. Sometimes they're not.
Jonathan Harper The watchman. | {
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It's been the driest May on record, but never mind that. A new Yaletown art installation that features colourful umbrellas hung above a public square has delighted Instagrammers.
The Yaletown Business Improvement Association (BIA) has hung an assortment of brightly-coloured umbrellas in the Bill Curtis Square, and are asking people to share their snaps with the hashtag #underbrella.
Nicole Corrado, the operations manager for the Yaletown BIA, said the art work went up last week and will likely stay up for at least two months.
"The idea was that you're hanging up your umbrella now that summer is here, and maybe come out and enjoy the sunshine," she said.
The BIA would eventually like to do a call out to artists to create other works that can be hung from the installation canopy in the square. | {
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Porsche has opted for its 919 Hybrids to start the FIA World Endurance Championship season in low downforce configuration, with the German manufacturer confirming Monday that it will utilize its Le Mans-spec aero package for this weekend’s Six Hours of Silverstone.
The decision comes on the heels of a reduction from three to two aero kits permitted by each LMP1 manufacturer for the season, which Porsche LMP1 team principal Andreas Seidl feels could benefit them with a more-developed high downforce package to debut following the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
However, Seidl, who doubles as Porsche’s LMP1 technical director, admits this weekend’s race “is going to be difficult” by its strategy.
“We have managed our resources the way that we focus on developing and testing our Le Mans aerodynamics until the third race of the season is over,” Seidl said.
“This means low downforce for the benefit of low drag and this unavoidably will be a disadvantage in Silverstone.
“After the Le Mans 24 Hours in June we will consequently arm the 919 with more downforce for the remaining championship rounds.”
Toyota has opted for the opposite approach, with the Japanese manufacturer to run its updated TS050 Hybrids in high-downforce configuration for the first two rounds, and debuting its Le Mans package on its third entry in next month’s Six Hours of Spa.
The split approach from the two remaining LMP1 manufacturers is expected to result in a vastly different race that could favor Toyota.
Both manufacturers ran its Le Mans aero packages in the Prologue at Monza earlier this month, with Toyota’s Nico Lapierre leading the way.
“Porsche and Toyota operate on the same top level,” Timo Bernhard said. “Small advantages for one or the other can vary from track to track with the respective aerodynamic strategies playing an important role.
“It will be very interesting to see how this turns out in Silverstone.”
On-track action for the season-opening round kicks off on Friday. | {
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Passengers of cancelled flights wait in Hamad International Airport (HIA) in Doha, Qatar, Tuesday, June 6, 2017. Qatar's foreign minister says Kuwait is trying to mediate a diplomatic crisis in which Arab countries have cut diplomatic ties and moved to isolate his energy-rich, travel-hub nation from the outside world. (AP Photo/Hadi Mizban)
Passengers of cancelled flights wait in Hamad International Airport (HIA) in Doha, Qatar, Tuesday, June 6, 2017. Qatar's foreign minister says Kuwait is trying to mediate a diplomatic crisis in which Arab countries have cut diplomatic ties and moved to isolate his energy-rich, travel-hub nation from the outside world. (AP Photo/Hadi Mizban)
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The latest on the Gulf crisis after Saudi Arabia and other nations cut ties to Qatar, accusing it of supporting terrorism (all times local):
1:45 a.m.
The international agency Standard and Poors has downgraded Qatar’s credit rating because of the Gulf country’s fight with Saudi Arabia and other regional nations.
S&P said in a statement Wednesday that those countries’ severing of diplomatic and business links with Qatar “will exacerbate Qatar’s external vulnerabilities and could put pressure on economic growth and fiscal” stability.
The agency says it has lowered the rating on Qatar’s long-term debt to AA-minus from AA and has put the country on credit watch with “negative implications.”
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9:40 p.m.
Despite the objection of opposition parties, the Turkish Parliament has approved two military cooperation deals with Qatar in an apparent show of support for the Gulf country in its feud with Saudi Arabia and other regional nations.
Legislators in the ruling party-dominated parliament on Wednesday approved allowing the deployment of Turkish troops to a Turkish base in Qatar as well as a deal for the training of gendarmerie force personnel.
The legislation was moved up parliament’s agenda and rushed through the assembly a day after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan voiced support for Qatar in the feud and criticized other Gulf countries’ moves to isolate Doha.
Turkey and Qatar have developed close ties over the years and reached agreement in 2014 to set up a Turkish military base in the tiny Gulf nation.
Government officials said Wednesday the military would decide on the number of Turkish troops that would be deployed in Qatar and the length of their stay. Previously, officials had said as many as 3,000 soldiers could be sent.
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9:30 p.m.
President Donald Trump has spoken by phone with the emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamin bin Hamad Al Thani.
That’s according to a U.S. official who wasn’t authorized to discuss the call publicly and requested anonymity.
Details about what was discussed on the call weren’t immediately available. But the call is the first known contact between Trump and Qatar’s ruler since a diplomatic crisis broke out in the Persian Gulf earlier this week. Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and other Arab nations cut off relations with Qatar after accusing it of supporting terrorism.
The call suggests Trump may be playing a significant mediating role in the crisis. On Tuesday, Trump spoke with Saudi Arabia’s King Salman. The White House says Trump emphasized the need for unity among Persian Gulf countries.
— Josh Lederman
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8:40 p.m.
Kuwait’s emir has met two top officials in the United Arab Emirates to try and mediate a growing diplomatic crisis over Qatar.
Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah arrived in Dubai on Wednesday. His visit comes after he traveled to Saudi Arabia earlier to meet with King Salman.
The state-run WAM news agency said Sheikh Sabah met with Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Dubai’s ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who also serves as prime minister and vice president of the UAE.
The WAM report gave no details about their discussions.
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8:30 p.m.
The West African nation of Senegal is recalling its ambassador from Qatar, joining several Middle Eastern countries that have cut diplomatic ties in recent days.
The announcement was made public Wednesday, a day after a similar decision was announced by the neighboring country of Mauritania to the north.
A statement from the Senegalese Foreign Affairs Ministry said it was acting in solidarity with other countries in the Gulf who have cut diplomatic relations with Qatar because of the country’s alleged funding of terrorist groups and friendly ties with Iran.
Karim Wade, the son of Senegal’s former president, has been living in Qatar for nearly a year since his release from prison where he served time for corruption charges.
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8:15 p.m.
The top lawmaker in the U.S. House of Representatives is backing President Donald Trump’s stance on Qatar — after Trump sided with Saudi Arabia and other Gulf nations against the small, gas-rich emirate.
U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan tells reporters in Washington Wednesday that the U.S. has an important military base in Qatar. But, Ryan says: “I do think that we should put some pressure on Qatar” because “I think they can improve their foreign policy — let’s just put it that way.”
Trump has posted tweets that appear to endorse the Saudi claim that Qatar funds terrorist groups.
That’s a serious allegation against a strategic U.S. partner that hosts thousands of American troops. And, the president’s critique pulled the U.S. into a conflict that American diplomats had wanted to avoid.
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8 p.m.
Turkey’s parliament has begun debating legislation for increased military cooperation with Qatar in an apparent move to support the country amid its dispute with Saudi Arabia and other regional nations.
Separate bills for the training of military personnel and the deployment of troops to a Turkish military base in Qatar were moved up parliament’s agenda on Wednesday, a day after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan voiced support for Qatar and criticized other countries’ moves to isolate it.
Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Egypt and Yemen have accused Qatar of harboring extremists and backing Riyadh’s regional rival, Iran. Qatar has denied the allegations.
Turkey and Qatar have developed close ties over the years and reached an agreement in 2014 for the construction of a Turkish base there.
Turkish officials have said as many as 3,000 Turkish troops could be deployed in Qatar
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7:15 p.m.
Germany’s Foreign Ministry says it is trying to understand the U.S. position on the Gulf crisis, after Saudi Arabia and other nations cut ties to Qatar.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that Middle Eastern leaders complained about Qatar when he demanded an end to support for radical ideology that encourages terrorism. Trump also appeared to suggest the decision to sever diplomatic relations with Qatar, home to a large U.S. military base, was understandable.
In Berlin, Foreign Ministry spokesman Martin Schaefer said Wednesday that while statements from the U.S. State Department were in line with Germany’s position, “I can indeed see differences in some 140 character comments by the American president.”
Schaefer told reporters German diplomats were in touch with State Department and National Security Council officials to clarify the U.S. stance.
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5:45 p.m.
A top Emirati diplomat has told The Associated Press that the United Arab Emirates was not behind the alleged hack that targeted the state-run Qatar News Agency.
Emirati Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash also acknowledged Wednesday that leaked emails published by news outlets from its ambassador to the United States were true.
The news agency hack in late May sparked the recent tensions in the Gulf that spilled into the open Monday when Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates cut off diplomatic ties to Qatar and moved to isolate it from the larger world.
Gargash told the AP that leaked emails from Emirati Ambassador Yousef al-Otaiba in Washington showed “the UAE’s real concerns and what we really say in our private emails is what we say publicly.”
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5:25 p.m.
A top Emirati diplomat has called U.S. President Donald Trump’s tweets on Qatar “very courageous and extraordinary.”
Emirati Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash told The Associated Press on Wednesday in a rare interview that Trump was “very frank.”
Gargash said: “What he said in public, in tweets, is what is being said privately by American politicians, by European politicians, by Arab politicians.”
He added: “I hope that this is a signal also to Qatar that the period of duplicity, of doing something publicly and doing something else privately, are over.”
Trump made a series of tweets Tuesday calling into question his commitment to the peninsular nation after earlier telling Qatar’s ruling emir that “we’ve been friends now for a long time.”
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3:10 p.m.
France is calling on Qatar to answer its Gulf neighbors’ questions in order to find a solution to the current diplomatic crisis.
French government spokesman Christophe Castaner says Wednesday in a news conference following the weekly Cabinet meeting that “Qatar must ensure transparency.”
Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates cut diplomatic ties with Qatar on Monday. They accuse Qatar of funding terror groups and having a worryingly close relationship with Iran, a nation with which it shares its vast offshore natural gas field.
Castaner said France doesn’t intent to take sides. He said “it’s important for France to remain in partnership with all these countries”, especially with diplomatic, financial and economic interests at stake.
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2:55 p.m.
Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister is calling for Qatar to end “its support for extremist groups” and its “interference” in other countries in the region.
Adel al-Jubeir spoke Wednesday after meeting his German counterpart in Berlin. He said he hopes that “Qatar responds to our call to end its support for extremist groups and its interference in the affairs of the countries in the region.” He called for Qatar “to become a neighbor and partner as we were accustomed to it.”
Saudi Arabia and others cut ties with Qatar this week, accusing it of supporting extremists. Qatar denies the allegations.
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2:50 p.m.
Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister says it’s with “great pain” his country and others took measures against Qatar and insists the “crisis” with the small Gulf nation goes back years.
Adel al-Jubeir says he hopes Qatar can respond to demands put forward by his country, Bahrain, The United Arab Emirates and Egypt to “restore relations to how they were in the past.” He said in Berlin he is seeking a response “soon.”
Al-Jubeir said that “the issue goes back many years.” He added that there was an “understanding” that Qatar would “take measures in relation to supporting some organizations and ... some individuals,” but that Qatar didn’t live up to its commitments.
Saudi Arabia and others cut ties with Qatar this week, accusing it of supporting extremists. Qatar denies the allegations.
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1:20 p.m.
A Hamas official says Saudi Arabia’s call to Qatar to cut ties with the Palestinian group is “regrettable” and contradicts traditional Arab support for the Palestinian cause.
Hamas official Mushir al-Masri also accused Saudi Arabia on Wednesday of siding with “American and Zionist calls to put Hamas on the terrorism list.”
Al-Masri’s strongly worded criticism of regional powerhouse Saudi Arabia was unusual for Hamas.
Qatar has been one of the few foreign backers of internationally shunned Hamas, an Islamic militant group that has ruled the Gaza Strip since 2007.
Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries cut ties with Qatar this week, accusing it of supporting extremists. Qatar has denied the allegations.
Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said Tuesday that Qatar must sever ties with Hamas.
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12:40 p.m.
The United Arab Emirates’ Justice Ministry is warning social media users that they can face prison time and fines for offering sympathy for Qatar amid a growing diplomatic crisis in the Middle East.
The ministry put out a statement on social media Wednesday saying those found guilty could face three to 15 years in prison and fines starting from 500,000 dirhams ($136,000).
The ministry quoted UAE Attorney General Hamad Saif al-Shamsi making the warning, saying it came over Qatar’s “hostile and reckless policy.”
While liberal compared to much of the Middle East, the UAE has tough cybercrime and slander laws under which people can be arrested, imprisoned and deported for taking photographs without the consent of those shown or being insulting.
The United Arab Emirates, along with Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt and other Arab nations severed ties with Qatar and have cut off land, sea and air access. They accuse the energy-rich Gulf nation of supporting terror groups, charges denied by Qatar.
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12:30 p.m.
Mauritania has become the latest country to cut diplomatic relations with Qatar as part of a growing rift between the energy-rich Gulf nation and other Arab countries.
In a statement by the Foreign Ministry, the African country accused Qatar of having connections to terrorist organizations. It said Qatar is “promoting extremist thoughts and spreading chaos and disturbances across many of the Arab countries, resulting in big humanitarian miseries.”
Qatar long has denied supporting terror groups.
Mauritania has strong military and economic ties to oil-rich Saudi Arabia, which led the diplomatic spat with Qatar.
Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and others have severed diplomatic relations and cut off air, land and sea access to Qatar, in the most serious Gulf diplomatic crisis since the 1991 war against Iraq.
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12:15 p.m.
An outspoken Emirati ruling family member has raised the prospect of a change in leadership in Qatar, which is embroiled in a major diplomatic crisis with its Gulf neighbors.
Sultan Sooud Al Qassemi says Qatar’s citizens are “questioning if this is going to end up in seeing a change in leadership itself.”
Al Qassemi, of the ruling family of the sheikhdom of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates, told The Associated Press on Wednesday that he hopes Qatar ends its “rogue, maverick” ways.
He says Qatar will need to close or limit its Al-Jazeera news network and stop funding extremists groups to end the crisis.
Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates cut diplomatic ties with Qatar on Monday. | {
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The Strip: Now listen, I don’t want to discourage any of you ladies out there from giving your man one of the best gifts imaginable. This is more to make sure you add some fine print to the coupons to avoid similar situations.
Gaming: Played pretty much Dead Island Friday night, but ran into one of the fabled glitches. Came out of the sewers after about 3 hours of playing and the game freezes and says “Mission Failed”. I am afraid to turn it back on and see how much was lost.
Music: I only listened to one song over the last couple of days, and that song was Party In The USA by Miley Cyrus. Deal with it.
TV/Movies: The Walking Dead..nuff said. Or not, it was a really good start to the season. I felt like I was going to puke a few times, and was so anxious at some points I though t I was going to have a full on break down. I am going to have to get a little and kill some zeds.
Life: Not a whole lot of new, just waiting to see what the “damage” will be from the actual damage done by the upstanding citizens who stripped our vacant rental property of its copper.
Do your very best to have an ok Monday.
Javis | {
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Taking the same well-known flea drugs commonly given to dogs and cats could protect humans against mosquitoes carrying malaria, Zika and other diseases, a new study suggests. They could also protect us from sand flies bearing the tropical disease leishmaniasis
A class of drugs called isoxazolines, if given to less than a third of the population in areas prone to outbreaks of insect-borne diseases, could prevent up to 97% of all cases of infection, according to research published Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Isoxazolines are contained in the veterinary products fluralaner (Bravecto) and afoxolaner (NexGard), which protect pets from fleas and ticks. An animal's bloodstream absorbs these medicines, which are given orally, and spreads them throughout the body. The drugs, which remain active for up to three months, kill blood-sucking fleas and ticks.
In humans, a single dose of the medicine might also act as an insecticide effective against mosquitoes and sand flies for between 50 and 90 days, say the collaborating scientists from Calibr, a nonprofit drug discovery institute affiliated with Scripps Research, and TropIQ Health Sciences, an international entrepreneurial enterprise based in the Netherlands. The drugs also were effective against insect strains that are resistant to common insecticides, the researchers say.
The scientists, whose work is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, admit to not testing their theories on actual people but say they've conducted experimental studies on mosquitoes and based their calculations on research on Isoxazolines in animals.
Still, give them points for creativity; this is an entirely new strategy for an ancient problem: warding off mosquito- and fly- borne illnesses that sicken millions of people worldwide each year.
A few other unproven and unusual methods for killing mosquitoes are also on the horizon.
Insect zapping fence
Intellectual Ventures, an advanced technology solutions company, has combined software, sensors and lasers to create an elaborate weapon against mosquitoes: the Photonic Fence
The virtual fence essentially shoots down pests passing within a kill zone that extends as far as 98 feet (30 meters) horizontally and 10 feet (3 meters) vertically. Specifically, it targets mosquitoes, fruit flies and Asian citrus psyllids, an insect that infects and destroys citrus trees.
The photonic fence works by first detecting, through sensors, a passing insect and then measuring its wing beat frequency, shape, size and airspeed in order to avoid confusing a mosquito with, say, a butterfly or a bumblebee. The fence's internal software system can even discriminate between male and female mosquitoes, since only the females bite humans (and so would need to be destroyed).
Once it decides that a passing insect is a fair target, the fence trains an invisible, infrared laser on it and delivers just enough photonic energy to stop the winged creature midflight. The system, which does not endanger humans or animals, is calibrated to destroy its prey using the least amount of energy possible and so can run on solar power.
Having created its third prototype, Intellectual Ventures believes that the photonic fence is a way to fight malaria and other mosquito-borne health threats while posing an environmentally responsible alternative to the chemical pesticides used in contemporary agriculture.
Gene editing
With the development of the gene editing tool known as CRISPR (or "clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats"), scientists have begun to experiment with mutating targeted genes in disease-causing mosquitoes. Various techniques are being developed, a scientific review indicates.
Just last year, the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District released thousands of male Aedes aegypti mosquitoes carrying a lethal gene on Stock Island in an ongoing field trial. Although only the female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes bite and spread disease to humans, scientists had chosen to genetically modified the males in such a way that they could still mate with the females, yet any resulting larvae would die before maturity.
The hoped-for result in Florida is an eliminated or at least reduced population of female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes and the viruses they spread. (The district has not announced results from this trial run.)
Scientists are also looking at other ways to disrupt the Aedes aegypti mosquito genome, which is about a third the size of the human genome
One genetic tweak would lead to males carrying a gene that is lethal to females. While females that mate with the genetically modified males would still produce viable eggs, only male offspring would survive into adulthood (and continue to carry an altered genetic code). Every generation, then, would see a dwindling female population until, ultimately, extinction would be reached.
Meanwhile, scientists are also experimenting with the mosquito genome to produce either sterile -- or even wingless -- breeds.
Although futurists would probably place their chips on genetic interventions, some inventors prefer to revitalize familiar solutions of the past.
Spatial devices
Mosquito-repelling citronella torches, along with Tiki lights and cocktail umbrellas, have seen better days. An upgrade to the smelly and smoky backyard mosquito control solution is zone repellent technology such as that created by Thermacell Repellents Inc., an insect control solutions company headquartered in Bedford, Massachusetts.
Thermacell's spatial repellents can create a 15-foot zone of protection by vaporizing a naturally occurring repellent and dispersing it into the air. The company's devices rely on the mosquito-preventive abilities of a pyrethroid, an EPA-approved ingredient derived from a naturally occurring compound found in the chrysanthemum flower.
The law of attraction, though counterintuitive, may also aid in the elimination of mosquitoes in small areas. Woodstream Corp., a manufacturer based in Lititz, Pennsylvania, offers the Mosquito Magnet, which operates by releasing a stream of carbon dioxide (CO2), attracting mosquitoes, and then an additional propane-powered technology vacuums the pests into a net. The mosquitoes dehydrate and die, according to the company.
Spatial solutions aside, some scientists prefer combat.
Biowarfare
"The enemy of my enemy is my friend." This familiar adage guides some scientists seeking to decimate the mosquito population in a given habitat or ecosystem. All it takes is the simple introduction of a predator species, such as copepods.
Follow CNN Health on Facebook and Twitter See the latest news and share your comments with CNN Health on Facebook and Twitter.
These tiny crustaceans -- less than a couple millimeters long -- dine on mosquito larvae in water. University of Florida scientists have focused on two species, Mesocyclops longisetus and Macrocyclops albidus, and found each capable of close to a 90% reduction in larval survival under field conditions.
The researchers believe that more tests and experiments are needed before using copepods for anti-mosquito duty. Still, the tiny warriors are a likely candidate for pest control, since their worldwide distribution means they possess the ability to thrive under a wide variety of field conditions. | {
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Marijuana Policy Project founder Rob Kampia is no longer employed by or serves on the board of the organization.
He is starting a new cannabis policy group called Marijuana Leadership Campaign (MLC), structured as a for-profit LLC consulting firm.
The new company “will focus almost exclusively on changing U.S. laws,” Kampia said in a relatively unusual memo shared with Marijuana Moment late Saturday night, which also says that the firm has lined up “nearly $500,000 in seed money” from “a marijuana investment firm in Los Angeles, a major marijuana dispensary in Colorado, Kampia’s wealthy friends in Texas (where he lives half-time) and a coalition of new donors in South Carolina.”
The split with MPP is occurring as greater attention is being paid to past allegations of sexual misconduct by Kampia amidst a national backlash against workplace sexual harassment and abuse.
In 2010, a lengthy Washington City Paper story reported that Kampia had sex with an intoxicated MPP employee, an incident after which a staff revolt nearly led to his ouster from the organization. He later took a leave of absence to seek therapy, telling the Washington Post that he was “hypersexualized.”
Now, Kampia’s departure from MPP comes as several sources tell Marijuana Moment that a major newspaper is working on a story about previously unreported allegations against the former executive director. It is unknown when that article will be published, but its existence has been an open secret in cannabis reform circles for weeks.
Formally leaving the organization is the second and final wave in Kampia’s diminishing role at MPP, which he co-founded in 1995.
In November, days before Thanksgiving, MPP announced that Kampia had stepped down from his role as executive director but would remain at the organization in a new capacity focused on fundraising and strategy.
The new memo, shared with Marijuana Moment just before midnight on the day before Christmas Eve, says that the first announcement “opened new business opportunities for Kampia” and that while he “initially proposed splitting his time equally between MPP and the new MLC, Kampia and his fellow MPP board members reached a second milestone by voting unanimously on Dec. 20 to end his full-time status at MPP this weekend.”
It was also revealed this week that Kampia is no longer a member of Students for Sensible Drug Policy’s Advisory Council. Kampia said in an interview with Marijuana Moment on Sunday that he remains a member of the National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA) board of directors.
The memo appears to lay out the case that Kampia’s departure from MPP has nothing to do with any old or new allegations of sexual misconduct, and he said in the interview that conversations among the organization’s board “about me shifting into lesser roles at MPP extend all the way back into late October.”
“We didn’t even talk about the s-word at all,” he said, referring to sex. “It wasn’t even on our minds, which I think was kind of naive of us given the stuff that’s happening with all of these celebrities.”
But Kampia acknowledged in the interview that he “did know that there was a story in the works somewhere” at the time he registered the domain name www.marijuanaleadershipcampaign.com on December 5.
“I didn’t know which publication. I didn’t know any of the questions. I didn’t know the name of the reporter. I didn’t know anything,” he said. “I just knew that people were sort of talking about how there’s a story in the works.”
Kampia has been a key architect of many of the most significant marijuana policy victories over the past two decades, and has arguably been the legalization movement’s best fundraiser.
In the memo, he says that MLC “will work alongside the institutions he views as most effective in each sector” of the movement and industry. While the document names MPP, NCIA and New Federalism Fund as “leading the charge,” and says that the new company will “provide substantial funding” for Doctors for Cannabis Regulation (DFCR), the Law Enforcement Action Partnership (LEAP) and Clergy for a New Drug Policy, Kampia said in the interview that he hasn’t “cleared the fact that I want to give them money” with those groups.
LEAP and DFCR did not respond to requests for comment.
The memo says Kampia will divide his time between work on Texas, South Carolina, Michigan and congressional cannabis policy reform efforts as well as “raising money to make MDMA (known as ‘Ecstasy’) available as a prescription medicine for the treatment of PTSD and end-of-life anxiety.”
He plans to raise more than $2 million in 2018 from steering committees comprised of donors contributing at least $100,000 each.
When asked if the investors who have already committed nearly half a million dollars to the new venture are aware of the looming newspaper story on sexual misconduct allegations, Kampia said that “they know about the worst allegations that have ever been made about me, and I have no reason to believe that the [newspaper] story will be worse than that, so these guys are friends of the family and they’re not going to be surprised by anything in the [newspaper] and in fact they might be pleasantly surprised.”
Several of the projects mentioned in the MLC document are campaigns that Kampia had been raising money to support through MPP, but he rejected the idea that his outside efforts would drain the nonprofit of resources.
“Are there people that want to fund Texas where they might otherwise be nervous about writing a check to MPP, where they might have to pay for payroll for Rhode Island, Vermont and the national operation?” he asked, suggesting that his new outfit would be “value-added” rather than competition.
“One thing for sure that no one would do if not for the fact that I’m going to agitate for it, is to take out Congressman Pete Sessions,” he said, referring to the Republican House Rules Committee chairman who has consistently blocked marijuana amendments from being voted on. “Take out, meaning not to date him,” he said, but to un-elect him.
In the memo, Kampia twice offers quotes that he suggests are in jest, at least in part.
In the first instance, he jokes that working full-time for nonprofit organizations is “a good way to avoid amassing wealth,” while working on marijuana policy reform through an LLC will allow him to form business relationships with for-profit institutions.
Kampia, who owns a Washington, D.C,. row house that he has often referred to as “The Purple Mansion,” dismissed concerns that people might take offense to his quip about amassing wealth.
“It depends on what your definition of wealth is. I don’t have cash,” he said in the interview. “All my money goes into my mortgage. So you could say that I have wealth or not, depending on your perspective. I don’t mind if that offends people or not, because socialists who are averse to wealth probably already hate me.”
He also “half-jokingly” wrote that he hopes “to be standing behind President Rand Paul during his bill-signing ceremony [for ‘the ultimate bill to legalize marijuana on the federal level’] in the White House in 2022.”
“I don’t think Trump is going to survive reelection,” he said when asked what Paul’s path to the presidency in the 2020 election would be. “I would like to see [Trump] impeached…and I think Mike Pence is tainted as a result of being in bed with Trump. So I think that you are going to see a bunch of challengers… Rand Paul was obviously my favorite candidate last time around and so I’m cheering him on. I don’t have any inside knowledge, though. I haven’t talked to him personally.”
The memo mentions Kampia’s holiday vacation plans in the Caribbean and says that when he returns to the country the new organization will hold a series of leadership meetings in Austin, Dallas and Washington, D.C.
He will also write a book that “provides an insider’s look at the marijuana-legalization movement.” He told Marijuana Moment that the working title is, “How We Legalized Marijuana.”
The memo offers a very specific account of the book’s progress to date.
“I’m particularly excited about writing my book, which will be nonfiction but will oftentimes read like fiction, as my life is strewn with outrageous experiences that are sometimes relevant to readers who have an interest in politics generally and marijuana policy specifically,” Kampia wrote. “The book is already one-eighth written, and I’m planning to spend my time in the Bahamas and other sunny islands writing another three- eighths of the book. In fact, one reason I’m leaving MPP is to write this book, with an aggressive book tour planned for the fall of 2018.”
As of Sunday afternoon, Kampia was still listed as an employee and board member on MPP’s website.
An MPP communications staffer could not be reached for comment by publication time, but a board member who did not wish to be named said, “I can confirm that we have been negotiating his permanent separation from the org for weeks and that he is no longer conducting any MPP business.”
Read Kampia’s full three-page memo on the new firm below:
Rob Kampia Memo by tomangell on Scribd
Photo courtesy of ReasonTV. | {
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Image caption Penelope Keith as Margot Leadbetter in The Good Life (left) and pictured in 2007
Actress Penelope Keith, star of BBC sitcoms The Good Life and To The Manor Born, says she is "thrilled and humbled" to have been made a dame in the New Year Honours list.
Michael Crawford, Lynda Bellingham, Katherine Jenkins, Ruth Jones and Nicholas Parsons are among other showbiz names receiving titles.
Keith said of her damehood: "It's a recognition for not only my 54 years being an actress but also for all the charities with which I'm associated and I think they'll be thrilled."
The 73-year-old actress, famous for playing women with impeccable cut-glass accents, was honoured for services to the arts and to charity.
Keith joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in her early 20s and played minor TV roles before becoming a familiar face as snobby Margot Leadbetter in The Good Life and the upper crust Lady Audrey fforbes-Hamilton in To The Manor Born.
She said Margot and Audrey would have been "chuffed" by the honour.
Knighthoods have gone to sculptor Antony Gormley, creator of the Angel of the North; and film and theatre producer Michael Codron.
Gormley, 63, who won the Turner Prize in 1994 and was made an OBE in 1997, said he was "happy" to accept the honour.
He said: "I think it's a good thing for sculpture and a recognition of the aspect of sculpture that is about a collective vision."
Image caption Sculptor Antony Gormley said he accepted his knighthood as "a recognition" for the art form
Also made dames were actress Angela Lansbury and Gillian Lynne, whose choreography credits include Cats and The Phantom of The Opera.
Lansbury, most famous for her role as Jessica Fletcher in the television series Murder, She Wrote, told the BBC: "I'm joining a marvellous group of women I greatly admire like Judi Dench and Maggie Smith.
"It's a lovely thing to be given that nod of approval by your own country and I really cherish it."
Lansbury, 88, was born in East London and has enjoyed a long acting career in film, television and theatre. She returns to the West End in 2014 to play Madame Arcati in a new production of Noel Coward's Blithe Spirit.
She admitted that when when she received a call from the British consulate about her honour, she thought it was about her work permit to work on the London stage.
Gillian Lynne, 87, whose dance career spans seven decades, said she was "deeply humbled" by her DBE. "Passion for my art has been the motivating factor throughout my career, but for Her Majesty the Queen and the Cabinet Office to deem what I have done to be worthy of this accolade is an honour."
Image caption Actress Angela Lansbury (left) and dancer and choreographer Gillian Lynne (right) were both made dames
Her long-time collaborator Lord Lloyd Webber said: "I am thrilled that the grand lady of British musical theatre has got the recognition she deserves. Gillie was already a legend when I was at school! Without Gillie my Cats would never have seen the stage."
Composer and conductor Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, who is Master of the Queen's Music, has become a companion of honour.
Among those who received CBEs were actor Michael Crawford, who played Frank Spencer in 1970s sitcom Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em; and TV and radio personality Nicholas Parsons, both for charitable work.
Parsons, best known for presenting TV quiz Sale Of The Century and for his role as host of Radio 4's Just A Minute, said he was "flattered and delighted".
Image caption Michael Crawford (left) and Nicholas Parsons (right) were made CBEs
He added: "I think honours are a wonderful thing to receive if you have worked hard and that is recognised. I don't understand these people who are pompous and say they don't want it."
Parsons, 90, received an OBE for services to drama and broadcasting a decade ago.
CBEs have also gone to dancer Carlos Acosta, for services to ballet; former Royal Court artistic director Dominic Cooke, for services to drama; Peter Bennett-Jones, for services to the entertainment industry and to charity, particularly through Comic Relief; and The Apprentice's Karren Brady, for services to entrepreneurship and to women in business.
Actress and TV presenter Lynda Bellingham said that being appointed an OBE for her charity work was "a fantastic way to move forward" following a "tough year".
The 65-year-old Loose Women panellist, who became familiar to millions for her long-running role in the Oxo TV adverts, announced earlier this year that she had been diagnosed with cancer.
Image caption Lynda Bellingham and Katherine Jenkins were among those to be appointed OBEs
"I am absolutely delighted and proud to receive this OBE," she said. "It has been a long and tough year but this award is just a fantastic way to move forward. I feel honoured and inspired and very grateful."
Welsh singer Katherine Jenkins said she was "incredibly humbled" by her OBE for her contribution to music and services to charity. The Neath-born mezzo-soprano has released 10 albums since making her recording debut in 2004, and has twice won the best album prize at the Classic Brits.
Jenkins, 33, said: "To accept such an award after only a decade of service to music and charity, comes as a wonderful surprise. I share this award with the charitable bodies I am so privileged to work with, especially to those brave service men and women who risk so much for us all on a daily basis."
Sandi Toksvig, who presents BBC Radio 4's The News Quiz, said she was "honoured" to be recognised with an OBE for her services to broadcasting. "Broadcasting is a team effort and I would like to pay tribute to all the writers, production and technical staff I've worked with over the years," she added.
The Honours System Commonly awarded ranks: Knight or Dame
CBE - Commander of the Order of the British Empire
- Commander of the Order of the British Empire OBE - Officer of the Order of the British Empire
- Officer of the Order of the British Empire MBE - Member of the Order of the British Empire
- Member of the Order of the British Empire BEM - British Empire Medal Guide to the honours
OBEs also went to best-selling author and screenwriter Anthony Horowitz for services to literature; BBC cameraman Darren Conway for services to British broadcast journalism; Geraint Talfan Davies, for services to culture, broadcasting and charity; and Vanessa Whitburn, former editor of BBC Radio 4's The Archers, for services to radio drama. Whitburn retired earlier this year after 22 years at the helm.
Chris Corbould, a special effects supervisor who has worked on many James Bond films and won an Oscar for his work on Inception, received an OBE for services to film.
The Order of Merit - which is restricted to 24 living individuals - has gone to orchestra conductor Sir Simon Rattle. Previous recipients include Florence Nightingale and Sir Winston Churchill.
Among those receiving MBEs were Gavin And Stacey co-writer Ruth Jones, Grand Designs presenter Kevin McCloud and DJ Pete Tong.
Jones described her MBE for services to entertainment as "proper tidy" and a "massive compliment". She co-created hit show Gavin and Stacey with James Corden and the pair appeared as characters Nessa and Smithy.
An MBE also went to artist Derek Clarke, the oldest current member of the Royal Scottish Academy of Arts, whose career has spanned more than 70 years and who turns 101 on 31 December. | {
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(Kitco News) - Deutsche Bank AG’s, decision to settle U.S. lawsuits of conspiring to manipulate the gold and silver market could create a domino effect, leading to other banks coming forward, this according to one expert witness.
In an email statement to Kitco News, Rosa Abrantes-Metz, managing director of Global Economics Group and adjunct associate professor at the Stern School of Business at New York University said that she wouldn’t be surprised if other banks cme forward .
Abrantes-Metz was the economist for the plaintiffs gold and silver manipulation lawsuits. She is also one of the first researchers to publish a paper which highlights a decade of manipulation.
“As I discussed in your program [Kitco News] before with respect to gold, and the same applies to silver, the structure of these fixings and the empirical evidence were very telling in supporting collusion and manipulation. If we in fact learn that actually was the case, I would be the least surprised person out there,” she said in her email.
Deutsche Bank shocked markets Thursday after its lawyers filed the settlement letters in the Manhattan federal courts. Deutsche Bank submitted its settlement for the gold case Thursday and the silver case Wednesday.
According to Reuters, the terms of the settlement were not disclosed; however it will include monetary payments. The German bank also agreed to help the plaintiffs pursue the claims against the other defendants.
Deutsche Bank is just one of the accused in the lawsuit. Also accused of conspiring to collude and manipulate prices in the precious metals market are: Bank of Nova Scotia, Barclays Plc, HSBC Holdings Plc and Societe Generale.
Not only is Abrantes-Metz credited for shedding light on potential manipulation in the precious metals market but she also exposed collusion in interest rate markets with her 2008 research on Libor manipulation.
By Kitco News; [email protected]
Follow @KitcoNewsNOW | {
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Laura Schulte
USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin
WAUSAU - A chair in Pam VanOoyen’s office sat empty Thursday morning.
The chair would have been filled by Sara Quirt Sann, for a 9:30 a.m. meeting that morning. But as VanOoyen, who works as a judicial coordinator for Marathon County Circuit Court Judge Michael Moran, sat at her desk in the Marathon County courthouse, she realized Quirt Sann would never fill the chair again.
“She always sat in that chair,” VanOoyen said. “Every time she came in. It was like her chair. ... We’d sit there and just share pieces of our lives with each other. And then when it was time to do court, we’d do court.”
VanOoyen said Thursday morning, she removed the chair from her office. At some point, she plans to put it back, and to hang a heart above it as a small memorial to the lawyer who became her friend in their years of working together at the courthouse.
Quirt Sann was killed during Wednesday afternoon’s shooting spree in Wausau’s south metro area. She was working as an attorney in the Tlusty, Kennedy & Dirks law offices, where she rented office space, when shots rang out.
RELATED: Shooting suspect had marital, money problems
RELATED: Nengmy Vang, 45, ID'd as suspect in shooting spree
She represented the wife of shooting suspect Nengmy Vang, 45, who was in the midst of a bitter and drawn-out divorce. Police say Vang first went to his wife's workplace, Marathon Savings Bank in Rothschild, where he shot and killed bank employees Dianne M. Look, 67, and Karen L. Barclay, 62. He traveled to Schofield and killed Quirt Sann next, police say. Then he returned to his Weston apartment, where he is accused of shooting and killing Everest Metro Police Detective Jason Weiland. Vang was later shot by police; he survived but police said Thursday he has been under "intense medical care."
Aside from her college years, Quirt Sann was a lifetime resident of Wausau. She first attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she earned an undergraduate degree in journalism, according to her LinkedIn page. From there, she attended law school at the Valparaiso University School of Law, in Valparaiso, Indiana.
In law school, her nickname became SQuirt, said friend Amy Alderink Pearson. The two bonded over a love of Princess Diana, Alderink Pearson said, as she shared memories of her friend.
On a trip to London in the late 1990s “we picnicked in Kensington Park, hoping to see her,” she said.
In law school, Quirt Sann was known as the quiet one, but she was a loving friend to all who knew her.
“She was fun and wonderful and caring,” Alderink Pearson said. “We loved her and she loved us.”
After graduating from law school, Quirt Sann moved back to Wausau, where she started her work as a lawyer. She worked with children as a guardian ad litem, helping to investigate which solutions are in the best interest of a child during divorce or parental rights cases.
“She lit up when she talked about what she was doing,” VanOoyen said. “She was passionate about what she did. And she was good at what she did."
Quirt Sann was also a lover of a good glass of chardonnay, said Georgie Iozzo, owner of Iozzo's Italian Restaurant in Wausau. Quirt Sann would stop in a few times a week to enjoy a glass of wine, on her way home from work.
"She would just come in and sit in her corner. She had a special corner," Iozzo said. "She'd have her iPad, and she'd relax on her way home."
Over time, Iozzo bonded with Quirt Sann. When Iozzo's father, Jimmy Iozzo, passed away, she even helped keep his memory alive in the restaurant.
"She knew my dad very well, and he had this saying, 'Give me a Jimmy of wine,'" Iozzo said. "Which meant a half glass of wine. And she'd come in and ask for that. It was just a thing, a neat way to remember my dad."
Iozzo said that above all, Quirt Sann's gentle nature is something that she will never forget.
"She was just the most sweetest, special person you ever wanted to meet," she said. "She was always there to help."
VIDEO: "She's claiming that her husband's trying to kill her": Scanner audio
RELATED: How shootings in Rothschild, Schofield unfolded
Peking Chinese and American Restaurant was another stop that Quirt Sann would frequently make. Every Thursday night, she would enjoy a glass of Chardonnay as she waited for her takeout food on the way home. She would chat with the bartenders, often lending advice and a listening ear.
On Thursday night, Peking offered their own special tribute: a single glass of her favorite Sonoma Chardonnay, with a name card bearing her name.
"She was one of the kindest, most sincere people I have ever met," said Tracy Wallender, who works at Peking and was friends with Quirt Sann. "Her quiet confidence and passion to help others was extraordinary."
That gentle personality is what helped Quirt Sann bond with children, both inside the courtroom and out. Dana Beck, and her young daughter Emily, met Quirt Sann at the Greenwood Hills Country Club. Quirt Sann's husband, Scott Sann, is the club manager and golf course superintendent there. Scott Sann posted a remembrance of his wife on Facebook Friday morning, in which he thanked the community for reaching out, and asked readers to "put on your armor" and post memories of Quirt Sann.
"She doesn't have her own biological children, but she still had that caring instinct," Beck said. "She'd drop everything to answer my daughter's rapid-fire questions."
Beck last saw Quirt Sann the week before the shooting, at Iozzo's Italian Restaurant, where she was enjoying a glass of chardonnay.
"She sat and talked to Em like a grown up," Beck said. "We talked about getting together and having a girl's night soon."
Beck said it was difficult to break the news to Emily after Wednesday's shootings. She hopes her friend's kind nature and infectious laugh are the things that people remember about Quirt Sann.
"She was just such a nurturing person," Beck said. "She didn't have a bad bone in her body."
VanOoyen echoed those words.
"She was unique," VanOoyen said. "She's somebody I strive to be like. There will never be another."
Contact Going Out reporter Laura Schulte at 715-297-7532 or [email protected]; on Twitter @schultelaura. | {
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He does not inform his lady he is faggot — he shall we her stroll in to observe that for herself! | {
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CHICAGO (Reuters) - Americans are still too fat, but the obesity epidemic in the United States appears to be waning a bit, U.S. researchers said on Wednesday.
Pedestrians walk across the street near Times Square in New York in this August 28 2007 file photo. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson/Files
New government data show that 68 percent of U.S. adults are considered overweight, having a body mass index or BMI of 25 or higher. A third are obese, having a body mass index of 30 or higher.
“Obesity continues to be a significant health concern,” Cynthia Ogden of the National Center for Health Statistics at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a telephone interview.
Additionally, around 17 percent of children and adolescents aged 2 to 19 were considered obese.
BMI is equal to weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared. A person 5 feet 5 inches tall is classified as overweight at 150 pounds (68 kg) and obese at 180 pounds (82 kg).
Obesity-related diseases account for nearly 10 percent of medical spending in the United States or an estimated $147 billion a year. Being overweight or obese raises the risk of heart disease, diabetes, some cancers, arthritis and other conditions.
In the past several decades, obesity rates climbed fast. The number of adults who were overweight or obese rose 8 percentage points in the 1988-1994 survey period compared with the 1976-1980 survey. Obesity rates were relatively stable between 1960 and 1980.
MEN GETTING FATTER
“Over the last decade, which would be 1999 through 2008, we found no significant increase in the prevalence of obesity among adult women, but we did find a significant increase in men over that same period, from about 27.5 percent to 32 percent,” Ogden said.
But more recently, those increases in men appear to be slowing, Ogden said, noting there has been no change in obesity among males between 2003 and 2008.
“It’s slightly good news to see that it’s not increasing at the rate it was before, but we can’t really relax. We still have a third of our population that’s obese. That is among the very highest in the world,” she said.
Ogden said the study continued to find disparities by age, with younger adults less likely to be obese than older adults. She noted that African Americans and Mexicans tended to be more obese than whites.
Overall, 32.2 percent of American men were obese. Among non-Hispanic whites, the number was 31.9 percent compared with 37.3 percent of black men.
The study found 35.5 percent of all women were obese. Among whites, the proportion was 33 percent, compared to 49.6 percent among blacks.
In children, the team found obesity rates slowed over the decade, except in severely overweight boys. | {
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Gaslands went through 18 months of playtesting before I handed it over to Osprey. Partly, this was because the publishing schedule gave me this time, but mostly this was because I was certain that I couldn’t make Gaslands the best game it could be without showing it to as many people as humanly possible and getting all their feedback somehow.
I set up the Gaslands website, and made it so that people that signed up to the forum could access a secret playtesters-only page. I asked them to read and play the game, and post their results using a Google Form, and any questions or idea directly onto the forums. By the end I had more than 300 people sign up for the beta testing. It was awesome!
I ran both closed playtesting with my close friends and clubmates, and open playtesting, with the awesome playtesting community that grew up here on Gaslands.com
During playtesting sessions, I took notes, made edits and wrote down player comments or problem areas the game threw up. After each session, I went back through my notes to make edits and changes to the rules. Sometimes I would jot down a big problem area that was identified and start iterating solutions or alternative systems to handle that problem area. I love that part of the process – spent with a pencil hanging out of my mouth, staring out to window, and the moments of inspiration when a new solution idea strikes – but the most fruitful moments of the process proved to be during playtesting.
How do you playtest a tabletop game? How do you get the most out of your playtesting? How to ensure that, as a games designer, you are getting the best and most useful information from your playtesting sessions?
Playtesting Advice
Here are some tips. I’ll dig into each of these a little:
Everyone is lying to you
Observe, don’t guide
Never ask for positive feedback
Always look for moments of no-fun
Look for moments of player disappointment
Look for moment of cognitive dissonance
Look for moments of boredom or disengagement
Be wary of playtester’s solutions
Everyone is Lying To You
The best book about playtesting games that I have ever read is called The Mom Test and it has nothing to do with playtesting games.
In short, The Mom Test says that people are inherently socially biased towards lying to you when you ask them if your “thing” is any good. People (on the whole) want other people to feel good about themselves, and they don’t want to hurt each other feelings deliberately. If you ask a question that betrays a personal involvement in a project, people are more likely to want to placate you with a vaguely positive, but not completely truthful, cop-out answer.
So if you ask: “do you like this game that I made?”, they are highly likely to say: “yeah, it’s good”. If you ask: “have you ever paid money for a car combat game in the past?”; you are likely to get a more truthful answer. This technique can be used more specifically too. Rather than “do you like the special rules for driver perks”, you can ask “have you used the special rules for driver perks in any of your games yet?”. If you want to write a good game, I highly recommend you read “The Mom Test”.
Observe, don’t guide
During a playtest session, you want to be a fly on the wall. You want, as far as possible, to observe the players struggling to play your game, without you guiding their hands or their attention. In this way, you learn which parts of the rules or the rulebook are difficult to understand, or easily misunderstood, or counter to the players intuition.
The single most valuable set of playtesters for this was The Battlehammer boys. (Don’t tell them thought, they already think they are single-handled responsible for Gaslands… 😅 )
Unprompted, they filmed themselves playing the beta game on three separate occasions. Trying out a general skirmish, a death race, and the defend the rig scenario. What was so valuable about watching these videos was that I was watching players that I had never explained the game to in person attempting to play it. They had only read the rules, which is how all the ‘real’ players will experience the game once it is published. The assumptions, mistakes or house-rules they made during their play-throughs were extremely illuminating: highlighting areas of the rules that weren’t yet clear enough.
In regular playtesting sessions, you can get the same effect by being as silent as observer as possible. Try to avoid guiding the players. Avoid correcting them unless they are really going off the rails. If they ask you a rules question, you can even answer with another question. A player might ask: “Hey, can I shift gears more than once?”, and you can answer “What do you understand from the rules? Hint: have a look on page 14.”
Observing without guiding allows you to fade into the background and gather much more valuable information about how the players understand your game and your rulebook.
What Sucked?
You should never ask for positive feedback. You already know your game is cool, you wouldn’t have written it if it wasn’t. However, it can always be COOLER, so what is stopping it being cooler? That’s the only question you are trying to answer during playtesting. So don’t ask for positive feedback, it’s worse than meaningless. Whilst you’re having your ego stroked, you’re ignoring the problems that are stopping your game being as cool as it can be.
Some practical advice: at the end of every session, always the playtesters, individually: “what didn’t work for you?” or “What was the weakest part of the game today?” If you ask them: “what did you think?” or “did you like it?” you will learn nothing. They’ll placate your ego. “Yeah, I liked it,” they’ll say, and you learn nothing.
During playtesting, you should be vigilant for a few things. They are valuable indicators of the areas of the game that need the most work.
Fun Police
You should always be on the lookout for moments of no-fun. The moments where the energy drops around the table. Maybe one player is fiddling around with some part of the system, and the other players have no stake in it. Maybe a player has been knocked out and it’s just sitting there on their phone. Maybe one player is suddenly able to do something huge and horrible to another player and neither feel good about it but the game seems to be suggesting that it’s the smartest move in that situation.
In Gaslands, we had plenty of rules that we removed or replaced because the alternative was more fun, even if it was either less realistic or less clever.
Disappointed Players
You should always be on the lookout for moments of player disappointment. This shouldn’t be confused with people getting salty at a bad dice roll or being out-played. You are looking for the moment when someone’s eyes go wide with a cool possibility, followed be the disappointment when they learn that either that isn’t possible in this game, or this game isn’t about that.
Throughout Gaslands playtesting, players would get into the cinematic storytelling of the game. At it’s best, the physic engine of Gaslands helps provide cues to the players imagination for when cool cinematic things are happening to their vehicles. When a rule forced the vehicle to do something both unexpected and (crucially) less awesome than the thing they imagined would happen, that needs fixing.
WAT
Look for moment of cognitive dissonance. Some of the most valuable moments in a playtesting session are when you see a confused look on a players face. These are great! Stop the play for a moment and ask the player what just happened, and what they EXPECTED to happen at that moment. This will highlight things that are either surprising (which could be good or bad) or unintuitive in your design.
Bored Players
Look for moments of boredom or disengagement. If you are either participating in or just watching a playtest session, be on high alert for moments when players minds start to wander. Are they checking their phones, making disruptive jokes or just sitting staring? All of these signs could point to a failure in either your game’s rhythm, as there are no decisions for that player to be considering right now, or immersion, as the player is not connected with either the action at the table or the story it is trying to tell.
Ignore Your Playtesters
It is natural, when one of the techniques above throws up a problem with you game, to discuss it at the table, and for the playtesters to suggest solutions. Be wary of this.
Neil Gaiman & Robin D. Laws both said, in different words: “When someone tells you there is problem with your game, they are almost always right. When someone tells you how to fix that problem, they are almost always wrong.” This isn’t a rule, but it’s a very good guideline.
Conversely, be wary of “not invented here” syndrome. The idea or rule that is best for the game should be the one you use, regardless of the source of that idea. Just because you thought of it doesn’t make it the best idea, and just because a playtester thought of it, it doesn’t mean you can’t use it in your game. Playtesters want to contribute to the final game, that’s why they are participating in the process.
Always Playtesting
One other thing that’s not immediately obvious is that you can be learning about how good your game is without even playtesting it. If you ask gamer friends about games that might be similar to yours, either in theme or mechanics that they either play, or don’t play, you can learn valuable things about your game.
If they played it and didn’t like it, what didn’t they like? If they have played it and love it, what’s the thing that keeps them coming back to it? Even though they love it, what is the one thing they’d change? You can take this intelligence and apply it your game.
Its obvious that playtesting is a huge factor in making a successful game but it’s all too easy to take the wrong information away from playtesting sessions is you aren’t disciplined about how you approach them. I hope these tips are useful, and feel free to ask me anything about them in the forums.
All of the photos in this article have been taken from our official Gaslands Facebook group. Thanks to Jason October for the cover image! | {
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A month after getting legal advice on whether to charge Cardinal George Pell over historical child sex allegations, Victoria's highest-ranking police officer says a decision is "imminent".
Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton told ABC radio Cardinal Pell's lawyers will be told first, once a decision is made whether to charge him.
"A decision is imminent," Mr Ashton told ABC on Tuesday.
"There is a great deal of public interest in it (the George Pell case).
"We'll get something out soon."
Cardinal Pell voluntarily participated in an interview with Victorian police officers in Rome last October over alleged sexual assaults in Ballarat between 1976 and 1980 and in East Melbourne between 1996 and 2001.
It's the third time Mr Ashton has promised an "imminent" decision on the allegations after police got advice from the state's Director of Public Prosecutions on May 16.
On May 18 Mr Ashton said the process wouldn't take too long, and a decision would be reached within a few weeks.
A week later he told 3AW the decision was not too far off.
"The decision is imminent on that," Mr Ashton said on May 25.
On June 1 he described it as "fairly imminent".
"These allegations are complex and there's a lot in it in terms of the inquiries that have been made, the work that's been done and the legal advice," Mr Ashton told reporters. | {
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In a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha, Nirmala Sitharaman said the feasibility study for the programme has been already completed.
India is planning to launch a programme to develop a stealth fighter named Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), according to Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. In a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha, she said the feasibility study for the programme has been already completed.
“The Indian Air Force suggested Aeronautical Development Agency of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to initiate AMCA technology demonstration phase before launching full scale engineering development,” she said. The state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) has already developed a range of military choppers besides a Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) called Tejas.
Responding to a separate question, the minister said ‘training maps’ being used in an Army course were recovered from a photocopy shop in Bareilly Cantonment in Uttar Pradesh and an FIR has already been been registered into the case.
“An FIR has been registered in January, 2018, under section 5 of Official Secret Act, 1923 at Police Station in Bareilly,” she said.
Replying to another question, she said necessary instructions on use of social media by serving defence personnel have been promulgated which list out the do’s and don’ts. | {
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These lot make our Friday nights (Picture: Channel 4)
The Gogglebox dream is officially over.
According to one of its stars (who wish to remain anonymous) the show is scripted, the jokes are fake and the whole caboodle is filmed in one night. In fact, we’re no longer convinced these funny people we’ve grown to love even know each other.
The Channel 4 show sees several families cracking out witty one liners as they watch the most popular TV shows of the past week – and apparently it’s all a lie.
The insider claims the cast are told which scenes warrant a big reaction and are made to change clothes and gorge on a week’s worth of snacks so it looks as though they’ve been filmed over the course of the week.
The source said: ‘We don’t film across the week. You set aside a night for filming and it can go on for hours.
‘We also keep changing clothes, food and drinks to make it look we’re filmed on different nights.
‘Sometimes we are told, “Louis Walsh is going to say something shocking on X Factor so we want you to react to that.”
‘If you can’t think of anything, the producers come up with a joke. If you fluff it they film it again.’
Steph and Dom Parker have been approached to star in their own show (Picture: C4)
The cast member also told the Daily Star that they were paid in food and drink for the first series and got around £600 for the second.
But a Channel 4 spokeswoman is having none of it. She said: ‘The Gogglebox cast are filmed for two to three nights per week.
‘We film them watching live television and some that has been recorded. The cast have received fees for their time on every series.
‘The production team do not influence the comments. The reactions are genuine.’
Confused? Yep, we are too.
MORE: Gogglebox’s posh couple Steph and Dom Parker offered chat show | {
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Visit Stuttgart and you’ve two of the world’s most famous car museums to visit. They belong to Porsche and Mercedes, companies with vast histories rich in exotic cars and engineering prowess.
You’re missing a trick if you stop at those two, though. Hire a car and head an hour or so southeast, to Augsburg, and you’ll discover a museum with even rarer and cleverer cars tucked into a more modest building. An old tram shed, in fact. This is the Mazda Classic Automobile Museum, and it’s fabulous.
Rather than being run by the company as a glorified showroom, it’s a more endearing and intimate building operated by Walter Frey and his sons. Walter’s family-run Mazda dealer has been a staple in Augsburg for decades, and when his personal collection of classic models spilled into uncontrollable territory, he decided it was finally time to do something about it.
Images: Tom Salt | {
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The city of Toronto is taking its fight over the Ford government’s decision to unilaterally reduce the size of city council to the Supreme Court of Canada.
The Ontario Court of Appeal ruled in September that Bill 5, the Better Local Government Act, which reduced the City’s wards from 47 down to 25 in the middle of the 2018 election was constitutional.
City council had previously voted back in January to pursue a Supreme Court ruling in the event it lost at the appeal court level.
“The City has now done so and will await the Court’s decision on whether to hear the appeal,” read the statement.
The Ford government passed the controversial bill to slash the size of Toronto city council in August 2018, putting the province at loggerheads with the city as it prepared for the October 22 municipal elections.
Ford – a former Toronto city councillor and failed mayoral candidate – said the move would improve decision-making and save $25 million. Critics accused the Ontario government of political interference circumventing the democratic process.
While a lower court found the law unconstitutional, Ontario’s top court overturned that ruling by a narrow 3-2 margin. It said the unexpected move did not interfere with candidates’ or voters’ ability to express themselves freely under section 2b of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
The city had asked the appeal court to confirm the lower court’s findings but to leave the results of the municipal election as is until the next vote in 2022.
Files from The Canadian Press were used in this report | {
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3/11/16: Ozzie Albies ranges to his right and lays out for a head-first diving catch to rob Anthony Garcia of a hit in the 6th inning | {
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Mine, too, I've felt that there is more to the Yithians than most other mythos races... they're not just purely malicious or uncaring as so many seem to be.
thanks for the kind words!
| {
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Considering making a full modelling sheet for this lady medic. Drawing her has become awfully fun >_>;
though it’s still a work in progress
(plus bloody lady medic as a bonus!) | {
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SAN ANTONIO – Stepping in for just his second start for San Antonio FC on Saturday night, goalkeeper Matt Cardone was faced with a big test early when Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 was awarded a penalty kick after Marco Bustos was fouled on a free kick.
The 23-year-old more than passed, as a diving stop to his right kept the game scoreless and paved the way for a 2-0 victory for the hosts at Toyota Field.
“It was a big moment in the game,” said San Antonio Coach Darren Powell after the game. “We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, goals change games. Matt has that moment and he has to make a decision on the penalty save and it was a fantastic save. I think that gives him confidence and I thought he gave a good, solid, calm performance.”
The save ended up as the only one Cardone had to make, as the miss appeared to take the wind out of Vancouver’s sails, which allowed San Antonio to take firm control of the contest the remainder of the way. Now on a six-game undefeated streak, the victory moved San Antonio into seventh place in the Western Conference standings with games in hand on the three teams below them. | {
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Popstjärnan Danny Saucedo börjar bli riktigt rädd för sociala medier. På sitt eget Instagram-konto berättar han om hur han lagt upp videon "The lie we live" på sin biografi på Instagram, en film som manar människor att vakna upp från att tro att vi är fria. En video som sedan plockades ner.
"Vad vet jag, den utgör väl ett hot mot strukturen. Idag kunde jag varken kommentera på andras bilder, addera folk eller skicka direkta meddelanden just pga materialet jag länkade till. Jag fick en notis där det stod att jag hade en länk med stötande material på min bio", skriver Danny Saucedo.
"Nu börjar bli riktigt läskiga"
Han tycker filmen är bra för den får folk att tänka efter. Han är riktigt arg nu och undrar vem som försökt sätta stopp för yttrandefriheten.
"Är det någon som läser det jag formulerar i min mobil just nu? Är mina dokument på mobilen öppet för nån instans att läsa?? Varför får inte jag länka till vad som intresserar mig eller många av mina följare?! Jag är riktigt förbannad. Insta eller ska jag säga Facebook, ni börjar bli riktigt läskiga", skriver Saucedo.
Danny drar paralleller till George Orwells bok "1984" där världen övervakas av "Storbror".
"Idag märkte jag för första gången av "Storebror" i samhället. Jag känner hur jag är övervakad och hur jag vaggas in att tro att jag får göra vad jag vill, säga vad jag vill, tycka vad jag vill i vårt moderna land där yttrandefrihet i alla fall ska verka råda", skriver Danny.
För stöd från Molly
Han får stöd från sin flickvän Molly Sandén som har publicerat Dannys inlägg på sin egen Instagram. Hon skriver:
"Glöm inte att se videon".
Saucedo har tidigare varit kritisk på sociala medier och efterlyst engagemang, bland annat har han kritiserat ytlighet på sociala medier.
LÄS MER: Danny Saucedos stora ilska: "Skrämmande"
Följ Expressen Nöje på Facebook - där kan du kommentera och diskutera våra artiklar. | {
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Tony Tost’s Depression-era series about strikebreaking in Iowa had me at hello but now, just four episodes into its freshman season, Damnation S01E04 is a God-damned near perfect hour-long.
In addition to an amazingly well-balanced Unity of Opposites perfectly pulling the story in all the right directions by forcing characters to make impossible choices, Damnation contains some of my favourite lines of dialogue all year.
Written by Michael D. Fuller (Rectify, Quarry) and directed by Rod Lurie (Hell on Wheels) The Emperor of Ice Cream sees negotiations commence between the farmers and the bank. While Preacher Seth does all he can to unite the striking farmers, his brother – strikebreaker Creeley does his damnedest to divide and conquer.
SARAH JONES COMMANDEERS DAMNATION S01E04
And yet with all the underhand politics, the skilled use of psychology, the shootings and the near-constant, heavenly bluegrass banjo delivered via vinyl on old gramophones or mesmerising Gospel/country slave songs, The Emperor of Ice Cream’s best scene lasts a New York minute. And it is reserved for the brilliant and beautiful Sarah Jones.
Her character, Amelia Davenport confronts newspaper editor and “dickless old fart” Burt Babbage for not printing the real strike news as he’s in cahoots with the bankers.
The dialogue is verbatim, but the slugs are my guesswork:
Amelia storms into Babbage’s office, followed by reporter DL Sullivan.
AMELIA
So, what’s your excuse – corruption, cowardice or just plain idiocy?
BABBAGE
And hello to you, little lady.
AMELIA
Why are you suppressing news of the farmers’ revolt?
BABBAGE
I simply print the news that’s worthy to print.
DL SULLIVAN
Amelia, please! Mr Babbage…
BABBAGE
Does your husband know you’re here?
AMELIA
Why, do you need him to protect you from me?
BABBAGE
Ha! Hardly.
AMELIA
You have a responsibility to tell the truth…
BABBAGE
I have a responsibility to sell papers, dear.
The farmers’ plight is just… sad.
It’s difficult enough for people to live
through an actual depression without being
subjected to its printed equivalent.
PAUSE as Amelia nods and looks around the office, thinking.
AMELIA
I grew up around men like you.
You have your nice suit and your expensive desk…
and six months after you’re dead
no one will ever remember you lived.
HOLD on Babbage’s mortified REACTION SHOT
AMELIA (CONT’D)
I look forward to forgetting you.
AMELIA exits the office.
And that, my friends, is closure!
Note how Babbage’s words – calling Amelia “little lady” and “dear” and reaction “Ha! Hardly” not only spur her on but also subconsciously make us root for her character.
Strong female characters don’t only come from Themyscira. Nor do they have to kick ass to be powerful. They just have to know their own minds. This short, calm scene is as satisfying as any feat I’ve seen Wonder Woman or Black Widow perform.
Of course, a lesser actress may not have done the scene justice, but get the writing right, and your TV show has a much better shot.
The moral of the story, if you wanna write strong female characters, watch Damnation S01E04 and learn.
If you wanna learn about world building for your TV show, watch the pilot and read this.
Damnation continues on Tuesdays on USA Network. | {
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From the early hours of the morning, to late in the evening, Adrian Doyle donned his suit and threw himself up a scissor lift in one of the most audacious street art actions we’ve seen here in Melbourne for a long time.
Doyle transformed the entirety of Rutledge Lane (not Hosier Lane) in blue – covering pieces, tags, bins – even the ground, with a single covering.
“Today’s piece was not a buff,” Doyle remarked on Facebook, “it was a burner!”
Love it or hate it, this is the only thing that people are talking about here in Melbourne right now, so we thought we’d put everything together on it and let you make your own opinion.
Doyle just posted up this small essay to explain Empty Nursery Blue – sometimes context can be key …
Image credit above Adrian Lagniton. Images below David Russell
“Empty Nursery Blue Lane Way…
By Adrian Doyle
Houses are a major influence on my aesthetics and imagery. Most of the important events in my early life were focused around our quarter acre block in the heart of suburbia. We had an outback toilet, complete with its own dunny man that came every week to change the bucket. We went through numerous above ground pools and sadly, many pets. My house was not really different than any other suburban house. Yet it was my world for many years, a curated world, in which I learnt social skills and perceived normality from my parents.
I watched from a very young age as my parents struggled with house payments and debt collectors. They worked so hard to pay the bills and bring up 5 kids. They worked in jobs they hated with little respect from their bosses. They married in their teens, and did all the expected norms and learnt behaviour passed down from their parents. The house was a symbol of their hard work.
This experience made me reflect on my childhood home, and the hold it had over me, my family and my art. When my parents eventually lost the house to the bank, my parents moved four hours away to a small cottage in East Gippsland. But the grief and pain followed them. I began to play with the idea of creating a colour that represents my childhood and my suburban experiences. Was it possible to create a colour that could capture that kind of experience?
So I decided to come up with my own colour. I named it: Empty-Nursery Blue.
The way I decided to create Empty-Nursery Blue was by sitting in the studio and creating hundreds of different blues until I found the one that expressed my experiences the most. It was a baby blue that had hints of mauve in it. It’s a beautiful colour, a bright pastel. This colour expresses the feeling that something has been disturbed. All is not quite right. I took my disturbing yet beautiful colour to a paint lab and worked out its recipe.
But what good was Empty-Nursery Blue, if it was without a context. I needed to find something to paint to physicalise the concept of the colour.
As mentioned above, after losing their house, my parents moved to an island in the Gippsland Lakes. It’s a significant removal from the realities of suburban Frankston. Their house is alone in the landscape, only bushes and trees to keep it company. Not even a bridge links the island to the nearest shop. This physical removal from the past does not automatically come with emotional removal.
This is why I decided to paint my parents’ new house Empty-Nursery Blue.
Empty-Nursery Blue once placed in context became a symbol of a collective past.
Surrounding the new house with the memory and emotions of an experience that ruptured my family’s suburban dream.
In recent years I have spent much of my time lost deep in the Melbourne Street Art world. Street art has become a major part of my life and the lane-ways have become my world. I have lived and breathed art all my life. My art, however, is conceived of and formed from my past experiences. I cannot exist today without recognizing my roots in the past.
Thus, I would like to incorporate my past and my present in a Street Art piece using the colour Empty-Nursery Blue, and only this colour. By using Empty-Nursery Blue to cover Hosier Lane, I am symbolically ‘coating’ my present with my past, it is reminder to me and anyone who is living, that you are a product of your former experiences, and you should be reminded of them as you work your way through your present and into your future.
By doing this, I am claiming that a colour in its pure form can be street art or graffiti. This is a great conceptual link from fine art to street art, a link that is often lacking in the Melbourne Street Art scene. By bridging this gap, I hope to expose more people not only to Street Art, but also to the importance of art in general.”
The work was limited to Rutledge lane, and was an artistic work that didn’t involve the Melbourne City Council, or the council buffing any work. And no, this doesn’t mean that people can’t paint in there anymore, or that its being reserved or anything – quite the contrary, in fact – it’s business as usual, go forth and bust out your best chromies.
Having seen it and walked through there, it really does grab your attention in a confronting, eerie way … this is one of those things that will, and certainly has, divided opinion, and it’s up to everyone to decide how they feel about it – but that doesn’t mean that your opinion is any more valid than those that disagree with you, or Doyles opinion, for that matter – isn’t that exactly what art is supposed to be all about? For me, well, I can see both sides of it – but I can’t wait to see this shit get bombed out – it’ll be back to normal within the week.
You have to give it to Doyle, the man has balls and has done something that’s created an interesting furore.
Image via Dean Sunshine
…. on another note, and just because people have been asking, Invurt was not associated with this project. We do, however, have some pretty cool plans coming up down at Hosier lane that we’ll make sure you know all about really soon – there wont be any surprises there …
Here’s all of the photos we got today … | {
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Kim Kardashian recently sat down for an interview with ELLE, talking about everything from negotiating pay to Kanye West's upcoming Sunday Service at Coachella 2019. During the interview, she also revealed that the couple's children, North and Saint West, decided to celebrate April Fool's Day with a pretty horrifying prank.
Speaking about North and Saint's relationship as brother and sister, she explained that the two have started to get along. "They’re starting to get closer now that she can include him in her jokes," she explained, before detailing the very mean prank she assisted the two with. "She roped him into an April Fool’s prank yesterday that was ridiculous. She took ketchup into my bathroom, and she begged me to let her spread it on me, and on the bathroom, as if it was like a bad scary movie. Then she asked me to lie down."
Not completely aware of what North had in mind with her prank, Kim assumed that she would simply joke about her getting a bit hurt. "She taught Saint how to fake-cry—she showed him how to do it!—and then she told him to scream 'Mommy’s dead!' Kanye ran upstairs and he was like, 'Kids, this is not funny. This is not a good prank,'" she continued.
To her credit, she says that she wasn't entirely on board with the direction the prank went, and that she "completely understands" why Yeezy reacted the way he did. "But it did make me a little impressed that they planned something together, and they were getting along and having fun as a team." | {
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Success Kid
has a 'sugar daddy'
that's five years younger than him | {
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Jan Helfeld is a political journalist who has been traveling around and asking politicians some of the same awkward questions that work to expose the illegitimacy of their authority. His questions were extremely simple and many times ridiculed as “stupid” by the politicians that he interviewed, because he was attempting to establish moral principles using the Socratic method.
One of the best and most crucial questions that Helfeld has asked over the years is simple enough: “can you delegate a right that you don’t have to someone else?”
This simple question has caused dozens of politicians to either become aggressive, run away, or both because it points out that they do not have the right to do the things that they do in the name of government.
To use an example, if an average citizen does not have the right to steal from his neighbor, then he can not go ahead and vote for one of his friends to do it. Furthermore, if a particular group, even a group with a majority in a certain area decided to vote for themselves or one another, to steal from innocent people, they would not be justified in doing so. In this situation, these people would essentially be granting a privilege to another person that they themselves did not have, which is obviously a ridiculous idea.
However, this is exactly how democracy and representative government works. The power of the politicians is supposedly granted by the people. However, average people don’t have the right to do things that politicians and agents of the state do on a regular basis. Therefore, the people living in a democracy never had the authority that they allegedly gave their government to begin with, which means that this authority does not exist and that the government does not have a right to use it.
Helfeld would lead the people he interviewed to this conclusion, which resulted in an incredibly entertaining encounter nearly ever time.
In the following video, Helfeld interviewed Senator Daniel Inouye of Hawaii and walked him down the same path of logic that was laid out in this article. He asked Inouye first whether or not people had the right to steal from one another, and then if they had the right to delegate that authority to the government, then finally he asked, “can a person delegate a right that they do not have.” Inouye sat frozen like a deer in headlights realizing that he had just been backed into a corner, and that’s when the interview gets really interesting.
Inouye is not alone either, many other politicians and news pundits had similar reactions when faced with the same questions. Check out some of the most interesting below, including an encounter with Bernie Sanders where he gets angry, demands to know by whom Helfeld is funded, and runs out of the room.
In the video below, Helfeld explains his style of interviewing, and how he used the Socratic method to point out contradictions in people’s reasoning.
John Vibes is an author and researcher who organizes a number of large events including the Free Your Mind Conference. He also has a publishing company where he offers a censorship free platform for both fiction and non-fiction writers. You can contact him and stay connected to his work at his Facebook page. You can purchase his books, or get your own book published at his website www.JohnVibes.com.
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1 Army of the Damned (C16) 113 1 Ashling, the Extinguisher (EVE) 1 Avatar of Woe (CN2) 128 1 Baleful Force (C13) 70 1 Barren Moor (C15) 229 1 Behold the Beyond (SOI) 101 1 Beseech the Queen (V16) 1 1 Bloodgift Demon (ISD) 137 1 Bojuka Bog (C14) 259 1 Consume Spirit (MRD) 56 1 Crypt Ghast (C14) 139 1 Dark Petition (ORI) 90 1 Deadly Tempest (C15) 131 1 Death Cloud (MMA) 76 1 Demon of Death's Gate (M11) 1 Diabolic Revelation (M13) 1 Diabolic Tutor (CN2) 54 1 Distress (M12) 1 Dreamstone Hedron (C14) 464 1 Dregs of Sorrow (C14) 143 1 Erebos's Titan (ORI) 98 1 Erebos, God of the Dead (THS) 85 1 Exsanguinate (SOM) 1 Geth's Grimoire (DST) 1 Ghastly Conscription (FRF) 115 1 Go for the Throat (MBS) 114 1 Grave Titan (C14) 145 1 Gray Merchant of Asphodel (C14) 99 1 Hedron Archive (BFZ) 468 1 Hero's Downfall (THS) 90 1 Hollowborn Barghest (SHM) 1 In Garruk's Wake (C16) 121 1 Increasing Ambition (DKA) 1 Indulgent Tormentor (M15) 53 1 Infernal Tribute (WTH) 1 Liliana of the Dark Realms (M14) 102 1 Liliana's Caress (M11) 1 Magus of the Coffers (C14) 1 Malicious Affliction (C14) 96 1 Megrim (M10) 26 1 Mind Shatter (M10) 77 1 Murder (CN2) 109 1 Mutilate (C14) 55 1 Myriad Landscape (C14) 292 1 Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx (THS) 223 1 Nyxathid (CON) 259 1 Painful Quandary (SOM) 1 Palace Siege (FRF) 119 1 Phyrexian Arena (CN2) 144 1 Pilgrim's Eye (C14) 55 1 Polluted Mire (C15) 300 1 Promise of Power (C14) 54 1 Quest for the Nihil Stone (WWK) 1 Reaper from the Abyss (ISD) 1 Reckless Spite (CNS) 37 1 Reiver Demon (CMD) 64 1 Reliquary Tower (C15) 301 1 Rise of the Dark Realms (M14) 271 1 Rune-Scarred Demon (M12) 106 1 Sangromancer (CN2) 272 1 Sorin Markov (ZEN) 3 1 Suffer the Past (ROE) 31 Swamp (C16) 377 1 Syphon Mind (C14) 127 1 Temporal Extortion (PLC) 1 Tendrils of Corruption (C14) 63 1 Unstable Obelisk (C14) 489 1 Ur-Golem's Eye (C14) 1 Waste Not (C16) 117 1 Wretched Confluence (C15) 23
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This will require TappedOut.js included in your blog. | {
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This part is not tips or trick, it just a reminder, in case you are new to Protractor. When you write test spec, one may insert item and the other edit or delete an item. Both run in different spec files but on the same page. When spec for delete running, the other spec may try to edit the first item. Once delete finished, the edit spec may fail because the first item is missing. | {
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Un incendiu a izbucnit marți dimineață la Mall Afi Cotroceni. Zeci de oameni care se aflau în interior au fost evacuați. Din imaginile trimise de un telespectator Digi24 se vede un fum dens.
Apelul la 112 a fost făcut puțin după ora 10:00 de către un client aflat la etaj, în apropierea zonei în care a izbucnit incendiul. Pompierii au trimis la fața locului mai multe echipaje de intervenție, inclusiv mașini de descarcerare. Între timp, angajații mall-ului i-au evacuat pe toți clienții aflați în interior la acea oră.
Potrivit informațiilor corespondentului Digi24 aflat la fața locului, nicio persoană nu a fost rănită.
Potrivit primelor informații, incendiul a izbucnit în camera tehnică a unui restaurant de la ultimul etaj al complexului comercial. Se pare că tubulatura de evacuare a gazului a luat foc pe acoperiş, iar fumul a ajuns şi în zona în care se află clienţi.
Între timp, în zona mall-ului s-au instituit restricții de circulație, mașinile care circulă în apropierea complexului comercial fiind dirijate de mai multe echipaje de poliție rutieră.
„Marți dimineață, în AFI Cotroceni, a avut loc un incendiu de mici dimensiuni. Acesta s-a declanșat de la unul dintre echipamentele de pe acoperiș, fiind rapid sesizat de echipa mall-ului, fiind stins imediat prin intervenția promptă a agenților pe zona de securitate la incediu din cadrul centrului comercial.
Menționăm că incendiul nu s-a manifestat cu flacără deschisă în interiorul mall-ului, fiind doar degajări de fum preț de câteva secunde.
În urma acestui eveniment, nicio persoană nu a avut de suferit. Procedura de intervenție într-o astfel de situație a fost respectată.
Pagubele materiale înregistrate nu sunt însemnate. Activitatea în AFI Cotroceni se desfășoară în mod normal la acest moment. Echipe specializate urmează să stabilească cauza producerii evenimentului”, a declarat Silviu Chivereanu, Senior Marketing AFI Cotroceni. | {
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The 2016 World Rally Championship is gearing up to be one of the most exciting seasons in its history, staged in some of the world’s most gruelling locations from the classic Monte Carlo Rally to a brand new event in China in September.
Tough conditions will push drivers, co-drivers and their cars to the limit and a recent surge in the sport’s popularity has seen lots of new manufacturers throw their hats into the ring – building super-powered versions of everyday family cars to surprise and delight millions of fans.
But what if manufacturers were given free rein to build exactly what they wanted? That’s the question we asked ourselves and these are the oddball results. Few – if any – of these cars will ever be built, so these awesome exclusive renders will have to do instead.
Go on, car makers of the world… build these!
Alfa Romeo Giulia
Alfa Romeo might have an impressive trophy cabinet of racing victories, but is less well known for its success on gravel or snow – until now. The Alfa Romeo Giulia has already been spotted testing at the Nurburgring race circuit and it looks set to be a credible rival to the BMW M3 when it goes on sale in 2016. We wondered, however, what if Alfa Romeo took this super-saloon off the road before it’s even hit tarmac?
Giant wings, splitters and other extreme aero bits dominate the body of what is (or used to be) a handsome and restrained executive saloon. Every panel sports a new vent or intake but the most important modification (and one no Italian car should be without) is the iconic Martini racing livery, inspired by the legendary Lancia Delta Integrale.
Audi TT Quattro
Audi is credited with bringing four-wheel drive to the world of rallying with the famous ‘Ur-Quattro’ in the 1980s. A combination of a warbling turbocharged five-cylinder engine and unbeatable traction transformed this smart German coupe into a world-beating rally car.
It’s a shame Audi isn’t likely to return to the world of rallying any time soon because the latest TT looks stunning after a WRC makeover. Vast flared arches, an insane rear wing and more holes in the bonnet than a cheese grater help transform this capable and compact sports car into a fire-breathing, snow-storming rally monster. What better way to earn the TT the recognition it deserves?
Fiat 500 Abarth
Fiat has been enlisting the help of tuning specialist Abarth to develop high performance rally cars for years. Modifications to both the original Fiat 124 and the Abarth 131 made them race-winning material in their day. The original 500 from the 1960s had its rear-mounted engine permanently on display thanks to an engine cover that was held open to help cooling and aerodynamics.
Subsequently, a Fiat-backed return to the world of rallying with the latest 595 Abarth doesn’t seem too pie in the sky. With the ubiquitous giant wheel arches and a host of huge spotlights, it really looks the part – this WRC hot hatch could prove to be as much of a giant-killer on the dirt as it is on the tarmac.
Ford Mustang RS200
When Ford entered the world of rallying in 1984 it chose not to develop an existing vehicle but to build an all-new car from the ground up. The original RS200 was a composite-bodied, four-wheel drive sports car capable of shrugging off colossal jumps and dangerous terrain with ease, but sadly rule changes meant it was killed off before it could realise its full potential.
The Ford Mustang has gained a similar reputation as a hardy and resilient performance car – although it’s probably more at home on the drag strip than storming through Finnish forests. The latest model could make for a convincing rally car, but the sight of a huge American coupe tearing down tight rally stages is what really seals the concept for us.
Lancia Delta Integrale
Lancia may not be as popular in the UK as it once was (OK, they’re not even sold in the UK), but there’s no denying the almost innumerable successes achieved by the Italian firm in the world of rallying. The Fulvia, Stratos, 037 and Delta helped Lancia win 11 world championships, more than any other manufacturer.
It seems only right then that Lancia should return to the world of rallying, and what better car to do this with than the modern incarnation of the Delta – one of the most famous cars the sport has ever seen. If our concept is anything to go by, a Delta in Alitalia livery would certainly look the part… squinting from a considerable distance.
Mercedes S-Class – the ‘Red Pig’
A rallying version of the luxurious Mercedes S-Class may seem a strange choice but Mercedes built a 300SEL race car in 1971, so bear with us. That car was affectionately known as the ‘Red Pig‘ and was built for the race circuits of Europe rather than storming the sands of Australia. It did, however, achieve an admirable second place at the prestigious 24 Hours of Spa in 1971.
With the firepower the current S-Class has at its disposal – we’ll take the twin-turbo 6.0-litre V12 from the S65, if you’re asking – not to mention the Coupe‘s Curve Tilting function that lets it push into corners like a two-tonne superbike, the big saloon could humble more rally-ready machines. Whether its all-seeing night vision would make it through the evening scrutineering we couldn’t say for sure.
Porsche 911
The current generation Porsche 911 is the latest in a long line of world-beating performance cars. Over the past half century, the 911 has been victorious in races the world over but arguably the ultimate evolution of this machine was the iconic 959 rally. This jacked-up, four-wheel drive monster proved unreliable at first but eventually won the gruelling Paris-Dakar rally in 1986.
Our 911 looks stunning as a true rally-worthy supercar should, especially with a bull bar, six spot lights and wide arches riveted to the body. Blue and white (and now banned) Rothmans cigarette livery completes what is one of the more believable rally cars on our list.
Renault Alpine
The original Alpine gained many fans during the ’60s and ’70s thanks, in part, to winning the fabled Monte Carlo Rally in 1971 and 1973. Mounting the engine at the rear, a la the Porsche 911, lent the car not only a unique visual profile but also gave it superb traction on slippery roads.
Renault itself has shown multiple Alpine concept cars in recent years and it’s possible a production model could go on sale in 2016. We’ve based this design on one of the more recent concepts, and the prospect of it becoming reality has made us feel just a little giddy.
Rolls Royce Wraith
You’ll be guaranteed an ‘airy’ ride in this bonkers Rolls Royce Wraith rally car concept. This has to be one of the more madcap creations ever to take to the dirt but it’s actually inspired by an oddball vintage Corniche that competed in the Paris-Dakar rally.
In a car as mad as this you’re more likely to be reading the pace-notes to your chauffeur than taking the wheel yourself, but there’s something so deliciously wrong about off-roading a Rolls Royce. The Wraith’s built-in champagne flutes will add a touch of class to the podium top spot…
Volkswagen Touran rally car
Considering the obscure niches opening in the new car market everyday, it may not be long before a four-wheel drive, rally-bred MPV actually appears. A Volkswagen Touran rally car would be perfect if your school run regularly takes you through Timbuktu or outer Mongolia.
The Volkswagen might not be everyone’s first idea of an all-conquering rally car but the Touareg SUV succeeded in winning the Paris-Dakar rally both in 2009 and 2010, while the Polo R has been victorious in the World Rally Championship every year since 2013. A fully-fledged Touran rally car, as daft as it might seem, might not be such a silly idea after all – just think of all the kit you could carry…
Not a rally fan?
How about checking out the cars we think Star Wars characters would drive? Or even some very British Mad Max vehicles? Or perhaps our Jurassic Park car that we think the filmmakers missed when making the last movie… | {
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Kathia Nobili – You cant find better exchange for your porn movies then to fucking your mother
1691 100% | {
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Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez joined his fellow Democrats Tuesday in condemning the Trump Administration’s decision to reinstate the citizenship question on the 2020 census. Perez claimed it was a move aimed at “voter suppression.”
"They want to change it to count the number of U.S. citizens so that they can engage in very not subtle voter suppression," he told MSNBC’s Katy Tur. "That is illegal and that is totally inconsistent with what the North Star of the census in Republican and Democratic administrations have been."
"This is just another divide-and-conquer effort,” Perez emphasized. He called it “a first cousin of these voter ID laws sought to make sure that African Americans and Latinos can't vote."
"This is not who we are as a nation,” Perez added. “This is not why people died for the passage of the Voting Rights Act."
The Commerce Department announced the decision Monday night.
“The citizenship question will be the same as the one that is asked on the yearly American Community Survey (ACS),” they emphasize in a statement. “Citizenship questions have also been included on prior decennial censuses. Between 1820 and 1950, almost every decennial census asked a question on citizenship in some form. Today, surveys of sample populations, such as the Current Population Survey and the ACS, continue to ask a question on citizenship.”
They explained that the DOJ requested “census block level citizenship voting age population (CVAP) data that is not currently available from government surveys,” adding that “DOJ and the courts use CVAP data for the enforcement of Section 2 of the VRA, which protects minority voting rights.”
Perez didn’t buy that explanation, saying “when I hear the voting rights justification used to say this is why we need to do this, as someone who enforced the Voting Rights Act at the Justice Department for a number of years, the Voting Rights Act does not require this.”
He also claimed that the Trump administration is “trying to scare people,” calling the decision “an intimidation tactic. There are many mixed-status families…and they’re trying to make sure that the count isn’t accurate.” | {
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Jerusalem (CNN) Energized by American recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, the country's right-wing government has accelerated plans that imperil a two-state solution, solidifying Israel's power and control over Jerusalem.
In an all-night session, the Knesset, Israel's parliament, enacted a law early Tuesday making it much more difficult to negotiate Jerusalem as part of a peace process. The holy city is the most sensitive -- and perhaps most important -- issue in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with parts of the city claimed by both sides as their capital.
Only days earlier, a guiding body for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's party voted unanimously to apply Israeli law to West Bank settlements. Although that vote was non-binding, such a move would be seen as Israeli annexation of the territory.
The law was passed as an amendment to Israel's Basic Law -- the closest thing Israel has to a constitution -- which gives it more political weight. The amendment stipulates that any attempt to transfer sovereign control of Jerusalem to a foreign entity needs to be approved by a supermajority of 80 Knesset members out of 120.
Previously, the requirement was a majority of 61 members.
And, in a move that is surely to be met with Palestinian outrage, the amendment also authorizes the Knesset to change the municipal borders of Jerusalem with a simple majority, provided any neighborhoods removed from the city remain under Israeli sovereignty. That allows Israel to remove Palestinian neighborhoods from the city per the Greater Jerusalem Plan being advanced by members of Netanyahu's governing coalition.
"The goal is one that is shared by the overwhelming majority of Jewish Israelis," Deputy Minister Michael Oren told CNN," that Jerusalem will remain our capital and a Jewish majority city."
In response to the new law, a spokesman for Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said it was a "declaration of war" against the Palestinian people and their identity.
"This vote clearly indicates that Israel has officially declared the end of the so-called political process and has already begun to impose dictating and de facto policies," said Nabil Abu Rudeineh according to Wafa, the official Palestinian news agency.
"There is no legitimacy to the Trump decision, and there is no legitimacy to all the decisions of the Israeli Knesset. We will not allow in any way to allow such plans that are dangerous for the future of the region and the world to pass."
Advancing the plan would also fuel unrest in a city and a region that has seen regular demonstrations since Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel in early December.
The new law has little practical effect, says Daniel Siedemann, director of Terrestrial Jerusalem, a left-wing NGO that tracks developments in the holy city, but "it does however incrementally add to the despair on the Palestinian side in the absence of any prospect of forward movement [toward a final-status agreement]."
"This is an unabashed attempt to shackle future Israeli majorities, and it fits into a whole range of actions that are currently taking place that are geared to make any future permanent status agreement based on the two-state solution impossible. This is a strategic thrust in that direction."
Praising the amendment's passage, Education Minister Naftali Bennett said, "Our understanding is clear: No Jew has the authority to give up any part of the land. Nor does the Jewish people."
Though the amendment requires 80 votes to cede any part of Jerusalem, the amendment itself can be cancelled or changed with only 61 votes. Effectively, that means any governing coalition can alter the law, since 61 is the minimum number of seats for a coalition.
Slamming Bennett and pointing out the relative ease of changing the law, Israeli opposition leader Isaac Herzog said in a statement, "Laws which do not benefit the citizens at all are being advanced only because of one person who is leading the coalition: Naftali Bennett."
Passage of the law is one more blow to US President Donald Trump's closely guarded plans for a peace process. After Trump recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, Palestinian leaders said they no longer saw the US as an honest broker for peace, and they distanced themselves from the Trump administration and cancelled meetings with White House envoys.
Days earlier on New Year's Eve, the Likud Central Committee -- the guiding body for Netanyahu's political party -- voted unanimously to apply Israeli law to the country's settlements in the West Bank, a move that would be seen as tantamount to annexing large swaths of the territory. Israeli settlements in the West Bank are considered illegal under international law since the West Bank is recognized as occupied territory. This same land is where Palestinians hope their future state would lie.
More than a thousand Likud members voted in favor of the resolution, according to a spokesman for the chair of the committee. Netanyahu was not present at the committee meeting.
"He's trying to play with the cards," said Yoaz Hendel, head of the conservative Institute for Zionist Strategies think tank. "He tried not to stop [the Likud Central Committee vote] in order to make sure the right-wing base still sees him as the head of the right-wing camp. With his left hand, he is not part of it. He wasn't there, and if tomorrow morning you ask him, he'll tell you that this is only a matter of internal political discussions."
The committee vote is non-binding, and Netanyahu is unlikely to implement the resolution as Trump pursues his peace plan, but it signals a Likud leadership increasingly willing to challenge Netanyahu and shift his agenda further to the right.
In previous years, Netanyahu could have quashed such a resolution, knowing it would draw international criticism. But as Netanyahu faces two criminal investigations -- and many in his closest circle implicated in a third -- other politicians, including some within Netanyahu's own party, have become more audacious, sensing the possibility of early elections.
"We will tell the world it does not matter what the outsiders say," said Minister of Public Security Gilad Erdan after the committee vote. Erdan placed first in party primaries held in August 2016.
"We will place Israeli sovereignty over towns in Judea and Samaria," he continued, using the biblical term for the West Bank, "not because of our strength but because of our rights."
JUST WATCHED Israeli PM : Other countries to follow US Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Israeli PM : Other countries to follow US 03:31
In the past, Netanyahu has committed to a two-state solution, but walked this back in 2015 when he answered there would be no Palestinian state while he's in office.
But he has refrained from endorsing any framework since Trump took office.
In an exclusive interview with CNN, Netanyahu said, "Our position is Jerusalem remaining a united, safe and secure city. Freedom of worship for all faiths which we guarantee ... Palestinians may have a different vision. They should come and negotiate. They say they won't negotiate; they're walking away from the negotiation table ... again."
But the Knesset move, led by Netanyahu's party, has now attempted to remove the Jerusalem issue from the negotiating table, even though Trump said his recognition did not determine Israeli sovereignty over the holy city or contested borders. Both issues have been viewed as final status issues, only to be decided in negotiations. | {
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Crunchyroll announced on Wednesday that it has added the Space Warrior Baldios , The Twelve Kingdoms , and Dancouga anime. The site also added episodes 76-95 of the Miss Machiko anime.
Space Warrior Baldios is available for users in the United States and Canada, and is available with English subtitles and an English dub . Discotek Media licensed the Space Warrior Baldios anime, and it describes the story:
Instead of cleaning up their own nuclear waste, Planet S-1 brings their dirty work to Earth. Their military rulers want to knock us all off so their dying world can relocate here. Flying against fate, an S-1 rebel tries to defect to our side. But can a desperate and divided World Federation welcome him with open arms? Is this young Marine Leigan an ally or a spy? Can his robot ship Baldios and our Blue Strike Force unite to defeat The Red Fighters? And will it even matter if the impending doom arrives ahead of schedule? It's space war fought on the environmental front. The ultimate battle for survival.
Discotek Media released the film on Blu-ray Disc in April 2018 with both Japanese audio with English subtitles and the English dub .
The film debuted in 1981, and serves as both a summary and conclusion for the of the earlier cancelled 1980 Space Warrior Baldios television anime. Celebrity Home Entertainment previously released the film with an English dub under the title Space Warriors: Battle for Earth Station S-1 .
The Twelve Kingdoms is available for users in the United States and Canada, and is available with English subtitles and an English dub . Discotek Media licensed the anime, and it describes the story:
Go on an epic journey to the Kingdom of Kei! Upon being confronted by a mysterious stranger, Youko is told of her destiny and pulled away into another world. Thus begins Youko's perilous journey to the Kingdom of Kei on an epic road of espionage, terror, and betrayal. The mystic world of The Twelve Kingdoms assails her with one challenge after another. Will Youko embrace her destiny?
The Twelve Kingdoms premiered in 2002. Media Blasters originally offered the series in North America in August 2003 and then in a complete collection release in 2009. Media Blasters released the series on Blu-ray Disc in 2011. AsianCrush began streaming the anime last June.
Discotek Media 's Blu-ray Disc release is slated for May 28, and will have all 45 episodes in 1080p with Japanese audio with English subtitles, as well as the English dub .
Dancouga is available for users in the United States and Canada. Discotek Media licensed the anime, and it describes the story:
Deep in outer space, the emperor Muge plots his next conquest - an out-of-the-way planet known as Earth. Mustering all the forces of his own personal Empire of Death, the Emperor is by far the most formidable foe humans have ever faced. And now he's even more fearsome thanks to the defection of Shapiro Keats, a power-hungry Earthling reborn as an Empire informer. Army after army crumbles in the face of an onslaught of the Empire's seemingly indestructible robots. But now there's a team that just might be able to stop them: an ace pilot named Shinobu, Sara (Shapiro's one-time girlfriend) , and Ryo, a very unlikely young hero. Together, they're in command of a new secret weapon developed in a laboratory hidden deep in a lake in Japan. Enter Dancougar , the Super Beast Machine God - and the battle's just beginning!
The 38-episode series premiered in 1985 and spawned three original video anime ( OVA ) sequels. Another television series titled Jūsō Kikō Dancouga Nova premiered in 2007. Central Park Media previously licensed the series. Discotek Media released the series on DVD in July 2017.
Source: Crunchyroll (Joseph Luster) | {
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Every year, students wait with bated breath for their results - whether it's board exams or IIT-JEE or medical. Every year, they work hard to score enough marks to land in a college of their choosing. But sometimes, the 'enough marks' fall short of their expectations, shattering their dreams.
Parents and counsellors work equally hard at making their wards believe in the power of passion. Students who want to follow a particular line of interest - whether it's music or designing - should be allowed to do so lest they fall victim to a lifetime of misplaced identity.
This is why students everywhere must read this story.
humans of india
Also read: Indians Are Trying Hard To Cope With CBSE Class 12 Results & These Reactions Are Pure Gold
Chitraang Murdia topped All-India JEE (Advanced) in 2014 and took up B.Tech in Computer Science at IIT-Bombay. However, he soon chose to quit and pursue his passion for physics.
In a Humans of India post, he said,
"I realized that 'Computer science is interesting to me, but my passion lies in physics. I wanted to do research, probably in quantum theory'. Don't know how, but I developed my keen interest in Physics and decided to quit IIT. Everybody was shocked by this decision and that included even my friends."
He added,
"I got admission in one of the world most prestigious institution Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and that too with a scholarship. I have seen the students who are good in physics and maths are following the herd to seek admission to courses such as computer science and electrical engineering. It will definitely boost up the moral of those students who wish to pursue their interest in pure science but couldn't do that because of the family pressure or money."
bccl
Murdia's story is one of inspiration for students who want to follow their dreams and not the ones other people force them to embrace as their own. While some assistance and help are required from those more experienced, that doesn't mean you have to follow their rule book.
Also read: CBSE Class 12 Results Announced, Noida Girl Meghna Srivastava Tops With A Smashing 99.8%
With results pouring in this season, here's wishing every one of you good luck! | {
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Карточка будет действовать полгода. Если держатель не успеет потратить всю сумму, остаток автоматически аннулируется. При этом обналичить денежные средства нельзя: разрешается лишь использовать карточку при оплате товаров и услуг. Кроме того, существует ряд ограничений при получении карточки: выдается в одном экземпляре на семью, гость салона Cadillac должен быть старше 21 года, иметь водительские права и страховку, а также автомобиль, произведенный не концерном General Motors и не раньше 2004 года. | {
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Out of Spanish class for 5 minutes. Someone holds door open for you. Say "Gracias" and scurry off in embarrassment.
7,379 shares | {
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O ano de 2017 não foi dos melhores para a Apple no que diz respeito a bugs. Apesar da empresa ter sempre corrigido rapidamente os problemas, a verdade é que foram descobertos mais do que aquilo que é normal num produto com o carimbo da empresa de Cupertino.
Agora em 2018 já circula um novo bug! Com um simples caracter indiano é possível estoirar com a app Mensagens. Mas há outras apps afetadas.
O blog italiano Mobile World deu recentemente a conhecer um novo bug que afeta os iPhones que estão com o iOS 11.2.5. O bug envolve um caracter indiano (Telugu) que faz crashar a app Mensagens.
De acordo com o reportado, a app Mensagens não volta a abrir até que alguém lhe envie outra mensagem com outro conteúdo. Além da app Mensagens há outras que são afectadas como é o caso do WhatsApp, Twitter, etc.
Vejam no vídeo seguinte como tudo se processa.
Apesar de todos os testes realizados ao sistema operativo móvel da Apple, mesmo antes de serem lançadas as versões finais, os bugs continuam a aparecer. Com mais este, a Apple começa a ter um significativo histórico de bugs, com muitas semelhanças entre eles. De acordo com as informações, a versão beta pública do iOS 11.3 não é afetada por este bug. | {
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Women are being warned against trying a bizarre new trend that suggests using ground-up wasp nests to tighten and rejuvenate their vaginas.
Some online retailers have been selling oak galls, which are nests that house wasp eggs before they hatch, and touting them as a natural way of cleaning female genitals.
The product reportedly is crushed into a paste and applied topically, with one listing on Etsy, which has now been removed, claiming it can improve a woman’s sex life.
They are also being advertised as helping to “heal episiotomy cuts, rejuvenate the uterine wall and clean out the vagina” after childbirth, though there are warnings that it can “burn” when applied.
Now, gynecologist Dr. Jen Gunter is warning women not to get sucked in by the new trend after branding it “dangerous” — saying the practice is using “drying agents” to tighten the vagina.
Writing on her blog, she said: “Drying the vaginal mucosa increases the risk of abrasions during sex (not good) and destroys the protective mucous layer (not good).
‘Here’s a pro-tip, if something burns when you apply it to the vagina it is generally bad for the vagina.’ - Dr. Jen Gunter
“It could also wreak havoc with the good bacteria. This is a dangerous practice with real potential to harm.
“Here’s a pro-tip, if something burns when you apply it to the vagina it is generally bad for the vagina.”
But it’s not the first time the gynecologist has warned against using herbal remedies for the vagina.
Last year, she spoke out about the womb detox trend — which claimed to help women with endometriosis, ovarian cysts, thrush and fibroids.
Bags of perfumed herbs, known as Herbal Womb Detox Pearls, were being promoted as a health boost and women were being told to insert three of the balls into the vagina for 72 hours.
But Gunter explained: “Leaving a product that is not designed for prolonged vaginal use (and these are not) in the vagina is a risk for toxic shock syndrome. Just don’t do it.”
Sun Online has contacted Etsy for comment. | {
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Oh thank you. I don't think I have figured means of selling things online (and def not through this sight) But maybe some day in the future. Thanks though! | {
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In other news: I’ve re-discovered my love for Bismuth. 😚💖
Finally had the opportunity to draw again (I’ve been more stressed than I’ve ever been, no exaggeration)
Sorry for the lack of art these past few months | {
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The Tampa Bay Lightning have signed 2015 4th round draft pick Mathieu Joseph to an entry-level deal.
Extremely happy to sign my first NHL contract with the @TBLightning Organization! Thanks to everyone who help me along the way ! pic.twitter.com/qBL8aBAsCw — Mathieu Joseph (@MathJoseph7) December 24, 2016
Joseph is in his fourth season playing right wing for the Saint John Sea Dogs of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). He is currently tied for first in the league with 25 goals in just 29 games. In an interview earlier this season, Sea Dogs coach Danny Flynn commented on Joseph’s growth and development as a hockey player.
"He has a very good hockey sense. He's very competitive. He's developed nicely into an offensive player but, for a young player, he plays very well away from the puck. The two most important qualities for players to play in the National Hockey League are a high hockey sense and a high compete level. He has both of those things. In my opinion, for Tampa Bay, that was a steal of a pick."
Joseph’s tremendous effort and breakout year in the QMJHL led to an invitation to join Hockey Canada’s U20 World Junior Championship team. The tournament officially starts on December 26th, but Joseph has played well in the pre-tournament games, earning a spot on the second line alongside fellow Lightning prospect Taylor Raddysh.
Canada coach Dominique Ducharme confirms he will start the #worldjuniors with same lines as last night's game pic.twitter.com/I3uxnDyYIn — Mark Masters (@markhmasters) December 24, 2016
The young winger is looking forward to playing for his country, an honor that many players dream about but few get to experience. Best of luck to Joseph at World Juniors. Hopefully he’ll be suiting up for the Lightning very soon.
Additional Notes: AHL eligibility and salary cap implications
Some people may be wondering if Joseph can join the Syracuse Crunch to help alleviate the pressure caused by all of the injuries. Unfortunately, that is not possible. Because Joseph will not be 20 years old by the end of this calendar year, he is ineligible to leave the QMJHL to play in the American Hockey League.
The timing of this contract (before the end of the 2016 calendar year) has several advantages for the Tampa Bay Lightning. Here’s the explanation provided by the brilliant minds over at CapFriendly.
@Saima_1226 One of the biggest advantages to teams is a player potentially playing 4 years in the AHL on a 3 year contract. — CapFriendly (@CapFriendly) December 24, 2016 | {
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Where I come from back in the Northeast there is a chain of amazing little sub shops called Wawa. Back in West Chester, a suburb of Philadelphia from which I hail, they are not only a cooperate entity but a social institution. In most circles, Wawa not only surpasses other private competitors in the area but federal institutions as well; most would rather live near a Wawa than a police department or a good school. I have friends who have leased property with little other incentive than, "I know a 5-year lease commitment is a little long, and I know this place is small, has no windows, and still has the chalk outlines of the family that was executed here…but dude, there is a Wawa 500 yards away!"
Okay, so let me understand this. It sells sandwiches, gas, and snack food. How isn't that just a gas station?I hesitate to compare Wawa with one of its so-called contemporaries because I've never seen a Quiznos that, going 80 miles an hour, I would change 6 lanes of traffic for; I've never woken from a dead sleep at 3am and driven in a snow storm for a Subway foot long; and I wouldn't defend a 7-11 with my life if it was being robbed.
So trying to explain what a Wawa is to someone who's never experienced one can be a difficult conversation.
Me: God, I would kill your parents for a Classic Italian hoagie, right now.
Someone unfamiliar with Wawa, or as I call them, The Others: What's a Wawa?
Me: It's this chain of amazing sandwich shops, great sandwiches, iced tea, coffee, gas, and snacks, whatever.
The Others: Oh, so it's like a 7-11.
Me (gasping): Hell no! I don't know if you heard me use the word "amazing." The only thing amazing in a 7-11 is the language barrier.
The Others: Well if it's so amazing, why aren't they in Chicago?
Me: I don't know, why isn't the Eiffel Tower here? Why aren't there parking spaces? Why do you insist on calling soda "pop"? You people do a lot of stupid shit, I can't hold your hand through everything.
The Others: That doesn't make any sense.
Me: I know, sorry for lashing out. I defend Wawa like it was my baby.
Don't be fooled by the petroleum smell.The Others: Okay, so let me understand this. It sells sandwiches, gas, and snack food. How isn't that just a gas station?
Me: Because it's amazing! They've won awards for their sandwiches.
The Others: Yeah, what, a Pulitzer? Oh no, the Sandwich Award Board of Planet Earth. What a prestigious organization it must be for bestowing trophies upon cold cuts wrapped in bread. Sorry if I'm not impressed by people who spend their days judging and awarding sandwiches.
Me: Well, if you went there you would understand.
The Others: Yeah, well next time you go home, bring me back one of their Philly cheese steaks.
Me: Oh, the cheese steaks suck at Wawa.
The Others: …
Me: Well I mean, they aren't perfect…everything else is amazing though.
The Others: You're an idiot.
Me: Yeah, I know.
This all leads to an inevitable conclusion that Wawa is like the Matrix: No one can be told what The Wawa is; you have to see it for yourself. | {
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Sri Lanka’s civil war, having raged with varying intensity for over four decades, ended four years ago. The outcome was absolute: the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), who had led the military struggle for a sovereign Tamil homeland, were chased to their bunkers on the northernmost beaches of the island and decimated in relentless air raids. On May 18, 2009, Velupillai Prabhakaran, the unsparingly ruthless leader of the LTTE, was intercepted and executed by Sri Lankan armed forces as he attempted to flee to safety. Prabhakaran had come to personify the movement, and his end, so wretched, became the emblem of Tamil defeat and Sinhalese triumph. The government declared victory and many thousands of ordinary Sinhalese, radiating ethnic pride, poured into the streets of Colombo, the Sri Lankan capital, to celebrate.
Since then, Sri Lanka’s president, Mahinda Rajapaksa, has tirelessly touted his country as a tropical Eden “full of promise, with an economy poised to take off.” But the message belies the squalid reality of Sri Lanka under his rule. The former Tamil bastions in the north and east continue to be exposed to arbitrary violence by Sri Lankan authorities. Journalists are prevented from entering the region; non-government organizations have been uprooted on short notice. In the south, many of the president’s opponents and transparency activists have been “disappeared”—abruptly bundled away in the ubiquitous “white vans” that have become a source of dread throughout Sri Lanka. After touring Sri Lanka in August this year, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, issued an unusually strong statement. “Sri Lanka,” she said, “is a country where critical voices are quite often attacked or even permanently silenced.” Term limits on the presidency have been lifted, currency bills bear the president’s image, and the last vestiges of constitutional constraints on executive power were removed earlier this year when the Chief Justice of Sri Lanka was impeached on trumped up charges of corruption and replaced with the president’s own attorney general. Several of the state’s highest offices are now occupied by members of the Rajapaksa family. Democracy is on a ventilator in Sri Lanka, and an atmosphere of fear pervades the country.
At the end of the war in 2009, Sinhalese soldiers, long accustomed to imagining Tamils, with whom they’d had no meaningful interaction, as indomitable agents of mass murder, erupted with an uncontainable fury after vanquishing them. The videos of uniformed soldiers summarily executing Tamil men, and the clips showing trucks piled high with naked corpses of raped Tamil women, cannot easily be erased from the minds of those who survived the fighting but remain captive to its experience.
As many as 40,000 Tamil civilians were reportedly killed and another 70,000 unaccounted for as the Sri Lankan military concluded its final assault on the Tamil strongholds in the early months of 2009. International observers have since accused Rajapaksa of presiding over a catalogue of war crimes. He has contested the figures, rejected the charges, and resisted repeated calls for independent inquiries. At the same time, his government has paid millions of dollars to PR agencies in London and Washington to help slicken Sri Lanka’s post-war image.
Their efforts are poised to yield dividends as Sri Lanka prepares to host more than 50 heads of states of the Commonwealth of Nations over the weekend. The purpose of this powerful congregation is to hand over the rotating chairmanship of the Commonwealth—a grouping of former British colonies and dominions—to Rajapaksa. Colombo has been spruced up in anticipation of the visitors: shantytowns have been razed, poorer residents evacuated, and gigantic green screens erected along roadsides to hide the unbeautiful parts of the city from the visitors’ gaze. The government has imported a fleet of super-luxury limousines at an undisclosed price to ferry the foreign leaders from event to event. Even the spouses of the dignitaries can expect to be spoiled: Sri Lanka has lavished a small fortune on personalised jewellery for each of them.
And yet for all the seductive allure of the summit, Rajapaksa’s impending investiture has prompted some members of the Commonwealth to recoil. Canada, the largest nation in the Commonwealth, is boycotting the meeting. India, its most powerful Asian member, has downgraded its delegation. Mauritius, which will host the next biennial Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in 2015, has turned down the invitation with a terse declaration: “Human rights are more important than anything else.”
The decision of the remaining members—including, crucially, Britain, the parent nation of the Commonwealth—to attend the summit has been accompanied in most cases by assurances that concerns about human rights will be raised directly with Sri Lankan authorities. Yet, far from nudging Rajapaksa toward greater accountability, their presence in Sri Lanka is likely only to abet his rise. By making Rajapaksa the public face of a widely respected organization that claims to represent 2 billion people across six continents—and which once made illustrious contributions to the international effort to end apartheid rule in South Africa—the Commonwealth is sanctifying rather than stymying Sri Lanka’s alarming slide into authoritarian rule. The worldwide attention, instead of disconcerting Rajapaksa—as opponents of a proposed international boycott of the summit said it would—has already emboldened him: his hooligans have openly harassed foreign reporters covering the summit; journalists from Britain’s Channel4 have been trailed by Sri Lankan authorities; and Tamils have been prevented from entering Colombo. It’s chilling to imagine the fate of Rajapaksa’s domestic critics after his extravagant coronation is complete and the foreign guests have packed up and left.
To Tamils, the continuing reluctance of the world to recognize their suffering is an extension of the torment they endured on the battlefield. But even many Sinhalese are distraught by the turn their country has taken under Rajapaksa, and puzzled by the silence beyond Sri Lanka. Earlier this year, I spoke to a Sri Lankan lawyer who has helped Tamil families flee the island. He had initially supported the war effort, he told me. “After all the fighting, we thought we were finally going to have a sincere reconciliation and peace,” he said. “Instead, we got a dictator. First he ‘took care’ of the Tamils. Now it’s everyone else’s turn.” | {
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ATHENS (Reuters) - Greek police on Monday fired teargas to control a demonstration of pensioners protesting over cutbacks to their benefits, part of an austerity drive dictated by international lenders.
About 1,500 pensioners attempted to march to Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras’s office. Riot police blocked their path.
Tensions flared when dozens of pensioners attempted to push over a police bus blocking their way a few hundred meters (yards) from Tsipras’ office.
The left-led government is expected to submit its budget for 2017 in parliament on Monday evening.
Greece has been reeling from the impact of incessant rounds of austerity for the past seven years, dictated by creditors as a remedy for years of financial mismanagement which culminated in three international bailouts.
Pensioners have been particularly hit, with many benefits pared as taxes have spiked.
“Is it possible that I should pay the same real estate tax as a rich businessman?” asked Nikos Saslov, a civil servant due for retirement next year.
“If they (the government) are leftists, then I’m Sophia Loren,” the graying bespectacled man in sandals said, referring to the Italian actress. | {
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NEW YORK, NY — Military Working Dogs are more intelligent than second and first lieutenants, according to an article to be published next week in Army Times.
The article, titled “Who’s Got the Smarts?” examines groups of soldiers from different ranks, military occupation specialties, and career branches, and then orders them by intelligence.
“We factored in several things,” said Times managing editor Richard Brown, “such as test scores, writing samples, and difficulty of day-to-day tasks. Then we took the data and assigned each group a composite intelligence score.”
According to the Times, the top three smartest groups in the Army are brain surgeons, CBRN officers, and JAG Corps attorneys.
The bottom three? First lieutenants, followed closely by second lieutenants, and then military working dogs.
Pentagon sources have confirmed that in light of the article’s findings, Army brass has approved a policy to award Military Working Dogs the rank of Captain upon completion of basic dog training.
A 2009 study found that the average dog has the cognitive ability of a two-year-old child, which Brown says is perfectly in line with his publication’s rankings.
“A dog can perform basic arithmetic and can count to four or five,” Brown said. “They read body language, have an innate sense of basic fairness, and find their way through the woods. I challenge you to show me a first or second lieutenant who can do any of that.”
“To be fair,” Brown countered, “the lieutenants did display the ability to shit in a toilet and hold their bowel movements until an appropriate time, giving them a slightly higher ranking in that category than the military working dogs that haven’t been housebroken yet.”
Not everyone agrees with the findings.
“I have no doubt that every single K-9 in my unit is smarter than a PFC,” said Army Sgt. Tyrell Wiggins, a dog handler from the 503d Military Police Battalion at Ft. Bragg. “I mean, Sparky here can sniff out bombs and can follow basic commands. I’d like to see a PFC do either of those things. And sure, he sometimes eats other dogs’ shit, but you wouldn’t ever catch him buying a 2003 Mustang for $24,000 and 14 percent financing.”
Brown said it’s unfair, however, to look at one factor alone when determining intelligence. PFCs may indeed act like knuckleheads, but unlike junior officers, they aren’t innately dumb. They can eventually grow and mature, while junior officers must remain forever clueless.
“The data we have suggests that lieutenants are a special kind of stupid,” Brown said. | {
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Radja Nainggolan has admitted he struggles to stay faithful to his long-time wife
The 30-year-old said he attracts attention from women and finds it hard to resist
He said: 'A lot of women approach you really brazenly and it's difficult to say no'
Nainggolan is also not surprised there are hardly any openly gay football players
He said: 'They're ashamed and realise they'd probably be finished in this sport'
Radja Nainggolan has admitted he struggles to remain faithful to his long-time wife and claimed that a footballer's career would be over if they came out as gay.
The Roma star, who recently called time on his international career after being snubbed by Belgium boss Roberto Martinez, revealed his status as a footballer attracts attention from women and that he sometimes finds it hard to resist the temptations despite having been married for seven years.
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'A lot of women approach you really brazenly and it's difficult to say no sometimes,' Nainggolan said on Gert Late Night on Belgian TV.
Roma midfielder Radja Nainggolan has admitted he struggles to remain faithful to his wife
The 30-year-old married his long-time partner Claudia in 2011 and have one child together
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'I'm married, I'm not going to say that I am an angel, but the important thing is that it never comes out.
'It's really tough, as if you go to a party and suddenly there are five women around you. What do you do?'
The 30-year-old, who is no stranger to controversy, also said he is not surprised that there are hardly any openly gay professional footballers as he believes it would seriously damage their careers.
'They do not come out. They are ashamed and realise they'd probably be finished in this sport if they came out today.
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The Belgian also said he is not surprised that there are hardly any openly gay footballers
'It'd be tough to talk about that in a locker room. Football is known for being surrounded by beautiful women.'
Nainggolan, who has a checkered past off the pitch, also recently slammed Martinez's explanation for not including him in his World Cup squad.
He said: 'After the training game against Spain, I was suddenly left out of the team. Was it because I arrived late? I don't want to mention any names, but that's happened with other players and they're still there.
Nainggolan said: 'Football is known for being surrounded by beautiful women'
He also recently slammed Roberto Martinez for not naming him in Belgium's World Cup squad
'That some people criticise me for smoking I can understand. They feel that I should be a role model for youngsters.
'But if that's what I wanted to be, I would have become a primary school teacher or an educator. But I'm a footballer and I want to be judged based on my performances on the pitch.'
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Nainggolan was also disciplined by his current club Roma for posting videos on social media of him drinking and smoking at a New Year's Eve party.
Nainggolan was seen drinking in the videos as he enjoyed the night with his friends
The former Belgium international could also be seen smoking during the social media videos | {
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Not only has the Institute for Strategic Dialogue smeared a senior Sweden Democrat as a "far-right extremist", it also offered the Swedish authorities its help in gathering data on him and his associates abroad through "investigative work".
The Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD), a British think tank which had previously called for financial sanctions against Sweden's alternative media, also offered the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB) the ability to spy on Sweden's right-wing politicians, the news outlet Samhällsnytt reported.
Samhällsnytt has gained access to an e-mail from the organisation's researcher Chloe Colliver, who claimed to have "uncovered links" between the Swedish right-wingers, influencers she labelled "far right" and Hungary, naming anti-immigrant Sweden Democrat Kent Ekeroth as "the most obvious example".
"To uncover more about these links, we would have had to engage in more offline, investigative journalism work. <…> I believe there would be lots more to uncover in terms of offline links, support and financial backing connecting Hungarian and Swedish far right movements. It was not something we were able to cover ourselves in any detail, but many journalists have started to see a real infrastructure of support built in Hungary to support these kind of international movements, both in elections and outside of elections. Let me know if I can provide any more information on that," Chloe Colliver wrote, as quoted by Samhällsnytt.
READ MORE: Outrage as Swedish Greens Blame Swedes for Migrants' Crime, Failure to Integrate
This e-mail, the news outlet claims, is part of a longer correspondence between Colliver and a Swedish MSB official. A few days later, MSB published a report by ISD which proposed sanctions against alternative media outlets which offer substantiated criticism of immigration, such as Samhällsnytt, Fria Tider and Nyheter Idag.
Kent Ekeroth represented the Sweden Democrats in the Swedish parliament between 2010 and 2018, and profiled himself as a staunch opponent of Islam and immigration. During his time as an MP, Ekeroth supported the deportation of criminal immigrants, an idea that has since been adopted by the more radical Alternative for Sweden, which openly markets itself as a "repatriation party". Ekeroth has since moved to the Hungarian capital Budapest.
"It is extremely serious when authorities receive offers to spy on Swedish politicians abroad. Colliver mentions 'investigative journalism' in her email, but she is not a journalist and her organisation is not part of the press. Therefore, it is crystal clear what this is about, political espionage against the opposition under the auspices of MSB. The fact that she repeatedly refers to Swedish politicians as 'extreme right' in the e-mail shows that this is an accepted way of communicating with MSB" Kent Ekeroth told Samhällsnytt.
READ MORE: 70% of Swedes Lose Confidence in Politicians Amid Weakest Gov't in Decades
The Institute for Strategic Dialogue is a London-based organisation which bills itself as a "think and do tank" poised to tackle the "rising challenges of violent extremism, inter-communal conflict and polarisation" and "empower grassroots networks against hate and extremism".
MSB is a Swedish state authority that belongs to the Justice Ministry with responsibility for emergency preparedness and civil defence.
The Sweden Democrats are the country's largest right-wing party, which despite its substantial electoral successes hasn't been able to elevate any of its MPs to a cabinet-level post due to other parties collaborating to edge it out by forming a "cordon sanitaire". | {
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There was a time not that long ago, when most Americans didn't know who James Comey was. Now? His name is going to be plastered all over history books. Documentaries from now until the end of America (so like a year and half or so, if Trump survives this) are going to focus on his smallest decisions. Hell, there are going to be Oscar-bait movies about this guy. In 2037, an aging Miles Teller will play him in his DiCaprio-esque quest to win the top prize. And one incident that will feature prominently in all of those things? Donald Trump's meeting with law enforcement after the inauguration that James Comey apparently wanted desperately to avoid. This comes from James Comey's friend, Benjamin Wittes at Lawfare.
Comey described really not wanting to go to that meeting, for the same reason he later did not want to go to the private dinner with Trump: the FBI director should be always at arm’s length from the President, in his view. There was an additional sensitivity here too, because many Democrats blamed Comey for Trump’s election, so he didn’t want any shows of closeness between the two that might reinforce a perception that he had put a thumb on the scale in Trump’s favor. But he also felt that he could not refuse a presidential invitation, particularly not one that went to a broad array of law enforcement leadership. So he went. But as he told me the story, he tried hard to blend into the background and avoid any one-on-one interaction. He was wearing a blue blazer and noticed that the drapes were blue. So he stood in the back, right in front of the drapes, hoping Trump wouldn’t notice him camouflaged against the wall. If you look at the video, Comey is standing about as far from Trump as it is physically possible to be in that room.
Yes. A real aspect of this complicated and crazy James Comey saga is that he attempted to hide from President Donald Trump in some blue curtains. Let's see how successful he was.
James Comey, it turns out, is not super great at hiding. I mean it's tough when you're a 6-foot-8 monster of a man, but at the same time, those aren't even the same blues, my man. But forgetting for a second, his struggles at camouflage, this is a story that makes Trump sound like the mob boss he seems to fancy himself, and Comey like a guy who knew things were bad and didn't know how to handle it. Honestly, it would all be hilarious if it weren't for the fact that it's terrifying and dangerous and the future of our nation is at stake. But, yeah, otherwise pretty hilarious.
Watch Now:
Meet Mike Hot Pence | {
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Meet Our Doctor!
Dr. Rushda Riaz
Dr. Rushda Riaz has total work experience of 9 years with reputed hospitals like Fortis, Apollo, ESIC Hospital, Sumitra Hospital and Cloudnine Hospital as gynaecologist consultant.
She is an experienced gynaecologist and an expert obstetrician. She completed her laparoscopic training (DMAS and FMAS) from World Laparoscopy Hospital which is a single specialty hospital exclusively dedicated to laparoscopic treatment training and research. She completed her M.B.B.S and DGO from Jawahar Lal Nehru Medical College, Aligarh Muslim University that has been ranked 8th by India Today in 2017. She is a great learner and keep participating in numerous medical conferences to keep herself updated abut latest technological advances in medical science like she recently attended 'International conference on recent advances in diabetes and Endocrionology.' | {
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"White skin notwithstanding, this is our first black president. Blacker than any actual black person who could ever be elected in our children's lifetime. After all, he displays almost every trope of blackness: single-parent household, born poor, working-class, saxophone-playing, McDonald's-and-junk-food-loving boy from Arkansas."
With these words in the New Yorker in 1998, Toni Morrison granted our 42nd president, William Jefferson Clinton, a kind of cadet membership in the grand cultural narrative of black America. While her intent was never to make him out as a role model, her essay nevertheless reflected how implausible, how impossibly distant the idea of an African American occupant in the Oval Office seemed at the time.
Morrison couldn't have known that, exactly a decade later, her assertion would be given the lie: We now face the very real prospect in Barack Obama of an "actual black person" being elected president — though one whose own cultural narrative is so unique and complicated that some would argue it has as many contrasts as commonalities with that of the average black American.
In fact, reading Obama's absorbing 1995 memoir "Dreams from My Father," it strikes me that the tropes that surround and define Obama can just as easily be read as those of another community entirely. Which raises the question: Could it be that our true first black president might also be our first Asian American president?
Fitting the curve
He was born and raised in Hawaii, the only majority-Asian state in the union; he spent four formative years in Jakarta, the home of his Indonesian stepfather Lolo Soetoro, where he attended local schools and learned passable Bahasa Indonesia. The family with whom he's closest — half-sister Maya Soetoro-Ng and her Chinese Canadian husband, Konrad Ng — are Asian American. So, too, are the most senior members of his congressional team — his Senate chief of staff Pete Rouse, whose mother is Japanese American, and his legislative director Chris Lu, whose parents hail from China.
Evidence for Obama's affinity with the Asian American experience runs true even as one delves deeper into his history. "A lot of aspects of the senator's story will be recognizable to many Asian Americans," says Lu, a Harvard Law School classmate of the senator's who joined the team in 2005. "He talks about feeling like somewhat of an outsider; about coming to terms with his self-identity; about figuring out how to reconcile the values from his unique heritage with those of larger U.S. society. These are tensions and conflicts that play out in the lives of all children of immigrants."
And how he talks about those tensions could be rote recital from the Asian American literary canon. With minor search-and-replace, much of the first half of "Dreams" could have been excerpted from an Asian American coming-of-age work, like Gus Lee's "China Boy," Gene Yang's "American Born Chinese," or Michael Kang's "The Motel."
For instance, Obama recalls how, on his first day at school in Hawaii, his well-intentioned teacher made a point of complimenting him on his beautiful, alien name, waxing on about the fantastical magnificence of Kenya, and asking "what tribe" his father was from — thereby condemning young Barack (classmate: "I thought your name was Barry!") to the status of outsider, foreigner, weirdo.
"I heard titters break across the room," writes Obama. "I spent the rest of the day in a daze ... The novelty of having me in the class quickly wore off for the other kids, although my sense that I didn't belong continued to grow ... Most of my classmates had been together since kindergarten; they lived in the same neighborhoods, in split-level homes with swimming pools; their fathers coached the same Little League teams; their mothers sponsored the bake sales. Nobody played soccer or badminton or chess, and I had no idea how to throw a football in a spiral or balance on a skateboard."
And he talks about how, as he grew older, he began to realize that his pervasive sense of difference extended beyond the mere purgatory of elementary school. "TV, movies, the radio ... Pop culture was color-coded, after all," he writes. "I began to notice that Cosby never got the girl on 'I Spy,' that the black man on 'Mission: Impossible' spent all his time underground. I noticed that there was nobody like me in the Sears, Roebuck Christmas catalog ... and that Santa was a white man."
By the time Obama talks about his remote father's outsized academic expectations for him ("Have I told you that your brothers and sister have also excelled in their schooling? It's in the blood, I think"; "Barry, you do not work as hard as you should ... If the boy has done his work for tomorrow, he can begin on his next day's assignments. Or the assignments he will have when he returns from the holidays") and about his overprotective mother's use of guilt as leverage ("A healthy dose of guilt never hurt anybody," she tells him, "It's what civilization was built on, guilt. A highly underrated emotion") the Asian American reader's feelings of deja vu will have slipped from amusing to uncanny.
Translating identity
But even if Obama's personal narrative reads like it was written to an Asian American template, why should that matter? The fact is, understanding this dimension of his makeup offers critical insights to how his outlook and political sensibilities were forged, even providing explanation for some of his more controversial positions, such as his charge to black America about the crises of disengaged parenting and broken families.
"The senator often talks about the importance of education, the value of hard work, and the need for a sense of personal responsibility," says Chris Lu. "That resonates with a lot of Asian Americans, who feel they've pulled themselves up by their bootstraps, and understand the notion that what we accomplish in life is in large part a measure of who we are as people, and how hard we strive."
To some African American leaders, notably the Rev. Jesse Jackson, Obama's continued reminders of the duty of parents to their children and citizens to their society sound elitist and patronizing. To Asian Americans, they sound ... well, they sound familiar. They're at the core of the ethical foundation many of us have inherited, that fusion of post-Confucian philosophy and immigrant ethos the media often calls "Asian values." Aspiration tempered with pragmatism. Strenuous effort and rigorous accountability as the bedrock of success. Moderation in all things, humility in times of triumph, patience in periods of tribulation.
This is a point often missed by those who have assessed Obama at face value, seeing in him a fiery street preacher or a bright-eyed idealist, an iconoclast or an ideologue, and expressed disillusionment with what they see as "triangulation" or "pandering" in some of his recent positions. The people who know him best say that the senator is nothing if not consistent — that throughout his career and campaign he has stayed true, if you will, to his Asian American roots.
The coat of many colors
Calling Obama the first Asian American president doesn't obscure or invalidate his other identities — black, white, multiracial, transnational, pancultural. If anything, it simply highlights the fact that his diverse heritage uniquely invites those around him to project on him a full spectrum of hopes and dreams.
"He's basically a human Rorschach test," says Lu. "African Americans think, and rightfully so, that this is a guy who understands their experience. But it's similar if you talk to Latinos and Asian Americans, or to our 22-year-old field organizers. People see in him the qualities they want to see."
The important thing to note is that this isn't a case of "either/or," but "and." Perhaps the way to read Obama was best pointed out by another black man of mixed heritage, another pioneer whose arrival on a heretofore lily-white landscape shook the firmament. If we are all Tiger Woods, there's no reason we can't all be Barack Obama. We are the world's foremost Cablinasian nation, and in an increasingly flat and unbounded global landscape, this is not a weakness, but our greatest competitive strength.
"It's amusing watching people come up with these caricatures suggesting he's not American," notes Lu. "He's not only American, his story is the quintessential American story. It's the story that our nation is all about."
The prompt for writing this piece, which I've been musing on for a while, was my recent attendance at the UNITY Journalists of Color convention in Chicago. Given the event and location, it wasn't entirely unexpected that Barack Obama was scheduled to speak at the conference; similarly, it wasn't entirely unexpected that a similar invitation extended to John McCain was rejected. Obama was speaking on home turf, to an audience of familiar faces. McCain would have been out of his element and almost certain to face tough questions about immigration, affirmative action, gay adoption, even his past use of the term "gook." So, Obama appeared on his own, in a brief, CNN-simulcast interview by CNN correspondent Suzanne Malveaux and Time magazine world editor Romesh Ratnesar. The organizers of the convention went to great pains to ask attendees to demonstrate "professional decorum" by resisting the urge to treat Obama with anything but polite respect; unsurprisingly, coverage of his talk focused more on the audience and its reaction than on the substance of his remarks.
In fact, Obama did get a brief standing ovation — though far less sustained and extreme than the White House Correspondents Association regularly grants the President and other key subjects of their coverage each year. Which brings up the question of double standards. Did journalistic standards demand that attendees sit stoicly in their seats? Was a slap on the wrist warranted for those moved to clap on their feet? The question rests on the notion that being moved by a person's remarks — or grateful for his presence — at a single event is a sign of a conspiracy to compromise basic fairness in reporting. That seems bogus — even offensive.
If the abundantly collegial nature of "mainstream" events like the WHCA gala is given a free pass, focusing on UNITY's reaction to Obama is a blanket assertion that minority journalists are less mature, less conscientious, less dedicated to their craft than their white counterparts. It's particularly ridiculous when one considers that journalists of color make up a tiny fraction of the political press corps — people who would actually be covering the campaign. And the ones who are covering it know they're under a microscope, and thus they're likely to be even more self-aware and restrained in their work than their colleagues. Finally, as far as balance is concerned, no one seems to have written a line about the fact that McCain refused to attend, despite being a few states away in Ohio at the time (while Obama, meanwhile, flew overnight from Europe to make it to the event). McCain has made his willingness to face tough issues and buck expectations a core part of his political persona. Even if he saw UNITY as hostile territory, well, it would have been a mark of courage — and possibly a way of redirecting attention away from Obama's barnstorming world tour — had he attended; it would also have emphasized his desire to truly be a president for all Americans. But, like the WHCA, he faced nary a question. Does the burden of proof in these cases rest solely on the shoulders of people of color? | {
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The Zig Zag Wrasse- a New Sporadic Cleaner Wrasse Found
The Zig Zag wrasse , Halichoeres scapularis is a species of wrasse which grows to approximately 20 centimeters in length. There is little literature on these fish and they do not appear to have been studied in any detail. They have recently been noted to exhibit sporadic cleaning behavior.
APPEARANCE
As with many wrasses, they are protogynous hermaphrodites and start life as females with the potential to turn into males later in life. As a juvenile and a female, the zigzag wrasse has a white background coloration with a black or yellow or a black and yellow stripe zigzagging along the body. The area above the stripe has a slight bluish tint.
As a mature male the coloration is quite different, the background color is a very light bluish green sheen and the yellow or black line generally disappears and goes purple. The caudal fin is yellowish and the body is over laid with pinkish marks across the body and horizontal lines across the face. The dorsal fin has horizontal pink stripes over a yellowish color and the anal fin is yellowish with a pink line. The eye is an orange color.
HABITAT
The zig zag wrasse occurs in tropical waters of the Indo-West Pacific area. The fish inhabits lagoons and seaward reefs and is most commonly seen searching over sandy and rubble filled areas alongside the reef although it has also been observed swimming across grass beds. It occurs mainly singly but can be seen in groups.
DIET
The zig zag wrasse forages singly or in groups for benthic crustaceans and they are commonly seen swimming across rubble near the reef and at times over the reef its self.
SPECIALISED BEHAVIOUR NOTED AMONG FEMALES IN TANZANIA
At Njau Gap on Pemba Island in 2014 we first noticed two of these wrasses cleaning two arabian spinecheeks Scolopsis ghanam. The individuals cleaning were both females as can be seen in the images. Similar behavior has been noted in Brazil with Halichoeres penrosei which has been described as a sporadic cleaner wrasse. Halichoeres scapularis bears quite a physical resemblance to Halichoeres penrosei
Subsequently when diving in Dar es Salaam and Mafia Island in Tanzania we have observed the same behavior and interestingly have on several occasions seen the females performing a similar dance to that of the blue stripe cleaner wrasse, dipping their tail up and down. The dance seems more of an impromptu action compared to the blue streak cleaner, Labroides dimidiatus and the bi color cleaner Labroides bicolor which both set up specific cleaning stations around coral bommies.
The juvenile zig zag wrasse does not seem to be as territorial as the Labroides species and seems to do its dance whenever it sees a potential “client” that it wants to clean and on occasion dances for a diver whereas the Labroides species are generally tied to a specific spot. To date we have not observed any terminal males doing any cleaning and possibly this is only performed by the females. We do have some fairly poor quality video of a fish exhibiting this dance should anyone wish to see it. It is however interesting that it uses the same behavior as Labroides to attract “clients”.
As an experiment we placed some bait near Halichoeres scapularis and it vigorously ate it, whereas the same bait placed near Labroides dimidiatus elicited no response. Certainly the fish is a sporadic cleaner.
The images above and below show a juvenile Zigzag Wrasse cleaning an Arabian Monacle Bream (Scolopsis ghanam)
REPRODUCTION
Zig zag wrasses are pelagic spawners.
AQUARIUMS
The zig zag wrasse is not commonly kept in aquariums. They would make an ideal fish for beginners as they are tough fish but would very likely be territorial. Sometimes on a big spring tide they can be seen stranded in rock pools with the water temperature over 35 C. They are voracious eaters of any meat bait put out and would be very easy to feed. They are a fairly attractive looking fish as well.
CLASSIFICATION
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Family: Labridae
Genus: Halichoeres
Species: H. scapularis
LITERATURE CITED
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halichoeres_scapularis
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/232020014_Halichoeres_penrosei_Labridae_a_sporadic_cleaner_wrasse
Ericka O.C. Coni, José de Anchieta C.C. Nunes and Cláudio L.S. Sampaio (2008). Halichoeres penrosei (Labridae), a sporadic cleaner wrasse. Marine Biodiversity Records, 1, e82 doi:10.1017/S1755267207008494.
USEFUL LITERATURE
Burgesss-Atlas-Marine-Aquarium-Fishes
Coral-Reef-Fishes-Indo-Pacific-Caribbean
Reef-Fishes-Indies-Gerry-Allen
EQUIPMENT USED
Canon 7D
Ikelite 7D Housing
Twin Ikelite DS 161 Strobes
Flat Ikelite Lens Port
Ikelite Dual Synch Cord
Ikelite 5.1 inch Port body | {
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DENVER (AP) — Colorado's legal marijuana market is far exceeding tax expectations, according to a budget proposal released Wednesday by Gov. John Hickenlooper that gives the first official estimate of how much the state expects to make from pot taxes.
The proposal outlines plans to spend some $99 million next fiscal year on substance abuse prevention, youth marijuana use prevention and other priorities. The money would come from a statewide 12.9 percent sales tax on recreational pot. Colorado's total pot sales next fiscal year were estimated to be about $610 million.
Retail sales began Jan. 1 in Colorado. Sales have been strong, though exact figures for January sales won't be made public until early next month.
The governor predicted sales and excise taxes next fiscal year would produce some $98 million, well above a $70 million annual estimate given to voters when they approved the pot taxes last year. The governor also includes taxes from medical pot, which are subject only to the statewide 2.9 percent sales tax.
Washington state budget forecasters released a projection Wednesday for that state, where retail sales don't begin for a few months.
Economic forecasters in Olympia predicted that the state's new legal recreational marijuana market will bring nearly $190 million to state coffers over four years starting in mid-2015. Washington state sets budgets biennially.
In Colorado, Hickenlooper's proposal listed six priorities for spending the pot sales taxes.
The spending plan included $45.5 million for youth use prevention, $40.4 million for substance abuse treatment and $12.4 million for public health.
"We view our top priority as creating an environment where negative impacts on children from marijuana legalization are avoided completely," Hickenlooper wrote in a letter to legislative budget writers, which must approve the plan.
The governor also proposed a $5.8 million, three-year "statewide media campaign on marijuana use," presumably highlighting the drug's health risks. The state Department of Transportation would get $1.9 million for a new "Drive High, Get a DUI" campaign to tout the state's new marijuana blood-limit standard for drivers.
Also, Hickenlooper has proposed spending $7 million for an additional 105 beds in residential treatment centers for substance abuse disorders.
"This package represents a strong yet cautious first step" for regulating pot, the governor wrote. He told lawmakers he'd be back with a more complete spending prediction later this year.
The Colorado pot tax plan doesn't include an additional 15 percent pot excise tax, of which $40 million a year already is designated for school construction. The governor projected the full $40 million to be reached next year.
The initial tax projections are rosier than those given to voters in 2012, when state fiscal projections on the marijuana-legalization amendment would produce $39.5 million in sales taxes next fiscal year, which begins in July.
The rosier projections come from updated data about how many retail stores Colorado has (163 as of Feb. 18) and how much customers are paying for pot. There's no standardized sales price, but recreational pot generally is going for much more than the $202 an ounce forecasters guessed last year.
Mason Tvert, a legalization activist who ran Colorado's 2012 campaign, said other states are watching closely to see what legal weed can produce in tax revenue.
"Voters and state lawmakers around the country are watching how this system unfolds in Colorado, and the prospect of generating significant revenue while eliminating the underground marijuana market is increasingly appealing," said Tvert, who now works for the Marijuana Policy Project.
Meanwhile, The Denver Post reported Wednesday that banks holding commercial loans on properties that lease to Colorado marijuana businesses say they don't plan to refinance those loans when they come due. Bankers say property used as collateral for those loans theoretically is subject to federal drug-seizure laws, which makes the loans a risk.
Colorado's two largest banks, Wells Fargo Bank and FirstBank, say they won't offer new loans to landowners with preexisting leases with pot businesses. And Wells Fargo and Vectra Bank have told commercial loan clients they either have to evict marijuana businesses or seek refinancing elsewhere.
"Our policy of not banking marijuana-related businesses and not lending on commercial properties leased by marijuana-related businesses is based on applicable federal laws," Wells Fargo spokeswoman Cristie Drumm told the Post.
___
Associated Press writer Rachel La Corte in Olympia, Wash., contributed to this report. | {
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A former Tampa Bay Buccaneer wants the Bucs’ current head coach fired, and it has nothing to do with the team’s 0-4 start.
Ex-Tampa Bay quarterback Shaun King discussed the sorry state of his former club on Yahoo! Sports’ SportsDash on Tuesday, and he insisted that Bucs owner Malcolm Glazer must sever ties with Greg Schiano immediately after the coach’s handing of Josh Freeman‘s medical records.
Word leaked out Monday that Freeman, who was benched last week after a tumultuous start to the season both on and off the field, is currently in stage one of the NFL’s drug program — a fact King says should have never been made public.
Freeman quickly issued a statement explaining his participation in the program, and the very apparent rift between coach and quarterback this season has led some to speculate that Schiano himself leaked the information. Schiano has of course vehemently denied these allegations, but King says he should be held responsible regardless, because the confidential information was allowed to trickle out under his watch.
See the full interview in the video below.
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One of the primary criticisms of Joe Biden’s bid for office is that, while he’s light-years better than the nauseating national nightmare that is Donald Trump, he hasn’t necessarily progressed with the times. For example, he only recently rescinded his support for the Hyde Amendment, which in most cases prevents federal money from being used to fund abortions. Also potentially concerning: He loves to talk about all the compromises he’d make with Republican lawmakers, some of whom have views that are more than a little scary to those living in the 21st century. And a dinner last night in New York is unlikely to change the perception that Biden may be a skosh out of touch with today’s Democratic Party!
Speaking at a fund-raiser at the Carlyle Hotel on Tuesday, Biden defended himself against claims that he’s too “old fashioned.” Stressing the importance of being “able to reach consensus under our system,” he told a little story about his great working relationship with two former colleagues, the late senators James O. Eastland and Herman Talmadge, who were…staunchly opposed to desegregation. (Yes, it gets worse from there.)
“I was in a caucus with James O. Eastland,” Biden said, adopting the Mississippi lawmaker’s southern accent. “He never called me ‘boy,’ he always called me ‘son.’” Talmadge, meanwhile, was “one of the meanest guys I ever knew.” But guess what? Even though Talmadge, per the New York Times, was a critic of the civil rights movement and opposed the Supreme Court decision that declared public school segregation unconstitutional, and Eastland was a plantation owner who called the civil rights movement the work of “Communists” and referred to African Americans as the “inferior race,” Biden was able to work with them both just fine! “At least there was some civility,” Biden said. “We got things done. We didn’t agree on much of anything. We got things done. We got it finished. But today you look at the other side and you’re the enemy. Not the opposition, the enemy. We don’t talk to each other anymore.” Of course, some people might argue that those who, in the case of Eastland, used racist terms like “mongrelization” should be viewed as the enemy, but apparently Joe Biden isn’t one them.
On Wednesday, Senator Cory Booker said in a statement, “Frankly, I’m disappointed that [Biden] hasn’t issued an immediate apology for the pain his words are dredging up for many Americans. He should.” On twitter, Mayor Bill de Blasio wrote: “Eastland thought my multiracial family should be illegal & that whites were entitled to ‘the pursuit of dead n------’. It’s past time for apologies or evolution from Joe Biden. He repeatedly demonstrates that he is out of step with the values of the modern Democratic Party.”
Elsewhere in the former V.P.’s attempt to make the slogan Biden 2020: Nothing Will Change happen (and set Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren’s hair on fire), Biden reportedly told the room of financiers: | {
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The wife of an Irish man arrested in the United States has said her family will be torn apart if he is deported.
Keith Byrne from Fermoy, Co Cork was arrested on his way to work in Philadelphia early last Wednesday morning, and is currently being detained at a correctional facility.
The 37-year-old entered the US on a 90-day Visa Waiver programme in 2007. He overstayed this visa and subsequently got married in 2009.
Mr Byrne's arrest comes in the same week that US President Donald Trump promised an immigration crackdown, targeting undocumented people living illegally in the US.
His wife Keran Byrne told RTÉ News they have spent years going through the legal process to try to "adjust his status", but have been refused several times, due to a drugs conviction in Ireland.
She said they want to get the attention of "someone that can intervene in the situation".
"I don't know what the Irish authorities have the ability to do, but if they have the ability to do anything, then I would accept that kind of help," she said.
"We need to make the story known because it's tragic. Our family is going to be torn apart if Keith gets deported."
Ms Byrne said her husband was being treated like a criminal and described the situation he was facing as "unjust and unfair".
"He is not a criminal. He has a family and a business, and abides by the law like every other citizen," she said.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the US said Mr Byrne "failed to depart the United States under the terms of his admission" and that he has now been issued with a "visa waiver removal order".
Mr Byrne has a 13-year-old step son and two younger children, aged four and six, who are said to be "very sad and confused" about what is happening.
Ms Byrne said she did not believe her husband was one of the so-called "undocumented" immigrants because she said "he's been doing nothing but documenting his time here since 2010".
"He was given work authorisation, a social security number, the ability to drive. That has all been ripped away from him while we were still in the process of taking the next steps to continue the fight," Ms Byrne said.
She described her husband as "generous, kind-hearted, hard-working".
"He'll give a helping hand to anyone who needs it and right now he needs a helping hand", she said.
It is understood that US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) plans to swoop on thousands of people in raids across several major cities such as Chicago, Miami and Los Angeles.
An Irish immigration attorney based in Chicago says that it is understood that these raids will most likely target people who have already been issued final deportation orders.
However, Fiona McEntee of McEntee Law Company said: "This is not to say that other people who are also undocumented could not get swept up in this."
Ms McEntee said that people should be aware of their rights and familiarise themselves with advice from the American Council for Civil Liberties (ACLU) to let them know what to do "if ICE comes to the door".
"The main thing to be aware of is that you do not have to open your door if ICE is there unless they have a warrant that is signed by a judge and not just an ICE warrant", and advised that information and knowledge is key for people to be fully prepared in advance.
The Department of Foreign Affairs in Dublin said it "understands the concerns of Irish citizens in the US and their families at home in light of reported developments", but added "these issues are a matter for the US authorities".
"Our embassy, as well as our six consulates across the US, work closely with the Coalition of Irish Immigration Centres who support the needs of Irish citizens in the United States."
It has advised anyone with concerns to contact the embassy or their local consulate or immigration centre, who the department said "can provide advice and suggest the names of reputable immigration lawyers if required". | {
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更新
東京都は７日、昨年１０～１１月に舛添要一知事がロンドン・パリを訪れた際にかかった海外出張費が、計２０人分で総額５０４２万円に及んだことを都議会の予算特別委員会に示した。その直前に訪れたソウル出張には、１１人で約６４５万円かかっており、今年度は計５７００万円が海外出張に費やされていた。
舛添知事は２０２０年東京五輪・パラリンピック開催に向け“都市外交”にさらに力を入れる方針。来年度予算案には、都市外交関連費１９億円のうち３億３５００万円が海外出張費として計上されているという。 | {
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Performing jobs like driving water trucks or providing catering and custodial services, the tribal communities of Fort Mckay have opportunities that didn’t exist before. In the process though, they’re also supporting the very industry that is inexorably compromising the local environment and upending their traditional way of life.
“That money goes back to housing, to infrastructure, it goes into payments to the people in straight annual cash, payments for supporting kids,” says Elkaim. “It is the inevitable — they understand this — but for them it’s better to benefit than just sit there and watch and get screwed by it. And they are getting screwed, because at the same time they’re making money but they’re losing the foundations of who they are.”
Google hasn’t bothered to send a street view car to Fort Mckay, but from above you can still get a good look at just how much it’s hemmed in by Sunco’s bitumen gathering operations. Just down river from Ft. Mckay the former city of Fort McMurray, now an “urban service area,” houses Suncor’s diaspora of employees (Google has sent a car there). | {
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By PTI
BEIJING: Nine people were killed and 46 others injured when a man drove his SUV into a crowd and later went on a stabbing spree in China's Hunan province on Wednesday evening.
The attack took place as people had gathered in a square by the river in Hengdong county.
The driver, Yang Zanyun, 54, first ploughed through the people with his vehicle and later got out of it and went on a rampage attacking people with a knife.
Nine people were killed and 46 others were injured, state-run Global Times reported.
Yang was detained by the police, who said he has a criminal record and has been jailed several times.
Knife attacks by disgruntled people in public places and schools to highlight their grievances periodically occur in China.
Several bystanders posted graphic video footage shortly after the incident on Chinese social media.
In the videos, dozens of people can be seen lying on the ground, some in pools of blood, while panicked crowds and emergency services personnel gather around them, Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported.
Local media reports quoted a restaurant manager in the vicinity of the attack as saying that he saw a red Land Rover suddenly ploughing through a crowd of people at a high speed after 7 PM.
A large number of mostly elderly people were dancing or walking in the square after dinner, at that time.
Many fell to the ground after they were hit by the speeding SUV.
Uyghur militants from Xinjiang from the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) have also in the past attacked crowds with speeding cars. | {
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Maligned though New York’s rental market may be, a fortunate few do manage to stumble onto the ideal apartment early and easily. Such was the case with Sacha Moore, who scored a charming one-bedroom with a working fireplace in Brooklyn Heights (with the help of her sister) when she and her husband moved back to the city from New Orleans in 2003.
At 350 square feet, however, it seemed an unlikely candidate for the long haul. But 14 years, two children, two cats and a bunny later, Ms. Moore is still in her beloved Middagh Street walk-up.
“As soon as I moved to this neighborhood, I was like, ‘I love it — good job, sister!’” Ms. Moore said. She was delighted by its prettiness, how much everyone who lived there seemed to like it and how it felt both idyllic and down-to-earth, a place of not only stately houses but long-term renters.
Her husband attended law school and she got a master’s in social work. He went to work for Brooklyn Defender Services. She prepared court reports. Though small, the apartment felt suitable for two. The birth of their daughter in 2008, however, made them reconsider. (The couple separated three years ago and are now divorced.) | {
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click to enlarge Photo Credit: Tom Sullens
click to enlarge Photo Credit: Tom Sullens
click to enlarge Photo Credit: Tom Sullens
Pedro Rodriguez, the Cleveland Indians fan who made national headlines in 2014 for confronting anti-Wahoo protesters in red face , confronted the anti-Wahoo protesters again Monday, before the home opener was postponed.This time, he came to apologize.He expressed remorse to the group for his cultural appropriation, and apologized directly to Robert Roche , (pictured above), the local leader of the American Indian Education Center and Rodriguez's sparring partner back in 2014."He still likes the name," said Chrissy Stonebraker-Martinez. She's from the InterReligious Task Force on Central America and attended Monday's protest in solidarity. "But he says he will never dress that way again. It was really moving and beautiful."The protesters applauded Mr. Rodriguez and recognized his courage and grace. | {
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DUNDALK, Md. (AP) – A Maryland man has been arrested following an hours-long standoff with law enforcement that police say began when a family member took a bite from his grilled cheese sandwich.
Baltimore County police spokesman Shawn Vinson says the dispute began about 5 p.m. Sunday at a Dundalk home. He says the man was eating with his wife and daughter, and became angry when one of them took a bite from his sandwich, prompting him to fire a shot inside the house.
The wife and daughter were able to safely leave the house, but the man barricaded himself inside. He surrendered peacefully shortly before 9 p.m.
No one was injured.
Police took the man to a hospital for an evaluation. Vinson says the man will face charges. | {
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The day India freed Goa from Portuguese rule Published duration 19 December 2017
image copyright Getty Images image caption Goa was liberated in 1961, 14 years after India became independent
Goa on India's western coast was freed from Portuguese rule on 19 December 1961, more than four centuries after it was colonised.
The fight for freedom began in the 1940s as India inched closer to independence from British rule. But Goa remained a Portuguese colony until 1961, straining relations between India and Portugal as the former's support for the anti-colonial movement in Goa grew. In 1955, India even imposed an economic blockade on Goa.
In 1961, the Indian army invaded the state after the Portuguese fired at Indian fishing boats, killing one fisherman.
After 36 hours of air, sea and land strikes by the army, General Manuel Antonio Vassalo e Silva, governor general of Goa, signed the "instrument of surrender", handing over Goan territory to India.
Supriya Vohra hears from Goans about the days leading up to liberation.
Higino Emidio Rebelo, 71, hotelier
image copyright Supriya Vohra image caption Mr Rebelo was 14 when Goa was freed from Portuguese rule
Vasco, where we lived, was a trading port. After the Indian government imposed an economic blockade on Goa, our provisions would be imported from across the world - potatoes from the Netherlands, wine from Portugal, vegetables and rice from Pakistan, tea from Ceylon [now Sri Lanka], cement from Japan, steel from Belgium. They would arrive in Vasco and then travel to different parts of Goa.
I remember the morning of 17 December when we heard that a bridge was bombed [by Portuguese troops, to hinder the Indian army advance]. My father sent us to my mother's maiden home, 30km (19 miles) south of Vasco.
When we returned some days later, we found that the Indian military had taken over our building.
image copyright AFP image caption A Goan newspaper on 20 December 1961, with the headline 'Long live India'
The governor general was a man of first class character. When he visited Goa in 1983, we felicitated him with open arms.
We Goans have always believed in an environment-friendly lifestyle and economy. But things have changed in the last few years. There are plans to import more coal into the state, which will cause more pollution. Our rivers are being nationalised to carry cargo. No one is against development, but this isn't progress.
Libia Lobo Sardesai, lawyer
image copyright Supriya Vohra image caption The moment when the Portuguese had surrendered was the happiest moment of my life, said Mrs Sardesai
After India got independence in 1947, I joined the Goan Youth League. I always had a fire for Goa's freedom in me. After 1955, due to the economic blockade, Goans had no access to any outside news or information. It became imperative to expose Portuguese propaganda through a clandestine method which took the shape of an underground radio programme.
Vaman Sardesai [who she later married] and I started the station, broadcasting every morning and evening in Portuguese and Konkani [the local language]. The Voice of Freedom station was run from forests bordering Goa between November 1955 and December 1961.
It boosted the morale of Goan people.
image copyright Libia Lobo Sardesai image caption Vaman and Libia Sardesai ran an underground radio programme from 1955 to 1961
It was not an easy life for us, but we were committed to our cause. We did not know how long we would have to go on - all we knew was that we must keep giving Goans information and inspiration.
The Portuguese army was not happy, and they tried to track us down. Thankfully, they couldn't.
On 15 December 1961, India's then defence minister, Krishna Menon, used our programme to send a message to the Portuguese army to negotiate. We repeated the message every hour throughout the next day. The Indian army entered Goa when they received no response from the Portuguese.
When I heard the news that the Portuguese had surrendered, it was the happiest moment of my life.
I felt I must go up in the skies to announce Goa's freedom from Portuguese rule after 450 years. In fact, we did that by dropping leaflets and making announcements while flying in a plane over Goa for two hours.
Goa was liberated for progress. But today, in the name of progress, the state is being vandalised.
Damodar Mauzo, 73, writer
image copyright Supriya Vohra image caption Damodar Mauzo remembers watching Indian troops liberate Goa
When I was 12, I had to perform a religious ceremony at my home. We had photos of national leaders - Mahatma Gandhi, India's first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru, independence leader Subhash Chandra Bose. There was also a photo each of Buddha and Jesus Christ.
My father invited Portuguese officials stationed in my village. He was advised by his friends to remove the photos of Indian leaders because he might be suspected of being a nationalist. At the time, most Hindus were considered nationalists, although there were many Christians fighting for Goa's freedom.
My father said: "I have committed no crime. I don't think they will object." They came and they noted the photos. They seemed happy that they could identify the leaders. I think they saw the photo of Christ and thought how secular this family is. But our family and friends were apprehensive.
I used to cycle to the nearby town of Margao during the "liberation days" as that was the most happening place in southern Goa.
I was excited to see the Indian army marching through Margao's streets. I was exhilarated to be an eyewitness to the historic event.
image copyright Supriya Vohra image caption Many Goans are worried about the effect of rapid development on the environment
I have seen how, during the colonial days, the Portuguese had made a mockery of democracy and elections. Today, we see things have undergone a huge transformation.
But frankly, all is not well. The indiscriminate use of land in the name of development has impoverished the state. Mining has damaged it. Today, we see growing communal disharmony.
Supriya Vohra is an independent journalist based in Goa. | {
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On Thursday, NASA astronauts Jeff Williams and Kate Rubins completed their second spacewalk in as many weeks, installing new external components on the International Space Station (ISS) and conducting maintenance on existing ones.
The mission marked Mr. Williams’ fifth spacewalk, and Ms. Rubins’ second. When Williams, commander of Expedition 48, returns to Earth, he will have spent 534 days in orbit over four missions – a US record for space endurance. Last week, Ms. Rubins became the first person ever to sequence DNA in space.
But it takes a lot to keep a space station running, and this mission was more about upkeep than personal (or national) bests.
The two astronauts were tasked with retracting a 44-foot-long thermal radiator on the outside of ISS. Williams folded the panel with a power tool as Rubins floated nearby as a spotter. The radiator was originally extended in an effort to stop a coolant leak in 2012. A different team attempted the radiator retraction after the leak was discovered elsewhere on the station, but were unsuccessful.
“The reason why we’re retracting this radiator is it’s not in use anymore, it’s fully extended and kind of exposed to the external environment and susceptible to any orbital debris or damage that may come its way,” flight director Zeb Scoville told CBS. “It’s one of our high priority spares, we really want to be able to get it retracted and covered up so we can count on it in the future should the need arise.”
Having completed their primary objective, Williams and Rubins tightened struts on a solar array joint and installed a high-definition television camera on the station’s exterior. The camera will provide HD imagery of the Soyuz vehicles that crewmembers use to return to Earth, allowing for better safety inspection.
“There’s going to be some great opportunities for Earth observation as well as inspections of the rest of station,” Mr. Scoville said. “I’m really expecting to see some just fantastic imagery coming out of these cameras.”
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Williams and Rubins were later informed of an explosion at Cape Canaveral just an hour into the spacewalk. At that time, SpaceX was conducting a test launch of its uncrewed Falcon rocket. The explosion did not cause any injuries, according to a spokesperson for the aerospace company. The rocket was slated to take off on Saturday with an Israeli satellite, as part of a communications experiment spearheaded by Facebook.
The two US astronauts installed a new docking port on a previous spacewalk, Aug. 19. | {
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This article is from the archive of our partner .
Mark Sanford, famous for not hiking on the Appalachian Trail, is polling behind Elizabeth Colbert Busch, famous for being the sister of a guy who lampoons conservatives, in the race for South Carolina's conservative first congressional district. According to Public Policy Polling, which is run by people with Democratic views, Colbert Busch, who is running as a Democrat, is just ahead of Sanford, a Republican, by a margin of 47 percent to 45 percent in their poll of likely voters.
While that is within the poll's 2.9 percent margin of error, it's still a surprising result because Charleston-area district has been a safe Republican district. Republicans have held the seat since 1981. President Obama is seen favorably by 41 percent of voters there -- and unfavorably by 57 percent. Republican Tim Scott was reelected in the district by 62 percent to 35 percent in 2012 (He The seat is open after Gov. Nikki Haley appointed him to fill Jim DeMint's Senate seat). Redistricting that will be in effect for the May 7 election made the seat no less safe for Republicans, according Roll Call's Joshua Miller.
So Colbert Busch remains the underdog. But the poll shows how unpopular Sanford remains, perhaps because of the spectacular way in which he revealed he was having an affair with an Argentinian lady who was not his wife. Sanford is likely to win a runoff to be the Republican nominee -- he's polling 53 percent to Curtis Bostic's 43 percent. PPP finds 58 percent of voters see Sanford unfavorably, while 34 percent see him favorably. Compare that to Colbert Busch, who's seen favorably by 45 percent of voters and unfavorably by 31 percent. But even Stephen Colbert's approval rating is higher than Sanford's at 36 percent.
This article is from the archive of our partner The Wire.
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Pig farmer turns to animal rights
HIGH ON THE HOG: The former pork-raiser has dedicated himself to vegetarianism and animal husbandry since a little piglet ‘convinced’ him that killing pigs was wrong
By Tsai Pai-lingand Stacy Hsu / Staff reporter, with staff writer
A hog farmer from New Taipei City’s (新北市) Linkou District (林口) has transformed his farm into a real-life “piggy paradise” where pigs are not raised for meat, after he was struck by the woeful eyes of a piglet which was going to be slaughtered.
“Animals are our friends, not our food,” said 34-year-old Lo Hung-hsien (駱鴻賢), the owner of the pig sanctuary, who is also a vegetarianism advocate and a part-time volunteer.
In an effort to cover the huge overhead costs of managing the non-profitable ranch, Lo holds down multiple jobs, including working as a cargo driver, setting up temporary stalls at night markets and running an online business selling dumplings.
Lo Hung-hsien feeds his pigs at his farm in New Taipei City on Tuesday. Photo: Tsai Pai-ling, Taipei Times
Aside from his salaried jobs, Lo also squeezes in time for his advocacy work to promote the benefits of a vegetarian diet, volunteer at schools and give free speeches at the Tzu Chi Foundation.
Exhausting all his hard-earned money on raising his family and “piggy friends,” Lo said that despite all the criticism he has received for his decision to change how the farm was managed, he will still hold on to his beliefs even if it left him penniless.
Before his change of heart, Lo said that he had been a profit-driven pig farmer who inherited his family’s large-scale, lucrative farming business from his grandfather.
Lo said that at the business’ peak, his farm could accommodate 500 pigs and raked in substantial revenue that was far more than he could spend.
Recalling the moment that transformed him from a moneymaking pig farmer to a vegetarian who regarded his farm animals as close companions, Lo said it was a piglet that was about to be butchered that changed his perception of pig farming.
Lo said that at the time, a staff member from a slaughterhouse had gone to his farm to single out a few hogs, prompting the terrified animals to start wailing.
“Except for one piglet, which abruptly quieted down when I took it in my hands and then it looked me right in the eyes, as if saying: ‘How could you do this to me?’ That look in its eyes shattered me and kept me awake all night,” Lo said.
“It was then that I resolved to convert to vegetarianism and cut off cooperation with any butcheries,” he said.
Over the past few years, only forty out of the hundreds of hogs survive, while the rest have succumbed to old age or disease, but Lo still spares no effort in attending to his pig companions.
Lo starts his day at 4am each morning, driving to a number of vegetarian restaurants to collect their leftovers, which are first cooked before being fed to his treasured pets.
Afterward, Lo cleans up the pigpens and washes and plays with the hogs attentively, as if they were his children.
He has also sprayed the slogan “animals are our friends, not our food” on his truck because he wants to spread the seeds of his beliefs wherever he goes. | {
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If you spent your year paying close attention to the comings and goings of Angelina and Brad, Tom and Katie, Jessica and Nick, Judy and Scooter -- or, heaven forbid, more important things like DeLay or the deluge that devastated the Gulf Coast -- you might have missed the most disconcerting, perplexing and underreported stories from 2005.
Not the Brightest Crayons in the Box
DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT HISTORY Texas House Speaker Tom Craddick told a middle-school class that the U.S. Congress is different from the Texas legislature because in Washington, there are "454" members on the House side and "60" in the Senate.
--Associated Press, April 15
CROOKS WITH MONEY MANAGEMENT PROBLEMS (I) Police in Twin Falls, Idaho, confiscated almost $1 billion in counterfeit money in a scheme doomed from the start because all the bills were in the nonexistent denomination of $1 million. A Lafayette, Ind., counterfeiter did better with his bogus $100 bills, known as "Benjamins" (for Benjamin Franklin, whose likeness appears on the front). His mistake: The watermark, when held up to the light, showed Abe Lincoln's face -- apparently the result of using a $5 bill as a model. (Otherwise, said police investigator Jeff Rooze, the fakes were excellent. Police charged 22-year-old Earl H. Devine with four counts of forgery and four counts of theft.)
--Twin Falls News-Times, Oct. 8; Journal and Courier (Lafayette, Ind.), Aug. 11
CROOKS WITH MONEY MANAGEMENT PROBLEMS (II) A judge gave Vickey Siles of New Haven, Ind., just a suspended sentence and probation, ostensibly out of pity for the lousy job she did altering a check from Globe Life and Accident Co. Siles had tried to obliterate the "$1.00" amount of the check by typing "$4,000,000.00" over it, and then attempted to cash it at a neighborhood check-cashing store.
--Fort Wayne News-Sentinel, March 19
BLING 1, MATERNAL INSTINCT 0 Firefighters in Stamford, Conn., had to break a car window, against the owner's wishes, to rescue her 23-month-old son, whom she had accidentally locked inside along with the key. According to police reports and a 911 tape, the kid had been sweltering for more than 20 minutes on an 88-degree July day when Susan Guita Silverstein, 42 (who was later charged with reckless endangerment), asked firefighters to wait until she went home to get a spare key so they wouldn't have to damage her Audi A4.
--Stamford Advocate, July 26
Guv'mint at Work
TACKLING THE HARD ISSUES Oklahoma state senator Frank Shurden proposed legislation to revive the "sport" of cockfighting, which the state outlawed in 2002. But to make it more rooster-friendly, he suggested that the birds wear tiny boxing gloves instead of razor cleats and wear fencing-type electronic vests to record hits. "Let the roosters do what they love to do without getting injured," he said.
-- The Daily Oklahoman , Jan. 26
TOUGH WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT City Council member Yvonne Lamanna, 58, filed a workers' compensation claim against the city of Penn Hills, Pa., after she threw her back out while taking her seat at the Feb. 7 council meeting.
-- Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, March 9
THE LAWS OF IRONY ARE STRICTLY ENFORCED When CNN/USA Today/Gallup pollsters asked in a telephone survey whether President Bush is a "uniter" or a "divider," 49 percent said a uniter and 49 percent said a divider.
--CNN, Jan. 19
DO I LOSE MY PLACE IN LINE? As a registered sex offender in California, James Andrew Crawford was required to notify authorities if he adopted a new "domicile" for more than five days. He was arrested in May for noncompliance after he camped out for two weeks in a theater line waiting for "Star Wars: Episode III" to open.
--North County (Escondido, Calif.) Times, May 19
At the Edge of Credulity
ANOTHER BUSH ADMINISTRATION SKEPTICAL OF THE GENEVA CONVENTIONS Laura and Edmund Gerstein, keen to save their beloved grapefruit tree from Florida's citrus canker eradication program, claimed immunity for the tree under the Geneva Conventions (the paragraph on protecting crops needed for civilians' survival during wartime). "As I understand it," said Edmund Gerstein, "we're in a state of war." Responded a state Department of Agriculture spokesman: "That tree will be coming down."
--Sun-Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), April 5, April 26
PLEASE DON'T BOTHER TO RELOAD In an early-morning shootout on June 4 at the Homewood housing complex in Pittsburgh, two undercover officers and a suspect exchanged at least 103 gunshots without anyone getting hit. (The first bullet did shatter the windshield of the officers' car, however.)
--Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, June 5; Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, June 5
LAWYERS UNFAMILIAR WITH THEIR OWN CLIENT In court papers filed in 1994 but which only this year drew public attention, lawyers zealously representing the Catholic Archdiocese of Portland, Ore., offered an unusual countercharge to a child-support claim against Father Arturo Uribe: that the mother herself was negligent because she had engaged in "unprotected intercourse." The lawyers did not explain how this defense squares with Roman Catholic doctrine, which regards birth control as a sin.
--Los Angeles Times, July 24, Aug. 3
The Entrepreneurial Spirit
BEST INVENTIONS OF THE YEAR (I) Spanish designer Pep Torres said he was nearing a launch date for his "Your Turn" washing machine, which he developed to encourage couples and families to share housework. Users initially register their fingerprints, and Your Turn will not operate if started by the same print twice in a row.
--Mirror (London), March 10; BBC News, May 1
BEST INVENTIONS OF THE YEAR (II) Yamaha Corp. introduced the MyRoom, a customizable, soundproof, shed-like structure with 27 square feet of floor space, to install inside notoriously crowded Japanese homes, for privacy (or to be exiled to). The company expects a sales surge in 2006, when Japan's first wave of baby-boom salarymen retire and begin annoying their spouses at home.
--Times (London), May 27
THE STATE OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTEST Thirty-five Greenpeace activists rushed onto the floor of the International Petroleum Exchange in London intending to paralyze oil trading on the day the Kyoto environmental initiative took effect, but several traders turned on them, punching and kicking the protesters until they ran for their lives. (One activist was hospitalized with a suspected broken jaw, another with a concussion.) Said one understated Greenpeacer, "I've never seen anyone less amenable to listening to our point of view."
--Associated Press, Feb. 16; Times (London), Feb. 17
THE REALITY SHOW IS NEXT At a new theme park in El Alberto, Mexico (near Mexico City), wannabe migrants to the United States can test their survival skills at an obstacle course that replicates the rigors migrants must endure while sneaking across the border. Admission price: about $13.50.
--Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Feb. 20
SOON TO BE A BUSINESS SCHOOL CASE STUDY When Japanese business exec Takashi Hashiyama had to choose either Sotheby's or Christie's to sell off his company's art collection, he asked the two auction houses to play rock-paper-scissors to win the privilege. Sotheby's chose paper and lost out on the eventual $2.3 million commission. (A Christie's executive had taken the advice of one of his 11-year-old twin daughters, who said, "Everybody knows you always start with scissors.")
--Wall Street Journal, New York Times, April 29
Body and Soul
DANGERS THE SURGEON GENERAL MISSED Smoke started rising from Israel's then-finance minister Benjamin Netanyahu as he was sitting for a radio interview in Jerusalem in May, causing him to fling his jacket off. He had stuffed his lighted cigar inside a pocket to comply with the room's no-smoking policy. And in Foreman, Ark., Jeff Foran, 38, suffered facial injuries when he impulsively leaped from a fast-moving car just to retrieve his cigarette, which had blown out a window.
--Reuters, May 30 Associated Press, May 23
BRINGING NEW MEANING TO TICKET-SCALPING Reba Schappell, a professional country music singer from Reading, Pa., who is also a conjoined-at-the-head twin with sister Lori, told a BBC radio audience, "When I am singing, Lori is like any other fan, except she's up on the stage with me [covered by a blanket to reduce the distraction]." Said Lori, "I do not ask for anything from Reba. I don't get in to her concerts free just because she's a conjoined twin. I have to pay, just like every other fan . . . ."
--BBC, Sept. 21
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: PLEASE LET GREGORY HANG OUT TODAY Gregory Withrow and an associate staged a protest at the California state capitol building in Sacramento against U.S. policy in Iraq and in favor of white supremacy, among other issues. The associate's job was to nail Withrow's hands to a cross so he could stand as a martyr. Withrow brought notes with him from a Butte County, Calif., health official (saying that Withrow's plan to hurt himself was "thoughtfully considered") and from the Sacramento parks department (acknowledging that no permit was needed for the crucifixion).
--Sacramento Bee, April 21
Just Criminal
DOES THE COP GET CREDIT FOR TWO COLLARS? Transsexual prostitute Monica Renee Champion, 37, was picked up by police in Richmond after arrest warrants for indecent exposure had been issued against her in the city's South Side, as a male, and in the North Side, as a female.
--Richmond Times-Dispatch, Aug. 27
THE CLASSIC MIDDLE NAME (ALL NEW FOR 2005!) Once again this year, as a public service, we release this crucial homicide data:
Charged with murder, awaiting trial: Darrell Wayne Maness, 19 (Wilmington, N.C.); Timothy Wayne Ebert, 39 (Cleveland, Tex.); John Wayne Blair, 49 (Sevier County, Tenn.); Derek Wayne Jackson, 18 (Norristown, Pa.); Nathaniel Wayne Hart, 34 (Austin, Tex.); Kenneth Wayne Keller, 42, (Denton County, Tex.); Ronald Wayne Lail, 43 (Burke County, N.C.); Timothy Wayne Condrey, 27 (Caroleen, N.C.); Roy Wayne Russell, 45 (Vancouver, Wash.); Jeremy Wayne Hopkins, 22 (Denton, Tex.); Reginald Wayne Thomas, 23 (Huntsville, Tex.); Matthew Wayne Almand, 18 (Melbourne, Fla.)
Convicted of murder, but found insane: Emmanuel Wayne Harris, 28 (Bisbee, Ariz.)
Sentenced for murder: Tyler Wayne Justice (Alice, Tex.); Douglas Wayne Pepper, 44 (Greensboro, N.C.)
Awaiting a retrial after a judge overturned his murder conviction: Donald Wayne Shipe, 37 (Winchester, Va.)
Committed suicide in a murder-suicide: Eric Wayne Jacobs, 27 (Castroville, Tex.); Michael Wayne Baxter, 30 (Edgewater, Md.)
Executed for murder : Dennis Wayne Bagwell, 41; Lonnie Wayne Pursley, 43; Melvin Wayne White, 55 (all from Huntsville, Tex., the state penitentiary)
Died of a drug overdose while serving two life terms for murder: Russell Wayne Wagner, 52 (Jessup, Md.) (He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery based on Army service in Vietnam. The son of Wagner's victims objected, prompting a congressional review. A 1997 law supposedly bars those convicted of capital crimes from being buried in a national cemetery.)
Final note: Police in New Scotland, N.Y., arrested Corianna Thompson, 45, in April for the murder of her mother, then released her last month without charges while they investigate "additional leads." Thompson's birth name was Corey Wayne Balashek. Before his sex change, he served nine years in prison for the 1981 strangulation of an Albany nurse. Authorities believe Thompson/Balashek is the first American, let alone the first middle-name-Wayne, to be arrested for murder in both genders.
Sources: Maness: Wilmington (N.C.) Star News, Jan. 19; Ebert: Houston Chronicle, Feb. 22; Blair: Knoxville News-Sentinel, April 29; Associated Press, May 28; Jackson: Philadelphia Inquirer, April 21; Hart: Austin American-Statesman, April 13, Nov. 3; Keller: Dallas Morning News, Aug. 14; Lail: Charlotte Observer, Sept. 22; Condrey: Daily Courier (Forest City, N.C.), Sept. 22; Russell: The Columbian (Vancouver, Wash.), Nov. 19; Hopkins: Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Nov. 22; Thomas: Houston Chronicle, Nov. 24; Almand: Orlando Sentinel, Nov. 30; Shipe: Winchester Star, May 4, Nov. 8; Harris: Associated Press, Jan. 20; Justice: Alice (Tex.) Echo-News Journal, Sept. 14; Pepper: Greensboro (N.C.) News & Record, Nov. 8; Bagwell: Associated Press, Feb. 17; Pursley: Associated Press, May 3; White: Associated Press, Nov. 3; Jacobs: Houston Chronicle, April 14; Baxter: The Capital (Annapolis), Oct. 8; Wagner: Washington Post, Aug. 5, 10; Thompson/Balashek: Albany (N.Y.) Times Union, April 11, Nov. 18
Chuck Shepherd writes the weekly syndicated column News of the Weird, which appears locally in Washington City Paper. His e-mail address [email protected]. | {
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I've been doing the Lifeday event ever since the servers came up yesterday, and finally collected 50 each of the four new holotrees (plus a few for our guildship), and it was much fun to do it as a group!
Here's a small video on how it looked like:
Read below for details on what you have to do for it.
First, some details about the droids: There are new Life Day Droids spawning on Coruscant (near Galactic Senate), Dromund Kaas (in Kaas City) and Nar Shaddaa (on the promenade). I recommend going to Nar Shaddaa since it has the most droids.
Each droid has a chance to spawn as a Overheated Life Day Droid, then he'll also have a small overheated buff. Otherwise, he'll just be a regular Life Day Droid.
After five minutes, the droids automatically despawn and will reappear ~4 minutes later; it will be random if they are overheated or not.
The overheated droids are level 10 enemies when they spawn and will turn green as soon as you throw the first snowball at them. If you attack them, they will do a crazy snowball attack, very fun to watch, but be careful to not kill them since they don't have too much HP. They don't drop any loot, so there's no point in killing them, except to annoy other players who want to farm the decorations.
Once an instance newly opens, all droids will spawn/despawn at the same time. Only after some players killed a few of the droids will the interval change, since now some of the droids will spawn differently. My recommendation is to go the first instance that has been open since Tuesday, because there the spawntimes will vary the most.
Depending on RNG, you may have five overheated droids up at the same time, or not a single one. There's nothing you can do about it, except to choose an instance that has been open for a long time. Otherwise, you'll have to wait the 4 minutes for all droids to reappear at the same time and can do nothing in between. Here's what you need to do: Like all players and NPCs, you can receive the Snow-Covered Parcels from throwing snowballs at the droids (15% chance). But when you throw a snowball at an overheated droid, you have an additional 15% chance to receive the Holiday Hero achievement and one of four holotrees.
You will not receive any reward when the target already has the snowflakes buff from you. However, when other players throw a snowball at it, the buff will be renewed and you can once again get a reward from it. With the new changes to the interface editor, you can turn on that your own buffs are highlighted, that way you'll know if you yourself applied the buff or someone else did it.
The important thing to note is: Even after an overheated droid is green, you can still get the decorations from it, as long as the buff on it was not applied by your character. So if you have at least two players, you can constantly throw snowballs at the same droid to farm the decorations. How to organize a group: While you only need two players to farm the decorations, I recommend to take along more players. The more players you have, the faster you'll find the overheated droids and the more fun it will be. I took along up to 24 players since that is the maximum group limit, but you can take even more players!
If your server has a global LFG channel, make sure to advertise it, and write it in fleet chat as well! Many players don't know about the droids and will be happy to learn they can get the decorations from it.
We created new abbreviations to refer to the droid spawnpoints, because just writing "droid is here" does not help anyone. Here are some examples: upstairs, northern/southern ramp, GSI room, cantina, GTN, stage, statue head/tail etc.
Don't worry if players leave the group. Not everyone wants to farm the droids for hours, some only want one of each of the trees, and they'll still be grateful to you. Just make sure to continue advertising in chat so that there'll always be new players to invite. How long it takes: In order to get 2x50 of the new decorations from the vendor, you need 2,000 parcels, which translates to 55 hours of non-stop farming.
To get all 4x50 decorations from the droids, you need to throw snowballs for roughly 5 and a half hours. But since droids will constantly despawn and reappear, you'll always have to wait a few minutes in between, so the actual time is more like 7 to 10 hours, depending on RNG.
Once you get all those decorations, you should have received around 200 parcels for free just from throwing snowballs at the droids. So in order to get the remaining 1800 parcels, you only need to farm your companion for around 50 additional hours. IMO, Bioware did a great job with this event. It is always fun when you can create large groups and do something together. Like farming the world bosses during the Gree and Rakghoul event, doing mass pvp, porting the whole server to the Rishi datacrons or the Yavin world boss. This event was no exception, and it is the reason why SWTOR has a much better community than other MMOs in my opinion.
I hope this guide helps you in how to farm the droids the most efficient way, even though it is a lot of text. Happy Life Day everyone! Not everyone knows that there is more to this year's Lifeday's event than the two new decorations at the vendor , so I figured I should write a small guide on how to best farm the four new decorations from the overheated droids.I've been doing the Lifeday event ever since the servers came up yesterday, and finally collected 50 each of the four new holotrees (plus a few for our guildship), and it was much fun to do it as a group!Here's a small video on how it looked like: http://www.twitch.tv/theeho/c/5700549 Read below for details on what you have to do for it.IMO, Bioware did a great job with this event. It is always fun when you can create large groups and do something together. Like farming the world bosses during the Gree and Rakghoul event, doing mass pvp, porting the whole server to the Rishi datacrons or the Yavin world boss. This event was no exception, and it is the reason why SWTOR has a much better community than other MMOs in my opinion.I hope this guide helps you in how to farm the droids the most efficient way, even though it is a lot of text. Happy Life Day everyone! Scoundrel healer. Raid leader. Guild officer @ Tulak Hord | {
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Since the Pittsburgh Riverhounds moved into Highmark Stadium in 2013, there’s been one primary constant — Kevin Kerr.
The franchise’s stabilizing force has been a player who was born from Scottish and English parents — but grew up in Germany where he honed his soccer skills — but has now made himself a fixture in Western Pennsylvania for the past six years — and counting.
Kerr is now very much at home in Pittsburgh.
“I’m really happy here. I never look too far into the future,” Kerr said a few years ago after signing a new contract in 2015.
With 135 appearances heading into his sixth season with the club, scoring 22 goals in this span, Kerr has stuck around long enough to become the most recognizable pro soccer in our region.
Driving around the City in the past month, you might notice the Hounds are using an image of the Scotsman in his trademark ‘bow and arrow pose on promotional billboards scattered around area roadways in advance of the team’s home opener on March 31 vs Penn FC.
STEADY, CONSTANT WARRIOR
Even in the midst of a difficult season a year ago, the Hounds could always rely on its captain to continue to play with high level of intensity and bring to the club a high level of professionalism, setting the standard for everyone else on the team.
“Kevin is a great player. His pedigree speaks for itself and the career he’s had,” Joe Greenspan, Hounds defender, said. “He’s one of those guys comes into training every day, and holds himself to a standard. He sets an example. The other guys see when Kevin is on his game, and they know they have to elevate to that or they’ll fall behind the curve.”
Whether it was delivering a perfect ball into the box to Corey Hertzog in the 90th minute to provide the Hounds with its first win in Charleston since 2011, or making a second effort play to put the game-winner against Bethlehem Steel FC, Kerr made his presence felt in 2017 as the team’s captain for the second year.
“I am just real happy that though all the changes in the different (coaching) staffs, they’ve all recognized what he brings. Sometimes that can be easy to miss,” Hunter Gilstrap, who was Kerr’s teammate for three years, and now the team’s goalkeepers coach.
“Then you see that final little piece of brilliance. Maybe it’s that assist, or an important goal. He’s not going to score 15 goals a season but he’s going to score a handful and they’re going to be important ones.”
WELL-TRAVELED SCOT – WITH GERMAN INFLUENCE
As previously mentioned, Kerr was born from Scottish and English parents, and grew up in Bielefeld, Germany and played for Arminia’s youth system, U23 side, and first team from 2003-2011.
Before making a home in Bielefeld, Kerr and his family moved around quite a bit as a youngster.
As a son of a British military man, he and his family moved all over the Western European map. He was born in Germany [Münster], lived there for six months, but went back to England, then to Holland and Belgium.
Then, when Kerr turned 11, they settled in Germany when his father found a new post in the industrial city of Bielefeld — where he found a soccer home training with Arminia Bielefeld.
“There’s no better place to grow up playing football. I genuinely believe that. And if you look at those boys in the national team who picked up the World Cup (in 2014),” Kerr recalled. “I mostly grew up with the majority of them – playing against or training with them. Yeah, I feel like it gave me a massive head start in the football world.”
When asked what he considers himself, there’s little hesitation.
“My mum’s English, my dad’s Scottish. 50-50, you know. I was born in a British hospital on a British base,” Kerr once said in 2015 Travis Timmons’ article in Bundasliga Fanatic. “I don’t consider myself 100% German – I’m really happy to have lived there, spent that time there, and I have unbelievably good friends there, but yeah, I’m … British.”
After a brief stint with AGOOV Apeldoorn in Holland, Kerr returned to Germany and played from 2012-13 for SC Wiedenbrück.
It would be a friendship with an American, Matt Dallman, who he played with Arminia Bielefeld U23 team for a few years, that would eventually bring him over to North America.
Even as Dallman moved on to another Bundasliga club, Sportfreunde Siegen, they remained in touch. When Dallman came back to the United States in 2012, after first spending time in camp with then MLS entity Chivas USA, he was released. Dallman’s girlfriend was from Pittsburgh — and found a good opportunity to move and join the Riverhounds that July. Dallman would make four appearances with Pittsburgh that season, but as the club headed into a new home in 2013, they were looking for some quality players to build the team around.
At the time, Kerr was still with SC Wiedenbrück but contemplating his options — and maybe even moving on with his life and away from playing — as all he’d ever known was soccer.
He even thought it might be time to go to school.
COMING TO AMERICA
Dallman stayed in contact with Kerr, and convinced him to come give it a try with Hounds and get a chance to see a new country.
“It literally happened overnight. I was sitting at home and thought, “You know, I’m going to do it.” They said, “Sure come over and we’ll have a look.” Kerr said. “I packed my bags. I had my flat packed up in, like, 3-4 days. And I was on the flight over on January 4th. A week later, they offered me a deal.”
Kerr and Dallman would be among the core group of players that the Hounds would build around, along with Rob Vincent, Gilstrap and Jose Angulo under Head Coach Justin Evans that had a successful inaugural season in Highmark Stadium, earning a playoff berth.
“He came over and trained. You can tell he was a great player, but it took him a couple of years to develop a relationship to get to know him, but he sort of very quickly – really got into the culture here,” Gilstrap said.
The first two seasons, Kerr was mostly a solid, quality role player in the central midfield — a spot where he had played for much of his career.
Standing at a little more than 5-foot-7 inches tall, Kerr isn’t exactly the type of player that is going to intimidate opponents with his physical stature, but his never-ending work-rate and his passion for roaming around the pitch to exploit openings and opponents’ weaknesses, Kerr would begin to really find his niche with the Hounds.
It was in the latter stages of the 2014 season when Kerr, along with fellow Brits, Vincent and Danny Earls, his game found a transformation from a steady, holding midfielder to a dangerous player in the final third.
“Kevin and I had a great relationship over the 3 years I was there. Both on and off the field,” Vincent said recently.
“I think most people look at 2015, and rightly so but I think the end of the 2014 season really set that on-field relationship in motion. (It was) the second half of a difficult season and the coaching staff switched to a three-man midfield of Kevin, Danny and I. Performances and results improved and I think that really was the foundation for next season’s fast start.”
When the 2015 season began, the Hounds had a new coach, Mark Steffens, a USL Hall of Famer, who tweaked some things, and suddenly Kerr and Vincent were thriving in the attack.
To say they got off to a good start that season would be an understatement. The duo combined for all five goals in the team’s opening win against Harrisburg that would set the tone for the season in which the Hounds would become one of the league’s highest scoring outfits.
“Mark came in and changed the system slightly but the relationship was already in place. A lot of people have asked me why we were so productive in 2015. It’s really difficult to say. I think it was just a culmination of a lot of things falling in to place at the right time,” Vincent explained. “Soccer is a game of moments. In the early stages of the season, particularly in the home opener we capitalized on certain moments. That gave us the confidence to kick on.”
Playing as attacking midfielders in the wider spots in Steffens’ 4-2-3-1 formation, Vincent and Kerr would earn All-USL honors — Vincent on the first team and Kerr would score 10 goals and add eight assists to earn a spot on the second team as the Hounds had the club’s most successful season in recent memory.
“Remember, we had started the previous two seasons very slowly, so all of a sudden there was an optimism around the place. And tie that in with the freedom Mark was giving us, it created a perfect environment for not just us, but the whole team,” Vincent added. “We just happened to be the two players getting on the score sheet. It was a lot of fun though. Probably the most enjoyable period of my career, and maybe he’d agree with that.”
That season included a solid U.S. Open Cup run — beating Tampa Bay Rowdies then falling to DC United in overtime in a festive, packed atmosphere at Highmark Stadium, then playing in a series of unforgettable matches in the first ever Keystone Derby Cup series.
It was Kerr who scored the game winner of the team’s most fabled victory — the ‘Miracle on the Mon’ 6-5 win over Harrisburg that May in which they came back from a 5-3 deficit in stoppage time.
“I still get goosebumps thinking about that game,” Vincent said recently on MonGoals ‘Of soccer and steel’ Podcast. “When Kevin scored that final goal, we all ran over to the corner and even though we had played for 96-97 minutes, I felt like I was going to explode. It was something that we’ll never forget.”
While 2015 was a positive campaign, that season ended with a bitter playoff defeat — a 4-2 overtime loss at New York Red Bulls II at Red Bull Arena.
The Vincent-Kerr duo would split in 2016 when Vincent earned a spot with MLS’ DC United, who bought out his contract with Pittsburgh.
Without Vincent, Kerr became the Hounds captain through a pair of tough seasons that followed in 2016 and 2017 that saw a coaching change from Steffens, who was fired in May 2016 after a poor start, to Dave Brandt.
Through it all, Kerr has remained a Riverhound.
As part of a group of players who not only played but also were a part of the team’s youth program Riverhounds Development Academy — Kerr’s influence goes beyond the playing field — and into the soccer community here in Pittsburgh.
“It took him a couple of years to develop a relationship to get to know him, but he sort of very quickly – really got into the culture here,” Gilstrap said.
“Meeting (now his wife, who is from Pittsburgh) and getting involved with the Academy. These are the old guard with the Riverhounds, we did that – we were heavily involved with the youth – our whole life was Riverhounds. Kevin is the last player who’s came from that model. Because of that, when you do that for a couple of years, you become connected to this place.”
Kerr has coached various boys and girls groups — namely the Girls ’99 squad that has won multiple National tournaments and he also has participated in the Hounds community soccer clinics.
In late Feburary, the Hounds rolled out a new logo, a new set of uniforms for the season ahead, and made some other announcements including the expansion of Highmark Stadium, and road games being covered on local television network (Pittsburgh’s CW).
It’s all a far cry from what Kerr experienced when he first arrived, but he’s grateful to see the Hounds have a dedicated owner in Tuffy Shallenberger, and what appears to be a much better foundation than ever.
“It’s been a rough ride the past five years. He (Shallenberger) has enough stress in his life and he could have walked at any point,” Kerr explained. “But when he came in he made a couple of vows — and you know — he’s kept his word. Now, we have to go out and do our part — and produce some results on the field.”
A NEW SEASON, A NEW OPTIMISM, BUT THE SAME CONSTANT KERR
A new season brings a new found optimism, and Kerr remains the team’s constant shooting star.
“Every year some of us wonder, is Kevin going to be able to do it this year. Is Kevin going to be able to do it?,” Gilstrap said. “And so far again this year, Kevin has shown he’s valuable. We need him on the field. He gets older, it gets harder. We’ll see what this year looks like but I think he’s going to still be there for those key moments for the club. And now, with an impressive supporting cast – we’re not totally reliant on him, or him and Robbie Vincent or him and Corey Hertzog.”
That’s what new coach Bob Lilley wants probably more than anything else.
Early in the preseason, Lilley made it clear he didn’t want the Hounds to be solely reliant on any one player.
“Last year, there wasn’t enough urgency. Last year’s Pittsburgh Riverhounds, from my view, were a little bit of Kevin (Kerr) and Corey (Hertzog) show,” Lilley said. “To win in this league, you need a lot of guys playing at a high level. It’s not a knock on any of those guys, they’re all-league players. but I want more players that will have influence in the biggest moments in the biggest times. And that builds a stronger team.”
That being said, Lilley knows that Kerr is an important piece of the puzzle, and loves the standard that he sets day-in and day-out.
“We have to find him ways to get him more involved. And being aware of finding him. He can deliver a ball. He’s a good finisher when he gets a chance. He’s been working hard – he’s trained really hard for preseason. Habits are good. His work ethic is good. Are there things he can get better? He’s accepting the work. He’s trying to learn just like everyone else what I want, and shown a high level of professionalism to do the work. I am happy with what he’s doing,” Lilley said.
“They’re all trying to figure it out. This is a new team. We’re going to play differently than we did in Rochester and way things were done here in the past, but Kevin’s been solid, I want to make sure everyone’s putting in the same effort he does every day.”
Now, playing for his fifth coach in six years in Pittsburgh, Kerr is feeling good about the season ahead under a coach that’s not afraid to do anything get his players’ attention.
“He’s forever trying to get his point across. He’ll use anything for visuals — and find the nearest things,” Kerr said when asked about Lilley using water bottles as props to go over strategy during a preseason halftime talk.
“It wouldn’t surprise me if that’s the last time you see that kind of thing. In fairness, it made perfect sense.”
Lilley, who has won second division championships with Rochester and also previously in Vancouver, has followed a process where he has methodically built his roster since arriving in November, signing 12 players initially in December and January, including Kerr.
Now, as the Hounds begin the season on Saturday at Nashville after a rigorous preseason, the roster has reached 22 players and a season with new-found optimism.
“It’s a really, really good group. Bunch of guys he brought over from Rochester. All sound boys — tough, tough pros that they have respect for the gaffer. Credit to Bob,” Kerr said.
While Lilley will be relying on players brought in from Rochester to help with understanding what he wants, Kerr provides another layer of leadership and remains a common thread for one of USL’s historical franchises.
“That’s one’s aspect of his game that I appreciate. He comes in like a good professional should, and does his duty and is a no-nonsense. He’s not out, drinking all hours of the night or coming in not fit. He’s ready to go every single day,” Greenspan said. “Another aspect is he’s been in a bunch of locker rooms. He knows how to interact with the guys. A big part of it is that he’s a good guy, knows what it takes to get along with everyone, and knowing when to push back, push buttons a little bit and get more out of players. It’s bit of a mixture of both. Setting the standard yourself and holding others accountable.”
When it comes to the standard for all Riverhounds players that follow in Pittsburgh, it’s Kevin Kerr who sets the bar.
If the Hounds can reach new heights in 2018 — it would be only fitting that they’ll have their most venerable warrior leading the way.
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The Yankees, as we all know, are working on a plan to keep their payroll below $189MM to reduce their luxury tax bill. However, that doesn't mean they'll be totally handcuffed this offseason. The front office is currently working on a plan to stay under budget and spent roughly $300MM in total, sources tell Andrew Marchand of ESPNNewYork.com.
The Yankees' initial main targets, besides re-signing Robinson Cano, are Masahiro Tanaka, Braves catcher Brian McCann, and Cardinals outfielder Carlos Beltran, according to sources. The Bombers believe they can add at least two top free agents this winter without breaking the bank.
A source estimates the Yankees are shedding $85MM-$90MM in payroll this winter, which includes the salaries of retiring players Mariano Rivera and Andy Pettitte as well as free agents Hiroki Kuroda, Phil Hughes, Joba Chamberlain, and Curtis Granderson. The Yankees have a strong interest in keeping Kuroda and would be open to Granderson if he accepted the one-year qualifying offer, but they aren't obligated to either player. Beyond that, Derek Jeter exercising his $9.5MM player option (down from $17MM last year) and Alex Rodriguez's suspension being upheld would also help the cause.
Cano and Tanaka appear to be the Bombers' top two targets. A source said the Yankees realize that Tanaka, while making baseball sense, would also demonstrate ownership's stated goal to reinvest the savings from falling beneath the $189MM threshold. Beltran, another Yanks target, reportedly pushed to sign with the Bombers during his previous two trips through free agency and is eager to find his way to the Bronx this winter. | {
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Build it and they will come.
Major League Soccer made that perfectly clear Monday when Commissioner Don Garber confirmed that the league was in "advanced discussions" with former UnitedHealth Group executive Bill McGuire and his ownership partners to bring an MLS expansion team to Minnesota.
That's the clearest indication yet that the league has chosen Minnesota for its next expansion franchise, although Garber said in a statement Monday that the official announcement won't be made for another 35 to 40 days. The team likely would not play until the 2018 season.
The remaining hurdle for Minnesota is finalizing plans for "it" — a new downtown outdoor soccer stadium, as preferred by the league.
Whether it's funded privately by McGuire's group or with public funding help is the big unknown.
McGuire — who is partnered with the Pohlad family, owners of the Minnesota Twins, and Glen Taylor, owner of the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Star Tribune — has yet to reveal his plans publicly. That didn't change Monday.
Bill McGuire’s Minnesota United FC cited “passionate fans” and a “soccer-specific stadium.”
McGuire and Nick Rogers, president of the McGuire-owned Minnesota United FC soccer club of the North American Soccer League, declined to comment beyond a statement issued by the United that said MLS officials are aware of the "passionate soccer fans in Minnesota combined with a world-class soccer-specific stadium …"
McGuire had been in a two-pronged race for a team with officials in Sacramento, Calif., and another prospective Minnesota ownership group headed by the Wilf family, owners of the Minnesota Vikings. The Wilfs' pitch included playing games in the Vikings' new $1 billion stadium that will be ready in 2016, but the league has said it favors outdoor soccer-specific stadiums designed to hold about 20,000 fans.
McGuire's group clearly sold the league on its vision of a boutique, downtown outdoor stadium in the area of Target Field and the Minneapolis Farmers Market. Garber noted as much in his statement, saying MLS officials "are particularly excited about their plans for a new soccer-specific stadium that will serve as the club's home."
McGuire, reached on Saturday, declined to say whether the league had given him a deadline to come up with a stadium financing plan.
Some of Minnesota's most powerful political figures on Monday were quick to quash any notion of public financing from a metro area that has seen four new stadiums in the past five years: the Twins' Target Field, TCF Bank football stadium at the University of Minnesota, the Vikings stadium and a new baseball stadium for the minor league St. Paul Saints. All were built with some public funding.
"They shouldn't even come by," Senate Majority Leader Tom Bakk, DFL-Cook, said of McGuire's group. "I told [Garber] on Feb. 6 when I talked to him that the appetite just is not here. I made it very clear."
Mark Wilf, Vikings owner/president, said in a statement that his group offered the league "an ideal situation — a stadium that is certain and will be completed in 2016, a plan that was funded by the public and private sectors to host MLS, and an option that will not require additional government approvals."
Wilf also said the Vikings were "pleased to see [MLS officials] believe in the Minneapolis-St. Paul market."
Footing the bill
It's expected to cost about $300 million to bring an MLS team to Minnesota — a $100 million expansion fee to the league, and $150 million to $200 million for a stadium. There have been indications that McGuire will ask for some public subsidy; the United owner has confirmed meeting with Hennepin County Board Member Mike Opat, who was instrumental in getting funding for Target Field.
Opat has expressed his support for the soccer stadium and left open the possibility of county financial help, which could include funding for nearby roads and other public infrastructure. Opat also declined to comment Monday.
Some of his Hennepin County peers are clearly weary of the stadium debate.
County Board Member Linda Higgins, who represents the area talked about as a home for the MLS team, said the media "fixation" on stadiums is "unhealthy and unwanted. We're doing a lot more things that are interesting than the perpetual stadium conversation," she said.
Higgins said the only person on the board talking about MLS is Opat. "There is no story there. … There hasn't been an ask to us yet," she said of subsidizing the planned soccer stadium. "I've had no substantive conversation with anybody about a damn stadium."
Hennepin County Board Chair Jan Callison said McGuire's group hasn't reached out to her personally but that Opat is the lead person and he, "has certainly let me know that he's talking to people."
Callison declined to discuss what might be under consideration for the board or when something might be introduced, saying that information, "should come from Mike."
Opat has repeatedly said he has nothing to discuss.
It's certain that any funding needing legislative approval would be difficult. Bakk said he phoned Garber last month to try to ward off a Miami-like situation, where former soccer star David Beckham gained an expansion franchise whose existence is now in doubt.
"[MLS] gave a franchise two years ago and [they] still don't have a field to play on," Bakk said. "I don't know if they're potentially going to make that mistake twice or if this group of owners is going to figure out how they finance a $150 million stadium."
Bakk also shot down the possibility that the Legislature would help McGuire's team play at the new Vikings stadium. The Wilf family has a five-year exclusive on soccer from the time the stadium opens, "so no one else can play there unless the Wilfs make a side deal," Bakk said.
The MLS statement said the league has had expansion discussions with San Antonio, St. Louis and Las Vegas, in addition to Sacramento and Minnesota, and left open the possibility of expanding beyond 24 teams. Adding Miami, which is still trying to get a stadium, and Minnesota would give the league 24 teams.
The United statement was more wait-and-see than celebratory, saying the potential owners "are in discussion with the league and remain hopeful" of gaining an expansion team. It said that the fan base combined with the planned new stadium would "make the Twin Cities and our state a perfect home for the next MLS expansion team."
Staff writers Mike Kaszuba and J. Patrick Coolican contributed to this story. | {
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Deep Purple drummer Ian Paice reckons a punch-up could ensue if the band are inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame next year.
The group are on the shortlist of potential inductees into the Rock Hall for 2016, along with Nine Inch Nails, Yes, Cheap Trick, The Cars, Steve Miller, Chicago, Los Lobos, Janet Jackson, NWA, The Smiths, Chaka Khan, Chic, The JBs and the Spinners.
The winners will be announced on December 17 (Thursday), with the ceremony set for New York on April 8, 2016, and Paice says it could open up a can of worms if Purple get the nod.
He tells Classic Rock: “Well, who would they induct? There have been so many members of this band, even if they say it will be core members, who would it be?
“You also have to bear in mind, that if some people are inducted together, it could end in a punch-up. I don’t need to tell anyone certain key members and former members of this band do not get on. Personally, I think they would be better off inducting us individually. That avoids the problem.”
Inductees are asked to perform at the Rock Hall ceremony and that too would cause an issue, claims Paice.
He adds: “As for playing live, again who would be involved? You’d have the same situation as for an induction. This one won’t play with that one – it could be a mess.
“The Hall Of Fame should be embarrassed for not inducting us already. Look at some of the non-entities who’ve got in. I won’t name them, but just have a look at some of those names, and you’ll know who I mean. What have they ever done for rock’n’roll? Nothing. Having these artists in before Deep Purple undermines what it is supposed to represent.”
Paice’s opinion of the Rock Hall matches that of Purple’s frontman Ian Gillan, who branded the organisation “bloody arrogant and rude” in October.
Deep Purple detail Vinyl Collection | {
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At least a quarter of the world's pig population could die as a mass outbreak of African swine fever spreads, a global animal health organization says.
The die-off would spark global pig shortages, spiking prices of pork and products that rely on the animals to be produced, said Mark Schipp, president of the World Organization for Animal Health.
"I don’t think the species will be lost, but it's the biggest threat to the commercial raising of pigs we've ever seen," Schipp told reporters Thursday in Sydney. "And it's the biggest threat to any commercial livestock of our generation."
African swine fever is a viral disease that can spread rapidly though pig herds, according to the Center for Food Security and Public Health at Iowa State University. The disease poses no threat of infection to humans.
Bacon surplus:America is sitting on an excess of 40 million pounds of uneaten bacon, a 48 year high
The virus spreads through direct contact with infected animals, living or dead, or objects that have touched infected animals, and it has no approved vaccines, the World Organization for Animal Health says.
Within the past year, the disease has rocked China, which is home to half of the world's pig population, Schipp said, fueling the global crisis and hurting the Chinese pig market.
Africa and some areas in Europe, South America and the Caribbean have historically seen most of the outbreaks, but the disease has spread in recent years across countries in Asia and Europe, too, according to World Organization for Animal Health.
According to Reuters, the disease has killed hundreds of million pigs in 50 countries.
"The risk exists for all countries, whether they are geographically close or geographically distant because there is a multitude of potential sources of contamination," World Organization for Animal Health Director General Monique Eloit told the news agency.
Schipp also noted the concern of quality control, especially in products with skins for sausages, salamis and similar foods.
Denmark's wall:Denmark is building a 'wall' on its German border. To stop pigs
"Those casing products move through multiple countries," he said. "They're cleaned in one, graded in another, sorted in another, partially treated in another, and finally treated in a fourth of fifth country. They've very hard to trace through so many countries."
The blood thinner heparin, made from pig products and largely sourced from China, also could face shortages, Schipp said.
Contributing: The Associated Press. Follow USA TODAY's Ryan Miller on Twitter: @RyanW_Miller | {
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A couple of years ago I found myself in a basement bar in Yoyogi, a central precinct of Tokyo, drinking cold Sapporo beers with big foamy heads while the salarymen next to me raised their glasses to a TV displaying a fuzzy, obviously bootlegged video of an old Bob Dylan concert. The name of the bar, My Back Pages, is the title of a Dylan song. Dylan is, in fact, the bar’s reason for being: Japanese fans come here to watch his concert videos, listen to his tapes and relive the ’60s in America, a time and place almost none of them witnessed firsthand. As I heard yet another version of “Mr. Tambourine Man” roaring over the speakers, with some drunk Japanese fans now singing along, I thought how strange this phenomenon was.
The American presence in Japan now extends far beyond the fast-food franchises, chain stores and pop-culture offerings that are ubiquitous the world over. A long-standing obsession with things American has led not just to a bigger and better market for blockbuster movies or Budweiser, but also to some very rarefied versions of America to be found in today’s Japan. It has also made the exchange of Americana a two-way street: Earlier this year, Osaka-based Suntory, a Japanese conglomerate best known for its whiskey holdings, announced that it was buying Beam Inc., thus acquiring the iconic American bourbon brands Jim Beam and Maker’s Mark.
In Japan, the ability to perfectly imitate—and even improve upon—the cocktails, cuisine and couture of foreign cultures isn’t limited to American products; there are spectacular French chefs and masterful Neapolitan pizzaioli who are actually Japanese. There’s something about the perspective of the Japanese that allows them to home in on the essential elements of foreign cultures and then perfectly recreate them at home. “What we see in Japan, in a wide range of pursuits, is a focus on mastery,” says Sarah Kovner, who teaches Japanese history at the University of Florida. “It’s true in traditional arts, it’s true of young people who dress up in Harajuku, it’s true of restaurateurs all over Japan.”
It’s easy to dismiss Japanese re-creations of foreign cultures as faddish and derivative—just other versions of the way that, for example, the new American hipster ideal of Brooklyn is clumsily copied everywhere from Paris to Bangkok. But the best examples of Japanese Americana don’t just replicate our culture. They strike out, on their own, into levels of appreciation and refinement rarely found in America. They give us an opportunity to consider our culture as refracted through a foreign and clarifying prism.
Bourbon
When I headed to Osaka a few months ago, my friend Nick Coldicott, who lives in Tokyo, urged me to visit what he contends is the best bourbon bar in the world: Rogin’s Tavern. Knowing Nick’s command of the spirits universe, I take a commuter train out to Moriguchi, an obscure little town about half an hour from the center of Osaka. When I emerge from the station I can see a neon light spelling “Rogin’s” in English. Inside it is dim, with a long wooden bar backed by hundreds of bottles. American jazz comes from an ancient-looking jukebox in the rear.
Nearly every bottle is bourbon, though there is a smattering of rye and sour mash. I can see bottles from the 1800s next to obscure export bottlings of Jim Beam next to standard-issue Jack Daniel’s. Seiichiro Tatsumi, an older man dressed elegantly in bartender’s attire, emerges from the shadows and says hello in English. I tell him I am a friend of Nick’s, and he reaches for a bottle nestled behind the register. “You want to try a 1904?” he asks.
He tenderly unscrews the top and pours a shot for me and another for himself. I take a sip. It is a brand I’ve never heard of, once made, Tatsumi says, especially for a hotel in Kentucky. It is highly alcoholic but silky smooth. Unlike wine or vintage port, bourbon is not supposed to change much in the bottle over time. And so I think of this as a chance to taste the past and experience, almost exactly, what drinkers were sipping a hundred years ago.
“I tasted my first bourbon in the basement bar of the Rihga Royal Hotel, a famous old place in Osaka,” Tatsumi says. “Then I spent years reading everything I could about bourbon at the American cultural center. I sent letters to Kentucky and Tennessee trying to set up visits to the distilleries. I even asked for help at the American consulate. And then I finally got to visit in 1984. I fell in love with America then. I’ve been back a hundred times since. I now own a house in Lexington, and I’ve even been named a colonel in Kentucky.”
I ask him how he found all these old bottles of bourbon. “I drive across America, only on the back roads and especially at night, when you can see the lit-up liquor-store signs in the distance,” he says. “I stop at every place I pass, and I don’t just look on the shelves: I ask the clerk to comb the cellar and check the storeroom for anything old. I can’t tell you how many cases of ancient bottles I’ve found that way. I’ll try any bourbon once, and if I like it I buy more.”
The next day I visit another bourbon bar in Osaka, Tonen (meaning “decade”), in a downtown neighborhood where salarymen go drinking. This is the bar of the bourbon master from whom Tatsumi originally learned. A pack of businesspeople parade into the place and one asks for one of the most expensive and rare contemporary bourbons around, Pappy Van Winkle, a bottle of which can cost more than $1,000. The bartender makes a big show of pouring this cultish favorite, laying the snifter down horizontally and swirling the bourbon inside it before presenting it to the man who ordered it, obviously the boss of the group. Then he comes over and we talk about his old bottles, and I see a glint in his eye. For someone in Kentucky or Tennessee it might be called nostalgia, but can you be nostalgic for a time and place you never knew? These two Japanese bourbon temples represent a bold act of imagination.
Back in the States I phone up bourbon bars from Manhattan to Louisville, and their responses are all the same: We have old-style bourbons, but not anything old. And then I call Keith Biesack, the beverage director at what may be New York City’s best bourbon bar, Char No. 4, and I ask why no one in America stocks anything really old. “Until very recently people didn’t think they wanted to drink anything but newly bottled bourbon,” he says. “The idea that this was a drink whose past you’d want to discover through old bottles, that’s a very new idea.”
Not in Japan, I think, and I imagine Tatsumi 25 years ago roaring across the small roads of the American South and discovering bottles that only he knew to treasure.
Jazz
A few years ago a friend took me to Samurai, a jazz bar in Tokyo’s Shinjuku district whose owner, a haiku poet, stood behind the bar surrounded by thousands of maneki neko—smiling, waving cat figurines. He had a primitive video camera trained on the sleeve of the record album he was playing, and he projected that image onto the wall. Samurai had its own quirks, but it wasn’t an unusual type of place: The jazz bar and its cousin, the jazz kissaten, a coffee shop focused on jazz, are shrines to recorded music, dreamlands for high-fidelity obsessives. They offer a kind of jazz experience based on pure appreciation of the act of listening.
In Tokyo I track down James Catchpole, an American expat and jazz expert who goes by the very Japanese-sounding nickname of Mr. OK Jazz, to understand what’s happening right now to Japanese jazz culture. “When these kissa started back in the ’50s and ’60s, Tokyo apartments were too small to play music in,” Catchpole says. “Imported records were really expensive. Jazz kissa were the only places in the city where fans could listen to the music they loved.” The coffee shops became hideaways where jazz lovers could relax, hear new records and learn about trends like free jazz from others who knew the music well. In the ’60s, when jazz was allied with Japanese university counterculture, jazz kissa became organizing centers for the student protests that rocked Japan. But of course Japanese people no longer need to visit a bar or café to listen to recorded jazz. “Are jazz kissa going to survive?” I ask Catchpole. | {
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By Own Correpsondent- A whole township in Rusitu Valley, Chimanimani was washed away by floods caused by Cyclone Idai last weekend, a senior government official has said.
Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing July Moyo on Saturday said initially, an estimated 147 people were recorded as missing before it was established that at least 147 households had been wiped away by the cyclone induced floods..
Speaking in Mutare after receiving a donation of various goods worth $400 000 from Inscor Africa, Minister Moyo, said:
“At first, we were saying we were missing 147 people, now it is turning out that we are missing people whose 147 houses have been destroyed. So it is no longer people, but households which have been destroyed.
In Rusitu (Valley), we had a police camp which was wiped out, we had Agritex officers who were housed there. We had some schools there. We had a school where we lost three teachers, the headmaster and 39 pupils. These are areas we frantically want to reach, but there are many others.
In Machongwe area they need to get food and there was a township that was completely wiped out. We do not know the number of survivors. We also understand that there were miners and we cannot accurately tell the number of those who perished there. The villagers are not able to identify those who were doing gold mining in the area.”-StateMedia | {
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-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----Hash: SHA1Release 1.5.0esha256:da89d5d7641b9dcfba725ad618fd5b98da39254d7bcdad129c2affcc9a3826e8 nxt-client-1.5.0e.zipThis is a development release for testing only. Source code is not provided.Change log:This is an experimental release for the Voting System and Phasing. It enablesthese features on testnet, and is a required update for all testnet nodes.It is also possible to run this version on main net, but the block at which thenew features will be enabled has not been set yet.New features:Voting System.Voting System API calls:CreatePoll, CastVote, GetPoll, GetPolls, GetPollResult, GetPollVote,GetPollVotes, SearchPolls.Polls processing is optional. If nxt.processPolls=false (default is true), votecounting is not done and no poll results are stored. This can be used to reducethe load on lower performance nodes. It is still possible to get the results ofa poll using getPollResult, as long as the required vote and balances datahasn't been trimmed yet.Regardless of the nxt.processPolls setting, votes for polls that finishedbefore the last trim height (1441 blocks by default) are deleted and onlyaggregate results, if processing is enabled, are kept.Votes are weighted based on the voting model selected, which can be by account,by balance, by asset balance or by currency balance, and a minimum balancecutoff can also be specified. The voting model is defined when the poll iscreated, however a different voting model can be specified when calling thegetPollResult API, to calculate on the fly an alternative vote counting, aslong as vote data is still available.Voting multiple times, changing, or deleting votes is not allowed.The fee to create a poll is 10 NXT for a poll with up to 20 options, with 1 NXTadditional fee for any additional option (max 100 options are possible).Phasing.Phasing API calls:ApproveTransaction, GetAccountPhasedTransactions,GetAccountPhasedTransactionCount, GetAssetPhasedTransactions,GetCurrencyPhasedTransactions, GetPhasingPoll, GetPhasingPolls,GetPhasingPollVote, GetPhasingPollVotes, GetVoterPhasedTransactions.A transaction of any type can be phased by adding a phased=true parameter andan appropriate set of phasing parameters. Phased transactions are accepted inthe blockchain immediately (subject to all usual validations), but are executedonly at finish height, if still valid and if the required quorum has been met.If not approved, or not valid at finish height, they remain in the blockchainbut are never executed, and any changes they caused to the sender unconfirmedbalance are reversed, except that the fee is not refunded.In addition to the voting models available in polls, phased transactions canuse a whitelist of accounts (max 10) allowed to vote for the transaction.It is possible to vote for (approve) up to 10 phased transactions with a singleapproval transaction. This transaction will be accepted in the blockchain onlyif all phased transactions it is voting for are already in it.Voting multiple times is allowed but has no effect on vote counting, votesafter the first vote from each account are ignored.It is also possible to make any transaction phased without needing voting forapproval. This can be used to create transactions with deferred execution.Pay on reveal secret is supported as a voting model for phased transactions.When this voting model is used, the phased transaction must include thehash of a secret chosen by the sender (up to 100 bytes long), and an approvaltransaction for it is only accepted if it includes the secret that results inthis hash. It does not matter who the sender of the approval transaction is,unless a whitelist is also defined. Supported hash functions currently aresha256, ripemd160, and sha256 followed by ripemd160. The codes to specify themas parameters are available from the getConstants API.Finally, it is possible to make a phased transaction that is released orrejected not on the basis of voting, but based on the presence of othertransactions (linked transactions) in the blockchain at its finish height.To do that, up to 10 phasingLinkedFullHash transaction hashes can be definedwhen creating the phased transaction. Note that this does not create adependency between the linked transactions themselves. This feature can beused to implement atomic execution of transactions of any type, provided thephased transaction is phasing safe. Transactions already in the blockchainbefore the acceptance of the phased transaction can also be linked, as longas they are not more than 60 days old, or themselves phased transactions.The deferred execution with no approval needed, pay on reveal secret, andlinked transactions features are currently accessible using the API only, theUI for them will be completed in a later release.Similar to voting, the phasing data for phased transaction that finished beforethe last trim height is also deleted and only the aggregate approval resultsare kept.The fee for making a transaction phased depends on the voting model selected.For by-account voting with no minimum balance, or no voting needed, it is 1 NXTin addition to the regular fee for that particular transaction type. For votingthat depends on voter balances, the additional phasing fee is 20 NXT.The fee for approving a phased transaction is 1 NXT for each phasedtransaction included in the vote.Variable size messages, encrypted messages, digital goods deliveries. After VSblock, messages and encrypted messages will be allowed to be up to 40 kbyteslong instead of 1000 bytes, with 1 NXT fee for each 1024 bytes. Digital goodsdeliveries can also be up to 40 kbytes, with 1 NXT fee for each 1024 bytesafter the first 10k. A single transaction is always limited not to exceed themaximum block payload length, currently 255 * 176 bytes.Other new APIs:GetOrderTrades - given an askOrder, bidOrder, or both, returns all trades thatwere executed as a result of this order.GetDGSExpiredPurchases - returns the purchases for a given seller which haveexpired without being delivered.GetDGSTagsLike - returns all Digital Goods Store tags starting with a given(at least 2 characters long) prefix.GetAliasesLike - returns all Aliases starting with a given (at least 2characters long) prefix.SearchAccounts - full text search on account info (name and description).GetPlugins - returns a list of all installed plugins.DumpPeers - returns all active peers of a certain version.Shutdown - shuts down the server. Takes an optional scan parameter, if truethe derived tables are truncated and a full rescan with validation is scheduledon next start. The resulting nxt_db folder is smaller, and a node bootstrappedwith this database is going to verify the blockchain and rebuild all derivedtables on start. While this ensures validity of the blockchain and all tables,it cannot verify that this is the current consensus blockchain and not a fork,therefore providing such a database for download is still not trustless.GetLog - returns the most recent log messages, kept in a memory buffer.GetStackTraces - returns the stack traces of the currently running threads.Shutdown, getLog and getStackTraces require the admin password.Changed APIs:CreateTransaction - to facilitate debugging and to allow preparing transactionbytes and json even for transactions that are currently invalid, if broadcastparameter is false, all relevant transaction fields (json, bytes, hash, etc)are still included in the result even in the case of invalid transaction.If broadcast=true, those fields are returned only in case of successfultransaction broadcast, otherwise only the error messages are returned.This change affects all APIs that end up creating a new transaction.GetConstants - in addition to adding the new transaction types and subtypes,and the voting models, the format of the resulting json has been changed.Added optional timestamp parameter to getExchanges and getTrades.Added optional account parameter and pagination support to getCurrencyFounders.Always include errorCode and errorDescription in some API results that only hadan error field in case of an error.Limit number of records returned by all APIs that support pagination tonxt.maxAPIRecords at a time (default 100), unless the admin password isprovided or is not needed.AddPeer adds an isNewlyAdded boolean to the returned peer json, indicatingwhether the peer was not already known.Client changes:Extended UI in the "advanced" transaction modal dialog for every transactiontype for invoking the different variants of phased transactions (to be approvedby a certain number of accounts or balance/asset/currency holders).New main sidebar item for the Voting System, modal to create the various typesof polls, pages to find active polls and follow polls over time, list with ownpolls and votes casted.Generic notification system for incoming transactions showing the numberof transaction types and total new transactions.Unconfirmed transactions are only displayed in the "Dashboard" and "My Transactions"pages and no longer appear in other tables.Transaction info dialog for AE Bid and Ask orders now displays a table containingthe actual trades mathcing the specific order.New account login feature for faster login just by Nxt account.User specific client DB with new logout option to clear user data.Streamlined sidebar/navigation structure.Send Currency button added to the toolbar which invokes the transfer currency dialogEnvironment information, client settings and various diagnostic information is loggedto the browser's JavaScript console during startup and login.Phasing tab was added to the transaction info dialog of phased transactions.Various bug fixes.Client Plugin System:Functionality - The NRS client comes with a new plugin system, enabling thirdparty developers to provide additional functionality for the client. Pluginscan be activated/deactivated on startup, the status of installed plugins can beseen on a separate settings page. Plugins can hook into the new "Plugins"sidebar navigation item or provide their own navigation structure.Security - Plugins are not sandboxed or restricted in any way and have fullaccess to client functionality including the passphrase. It is essential to onlyinstall plugins from trusted sources and in doubt don't use plugins togetherwith accounts storing larger amounts of NXT. There are prominent securitywarnings both on the login page and within the plugins folder.Installation - A Plugin is provided as an archived file containing the necessaryHTML/JS/CSS files and can be installed by extracting the file in the plugins/client directory.Developer - For a plugin to be valid is has to follow a certain minimal filestructure and be shipped with a manifest.json file with some meta information.Detailed information can be found in the DEVELOPERS.md file in the plugins/directory. There is also a "hello_world" example plugin to get an idea howthings work.Other important changes:Fixed transaction ordering in AE order matching to always be by transactionindex instead of by id, to take effect after Voting System Block.Enforce nxt.adminPassword if set, even if the APIServer is listening onlocalhost only.Added nxt.ignorePeerAnnouncedAddress and nxt.cjdnsOnly properties, relevantonly for cjdns users or multihomed nodes.Default initial peers are now stored in nxt.defaultPeers andnxt.testnetDefaultPeers instead of being populated by NxtDbVersion on databasecreation.Allow the API server to handle both http and https requests on different ports,if nxt.apiServerSSLPort is set to a port different from nxt.apiServerPort andnxt.apiSSL=true. If the SSL and non-SSL ports are configured to be the same,the nxt.apiSSL property determines whether SSL is used or not. On testnet,non-SSL port is hardcoded to 6876 and SSL, if enabled, to 6877.Reduced the default nxt.maxRollback to 800. Also added a nxt.trimFrequencysetting to control how often the trim is run, default 1000.This release requires Java 8 and will not run or compile with Java 7.run.bat has been updated to search for a Java 8 installation using the Windowsregistry.Updated Jetty to version 9.2.10 and Bouncy Castle to version 1.52. 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One of my history-minded friends has a long-range political view summed up in three words: liberals always win. Complex social struggles may take centuries or decades, he says, but they eventually bring victory for human rights, more democratic liberties, and achievement of other progressive goals.
Look how long it took to end slavery. Generations of agitation and the horrible Civil War finally brought triumph for liberal abolitionists and defeat for conservative slavery supporters.
Look how long it took for women to gain the right to vote. In the end, liberal suffragettes prevailed, conservative opponents lost.
Look at the long battle to give couples the right to practice family planning through the use of birth control. Planned Parenthood founder (and 1957 Humanist of the Year) Margaret Sanger was jailed eight times for the crime of mentioning sex, but she eventually transformed U.S. society. A Supreme Court victory in 1965 (Griswold v. Connecticut) struck down contraceptive bans for married couples, and a follow-up victory in 1972 (Eisenstadt v. Baird) struck them down for unwed partners. Liberals won, conservatives lost.
The same pattern applies to the struggle for Social Security pensions for retirees. And unemployment compensation for the jobless. And Medicare and Medicaid. And food stamps for needy families. And expanded health insurance under the Affordable Care Act. And marriage equality for gays. And so on. These stormy social conflicts so often end the same way: liberals win; conservatives lose. America’s legendary civil rights crusade that eventually wiped out Jim Crow segregation was a classic example of liberal victory.
Of course, history doesn’t move in a clear, predictable manner. Germany was advanced and modern, yet it sank into the horrors of Nazism. Racial inequality persists the world over. And women, who still haven’t achieved pay equity with their male counterparts, are seeing ongoing attempts to curb their reproductive rights. Other setbacks occur, but the overall tide of civilization flows in a progressive direction.
In his landmark 2011 book, The Better Angels of Our Nature, Harvard psychologist (and 2006 Humanist of the Year) Steven Pinker concludes that all sorts of human evils—war, genocide, murder, rape, torture, domestic violence, attacks on minorities—have faded enormously from the Western world. War between nations has virtually vanished. Pursuit of humane goals lies at the heart of the liberal agenda.
When I first became a news reporter in the 1950s, conservative Bible Belt morality was enforced by law. It was a crime for stores to open on the Sabbath. It was a crime to look at pornography or to read a sexy book. (Our mayor once sent cops to raid bookstores selling Peyton Place.)
Back then, it was a felony to be gay, and those who were caught engaging in homosexual sex acts were sent to prison under sodomy laws. Back then, it was a felony for a desperate girl to end a pregnancy. It was illegal for an unmarried couple to share a bedroom. Divorce or unwed pregnancy was an unmentionable disgrace. Jews weren’t allowed into Christian-only country clubs. Public schools had mandatory teacher-led prayer. It was a crime to buy a cocktail or a lottery ticket.
That world disappeared, decade after decade. The culture slowly evolved. Sunday “blue laws” were undone. Teacher-led prayers were banned. Gay sex became legal. Liquor clubs were approved. Abortion was legalized and therefore made safe. State governments became lottery operators. Censorship ended. Other conservative taboos gradually disappeared.
For several decades, the strongest indicator of politics has been church membership. White evangelicals voted overwhelmingly for Mitt Romney, for example, while people who don’t attend church voted overwhelmingly for Barack Obama. Yet today, survey after survey finds church membership among Americans fading, while the younger generation ignores religion altogether. Sociologists think the secular trend is unstoppable; people who say their religious affiliation is “none” already comprise one-fourth of the adult population—56 million Americans—and they seem destined someday to be the largest segment. Again, the social tide is flowing away from conservative fundamentalism and its puritanical agenda.
All these factors support my friend’s maxim that liberals always win. And if the tide of history flows left then the progressive worldview called humanism—trying to make life better for all people—is a powerful current.
John F. Kennedy said in a famed 1960 speech:
If by a “liberal” they mean someone who looks ahead and not behind, someone who welcomes new ideas without rigid reaction, someone who cares about the welfare of the people—their health, their housing, their schools, their jobs, their civil rights and their civil liberties… then I’m proud to say that I’m a liberal.
Amid all the chaos and confusion of daily life, through a thousand contradictory barrages, the struggle for a safer, fairer, more secure, more humane world never ceases. Thank goodness for progressive victories that keep on prevailing. | {
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Revoking the right to bear arms ended very badly for the feds.
—
I support the right to arm bears. | {
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Consider this: A parody account pretending to be an imaginary cow owned by Representative Devin Nunes, the California Republican, is more popular on Twitter than the congressman, a day after he sued the account (and Twitter) for $250 million.
This is how politics and humor now play out in the strange world of social media.
The parody account @DevinCow had only 1,200 followers on Monday, but it ended Wednesday afternoon with 467,000, surpassing Mr. Nunes’s account with its 395,000 followers.
And the count was still growing. By Thursday evening, after news coverage, the gap had widened, with the fake cow at 600,000 followers.
But there’s more. A website now sells Devin Cow T-shirts. Twitter users have been celebrating with cow-themed items and jokes. Even Mr. Nunes’s fellow legislators showed their support for the errant beast. Ted Lieu, a Democratic congressman from Southern California, told Mr. Nunes on Twitter to “lighten up, dude.” | {
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The San Francisco 49ers got their second win of the year on Sunday, and it is giving them a boost heading into Week 14 vs. the Houston Texans. The 49ers beat the Chicago Bears 15-14 at Soldier Field, covering the field goal spread with the outright win. The line opened at near five points, and by kickoff, it was down to 2.5 points.
This coming weekend, the 49ers travel to Houston and have been installed as a 1.5-point underdog, according to most sportsbooks monitored by Odds Shark. The 49ers have not been a favorite all season, and this is the lowest line since they were a 1.5-point underdog in a Week 5 road game against the Indianapolis Colts.
A couple sportsbooks opened the line at a pick ‘em, but have gone to a full point. Money is starting to come in, and coming off a solid Jimmy Garoppolo performance, it will be interesting to see if the line comes down at all. Most people did not see the game, but Garoppolo put up solid numbers, and there is fairly solid buzz around the team. My guess is the line comes down maybe half a point or so by kickoff.
The biggest opening line was the Westgate Superbook, which had the Texans as a three-point favorite. Last week, the Superbook put together its “look-ahead lines,” which are estimations of what the line will be before the previous week’s games are finished. The look-ahead line was Texans -5.5, so they were estimating this significantly higher. They are down to 1.5 points with most everybody else. | {
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HANFORD, Wash. (AP) — A Washington state businessman is facing a third lawsuit over claims his company kept payments for work performed by subcontractors, court records said.
A lawsuit said Kristopher Lapp pocketed $505,000 meant to pay for work in Hanford, The Tri-City Herald reported Wednesday.
The latest lawsuit brings the claims by contractors against Lapp to more than $1.8 million.
Lapp did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The lawsuit filed this week in court by E2 Consulting Engineers said it provided staff to contractors on behalf of Lapp's company, i-3 Global.
Lapp's firm stopped paying invoices E2 Consulting sent for five staff members working in Hanford, 189 miles (304 kilometers) southeast of Seattle. Checks later sent by i-3 Global bounced, the lawsuit said.
E2 Consulting "was provided with various explanations regarding the deficient payments and the promise the payments would soon be made," the lawsuit said.
E2 Consulting asked the court to give power to a trust over accounts and assets of i-3 Global and Lapp related to the money the California company said it is owed.
A trial is scheduled for May 2020.
Lapp faces additional trials in April 2020 on lawsuits filed by Integrated Global of Kennewick and Columbia State Bank, court records said.
Integrated Global provided staff to fulfill i-3 Global contracts at a nuclear reservation site and said in court documents that it is owed nearly $450,000.
Lapp borrowed $700,000 from Columbia State Bank in October 2017 and now owes $883,200, including interest and fees, the bank's lawsuit said.
___
Information from: Tri-City Herald, http://www.tri-cityherald.com | {
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NEW DELHI—The Indian government and a top trade body said they were working to improve business with Iran, resisting renewed U.S. pressure to stop buying Iranian oil.
New Delhi is in talks with Iran to ensure uninterrupted crude oil supplies, as well as to improve settlement of payments, Foreign Minister S.M. Krishna said on Thursday in a written reply to questions in the upper house of India's parliament. Indian trade with Iran won't be affected by U.S. and European Union sanctions, he said.
"The government is studying the impact on India of the problems that have arisen due to imposition of sanctions against Iran," he said. Mr. Krishna added that India is also trying to diversify its sources of crude oil imports.
The U.S. State Department warned on Tuesday that 12 countries—including India and China—are at risk of financial penalties this year because of their continued purchases of Iranian oil. The U.S. at the same time said it wouldn't impose sanctions against Japan and 10 EU nations that have moved to reduce purchases of Iranian oil.
India imports about $12 billion in crude oil a year from Tehran, accounting for more than 10% of India's annual crude imports. | {
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President Trump's White House ended its alleged snubbing of CNN on Wednesday when deputy assistant to the president Sebastian Gorka discussed the administration's Iran policy with Jake Tapper in the 4 p.m. ET hour.
Gorka was the first administration official to appear on the network since Trump's presidency began on Jan. 20.
A Politico report on Tuesday charged that Trump and his team were intentionally dodging the network, which the president called "a hostile community" and "fake news" again Wednesday. The report cited several unnamed sources.
On Jan. 24, CNN senior media correspondent Brian Stelter wrote in his daily "Reliable Sources" newsletter that he was informed by a "Trumpworld aide" that the administration's snubbing of CNN was a strategy by Trump and his team to drive down the network's ratings.
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"A Trumpworld aide predicted to me that the ratings for the programs would be hurt because no Trump administration officials had agreed to be interviewed," Stelter wrote.
That impasse appeared to have broken by Wednesday, though Trump still had harsh words for the network.
During a Black History Month event in Washington, Trump singled out CNN contributor Paris Dennard, who defended Trump throughout the campaign in segments in which he was often outnumbered by other guests.
"Paris has done an amazing job in a very hostile CNN community," Trump said to laughter in the room. "He was all by himself. It was seven people and Paris, and I'll take Paris over the seven.
"I don't watch CNN, so I don't get to see [Dennard] as much,” he continued. “I don't like watching fake news. But Fox has treated me very nice, wherever Fox is, thank you."
At a press conference in New York three weeks ago, Trump called CNN White House correspondent Jim Acosta "rude" and blasted the network as "fake news."
"Your organization is terrible," Trump told Acosta when he repeatedly attempted to ask a question.
"You're attacking us, can you give us a question?” Acosta replied.
"Don't be rude. No, I'm not going to give you a question. You are fake news," Trump responded, before calling on another reporter.
Trump himself has not appeared on the CNN since an August interview with Anderson Cooper.
Since the election, Trump has done three interviews: the first with ABC's David Muir, the second with Fox News's Sean Hannity and a third with Christian Broadcasting Network's David Brody. | {
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Méga-PixelsLa plupart des grands succès de ces dernières années durent plusieurs dizaines d’heures. Or seule une minorité de joueurs trouve le temps, ou le courage, de les finir.
« - Tu as bientôt fini ton jeu ?
- Oui, j’ai joué deux heures. Il ne m’en reste plus qu’une centaine. »
Parfois, le jeu vidéo est affaire de patience. Mercredi 16 septembre, le jeu de rôle japonais Dragon Quest VII est sorti pour la première fois en Europe. Il est longtemps resté célèbre pour la longueur de son aventure – 107 heures, selon le site How Long to Beat, qui référence le temps moyen nécessaire pour finir l’aventure principale d’un jeu et finir toutes ses missions annexes. Si Dragon Quest VII est une référence, encore aujourd’hui, il n’est en revanche plus une exception, dans une industrie où la plupart des superproductions s’apparentent à des contrées gigantesques.
Avec la démocratisation des mondes ouverts, les productions à rallonge se sont généralisées ces dernières années. Comptez 24 heures pour finir Fallout 4 en ligne droite, 31 heures pour GTA V, et 46 heures pour The Witcher 3 : Wild Hunt. Et ces durées moyennes passent à respectivement 144 heures, 75 heures et 164 heures pour essorer ces jeux à 100 %.
« Qui a le temps ? »
Et si les jeux étaient trop longs ? Sur Steam, la plateforme de jeu la plus utilisée sur ordinateur, les statistiques publiques révèlent un décalage entre la durée de chaque aventure et le pourcentage de joueurs à être allés au bout de celle-ci, hors missions secondaires : 29,7 % pour Fallout 4, 26,8 % pour The Witcher 3 : Wild Hunt, ou encore 23 % pour GTA V. En moyenne, plus de deux joueurs sur trois ne parviennent pas à la fin d’un jeu entamé. Sans même évoquer le cas de ceux qui renoncent à l’achat d’un jeu en amont, par peur de ne pas trouver le temps de s’y investir.
Le 14 septembre, dans un tweet, le principal site spécialisé français, Jeuxvideo.com, interrogeait ses lecteurs sur les jeux qu’ils avaient trouvés trop longs. Plus d’une centaine de messages ont afflué, autant de cas signalés. « Dead Island, Dieu que c’était long. Les trente heures qu’il a fallu pour le terminer, cela a paru une éternité. » « The Witcher 3 : excellent jeu, mais traîne en longueur. » « Xenoblade Chronicles. Je ne l’ai même pas fini, ça fait quarante heures que je joue et que je me fais plus ou moins chier… »
Fallout 4
Loin d’être anecdotique, cette inflation des temps de jeu pousse de nombreux joueurs, notamment à partir de la trentaine, à faire une croix sur leur loisir. « Qui a le temps de jouer ou la patience de passer dix heures sur un seul jeu ? A part les gosses, je ne vois pas », s’agace un internaute sur le forum de jeuxvideo.com. En 2014, dans un billet savoureux sur la question, un blogueur surnommé « 01010110 » s’amusait même à lister les conditions – fantaisistes – nécessaires à l’assouvissement de sa passion :
« Je vais devoir faire des coupes quelque part. Voyons voir… Pour les livres, ce sera la quatrième de couverture, on se contentera des films du dimanche sur TF1, niveau musique, je vais me restreindre à Fun Radio et aux groupes néo-métal de 1997 à 2003, le “Zapping” de Canal + pour l’actualité, j’arrête aussi de jouer de la basse, j’arrête de m’intéresser à des trucs, j’arrête de regarder “Tellement vrai”, j’arrête Internet, j’arrête d’écrire, je me débarrasse de ma femme et je mets mes gamins dans un orphelinat. Oui, voilà, comme ça, j’aurais pile le temps de jouer aux jeux vidéo. »
Critère consumériste
Pourtant, longtemps, la longueur d’un jeu a été considérée comme un critère essentiel pour mesurer sa qualité. Parfois jusqu’à l’absurde, comme ce test du site Gamekult sanctionnant l’un des titres les plus plébiscités de la décennie, Portal, d’un sévère 5/10, en raison d’une durée de « deux heures à tout casser ». Etrange, pour une industrie qui se dit culturelle : personne n’a jamais songé à noter un film ou un livre en fonction de son nombre de minutes ou de pages.
Le critère est intimement lié à l’approche consumériste du journalisme jeu vidéo, aux grilles de lecture parfois plus proches du test de la machine à laver que de la critique de cinéma. On le retrouve ainsi dès 1991 dans le premier numéro de Consoles +, où le journaliste se félicite : « Il vous faudra un moment avant de voir le bout [de l’aventure]. Encore heureux, vu le prix ! »
Test de Might & Magic, dans le premier Consoles +, en 1991. Capture d'écran
Le critère est resté présent jusqu’au début des années 2010, quand l’explosion du dématérialisé et l’apparition d’une gamme de prix plus souple ont amené les joueurs à reconsidérer la question sous un nouvel angle.
Ce culte de la durée de vie, qui a profondément modifié les mécaniques des jeux en monde ouvert ces dernières années, trouve désormais un contrepoint spectaculaire dans des expériences extrêmement courtes au regard des standards habituels. La réédition du minimaliste Journey sur PlayStation 4 pointe ainsi à 92/100 de note presse agrégée sur Metacritic, et de 8,3/10 de note utilisateurs moyenne, malgré une aventure de deux heures « seulement ».
De même, le cinquième épisode de la série interactive Tales from the Borderlands s’est glissé dans le top 20 des jeux les mieux notés du site agrégatif américain en 2015, malgré (ou grâce à ?) une durée de deux heures également. Ils sont 44,8 % à être allés au bout de ce dernier épisode de la saison, un taux exceptionnellement élevé pour un jeu vidéo moderne. Fatalement, plus les jeux sont courts, plus les joueurs ont de chances d’en voir le bout – sans que cela nuise à sa réception critique.
Ne pas confondre longueur et ennui
Aujourd’hui, les jeux démesurément grands sont surtout l’apanage des éditeurs spécialisés dans les superproductions. Il y aurait une attente, croit savoir l’industrie, pour plus de contenu dès lors que les jeux coûtent 70 €.
« Quand le joueur a un produit dans les mains, il a forcément des attentes vis-à-vis de ce dernier. En fonction du genre de jeu, l’attente sur la durée de vie et le temps investi va changer, resitue Yann Bijou, responsable études utilisateurs au User Research Lab de Paris d’Ubisoft. Je n’ai jamais entendu un joueur dire qu’un jeu était trop long. » D’ailleurs, les extensions de certains jeux, comme Blood and Wine pour The Witcher 3, se vendent très bien, signe que les amateurs de jeux de rôle en redemandent.
Mad Max WARNER BROS. GAMES
Même son de cloche du côté de Yara Khoury, ancienne productrice Dead Space 3 et Battlefield Hardline pour le compte d’Electronic Arts, interrogée sur la spécificité des jeux dits AAA, « des jeux avec des budgets de production importants, de l’ordre de plusieurs dizaines de millions d’euros, et de plus en plus, on intègre dedans les attentes des joueurs en matière de durée de vie ».
Les critiques sur celle-ci relèveraient quant à elle d’un malentendu. « Il faut prendre du recul pour analyser pourquoi on dit qu’un jeu est long. Je pense que c’est avant tout parce qu’on s’ennuie : on juge la répétitivité, pas la longueur », corrige Yann Bijou, pour qui « The Witcher 3 est très long, mais pas trop long, parce qu’on ne s’ennuie jamais ». Une thèse défendue par certains joueurs eux-mêmes. « A partir du moment où l’on prend du plaisir dans un jeu, il n’est jamais trop long, ils sont souvent bien trop courts d’ailleurs », répond ainsi un internaute à Jeuxvideo.com.
De la durée à la rétention
« Ce qu’on entend par durée de vie a beaucoup évolué en fonction des changements qu’ont subis les jeux vidéo au niveau de leurs structures », resitue Bojan Trajkov, doctorant en sociologie du jeu à l’université Paris-8 et membre de Ludopresse, un projet d’étude de la presse jeu vidéo francophone.
« Au début, la durée de vie, c’était plus ou moins synonyme de rejouabilité. Ensuite, un jeu avec une bonne durée de vie, était un jeu qui nécessitait beaucoup de temps de jeu effectif pour achever une première partie (typiquement les jeux de rôle, etc.). Et enfin, la durée de vie au sens moderne pourrait quant à elle se rapporter à la quantité d’activités annexes (nombre de quêtes subsidiaires, mini-jeux, courses chronométrées, objets à collecter, etc.) en plus des actions principales à accomplir. Ainsi, la longueur d’un jeu pourrait aujourd’hui se mesurer au contenu proposé dans son ensemble, non pas seulement au temps théorique nécessaire pour afficher les crédits. »
Bien sûr, il existe aussi le cas particulier des jeux « bac à sable », comme le célèbre Minecraft, ou la simulation spatiale Kerbal Space Program, flashée à 140 heures minimum de campagne et 807 heures pour le finir à 100 %. Ici, point vraiment de campagne, mais la possibilité de faire joujou avec le programme de manière créative et quasi infinie. Mais l’infini, comme chacun sait, c’est long, surtout vers la fin.
Yann Bijou évoque d’ailleurs le terme de « rétention », plutôt que celui de « durée de vie », pour qualifier la capacité d’un jeu à prolonger l’implication du joueur. Si du point de vue du consommateur, la longueur des jeux a souvent été un étalon pour calculer un improbable rapport quantité/prix, le contenu est aujourd’hui un moyen pour les éditeurs de promouvoir des achats optionnels. | {
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The federal government has announced plans to divert well-meaning Australian volunteers from foreign orphanages that exploit fake orphans for profit.
The foreign minister, Julie Bishop, will on Thursday announce a campaign involving states, territories, schools and universities to curb Australian involvement in so-called orphanage tourism in developing nations.
It is also still considering whether to follow an inquiry’s recommendation to divert Australian government aid funding away from foreign orphanages.
The measure falls short of the ban on orphanage tourism called for by a Liberal-led foreign affairs and aid subcommittee late last year.
In a joint statement with the education minister, Simon Birmingham, Bishop said the campaign would help volunteers make informed decisions and avoid becoming involved in the exploitation of children.
“The Australian government will work with states and territories and universities to ensure school groups and students are not unwittingly visiting or volunteering in programs that exploit children,” the statement said.
“This work will help to ensure the good intentions of so many Australians are fulfilled through positive actions that protect them and vulnerable children overseas.”
The announcement comes after significant lobbying by the Liberal senator Linda Reynolds within the Coalition. It also comes after campaigns from groups like the Cambodia Children’s Trust and ReThink Orphanages, an alliance of charities and not-for-profits opposed to orphanages in developing nations.
Organisations such as the United Nations children’s fund (Unicef) have long called for western nations to reduce their support for orphanages in developing nations, and instead redirect their efforts to funding familial or community-based care for children.
The vast majority of children in south-east Asian orphanages still have living parents, but are lured to institutions with the promise of education and a better life.
Many institutions are run as businesses for the profit of their owners, sustained by the well-meaning tourists who visit, donate or volunteer.
In Cambodia, for example, 80% of children in orphanages still have living parents, according to Friends International.
The number of orphanages in the country has exploded by 60% in the decade from 2005, largely appearing in the main tourist areas of Siem Reap and Phnom Penh. The phenomenon has occurred despite poverty levels reducing overall.
In the worst cases, children are beaten, forced into labour, starved or sexually abused.
Research shows that even in the best-run institutions, children suffer harmful effects. Children in institutional care tend to have higher rates of behavioural issues, reactive attachment disorders, poor physical health and reduced intellectual capability compared with children who stay with their families or relatives.
Guardian Australia last year revealed the true extent of Australian support for orphanage tourism in south-east Asia. Funding and volunteers come from Australian travel agencies, charities, churches, universities or high schools.
About 51% of all church attendees in Australia are contributing funding to institutional care overseas, according to an ACCI study.
In 2016, Griffith University law and human trafficking expert, Kate van Doore, found 57.5% of Australian universities were advertising orphanage placements through international volunteering programs.
Van Doore also found 22 Australian-based and 61 overseas-based travel agencies or organisations sending Australian volunteers to residential care centres.
In some states, up to 15% of public schools had fundraised or visited overseas orphanages.
Last month, Guardian Australia also revealed that former volunteers at the Jodie O’Shea orphanage, one of Bali’s biggest children’s institutions, had made a formal complaint about its practices.
The complaint, which was passed to Indonesian authorities, alleged the majority of the children were not orphans, but were from a remote island named Sumba, where their parents remained.
The orphanage brought in up to five groups of tourists a day, the complaint alleged. | {
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In a stunning - if not altogether unexpected - blow to long-time California Senator Dianne Feinstein, the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, the California state Democratic Party opted not to endorse their own senior senator as she prepares to start campaigning to defend her seat in the 2018 midterms.
Delegates to the state party convention instead favored progressive state Senate leader Kevin de León, over Feinstein by a 54% to 37% margin, according to results, which were announced early Sunday. And while neither candidate reached the 60% threshold required to receive the party endorsement outright for 2018, de Leon's camp claimed it as a profound victory.
“The outcome of today’s endorsement vote is an astounding rejection of politics as usual, and it boosts our campaign’s momentum as we all stand shoulder-to-shoulder against a complacent status quo,” de León said in a prepared statement, quoted by Politico. "California Democrats are hungry for new leadership that will fight for California values from the front lines, not equivocate on the sidelines."
Feinstein, a longtime centrist, has often maintained an uneasy truce with the progressive activists who dominate the state party. The result followed two days of lobbying by the candidates in convention speeches and throughout the convention halls.
In an appeal to thousands of delegates Saturday, de Leon portrayed Feinstein as a Washington power broker and corporatist insider who wouldn't listen to progressives.
Still, the state party's refusal to endorse Feinstein will ultimately have little impact on her chances of winning another term later this year. Every poll still shows her winning the race by a wide margin.
But her challenger de Leon is undeterred by the unfavorable numbers:
"I’m running for the U.S. Senate because the days of Democrats biding our time, biting our tongue, and trying to let it work the margins are over," he said to cheers. "I’m running because California’s greatness comes from paths of human audacity, not congressional seniority." The non-endorsement appears unlikely to immediately alter the trajectory of a contest Feinstein is leading by a wide margin. First elected in a 1992 special Senate election, Feinstein is out-polling de León 46 percent to 17 percent among likely California voters, according to the most recent poll by the Public Policy Institute of California. Her financial advantage is even more overwhelming: Feinstein held close to $10 million in cash on hand at the end of last year, while de León reported raising just $500,000.
Feinstein, who was one of the sponsors of the Clinton-era assault weapons ban, touted her gun-control bona fides, and stressed the importance of California Democrats maintaining unified support.
California Democrats, she said, have “the largest delegation in the House. You’ve got Kamala Harris and me in the Senate.” She said Democrats can more effectively advance their principles “if we have unified support.” Feinstein lost the state party endorsement to a rival Democrat, John Van de Kamp, when she ran for California governor in 1990. And though supporters this year waved signs and stopped Feinstein to pose for photographs, she at times appeared out of step working the convention halls. Interrupted in her convention speech Saturday by music signaling her time to speak had run out, Feinstein said, "I guess my time is up." As she left the stage, de León supporters in the crowd yelled back at the 84-year-old, "Time’s up! Time’s up!" The state party returned a non-endorsement in California’s other major statewide contest, as well. In the race for governor, Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom led all candidates with 39 percent support, followed by state Treasurer John Chiang and former state schools chief Delaine Eastin with 30 percent and 20 percent, respectively. Former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who has drawn close to Newsom at the top of statewide public opinion polls, finished a distant fourth, at 9 percent.
It's worth highlighting that Feinstein's circumstances in the 2018 race mirror - to a degree - the circumstances that Hillary Clinton faced during the 2016 campaign. Both represent a Democratic establishment that has failed to energize the progressive voters. And both reportedly have trouble connecting with voters.
We wonder: Could Feinstein, whose seat is viewed as "safe" by pollsters, be in for an upset, either by her Republican opponent, or a progressive insurgency? For the guaranteed answer, we await the NYT and WaPo polls showing that Feinstein is a 99% favorite to win. | {
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Having pulled off the monumental achievement of getting elected with zero help from Wall Street, President Trump is at risk of throwing it all away. He seems to be turning his White House over not only to liberal Democrats, but to the very type of liberal Democrats he railed against on the campaign trail.
It's like voluntarily getting an AIDS transfusion.
Until Trump, voters had two choices: A Republican beholden to Wall Street or a Democrat beholden to Wall Street.
But Wall Street despised Trump, and he despised them. This allowed him the luxury of denouncing both Ted Cruz and Hillary Clinton for their ties to Goldman Sachs, especially Hillary's six-figure "speeches" to that investment bank.
Ninety percent of Wall Street's money went to Hillary's campaign. Wherever the other 10 percent went, it didn't go to Trump.
What does that mean?
[Fox News' Sean Hannity frantically waving his hand]: I know! I know! Since he owes them nothing and they're universally reviled, he needs to turn the keys of the kingdom over to Wall Street bankers!
No, actually. It means that he should stay the hell away from them.
The Democrats, who are evil but not stupid, know what a gift it was for Trump to have had no Wall Street support. And they are already plotting to win Trump's voters back.
A hand grenade has recently been tossed into Trump's camp in the form of Stanley Greenberg's mostly-overlooked report for Democracy Corps. Greenberg, the Yale professor-turned-Democratic pollster, has conducted extensive, in-depth interviews with the beating heart of Trump's working-class support: the voters of Macomb County, Michigan, which went for Obama twice, but then flipped to Trump.
They were impossible to move. They love Trump, have no regrets about their vote, disbelieve the media and detest career politicians like Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell. They just "pray he keeps his promises and succeeds."
However, one fact, and one fact only, shook their faith: when they were told that his Cabinet was "full of campaign donors, Goldman Sachs bankers (bailed out by the taxpayers) and people who use undocumented workers in their homes." [PDF]
Hearing that, these devoted Trump voters called him "two-faced," a "puppet" and sadly remarked, "It's going to be a lot of the same old garbage."
Trump knows this. His guilty conscience propelled him to stray from his standard rally speech in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, last week, and go into what seemed like an endless soliloquy on his chief economic adviser, Goldman Sachs' Gary Cohn. (Not to be confused with his Treasury Secretary, Goldman Sachs' Steve Mnuchin, or his deputy national security adviser, Goldman Sachs' Dina Powell. These are the people the media call the "grown-ups" in Trump's administration.)
The Cedar Rapids crowd was thrilled to see Trump. They would have cheered his tie. They would have cheered the humidity. But his lengthy disquisition on Cohn? Crickets.
Touting (lifelong, and still today, liberal Democrat) Cohn's "great, brilliant business mind," Trump said, he wanted "a rich person to be in charge of the economy," because "that's the kind of thinking we want."
Sean Hannity, bless his heart, has the zeal of the late Trump convert. He would endorse communism if Trump decided to implement the policies of "The Communist Manifesto." (Which the GOP's health care bill actually does!)
On his show last Thursday, he tried to get me to defend Trump's "rich person" remarks about Cohn. I wish you could see the segment, but, unfortunately, Hannity decided no one would ever see it—NOT, I hasten to add, because he would ever censor criticism of Trump, but simply because he ran out of time.
In a pre-taped interview. It was a time problem. (It may not be evident to most viewers, but three minutes MUST be left at the end of every Hannity show for Nerf ball throwing.)
With the zealotry of those who came late to the Trump party, Hannity fully endorsed Trump's faith in Cohn, adding, "I never got a job from a poor man!"
Those of us who have been here for a while—unlike Cruz- and Rubio-supporting Hannity—know how to party responsibly. The best way we serve the people we admire is to tell them the truth. (Someday, no doubt, Nancy Pelosi will wish she had been surrounded by fewer Yes Men.)
The motto of we longtime Trump supporters is: NO TREATS FOR DOING NOTHING!
As I told Hannity (in the pre-taped, and later edited, interview): He's also never gotten a job from Goldman Sachs. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross created jobs. Donald Trump created jobs. Goldman Sachs doesn't create jobs. The geniuses of Goldman specialize in generating obscene salaries for themselves while helping send American jobs abroad.
Trump said he wanted rich people to do for the country what they had done for themselves. Here's what Gary Cohn did for himself: He oversaw the mortgage department at Goldman Sachs in the run-up to Wall Street blowing up the economy with the 2008 mortgage meltdown.
Under Cohn, Goldman's role was especially egregious, as described in detail in a 600-page report issued by the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations headed by Republican Sen. Tom Coburn and Democratic Sen. Carl Levin, after a two-year review.
As Goldman was furiously betting against worthless mortgages for its own account, it was hawking this toxic paper to its customers.
Goldman's customers could be wiped out with no skin off Goldman's back. But Goldman was doing the same with its trading partners, and the problem with scamming people on the other side of a bet is that, by winning, you might bankrupt them, and they can't pay you back.
But that's where you come in, taxpayer! To ensure that kazillionaires at Goldman recouped 100 cents on the dollar after the crash, taxpayer money was used to bail out the losers in these transactions—primarily AIG—so that they could pay back Goldman and other Wall Street banks in full.
It was the biggest taxpayer bailout of banks in U.S. history.
Is that what Gary Cohn is going to do for the economy? Scam the naive of, say, Canada, then ask for a taxpayer bailout from Mars?
As to rich people being "smart": Kim Kardashian is rich. Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman is rich. Bernie Madoff was rich—as he surely tells the 300-pound, face-tattooed gangsters he now showers with. No one wants any of them advising Trump, either.
You could have heard this on Hannity, but, apparently, there was some sort of timing issue.
COPYRIGHT 2017 ANN COULTER
DISTRIBUTED BY ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION
Ann Coulter is the legal correspondent for Human Events and is the author of TWELVE New York Times bestsellers—collect them here.
Her book, ¡Adios America! The Left’s Plan To Turn Our Country Into A Third World Hell Hole, was released on June 1, 2015. Her latest book is IN TRUMP WE TRUST: E Pluribus Awesome | {
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REMEMBER the panic over the “millennium bug”, when computers everywhere were expected to go haywire on January 1st 2000, thanks to the way a lot of old software used just two digits to represent the year instead of four? Doomsters predicted all sorts of errors in calculations involving dates when the clocks rolled over from 99 to 00. In the event, the millennium dawned without incident. That may have been because of the draconian preparations undertaken beforehand. Or perhaps, as many suspected, the problem was grossly exaggerated in the first place. Certainly, the computer industry made a packet out of all the panic-buying of new hardware and software in the months leading up to the new millennium.Well, something similar is about to happen in the months ahead. This time, the issue concerns the exhaustion of internet addresses—those four numbers ranging from 0 to 255 separated by dots that uniquely identify every device attached to the internet. According to Hurricane Electric, an internet backbone and services provider based in Fremont, California, the internet will run out of bulk IP addresses sometime next week—given the rate addresses are currently being gobbled up.The Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) will then have doled out all its so-called "slash-eight" blocks of addresses to the five regional internet registries around the world. In turn, the registries are expected to have allocated all their remaining addresses to local network operators by October at the latest. After that, any organisation applying for new addresses will be told, sorry, none left.The issue is real and has been a long time in the making. The Economist first warned about it ten years ago (see " Upgrading the internet ", March 22nd 2001). The problem concerns the address space of the existing version of the internet protocol (IPv4), which is only 32 bits wide. The total number of binary addresses possible with such an arrangement is therefore two raised to the power 32—or roughly 4.3 billion in decimal terms. Back in the 1980s, when the internet connected just a couple of dozen research institutes in America, that seemed like a huge number. Besides, the internet was thought at the time to be just a temporary network anyway.But with the invention of the web in 1990 came an explosion in popular demand. It was soon clear that it was only a matter of time before the internet would exhaust its supply of addresses. Work on a replacement for IPv4 began in the early 1990s, with IPv6 finally being made available around 1998 (IPv5 was an experimental protocol for streaming audio and video that has since ceased to exist). By giving the new internet version an address space of 128 bits, the designers pretty well guaranteed that it would not run out of unique identifiers for decades, or even centuries, to come.Two raised to the 128th power is an astronomical number. In decimal terms, it is roughly 340 billion billion billion billion—or, as Martin Levy of Hurricane Electric likes to say, “more than four quadrillion addresses for every star in the observable universe.”That will come in handy when the "internet of things" becomes a reality (see “ Chattering objects ”, August 13th 2010). Already, some two billion people have access to the internet. Add all the televisions, phones, cars and household appliances that are currently being given internet access—plus, eventually, every book, pill case and item of inventory as well—and a world or two of addresses could easily be accounted for.Apart from providing locators for every person and thing on the planet and beyond, IPv6's huge address space makes routing traffic over the internet a good deal easier. Above all, it eliminates the need for network address translation (NAT), a fudge used to extend the useful life of IPv4. NAT works by allocating a single address to, say, an organisation's gateway computer to the outside world. In turn, this public access computer allocates addresses to all the other devices on the organisation's internal network, allowing them all to share the one IPv4 address.Dispensing with NAT improves the performance of networks and, in principle, makes them much easier to configure. It also goes some way towards re-establishing the overarching philosophy of “end-to-end connectivity” espoused by the internet's founding fathers. To allow the internet to evolve and meet the needs of unknown future applications, the designers wisely decided that all packets of data travelling over the internet should be treated equally, and delivered from a computer at one end to a computer at the other end without prejudice or interference. Over the years, things like NAT and firewalls—plus attempts to provide some form of "quality-of-service" preferences for speech and video—have eroded the internet's end-to-end principle considerably.
Though a vast improvement, IPv6 is not without its problems. The biggest is that it is simply not backwardly compatible with IPv4. To reduce the amount of processing the routing computers have to do as they direct packets of data over the internet, IPv6 was given a far simpler packet format. That speeds things up no end. Unfortunately, while the two internet versions can coexist on a single device, they have to function independently of one another as two separate networks. When a device on one needs to communicate with a device on the other, various relay services and tunnelling tricks have to be employed, with IPv6 packets getting wrapped inside IPv4 packets or vice versa.
By all accounts, the two separate internets will have to live side by side for the foreseeable future. That could mean putting up with interoperability hassles for decades—at least, in the United States. One reason is that network operators in America have invested heavily in NAT boxes and other address-saving technologies. Also, being the inventor and earliest user of the internet, America received the lion's share of addresses before today's rules were put in place. As a result, many large companies, universities and government agencies in the United States still have plenty of spare IPv4 addresses lying around unused. The pressure to upgrade has therefore been minimal.
That is not the case elsewhere. The biggest single demonstration of IPv6 to date was during the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, when everything from live television and data feeds to security and traffic information was streamed over a vast IPv6 network. Being one of the last to embrace the internet, China has only one address for every four people. Hence the urgency in Beijing to adopt IPv6 as rapidly as possible. The same goes for Russia, South Korea and Japan. NTT, Japan's largest telecoms firm, has been offering IPv6 services to the public since 2000.
The next showcase for the new internet technology is to be “World IPv6 Day” on June 8th. While doing all he can to help, Vint Cerf, one of the fathers of the internet and today chief internet evangelist at Google, warns that the day could be marred by huge configuration difficulties. But the main purpose of the event is to air precisely such difficulties and get their fixes circulated.
And not before time, too. The American Registry for Internet Numbers, which allocates blocks of IP addresses to internet service providers and other network operators throughout North America, has suggested that all websites that face the public in its region be ready to support IPv6 by January 1st 2012. The aim, as The Economist has noted before, is to turn today's few islands of IPv6 computers in a sea of IPv4 into a world with a few remaining islands of IPv4 machines in a vast ocean of IPv6. | {
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The Ecuadorian National Assembly has passed an amendment to its Civil Code which will legalise same-sex civil unions.
The South American country passed the broad reforms, which also included raising the age of legal marriage to 18 and specifying criteria for marriage and divorce.
Civil unions in Ecuador will be open to those of any sexual orientation, and although the Civil Code will state categorically that they are “not considered as marriage”, this is being hailed as a step forward for equality in the country.
It also removed the necessity for couples to prove their relationship of over two years, in order to quality for a civil union.
Yolanda Herrera, a lawyer who fights for LGBT rights, teleSUR English that there are still issues around adoption and surrogacy. She said: “There are legal loopholes that are up in the air, like the affiliation of the child of a same-sex couple that decides to have children.”
She continued: “Today, those two mothers cannot [both] be registered, or in the case of surrogate mothers for two fathers, they cannot register their children. Only the person that gives birth [will be registered]”
Having been passed at the National Assembly, the revisions will go to President Rafael Correa and the executive branch for approval. | {
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Thousands of people have signed up on Facebook to a Dutch beach party for Brexit, featuring food from across the European Union to mark Britain's departure.
Created by media worker Ron Toekook, the event calls for partygoers to meet at the seaside village of Wijk aan Zee near Amsterdam on 31 October, the date Britain is meant to leave.
More than 7,000 people have already said they will attend, while 52,000 others are interested.
"It will be a nice goodbye to a good friend who is going on an exciting adventure, but is perhaps not too bright," Mr Toekook told the Dutch news agency ANP.
The party will involve "sitting in a deck chair with Dutch chips, French wine and German beer, watching Britain as it closes itself off."
"If there is enough interest there may be a band that can play... 'We'll Meet Again'."
Other suggestions for songs that could be played include single "Britain Come Back" sung by Dutch novelty boy band "Breunion Boys".
Mr Toekook said the party was a natural step for the Netherlands, which has had centuries of close cultural, trade and political links with Britain.
With their economies still closely intertwined, the Dutch have made major preparations in case Britain crashes out of the EU without a divorce deal on 31 October. | {
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Supporters of President Donald Trump — particularly his attorney Rudy Giuliani — have argued that Trump’s much-criticized July 25 phone call with the current president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, was appropriate because Biden had been corrupt in pushing Poroshenko to get rid of the state prosecutor. Giuliani alleged that Biden was attempting to help his son, Hunter Biden, who had financial connections in Ukraine. Giuliani doubled down on those points in a contentious interview Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union,” arguing that Viktor Shokin, the former prosecutor, has been falsely tarred.
Shokin left office in March 2016. Biden has aggressively denied the allegation that he did anything inappropriate.
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Saying he didn’t “recall all of the specifics about the specific individuals,“ Cameron didn’t directly address what Biden may or may not have said as President Barack Obama’s vice president, but said that the West was working hard at that time to get Ukraine to clean up its notoriously corrupt government. The West was heavily involved in Ukraine at the time because of its ongoing conflict with Russia, which had seized Crimea from Ukraine in 2014, an invasion roundly condemned by the international community.
Defenders of Biden have said that what Biden did in pushing Ukraine’s leadership was in line with those goals.
“Ukraine cannot afford the people to lose hope again,” Biden said in addressing the topic of corruption in a December 2015 visit, referring to corruption as a “cancer.“
Cameron also told Zakaria he thought the Trump administration made a mistake in pulling out of the Iran nuclear agreement — which was negotiated during his tenure as prime minister, with his assistance — without a new deal in place. | {
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Florida pastor facing sexual abuse charges released on bond A pastor and popular Christian radio show host in Florida has been released on bond as he faces charges he raped a child from his church numerous times over five years
WINTER PARK, Fla. -- A pastor and popular Christian radio show host in Florida has been released on bond as he faces charges he raped a child from his church numerous times over five years.
The Orlando Sentinel reports that Rev. Bryan Fulwider was released Wednesday night after posting a $700,000 bond. Fulwider agreed to remain in the Orlando-area counties of Orange and Seminole. He is forbidden from having contact with the victim.
The 59-year-old pastor was arrested Oct. 2 after a young woman told investigators he began abusing her in 2014 when she was 14 and he was senior minister at the First Congregational Church of Winter Park.
Fulwider co-hosts "Friends Talking Faith," broadcasting weekly on WMFE.
Fulwider's attorney says his client denies the allegations. A pretrial hearing is scheduled for Nov. 27.
———
Information from: Orlando Sentinel, http://www.orlandosentinel.com/ | {
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Experimental design
To identify the closest relatives of the Lake Victoria Region Superflock (LVRS) and identify potential hybridization events, we performed restriction associated DNA (RAD) sequencing with haplochromine cichlid species from all major drainage systems that are either currently connected to the Lake Victoria region, or have been in the past, and representatives of all major radiations of the Lake Victoria Region Superflock. The closest relatives were inferred with maximum likelihood trees based on these data and on mitochondrial sequences of the same fish. D statistics, five population tests, and F4-ratio tests, were used to identify hybridization between lineages, determine the direction of gene flow and quantify ancestry proportions, respectively. Whole-genome sequencing was then performed with fish of the lineages identified as ancestral to the LVRS plus representatives of the superflock in order to corroborate the signatures of hybridization and to estimate ancestry block sizes.
Taxonomic sampling
We sampled haplochromines from all major lakes and several small lakes in the Lake Victoria region and from the Mpanga River that drains the Rwenzori Mountains in the drainage divide between Lakes Edward and Victoria (Supplementary Data 1, Fig. 1). Further, we collected or obtained from other collectors haplochromines belonging to all phylogenetic lineages and from almost all African river drainages hosting haplochromines. We also included members of the haplochromine species flocks of the other African Great Lakes Malawi, Tanganyika and Mweru (Fig. 1, Supplementary Data 1). Samples were collected under research and sample export permissions of the Tanzania Fisheries Research Institute and the Tanzanian Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries; the Ugandan National Fisheries Resources Research Institute and Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries Uganda; and the Department of Fisheries Zambia. All samples were collected in compliance with applicable international and national guidelines for the use of animals, and ethical standards.
RAD sequencing
DNA was extracted from fin clips or muscle tissue with a standard phenol-chloroform-isoamyl alcohol extraction method58. Restriction-site Associated DNA sequencing (RADseq) was performed following a standard protocol59. Restriction digestion was done overnight (8–10 h) using the restriction endonuclease HF-SbfI (NewEngland Biolabs) and 400–1,000 ng DNA per sample. P1 adaptors contained 5–8 bp long barcodes differing by at least two nucleotides from all other barcodes. The DNA was sheared with a Covaris S220 Focused-Ultra sonicator and fragments of 300–600 bp length were extracted from an agarose gel. We performed 18 PCR cycles to amplify the RAD fragments (30 s 98 °C, × 18 (10 s 98 °C, 30 s 65 °C, 30 s 72 °C), 5 min 72 °C). All libraries were single-end sequenced on an Illumina HiSeq 2,500 sequencer. The reads were de-multiplexed and trimmed to 84 nucleotides (nt, after barcode removal) with the process_radtags script from the Stacks pipeline60, correcting single errors in the barcode and discarding reads with incomplete restriction sites. The length of 84 nt results from removing the barcode (mostly 6 nt long) and trimming off the last 10 nt because of reduced quality at the read ends. The FastX toolkit (http://hannonlab.cshl.edu/fastx_toolkit) was used to remove all reads containing at least one base with a Phred quality score below 10 and reads with more than 10% of bases with quality less than 30.
The reads of each individual were then mapped to the Pundamilia nyererei reference genome using Bowtie2 (ref. 61) with the end-to-end alignment option. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and genotypes were called using GATK Unified Genotyper v. 3.1 (ref. 62). All sites were then filtered with a custom-made Python script and vcftools v. 4.1 (ref. 63). SNPs within 5 nt from indels (insertions and deletions) were removed to avoid false SNPs because of misalignment problems, and SNPs were required to have a quality value of at least 30.
Mitochondrial sequencing
Two mitochondrial markers (NADH Dehydrogenase Subunit 2 (ND2)64 using the primers ND2Met-F 5′-CAT ACC CCA AAC ATG TTG GT-3′ and ND2Trp-R 5′-GTS GST TTT CAC TCC CGC TTA-3′ and the mtDNA control region (D-loop)65 with the primers FISHL15926-F 5′-GAG CGC CGG TCT TGT AA-3′ and FISH12s-R 5′-TGC GGA GAC TTG CAT GTG TAA G-3′ were amplified with PCR and Sanger sequenced for the same individuals or downloaded from GenBank for the same species as those included in the RADseq dataset (Supplementary Data 1). The sequences were aligned in ClustalW implemented in BioEdit 7.2.5 (ref. 66) and manually curated for correct local alignment.
Phylogenetic analyses
Phylogenies were reconstructed for the concatenated mitochondrial genes and the concatenated RAD sequences separately, including both variant and invariant sites using a maximum likelihood approach (RAxML v. 7.7.7 and ExaML v. 1.0.4)67,68. For the mitochondrial dataset, a maximum likelihood tree was reconstructed using three partitions, one for Dloop, one for the first and the second codon positions of ND2, and one for the third codon position of ND2. For each dataset, we performed a RAxML analysis with 100 rapid bootstraps using the GTRGAMMA model of rate heterogeneity. For the RAD-seq dataset, we used all concatenated sites with no more than 40 individuals missing (25%) to reconstruct a maximum likelihood tree with RAxML (ref. 67) and ExaML (ref. 68). Each of 100 bootstraps was performed by randomly sampling with replacement sites from the concatenated dataset to get a dataset of the original size. The maximum likelihood tree was then inferred for each resampled dataset with ExaML (ref. 68) using a GTRGAMMA model of rate heterogeneity, as recommended in the RAxML-light manual68. We calculated bootstrap support values based on these 100 topologies with RAxML (ref. 67). The nuclear and mitochondrial trees were rooted with the reference genome of Oreochromis niloticus and ladderized and plotted using the R-package Ape v. 3.1 (ref. 69).
We then used RAD-derived SNP data to infer the species tree for the LVRS groups and their closest relatives with SNAPP (ref. 45). SNAPP bypasses gene trees and computes species trees directly from independently inherited markers by integrating over all possible gene trees45. We restricted this analysis to two individuals per species (one for A. sp. ‘Yaekama’) and as SNAPP assumes no linkage among loci, we included only biallelic sites that were at least 500 kb apart from each other. The resulting data set contained 31 individuals and 1,817 sites. We ran SNAPP for 1,000,000 iterations, sampling every 1,000th iteration using default priors. We discarded the first 50% of the trees as burn-in and visualized the posterior distribution of the remaining 500 trees as consensus trees in Densitree70.
Mitochondrial chronograms
Dated phylogenies were reconstructed based on mitochondrial D-loop65 and ND2 (ref. 64) sequences using BEAST v. 2.3.0 (ref. 71) and four different sets of calibration nodes (Supplementary Methods). We caution that the mitochondrial tree only shows the phylogeny of the maternal line and that time estimates more recent than one million years are most likely overestimates because of the increase of molecular rates towards the recent (Supplementary Methods).
To compare the splitting time between cichlid lineages with the major relevant geological events, we reconstructed paleogeographic maps at different time points based on previously published data and reviews (see Supplementary Methods).
Patterson’s D statistics
To test for evidence of ancient admixture among lineages, we computed Patterson’s D statistic46,72 (ABBA-BABA test), a method to detect admixture based on the frequencies of discordant SNP genealogies in a four-taxon tree, with the software package ADMIXTOOLS v. 1.1 (ref. 48). Genotypes were discarded if they had less than 6 reads or a genotype quality Phred score <20 (that is, error probability >1%). Significance of D statistics was assessed with a block jackknife procedure using a z score of three standard errors as a threshold48. We used three individuals of Astatotilapia flavijosephi from Lake Kinneret as the outgroup population and we tested for evidence of gene flow from each Eastern and Upper Nile clade into the LVRS relative to allele sharing with the closest relative of the LVRS, the Congo drainage taxa A. stappersi from Zambia (Fig. 2) or A. sp. ‘Yaekama’ from the central Congo. For these analyses we used all individuals with at least 50% of the sites sequenced at a depth of at least 10 reads. To exclude the possibility that the D statistics are biased by the alignment of the reads to the Lake Victoria species Pundamilia nyererei, we also aligned the reads to the Astatotilapia burtoni reference genome, which is an outgroup to all taxa used in the D statistics. To rule out that the choice of outgroup (A. flavijosephi) biases the D statistics, we repeated the tests with A. burtoni or A. desfontainii as outgroups. All species combinations with number of individuals and SNPs included are given in Supplementary Table 2.
Five population tests
To infer directionality of gene flow between LVRS and the Nilotic taxa, we used an extended version of the partitioned D statistic test developed by Eaton & Ree47 (we call it a ‘five population test’). Similar to the D statistics, this test is based on discordant allele sharing patterns, but by considering five populations it allows one to infer the directionality of gene flow. The five taxa with the topology ((P1,P2), (P3a,P3b)),O include the potential source of gene flow (for example, P3a), the taxon receiving gene flow (for example, P1), a close relative of each of these two taxa (for example, P3b and P2) and an outgroup (O, see also Supplementary Table 3 for visualization). If genes had introgressed from for example, P3a into P1, a close relative (P3b) of the introgression donor (P3a) would also show excess allele sharing with P1, but to a lesser extent than P3a. This is because many derived alleles that introgressed from P3a into P1 will be shared by P3a and P3b because of their recent common ancestry. In contrast, we would not expect that a close relative (P2) of the receiver of gene flow, P1, would show excess allele sharing with P3a and P3b. In the genomic data, this would be seen as an excess number of BABBA patterns, where P1 shares a derived allele (‘B’) with both P3a and P3b, whereas P2 has the outgroup allele (‘A’), as compared with the number of ABBBA patterns (P2 shares a derived allele with both P3 taxa). On the other hand, if the direction of gene flow was from P1 into P3a, P3b would not show excess allele sharing with P1 but instead, P2 would show excess allele sharing with P3a because of ancestrally shared alleles between P1 and P2 that introgressed into P3a. Therefore, gene flow from P1 into P3a would not affect the relative frequencies of BABBA and ABBBA patterns, but the pattern BBBAA (P1, P2 and P3a share a derived allele) would be more frequent than BBABA (P1 and P2 share a derived allele with P3b, see Supplementary Table 3). Counting discordant allele sharing patterns thus allows us to infer the direction of gene flow.
We computed the five population tests with a custom made script using the three individuals with least missing data for each LVRS group and the single individual with the most complete data for all other taxa. In contrast to the D statistics computed with ADMIXTOOLS, which are based on allele frequencies, our five population tests are calculated from a single individual for each focal population, following Eaton and Ree47. We tested each of the three individuals of each LVRS group separately, and report the means for each radiation. At heterozygous sites, one allele was chosen at random. For each combination of individuals tested, we counted the eight patterns needed to compute the four D statistics (Supplementary Table 3) using all sites without missing data. We calculated z scores in units of s.d. from 100 bootstrapped datasets (sites resampled with replacement) as in Eaton and Ree47.
Estimation of ancestry proportions
The absolute value of D statistics does not only depend on the admixture proportion but also on the demographic history, the divergence between the hybrid parental lineages, and the genetic distance between the real source taxon of gene flow and the sampled surrogate population73. Thus, the D statistic cannot be used directly to infer the magnitude of introgression. Instead, we applied the F4-ratio test48,73 to infer the Upper Nile ancestry proportions in the different LVRS taxa using all genotypes with at least ten reads and SNPs with a maximum of 10% missing data (72,443 SNPs) with ADMIXTOOLS v. 1.1 (ref. 48). The F4-ratio test is based on four populations with the genealogy (((A,B)C)O) and a fifth potential hybrid population X that is tested for ancestry proportions from B and C (Supplementary Fig. 6). We repeated the test with different Eastern taxa used as population ‘A’, T. pharyngalis or H. gracilior as ‘B’, A. sp. ‘Yaekama’ as ‘C’ and A. flavijosephi as ‘O’ as shown in Supplementary Table 4. The Upper Nile ancestry proportions estimated with the combination of populations with the lowest s.d. were used for further analyses and to explain the F4-ratio test in Supplementary Fig. 6.
Long-wave sensitive (LWS) opsin gene
We sequenced the LWS opsin gene from exon 2 to 6 using the Carleton & Kocher primer combinations F2 (5′-TTT GAG GGT CCC AAT TAC CA-3′), R2 (5′-TCC ACA CAG CAA GGT AGC AC-3′) and F3 (5′-ACT GGC CTC ATG GAC TGA AG-3′) and R4 (5′-TCC CAA AAT GGA GAA CAT GG-3′) (http://cichlid.umd.edu/cichlidlabs/protocols/Basic/pcrprimer.html)74. The sequences were aligned together with all available Lake Victoria cichlid LWS sequences from GenBank using ClustalW implemented in BioEdit 7.2.5 (ref. 66) and then manually curated. For sequences used, see Supplementary Data 3. A maximum likelihood tree was reconstructed including both variant and invariant sites using the GTRGAMMA model of rate heterogeneity with RAxML v. 7.7.7 (ref. 67). We used one partition with concatenated introns, one for the first plus second codon position of concatenated exons, and one for the third codon positions. The tree was rooted with the Oreochromis niloticus sequence and nodal support values were drawn from 100 rapid bootstraps performed with RAxML. The tree was ladderized and plotted using the R-package Ape v. 3.1 (ref. 69).
To visually assess the effects of recombination on the LWS opsin alleles in the Lake Victoria Region cichlids, we extracted all positions of the alignment that were polymorphic among the LVRS sequences and also differed between the Congolese and Upper Nile taxa. If one of the alleles was only found in the Congolese taxa but not in the Upper Nile taxa, we coloured it red, whereas alleles found only in the Upper Nile taxa were coloured blue. Many LVRS haplotypes could be explained by recombination between the two divergent allele classes occurring in the Congo and Upper Nile clades. The second LWS gene tree was reconstructed with all recombinant sequences falling between the two major allele classes in the phylogenetic tree removed from the alignment.
For information about the occurrence of LWS haplotypes across LVRS species, we compiled data from Tables 1+2 in Terai et al.51, Fig. 1 and Supplementary Table 4 in Terai et al.49, Supplementary Fig. 4b in Seehausen et al.39, Figure S3 in Miyagi et al.54 and additional GenBank sequences by Carleton et al. (GenBank). Information sources and GenBank accession numbers are provided in Supplementary Data 3.
Sorting of ancestral alleles
We created a RAD sequence dataset of our Congolese and Upper Nile LVRS relatives and previously published sequences36 of six sympatrically occurring Lake Victoria species that are ecologically and phenotypically diverse (Pundamilia pundamilia (n=10, blue male nuptial coloration, benthic insectivore-omnivore), P. nyererei (n=11, red planktivore-omnivore), Harpagochromis cf. serranus (n=10, blue piscivore), Lipochromis melanopterus (n=9, yellow paedophage), Paralabidochromis chilotes (n=9, blue benthic insectivore) and Neochromis omnicaeruleus (n=12, blue algae scraper)). The sites were filtered for having at least 5 individuals covered in each species at a sequencing depth of at least six reads. We used Arlequin v. 3.514 (ref. 75) to calculate global F ST values based on a hierarchical island model among the six Lake Victoria cichlid species. We calculated allele frequencies for the Congolese (Astatotilapia stappersi from Zambia and A. sp. ‘Yaekama’ from DRC, n=5) and the Upper Nile taxa (‘Haplochromis’ gracilior and Thoracochromis pharyngalis, n=9) to get estimates of the allele frequencies for the parental lineages of the LVRS and to infer the likely ancestry of the alleles segregating in Lake Victoria. We excluded sites monomorphic in the subset of Lake Victoria species or sequenced in less than three individuals in either the Congolese or the Upper Nile lineage taxa. We extracted sites for which only one of the two alleles segregating in Lake Victoria cichlids were found in the Congolese and Upper Nile lineage taxa together (category 1). Next, we extracted sites with both alleles segregating in the Congolese taxa representing ancestral standing genetic variation that would have been present in the Lake Victoria radiation also without ancient hybridization with the Upper Nile lineage (category 2).
We identified Lake Victoria polymorphic sites for which only one allele was found in the Congolese taxa, and the second allele was found exclusively in the Upper Nile taxa, representing genetic variation that can be attributed to the ancient admixture event (category 3). We also identified the subset of sites fixed for alternative alleles in the Congolese and Upper Nile taxa (category 4). These are sites that could be involved in epistatic BDM-like incompatibilities between Congolese and Upper Nile alleles. Sites fixed for alternative alleles in the Congolese and Upper Nile lineage taxa are expected to have been present at the onset of the Lake Victoria radiation at a mean minor allele frequency of 16% (that is, the inferred Upper Nile ancestry proportion for the Lake Victoria radiation). To take the effect of this moderately high initial allele frequency into account in our subsequent analyses, we created a dataset of SNPs with comparable expected ancestral allele frequency in Lake Victoria (category 5) by weighting the allele frequencies of the Congolese and Upper Nile lineage taxa at each site by 0.84 and 0.16, respectively, corresponding to the inferred ancestry proportions for the Lake Victoria radiation. Of these, we extracted all sites with a weighted minor allele frequency of 14–18% excluding sites that are divergently fixed between the Congolese and Upper Nile taxa. As an example, if at a given bi-allelic site the frequency of one allele was 0.1 in the Congolese taxa and the frequency of the same allele was 0.5 in the Upper Nile taxa, we calculated 0.1 × 0.84+0.5 × 0.16=0.164. As this site would have a weighted minor allele frequency between 14% and 18%, it would be included in the control set of SNPs. Note that such loci are not predicted to be involved in BDM incompatibilities because all their alleles were present within at least one of the two parental populations. The proportion of sites that were outliers of high global F ST (P<0.05) among the Lake Victoria species (‘LV outliers’) was calculated for each dataset and compared between datasets using a two-sided Fisher’s exact test. The robustness of the test to erroneously inferred ancestry proportions was assessed by repeating the calculations with different Upper Nile allele frequency weighting, ranging from 10 to 30% (Supplementary Discussion).
To check if LV outliers fixed for alternative alleles in the parental lineages inherently have a higher fixation probability than non-outliers, we analysed fixation patterns in other closely related cichlid species that are not part of the radiation. We used Astatotilapia bloyeti, A. sparsidens, A. flavijosephi, A. calliptera, A. burtoni and Astatoreochromis alluaudi as we have at least three sequenced individuals of each. For each pairwise comparison between these species, we extracted sites with at least three genotypes sequenced at a minimum depth of six reads in both species. We then checked if sites fixed for alternative alleles in the Congolese and Upper Nile lineage taxa were also fixed for alternative alleles between these other species. Finally, we tested with Fisher’s exact tests if sites that were high global F ST outliers among Lake Victoria species were also more often differentially fixed between these other species than non-outlier sites (see also Supplementary Discussion).
To analyse the genomic distribution of LV outliers that are fixed for alternative alleles between the Congolese and Upper Nile taxa, we used liftOver (http://genome.ucsc.edu/) with a chain file from Brawand et al.50 to get positions on the Oreochromis niloticus genome which includes chromosomal information.
Whole-genome sequencing data
To corroborate our findings from RAD sequence data, and for the analysis of ancestry block sizes, we sequenced whole genomes of nine fish from Lake Victoria, two from Lake Kivu, and of the taxa that we found to be the closest extant representatives of the lineages directly ancestral to the LVRS, the Congolese Astatotilapia stappersi, and the Upper Nile Thoracochromis pharyngalis and ‘Haplochromis’ gracilior. Whole-genome sequencing data was generated using PCR-free library preparation76 and Illumina HiSeq 3000 paired-end sequencing for 11 individuals. Three additional individuals, sequenced the same way on the same machine, were taken from McGee et al.77 (see Supplementary Data 1 for sample information). Local alignment against the Astatotilapia burtoni reference genome50 was performed with Bowtie 2 (ref. 61). For variant calling and genotyping we used Haplotype Caller (GATK v. 3.5)62. Genotypes with fewer than five reads, multiallelic sites, and indels were removed using vcftools v. 4.1 (ref. 63).
Whole-genome D statistics were calculated with ADMIXTOOLS v. 1.1 (ref. 48) using all biallelic sites with a 1% minor allele frequency cutoff and a maximum missing data proportion of 20% across all 14 genomes. The reference genome (A. burtoni) was used as an outgroup.
To study signatures of admixture along the genome, we used f d statistics by Martin et al.78. In comparison to D statistics, f d is more suited for small genomic regions78. ABBA and BABA pattern counts were calculated using allele frequencies by weighting each segregating site according to its fit to the ABBA or BABA pattern46,72,78. As an example, if a site has derived allele frequencies of 0, 0.5, 1 and 0 in P1, P2, P3 and the outgroup, respectively, it would count as half ABBA site. We used A. stappersi as P1, different LVRS individuals as P2, H. gracilior and T. pharyngalis as P3 and A. burtoni as outgroup (Supplementary Fig. 8). Note that P1 and P2 are switched as compared to D statistics, where LVRS are used as P1 and the Congolese lineage as P2. This difference is simply for consistency with the description of f d in Martin et al.78, and thus here ABBA represents sites with a derived allele shared between LVRS and Upper Nile, whereas BABA represents sites with a derived allele shared between Congolese and Upper Nile lineage taxa. f d is calculated as the difference between ABBA and BABA patterns compared to the maximum possible difference where gene flow between P2 and P3 would equal random mating78. Positive f d values indicate gene flow between P2 (LVRS) and P3 (Upper Nile). We calculated f d in non-overlapping sliding windows of 10 kb along the A. burtoni scaffolds using the Python script by Martin et al.78. Windows with less than five total ABBA and BABA patterns were excluded. As only positive f d values are indicative of excess allele sharing between Upper Nile and LVRS, and are correctly standardized, values with negative D scores were set to 0 as in Martin et al.78. Pearson’s product-moment correlations of f d values between different individuals were calculated with the stats R-package.
Putative Congolese or Upper Nile ancestry was assessed by comparing the frequency of ABBA sites (LVRS shares the derived allele exclusively with Upper Nile taxa) with the frequency of BBAA sites (LVRS shares the derived allele exclusively with the Congolese lineage representative A. stappersi) in non-overlapping sliding windows of 3 kb. Scaffolds with <100 kb data were removed. As for the f d statistic, ABBA and BBAA pattern counts were calculated using allele frequencies by weighting each segregating site according to its fit to the ABBA or BBAA pattern. Only windows with a total ABBA and BBAA pattern count exceeding one were used. Windows with a minimum ABBA proportion ((ABBA/(ABBA+BBAA)) of 0.7 were defined as candidate windows of Upper Nile lineage ancestry and are coloured in blue, whereas genomic regions with an ABBA proportion of 0.3 or less were defined as putative Congolese lineage derived windows and are highlighted in red. Ancestry tracts were defined as consecutive sliding windows of the same colour (red or blue) ignoring single sliding windows without data. Expected ancestry block sizes were calculated using a formula from Racimo et al.79. Assuming ∼50,000–100,000 generations since admixture, a recombination rate of 2.5 × 10−8 and an Upper Nile proportion of 20%, the expected mean length of the admixture tracts is (0.8 × 2.5 × 10−8 × (50,000 to 100,000)−1))−1=500 bp to 1 kb (ref. 79). The breakup of ancestry blocks may have slowed as the original hybrid population began to undergo genomic stabilization, speciated and formed geographically isolated radiations in separate lakes each of which underwent further stabilization independent of each other, likely associated with differential sorting of the ancestral variation.
Data availability
Mitochondrial and LWS opsin sequences are available on GenBank under the accession numbers KY366716-KY366843 for ND2, KY366844-KY366970 for D-loop, and KY366971-KY366986 for LWS opsin sequences. RADseq and whole-genome sequencing reads generated in this study can be downloaded from the NCBI Sequence Read Archive under Bioproject PRJNA355227. The JAVA program for 5-population tests is publicly available on GitHub (https://github.com/joanam/scripts). | {
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Root, an OfferZen project, will soon be offering a programmable bank account with APIs in partnership with Standard Bank South Africa.
"Root is a lightweight bank account designed to be accessible through code. With our API you can build your own interface and control your money programmatically." said Root in a statement.
OfferZen, an online jobs platform for software developers, has said that Root will be targeted at software developers and the programmable bank account will allow full API access, allowing software developers to have their code interact with transactions in real-time.
The account will also come with a linked credit card.
Root is currently only available in private beta launch and until it is available publicly, the apps developed on Root will only be available to other developers with Root bank accounts.
Standard Bank's involvement is not only to provide the banking functionality but also to provide support for software developers to scale their Root apps to a larger market.
Although a firm launch date hasn't been confirmed yet, Root have said they are working towards having a public launch before June 2017. | {
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