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Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption The BBC's Robert Hall takes a look back at Claude Choules' life
Claude Choules was the last known surviving combat veteran of the Great War, and served in both the world wars of the 20th Century.
Born in Pershore, Worcestershire in 1901, he tried to sign up for the army at the beginning of World War I but he was too young.
Two years later, at the age of 15, he joined the Royal Navy serving on board the training ship HMS Impregnable based at Devonport.
His earliest memories in the service were of seeing the convoys of ships, returning to Britain, carrying the wounded from the Battle of the Somme.
In 1917 he transferred to the battleship HMS Revenge, one of the newest and most powerful ships in the British fleet and the flagship of the First Battle Squadron.
German surrender
His main task on the Revenge was to help lower the seaplanes into the water which were used to fight the threat of German Zeppelins.
It was while on board the Revenge that Choules witnessed the surrender of the German High Seas Fleet in November 1918 in the Firth of Forth.
He remained with the Revenge as part of the escort which accompanied the German fleet to Scapa Flow in the Orkney Islands and, six months later, watched as the interned German crews scuttled their ships.
Choules was posted to the Mediterranean in 1920 where he spent nearly three years on the battleship HMS Valiant before joining HMS Eagle, the Royal Navy's first purpose built aircraft carrier.
Image caption Seaplanes were used to counter threats from German Zeppelins
In 1926, along with a number of senior sailors he was sent to Australia to work as an instructor at the Flinders Naval Depot near Adelaide.
He was so taken by the Australian way of life that he applied for a transfer to the Royal Australian Navy where he became a specialist torpedo and explosives expert.
He was part of the crew that travelled to Scotland to commission the newly built warship HMAS Canberra and he served in her until 1931 when he transferred to the navy reserve.
In 1932 he rejoined the regular Australian navy as a Chief Petty Officer Torpedo and Anti Submarine Instructor.
Explosives in Australia
At the outbreak of war in 1939 Choules was the Acting Torpedo Officer, Fremantle and also the Chief Demolition Officer on the western side of the Australian continent.
He was tasked with destroying vital military installations should the threatened Japanese invasion of Australia come to pass.
Early in the war he was flown to Esperance, on the south coast of Western Australia, to identify and destroy the first mine to wash up on Australian soil during World War II.
As a demolition and explosives expert he took charge of the operation to clear the wreckage of 15 flying boats from the port of Broome on the northern coast of Western Australia.
The aircraft had been destroyed in an earlier Japanese attack and the remains were blocking a vital navigation.
Choules and his team of divers arrived in December 1942 and spent three months using explosives to blow the wrecks into manageable pieces and transport them into deeper water away from the harbour.
Image caption Taking to the skies on his 103rd birthday
He had the task of destroying Fremantle harbour and oil storage tanks rendering them useless as facilities in the event of a Japanese invasion.
Choules placed explosives around the harbour facilities and on board those ships that could not be moved to a safer harbour.
He remained in the Australian Navy until he transferred to the Naval Dockyard police, finally retiring in 1956 after 40 years in uniform.
For the next 10 years he operated a boat catching crayfish off the coast of Western Australia.
As, one by one, his fellow veterans passed away he must have felt history was closing in on him. But, although his body was failing, his mind remained alert until the end.
"I'm lucky aren't I, to be surviving all that time," he once told the BBC. "If I had my time over again I wouldn't change a bit of it"
Claude Choules was the last link with a war that wiped out a generation. Now, like the conflict in which he fought, he has passed into history. | {
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SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- The Energy Department on Friday said it approved Freeport LNG Expansion LP and FLNG Liquefaction LCC to export domestic liquefied natural gas to countries without a free trade agreement with the U.S. A host of companies have permission to export LNG to countries with FTAs, but Freeport joins Cheniere Energy Inc.'s Sabine Pass project as being able to do so to non-FTA countries -- which include some of the largest LNG importers in Asia and Europe. Freeport's facility is still subject to an environmental review and final approval, but it has been authorized to export up to 1.4 billion cubic feet of natural gas a day for the next 20 years. Sabine Pass is authorized to export 2.2 bcf a day. LNG export plants face several regulatory hurdles, and have encountered stiff opposition in the U.S. from manufacturers that say domestic natural-gas prices could skyrocket with the exports. | {
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As winter sets in London Underground will face its busiest time of year with customers escaping the cold to embark on their commutes.
Figures released earlier this month found more people are using London Underground than at any point in its 152-year-old history, with close to five million using the Tube on 9 October, and TFL expects records to be broken again before the end of the year.
For those hoping to beat the crowds and gain a rare seat on the bustling service this tip might be the answer.
Martin Strohmeier has developed a theory for recognising where the carriage doors will open in advance, so you can pip the commuter traffic to the post.
In reply to the question “What are some good London Underground hacks?”, Mr Strohmeier wrote on Quora that looking for “wear and tear in that yellow line” is a steadfast way to judge where the doors will open.
Martin Strohmeier/ Quora (Martin Strohmeier/Quora)
“One doesn’t need a keen eye to spot the dirty, worn parts on the on the line where everybody steps on," says Mr Strohmeier.
"Unless it’s freshly painted, this is absolutely reliable (at platforms that use the same type of train at least).”
Other tips posted to the site include James Lancaster’s advice to “spot the daily commuter”: “Typically the seasoned tube commuter will know where to position themselves to get the door and empty carriage.
“They are usually the ones with the headphones, newspaper, coffee and making no eye contact with anyone/anything.”
Timelapse of Oxford Street during tube strike, August 5 | {
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North Korea’s Sohae launch site gears up for action (Image: DigitalGlobe/Getty)
Update: North Korea successfully launched its Unha-3 rocket at 00:49 GMT today and says it has placed a satellite in orbit. The US confirmed an object had entered orbit and condemned the launch as a threat to regional security. The Japanese government says the rocket passed over Okinawa, south of the Japanese mainland, but the country’s military did not attempt to intercept it, despite previous threats to do so.
Original article, published 3 December 2012
North Korea’s plans to launch a long-range rocket later this month look set to heighten tensions in north-east Asia, despite claiming that the mission is intended to put a satellite into orbit.
A previous North Korean launch attempt in April failed just a minute after blast-off, with the Unha-3 rocket falling in to the sea. A spokesman for the Korean Committee for Space Technology says scientists have analysed the mistakes of this launch and are now set for a new test between 10 and 22 December.
North Korea says the launch will place its Kwangmyongsong-3 Earth observation satellite (the name means “bright star”) in a polar orbit. It also says the flight path has been designed to avoid any rocket-booster parts falling to Earth over neighbouring countries.
Other nations suspect that its true purpose is a ballistic missile test, which would be a violation of UN restrictions.
“Provocative”
Japan has readied its armed forces to prepare for the launch and to shoot the rocket down if it enters the country’s airspace. The US State Department has called the launch “highly provocative”.
“We hope all relevant parties will do that which benefits peace and stability on the Korean peninsula, [and] hope all sides will respond calmly and avoid exacerbating the situation,” says Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang.
David Wright of the Union of Concerned Scientists, a non-profit body based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, says that a successful satellite launch would demonstrate North Korea’s potential for building a ballistic missile. “However, it has not test-flown a heat shield that would be needed for a long-range missile, and may not be able to build a small enough nuclear warhead for such a missile,” he says.
Wright questions whether North Korea has really had time to learn from the mistake of the previous launch, and suggests this new attempt may be a response to South Korea’s attempts to launch its own rocket, the most recent of which failed last month. | {
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H.O.T. may finally be reuniting as a full group!
On January 23, a news outlet reported that the group will be appearing on the third season of the “Saturday Saturday is for Singers” special on “Infinite Challenge.”
In response, a source from the program responded that all members of H.O.T. met up together with production staff to talk about appearing on the program. However, there is much discussion left to be done until their appearance is confirmed.
The first season of “Saturday Saturday is for Singers” featured popular artists of the ’90s performing a special show together. Participants included Jinusean, Turbo, S.E.S., Cool, Jo Sung Mo, and Kim Gun Mo. The second season launched the reunion of SECHSKIES.
H.O.T.’s final performance as a full group was on February 27, 2001, so if they reunite on the program, it will be their first time on stage together in 17 years.
Source (1) | {
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Thinking in a new direction
Anastasios Petrou, a doctoral student of the Product Development Group Zurich, led by Professor Mirko Meboldt evaluated the performance of this soft artificial heart. The young researchers have just published the results of the experiments in the scientific journal Artificial Organs.
They proved that the soft artificial heart fundamentally works and moves in a similar way to a human heart. However, it still has one problem: it currently lasts for about only 3,000 beats, which corresponds to a lifetime of half to three quarters of an hour. After that, the material can no longer withstand the strain. Cohrs explains: “This was simply a feasibility test. Our goal was not to present a heart ready for implantation, but to think about a new direction for the development of artificial hearts.” Of course, the tensile strength of the material and the performance would have to be enhanced significantly.
Zurich Heart brings researchers together
Cohrs and Petrou met in the Zurich Heart Project, a flagship project of University Medicine Zurich that brings together 20 research groups from various disciplines and institutions in Zurich and Berlin. Part of the research focuses on improvements on existing blood pumps, such as how to reduce blood damage induced from the mechanical parts of the pump, while others explore extremely elastic membranes or more biocompatible surfaces. This is done in close collaboration with the clinicians in Zurich and Berlin.
The lively exchanges among the researchers also helped this Zurich Heart sub-project. Doctoral students of Product Development Group Zurich, who are working on new technologies for blood pumps, have developed a testing environment with which they can simulate the human cardiovascular system. The researchers of the silicone heart made use of this testing environment for their development process which also included the use of a fluid with comparable viscosity as human blood. “Currently, our system is probably one of the best in the world,” says Petrou proudly.
Researching the heart is an appealing task, and Cohrs and Petrou would both like to remain in this research field. “As a mechanical engineer, I would never have thought that I would ever hold a soft heart in my hands. I’m now so fascinated by this research that I would very much like to continue working on the development of artificial hearts,” says Petrou. | {
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Rapid Wien ist auf der Suche nach einem neuen Stürmer fündig geworden. Der Fußball-Rekordmeister gab am Donnerstag sieben Stunden vor Ende der Übertrittszeit die Verpflichtung von Veton Berisha bekannt. Der 23-jährige Norweger, Bruder von Salzburg-Mittelfeldspieler Valon Berisha, kommt vom deutschen Zweitligisten Greuther Fürth und erhält einen Vertrag bis Sommer 2020.
“Veton Berisha ist vom Profil her genau jener Stürmer, den wir gesucht haben”, erklärte Rapids Sport-Geschäftsführer Fredy Bickel. Berisha wird bei Rapid laut Clubangaben die Nummer neun erhalten und bereits am Freitagvormittag (9.30 Uhr) ins Mannschaftstraining einsteigen.
Medienmitteilung SK Rapid Wien
Kurz, bevor das heurige Sommer-Transferfenster geschlossen ist, gibt der SK Rapid noch einen Neuzugang bekannt: Hierbei handelt es sich mit Veton Berisha, der von der SpVgg Greuther Fürth (2. Deutsche Liga) kommt, um den angekündigten, gesuchten Stürmer.
Der 23-jährige Berisha unterschrieb beim SK Rapid einen Dreijahresvertrag bis Sommer 2020 und trainiert am Freitag um 9:30 Uhr erstmals mit unserer Mannschaft mit (Trainingsplätze Ernst-Happel-Stadion, das Training ist öffentlich). Der antrittsstarke und beidfüßige Stürmer (1,75 m) kann sowohl als Stoßspitze, wie auch von den Seiten links und rechts kommend eingesetzt werden. Im norwegischen Egersund geboren, durchlief Berisha auch die diversen Nachwuchs-Nationalmannschaften von Norwegen. Im A-Nationalteam seines Landes debütierte er im vergangenen Jahr und absolvierte hier bereits vier Einsätze (1 Tor). Für die SpVgg Greuther Fürth stand er in insgesamt 68 Einsätzen am Platz, bei denen er zwölf Tore erzielte und 11 Assists lieferte. Über die Ablösesumme wurde Stillschweigen vereinbart.
Geschäftsführer Sport Fredy Bickel: “Veton Berisha ist vom Profil her genau jener Stürmer, den wir gesucht haben. Er stand bereits seit Längerem auf unserer Liste und auch seit geraumer Zeit gibt es Kontakt mit dem Stürmer. Wir haben ihn bis zum Schluss beobachten lassen, so auch am vergangenen Wochenende. Jetzt freuen wir uns, dass es uns gelungen ist, Veton zum SK Rapid zu holen: Er bringt eine Grundschnelligkeit, mentale Stärke und durch seine Art auch den gewissen Spielwitz mit, der unserer Mannschaft gut tun wird.
Mit seinem Zugang ist unser Transferprogramm für diesen Sommer abgeschlossen. Der Kader steht damit, so wie angekündigt, mit 26 Mann, wobei drei davon bis Winter nicht einsatzbereit sind (die im Aufbau befindlichen Ivan Mocinic, Christopher Dibon und Philipp Malicsek, Anm.). Allerdings haben wir vorgehabt, wie schon öfter betont, den Kader auf 23 fitte Spieler zu begrenzen, sollten wir nur in den nationalen Bewerben vertreten sein.”
Cheftrainer Goran Djuricin: “Wir freuen uns sehr, dass wir mit Veton jetzt einen Stürmer bekommen haben, der neue Aspekte in unsere Mannschaft miteinbringen und uns mit seiner Qualität sicher helfen wird. Wir werden ihn ab dem Freitag voll in unseren Trainingsbetrieb integrieren.”
Neuzugang Veton Berisha, der beim SK Rapid die Nummer 9 bekommt: “Ich bin sehr glücklich, dass es mit dem Transfer zu Rapid geklappt hat. Der Verein und die Fans sind mir natürlich mehr als nur ein Begriff und darum will hier alles hineinwerfen, um gleich voll mitziehen zu können. Ich kann’s kaum erwarten, dass es jetzt mit meiner neuen Aufgabe hier bei Rapid losgeht!”
Bild: SK Rapid Wien | {
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The traditional picture of Vikings is one of boatloads of hairy men pillaging their way along the coasts of Europe. Though true to some degree, this stereotype has more recently been tempered with the appreciation of Vikings as explorers and settlers, founding colonies from the Black Sea to Canada.
Left out of this picture is their womenfolk, but with the results of state-of-the-art DNA sequencing techniques, geneticists from Norway and Sweden have provided a picture of the Viking world that reveals women travelled to settle in far-off places – and this appears to be true of born-and-bred Norsewomen as well as those from the lands visited.
Handed down the maternal line
The study, published by the Royal Society, sequenced DNA from 45 Norwegian, Viking-age skeletons. This was mitochondrial or mtDNA which, unlike most DNA, is passed down from mother to child with no input from the father. Children have near identical mtDNA to their mothers, their mother’s mothers, and so on. If you go back far enough, every person who has ever lived falls somewhere on a single, branching, maternal family-tree.
Within the tree, mutations lead to changes in the mtDNA sequence of one individual, which are then inherited by all of their female-line descendants. This means that by comparing differences across many individuals from known geographical locations, we can build up a picture of the movements of the women of the past. The mtDNA of the 45 skeletons was compared to many others which have been previously sequenced from around north-western Europe. Using a variety of statistical tests, several things became apparent.
Many of the mtDNA sequences were shared between those from Norway and those of the lands the Vikings colonised. This supports archaeological and historical sources which suggest that the Norsemen often married at home and were accompanied on their voyages by their wives. However, the picture is not uniform from place to place.
Relatively close to Scandinavia, in Orkney and Shetland, modern populations show similar levels of ancestry coming from Norse-folk of each sex. Further away in Iceland, people owe more of their ancestry to Norsemen than to Norsewomen. This poses the question, who were the remaining Viking wives? It seems unlikely that they were pre-existing Icelanders, as Iceland was largely uninhabited before the arrival of the Vikings. Although there is some evidence for habitation, it was on a small scale, and maybe by then extinct. The Viking Sagas mention the presence of monks, but even if they were real, they would be male and also – one imagines – celibate.
Krzewińska et al., 2014
Where are the Viking women at?
One test showed that if the genetic contribution of Norwegians is subtracted from Icelandic mtDNA data, what remains is most similar to Orkney and the Western Isles of Scotland. So it seems likely that Gaelic women from these islands arrived in Iceland with the Vikings, or else had been integrated into these colonial Viking communities in previous generations and passed down their mtDNA to those that made the voyage to Iceland.
Either way, it shows that many more women than men from invaded lands were assimilated into Viking colonies. Maybe this shouldn’t surprise us – around the world, it’s much more common for women than men to join the family or tribe of their spouse when married. The Vikings also enslaved prisoners from defeated peoples, and wherever men own slaves, they will father children by them. Again its not surprising that female slaves would leave more of a genetic legacy than their male counterparts.
The study also suggests this dynamic may have been the norm back in Norway too. Two of the 45 samples (both from female skeletons buried in the Norse fashion) appear to have mtDNA not typical of the Vikings. One had a sequence previously seen among Scandinavia’s northernmost people, the Saami (or Lapps) – probably a Saami woman who married a Viking, or the female-line descendant of one.
The other skeleton had mtDNA from a branch of the family tree common across Asia. There are many possibilities, but again it is likely this woman (or her maternal-line ancestor) was brought back by Vikings from a voyage to Russia or the Byzantine Empire.
New tools, new knowledge
With ever-improving tools for geneticists, we can now look further into the genetic subtleties of the past. This study used skeletons excavated in the days before DNA sequencing was an option. Until recently, such specimens have been un-sequenceable due to DNA contamination from the modern people who have handled them. Today’s techniques make it possible to differentiate modern from ancient DNA sequences, which opens up the prospect of returning to the many museum specimens in collections worldwide to see what further answers they might hold of the Vikings’ many adventures. | {
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A new report produced by the German branch of UNICEF criticizes the government for providing insufficient quality housing and schooling for the record-breaking number of minors it has accepted since 2015.
"Compared to many other countries in the European Union, Germany has invested a lot in hosting the refugees in the last two years," Sebastian Sedlmayr, head of children’s rights and education at UNICEF Germany, told Deutsche Welle. "But it's important to flag that there are still some shortcomings."
„Geflüchteten Kindern Starthilfe zu geben, ist eine der wichtigsten Investitionen für unsere Gesellschaft.“ https://t.co/iYBl11mBL5 — UNICEF Deutschland (@UNICEFgermany) 21 March 2017
Out of over 1 million migrants who arrived in Germany since the outbreak of the refugee crisis two years ago, about 350,000 stated that they were under 18 at the time of their arrival, mostly from Syria, Afghanistan, Africa and Eastern Europe. The authors of the 68-page German-language study, titled “Childhood Postponed,” interviewed 447 staff and 18 migrant families at the refugee shelters hosting them last year.
Read more
UNICEF says that while much media attention has been on unaccompanied minors traveling thousands of miles to Europe, they are taken in by the state, and receive round-the-clock priority care, while those with families are left to the adults to care for them.
"Children who have come with their families are explicitly excluded from that system and legislation. They have to rely on the capacity of their parents, and of course the capacity of their parents in a situation like that – not knowing the language and the rules of the country – is very limited," said Seldmayer.
Most of these children are taken into so-called first reception centers, where, according to the authors, they live 10-12 to a room.
“Non-cash benefits, lack of private space, non-lockable sanitation facilities and the experience of violence and conflicts lead to dangerous moments and a hindrance of the development of refugee children and young people," said Adam Naber, from the Federal Association for Unaccompanied Minor Refugees (BumF), during a public presentation of the report in Berlin.
Read more
As a result, only about one-third of such children regularly attend school, and most are not receiving medical attention to their physical and psychological state comparable with that available to already-settled minors.
By law, initially families in Germany were supposed to spend no more than three months in the initial accommodation centers, but that period was extended to six months in October 2015, and according to the UNICEF survey as many as one-fifth of the families said that they had spent up to a year waiting for a more permanent home.
"The children should stay for as little time as possible in asylum shelters and get as quickly as possible into kindergartens, schools and job training... so they don't lose more precious time of their childhood," said Chirstian Schneider, head of UNICEF Germany.
With Germany accepting more migrants than any other country in Europe over the past three years, Sedlmayr believes that the neglect is a result of being overwhelmed, and can be corrected through setting new priorities.
"I wouldn't say it was a question of money, it's much more the attention," he said. "We need more attention on the children, and especially the children that are accompanied."
With sentiment towards all migrants cooling in Germany, and frequent media stories questioning the veracity of the underage claims of many newcomers, the political climate for allocating greater resources to shelters and children’s education, is more hostile than in September 2015, when the media mourned the death of 3-year-old Alan Kurdi, and "Refugees are Welcome" signs were put up in public squares.
But Schneider urged that politics be left out of a humanitarian crisis.
"Children who have lost their homeland and experienced horrible things have to quickly find their way back to normality. First and foremost, kids are not asylum seekers, migrants or refugees, but simply kids,” said the UNICEF official. | {
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SAN FRANCISCO - APRIL 12: A sticker with the words "Made in China" is seen on the bottom of a scale April 12, 2005 in San Francisco. Aggravated by surging imports of oil and textiles, the U.S. trade deficit soared to an all-time high of $61.04 billion in February, according to reports. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) A sticker with the words 'Made in China' is seen on the bottom of a scale. A recent Gallup Poll indicates that over half of people in the United States would be willing to pay more for a product made in America. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON (CBSDC) – According to the results of a new Gallup Poll, six out of every ten people in the United States would be willing to pay more for products made in America.
The survey, which was conducted in April and polled 1,012 adults throughout the nation about their purchasing philosophies, also found that 45 percent of shoppers also make a concerted effort to buy American.
A release regarding the survey noted, “When asked why, these shoppers mainly cited patriotic or altruistic goals related to the national economy, including creating and keeping jobs in the U.S., rather than product-specific considerations such as quality, safety, or cost.”
Patriotism indeed figured big in the spending habits of those who tended toward products manufactured in the United States – 32 percent of participants cited this as their main reasoning.
As mentioned, a minority of consumers rated product quality as a factor in their decision to buy items made in the United States – just 13 percent listed it as their primary motivator. Additionally, three percent of participants cited a mistrust of products made elsewhere as their reason.
While many voiced support of focusing spending on American-made items, a significant portion of the population told Gallup that they did not feel the same inclination.
“Though a substantial percentage of Americans, 45 percent, say they have made a special effort to buy U.S.-made products in recent months, more, 54 percent, have not made an attempt to do so,” the release noted.
A generational gap was observed by Gallup researchers in regards to demographics that tended toward buying American and those that were more lax about the origin of their products.
According to the survey, only 20 percent of Americans between the ages of 18 and 29 sought out United States-based products, whereas 61 percent of Americans ages 65 and above made the same effort.
“Younger Americans may be more accustomed to getting their products from overseas,” researchers stated. “[A]nd with international free trade agreements increasingly common, they may not have been exposed to as much pressure to ‘buy American.'” | {
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Have you ever wondered why internet speed is measured in bits per second, but the data itself is measured in bytes? Why is this? Wouldn’t it make more sense if we used the same unit of measurement for both data speed and data volume?
For those unfamiliar with the fundamentals of data measurement, this post outlines the distinct differences between bits and bytes to clear up some of the confusion surrounding this concept. A bit is the smallest unit of computer information. It’s essentially a single binary data point; either yes or no, on or off, up or down. A byte on the other hand is a unit of memory that usually contains 8 bits. This is because historically, 8 bits are needed to encode a single character of text. So when we measure the volume of information capable of being contained on, say, a hard drive, it makes sense to measure this as the total amount of memory available. In other words, the number of bytes.
As to why we measure internet speed in bits even though the internet delivers bytes of data, it is because the internet delivers those bytes of data as single bits at a time. And because those bits sometimes come out of order and from different server locations, it’s both more accurate and more intuitive to measure speed as a factor of the number of bits per second that an internet connection is capable of transmitting, not the total number of memory units, or bytes, it transmits.
Most cable ISPs offer consumers 100 megabits per second (quite often referred to as Mbps) internet speeds. It is essential to pay close attention to the magnitude of the file that you are downloading or uploading. In theory, it would take approximately 8 seconds to transfer a file that was 100 megabytes (quite often referred to as MBs) in size.
It’s worth noting that regardless of the measurement unit, data transferred over the internet doesn’t move at a perfectly smooth rate. Speed and bit-delivery order may fluctuate based on time of day, the number of users in your region, and the type of information you’re requesting. Streaming movies, for example, requires data be delivered in a specific order. But sending email does not. The bits of data that make up that email from grandma can arrive in any order as long as the email client arranges them properly once they arrive. And though speed fluctuates, a recent FCC report shows that when averaged over a set period of time, cable ISPs deliver at or above advertised internet speeds (as shown in the graphic below).
Today, many cable ISPs are capable of delivering internet speeds over 1 Gigabit per second. That’s 1 billion bits per second! Not everyone needs this much speed today (Netflix reports that a connection speed of 25 Megabits per second is all that’s required to stream Ultra HD content), but cable ISPs see a future of virtual reality, telehealth, driverless cars, and an internet of things. In that environment, speed requirements are going to increase. Regardless of whether it’s necessary today, ISPs are preparing their networks for the needs of the future. So, while we’ll likely always measure speed in bits and data volume in bytes, the consistency and speed at which those bits are delivered over the internet will surely rise. | {
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A new study has shown that whilst people think advertising and political campaigns exploit psychological research to control their unconscious behaviours, ultimately they feel the choices they make are still their own.
The research, led by Dr Magda Osman from Queen Mary University of London, asked people to volunteer everyday examples of when they feel their behaviours have been manipulated without them knowing.
Examples were collected from participants across the UK, US, Canada and Australia and categorised. Almost half of the examples were marketing or advertising-related. Another seven percent were associated with politics, primarily the use of political campaigning techniques to influence voting behaviours.
Following this, a new set of participants were asked to assess the examples and determine to what extent their free choice would be affected in these situations. Participants judged that whilst psychological research was used in advertising and political contexts to manipulate their unconscious behaviours, they were still able to maintain free choice when it came to their purchasing or voting decisions.
This contrasted with examples from therapeutic situations, such as hypnotherapy or the use of placebo treatments, which people felt had greater impact on their unconscious behaviours and they weren't able to consciously control.
Unlike normal psychological studies where examples used in the study are constructed by the researchers, this study was entirely unique with real-life examples being volunteered by participants themselves.
Dr Osman, Reader in Experimental Psychology at Queen Mary, said: "This study reveals two critical things, the first is that in peoples' minds subliminal advertising still exists as a phenomenon, when really this is just a myth as psychological research over the last 60 years has shown that it cannot actually influence our consumer behaviours."
"Secondly, although people across the different countries and individual backgrounds consistently volunteered the same kinds of examples, such as advertising and political campaigning, when assessing them, they still felt the choices they made in these contexts were under their own conscious control. This is important as we often see reports in the media on complex campaign tactics, particularly in politics, persuading people to make choices that they are unaware of, but our research suggests that people don't believe they actually work."
The types of examples commonly volunteered and the judgments then made about them were similar regardless of country and the age, gender, political affiliation, educational level, and religiosity of individuals.
Common examples generated by participants for marketing and advertising-related contexts included the use of subliminal advertising, commercial jingles or the placement of goods at eye level on supermarket shelves.
In the political category most examples corresponded to targeted advertising or campaign tactics that encourage party leaders to dress and behave in a certain way to influence people's voting decisions.
###
Notes to editors
Overstepping the boundaries of free choice: Folk beliefs on free will and determinism in real world contexts. Dr Magda Osman. Consciousness and Cognition.
DOI:10.1016/j.concog.2019.102860
For more information please contact: Sophie McLachlan
Faculty Communications Manager (Science & Engineering)
Queen Mary University of London
[email protected]
Tel: 020 7882 3787
About Queen Mary
Queen Mary University of London is a research-intensive university that connects minds worldwide. A member of the prestigious Russell Group, we work across the humanities and social sciences, medicine and dentistry, and science and engineering, with inspirational teaching directly informed by our world-leading research. In the most recent Research Excellence Framework we were ranked 5th in the country for the proportion of research outputs that were world-leading or internationally excellent. We have over 25,000 students and offer more than 240 degree programmes. Our reputation for excellent teaching was rewarded with silver in the most recent Teaching Excellence Framework. Queen Mary has a proud and distinctive history built on four historic institutions stretching back to 1785 and beyond. Common to each of these institutions - the London Hospital Medical College, St Bartholomew's Medical College, Westfield College and Queen Mary College - was the vision to provide hope and opportunity for the less privileged or otherwise under-represented. Today, Queen Mary University of London remains true to that belief in opening the doors of opportunity for anyone with the potential to succeed and helping to build a future we can all be proud of. | {
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Wow, that was quite a bit of information on Monday. Two deluxe expansions, new dice, deck boxes and an event series?! There’s certainly a lot in the pipeline for Ashes, but today I’m going to show you a little bit more! Let’s take a closer look at the War Within, and what it will mean for the fate of an upcoming Phoenixborn.
Every Phoenixborn has a choice to make in the War of Ashes. The drive to destroy and consume the power of other Phoenixborn will eventually win out, but there are those who resist in an attempt to safeguard the cities and regions they defended during the Great Cleansing. Up to this point, we’ve highlighted just a handful of stories from the world of Ashes, but the War Within will allow us to see much more of the conflict spreading across Argaia. Starting this spring, players will be invited to take part in a series of tournaments designed to emphasize the conflict of Light and Dark taking place in the world of Ashes. This event series will be broken up into three separate tournaments, each focusing on a different aspect of the internal struggle within each Phoenixborn. Players will register to one of two opposing “Spheres” in each event, and the sphere that gathers more players will affect the art, ability and cards of the upcoming Phoenixborn. To demonstrate how the decisions of a Phoenixborn affects the lives of those around them, players will be awarded special alternate-art versions of certain Allies based on which side they choose to align with.
These exclusive alternate-art allies are meant to show how differently some of the characters in the world of Ashes would have looked had they chosen to side with another Phoenixborn. Pledging your power to one of the different spheres could reward you with the ally you want, but remember that it will also strengthen one of the opposing spheres and decide the fate of the future Phoenixborn. As the event series continues, we’ll be sharing some of the abilities and cards being considered for this character. Finally, the winner and runner-up of each tournament will be able to claim an alternate-art version of the Phoenixborn featured in that event. We’ve got a sneak peak of the art for those cards as well!
Be sure to check back soon for more information about the War Within, including how your store can register to run the event series at their location!
New Faces, Old Rivalries
Well, we could cut things short here, but I suppose we did say we’d debut a few new decks today… How about two more?
The Masters of Gravity
“Just as the waxing and waining of the moon, just as the tidal push and pull of the Glow Sea, you too are predictable. I can influence your every move to work to my ends. A small adjustment here and simply standing becomes a burden too great for you to bear. You walk and endless path, but it doesn’t have to be this way. Join me and I can lift the weight of this long war from your shoulders.” - Echo Grestorm
The Path of Assasins
Born in bonds, nursed on hatred, honed to kill. Like an assassin’s arrow, from her mother’s bow, Jericho flew. She stalked and killed each of her mother’s slavers, and when the last Pirate King fell, she despaired. Another hand took hold of her then, and aimed her at the Last Dragon. He too, soon lay slain at her feet. The killing continued. Today, Jericho Kill sits the throne of Abylon. She has now become the wielder, and her people are her weapons.
Echo’s deck will use Divine and Sympathy magic, manipulating the forces of Gravity to strengthen his units while tearing down his opponents. Jericho’s deck will rely on only basic magic, meaning players can use any combination of dice with her! The Assassin Queen can customize the magic she uses to any foe she faces. Be sure to check back often for more on these decks, as well as the Law of Lions and the Song of Soaksend very soon!
Well, that’s all for now, but fear not! We’ve got even MORE wonderful Ashes news coming up in the next few weeks, including more announcements, interviews and event coverage. Be sure to check back soon for more awesome Ashes coverage! | {
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Rafael López
Hasta el 10 de agosto de este año, ningún maestro de Oaxaca, Guerrero, Chiapas y Michoacán ha sido despedido por no presentarse a las evaluaciones de desempeño ni por haber acumulado faltas consecutivas.
En otros estados, donde la disidencia magisterial es prácticamente nula, sí hubo despidos por "inasistencia a la evaluación diagnóstica": 792 maestros de 25 entidades en las que no ha habido resistencia importante a la reforma educativa. Por acumulación de faltas, ni un despido en el país.
Aunque la Secretaría de Educación Pública (SEP) ha anunciado despidos masivos de maestros, específicamente en los cuatro estados con fuerte influencia de la Coordinadora Nacional de Trabajadores de la Educación (CNTE), una petición de información otorgada por la dependencia a MILENIO revela que del total de despidos en 2016 por no presentarse a las evaluaciones periódicas, ninguno corresponde a Oaxaca, Guerrero, Chiapas y Michoacán.
Por acumulación de faltas (una, dos, tres, las que sean), la secretaría informa que el número de docentes dados de baja es... "igual a cero".
Dice el documento de la SEP: "Con relación a la cifra de cuántos docentes han sido dados de baja por acumulación de faltas, se informa que de acuerdo con los diversos comunicados emitidos por las autoridades educativas de las entidades federativas y la Cnspd (Coordinación Nacional del Servicio Profesional Docente, nota de la Redacción), a la fecha el número docentes (sic) dados de baja por acumulación de faltas es igual a cero (negritas en el documento)".
El pasado 19 de mayo el secretario de Educación, Aurelio Nuño, había anunciado el despido de más de 3 mil profesores de Oaxaca, Guerrero y Michoacán, por tener más de tres faltas consecutivas.
En esa ocasión el funcionario dijo: "La cifra preliminar del total de maestros que serán dados de baja por haber acumulado más de tres faltas, derivado de esta convocatoria de paro ilegal por algunos líderes de la coordinadora, es de 3 mil 119 maestros de Guerrero, Michoacán y Oaxaca, que serán dados de baja conforme a la ley".
No fue así: desde ese día hasta el 10 de agosto pasaron 83 días naturales y ninguno de los maestros que iban a ser despedidos aparecen en los registros entregados por la SEP a MILENIO.
Los anuncios de la SEP sobre despidos de docentes persisten: el pasado 25 de agosto, en un comunicado de prensa, la dependencia informó que las autoridades educativas de Oaxaca y Guerrero iniciarían el procedimiento de separación de mil 255 docentes por haber acumulado cuatro faltas consecutivas a sus labores. En Michoacán, mil 662 maestros recibirán descuentos a su salario.
Un día después, la secretaría reveló que en Chiapas y Michoacán iniciarán el trámite para el despido de 650 profesores que sobrepasaron el límite de faltas consecutivas a sus labores.
Ceses por evaluaciones
Un recuento de notas periodísticas demuestra que la dependencia ha anunciado más de 5 mil 500 destituciones de docentes por no presentarse a las evaluaciones de desempeño correspondientes en cada entidad.
El pasado 29 de febrero, en conferencia de prensa, Aurelio Nuño informó sobre un recorte de 3 mil 360 docentes de 28 entidades, quienes no realizaron ninguna evaluación de desempeño durante 2015. El titular de la SEP explicó que los profesores iban a ser separados a partir del 1 de marzo, porque no se presentaron a los exámenes ni a la reposición de la prueba.
Durante una visita, en abril pasado, a la escuela primaria Emperador Cuauhtémoc, en la delegación Gustavo A. Madero, el funcionario dijo que alrededor de mil 300 maestros de Guerrero iban a ser despedidos por no realizaron ningún tipo de evaluación, a pesar de que se les había dado una segunda oportunidad de presentar la prueba extraordinaria.
De acuerdo con el informe de la SEP, Durango y Querétaro son las entidades que tienen más ceses de profesores que se ausentaron de las evaluaciones de desempeño. El primer estado registra 175 y el segundo, 135. Les siguen Veracruz, con 77, y Sonora, con 70.
Los estados con menos cesados son Puebla, Guanajuato, Colima y Aguascalientes, con un docente cada uno.
En el documento entregado por la Unidad de Enlace de la SEP se explica que se obtuvo el resultado de 792 maestros cesados "después de una búsqueda en los archivos que obran en la Dirección General de Presupuesto y Recursos Financieros, y la Coordinación Nacional del Servicio Profesional Docente".
Al buscar una declaración de la SEP, la oficina de Comunicación Social declaró que la dependencia no es la encargada de despedir a los docentes, ya que esta acción depende de las autoridades educativas de cada estado, pero en lo que va de 2016 la dependencia ha anunciado el cese de casi 10 mil docentes.
La CNTE, sin despidos
Integrantes de la CNTE declararon en junio pasado que a pesar de los descuentos al salario realizados por la SEP, la dependencia no ha separado a ninguno de los docentes que ha acumulado más de tres faltas injustificadas por sumarse a las protestas y movilizaciones contra la reforma educativa. Y así fue, de acuerdo con el documento entregado por la secretaría.
En esa ocasión, el secretario general de la sección 9 de la CNTE, Enrique Enríquez, declaró: "Aurelio Nuño miente, no sabe ni cuántas notificaciones han entregado; por lo tanto, quiere decir que en ninguna parte del país se han entregado notificaciones ni se ha despedido a nadie".
Inasistencias
A una semana del inicio del ciclo escolar, la Secretaría de Educación Pública (SEP) anunció que los estados aplicaron 70 mil 234 descuentos a docentes y trabajadores de apoyo que dejaron de asistir uno o dos días a las aulas.
La dependencia federal informó que de las 32 entidades, en 29 y en la Ciudad de México iniciaron las actividades la segunda semana operando con normalidad en 100 por ciento de los centros escolares, en tanto que en Chiapas subió a 68 por ciento y en Oaxaca a 77%.
En un comunicado de prensa, la SEP señaló que el Instituto Estatal de Educación Pública de Oaxaca informó que ayer aplicó los primeros 28 mil descuentos a docentes y trabajadores de apoyo que dejaron de asistir uno o dos días la semana pasada.
Mientras que en Michoacán, la Secretaría de Educación aplicó mil 234 descuentos de un total de 6 mil 285; en el caso de Chiapas, el secretario de Educación reportó que aplicará 41 mil descuentos en la primera quincena de septiembre.
La SEP refirió que sobre los procedimientos de cese a quienes acumularon más de tres faltas, previstos en el artículo 76 de la Ley General del Servicio Profesional Docente, Oaxaca y Michoacán iniciaron este lunes las respectivas notificaciones.
En el caso de Chiapas, se detalló que la dependencia local señaló que las comunicaciones comenzarán a realizarse durante los próximos días, "siempre de acuerdo a la información proporcionada por los propios estados".
...................................
Con información de Carolina Rivera
[Dé clic sobre la imagen para ampliar] | {
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En 1936, el diccionario de la Real Academia Española de la Lengua (RAE) incorporó una segunda acepción al término “reconquista”: “Recuperación del Territorio hispano invadido por los musulmanes en 711 d.C. que termina con la toma de Granada en 1492”. Y precisa que en ese caso debe escribirse con mayúscula inicial. La Reconquista con mayúscula es un término que ha caído en desuso por –según los historiadores consultados- las connotaciones ideológicas que tiene.
La mayoría de los estudiosos del periodo creen que esencialmente lo que se dio en aquel periodo fue un proceso de expansión o de conquista de un territorio en manos de los musulmanes. No una reconquista.
José Luis Corral, Universidad de Zaragoza “La batalla de Covadonga jamás existió. En todas las crónicas cristianas anteriores al año 883 no aparece nunca”
Vayamos al principio. La tradición marca que unos seis u once años después de la invasión de T áriq ibn Ziyad del 711, en Covadonga se libró una batalla entre Don Pelayo y el ejército musulmán que más de 100 años después se situaría como el hito fundacional del reino de Asturias. “Toman las armas, se alzan las catapultas, se disponen las hondas, brillan las espadas, se erizan las lanzas y sin cesar disparan saetas”. Así es como en la Crónica de Alfonso III (escrita un siglo después) se relata el arranque del combate.
“La batalla de Covadonga jamás existió. En todas las crónicas cristianas anteriores al año 883 no aparece nunca la Batalla de Covadonga lo cual es sintomático. Y en las crónicas musulmanas no aparece en ninguna”, señala José Luis Corral, profesor de Historia de la Universidad de Zaragoza y autor de novelas históricas como “El Cid”.
Estatua de don Pelayo en Covadonga Archivo
“Ese relato de la batalla está literalmente copiado de un pasaje de la Biblia. En estos primeros relatos medievales aparece el rey Pelayo derrotando a los caldeos, un pueblo mítico del actual Iraq, en lugar de a los musulmanes. Eso se debe a a que es un relato copiado de la Biblia, concretamente del libro del Éxodo del viaje de Moisés al Mar rojo y del Libro Primero de los Jueces”, zanja el profesor.
“Pelayo es un caudillo que existió como un personaje que defendió el territorio del norte cristiano de los musulmanes”, matiza. “Hay muchas teorías: que era nieto de la familia real visigoda, que era descendiente de un duque de Cantabria, otros los sitúan como un caudillo de la aristocracia local. No está muy claro. Es verdad que es un personaje histórico que resiste la invasión islámica probablemente porque no quería pagar impuestos ni someterse y que quiere reivindicarse a través de la religión cristiana”, según Corral.
José Enrique Ruiz-Domènec, UAB “El concepto de reconquista fue convertido en el siglo XIX en un artefacto ideológico, poderoso que llevó incluso la erre inicial a ponerla en mayúscula”
Aña Echevarría e Iñaki Martín en La Península Ibérica en la Edad Media (Uned) defienden que la batalla de Covadonga quizá sólo fue “una simple escaramuza motivada por la exigencia de tributo”.
Y, ¿cómo un encontronazo militar menor que es posible que ni tan siquiera existiera se convierta en el arranque de un periodo que se conoce como Reconquista que se prolonga durante más de 700 años? El concepto nace de los cronistas de los reinos cristianos “cuando recuperaron lo que se llama el ideal neogótico” por el que “los reyes de Asturias, luego de León y luego de Castilla se proclaman descendientes y legítimos herederos de los reyes godos”, responde José Enrique Ruiz-Domènec, catedrático de Historia Medieval de la Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona (UAB) y autor del libro España, una nueva historia (RBA).
Santa María del Naranco es una de las obras cúmbres de la arquitectura de los primeros reinos cristianos del Península.... LucVi / Getty Images/iStockphoto
...y la Alhambra es el equivalente de Al-Andalus, según Ruiz-Domènec sorincolac / Getty Images/iStockphoto
Ese pensamiento defiende que “lo que hacen cuando marcharon hacia el sur del río Duero era reconquistar” el territorio arrebatado a “los reyes godos cuando fueron derrotados por los musulmanes y los bereberes en el 711”. Desde Estados Unidos, el catedrático en estudios de la religión de la University of Colorado Boulder y autor del libro Reinos de fe. Una nueva historia de la España musulmana (Pasado y presente) , Brian A. Catlos, añade que la idea de Reconquista “fue un mito que solo comenzó a tomar forma a partir del siglo XI como parte del programa de legitimidad real promovido por el clero de Borgoña en apoyo de la reclamación de la dinastía de Castilla y León para tener soberanía sobre toda la Península”.
Para Ruiz-Domènec, está claro que “es un planteamiento claramente ideológico e incluso doctrinal vinculado a una doctrina política. No puede naturalmente seguirse como han hecho muchos historiadores dándole legitimidad a ese discurso político. Otros dicen que simplemente fue una pantalla para disimular lo que realmente sucedía que era la conquista de los valles y montañas”.
Brian A. Catlos, University of Colorado Boulder “Italia miró a las glorias de Roma, Grecia a la Atenas clásica, Inglaterra a Arturo y Alemania a la mitología nórdica de los nibelungos”
El término Reconquista fue evolucionado y explosionó hace poco más de 100 años: “el concepto de reconquista fue convertido en el siglo XIX en un artefacto ideológico, poderoso que llevó incluso la erre inicial a ponerla en mayúscula y se singularizó la Reconquista”, añade el Ruiz-Domènec.
Alejandro García Sanjuán, profesor de la Universidad de Huelva y autor de La conquista islámica de la península ibérica y la tergiversación del pasado (Marcial Pons), añade que “nadie cuestiona que existió entre los cristianos un proyecto de conquista del territorio musulmán”.
Fernando II de Aragón e Isabel I de Castilla completaron la toma de Granada en 1492. Wikimedia Commons
García Sanjuán matiza que “lo que se cuestiona es que el concepto de Reconquista resulte apropiado para designar ese proyecto. Algunos pensamos que no lo es, debido a que ese concepto se acuñó durante el siglo XIX con una fuerte carga ideológica españolista, definiéndose como una lucha de liberación nacional frente a los musulmanes, como resultado del cual los españoles serían ‘una nación forjada contra el islam’”, añade.
Es precisamente en ese momento histórico cuando otros territorios europeos buscan su identidad: “Italia miró a las glorias de Roma, Grecia a la Atenas clásica, Inglaterra a Arturo y Alemania a la mitología nórdica de los nibelungos. Lo que cada una de estas historias nacionales enmarcadas de forma épica tiene en común es que cristalizaron en el siglo XIX y tienen poca relación con las realidades medievales. Lo que reflejan son los procesos internos mediante los cuales se desarrolló una cultura “nacional” como consecuencia de un grupo cultural que reclamaba la ascendencia sobre otros que necesitaban ser reprimidos como parte del proceso de construcción nacional”, señala Catlos.
Controversia Algunos historiadores como el catedrático de la Universidad de Extremadura, Francisco García-Fitz, defienden la plena vigencia del término Reconquista
La potencia ideológica del término Reconquista ha vuelto a saltar a la política española a través partido de ultraderecha español Vox, que escogió Covadonga para arrancar la campaña electoral en las pasadas elecciones generales de abril. Lo hizo con un megáfono en la mano rodeado de banderas españolas y apelando al simbolismo de Covadonga. Era una forma de mostrar que el partido ultraderechista con reminiscencias franquistas iniciaba una “reconquista” del poder en España.
Los historiadores cuestionan también el concepto de reconquista en el hecho de que se toman ciudades como Granada que fue fundada por los musulmanes y que en época visigoda no existían, como recuerda García Sanjuán. Ese proceso de expansión de los reinos cristianos hacia el sur de la Península Ibérica se prolonga a lo largo de casi ocho siglos, lo que significa que durante enormes periodos de tiempo y durante varias generaciones no hubo guerra sino convivencia. “Reducir el período medieval peninsular a ocho siglos de Reconquista constituye una enorme simplificación”, dice García Sanjuán.
“Fue un territorio multicultural y multirreligioso” que además de generar graves conflictos también dio lugar a “formas singulares de simbiosis cultural: “los cristianos y judíos que vivían bajo dominio musulmán llegaron a arabizarse por completo mientras que los musulmanes que vivían bajo dominio cristiano (mudéjares) construyeron iglesias cristianas que incorporan elementos de la estética artística islámica, reflexiona García Sanjuán.
Alejandro García Sanjuán, Universidad de Huelva “A veces, determinados términos historiográficos caducan y se olvidan. Esto sucedió con el de la ‘España musulmana’”
Catlos añade que “hasta el siglo XI cuando comienza el declive de la hegemonía musulmana en la Península Ibérica era costumbre que los gobernantes y magnates cristianos del norte enviaran a sus hijas a casarse con la élite andaluza, incluido la familia del califa”. Ruiz-Domènec explica que es proceso se da porque “la aristocracia goda percibe que es un buen negocio relacionarse con la aristocracia árabe y se casan entre sí” puesto que “ese concepto que nosotros tenemos de división étnica en aquella época no se daba con esa fuerza. Hubo una gran asimilación y confusión porque no estaban las líneas tan claras”.
Eso mismo sucedía con los militares como el conocidísimo personaje de El Cid -al que acaba de dedicar una novela Arturo Pérez-Reverte- quien mostró una extraña forma de convivencia. José Luis Corral recuerda que el llamado Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar no fue el héroe cristiano de la Reconquista que muchos creen sino un soldado de fortuna, un mercenario que alquilaba su espada al mejor postor: “llegó a luchar al lado de los musulmanes en varias ocasiones contra los cristianos”.
José Ortega y Gasset Archivo
Ortega y Gasset “No entiendo cómo se puede llamar reconquista a una cosa que dura ocho siglos”
Muchos intelectuales han defendido desde hace años esa idea de convivencia alejada de la imagen de una feroz reconquista militar. En 1921 el propio José Ortega y Gasset aseguró en su “España Invertebrada”: “no entiendo cómo se puede llamar reconquista a una cosa que dura ocho siglos”. Otros profesionales actualmente como el catedrático de la Universidad de Extremadura, Francisco García-Fitz , defienden la plena vigencia del término Reconquista.
Aún así en los libros de texto de los estudiantes se ha sustituido en muchos de ellos. “A veces, determinados términos historiográficos caducan y se olvidan. Esto sucedió con la ‘España musulmana’, concepto que hoy ya nadie utiliza, porque definimos esa realidad histórica como ‘Al-Andalus’. Lo mismo podría decirse de la Reconquista, que es perfectamente prescindible, ya que basta con aludir a la conquista cristiana de al-Andalus”, precisa García Sanjuán.
La sala Hipóstila con 19 naves que fue utilizada como sala de oración en la Mezquita de Córdoba SeanPavonePhoto / Getty Images
Quiza la Reconquista con mayúscula sufra ese proceso. Por ahora lo más reciente es que en el último diccionario de la RAE la toma de Granada ha pasado de ser considerada como el epílogo de la Reconquista a la culminación. Habrá que esperar a la próxima edición del diccionario. | {
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America’s Birthday
On July 4, 1776 a group of Americans approved a document declaring the United States of America free from English rule. This document was the Declaration of Independence, and today we celebrate the 242nd birthday of this courageous action!
The Declaration of Independence is the nation’s birth certificate. Thomas Jefferson, the primary author of the Declaration, outlined its purpose:
When forced, therefore, to resort to arms for redress, an appeal to the tribunal of the world was deemed proper for our justification. This was the object of the Declaration of Independence. Not to find out new principles, or new arguments, never before thought of, not merely to say things which had never been said before; but to place before mankind the common sense of the subject, in terms so plain and firm as to command their assent, and to justify ourselves in the independent stand we are compelled to take. Neither aiming at originality of principle or sentiment, nor yet copied from any particular and previous writing, it was intended to be an expression of the American mind.
John Adams, in informing his wife of the events preceding the passage of the Declaration, stated:
I am well aware of the toil and blood and treasure that it will cost us to maintain this Declaration and support and defend these states. Yet through all the gloom, I can see the rays of ravishing light and glory–I can see that the end is more than worth all the means and that posterity will triumph in that day’s transaction.
Across the generations, many others have heralded the importance of the Declaration. For example, Civil War hero Ulysses S. Grant saw it as one of the many evidences of God’s guidance:
In all these marked stages of national progress, from the Declaration of Independence to the recent amendments of the Constitution, it is impossible not to perceive a providential series and succession of events.
And President John F. Kennedy’s words about the Declaration are as stirring today as they were when they were originally delivered over 50 years ago:
[The] Declaration unleashed not merely a revolution against the British but a revolution in human affairs. Its authors were highly conscious of its worldwide implications. And George Washington declared that liberty and self-government everywhere were, in his words, “finally staked on the experiment entrusted to the hands of the American people.” This prophecy has been borne out….This doctrine of national independence has shaken the globe, and it remains the most powerful force anywhere in the world today.
As we celebrate the birthday of America today, don’t forget the many sacrifices made long ago by the signers of the Declaration on our behalf! Happy Independence Day!
“[O]n this special day, the birthday of our nation, in the midst of all the joyous celebrations let us take a moment to remember the debt of thanks we owe to those who came before us, to the same God who guides us all, and to the spirit of faith and patriotism which still makes America ‘the land of the free and the home of the brave’.”
Ronald Reagan | {
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Vapriikin näyttely esittelee purettuja rakennuksia – Muistatko näitä Tampereen taloja?
Kuvat löytyvät isompina jutun lopusta.
Marjo Rämö
Museokeskus Vapriikin Kadonneet kaunottaret -näyttely kertoo Tampereen kadonneesta rakennuskannasta. Vanhemmat tamperelaiset muistavat vielä Branderin talon, Pulla-Helinin talon, Blomin talon tai Luterilaisen rukoushuoneen. Nämä ja muut kadonneet kaunottaret heräävät nyt henkiin näyttelyssä.
Vapriikin Kadonneet kaunottaret -näyttely esittelee Tampereen katukuvasta kadonneita uusrenessanssi- ja jugendkauden rakennuksia. Niitä rakennettiin Tampereelle kaupungin voimakkaan kasvun aikana 1900-luvun vaihteen molemmin puolin. Monet niistä purettiin uusien rakennusten tieltä, mutta myös tulipalot ja sodat ovat vaatineet oman veronsa.
Lähivuosina Tampere on kokemassa suurimman kaupunkikuvallisen muutoksensa pitkiin aikoihin. Edellinen suuri murros tapahtui sotia seuranneina vuosikymmeninä, jolloin keskustan puu-Tampere hävitettiin ja myös monet vanhat kivirakennukset saivat väistyä uuden tieltä. Kaupungin kasvun, elintason nousun ja modernisaation vastapainona oli eräänlainen historian kieltäminen: vanha oli hävitettävä uuden ja edistyksellisen tieltä.
Tampereella ehdittiin tuhota paljon sellaista, jota nykyaika pitäisi kaupungin arvokkaimpaan historialliseen perintöön kuuluvana. Kuitenkin 1970-luvulla alkoi jo saada jalansijaa uudenlainen ajattelutapa, jossa vanhat rakennukset nähtiin osana yhteistä kulttuuriperintöä.
Näyttely lähestyy kohdettaan valokuvin, rakennuspiirustuksin ja esinein hyödyntäen myös 3D-mallinnusta. Esittelyssä on kymmeniä tamperelaisia rakennuksia, jotka on joko hävitetty tai joita on aikojen kuluessa muunneltu.
Lisäksi tutustutaan suunnitelmiin, jotka ovat jääneet toteuttamatta. Tyylisuuntien ja arkkitehtien lisäksi huomioidaan myös rakentajat ja rakennusten suojelijat. Näyttelyssä annetaan myös tilaa kaupunkilaisten muistoille ja kokemuksille.
Verkatehdas
Kylmähallit:
Vastavalmistunut Kauppaseuran talo
Sumeliuksen palatsi 1890-luvulla
Luterilainen rukoushuone | {
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Pressure Cooker Perfection from America's Test Kitchen
We've had a pressure cooker for a bit over a year now. In that time, we've been experimenting with it here and there, making short ribs and stocks, and playing around with our own pressure cooker concoctions.
But now we've been inspired to kick our pressure cooker use into high gear over the last few weeks after reading the new book from America's Test Kichen: Pressure Cooker Perfection.
We've previously read and recommended Lorna Sass's Pressure Perfect for those wanting to get more use out of their pressure cookers. Sass, the grande dame of pressure cooker chefs, published her first pressure cooker book in 1989 and quickly established herself as the go-to expert on using pressure cookers in the home.
We still recommend Sass's book, but we love this new book from America's Test Kitchen. (Full disclosure: We recevied a free press copy from ATK). It's smartly organized and filled with recipes we want to try. The first we dove into was Braised Chicken Thighs with Potatoes. It resulted in a delicious chicken in a flavorful gravy-like sauce -- truly delicious.
For our second foray, we wanted something more exotic to share with you. We opted for a dish that was new to us: Pork Vindaloo. | {
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This is a hot performance by the sexy Ryu Enami who looked making the hot poses for showing off her hot things in a great manner. She goes on to make such poses which gives a clear show of her pussy and the two men started playing with that sexy pussy of her. They placed different tools on her sexy pussy and got the pleasurable suck by her. She enjoyed the moves which really gave the best satisfaction to him.
Ryu Enami sucks the cocks and enjoys the hard tools on her hot pussy by these men. It is truly interesting to see this babe getting all kind of pleasure through her actions. | {
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RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — The Latest on Alec Baldwin campaigning for Democratic candidates in Virginia (all times local):
3:45 p.m.
Actor Alec Baldwin has knocked on doors and cracked a few jokes in a suburban Richmond neighborhood to try to drum up votes for Democratic legislative candidates in Virginia.
Baldwin is known for his mocking impersonations of Republican President Donald Trump on "Saturday Night Live."
Baldwin campaigned on Tuesday with Amanda Pohl, a Democrat looking to unseat incumbent Republican state Sen. Amanda Chase.
Baldwin stumped just a few doors down from Chase's home and joked about leaving a roll of quarters in her mailbox after referring to a confrontation she had with a Capitol Police officer earlier this year over a parking space.
Earlier this year, Baldwin pleaded guilty to harassing a man in a dispute over a parking space.
___
1 a.m.
Actor Alec Baldwin, known for his mocking impersonations of President Donald Trump on "Saturday Night Live," is coming to Virginia to help Democratic legislative candidates.
Baldwin is set to knock on doors, make calls and deliver pizza to volunteers at multiple stops around Virginia on Tuesday.
The progressive advocacy group People for the American Way helped organize the trip. Baldwin is a board member of the group and has been an outspoken critic of Trump.
Virginia is one of only four states holding legislative elections this year and the only one where partisan control of the legislature is up for grabs. National groups view Virginia as a warmup to the 2020 presidential cycle and are pouring money into the state.
Several other celebrities have been urging Virginians to vote. | {
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Thanksgiving was on Thursday. Extended and unrelenting movement, ideally, should not be for the Friday following.
[Sign up for Yahoo Fantasy Basketball | Mock Draft | The Vertical | Latest news]
[Follow Dunks Don’t Lie on Tumblr: The best slams from all of basketball]
The NBA, apparently, doesn’t want to hear that. After a night off on the holiday, the league scheduled fifteen games for its teams on Friday. And, because you’re good at math, you’ve already realized that each of the league’s 30 teams will be working on the day after Thanksgiving. Including the San Antonio Spurs and Boston Celtics, who will be up for a matinee game in Boston just a few hours after final bit of gravy was consumed.
The stock needed to make that gravy took more time to break down and congeal than the Spurs and Celtics have had to recover from their collective Thanksgiving intake. Mindful of this, the Orlando Sentinel’s Josh Robbins talked to some Magic players about their dreaded post-Thanksgiving jaunt up the court, scheduled for Friday evening against the typically Thanksgiving-listless Washington Wizards:
Robbins talked with center Nikola Vucevic about his plans:
Vucevic pledged he would eat no more than two plates of food. His rationale: The Magic will have a shootaround Friday morning and a game Friday night.
Even professional athletes worry about the consequences of eating too much food over the holidays.
“You have to watch that,” Vucevic said, a hint of disappointment in his voice. “If you overeat, you’re gonna feel all slow tomorrow, especially with turkey and all that bad food that you can eat for Thanksgiving. Yeah, you’ve got to be careful. The last few years, we did have a game right after Thanksgiving. I wish we didn’t. It’s much more fun when you don’t have a game the next day.”
Again: EVERYONE HAS A GAME. Thanks, 82 games inside five and a half months.
The Spurs and Celtics provide a trickier setup. In a lot of ways, the Friday matinee game could act as an NBA Finals preview. One of just two pairings between the squads this season, Dec. 14’s matchup between the two will be rightfully telecast by ESPN as a showcase, nationally televised game.
C’s coach Brad Stevens, for one, is already a little frightened about what’s rolling in to Boston:
Boston coach Brad Stevens describes the Spurs' road routine: "They sleep, they eat, they execute you to death" — Jeff McDonald (@JMcDonald_SAEN) November 25, 2016
… and his pre-holiday policy came off like a weighted shrug of the shoulders:
“I’m excited to be home for a day, finally,” Stevens told reporters on Wednesday. “And I don’t know what’s on the menu. I look forward to spending a little bit of time. That’ll probably made a little less enjoyable knowing what’s coming on Friday afternoon. From a coaching standpoint, right? You have to prepare for one of the best teams in the NBA, for a 1 o’clock game.
Stevens added, “You eat and then you work.”
There is a solid chance, in June, we’ll have to consider the ramifications of a post-Thanksgiving, matinee game as we look at two games’ worth of stats created by these two teams when they worked against each other. That is to say, we shouldn’t consider it.
A Magic/Wizards tilt, featuring two out of the current Eastern Conference playoff bracket, has less significance, but the action might be just as stilted. We’re just preparing the typical NBA fan for what they and their leftovers have in store on Friday night.
And Friday afternoon. The day after Thanksgiving. With jumping and running and all of that.
– – – – – – –
Kelly Dwyer is an editor for Ball Don’t Lie on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter!
Follow @KDonhoops | {
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NEW DELHI: The I&B ministry may soon add more members, including actor-filmmaker Kamal Hassan , to the Shyam Bengal committee that has been set up to look holistically into the functioning of the Censor Board , which has been mired in controversies in the recent past.It has been felt that more regions of the country should be given representation on the panel and so it has been suggested that filmmaker-actor Hassan and eminent directors Shaji Karun and Gautam Ghosh should be included on it, Benegal told PTI.The acclaimed film-maker said that as a large number of films are made in South India and other regions, it was felt that more members could be added to the committee.Benegal and other members of the committee, including filmmaker Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra , adman Piyush Pandey and film journalist Bhawana Somayaa had last week met Information and Broadcasting minister Arun Jaitley in Mumbai, where Minister of State Rajyavardhan Rathore was also present.The I&B ministry is actively working on the suggestion to add more members, sources, meanwhile, said.While Hassan has long experience of working in the Tamil film industry, Karun has made several films in Malayalam. Bengali film-maker Ghosh's entry would give representation to eastern India on the panel.The I&B ministry had set up the panel on January 1 to take a relook at the functioning of the Board.I&B minister Jaitley had last week said that film certification guidelines needed contemporary interpretation and should be as non-discretionary as possible.Earlier, before the panel was set up, Jaitley had made his desire known that he would like the Certification Board to be "controversy-free" and added that he had discussed the matter with some experts as to what should be the future role of this body. | {
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After days of fake news and rumors on social media sites about a possible restoration of the relationship with Hamas, a Syrian official source refuted all such news insisting on the Syrian principal standing in this regards.
‘There is no truth to what is being circulated and statements published about the restoration of any relationship with Hamas’ The Syrian official media source told Syria’s National News Agency SANA.
‘Those whom the Syrian people have cast out at the beginning of the war on Syria will remain cast out’ the source added.
The Syrian official media source reminded that the earlier relationship with the Palestinian movement was based on their declared stance being a resistance movement against Israel, however, ‘the Muslim Brotherhood blood in the movement’s veins have proven to be dominant in the movement which have worked in line with the same plot that Israel have plotted for it.’
Hamas was targeted by almost all countries in the region and all other Palestinian factions until they started facing the Israeli aggressors which assassinated its elderly wheelchair-bound crippled founder Ahmad Yassin and his successor Rantissi, poisoned and tried to kill its next leader Khaled Misha’al.
When the movement declared its goal is to liberate the Palestinian land from the Israeli occupation, it was welcomed in Syria by the Syrian leadership despite the objection of some other Palestinian factions operating in the country. Syria’s leadership’s stance is principled: We support those who fight for the restoration of the Palestinian rights. Hamas based its headquarters in Damascus, enjoyed optimum support from the Syrian state that other factions envied for until the start of the War Of Terror the USA and its cronies and stooges waged against Syria, that’s when Hamas showed its real alliance.
Hamas Biting the Syrian Hand
Being part of the global Muslim Brotherhood organization, the movement followed the instructions of its global head the fake Caliph-wannabe Turkish Erdogan, who is a tool in the hands of Zionism making the movement a sub-tool in the hands of Zionism.
Hamas facilitated the invasion and destruction of Yarmouk Camp for Palestinian refugees south of Damascus by Al-Qaeda (FSA) terrorists including members of ISIS, almost had the legendary chief of the PFLP-GC Ahmad Jibril and his first deputy killed inside the camp, and lend their tunneling experts to other Al-Qaeda FSA factions including Jaysh Al-Islam which was in control of Duma.
What Hamas and its FSA Nusra Front and ISIS affiliates did to Yarmouk Camp south of Damascus
The chief of Hamas moved to Qatar, out of all other destinations in the world, and from his base there next to the US largest military base in the MENA region, directed the continuous treachery by his movement against his own brethren and against Syria. It’s widely acknowledged among the Palestinian movements that the Politbureau of Hamas is in charge of a large purge against the militant commanders in its Al-Aqsa Brigades, including their own former minister of interior Saed Siyam.
Some Syrian analyst and former officials advocated for the restoration of the ties with Hamas taking in consideration the latest changes in its leadership, especially after some rumors of meetings between Hamas officials and the head of Syrian state security General Ali Mamlouk and the advisor of the Syrian presidency Boutheina Shaaban, however, the rumors, were faced fiercely on social media among Syrian activists with an uproar, including yours truly. This official refute is enough to cool down all the hype in the past few days.
Late President Hafez Assad exposes the Muslim Brotherhood after 6 years of fierce terrorist war they waged against the Syrian state ending in 1982
In my below tweet a couple of days ago, one day before the Syrian official media source statement: “Hamas will not return to Syria because the Syrian people and the Palestinian refugees in Syria have discovered its reality, and we have all paid a hefty price for this discovery. Who is calling for their return (Hamas to Syria) should tell us what is the guarantee they will not revert to their Muslim Brotherhood roots again? Their decision is associated with their chief Rabbi Erdogan.”
#حماس لن تعود لسورية لأن الشعب السوري و اللاجئين الفلسطينيين في #سورية اكتشفوهم على حقيقتهم ودفعنا جميعاً ثمناً باهظاً قيمة هذا الاكتشاف.
من ينادي بعودتهم عليه إخبارنا ما هو الضمان أن لا يعودوا لأصولهم الأخوانية مجدداً؟
قرارهم مرتبط بالحاخام الأكبر للأخوان أردوغان.#Syria — Arabi Souriعربي سوري (@3arabiSouri) June 6, 2019
To help us continue please visit the Donate page to donate or learn other ways. Follow us on Telegram: http://t.me/syupdates link will open Telegram app. | {
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} |
BITDV
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LegendaryActivity: 1288Merit: 1001Satoshi Nakamoto [ANN] CryptoFile.Hosting April 27, 2016, 11:39:53 AM
Last edit: May 04, 2016, 01:29:46 PM by BITDV #1
We have Updated all our Prices and Packages , to give more to our members!! Come and open a FREE account at
We would like to announce the launch of CryptoFile.Hosting!!
We are a file sharing site were you can host your pictures,videos,files and code and earn BTC for each download!!
There are 2 Account types available to people.
Free Accounts:
Max Upload Size : 250 MB
Max Storage : 50 GB
Max Download Speed : 500000 Bytes p/sec
Concurrent Uploads : 20 files
Concurrent Downloads : 20 files
Download Size : Unlimited file size
Inactive Files are deleted after 180 days
Rewards Program : None
Advertisments : Yes shown
Premium Accounts:
Max Upload Size : 3 GB
Max Storage : Unlimited
Max Download Speed : Unlimited (Only limited by your internet connection)
Concurrent Uploads : 100 files
Concurrent Downloads : Unlimited
Download Size : Unlimited file size
Inactive Files have unlimited storage time
Rewards Program Yes (more about this a bit further daown)
Advertisments : disabled for Premium customers
Business Account's :
Please contact me personally so we can taylor your account to your specific needs..
Rewards Program:
We have enabled a rewards program for all premium members there are 2 areas were BTC can be made PPS (paid per sign-up) which is 10% of premium upgrade cost and PPD (paid per download) for each time someone downloads one of your images/files/videos - more info on this available here
All Rewards are payed out in BTC Bitcoin at the end of each calendar Month , in your rewards are what you have earnt is shown in US$ and when you request a payout it is converted to BTC BTC and sent to your nominated BTC BTC wallet address , minimum payout is $2 ..
Store your picture's, video's and files and share them , each download you earn with from your account if you have upgraded to a premium account !! This is great for Dev's host your wallet's for people to download and each download you will earn , to help fund development , banners what ever you have to help promote your business , plus also embed to websites and forum's , the codes are available there.
Premium Upgrades:
All details on premium Details are available here
All Premium packages are shown in US$ but we only accept payments in Crypto Currencie's these can be done 2 ways :
1. Thru the upgrade page at
Bitcoin BTC
Litecoin LTC
AudioCoin ADC
Asiadigicoin ADCN
BlackCoin BLK
CloakCoin CLOAK
Creditbit CRBIT
CureCoin CURE
Dash DASH
DigitalCoin DGC
Dogecoin DOGE
Ether ETH
Feathercoin FTC
GameCredits GAME
GCRCoin GCR
GroestlCoin GRS
Hyper HYPER
Maxcoin MAX
MonetaryUnit MUE
MyriadCoin MYR
NuBits NBT
NeosCoin NEOS
Netcoin NET
Novacoin NVC
Orbitcoin ORB
Paycoin XPY
PotCoin POT
Peercoin PPC
SolarCoin SLR
StartCOIN START
TitCoin TIT
TransferCoin TX
UniversalCurrency UNIT
Unobtanium UNO
Viacoin VIA
Vertcoin VTC
More will be added to the list over time as they are added to CoinPayments.net
Why are we only accepting payment thru Crypto currencie's??
I personally believe that the more site's/service's that offer it as a option to pay for product's and service's , the more accepted it will be to the wider community and by adding service's that accept crypto currencie's will help add value to all crypto currencie's in general.
Manual upgrades are available for the following coins , send a message thru the forum to me and I will organize it :
Verge XVG
SpreadCoin SPR
DigiCube CUBE
More crypto's will be added to the list as time goes on . If you would like a certain crypto currency added please feel free to send me a message here and we will look into it !!
Image Uploads :
The Image extensions that are supported are :
Total 204: 3FR, A, AAI, AI, ART, ARW, AVI, AVS, B, BGR, BGRA, BIE, BMP, BMP2, BMP3, BRF, C, CAL, CALS, CANVAS, CAPTION, CIN, CIP, CLIP, CMYK, CMYKA, CR2, CRW, CUR, CUT, DCM, DCR, DCX, DDS, DFONT, DNG, DPX, EPDF, EPI, EPS, EPS2, EPS3, EPSF, EPSI, EPT, EPT2, EPT3, ERF, FAX, FITS, FRACTAL, FTS, G, G3, GIF, GIF87, GRADIENT, GRAY, GROUP4, HALD, HDR, HISTOGRAM, HRZ, HTM, HTML, ICB, ICO, ICON, INFO, INLINE, IPL, ISOBRL, J2C, J2K, JBG, JBIG, JNG, JP2, JPC, JPEG, JPG, JPX, K, K25, KDC, LABEL, M, M2V, M4V, MAC, MAP, MAT, MATTE, MEF, MIFF, MNG, MONO, MOV, MP4, MPC, MPEG, MPG, MRW, MSL, MTV, MVG, NEF, NRW, NULL, O, ORF, OTB, OTF, PAL, PALM, PAM, PATTERN, PBM, PCD, PCDS, PCL, PCT, PCX, PDB, PDF, PDFA, PEF, PES, PFA, PFB, PFM, PGM, PGX, PICON, PICT, PIX, PJPEG, PLASMA, PNG, PNG24, PNG32, PNG8, PNM, PPM, PREVIEW, PS, PS2, PS3, PSB, PSD, PTIF, PWP, R, RADIAL-GRADIENT, RAF, RAS, RGB, RGBA, RGBO, RLA, RLE, SCR, SCT, SFW, SGI, SHTML, SR2, SRF, STEGANO, SUN, TEXT, TGA, THUMBNAIL, TIFF, TIFF64, TILE, TIM, TTC, TTF, TXT, UBRL, UIL, UYVY, VDA, VICAR, VID, VIFF, VST, WBMP, WMV, WPG, X, X3F, XBM, XC, XCF, XPM, XPS, XV, XWD, Y, YCbCr, YCbCrA, YUV
Document/File Uploads :
The File extensions that are supported are :
doc,docx,xls,xlsx,ppt,pptx,pdf,pages,ai,psd,tiff,dxf,svg,eps,ps,ttf,otf,xps,rar,zip
Media Player files that are supported :
avi(divx web player), divx(divx web player), mkv(divx web player), mp4(html5 video), mpv(html5 video), ogg(html5 video), ogv(html5 video), webm(html5 video), flv(html5 video), m4v(html5 video), mp3(html5 audio), wav(html5 audio), m4a(html5 audio), wmv(windows media player)
Advertising:
There are 3 advertising slots available on the site and these are shown to free user's and non-user's.
The 3 slots are as followed :
1. at the bottom of every page (Shown to everyone on home page when not logged in and to free or non-user's on every page)
2. at the bottom of the download page for all free or non-user's for 30 seconds before download starts.
3. at the top of the download page for all free or non-user's for 30 seconds before download starts.
These are available to rent for either 1 week or 1 month please contact me here to organize.
Banner size's 468 x 60 or 990 x 90 (have them as html code)
Languages Translations Available: Bengali , Chinese , German , Spanish , French , Hindi , Italian , Japanese , Dutch , Polish , Portuguese , Russian and Arabic .
(The language translations are done with google translate , I apologize for any miss translations )
As time goes by we will add more feature's as they are developed , to improve value for money and a better experience for our valued customers. We have Updated all our Prices and Packages , to give more to our members!! Come and open a FREE account at https://cryptofile.hosting NOW !!We are a file sharing site were you can host your pictures,videos,files and code and earn BTC for each download!!There are 2 Account types available to people.We have enabled a rewards program for all premium members there are 2 areas were BTC can be made PPS (paid per sign-up) which is 10% of premium upgrade cost and PPD (paid per download) for each time someone downloads one of your images/files/videos - more info on this available here http://cryptofile.hosting/plugins/rewards/site/rewards.php All Rewards are payed out inBitcoin at the end of each calendar Month , in your rewards are what you have earnt is shown in US$ and when you request a payout it is converted toBTC and sent to your nominatedBTC wallet address , minimum payout is $2 ..Store your picture's, video's and files and share them , each download you earn with from your account if you have upgraded to a premium account !! This is great for Dev's host your wallet's for people to download and each download you will earn , to help fund development , banners what ever you have to help promote your business , plus also embed to websites and forum's , the codes are available there.All details on premium Details are available here http://cryptofile.hosting/upgrade.html All Premium packages are shown in US$ but we only accept payments in Crypto Currencie's these can be done 2 ways :1. Thru the upgrade page at http://cryptofile.hosting and are automatically upgrade once payment is confirmed thru Coinpayments.net , thru coinpayments.net we accept the following crypto currencie's:More will be added to the list over time as they are added to CoinPayments.netWhy are we only accepting payment thru Crypto currencie's??I personally believe that the more site's/service's that offer it as a option to pay for product's and service's , the more accepted it will be to the wider community and by adding service's that accept crypto currencie's will help add value to all crypto currencie's in general.Manual upgrades are available for the following coins , send a message thru the forum to me and I will organize it :More crypto's will be added to the list as time goes on . If you would like a certain crypto currency added please feel free to send me a message here and we will look into it !!Image Uploads :The Image extensions that are supported are :Document/File Uploads :The File extensions that are supported are :Media Player files that are supported :Advertising:There are 3 advertising slots available on the site and these are shown to free user's and non-user's.The 3 slots are as followed :1. at the bottom of every page (Shown to everyone on home page when not logged in and to free or non-user's on every page)2. at the bottom of the download page for all free or non-user's for 30 seconds before download starts.3. at the top of the download page for all free or non-user's for 30 seconds before download starts.These are available to rent for either 1 week or 1 month please contact me here to organize.Banner size's 468 x 60 or 990 x 90 (have them as html code)Languages Translations Available: Bengali , Chinese , German , Spanish , French , Hindi , Italian , Japanese , Dutch , Polish , Portuguese , Russian and Arabic .As time goes by we will add more feature's as they are developed , to improve value for money and a better experience for our valued customers. 1. Signature For Rent
2. Avatar For Rent
3. Website For Rent
4. Pay per post
Call : TG : @ezioff
Ethereum address: 0x658c780177ba51b74D2EE666B319A937B1328888
crysx
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--- ChainWorks Industries ---
Sr. MemberActivity: 364Merit: 260--- ChainWorks Industries --- Re: [ANN] CryptoFile.Hosting April 27, 2016, 12:26:14 PM #2
im watching ... and posting to get updates of course ...
#crysx very interesting ...im watching ... and posting to get updates of course...#crysx ChainWorks Industries . grn - Ga2TFVPW3y2vd9vMdqLWfid9hf8RPSQV19 . exchange - https://bleutrade.com/exchange/GRN/BTC/ . email - [email protected]
BITDV
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LegendaryActivity: 1288Merit: 1001Satoshi Nakamoto Re: [ANN] CryptoFile.Hosting April 27, 2016, 12:34:27 PM #3 Quote from: crysx on April 27, 2016, 12:26:14 PM
im watching ... and posting to get updates of course ...
#crysx
very interesting ...im watching ... and posting to get updates of course...#crysx
Any Questions please feel free to message me or post here mate ..
Just Launched and am only accepting crypto's as I full support crypto's and want to do my part to bring service's and value in general to the realm!! Any Questions please feel free to message me or post here mate ..Just Launched and am only accepting crypto's as I full support crypto's and want to do my part to bring service's and value in general to the realm!! 1. Signature For Rent
2. Avatar For Rent
3. Website For Rent
4. Pay per post
Call : TG : @ezioff
Ethereum address: 0x658c780177ba51b74D2EE666B319A937B1328888
merelcoin
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Hero MemberActivity: 675Merit: 503 Re: [ANN] CryptoFile.Hosting April 27, 2016, 12:49:33 PM #7 Do you allow adult/NSFW images? I think those ones have the most potential of getting traffic, but the quality of the traffic might be less than crypto related images/documents.
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LegendaryActivity: 2226Merit: 1061 Re: [ANN] CryptoFile.Hosting April 27, 2016, 01:01:28 PM #8 Hey,
Looks like an interesting project! I own cryptofilehosting.org (Dead at the minute but project in back end is moving slowly) with the same idea as you, maybe we can collaborate ?
Fallen down the crypto rabbithole!
BITDV
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LegendaryActivity: 1288Merit: 1001Satoshi Nakamoto Re: [ANN] CryptoFile.Hosting April 27, 2016, 01:02:28 PM #9 Quote from: merelcoin on April 27, 2016, 12:49:33 PM Do you allow adult/NSFW images? I think those ones have the most potential of getting traffic, but the quality of the traffic might be less than crypto related images/documents.
Ok i have thought long and hard about this one
People can set there accounts to private and send the download links via emails thru the site or give the links to people , personally there isnt a problem with a picture of a woman or a man (if your a female), but if any hardcore porn set up public will be deleted and any snuff/extreme violence/Pedo garbage , it will be deleted and accounts/IP's/emails will be banned , yes the site is crypto based , and thats the area that it will be promoted , some people may just wish to store or share images and so on , which is kool , but i will monitor as well as a few Moderators as well .. Ok i have thought long and hard about this onePeople can set there accounts to private and send the download links via emails thru the site or give the links to people , personally there isnt a problem with a picture of a woman or a man (if your a female), but if any hardcore porn set up public will be deleted and any snuff/extreme violence/Pedo garbage , it will be deleted and accounts/IP's/emails will be banned , yes the site is crypto based , and thats the area that it will be promoted , some people may just wish to store or share images and so on , which is kool , but i will monitor as well as a few Moderators as well .. 1. Signature For Rent
2. Avatar For Rent
3. Website For Rent
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Call : TG : @ezioff
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LegendaryActivity: 1288Merit: 1001Satoshi Nakamoto Re: [ANN] CryptoFile.Hosting April 27, 2016, 01:13:55 PM #10 Quote from: BITDV on April 27, 2016, 01:02:28 PM Quote from: merelcoin on April 27, 2016, 12:49:33 PM Do you allow adult/NSFW images? I think those ones have the most potential of getting traffic, but the quality of the traffic might be less than crypto related images/documents.
Ok i have thought long and hard about this one
People can set there accounts to private and send the download links via emails thru the site or give the links to people , personally there isnt a problem with a picture of a woman or a man (if your a female), but if any hardcore porn set up public will be deleted and any snuff/extreme violence/Pedo garbage , it will be deleted and accounts/IP's/emails will be banned , yes the site is crypto based , and thats the area that it will be promoted , some people may just wish to store or share images and so on , which is kool , but i will monitor as well as a few Moderators as well ..
Ok i have thought long and hard about this onePeople can set there accounts to private and send the download links via emails thru the site or give the links to people , personally there isnt a problem with a picture of a woman or a man (if your a female), but if any hardcore porn set up public will be deleted and any snuff/extreme violence/Pedo garbage , it will be deleted and accounts/IP's/emails will be banned , yes the site is crypto based , and thats the area that it will be promoted , some people may just wish to store or share images and so on , which is kool , but i will monitor as well as a few Moderators as well ..
Also sometimes things are missed and you see something that you think is un-appropriate there is a report file tab , that informs us and we will investigate it ..
This is found in the footer of the page!! Also sometimes things are missed and you see something that you think is un-appropriate there is a report file tab , that informs us and we will investigate it ..This is found in the footer of the page!! 1. Signature For Rent
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Hero MemberActivity: 675Merit: 503 Re: [ANN] CryptoFile.Hosting April 27, 2016, 01:19:25 PM #11 Quote from: BITDV on April 27, 2016, 01:02:28 PM Quote from: merelcoin on April 27, 2016, 12:49:33 PM Do you allow adult/NSFW images? I think those ones have the most potential of getting traffic, but the quality of the traffic might be less than crypto related images/documents.
Ok i have thought long and hard about this one
People can set there accounts to private and send the download links via emails thru the site or give the links to people , personally there isnt a problem with a picture of a woman or a man (if your a female), but if any hardcore porn set up public will be deleted and any snuff/extreme violence/Pedo garbage , it will be deleted and accounts/IP's/emails will be banned , yes the site is crypto based , and thats the area that it will be promoted , some people may just wish to store or share images and so on , which is kool , but i will monitor as well as a few Moderators as well ..
Ok i have thought long and hard about this onePeople can set there accounts to private and send the download links via emails thru the site or give the links to people , personally there isnt a problem with a picture of a woman or a man (if your a female), but if any hardcore porn set up public will be deleted and any snuff/extreme violence/Pedo garbage , it will be deleted and accounts/IP's/emails will be banned , yes the site is crypto based , and thats the area that it will be promoted , some people may just wish to store or share images and so on , which is kool , but i will monitor as well as a few Moderators as well ..
Thanks for the explanation
I do think that when your ads will concentrate on the crypto world, you won't make much from any other traffic (be it adult related, or any other form of traffic).
Maybe it would be a good idear to let the uploader chose what kind of image/document he/she is uploading (crypto, hobbies, travel, adult,...), and change the adds accordingly (just an idear)? Thanks for the explanationI do think that when your ads will concentrate on the crypto world, you won't make much from any other traffic (be it adult related, or any other form of traffic).Maybe it would be a good idear to let the uploader chose what kind of image/document he/she is uploading (crypto, hobbies, travel, adult,...), and change the adds accordingly (just an idear)?
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LegendaryActivity: 1288Merit: 1001Satoshi Nakamoto Re: [ANN] CryptoFile.Hosting April 27, 2016, 01:23:11 PM #12 Quote from: merelcoin on April 27, 2016, 01:19:25 PM Quote from: BITDV on April 27, 2016, 01:02:28 PM Quote from: merelcoin on April 27, 2016, 12:49:33 PM Do you allow adult/NSFW images? I think those ones have the most potential of getting traffic, but the quality of the traffic might be less than crypto related images/documents.
Ok i have thought long and hard about this one
People can set there accounts to private and send the download links via emails thru the site or give the links to people , personally there isnt a problem with a picture of a woman or a man (if your a female), but if any hardcore porn set up public will be deleted and any snuff/extreme violence/Pedo garbage , it will be deleted and accounts/IP's/emails will be banned , yes the site is crypto based , and thats the area that it will be promoted , some people may just wish to store or share images and so on , which is kool , but i will monitor as well as a few Moderators as well ..
Ok i have thought long and hard about this onePeople can set there accounts to private and send the download links via emails thru the site or give the links to people , personally there isnt a problem with a picture of a woman or a man (if your a female), but if any hardcore porn set up public will be deleted and any snuff/extreme violence/Pedo garbage , it will be deleted and accounts/IP's/emails will be banned , yes the site is crypto based , and thats the area that it will be promoted , some people may just wish to store or share images and so on , which is kool , but i will monitor as well as a few Moderators as well ..
Thanks for the explanation
I do think that when your ads will concentrate on the crypto world, you won't make much from any other traffic (be it adult related, or any other form of traffic).
Maybe it would be a good idear to let the uploader chose what kind of image/document he/she is uploading (crypto, hobbies, travel, adult,...), and change the adds accordingly (just an idear)?
Thanks for the explanationI do think that when your ads will concentrate on the crypto world, you won't make much from any other traffic (be it adult related, or any other form of traffic).Maybe it would be a good idear to let the uploader chose what kind of image/document he/she is uploading (crypto, hobbies, travel, adult,...), and change the adds accordingly (just an idear)?
Thanks for the feed back and ill take that into advisement, they can load that now if they want with just drag and drop and the title will put it in the search on the public files , but i will look at it , first will be adding up load torrents and a few other things over the following weeks for more options ..
But please join try us out you can open a FREE account and test it out upload and that !! Thanks for the feed back and ill take that into advisement, they can load that now if they want with just drag and drop and the title will put it in the search on the public files , but i will look at it , first will be adding up load torrents and a few other things over the following weeks for more options ..But please join try us out you can open a FREE account and test it out upload and that !! 1. Signature For Rent
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LegendaryActivity: 1288Merit: 1001Satoshi Nakamoto Re: [ANN] CryptoFile.Hosting April 27, 2016, 02:07:47 PM #16 Quote from: Quartx on April 27, 2016, 02:02:10 PM I think the most important thing is what will you do if you receive DMCA takedown notices
As State in our Terms that can be found here
Also in our FAQ's
A claim of copyright infringement can be sent to us and if it is found that the person has infringed copyright the material will be removed and if the person continually does it there account will also be removed !! As State in our Terms that can be found here http://cryptofile.hosting/terms.html Also in our FAQ's http://cryptofile.hosting/faq.html A claim of copyright infringement can be sent to us and if it is found that the person has infringed copyright the material will be removed and if the person continually does it there account will also be removed !! 1. Signature For Rent
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Image copyright Getty Images
Cancer patients who use alternative therapies may be more likely to shun conventional treatments and risk their chances of survival, research suggests.
A study of 1,290 patients in the US found people who received such therapies often refused life-saving care such as chemotherapy or surgery.
Fewer of them survived five years after starting treatment compared to those on standard care, researchers found.
Experts urged patients not to ditch proven cancer medicines.
Researchers said the use of alternative therapies, which include certain diets, minerals and vitamin infusions, was growing in the US but there was limited research on how effective they are.
Their study, published in JAMA Oncology, looked at 258 patients who had used these therapies with at least one standard treatment, compared to 1,032 who only received conventional care.
The study found a smaller proportion of those who received such treatment had survived five years after beginning treatment - 82.2% compared to 86.6%.
Separately, they were found to be more than twice as likely to die at any point over the course of the nine-year study, as a result of either refusing or delaying standard treatment.
Comparing people who received alternative therapies with those who did not, the report found:
34% refused chemotherapy compared to 3.2%
53% refused radiotherapy compared to 2.3%
7% refused surgery compared to 0.1%
Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Experts said it was important not to replace conventional treatments with alternative therapies
The paper's authors said it was likely the results for those who used alternative therapies would have been worse were it not for the fact that they were a group that had better cancer survival chances to begin with.
As a group, they were more likely to be women, younger, more affluent and healthier, the study's authors noted.
Although researchers linked the lower chances of survival to refusing or delaying standard treatments, lead author Dr Skyler Johnson, from Yale School of Medicine, told the BBC it was also possible some alternative therapies could interact with conventional treatments and make them less effective.
The study did not include data on the exact therapies people used.
But Dr Johnson said they were more likely to be alternative medicines - treatments that lack clear scientific evidence and are often used in place of conventional care - rather than complementary therapies like yoga or massage, which are usually used alongside standard treatments.
"The reality is despite the fact that many patients believe that these types of unproven therapies will improve their survival and possibly even improve their chances of a cure, there's really no evidence to support that claim..." said Dr Johnson.
"Although they may be used to support patients experiencing symptoms from cancer treatment, it looks as though they are either being marketed or understood to be effective cancer treatments."
Martin Ledwick, Cancer Research UK's head information nurse, said complementary medicine might help improve wellbeing or quality of life for some patients.
"But it is important that patients considering them do not see them as an alternative to conventional treatments that have been shown though clinical trials to make a real difference to survival," he said.
Prof Arnie Purushotham, director at King's Health Partners Comprehensive Cancer Centre, said there was a clear difference between alternative therapies and complementary treatments.
"The medical community is united in agreeing that alternate therapy is not an effective means of treating cancer patients.
"However, there is increasing evidence that complementary therapy like acupuncture, yoga and relaxation therapy may be beneficial in alleviating cancer patients' symptoms like pain and fatigue."
Follow Alex on Twitter. | {
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Inexpensive .22 caliber rifles that are modified to resemble military rifles are nothing new; the Stevens 87M was an early attempt to create a visually modified .22 rifle for military training, and today you can find many .22 LR weapons modified to look like almost any military rifle you want.
Few, though, look as good as the Kingston Armory rifles.
Kingston Armory, of Liberty, NY, makes rifles based on the 10/22 action that resemble the M1 Garand and (new for 2015) M14 rifles; indeed, calling them “visually modified 10/22s” is stretching the truth; Kingston Armory makes their receivers in-house from 4140 steel, which helps lend a very correct-feeling heft to the rifles.
From behind, the Kingston Armory rifles really do look convincing; the sights are National Match Garand and M14 sights and are as excellent as the originals, which really takes these guns out of “visual clone” territory and makes them trainers in their own right. In fact, the guns feature many new-production Garand and M14 parts, including stock fittings, gas blocks, sling swivels, etc.
That means you can – aside from loading for the Garand model – use and shoot the Kingston M1 and M14 .22s just like the originals. The rifles accept plentiful 10/22 magazines, and come with their own visually modified magazines to complete the look.
At $699 a piece, these guns are reasonably priced, if you are someone who wants a unique, good looking .22 that would be all the rage at an Appleseed shoot. Many will find that seven hundred dollars is too much for a .22, but I honestly was surprised the price was so low given the high quality of the wood and the 4140 receivers made in-house. | {
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While the helicarrier has been around in Marvel comics for a long time, its design as seen first in The Avengers is the one which most people think of, and now you can 3D print it.
This 12″ (30,48 centimetre) long model, is only “about 80% accurate and fairly low poly” so it may not be the best version if you’re a stickler for accuracy. It does look great connected to a S.H.I.E.L.D. stand and mounted to a wall, though. You can find the files for this model free on Thingiverse.
But that’s not all. There’s a second version of this model is intended for actual flight. This smaller helicarrier is designed to be a quadrotor drone and should weigh only 150 grams sans the actual electronics. Unfortunately, the Thingiverse user who created it had no luck in their tests and destroyed some expensive electronics trying to get it to fly. If you’re brave enough, those files are also free to download. | {
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“This single-payer, it's the gold standard for the Democrats,” Daines, who does not support single-payer himself, said in a brief interview on Thursday afternoon ahead of the vote. “In fact in the House, 115 Democrats have co-sponsored this exact bill we're going to vote on today. 115, that's about 60 percent. President Trump, the Republicans, want to make America great again. The Democrats want to make America like England again. This is a clear choice."
Support for single-payer has increased among congressional Democrats in the wake of the 2016 election. According to Daines’ office, the amendment put forward by the senator is identical to single-payer legislation sponsored by Democratic Representative John Conyers, which now has the support of a majority of House Democrats, a threshold crossed after Trump won the White House. Sanders plans to soon introduce his own “Medicare for all” legislation. But Democrats are far from united in embracing single-payer legislation, and congressional Democratic leaders have not included single payer as part of any kind of formal Democratic agenda.
Ahead of the vote on Thursday, Conyers said in a statement that his legislation was being used “as a pawn,” charging that “the process by which the Senate is considering changes to our nation’s healthcare plan is a sham,” and adding that “Senate Democrats are right not to take part in it.”
Sanders took to the Senate floor ahead of the vote to denounce Daines’ amendment. “I suspect that what Senator Daines is doing is nothing more than an old political trick, trying to embarrass Democrats,” the senator said in his remarks. "I hope Senator Daines has seen the light, but I suspect not, and I suspect it's just a political game,” he added.
The Vermont senator added he does hope soon to have a debate, in good faith, on the idea of single payer. “I do hope, by the way, at some point within this debate, if we can, if not, certainly in the near future, to, in fact, be introducing a Medicare-for-all, single-payer program,” he said. “It will be somewhat different than my friend John Conyers' bill in the House, but what it will do is say that in America, if you are rich or if you are poor, if you are a man, woman, and child, yes, you are entitled to health care as a human right and not a privilege."
A better gauge of how many Senate Democrats are willing to back a single-payer proposal will be the number that sign on to the legislation that Sanders plans to introduce.
We want to hear what you think about this article. Submit a letter to the editor or write to [email protected]. | {
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Four suspects assaulted stole the bicycle of a man riding on the bike path on the Esplanade in Boston last Tuesday, on June 20. Massachusetts State Police are investigating the assault and robbery, which took place next to the Charles River Bistro on the Esplanade.
Witnesses of the attack called authorities to report the incident, according to a statement by state police. Later that night, state police arrested two 15-year-old males from Boston in connection to the attack and recovered the stolen bicycle. Police are still investigating leads on the two remaining suspects.
Police are also actively searching for the victim in the case, who reportedly disappeared before authorities arrived on the scene. Photographs from city surveillance cameras show the victim on his bike and then walking near the Esplanade.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call the State Police Boston Barracks at 617-727-6780. | {
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HOUSTON -- Dirk Nowitzki, no doubt watching on television Sunday evening back in Dallas, still has goals he'd like to accomplish in this season and beyond, although one that he knew was a long shot was taken off the board Sunday night.
Nowitzki was among a squadron of Mavericks who got left behind in Dallas to rest or recover from injuries as the skeleton crew headed by Harrison Barnes and Dennis Smith Jr. led the equivalent of a split squad in a 104-97 loss to Houston.
The official update said Nowitzki was suffering from left ankle effusion, basically excess fluid buildup usually attributable to overuse or inflammation.
That ended his goal of playing all 82 games, which he knew would be a tough sell at age 39. Not only tough to ensure his body could handle it, but that coach Rick Carlisle would allow it.
But starting the first 56 was quite the feat.
It was a logical game to give Nowitzki a chance to address an achy ankle, as well as to let J.J. Barea, who is recovering from a groin problem, and Wesley Matthews (back) a chance to recharge on the second night of a back-to-back games with only 22½ hours from tipoff to tipoff.
It also followed a night when the Mavericks used a finishing lineup of Smith, Yogi Ferrell, Doug McDermott, Maxi Kleber and Salah Mejri in the 130-123 win over the Lakers on Saturday.
That means Matthews, Nowitzki, Barnes and Dwight Powell, four starters, were on the bench at crunch time.
Draw your own conclusions about what that means, but it mattered not. The Mavericks still scraped out a win.
What matters going forward is that Nowitzki still has a remarkable 20th season going, and no matter what the Mavericks' record ends up being, having the franchise icon finish the season with some dignity is important.
And he knows it may not be with a lot of wins to get excited about.
"Try to enjoy it," he said recently when asked how he's making the best of this difficult season. "You never know if I'll come back next year or not. So I'm trying to make the best out of this and enjoy the camaraderie on and off the floor and just competing."
And he's enjoying being a mentor to Smith and the other young Mavericks. It is pretty unique to have a player who is No. 6 all time in NBA scoring and a 20-year veteran to be schooling Smith, considering he was barely born when Nowitzki was drafted into the NBA.
"I try to teach them how to be professional," Nowitzki said. "Sort of like Steve [Nash] and Mike Finley and A.C. Green did when I was a rookie. A.C. Green was 38, 39 years old my rookie season and he couldn't have been a better pro, always showing up and working hard. Hopefully, I can bring some of that. And on the court, space the floor for them, use my experience to help wherever I can."
Carlisle said he doesn't think the wear and tear on Nowitzki, Matthews or Barea will impact them long term. But it's a clear fact that the minutes for all those players are going to be watched closely when the Mavericks resume play after the All-Star break this coming weekend.
"These guys have been a little banged up all year," Carlisle said. "And Dirk's played in every single game. This one, he probably could have played, but he's just feeling it a little bit. And this is three games in four nights. Just a tough one. And Barea's still coming off the groin."
All of this, of course, dovetails nicely for the segment of Maverick fandom that believes the only goal this season is to finish with the best possible draft pick.
Having nine available bodies against the Rockets on Sunday was just another way to go about that. And the soldiers the Mavericks did have certainly were competitive. But the severe manpower shortage was bound to get them. | {
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By By Chris V. Thangham Dec 23, 2008 in Entertainment This announcement may cause problems between Canada and Russia and even with United States, but Canada has boldly called Santa Claus a Canadian. Jason Kenney, the minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism, has officially called Santa Claus a Canadian citizen and has given him the rights to fly over Canada at any time. Kenney said in an "The Government of Canada wishes Santa the very best in his Christmas Eve duties and wants to let him know that, as a Canadian citizen, he has the automatic right to re-enter Canada once his trip around the world is complete." The Canada.com reporter wanted to know whether the immigration office gave him citizenship as a courtesy or whether they always considered him Canadian because of his place of residence. But the spokesman for Kenney referred the reporter to the Foreign Affairs, who have not commented about this subject so far. The Russians, who are trying to claim a big piece of North Pole, may not be happy with the latest development. Their officials are yet to respond to Kenney’s statement. The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) tracks Santa Claus’s trips via satellite for more than 50 years and have consistently showed Santa’s flights have originated from the Canadian portion of Arctic region. Russians and others will have a hard time to prove Santa is theirs. I think this issue is going to create another crisis worldwide. Is Santa a Canadian? Santa Claus may have his official home at the North Pole, a disputed territory among Russia, Norway, Canada, United States and Denmark but Canada is calling St. Nick a Canadian.Jason Kenney, the minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism, has officially called Santa Claus a Canadian citizen and has given him the rights to fly over Canada at any time.Kenney said in an official statement The Canada.com reporter wanted to know whether the immigration office gave him citizenship as a courtesy or whether they always considered him Canadian because of his place of residence. But the spokesman for Kenney referred the reporter to the Foreign Affairs, who have not commented about this subject so far.The Russians, who are trying to claim a big piece of North Pole, may not be happy with the latest development. Their officials are yet to respond to Kenney’s statement.The article says Santa Claus is more Canadian than any other nationality because the colors of Santa's robes resemble the country’s flag. Canada Post also has the famous Santa’s postal code H0H 0H0 North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) tracks Santa Claus’s trips via satellite for more than 50 years and have consistently showed Santa’s flights have originated from the Canadian portion of Arctic region. Russians and others will have a hard time to prove Santa is theirs.I think this issue is going to create another crisis worldwide. Is Santa a Canadian? More about Canada, Santa claus, Citizen More news from canada santa claus citizen | {
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Caption
This Boeing 747 Supertanker crosses by Pikes Peak after demonstrating a water drop for the people of Colorado Springs. KCOS will be the new base for this aerial firefighting aircraft and I'm very excited to have it here. | {
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Gentlemen and Ladies, may I have your attention please.
Eve Ensler is over it. She’s over the whole rape thing. Brother, she’s over, shes O-V-A-H![1]
In her own words “I am over rape. I am over rape culture, rape mentality, rape pages on Facebook.”
Ensler is the feminist activist and writer, sometimes remembered for her authorship of The Vagina Monologues. The stage show in which a 13 year old girl is raped by a 24 year old woman, then utters the words “well, I say if it was rape, it was a good rape.”[2]
Well. That was a short article. Thanks for reading it.
It might be that Ensler isn’t exactly over rape. After all, she’s just devoted 847 words to declaring, over and over just how over it she is. But I’m not buying it. She does, after all use the word rape 31 times in her HuffPo piece. The article is almost 4% rape by word count.
Ensler indirectly tells us what she’s really doing by mention of several things she’s “over”.
“I am over Facebook taking weeks to take down rape pages.”
Because that’s bad rape, not good rape.
She makes no mention of the facebook, cafemom and other community webpages where male sexual mutilation and murder are celebrated, and where those pages remain online.
She’s also “over” the /hundreds of thousands/ (no citation for that number) of women raped in the Congo. “still waiting for the rapes to end and the rapists to be held accountable.” Again, thats women raped, so that would be bad rape, not good rape. However, no discussion of rape’s application of a weapon of war can be undertaken without noting that men are routinely raped in wars on the African continent[3][4][5][6][7][8]. Ensler makes no mention of it, so I guess that’s good rape too.
But she’s over the thousands of WOMEN in Bosnia, Burma, Pakistan, South Africa, Guatemala, Sierra Leone, Haiti, Afghanistan, Libya [..] still waiting for justice.
She’s also over the 1-in-3 women in the U.S military getting raped by their comrades. She doesn’t cite a source for that number – of course, which likely means she made it up.
She’s also, apparently “over women still being silent about rape”. You know, like mentioning rape in the Congo and completely omitting note of any victim besides women. Or completely failing to mention in an article in which the word rape makes up 4% of the total word count – and omitting that twice as many men are raped in american prisons than women are raped in the entire United States[9][10].
So if Ensler is not “over” rape, as appears to be the case, mentioning it 31 times in only 847 words – what’s really going on? She certainly appears to be deliberately omit mention of any victims besides women.
To make myself clear, I’m not raising the issue of male victims of rape to engage in a puerile victimhood-olympics. I’m making a different point.
There is a principal, known in law and in rhetoric called Expressio Unius Est Exclusio Alterius[11]. It means Expression of the part excludes consideration of the whole.
For Eve Ensler, there’s good rape, and there’s bad rape. Good rape ( I’m just guessing here ) would be the kind when a frivolous accusation of a college student destroys a man’s academic and professional career after consensual sex. [12]
In fact, thanks to the legal innovations of ideologues like Ensler, the ultimate trump card of politicizing the personal bypasses the legal checks and balances traditional in western law. Habeas corpus, the presumption of innocence, the right to face one’s accuser – these are fast becoming relics of history. Monologuing feminists like Eve lack the phsyical appendage they so incorrectly equate with male agency, and conduct their own acts of rape by proxy, using the courts. A false rape accusation is an act of malicious sexual violence which lasts a lifetime. It is rape.
Eve Ensler comes close to admitting that her obsession with rape is not outrage over injury to herself or those she cares about. She is jealous of the rapist.
“And thinking about rape every day of my life since I was 5-years-old”
Because as she wrote back in 1996 – there is bad rapes, and good rape.
“well, I say if it was rape, it was a good rape.”[2]
Her HuffPo piece throws un-cited stats around with carefree abandon, so here’s one more from Ensler.
“There are approximately one billion women on the planet who have been violated.”
Why not a trillion?
As mentioned in previous discussions on this site – the number doesn’t matter. Ensler’s lie is built into the structure of her claim. Its not that [some number] of women are rape, or violated, or pressed into soilent green biscuits – it’s that it she provides no context.
[Some number] of women are [forced to drink bleach] ! This creates moral panic. But it doesn’t mean anything. Is the number a lot? Or a little? We cant compare, because there’s no context.
How many men are victimized? That would be context. The lie is built in.
But getting back to Ensler’s obsession with rape. She loves it. She loves the power that being a victim demographic brings her, and as she very nearly stated in explicit terms, her fantasy is to rape, which is why she’s announcing that the war against male sexual agency is ramping up. Not war against rape – no. That would require compassion for victims, honest discussion of the reciprocal nature of partner violence, and it would require deviating from simple and easy narrative that women are victims, and men are just plain bad.
Ensler’s escalation is an embrace of rape by proxy, the disposal of due process, the weaponization of accusation and the sanctity of fabricated victimhood.
Ensler asks a rhetorical question near the end of her declaration. She says “I am over the passivity of good men. Where the hell are you?”
Right here Eve, and you’ll find we’re anything but passive.
[1] http://www.huffingtonpost.com/eve-ensler/over-it_b_1089013.html?mid=52
[2] http://www.lewrockwell.com/orig/mcelroy2.html
[3] http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/05/world/africa/05congo.html
[4] http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2011/jul/17/the-rape-of-men
[5] http://www.msmagazine.com/spring2005/congo.asp
[6] http://www.hbo.com/documentaries/the-greatest-silence-rape-in-the-congo/index.html
[7] http://www.care2.com/causes/rape-tactic-of-war-in-the-congo-finds-new-victims-men.html
[8] http://www.newser.com/story/66130/congos-new-horror-men-raping-men.html
[9] http://www.hrw.org/reports/2001/prison/report1.html#_1_5
[10] http://www.spr.org/pdf/struckman.pdf
[11] http://www.duhaime.org/LegalDictionary/E/ExpressioUniusEstExclusioAlterius.aspx
[12] http://thefire.org/article/13758.html | {
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In their musings, today's Formula One does not fare well.
For instance, reigning Le Mans winner Lotterer made a one-off appearance for Caterham at Spa this year, but then reportedly turned down the chance to reprise his effort at Monza.
As a young Jaguar tester, Lotterer came close to building a full career in F1 but he admitted to NBC that although he "didn't make it, I have a very happy and beautiful career".
I have the purest and fastest race cars around the corners in the world, in Super Formula. Andre Lotterer
Lotterer, 32, said working at Le Mans with Audi is "amazing", but he also races in Japan's premier open wheeler series, Super Formula.
"Then on the other side, I have the purest and fastest race cars around the corners in the world, in Super Formula," he said.
"They're so precise, and you don't want the race to end. The cars do exactly what you want. The combination of both things, sporting wise, are really good."
He acknowledged that Super Formula cannot compete with F1 in terms of its media profile.
"For people who don't know that much about racing, many think it (F1) is the only thing.
"But in terms of racing, F1 isn't what it used to be anymore. I got to feel that when I did my race.
"There's not much grip from the tyres and not much downforce in the corners. You can't go flat out. But it was still a good experience," Lotterer added.
F1 is not a good challenge
He hinted that he did not look into extending his 2014 flirt with Formula One due to the modern shape of the pinnacle of motor sport.
"F1 could be another challenge but at 33 years old, you want to go into a good challenge," said the Belgian-raised German.
"What I mean by that is that you're in a team for 2-3 years, well funded and with everything healthy. But apart from the top 3-4 teams, nobody can offer you that in F1.
"So 7-8 years ago there were more manufacturers, but now is not the right time," he explained.
No grip, no downforce
Also contemplating the difference between sports cars and F1 in the past days has been Mark Webber, the 13-time Grand Prix winner who left the grid to join Porsche at the end of last season.
"One of the biggest differences between F1 and a prototype is the downforce," he is quoted by Spain's El Confidencial.
"The other is the tyres.
"The Michelin (at Le Mans) is a real racing tyre, a tyre that everyone can enjoy, while the Pirelli in Formula One is for show business," Webber told Motorsport.com. | {
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Months after Brisbane City Council gave the green light to a controversial development at a Brisbane bowls club the lord mayor said he did not want the development at all.
On January 24 the council approved RetireAustralia’s plans to build 94 units in a complex ranging from three to five storeys at the Tarragindi Bowls Club site.
Design images for the Brisbane City Council-approved Tarragindi Bowls Club development.
The approval was granted despite more than 1800 objections against the development.
Elected Labor representatives across all three levels of government have since supported residents in trying to overturn the decision by way of legal appeal. | {
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PSG 19-20 Third Kit
The classy Paris Saint-Germain 2019-20 third kit was launched ahead of a debut in the home match against Strasbourg.Nike and PSG celebrate the 30th anniversary of their partnership with the new kit, which is directly inspired by one used in the Nike debut season, 1989-90.This is the Nike Paris Saint-Germain third jersey 2019-2020.Based on the new global Nike third kit theme, which will be the 1990s in this case, the PSG 2019-20 third shirt will be predominantly white with 'university red' brandings.A red-blue stripe runs down the left side of the new Paris Saint-Germain 2019-2020 third jersey, inspired by the 89-90 shirt. The Paris Saint-Germain 2019-2020 third jersey's collar has buttons that are inscribed with "Paris Saint-Germain – 1989-2019".Although Paris Saint-Germain usually uses color-adjusted logos on its alternative shirts, the PSG 19-20 third jersey has the crest in its full-color appearance. The 1990s Nike 'Futura' logo sits on the right chest of the shirt after this season's PSG third kit was a Champions League exclusive by Jordan.The shorts and socks of the PSG 19-20 third kit have the same colors as the shirt.“PSG’s jersey archive is like a treasure trove for football fans,” explains Pete Hoppins, Nike Football Apparel Senior Design Director. “So, the chance to bring back an all-time classic and put our stamp on it was a particularly exciting opportunity. Once we saw how good the jacquard pattern and retro logo looked, it actually fed into our decision to use these as themes throughout our entire range of 2019-20 third kits.”Do you like the PSG 19-20 third kit? Comment below, and check out the Kit Overview for more | {
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(Making Luna Elsa since she was a loner most of her life)
Luna? Do you wanna build a snow mare?
Come on lets go and play!
I never see you anymore,escape the moon.
I wanna see you sooooooooooon!
We use to be best sissies!...And now were not,I wish you would tell me whyyyyyyy!
Do you wanna build a snow mare?
It's doesn't have to be a snow mare!
Go away Tia!
Okay bye............
Do you wanna build a snow mare? Or fly around the halls?
I think some company is over do,I started talking to the pictures on the walls! Hang in there star swirl!
It gets a little lonely,all these empty rooms
Watching the hours tick byyyyy!
*tick tock tick tock*
Please.....I know you're in there....ponies have been asking where you've been.....they say with courage,and I'm trying to,I'm right out here for you,just let me iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiin.
We only have each other,it's just you and me,what are we gonna doooooooooo?
Do you wanna build a snow mare? ;n; | {
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FESTIVAL of TIBET, 25th April – 5th May 2020
Proceeds go to the Tibetan Children’s Village, India.
“Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.” – HH the 14th Dalai Lama
The 12th Festival of Tibet is manifesting into an amazing line up of programs in it’s first-ever online Festival of Tibet, scheduled for the 25th April to 5th May 2020.
The 25th April is HH the Panchen Lama’s Birthday, so we chose to open the festival with “Prayer for Peace with Deva Premal and Miten” on Saturday 25th April 6 AM AEST. Make sure you tune into @devapremalmiten and will be shared on Festivaloftibet FB page as well.
We have created a platform for you to be able to donate whatever you can, it’s totally transparent. 100% of the funds raised go to Tibetan Children’s Village in India
Here is the program in a glance
SATURDAY 25TH APRIL TIME : 6AM AEST PRAYER FOR PEACE WITH DEVA PREMAL AND MITEN SUNDAY 26TH APRIL TIME: 7PM AEST FILM: ROYAL CAFE – DIRECTED BY FIRST TIBETAN FEMALE FILM MAKER TENZIN DASEL TUESDAY 28TH APRIL TIME : 7PM AEST
PRELOVED CONCERT PREMIERING ONLINE FOR THE FIST TIME MYSTICAL TIBET CONCERT WITH TENZIN CHOEGYAL & CAMERATA QUEENSLAND’S CHAMBER ORCHESTRA WEDNESDAY 29TH APRIL TIME : 7PM AEST BARDO LIVING AND DYING WELL TEACHING BY TENZIN WANGYAL RINPOCHE THURSDAY 30TH APRIL TIME : 7PM AEST FILM: MY SON TENZIN DIRECTED BY TASHI WANGCHUK FEATURING TSERING DORJEE BAWA FRIDAY 1ST MAY TIME :7PM AEST RAGA SHAMBHALA CONCERT WITH TARO TERAHARA DIRECT FROM JAPAN SATURDAY 2ND MAY TIME :7PM AEST POETS SPEAKS FROM THEIR CAVES FEATURING TSERING WOESER TENZIN DICKIE * TENZIN TSUNDUE *TSERING KYI * TENZIN CHOEKEY * KYINZOM DONGUE * SONAM TSOMO * TSERING WANGMO DHOMPA * JESSE PARIS SMITH * KATIE NOONAN * DOLMEY PHESUR * BUCHUNG D SONAM * NEEMA CHHOYANG * KARMA PHUNTSOK * DORJEE TSETEN SUNDAY 3RD MAY TIME : 7PM AEST PRELOVED CONCERT PREMIERING ONLINE FOR THE FIST TIME THOUSAND STORIES CONCERT FEATURING MICHAEL LEUNIG WITH TIBET2TIMBUK2 AND FRIENDS MONDAY 4th MAY TIME : 7PM AEST FILM – SHODOW CIRCUS DIRECTED BY TENZING AND RITU SIREN
100% of the funds raised will go to Tibetan Children’s Village via the link in my bio
Proudly sponsored by Brisbane Powerhouse, Perfect Potion, The Yellow Church Yoga & Natural Health Centre Chris Hooper Promotions, Himalayan Film Festival, Australia Tibet Council, Woodford Folk Festival, Good Fortune Trust, Chenrezig Institute, Tashi Delek Foundation. | {
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Stan Lee, the creator behind many Marvel Comics characters, has died at 95.
According to TMZ, as well as The Hollywood Reporter, Lee was transported from his Hollywood Hills home Monday morning and was taken to the hospital where he later died.
Lee, born Stanley Martin Lieber, started at Marvel Comics (then known as Timely Comics) in 1939 as an assistant. He became editor-in-chief in ’41 at the age of 19. He stayed in that role until 1972 when he became publisher.
In the 1960’s he, along with Jack Kirby, created a number of now legendary comic book characters beginning with The Fantastic Four and later Spider Man, Black Panther, the X-Men, The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man and many more.
For decades, Lee was the face of Marvel Comics, often appearing in many different forms of media, such as his much loved cameos in recent Marvel movies.
He is survived by his daughter, Joan Cecilia | {
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With Donald Trump by his side, PM Modi set to fire up Houston rally
india
Updated: Sep 20, 2019 08:26 IST
With U.S. President Donald Trump by his side, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will seek to fire up thousands of Indian-American supporters at a rally in Texas on Sunday, shrugging off international criticism over a crackdown in disputed Kashmir.
Modi is travelling to the United States to speak at the UN General Assembly, seven weeks after his government revoked the partial autonomy enjoyed by Muslim-majority Kashmir in a move that prompted anger in the region and in neighbouring Pakistan, which also lays claim to it.
Before travelling to the United Nations headquarters in New York, Modi will address a rally at a stadium in Houston that Trump has also agreed to attend.
“The special gesture of President @realDonaldTrump to join us in Houston highlights the strength of the relationship and recognition of the contribution of the Indian community to American society and economy,” Modi said in a Tweet.
Though there have been recent tensions between Washington and New Delhi over trade and tariffs, the two men have shown a warm personal rapport at previous meetings.
About 50,000 people have registered for the “Howdy, Modi” community event, at which Trump will also speak, the biggest crowd that the Indian leader has drawn after a rock-show like rally at New York’s Madison Square Garden in 2014.
That was the first big attempt by Modi’s ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to rouse the prosperous Diaspora in the United States - home to 4 million Indian-Americans - and lobby for India’s interests in the way countries such as Israel have done.
Vijay Chauthaiwale, the chief of the BJP’s foreign affairs department, told Reuters from Houston that Trump’s decision to attend the event was a surprise, but testified to the power of the U.S. Indian community as well as the importance Trump attached to bilateral ties, despite recent trade frictions.
“The strategic relationship is stronger,” he said.
Modi’s move to end the special constitutional status of Kashmir, where hundreds of people have been detained, mobile and internet services suspended and public gatherings curbed, has drawn expressions of concern from foreign governments, including the U.S. State Department, which called for restraint.
Pakistan has condemned the crackdown and its Prime Minister Imran Khan, who will also be speaking at the UN, warned it would drive more of the world’s Muslims into extremism.
DIPLOMATIC VICTORY
Modi’s supporters say he has won a diplomatic victory by getting Trump on his side.
“They’ve developed quite a good camaraderie between them, leaders of the two most influential democracies on earth,” said Shalab Kumar, an Indian-American businessman who founded the Republican Hindu Coalition, modelled on the Republican Jewish Coalition, in 2015.
“They’re finally coming together on one stage, that’s great particularly after abrogation (of Kashmir’s special status). This is probably the biggest endorsement of the United States to Modi, that the move was the correct move.”
In a statement confirming Trump’s attendance in Houston, the White House said the president would discuss with Modi ways to deepen the two countries’ energy and trade relationship.
Modi, whose domestic agenda combines a Hindu nationalist platform with pro-business policies, is popular among Indian-Americans, a group that has not traditionally voted homogeneously in U.S. elections.
Democratic candidates seeking the party’s nomination for the 2020 presidential election include Kamala Harris, whose mother was an Indian-American breast cancer researcher, and Tulsi Gabbard, a Hindu Samoan-American.
Trump had briefly raised concern in India when he offered to mediate the Kashmir dispute with Pakistan. New Delhi, which has long bristled at third-party involvement, said altering the status of the territory was an internal matter.
It has instead blamed Pakistan for trying to sow trouble there, an allegation Islamabad denies.
The Indian American Muslim Council said it planned protests at the Houston stadium against what it said were Modi’s divisive policies.
(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.) | {
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Reports
Download PDF
There has been a lot of hype about blockchain technology – in particular, its potential to transform how humans transact, which could fundamentally redefine how business, governments and society operate. Despite this hype, it is still a nascent technology with considerable challenges that need to be overcome. As the technology matures and is applied across a wider set of sectors and systems, there is both a challenge and an opportunity to realize blockchain’s potential – not just for finance or industry, but for people and the planet.
This report outlines how blockchain could disrupt the way the world manages environmental resources and help drive sustainable growth and value creation. It identifies more than 65 use-cases where blockchain can be applied to the world’s most-pressing environmental systems challenges, along with eight ‘game changers’ where the technology could fundamentally disrupt current systems and approaches. To date, these opportunities remain largely untapped by developers, investors, and governments, yet they represent an opportunity to unlock and monetize value that is currently embedded in environmental systems. | {
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A whimsical boutique with locations at Walt Disney World and the Venetian Las Vegas has announced plans to open a new location this spring in a section of Downtown Disney vacated for a now-cancelled Disneyland hotel project.
Sugarboo & Co. specializes in home goods, art prints, paper products, handmade ceramics and stamped jewelry inspired by nature, animals and folk art.
The new Downtown Disney shop will be the first California location for Sugarboo & Co., which has stores in Georgia, Texas, Kentucky, Florida and Nevada.
The family-owned home decor and gift shop is run by Georgia-based artist Rebecca Puig and named for her “sugarboo” children. The mission of her old-meets-new shop: To send a little good into the world with each Sugarboo piece.
Sugarboo & Co. will take over an empty storefront in the West End of the outdoor Disneyland shopping mall that formerly housed the Disney Vacation Club sales office. The space previously housed Apricot Lane, Kitson Kids and Starabilias, according to Mouse Planet.
Sign up for our Park Life newsletter and find out what’s new and interesting every week at Southern California’s theme parks. Subscribe here
The Rainforest Cafe, AMC Theatres, ESPN Zone, Earl of Sandwich, Disney Vacation Club and one of two Starbucks locations at Downtown Disney closed to make room for a 700-room Disney hotel that has since been canceled. Disney pulled the plug on the planned 2021 Downtown Disney hotel after Anaheim eliminated a tax rebate agreement worth $267 million to the company. Hotel construction originally had been set to begin in July 2018.
Downtown Disney’s west end shops continue to open and reopen slowly but steadily following the cancellation of the hotel project.
The popular Earl of Sandwich and the West End Starbucks have reopened in their former locations.
The limited-time Pop-Up Disney! A Mickey Celebration ticketed exhibit will temporarily take over the former ESPN Zone space this spring.
The parent company of the Rainforest Cafe has expressed interest in reopening its jungle-themed restaurant at Downtown Disney.
AMC plans to open a six-screen theater this summer at the Anaheim GardenWalk shopping center located across Harbor Boulevard from Disneyland.
Disney has added food trucks near the unoccupied Rainforest Cafe and AMC Theatres to increase foot traffic in the West End of the outdoor shopping mall.
At the East End of Downtown Disney, the World of Disney flagship store, Wetzel’s Pretzels and Naples Ristorante have been renovated. Ballast Point Brewing Co., Salt & Straw ice cream and Splitsville Luxury Lanes recently joined the mall lineup. Black Tap craft burgers and shakes restaurant next to Ballast Point is expected to open soon. | {
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After the European Championship hiatus the German Baseball-Bundesliga Finals will get underway on Saturday between the Mainz Athletics and the Buchbinder Legionaere Regensburg. It’s a duel between longtime league rivals.
Mainz, which already was considered one of the favorite teams at the start of the year, dominated throughout the regular season and easily clinched first place in the southern division. During the playoffs they stumbled a little bit in a four-game victory over the Untouchables Paderborn, before nearly falling down in a five-game win over defending champion Heidenheim Heidekoepfe.
They can rely on a formidable pitching trio to start the games with Jan-Niclas Stoecklin, Tim Stahlmann and Eric Massingham with veteran Manuel Moeller waiting in the bullpen. Additionally they got shortstop Trey Stover back before the playoffs and signed big bat Thomas De Wolf midway through the season after his hopes for a professional career in independent baseball in the United States didn’t pan out.
The Buchbinder Legionaere obviously are one of the favorites each season in the German Baseball-Bundesliga. However in the last two years the Solingen Alligators and the Heidenheim Heidekoepfe ousted them in the semi-finals respective finals. They secured second place during an average regular season by their standards.
Regensburg also changed head coaches from Ivan Rodriguez to Kai Gronauer and import pitchers from Blake Hassebrock to Clayton Voechting. During the playoffs they have found their stride, eliminating the Hamburg Stealers in four games in the quarterfinals and northern champion Bonn Capitals by sweep in the semifinals. Their strengths are Mike Bolsenbroek, a strong offense and certainly a lot of experience from their previous final participations.
Tim Collins is broadcasting games one and two at www.sportdeutschland.tv/baseball and www.meinsportradio.de
Photo by Gregor Eisenhuth, www.eisenhuth-photographie.de | {
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Date/Time: 04-02-2019, 22:30 EDT
Spread: Golden State Warriors -8.5
Total: +219
The two best squads of the West face off in this high caliber duel, when the Denver Nuggets, looking to bounce back after their latest surprising home defeat by the weaker Wizards, are visiting the defending champions Golden State Warriors, who on the other hand want to turn their latest victory into a streak.
Nuggets are 51-25 so far in the league and are sitting on the 2nd place of the Western Conference. They are 1-2 in their last 3 games and in their latest matchup they got defeated by Washington at home, 90-95. Warriors are 52-24 so far in the league and are sitting on top of the Western Conference. They are 3-1 in their last 4 games and in their latest matchup they were victorious against Charlotte at home, 137-90.
Best bookmaker for this match
Denver are led in scoring by Nikola Jokic with 20.3 ppg. He also leads the team both in rebounding with 10.9 and in assists made with 7.4 per game, while Jamal Murray follows with 18.2 ppg, adding 4.1 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game. Gary Harris adds 13.1 ppg. Golden State are led in scoring by Stephen Curry with 27.9 ppg. He also adds 5.4 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game, while Kevin Durant follows with 26.6 ppg, adding 5.8 assists and 6.6 rebounds per game. Klay Thompson adds 22.1 ppg and 3.9 rebounds per game.
Golden State lead Denver 2-1 wins so far this season and they have been victorious in their previous home game by 17 points. Golden State are 27-11 at home, while Denver are 20-18 on the road. Golden State have a better offense 117.7 ppg to Denver’s 110.9 ppg, while Denver have a better defense, allowing 106.7 ppg to Golden State’s 111.5. Golden State have a better accuracy both from the field (48.9% to 46.6%) and from behind the arc (38.3% to 35.2%). They are also better in assists per game (29.3 to 27.4), while Denver commit fewer turnovers (13 to 13.7) and grab more rebounds per game (46.7 to 46). It is going to be a close game and expect the guests to force a closer game than 9 points so pick the Nuggets in this one.
Denver Nuggets vs Golden State Warriors Prediction: Denver Nuggets +8.5 (-109) | {
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The shocking footage that showed how a Chinese mother played on her phone while her 4-year-old son drowned in the pool – just a few meters behind her – has sparked discussions on the dangers of being a ‘smartphone addict’ (低头族).
A tragic story has received much (social) media attention in China and beyond over the past week. It concerns an incident that occurred on January 3rd in the “Spa World” pool in Xiangyang, Shaanxi, where a mother was watching her phone as her 4-year-old son struggled in the water behind her. Footage shows that after 3 minutes, the young boy drowned.
According to Sina News, the woman had taken her son and her 6-year-old daughter to play in the local spa resort’s kid’s pool area. When they were about to leave, the woman, named Xiao, discovered her son was no longer in the shallow end of the pool and she alerted the swimming pool staff.
It allegedly took the staff an hour to find the 4-year-old on the bottom of the swimming pool – he had died by the time they found him. The incident, captured by security cameras, triggered different discussions on Chinese social media about who can be held responsible for the boy’s death and had many netizens talking about the dangers of ‘smartphone addiction.’
“I hope this is a warning for all netizens to put down their phone and don’t be a smartphone addict.”
“If the swimming pool has security cameras it would make sense if they would actually be monitored. They could have saved him if they saw he was drowning,” one netizen says, adding: “I also hope this is a warning for all netizens to put down their phone and don’t be a smartphone addict.”
“Where are the lifeguards? Where are the warning signs? Where is the disclaimer warning people that entering the pool could kill you? This poor woman has lost her baby and you are talking about her sense of responsibility, her world has collapsed!” one netizen comments.
The swimming pool reportedly had a shallow end of 0.30 metres and a deep end of 1.3 metres. The boy drowned at a depth of 1.1 metres.
Although many people think the swimming pool can be held (partly) accountable for the incident, a majority of netizens thinks that the full responsibility lies with the mother. “Being a mother takes responsibilities,” one person
“Being a mother takes responsibilities,” one person comments: “Especially when your child is only 4 years old, you never know what they can do. She did not notice anything for a whole 3 minutes.”
“She deserves to be punished,” one Weibo user from Beijing even writes. “She is too careless,” others comment.
“In China, ‘smartphone addicts’ are referred to as ‘dītóuzú’, ‘the bowed head clan’, as people usually look down to scroll on their phone.”
According to Tianjin News, surveys have pointed out that 40% of parents at times neglect their children while looking at their cellphone.
Last October, a 2-year-old girl from Yueyang, Hunan, was hit and killed by a car as she was walking in front of her mother and got underneath a driving vehicle. Her mother did not notice as she was staring down on her smartphone. The accident happened within a time frame of just 20 seconds and led to media warning China’s smarthpone addicts to pay attention instead of staring at their screen.
Sina News also reported about a young mother from Chongqing who recently lost her 3-year-old daughter as they were taking a stroll while the mother was looking at her phone – not even noticing her child had wandered off. Police officers later found the little girl unharmed.
In China, ‘smartphone addicts’ are referred to as dītóuzú (低头族), literally: ‘the bowed head clan’, as people usually look down to scroll on their phone.
On Weibo, the hashtag “Don’t be a smartphone addict” has gained some popularity, with people reminding each other to pay attention to your family and friends instead of staring at your phone.
“Smartphone addiction is getting more and more widespread,” one Weibo user remarks: “People just seem inseparable from their phones.”
Hong-Kong singer Alex Fong posted a picture of his parents on New Year’s Eve, saying: “Smartphone addiction is not just something of the younger generations anymore..”
“Wake up, ‘bowed head clan’!”
Chinese media point out that being a smartphone addict is also dangerous for one’s health, as it can lead to a painful neck, dizziness, numb fingers, and even permanently damage our spine.
“Wake up, ‘bowed head clan’!” the People’s Daily writes.
The newspaper lined up 8 questions to test how addicted you are to your phone. They include the following:
1- Do you feel less secure when you have left the house without your phone?
2- Do you always take out your phone to scroll Weibo or WeChat or play a game when waiting for the bus, train or elevator?
3- Do you have your phone within reach when driving, and do you use it when waiting for a red light?
4- Do you often take pictures of your food before eating, sharing it on social media?
5- Are you used to taking out your phone and looking at the screen when meeting up with friends?
6- Do you play on your phone while on the toilet?
7- Do you play on your phone before sleeping?
8- Do you immediately look at your phone screen within moments after waking up?
If you recognize yourself in these questions and have answered three or more with ‘yes’, then you are already part of the ‘bowed head clan’, People’s Daily warns. “Put down your phone,” some netizens say: “Don’t be an addict.”
The swimming pool where the tragic incident happened as been closed for now while an investigation is carried out.
– By Manya Koetse
Follow on Twitter or Like on Facebook
©2016 Whatsonweibo. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce our content without permission – you can contact us at [email protected]. | {
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NRL Fiji supports Kindergartens with wellbeing programs
NRL Development Fiji visited the combined Kalabu Village Mobile Kindergarten and 'Bright Little Ones' in Manukau Suva preschool to promote the NRL wellbeing program.
The program's major focus is to provide and engage mothers with a better understanding of nutrition and healthier options as well as enhancing motor skill activities for the children.
The NRL home reader book 'A Journey around the Field with Stripes the Tiger' was well received by the children who participated in activities based on the book. This was then followed by a discussion with mothers on the difference between natural and processed sugar and the harm processed sugar can have on children.
Mothers received information on how to provide a healthier lunch box based on the 'two fruit and five vegetable' concept. This was followed by a second visit with a focus on a Healthy Lunch Box check and having mothers interact with their children in all motor skill activities.
The message must have made an impression as all lunch boxes had fruit, vegies, eggs and water for lunch - a big change from previous high fat and sugar foods in their lunch boxes.
NRL Fiji & Fiji Sport Commission Outreach Program
NRL Development Fiji in conjunction with Fiji Sport Commission visited the village of Marou to conduct a combined Sport Outreach program.
The five-day visit started on Naviti Island, which is part of the Yasawa Island group on the western side of Fiji, at 4am with a four hour drive, four hour boat trip followed by a one hour small boat ride to the destination.
Most of the participants from the ten villages walked up to four to six hours through heavy terrain and mountains to get to Marou to participate in the Sports Outreach program.
Rugby League was well received with the villagers taking part in 20 hours of coach/referee theory and practical modules.
On the final day, participants conducted the first ever 'League For Life' program at a local Fijian primary school.
The League For Life concept aims to make children more effectively play and organise games for themselves by allowing them to negotiate the format and rules to suit the needs and capabilities of the group. This is especially important in regionals areas of Fiji.
Train the Trainer Program in Suvavau and Rami Villages
NRL Development Fiji provided a three day Train the Trainer program for Suvavau and Rami village of Suva.
The Train the Trainer program provides education on club structure and coach education. A total of five woman and 13 men participated in the event with each village receiving an NRL package containing footballs, kicking tee, markers, ball pump, whistle and practical resources supplied by Fiji Sport Commission. | {
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MAPLEWOOD — A 25-year-old North Plainfield man wanted in the shooting death of a transgender Newark woman surrendered to authorities on Saturday night, the Essex County Prosecutor's Office announced.
Marquise Foster turned himself in at 8 p.m. Saturday, more than a month after the fatal shooting of Victoria Carmen White, 28, in Maplewood. He is charged with murder. Bail was set at $1 million.
A second man, Alrashim Chambers, 23, remains at-large and is also charged with murder.
Acting Prosecutor Robert Laurino has said White, who legally changed her name to Victoria Carmen after undergoing a sex-change nine years ago, may have been killed because of her sexual orientation.
White, a lingerie model, was shot multiple times inside a Maplewood apartment on Sept. 12. She met her alleged killers at an Irvington nightclub just hours before she died, Laurino has said.
Foster, Chambers, and two unidentified people returned to the home, where an altercation led to White's death, Laurino said. The other two people have not been implicated in the killing.
Authorities are also investigating a separate March homicide in Maplewood as a possible bias attack related to the victim's sexual orientation.
Related coverage:
• Family left with questions about shooting death of model in Maplewood
• Officials say Maplewood fatal shooting victim was a woman | {
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Reddit 10 Email 569 Shares
By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – –
In an exclusive, Reuters reports today that the Trump administration is going into the Iraq reconstruction conference in Kuwait next week with no plans to contribute a dime to the effort. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will attend.
Iraqi Prime Minister Haydar al-Abadi estimates that Iraq needs $100 billion to rebuild. The country is still devastated from the 2003 US war of aggression and 8.5 year military occupation, which spurred Sunni insurgencies and led to the collapse of the US- and NATO-trained military in 2014. The past 3.5 years have been spent attempting to recover the Sunni Arab areas of the country from ISIL, which involved destroying most Sunni Arab cities in the country.
Donald Trump ran on a platform of “no more nation building.” (He needn’t have bothered to articulate it. What nation has the US built recently?)
Yara Bayoumy and Jonathan Landay at Reuters report that the Trump administration is hoping that Saudi Arabia will proffer substantial aid, as a quid pro quo for the Iraqi government distancing itself from Iran.
This hope strikes me as almost completely forlorn. Saudi Arabia is trying to overthrow four governments in the region–Yemen, Syria, Lebanon and Qatar, and the Shiite leaders in Baghdad would have to have their heads examined to put their heads in that lion’s mouth.
Although Iraq has a substantial oil income, it also runs big budget deficits and its non-oil economy has contracted as much as ten percent per year in recent years because of ISIL. Iraq’s debt is 63% of its GDP, which is dangerously high. The disaster of the loss of 40% of the country’s territory to ISIL in 2014 was accompanied by the disaster of a dramatic halving of oil prices in recent years. Iraq’s exact economic situation is very difficult to know because of lack of transparency, but its GDP is estimated at $192 bn for a population of roughly 32 million, for a per capita income of $6,000 a year. But that is an average and in fact most Iraqi families are desperately poor and no one knows where all that oil money has gone. When I was there four years ago, Baghdad looked dowdy and as though nothing new had been built since 1980 (compare to other oil countries like Kuwait or the UAE and the stagnation is breathtaking).
After the destruction of Tikrit, Ramadi, Falluja and Mosul (and Falluja had already been destroyed in 2004 by the Americans), Iraq needs to make massive investments in the Sunni Arab regions if it is to regain the loyalty of the people there.
Washington, having blithely set the country on the path to catastrophe, has now washed its hands of any further responsibility, with the exception of an occasional air strike against ISIL remnants.
——-
Bonus video:
Wochit News: “U.S. Not Planning to Contribute Money At Iraq Reconstruction Conference” | {
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The English Premier League: A Manager’s Graveyard
Since the beginning of the 2009-10 season, more than 70 different managers have led teams into English Premier League matches. Ten of them parted company with their clubs during the 2013-2014 season alone, the bloodiest since the Premier League began in 1992. In 2014-15, six managers left jobs mid-season in the 20-team division.
To understand just how quickly and often things change in the modern Premier League, here is a complete list of every managerial tenure, including caretakers, in England’s top tier since 2009. (Managers who have yet to take charge of a Premier League match are not included.) Select a manager's name to see their full record. | {
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Year: 2020
Version: Season 1 Update
Genre: 3dcg, Male Protagonist, Adventure, Voyeurism, Masturbation, Romance, Sex Toys, Female Domination, Lesbian, Oral Sex, Handjob, Male Domination
Category: Adult Sex Games
Platform: PC Game / Windows
Censorship: No
Language: English
This Adult Game Presents:
After a plane crash, you and a female passenger find yourselves on an abandoned island.
Will help arrive?
Were there other survivors?
What will happen?
What will you find?
You play and YOU decide!
Disclaimer: All characters and events are fictional and have no connection to real people or life events.
| {
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BOSTON -- Back in late March when the New York Yankees were opening the regular season in Toronto, Gleyber Torres and Miguel Andujar were still 2,200 miles away. Editor's Picks For a few hours, Mikolas kept Cardinals' postseason hopes alive
A season for the Birds: Inside the Orioles' historically awful year 1 Related
Both were in Tampa, Florida, left behind to wrap up their spring training work with other Yankees minor leaguers. Without invitations to join the big league roster, they were to head north a few days later for the start of the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders' season.
Who, then, could have foreseen any of what was coming off the bats of both players in the big leagues?
Well, Reggie Jackson sort of did (more on that later). But even Mr. October, in March, could not have expected the scenario that played out Saturday, when the Yankees' two young infielders -- called up within five weeks of Opening Day -- played key roles in setting a pair of major league and franchise records.
In back-to-back innings of an otherwise meaningless final-week game, both rookies slugged a pair of extra-base hits that put them in the Yankees' record books. Monday's Tiebreaker Doubleheader Schedule With both the NL West and NL Central races still tied after 162 games, tiebreaker games will be played Monday to determine each division title. Both games will be broadcast on ESPN and ESPN Radio:
• Brewers at Cubs, first pitch at 1:05 p.m. ET
• Rockies at Dodgers, first pitch at 4:09 p.m. ET
Rest assured, it won't be the last time either of their names goes down in Yankees lore. The Bronx Bombers certainly hope that isn't the case, particularly with the postseason looming.
"They just really have not only been impact players, but just been impressive with how they've gone about it and handled every situation," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said.
During the Yankees' 8-5 win at Fenway Park over the Red Sox in the penultimate game of the regular season, Torres hit a 93.7 mph two-seam fastball into the Red Sox bullpen to give the Yankees the single-season major league home run record.
His home run was the team's 265th, surpassing the previous record of 264 set by the 1997 Seattle Mariners. The Yankees later hit one more home run in the game.
"Everybody knew what was the number," said Torres, who excitedly pumped his fist a few times as he rounded first base.
The homer also marked the 20th the Yankees had hit from the No. 9 spot in their batting order, making them the first team in big league history to have players hit 20 or more homers from all nine places in the lineup.
It was also Torres' 24th homer of the season. Although the second baseman began the season in Triple-A, he ended up making his major league debut on April 22. He hit his first walk-off homer less than three weeks later.
Gleyber Torres' home run Saturday put the Yankees over the top for the single-season record for home runs by a team. Ted S. Warren/AP Photo
An inning after Torres' important homer, Andujar followed with a double down the left-field line that broke a tie he'd reached with Hall of Famer Joe DiMaggio. It was Andujar's 45th double of the season, giving him the most doubles for a Yankees rookie since DiMaggio hit 44 in 1936. When your name becomes synonymous with a baseball icon, you're doing something impactful.
"I'm just trying to hit the ball hard and get a good pitch to hit, hit it hard somewhere," the Dominican-born Andujar said through an interpreter. "If it falls in the gap, I'm going to keep running."
Doubles aren't the only hits that have been falling for Andujar since he made his early Yankees appearance on April 1. He entered Saturday leading all rookies in hits, doubles, RBIs, extra-base hits, multihit games and homers. He also ranked second among all rookies in batting average and runs scored.
To Andujar, there isn't a single one of those figures that's more impressive than the others.
"You look at all the numbers and you get excited about all of them," Andujar said. "I'm doing good -- I'm helping the team. So I'm excited for an opportunity to be here in general."
It was thanks to an opening-week oblique scare to outfielder Aaron Hicks (an injury he got over within days) that allowed Andujar to join the big league club much earlier than expected. Following the April 1 call-up, Andujar stuck. Less than a week later, when the starting third baseman at the time, Brandon Drury, opened up about problems he occasionally had playing with blurred vision, Andujar was inserted regularly into the lineup. He hasn't looked back since.
As Andujar closes down a potential Rookie of the Year campaign, he's batting .297 with 27 homers and 46 doubles (he added another in the ninth inning). With the Yankees heading into Wednesday's American League wild-card game, they'll be looking for him to continue doing damage at the plate.
Perhaps the first person to have publicly announced an expectation of the kind of success Andujar has enjoyed at this point is the aforementioned Jackson. The Hall of Famer tweeted in March 2014 that he predicted Andujar would be a "special player for the yanks in a couple years."
Miguel Andujar big skills and I predict a special player for the yanks in a couple years. 3rd base and can really hit pic.twitter.com/S0rIhuBnzk — Reggie Jackson (@mroctober) March 15, 2014
Mr. October appears to be right.
While Andujar has long maintained that his focus is on helping his team win, and not on any individual awards he might receive this postseason, he does admit that it's nice to be turning heads. He just hopes those heads remain turned for years to come.
"Don't want to stop there," Andujar said. "You want to keep on doing better things. I want to have a long career. So that being said, the work doesn't stop. It keeps going. You've got to try to keep getting better."
Boone believes that's exactly what will happen for both of his rising superstars.
"First it speaks to their talent, but also I think of who they are," Boone said. "To come into this kind of situation and really thrive and go through all the ups and downs that happen over the course of the year and show the ability to constantly make adjustments?
"Just really proud of the season they've been able to turn in at this point."
After Sunday, though, a new season begins. When the postseason starts, the Yankees expect the rookie pair to be every bit as dependable then as they have been all along. | {
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Tuesday’s primary elections were a mixed bag for Ohio.
Nickie Antonio, an at-large city councilwoman of Lakewood, won the Democratic nomination for District 13 of the Ohio House of Representatives. Antonio is an out lesbian and would represent Lakewood, a suburb of Cleveland with a sizable LGBT population, in the Ohio House if she wins in November.
But, of course, the bad always balances out the good: Samuel “Joe the Plumber” Wurzelbacher — former presidential candidate Sen. John McCain’s average Joe, who wouldn’t be able to make ends meet under Obama’s economic plan — won a seat on the local Republican Party committee in Lucas County.
The group he’ll serve on meets a few times a year to elect the county chairman and sets the party agenda, the Associated Press reports.
After FOX News yanked Sean Hannity from Cincinnati Tea Party Rally last month, Wurzelbacher filled in. He was met with cheers when he advised the crowd to not allow “a bunch of liberal pansies” to take away their rights.
“I’ve had some friends that are actually homosexual. And, I mean, they know where I stand, and they know that I wouldn’t have them anywhere near my children,” Wurzelbacher told Christianity Today. “But at the same time, they’re people, and they’re going to do their thing.”
It’s people like him that make me just so proud to be an Ohioian. | {
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Are you in the Reddit Sync beta program? Well, now you might have a reason to join. The dev has just pushed version 8.0.54 with support for transparent system bars on Android 4.4.
Reddit Sync joins a growing list of apps taking advantage of the new KitKat UI. This feature is on by default so that when you scroll down, the action bar hides and the status bar becomes transparent. The navigation bar is always transparent, though. It seems to work in all views except the early alpha magazine mode on tablets. The developer calls this immersive mode in the changelog below, but I don't think that's quite the right term. Immersive mode denotes completely hiding the status and navigation bars. At any rate, the new beta looks cool.
Immersive mode
Gallery fixes
New icon
Bug fixes
The main app listing has the beta changelog visible to everyone, which is a little confusing, but the transparency is definitely in the beta. It looks like everything is fine in the pro version as seen above, but the free one might be misbehaving. We couldn't get the transparency to trigger at all with the free version, but it is beta. You can get in on the beta for the free and paid versions of Reddit Sync by joining the Google+ community.
[Reddit Sync Community, Reddit] | {
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USA TODAY Sports
Kobe Bryant's competitive fire will never burn out, but we're nearing the day when he'll have to pass the torch to the next keeper of the flame for the Los Angeles Lakers.
It may not seem like Bryant is approaching the end of his career. Forget the mileage and the years and the ongoing incursion into the history books (most missed shots ever, anyone?): Bryant is playing like a guy who doesn't look anywhere close to calling it quits.
But we know there's an expiration date on his NBA career, because he told us so himself.
According to Sam Amick of USA Today:
'Nah, not really,' [Bryant] said with a grin and a shake of the head when asked if he can envision playing beyond his current contract. 'But I'm so loyal to this organization, there's not a chance (of him leaving)…I've been really fortunate to win a lot of games here, a lot of championships here. You can't (expletive) with (that).'
Kobe's contract runs through next season, at which point the Lakers will be officially out of the strange limbo phase they're currently mired in. Rebuilding will start fresh, and the Bryant era—all two decades of it—will be finished.
Of course, injury could put an abrupt coda on things much sooner than that. But we'll operate as though L.A.'s changing of the Hall of Fame guard will happen in the summer of 2016.
With that in mind, the Lakers need to be thinking about who'll run the show after Bryant's reign concludes. They failed to secure Dwight Howard to an extension in 2013, then whiffed on obligatory swings at Carmelo Anthony, LeBron James and just about every other big name on the market this year.
USA TODAY Sports
Bryant's presence on the roster (and his massive $48.5 million in cap-crushing salary over the next two years) may very well have had something to do with the lack of outside superstar interest. But the rest of L.A.'s bare-bones roster probably didn't help either.
When L.A. makes its 2015 pitches to free agents, all of those potentially repellent factors will still be in place. So it's entirely possible the Lakers will fail to find Kobe's successor this coming summer.
Still, rumblings about the next in line have already begun.
Sam Smith of Bulls.com speculated that Kevin Love might opt out of his deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers if things don't go as planned this season, opening up the possibility of his heading to Los Angeles.
"Indications are he will seriously consider the opt out and has his eyes on a return to Los Angeles, where he attended college and where the Lakers long have had him on their free agent wish list," Smith wrote.
USA TODAY Sports
Two issues here: First, Love was always going to opt out of his contract. It makes total sense for him to do so, even if his plan is to stay with Cleveland. He'll make more money on a new deal and can control negotiations from a position with some real leverage.
Love would be crazy not to opt out, and it's not really news that he's considering it.
Second, as nicely as Love might fit in L.A., the Lakers have always aimed higher when searching for their generational superstars. That sounds crazy to say about Love, who is arguably among the league's top 10 talents, but having never led his team to the playoffs and never done enough on defense, it's possible that Love wouldn't fit the bill as the next top dog in Los Angeles.
Of course, given the whiffs the Lakers have endured lately, they probably wouldn't turn Love away.
In addition to Love, LeBron James, Goran Dragic and Al Jefferson can exercise options to become free agents. But the first guy couldn't leave his current team without causing nuclear fallout, and the other two aren't superstar needle-movers. Nor have they shown the capability to lead their teams to significant success.
There are also unrestricted free agents aplenty:
Unrestricted Free Agents in 2015 Player Current Team Age on July 1, 2015 LaMarcus Aldridge Portland Trail Blazers 29 Rajon Rondo Boston Celtics 29 Marc Gasol Memphis Grizzlies 30 Omer Asik New Orleans Pelicans 29 Rudy Gay Sacramento Kings 28 DeAndre Jordan Los Angeles Clippers 26 Robin Lopez Portland Trail Blazers 27 Wesley Matthews Portland Trail Blazers 28 Paul Millsap Atlanta Hawks 30 Greg Monroe Detroit Pistons 25 RealGM.com
Of the totally untethered 2015 crop above, Marc Gasol is the most likely cornerstone. Los Angeles has a long history of building out from the big man—from Wilt to Kareem to Shaq to Pau Gasol to Dwight (for a split second)—so inking the Memphis Grizzlies' dominant center to a huge deal would fit into the historical M.O.
But Gasol has basically lived his entire adult life in Memphis, and he hasn't made a peep about leaving. Not only that, but every other team with cap space and a dream will be hot on the big Spaniard's heels. The Lakers, locked into one more year of Bryant Limbo, might not be the most appealing of Gasol's many options.
USA TODAY Sports
If the Lakers want to scale back their approach while mucking up the plans of a few other teams, perhaps they could throw big offers at restricted free agents like Kawhi Leonard, Jimmy Butler, Reggie Jackson or Iman Shumpert.
Hey, it couldn't hurt.
The real key for the Lakers will be duplicating the double-move blueprint that rejuvenated the franchise in 1996: signing megastar Shaquille O'Neal and grabbing rookie Kobe Bryant via draft-day trade.
L.A. likely won't have to make a swap to snatch up a promising rookie this time around. Though it owes a 2015 top-five protected first-round pick to the Phoenix Suns, it's awfully tough to imagine the Lakers finishing with anything better than the second- or third-worst record in the league. The lottery can do funny, occasionally unfair things, but it seems like a safe bet that the Suns won't be collecting that selection from the Lakers this summer.
(One issue to note in the Lakers' long-term plans: They'll have to give that pick to Phoenix eventually. It's top-three protected in 2016 and 2017 and unprotected in 2018. At some point in the near future, the Lakers are going to lose what will probably be a very valuable asset.)
At any rate, Los Angeles has to start thinking about the future now—both because its present is so bleak, and because pulling off the kind of multi-move overhaul necessary to restore the franchise's glory will be complicated.
Replacing Bryant may not be a one-man job.
Fortunately, the Lakers have last year's lottery pick, Julius Randle, on ice, ready to step back in at full strength in 2015-16. And they'll likely add a big-time rookie and (hopefully) a splashy free agent this summer.
If they can't pull off transformative moves that soon, 2016 will loom as the franchise's real pivot point. That's when Kobe will be gone, a real fresh start will be possible and some guy named Kevin Durant will hit the open market.
And the clock is ticking. | {
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That's the irony with this rivalry. It's actually cooled off considerably ever since it became a more even affair. Win some, lose some, just like this series. Yawn. Tempers were far shorter when one set of fans (the Creatures) was winning all the games, and the other was growing angrier and angrier, in very amusing fashion. | {
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WASHINGTON — New details released Tuesday show that taxpayers paid an additional $115,000 to settle sexual harassment complaints in Congress from 2008 to 2012, adding to the growing amount of such claims on Capitol Hill.
The latest information was given to Rep. Gregg Harper, R-Miss., chairman of the House Administration Committee, by the Office of Compliance, where victims file complaints. The five years of information had not been made public before, and it was being shared with the rest of the Republican House conference during a closed-door meeting Tuesday morning.
Adding to a previously disclosed claim of $84,000 that was settled from 2013 to 2017, the new figures bring the total of sexual harassment settlements the office has made since 2008 to $199,000. That earlier settlement was for a complaint against Rep. Blake Farenthold, R-Texas, who subsequently announced he will not seek re-election.
But the release of information on such claims and settlements has been piecemeal in Congress. In the Senate, the OOC refused a request from Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., to release information on how many sexual harassment claims had been filed and how many settled.
The numbers were released Tuesday as part of an effort by Harper's committee to get a handle on sexual harassment in the halls of Congress. The committee is set to unveil bipartisan legislation this week to reform a system that is tilted to protect the accused over complainants.
The information did not include the names of victims or those accused, nor did it include other ways members of Congress can settle claims, including with individual congressional funds, which is how John Conyers, the Michigan Democrat who resigned from the House this month, settled a $27,000 sexual harassment complaint.
“As I have stated from the beginning of this review, one case of sexual harassment is one too many," Harper said in a statement. "We must create a culture within our Capitol Hill community that instills in every employee and employer, new and old, that there is no place for sexual harassment in the halls of Congress."
Harper said he intends to obtain the information for 1997 to 2007 as well.
Susan Grundmann, executive director of the OOC, told Harper in a letter accompanying the new totals that the OOC is unable to provide detailed information about the settlements because of confidentiality constraints.
"Nevertheless, we have endeavored to respond to your inquiry to the fullest extent possible under the current statutory scheme, and we hope that the enclosed information proves helpful," Grundmann wrote.
But the OOC has not released the same general details about settlements in the Senate as it has for the House. In a response Monday provided to NBC News by Kaine's office, the OOC said it was unable to do so for a number of reasons, including confidentiality requirements.
Grundmann wrote that the data would be incomplete and, therefore, unreliable because she said specifics aren’t documented on why a case advances through the settlement process.
"Earlier this month the OOC provided the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration with a statistical breakdown of settlement amounts involving Senate employing offices from 1997-2017. That information represents the full extent of what we can provide with regard to settlements under the CAA involving the Senate," Grundmann wrote. "Any additional disclosure would involve an invasive search of strictly confidential records, which would be contrary to existing law." | {
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The Department of Justice has indicted 16 additional international soccer officials on various charges related to corruption. It’s a shame this same level of firm justice that is being shown to soccer officials can’t be extended to Wall Street mobsters who nearly bankrupted the country and ruined innumerable lives.
As the Huffington Post reports:
Swiss authorities arrested two members of the executive committee, Alfredo Hawit and Juan Ángel Napout, prior to FIFA meetings in Zurich on Thursday. Hawit is the president of CONCACAF, the confederation that oversees soccer in North and Central America and the Caribbean. Napout is the president of CONMEBOL, the South American soccer confederation. The officials engaged in money laundering, racketeering and wire fraud as part of “a 24-year scheme to enrich themselves through the corruption of international soccer,” the Justice Department wrote in a release. “The scale of corruption here is unconscionable,” Lynch said.
“The scale of corruption here is unconscionable” is exactly right. Except, Attorney General Loretta Lynch should be referring to the Wall Street executives who pilfered working Americans’ pockets and bank accounts to increase their own pay checks and then recklessly abandoned those same individuals when their schemes went awry.
For more on this, read the article from the Huffington Post titled: “U.S. Brings Corruption Charges Against 16 More FIFA Officials.“ | {
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Waves Complete 2018.04.16 WiN | 10.1 Gb
Featuring 64-bit support, faster scanning, faster loading, and faster processing, Waves Version 9 opens up new dimensions of high performance plugin power. From essentials like reverb, compression, noise reduction, and EQ to modeled analog hardware, surround and post production tools, artist signature collections and beyond, Waves Bundles feature the best of Waves GRAMMY award-winning plugins. | {
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Drew Fairweather is a consultant for numerous firms in the United States and Canada. Contact: [email protected] | {
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The chancellor is refusing to publish an analysis of the likely economic damage from the new Brexit deal ahead of Saturday’s crunch vote, amid suspicions it would reveal a £130bn hit.
Senior MPs have condemned as “unacceptable” a failure to publish the information, when the Commons is being asked to make its most momentous decision in decades.
They suspect “the existing analysis stands” – pointing to Treasury data, last year, that said the limited free trade deal Mr Johnson now plans with the EU will strip 6.7 per cent from GDP over 15 years.
No 10 denies that and suggested a fresh analysis would be published, but not until after the Brexit agreement is put before MPs in the rush to seal the deal.
Hilary Benn, the chairman of the Commons Brexit committee, demanded the “fullest assessment available”, suggesting the new deal was “even worse for the economy than Theresa May’s”.
The scrapped deal pointed to the entire UK remaining in the EU’s customs territory, but Mr Johnson’s offers that benefit to Northern Ireland only.
Dominic Raab came under fire after describing it as a “cracking deal” for Northern Ireland because it will keep “frictionless access to the single market” – which the rest of the UK will lose.
Catherine McKinnell, the interim chairwoman of the Treasury Committee, also demanded an updated economic assessment, saying: “It is unacceptable that the committee has not received this information from HM Treasury.
“It appears to be an attempt to avoid scrutiny. If the chancellor does not provide the committee with an update, we can only assume that the existing analysis stands.”
Supreme Court verdict: Boris Johnson prorogation unlawful Show all 16 1 /16 Supreme Court verdict: Boris Johnson prorogation unlawful Supreme Court verdict: Boris Johnson prorogation unlawful The Supreme Court has ruled against Boris Johnson by declaring his government unlawfully shut down parliament for five weeks EPA Supreme Court verdict: Boris Johnson prorogation unlawful Lady Hale handed down the historic verdict, hailed by opposition MPs and anti-Brexit campaigners. She said all 11 judges were unanimous in deciding that the case is “justiciable”, so the government loses that part of the argument. “The court is bound to conclude therefore that the decision to advise Her Majesty to prorogue was unlawful because it had the effect of frustrating or preventing the ability of Parliament to carry out its constitutional functions.” EPA/Supreme Court Supreme Court verdict: Boris Johnson prorogation unlawful Gina Miller and her team react outside the Supreme Court are the verdict. She said: “Today is not a win for any individual or cause. It is a win for Parliamentary sovereignty, the separation of powers and independence of our British courts. Crucially, today’s ruling confirms that we are a nation governed by the rule of law, laws that everyone, even the Prime Minister, are subject to." PA Supreme Court verdict: Boris Johnson prorogation unlawful A person dressed as a caricature of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson in a prison uniform stands outside the Supreme Court AP Supreme Court verdict: Boris Johnson prorogation unlawful Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn called for Mr Johnson to “consider his position” following the landmark decision, while Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson said he was “not fit to be prime minister” Getty Supreme Court verdict: Boris Johnson prorogation unlawful Scottish National Party (SNP) Westminster leader Ian Blackford raises his arms as he comes outside. He said: "This is an absolutely stunning judgement by the Supreme Court today." He went on to say, "we all want to get back to work, and quite frankly, on the back of this, Boris Johnson must resign immediately." AFP/Getty Supreme Court verdict: Boris Johnson prorogation unlawful Crowds outside celebrated the verdict AP Supreme Court verdict: Boris Johnson prorogation unlawful Delegates at the Labour party conference applaud after hearing the news AFP/Getty Supreme Court verdict: Boris Johnson prorogation unlawful Speaker John Bercow said MPs must now “convene without delay” and confirmed the Commons would return at 11.30am on Wednesday AFP/Getty Supreme Court verdict: Boris Johnson prorogation unlawful Gina Miller said: "“As a result of this judgment, Parliament is open, it was never prorogued. I urge MPs to get back to work immediately.” AP Supreme Court verdict: Boris Johnson prorogation unlawful MPs Anna Soubry, Liz Saville Roberts and Caroline Lucas, together with SNP leader Ian Blackford, react. Green MP Caroline Lucas has said the Supreme Court’s decision is “just the start” Reuters Supreme Court verdict: Boris Johnson prorogation unlawful “The UK deserves a Prime Minister and a Government who act with honesty, integrity and in a manner consistent with our constitution, at all times." AFP/Getty Supreme Court verdict: Boris Johnson prorogation unlawful Anti-Brexit supporters react as they gather outside the Supreme Court in London, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2019 as it makes it's decision on the legality of Prime Minister Boris Johnson's five-week suspension of Parliament. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein) Frank Augstein AP Supreme Court verdict: Boris Johnson prorogation unlawful The SNP’s Joanna Cherry QC says: “Boris Johnson’s position is untenable and he should have the guts to resign.” PA Supreme Court verdict: Boris Johnson prorogation unlawful epa07865617 Protesters react outside the Supreme Court after the result of a hearing on the prorogation of parliament, in London, Britain, 19 September 2019. The Supreme Court ruled that the suspension of parliament by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was not lawful. EPA/NEIL HALL NEIL HALL EPA Supreme Court verdict: Boris Johnson prorogation unlawful Tom Tugendhat MP returned to the chamber in the House of Commons within minutes of the Supreme Court ruling PA
That analysis – published last year – predicted £130bn of lost growth by 2034 from a limited trade deal, which would leave people an average of £2,250 a year poorer.
But, quizzed on a visit to the United States, the chancellor Sajid Javid said: “There is no need for an impact assessment.”
Instead, he argued what was crucial was to end the uncertainty that has dogged the world’s fifth-biggest economy since voters decided to leave the EU in 2016.
“It is self-evident that what we have achieved in terms of this deal is the right way forward for the economy, much better than any alternative,” he claimed.
That is directly contradicted by the existing analysis, a detailed 83-page document published by the Treasury, the departments for Brexit, industry, environment and international trade and the Home Office.
It found a Canada-type free trade agreement would swipe 6.7 per cent from GDP, because of the new barriers to trade with the UK’s neighbours.
Even that modelling involved a heroic assumption that “successful” bilateral trade deals will be struck with 17 other countries, including the US, China and India. | {
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Saddam Hussein gave £840,000 fortune to family of British father murdered in Alps massacre
Saad Al-Hilli , 50, killed alongside wife, mother-in-law and a French cyclist
Former Iraqi dictator said to have deposited the sum in a Swiss bank account in the name of Mr Al-Hilli’s father
Mr Al-Hilli’s father Kadhim was once close to Saddam’s Ba’ath Party but later fled Iraq for Britain
Saddam Hussain gave £840,000 to the family of the British engineer who was murdered with his wife in the Alps, it was claimed last night.
The former Iraqi dictator is said to have deposited the sum in a Swiss bank account in the name of Saad Al-Hilli’s father.
The claim, which apparently originated with German intelligence, adds a sensational twist to the baffling case.
Scroll down for video
Cash deposit: Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, left, is said to have deposited £840,000 into the bank account of murdered Saad Al-Hilli's (pictured right) father Kadhim
Murder scene: Saad al-Hilli, his wife, Iqbal, and his mother-in-law were all killed in an isolated lay-by near Lake Annecy in Eastern France
Mr Al-Hilli, 50, from Surrey was killed along with his wife Iqbal, 47, his mother-in-law and a French cyclist last month in an attack that left his seven-year-old daughter, Zainab, badly injured, and her four-year-old sister Zeena deeply traumatised.
Mr Al-Hilli’s father Kadhim was once close to Saddam’s Ba’ath Party, but fell foul of the tyrant in the Seventies, and fled Iraq for Britain.
The scene of the September 5 massacre – an isolated lay-by near Lake Annecy in Eastern France – is only an hour’s drive from Geneva where the money was deposited. Swiss prosecutor Dario Zanni believes the family may have been returning from there when ambushed.
Tragedy: How the killings were reported at the time of the massacre
It raises the possibility that Mr Al-Hilli had managed to gain access to the account, which is thought to have remained in his father’s name, and that this was known to his killer.
The story was reported in the respected French newspaper Le Monde. It said that a French police source had revealed that the money’s source had been discovered by German intelligence agency BND.
The agency’s operatives routinely monitored the flow of cash to and from Baghdad as Germany did more business with the Saddam regime than any other country.
An intelligence source in Munich said last night: ‘They know the money trail, and they know how to follow it. They have spent decades monitoring money transactions between the West and Iraq. The BND is the first port of call in such circumstances.’
The BND said they had no comment on the report, saying: ‘We do not comment on operations.’
The Le Monde story was published under the headline: ‘The potential links between the Al-Hillis and Saddam Hussein.’
It said: ‘According to a French police source, the German secret service informed the gendarmerie’s anti-terrorist branch that there were links between the Al-Hilli family and Saddam Hussein’s fortune.
‘The tensions began after Saad Al-Hilli’s father [Kadhim] was struck off the list of beneficiaries of the former Iraqi dictator.’
It has always been suggested that Kadhim’s multi-million pound legacy – he died last year – led to conflict between Saad, who lived in Claygate, Surrey, and his brother Zaid who lives in nearby Chessington. However Zaid strongly denies there was any such feud.
Close ties: Mr Al-Hilli's father Kadhim is believed to have been close to Saddam Hussein's Ba'ath Party but later fled for the UK
Fall out: But Kadhim Al-Hilli fell out with Saddam in the seventies
Shortly after his murder, it emerged that Saad Al-Hilli had put a block on his father’s will, which effectively stopped his brother from inheriting his share until ‘unknown’ disputes were resolved.
But Le Monde says it was the money in the Swiss bank account – not the rest of the legacy – that may have caused friction between the two brothers.
Swiss investigators discovered the secret account earlier this month, but according to Le Monde they didn’t make the link to Iraq.
Mystery: It is still unknown why Saad Al-Hilli, his wife and 77-year-old Swedish mother-in-law were killed
Specialist police were last week questioning Geneva-based bankers about the Al-Hillis’ assets, while financial records in countries including America have also been requested.
Kadhim, a former factory owner, left Baghdad in the late Seventies with his wife, Fasiha, and two boys, after allegedly falling foul of the Ba’ath Party. The family settled in Pimlico, Central London, later moving to Surrey.
Another theory is that Kadhim never fell out with the Ba’ath Party at all – and that he was simply managing many accounts for Saddam behind this smokescreen.
Shortly before the dictator was executed in 2006, it was revealed that he withdraw around £620 million from the Iraqi central bank in 2003, which he had begun to hide around the world. The assets would have been added to millions already deposited in accounts in other countries – mainly through Iraqis who had moved abroad.
Saddam is known to have concentrated large amounts in Switzerland and France, where he had at least two homes and moored a £17 million yacht.
If Saad Al-Hilli was party to this secret information – and indeed the location of the hidden millions – then he would have been an obvious target for an attack.
Eric Maillaud, the Annecy prosecutor leading the inquiry into the quadruple killing, said he had ‘not yet been informed’ about the intelligence from Germany.
However he confirmed that Mr Al-Hilli’s financial affairs and his background in Iraq were at the top of subjects being investigated.
Another theory previously mooted was that Mr Al-Hilli was targeted by Iranian spies desperate to get their hands on high-resolution satellite technology. The Briton was an expert in that field, and worked for Surrey Satellite Technology in Guildford.
The family left their Europa campsite after two nights and moved to the La Solitude du Lac campsite, which overlooks Lake Annecy
Peaceful spot: Walkers on the remote 3 km track to the scene of the attack outside the village of Chevaline where the Al-Hillis were murdered
Emmanuel Ludot, a French lawyer who defended Saddam Hussein following his capture, admitted that the deposed regime still had funds in Swiss accounts, but said the notion of a ‘hidden fortune’ was fantasy.
Zaid Al-Hilli has been questioned by police, but is being treated solely as a witness after denying any involvement in the slaughter. When asked about the Le Monde story, Zaid told The Mail on Sunday last night: ‘It’s all rubbish, they can speculate until they’re blue in the face to be honest with you.’
Further asked if his father had ever mentioned links to Saddam, he said: ‘We have no links with that regime. We live outside [Iraq] because of that regime, that’s why we have been here for 41 years.’
In a separate development, it emerged yesterday that Mr Al-Hilli made a desperate attempt to drive his family to safety under a hail of bullets, but his car got stuck on a verge. The gunmen then moved in to finish them off at close range. Investigators believe the killer was alone and used only one weapon, a pistol common in the Swiss army in the Twenties and Thirties.
Grief: Family friends outside the Al-Hilli home in Claygate, Surrey, soon after the murders were reported
Concern: The Al-Hilli's home in Claygate, Surrey. Speculation still surrounds the motive for the shootings in which three members of the family died
Prayers: Saad Al-Hilli, 50, his wife Iqbal, 47, and her 74-year-old mother Suhaila Al-Allaf, were laid to rest in the same grave in Surrey
Zainab told police she and her father were outside the car when the shooting started. Unable to get her into the car, he then attempted to escape in the vehicle with the rest of the family under fire.
However, as he backed up to get away, the car became stuck on an embankment, leaving the family at the mercy of the killer who then shot the three adults, including Mr Al-Hilli’s mother-in-law Suhaila Al-Allaf in the head.
While it is unclear when cyclist Sylvain Mollier was killed, it appears his body was hit by the Al-Hillis’ car during the attempted escape.
After running out of ammunition, the killer pistol-whipped the older girl in the face, but was apparently interrupted and fled the scene.
Additional reporting: Peter Allen and Ian Sparks
Video: First witness on the scene describes finding victims of the shootings
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You're constantly told how easy it would be to hack your weak passwords, but complicated passwords just aren't something our brains get excited about memorizing. Reader calculusrunner offers a brilliant tip that turns weak passwords into something much, much better.
His clever solution: Stick with your weak, dictionary password if you must; just move your fingers over a space on the keyboard.
If you want a secure password without having to remember anything complex, try shifting your fingers one set of keys to the right. It will make your password look like gibberish, will often add in punctuation marks, and is quick and simple.
When John Pozadzides showed us how he'd hack our weak passwords, he listed his top 10 choices for getting started hacking away at your weak passwords. Let's take a look at how a few of those popular passwords fare when run through calculusrunner's method:
password => [sddeptf
[sddeptf letmein => ;ry,rom
;ry,rom money => .pmru
.pmru love => ;pbr
Something longer but still really lame, like, say, "topsecretpassword", becomes "yp[drvtry[sddeptf". These may not be perfect compared to secure password generators, but they're likely orders of magnitude better than a lot of people's go-to passwords.
G/O Media may get a commission Subscribe and Get Your First Bag Free Promo Code AtlasCoffeeDay20
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Nottingham Forest ended their pre-season training camp in Spain in style with a 3-0 victory over Malaga.
Stunning strikes from Gil Dias and Ben Osborn had put The Reds in control in Marbella before Hillal Soudani struck to add gloss to the victory.
The Reds looked sharp in possession, but it was Jordan Smith in the Forest goal who was called into action first, tipping a close-range effort over the bar inside the first two minutes.
The openings were falling the way of the Spanish side as Juan Cruz flicked an effort over the bar minutes later and a superb last-ditch challenge by Osborn preventing Harper running through on goal.
Soudani had his first sighter of goal on 24 minutes as he fired wide following Osborn's pull back, but just after the half-hour mark The Reds took the lead through a moment of brilliance from Dias.
The winger, on loan from Monaco, picked up the ball some 35 yards from goal and twisted and turned through the Malaga defence, dribbling his way through on goal then calmly slotting past the goalkeeper and into the corner of the net.
Moments later and it could have been two as Lewis Grabban latched onto a poor backpass and saw his shot save, but Dias was on hand to fire the rebound goalwards which a Malaga defender cleared off the line, with Forest appeals for a handball falling on deaf ears.
Forest were in control of the game and on 63 minutes the second goal arrived via a thunderbolt from Osborn's right boot.
The full back played a one-two with Dias before letting fly on his weaker side, the shot arrowing into the top corner past the despairing dive of the keeper.
The third goal arrived two minutes later as Soudani got off the mark in the Garibaldi. The lively Dias nipped in front of a defender and the onrushing goalkeeper to touch the ball to Soudani and the Algerian fired the ball home into the empty net.
Aitor Karanka made a host of changes as The Reds looked to have the game wrapped up and the were able to see the game out comfortably and end their pre-season trip to Spain with a win.
Forest: Smith (Kapino 46'), Gabriel (Darikwa 75'), Lam, Ahmedhodzic, Osborn (Preston 83'), Watson (c) (Yates 75'), Bridcutt (Guedioura 75'), Dias (Lolley 75'), Carvalho (Appiah (75'), Soudani (Gonçalves 75'), Grabban (Gomis 83') | {
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(Paul Goble – Window on Eurasia – Staunton, June 8, 2016)
That Vladimir Putin should express his admiration and support for presumptive Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is no surprise. Not only does Trump reflect some of the same populist and nationalist themes the Kremlin leader does, but Putin welcomes Trump’s unilateralism and isolationism as something that might benefit Russia.
But the more interesting development, Dmitry Bykov says, is that ordinary Russians too are placing their hopes in the American politician, convinced that he will personally aid them with money to address their immediate personal problems such as buying a wheelchair (sobesednik.ru/dmitriy-bykov/20160606-dmitriy-bykov-pochemu-russkie-tak-veryat-v-trampa).
Of course, the Moscow commentator points out, any Russian who was foolish enough to ask Trump for money would quickly attract the attention of the Russian security services as “a foreign agent,” something those who see Trump as “the last hope” for Russians who cannot could on their own government.
But the more interesting and mysterious question, Bykov suggests, is why Russians are inclined to believe that Trump will help them. Some may see him as one of “ours,” a crude populist, and thus see him as somehow like Russians, who in many cases are inclined to be generous to a fault.
Or this Russian support for Trump may reflect a more cynical desire by ordinary Russians for revenge on the US and especially on those Republicans whom they blame for inflicting so many hardships on Russia. For such people, “what is bad for America is good for [Russians].”
Moreover, “with such presidents as Trump, no enemies need [to be created]: they do everything in that regard on their own,” Bykov suggests. That is one of the reasons why Putin supports him, feeling “intuitively that Putin for Russia is approximately the same thing as Trump for America.””
The Moscow writer says that he “even sometimes thinks that perhaps Trump is a deep-cover [Russian] ‘mole,’ our agent, introduced like Shtirlits about 30 years ago.” In many ways, he writes, Trump acts in a disciplined but cynical way “in the best traditions of the chief special service.”
Of course, Bykov says, such Russian expectations are “for nought.” If Trump becomes president, he “will act in the interests of his own ratings,” just as he has done up to now. And it will be easier to keep them high if he shakes his fist at Moscow rather than “makes friends with Russia.”
More to the point, he concludes, “to place one’s hopes in liars, demagogues and populists” is a reflection of despair as Russian history has repeatedly shown. Russians need to “help themselves” rather than think they can count on some support coming from the United States.
Article also appeared at windowoneurasia2.blogspot.com/2016/06/ordinary-russians-mistakenly-placing.html
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Charlie Chaplin was not only the most prolific star of the silent film era, but also the most beloved and celebrated. Chaplin starred in over 80 silent films throughout the period’s golden years as well as five feature length films that he himself directed. The last of these, Modern Times (1936), was made almost a decade after The Jazz Singer (1927) took the world by storm, introducing the advent of synchronized sounds and the talking picture. Moviemaking was changed forever, and all of silent cinema’s greatest stars either transitioned into making “talkies” or were cast aside and forgotten about. Chaplin’s two biggest contemporaries, Buster Keaton and Harold Lloyd, made the immediate switch-over, with their last silent features being Spite Marriage (1929) and Speedy (1928), respectively.
Chaplin, however, was stubborn, and insisted that talking films would be nothing more than a gimmicky phase. Adamant about preserving the integrity of silent pictures, Chaplin pushed ahead with his next project, City Lights (1931), refusing to adhere to Hollywood’s changing expectations. Though he was ignorant of the rapid evolution of Hollywood filmmaking, Chaplin was no fool. He utilized this revolutionary technology to enhance his new film, including an accompanying score he had written and composed. Chaplin also saw it as an opportunity to take a jab at talking pictures. In the opening scene of City Lights, a statue is being unveiled at the town square. The town’s mayor and other dignitaries step up to make speeches, which are only heard as a comical kazoo-like noise. Chaplin clearly meant it as a statement against sound films, boldly mocking them with his defiant new film.
City Lights was a massive success despite the aggressive new enthusiasm for talkies. Chaplin spent the following year touring the world with his latest film, and made many observations during his travels. At this point, the world had long settled into the Great Depression. Chaplin saw firsthand the fallout of this economic crisis, and even met with various political figures to discuss the ongoing issues, including Winston Churchill, Albert Einstein, and Mahatma Gandhi. After he returned home, Chaplin wrote a series of articles based on his observations. In a 1931 interview, Chaplin commented on the state of unemployment:
“Something is wrong. Things have been badly managed when five million men are out of work in the richest country in the world. If we continue to view the present condition as inevitable, the whole structure of our civilization may crumble. The present deplorable conditions certainly can’t be charged against the five million men out of work, ready to work, anxious to work, and yet unable to get jobs. If capital represents the genius of America it would seem obvious that for its own sake the present conditions should not continue or ever again be repeated.”
These observations, in addition to a visit Chaplin once took to Henry Ford’s auto plant where he learned about the nervous breakdowns men would have working on assembly lines, formed the first ideas that would become his next picture. Modern Times was to be Chaplin’s first talking picture, one that reflected his own negative feelings about the industrialization and automation of America’s working class. As history would have it, Modern Times did not end up as a talking picture. Chaplin went as far as to write an entire script with dialogue, and even recorded several test scenes, but ultimately decided against it, largely because he feared tarnishing the reputation of his universally beloved “Little Tramp” character by giving him a voice. He felt the magic would be lost, so he elected to make Modern Times the concluding film of his silent days, and thus of silent cinema as a whole.
However, Modern Times is not a completely silent film, although it is categorized as such. Like with City Lights, Chaplin used the technological advantages of synchronized sound to improve his silent feature, but with more than just an accompanying score. Modern Times is true to silent cinema form in its use of title cards, slapstick humor, and being filmed at a rate of 18 frames per second, but it’s also filled with sound effects and even occasional dialogue. Modern Times is unique in that it is, by all definitions, a silent feature, but still uses the conventions of sound to tell its story. Chaplin’s reluctance to enter the age of sound pictures inadvertently enhances the themes of his film. His ardent refusal of talkies reflected his own philosophy regarding the implementation of evolving technologies around the world, while the compromise in using sound to still improve his film proves the inevitability of the growing innovation. However, Chaplin was acutely aware of this, and used sound in Modern Times to highlight the evolving world, and the dangers it presented.
The film establishes its political subtext from the very first moment. After the introductory title card, footage of sheep being herded together is juxtaposed with workers pushing through the exit of the subway, implying that they are already domesticated like farm animals. There is a lone black sheep in the middle of the crowd, obviously meant to be none other than Chaplin himself. Immediately, the inherent thematic purpose of sound in Modern Times is felt. The thundering score gives a sense of imposing threat when paired with the colossal machinery in the factory. A brawny, masculine worker approaches a hefty lever, engaging it with violent sparks and turbulent whirring.
Though set clearly in the midst of the Great Depression, Chaplin infuses some science-fiction elements into the film to further enforce the themes. The president of the factory barks orders at the burly worker through a projected screen, introducing the first instance of spoken dialogue in the film. Throughout the film, Chaplin only allows the audience to hear dialogue through various mechanical devices, typically as a way to emphasize the oppressive abilities these advancements provide. The president is constantly monitoring his workers through these Orwellian means, even in the factory’s bathroom where the Tramp is caught trying to take a quick break.
The Tramp works on an assembly line not too dissimilar to the ones Chaplin saw at Ford’s automobile factories. His repetitive and mundane job consists of wielding two wrenches to quickly tighten bolts on a seemingly purposeless piece of metal. Like every other piece of machinery in the factory, it is intentionally designed to make the audience question what it would even be used for. The music accompanying this scene is rapidly paced, frenetic, and repetitive: just like the task these workers are performing. The machine moves faster than the Tramp can keep up with, causing him to often lag behind in his work and impede the assembly line worker next to him.
It’s not long before the film’s famous feeding machine makes its appearance, introduced by an ironic fanfare from the film’s score. Three men wheel the large contraption into the president’s office. They wind up a record player, which informs the president of all the ethically violating capabilities of the Billows Feeding Machine, another source of an oppressive voice coming through a machine. The Tramp is selected as the unfortunate victim tasked with testing the machine, forcibly shoved into the device by the eccentric inventor. The sounds produced by the machine raise no alarm, just the soft hum of the motors turning and the clicks and taps of each tool. At first, the device seems to serve its purpose, serving soup and wiping the Tramp’s mouth with ease. The machine makes its way to the corn, lifting it up to the Tramp’s face and slowly sliding it from side to side. Suddenly, a few sparks are heard and the machine begins to spin the corn faster. Its speed drastically increases, and an intensive whirring indicates there is a terrible malfunction. The feeding machine becomes a torture device, violently slamming all manner of machinery and meal alike into the poor Tramp’s face. The president dismisses the feeding machine before any further damage can be done, but the scene demonstrates the willingness to sacrifice a humane working environment for the sake of profit.
The deafening ringing of a bell signals the transition to the next scene. After lunch, all of the workers are back on the assembly line again, which has been sped up yet again through another telephoned command by the president. The Tramp is sweating bullets, working as fast as he can, which isn’t nearly fast enough. The music has also picked up its pace. Violins and xylophones run up and down their musicals scales, as if they’re struggling to keep up just as much as the workers. Obsessively determined to keep up with his work, the Tramp races after a fixture he missed, plunging himself into the cogs of the machinery, and thusly producing one of the most famous cinematic images of the 20th century: Chaplin gracefully riding through the turning gears of the factory’s machines. The score relents here, changing from an aggressive onslaught of strings to an angelic lullaby-like tune. The sounds of a flute whistles accompanying the Tramp’s tightening of two bolts before he is grinded through the machine again; chewed up and spit out.
The Tramp emerges entirely hysterical, simulating the kind of nervous breakdowns Chaplin was informed about during his time at the Ford plant. The Tramp’s delusional state has him dancing around the factory, armed with his dual wrenches, tightening any and everything even remotely bolt-shaped in his sight. Noses, ears, and the buttons on a lady’s bosom are all twisted, gnarled, and ravished during the Tramp’s sudden frenzy. The offended woman alerts a police officer, who chases the Tramp back into the factory. Even in his neurotic state, the worker is still a slave to the system; he remembers to punch his time card during the frantic pursuit.
The Tramp’s reign of terror continues, flipping all kinds of switches and levers that overstimulate the machines and cause irreparable damage. The large machines in the background erupt into balls of fire, accompanied by the sounds of explosions and gunfire. By this point, the Tramp is clearly out of his mind; running around the factory equipped with an oiling can, like some unhinged agent of chaos, spraying the various factory workers in the face. This section of the film has been referred to as “The Tramp’s Ballet,” signified by the his prancing and the whimsical sound of the film’s score. The factory workers chase after him in an attempt to end his erratic behavior, but the Tramp is able to forestall them by turning the conveyor belt back on, causing the subservient workers to race back to their positions, where the Tramp continues to antagonize them. This gag continues for some time before the Tramp is finally caught, and with the howling siren of an ambulance the Tramp is taken away. The proceeding title card informs us that the Tramp is cured, but now without work, like many other Americans at the time.
With the Tramp removed from the industrial environment of the factory, Modern Times switches gears, changing its focus from the tyranny of the machine to the struggles of The Great Depression. Because of the lack of a mechanical presence throughout the rest of the film, the metaphorical usage of sound in Modern Times dissipates slightly. Sound effects during the jailhouse segment are reserved for enhancing the slapstick and conjuring up some stomach gurgles, an effect that Chaplin himself performed by blowing bubbles into a bucket of water. The use of sound in Modern Times returns to a point of thematic importance once again near the end of the film, but rather than reinforcing Chaplin’s political ideology, he instead uses the platform to confront his own trepidation about the evolving times. After stumbling through the penal system, a bout of homelessness, an assortment of different jobs, and another stint in the jailhouse, the Tramp is fortunate enough to get a position as a singing waiter at the Red Moon Café.
Chaplin realized Modern Times would be the Tramp’s final time in the spotlight, so he made sure to include several callbacks to some of his earlier silent shorts as a way of paying homage to the history of the Tramp’s escapades. The department store sequence featured prominently in the third act recalls his earlier film, The Floorwalker (1916), while the final sequence in the restaurant builds on the jokes seen throughout The Rink (1916), which also sees plenty of roller skate antics like in the memorable sequence from this film. The culmination of these foundational moments build to the finale of Modern Times. Chaplin chose not to make a sound picture due to his fear of the modern age, and of ruining the Tramp’s universal appeal by giving him a voice. Reluctant as he was, the entire film was a way for Chaplin to dip his toes into the world of sound and push his limits as an artist. Modern Times is not a film of compromise, but one of transition.
The ultimate act of transformation occurs here, where Chaplin allows the Tramp to be heard for the very first time. He is to sing a song in front of the dining audience, but cannot remember the words. From offstage the Gamin, his adoring partner throughout the film, instructs him to go on anyway. “Sing!” she says, “Never mind the words!” As with all of Chaplin’s films, the words don’t matter. The Tramp is an immortal character, preserved in the comedy he provides to people of all races, colors, and creeds. And so the Tramp sings; he sings his song of incoherent gibberish, making up an entire language worth of nonsensical words to go along with the movements that tell the song’s story. The audience roars in laughter and applause at the Tramp’s performance, celebrating his successful adaptation into the world of sound.
The end of the film sees the Tramp and the Gamin walk hand in hand down a long stretch of road that disappears in the distance. Before now, the Tramp was always left alone, bound to start another adventure by himself. For his final outing, Chaplin felt the Tramp deserved a happier ending. Originally, Modern Times was set to end with the Tramp being released from a mental hospital to discover the Gamin had become a nun, and then watch her leave forever with her Mother Superior. Instead, with a more upbeat and optimistic ending, the life of the Tramp feels more complete. Throughout the film, the two discuss having a home of their own, and even have an extended dream sequence where they happily live together without a care in the world.
With his time entertaining millions across the world done, one can imagine the Tramp lives a happy life this way, as Chaplin had envisioned. In the end, for all its political text and critique, Modern Times feels most like a satisfying conclusion to the enduring spirit of Chaplin’s most beloved creation. He continued to use film as a means of commenting on his perspective of the world, maintaining a political stance with The Great Dictator (1940) and later reflecting on his career as a whole with Limelight (1952). Chaplin’s usage of his platform as an empowering tool of influence didn’t start with Modern Times — he was making political statements in his films as early as The Immigrant (1917) — but with the utilization of all the cinematic tools available to him, and the history of his illustrious career in hand, Modern Times feels like the first time Chaplin’s ideals were truly given a voice of their own.
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PETALING JAYA: Surgeons at Sultan Abdul Halim Hospital in Sungai Petani have removed a dead foetus which had its own hair and penis from the stomach of a 15-year-old boy.
The foetus, which weighed 1.6kg and had deformed limbs, had been leaching into his blood supply and feeding off him, The Daily Mail of UK reported yesterday, citing the BMJ Case Reports.
BMJ Case Reports is an educational resource offering a high volume of cases in all disciplines for healthcare professionals, researchers and others to find clinically important information on common and rare conditions.
The unnamed patient had been plagued with unbearable stomach pain and bloating since he was born. His conditions had doctors baffled.
However, the source of his discomfort was discovered when the teenager was taken to the Sultan Abdul Halim Hospital.
Doctors initially thought he had a tumour. CT scans were conducted on the boy when they felt a tender, hard mass over the central part of his abdomen.
The scans revealed a "huge intra-abdominal mass" that was 23.8cm long, which showed the development of a spine.
Doctors found the boy's unborn twin which was leaching and feeding off him. The malformed foetus had long hair, developed male genitalia and skin covering its body when it was taken out.
BMJ Case Reports said the twin was a non-viable baby, meaning it wasn't capable of living independently. It had no mouth, umbilical cord or placenta.
"Components in favour of a fetus that were seen within the mass include a deformed skull, vertebral body and long bones," the report read.
The unborn baby was returned to the family for a private funeral at the mother's request.
The team of doctors, led by Dr Rashide Yaacob, said the complete removal of the dead twin is crucial.
"There is a possibility of malignant recurrence if any of the tissue is not completely excised," he said. "The operation to remove the foetus in foetu is a challenging operation as the mass is highly vascular with multiple feeding vessels.
"The big size of the foetus has made surgery more difficult as there is a high possibility of injuring surrounding structures."
The patient has since recovered from the undated operation. | {
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Potential can be the most damning word in all of professional sports. If someone says you have it, then obviously you have not yet fulfilled it, and if you lack it, well, you might as well start looking for another line of work. Potential has been known to give second, third and fourth chances and create unreasonable expectations. In reality, we never truly know if someone has maximized his or her potential; that answer resides within the individual.However, there are plenty of instances in which we can speculate. Bo Jackson was one of the greatest athletes the world has ever seen, and nobody can deny that he accomplished plenty as a professional football and baseball player. Still, what if Jackson’s career had not been cut short due to injury? Or what if he had chosen to focus his energies entirely on one sport? Not even Bo knows for sure, but those certainly are a couple of tantalizing “What ifs?”Mixed martial arts has also had its share of fighters, who, for various reasons, never reached the heights we hoped they would. This does not mean they were not accomplished, because each of the following did great things for at least a short period of time. However, they, like the aforementioned Jackson, left us yearning for just a little more.As selected by a panel of Sherdog.com staff, here is our Top 10 “Might Have Beens.” It is a list brimming with potential: | {
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To the Supreme Court of the United States: There is only one correct decision today, and that is a landmark ruling stating that the right to marry is a constitutional and inalienable right for all people, regardless of sexual orientation.
Today, the Supreme Court will look at California’s law that bans same-sex marriage in the state. On Wednesday, the justices will examine the (DOMA), a 1996 law that bars the federal government from giving benefits to same-sex couples, regardless of whether or not their home state legally permits them to marry.
It is bad enough that gay men and women do not have the right to marry the person that they love in this country. It is even more reprehensible that we deny those same-sex couples who are legally married under their own state law the right to federal benefits that other heterosexual couples enjoy. And now, more than ever, is the time to push this legislation. A found that 53% of Americans believe that it should be legal for same-sex couples to marry. Only 39% say that it should not be legal.
By virtue of the fact that we do live in something called a democracy, that should be enough. Yet somehow, the religious minority in this country has managed to keep the legalization of same-sex marriage from happening. , for example, argued that the constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage must be put in place because, “while gays have the right to their private lives, they do not have the right to redefine marriage for everyone else.” They argued that marriage was “essential institution of society” and that, without this proposition, the result would be that teachers in public schools may start “teaching our kids that gay marriage is okay.” After all, why would we want our teachers to teach our children tolerance and understanding. It is hard not to respond to these quotes (taken directly from the Prop 8 voter guide) with mockery, but I will try my hardest to remain marginally objective.
So just what is this true “definition of marriage” that supporters of Prop 8 are trying to protect? The Bible, certainly, offers little guidance as to what a “true” marriage should be. Greg Carey, a professor of the New Testament at Lancaster Theological Seminary, writes in a , “Let’s be clear: There’s no such thing as “biblical family values” because the Bible does not speak to the topic clearly and consistently.” For example, there is nothing in the Bible that could support the idea of the “nuclear family” values that some hold to be so self-evident in this country. The idea that marriage is between a man and a woman with the explicit intention of biological procreation is an absurd one. Jesus himself never took a wife, and in fact, told his disciples to leave their homes and their families to follow him. Carey writes,
“Let’s not even go into some of the Bible’s most chilling teachings regarding marriage, such as a man’s obligation to keep a new wife who displeases him on the wedding night (Deuteronomy 22:13-21), his obligation to marry a woman he has raped (Deuteronomy 22:28-30) or the unquestioned right of heroes like Abraham to exploit their slaves sexually. I wonder: Have the “biblical family values advocates” actually read their Bibles?
It seems strange, then, that such focus is put on defining the “true” definition of marriage as between a man and a woman, yet the very source that this idea credits is the very same that advocates that a man should leave his family, sexually exploit his slaves, and in the event he finds himself raping someone, he should at least marry her. Don’t even suggest, however, that a man in love with another man, or a woman in love with another woman, cannot enjoy the right to commit to that person in marriage, if they so choose.
Arguments concerning the Christian-right’s skewed views of marriage aside, the equal right to marry is, very simply, a basic liberty that should be applied to all Americans. The claim that each state should be permitted to decide whether or not same-sex couples can marry is not a valid one. In 1954, when the Supreme Court ruled on , the ruling was not that individual states could decide to desegregate or not. The ruling declared that separate but equal was inherently unequal, and that this was not a state’s right to choose issue, but an issue of right and wrong, moral and immoral, equal and unequal, across state borders. They did not rule that people in Kansas deserved equal access to a quality education but those in Mississippi did not. The Supreme Court ruled that education should be a fundamental human right for all, and thus desegregated the country’s school system.
The issue of same-sex marriage should not be a state-by-state issue, either. The Supreme Court decisions today and tomorrow should be easy ones. Denying gay men and women the right to commit to their partners with the same rights and abilities as straight couples is unjustifiable. The thinly veiled bigotry of the minority Christian-right cannot continue to hold hostage our inalienable civil rights any longer. There is only one correct ruling, Supreme Court Justices, and I hope you have the moral integrity and bravery to make it today. Repeal DOMA. Repeal Prop 8. Proclaim marriage and all its benefits to be a constitutionally guaranteed right to all Americans, gay or straight.
__________
Alyssa Röhricht blogs at C
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A block of Shattuck Avenue in downtown Berkeley could see major changes in the next few years with the construction of an eight-story, 209-unit housing complex between Channing Way and Durant Avenue.
A block of Shattuck Avenue in downtown Berkeley could see major changes in the next few years with the construction of an eight-story, 209-unit housing complex between Channing Way and Durant Avenue.
William Schrader Jr., of The Austin Group, has become a familiar name in Berkeley development circles, having already built large projects, such as the eight-story StoneFire on University Avenue and the 79-unit Varsity Apartments at 2024 Durant Ave., downtown in recent years.
His new project, dubbed Logan Park, is slated to be built just east of the Varsity building on Durant, wrapping around the Shattuck Avenue block where Staples, Extreme Pizza, Heat Café, Endless Summer Sweets and Chase bank now operate. Schrader told the zoning board he is working closely with all of those businesses so that the new retail spots fit their needs. Logan Park, if approved, would be located at 2352 Shattuck, which is the largest parcel in downtown Berkeley, he said.
Thursday night’s hearing was a preview session, where Zoning Adjustments Board (ZAB) members give feedback to an applicant and staff about project changes or information they would like in the future. The optional advisory meeting takes place before a vote, which would be scheduled at a later date. Schrader said he’d like to be back before the zoning board for that vote later this year.
Logan Park will be built in two phases, Schrader told the board. Phase 1 will see construction at the Staples corner on Shattuck and west on Durant. Phase 2 would see the construction of the rest of the Shattuck frontage down to Channing Way. The phased construction approach will allow the businesses to stay open while the project is underway, he said.
Schrader said his primary goals with Logan Park are to “design the largest project possible allowed under the downtown plan and the density bonus,” and to keep the existing tenants.
The project includes two courtyards, a seventh-floor terrace and 86 parking spaces. Building residents would not be eligible for residential parking permits to park in the neighborhood.
The few people who spoke during public comment said they thought the building was too big. Several of them reside in senior living facility Stuart Pratt Manor at 2020 Durant. They recalled the Varsity’s construction as a difficult time in the neighborhood, posing challenges in their efforts to get around the block. A number of the Stuart Pratt residents are blind or disabled, they told the board.
Zoning board members were sympathetic to those concerns and advised Schrader to come back with a robust plan to address safety issues and logistical challenges during construction to make it easier for neighbors.
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Members of the board were also largely unified in asking Schrader to reduce parking for the project, noting its proximity to BART and AC Transit. They said he might be able to build some ADA units on the ground floor, add more below-market-rate units or reduce the project height if he could take out some of the parking.
Their comments were at odds with the sentiments of some of the neighbors who spoke, who said there wasn’t enough parking in the project as it is.
Schrader told the board he believed the parking ratio would be appropriate, based in part on his experience determining the parking needs at the nearby Varsity building. That lot — which has 34 parking spots for a 79-unit building — is full, he said. He also noted that financers won’t fund housing projects if they don’t consider parking plans sufficient.
Logan Park, which is a density bonus project, is set to include 15 very-low-income units. Schrader said he will also pay approximately $4.5 million into the city’s Housing Trust Fund to fulfill the city requirement for affordable units.
Commissioners noted that Logan Park is also a Housing Accountability Act project. The state law significantly limits what the city can change as long as a project complies with the zoning code. Schrader said Logan Park is fully code compliant.
“We commissioners here do not have the power to change the state law,” Charles Kahn told the sparse group of attendees who had come to hear about the project. “We’re trying to do our best up here by the community that we all live in and care deeply about. But this is a state mandate.”
Kahn said the city had learned the lesson about the limits of its control the hard way: “Lawsuits come out of that and the lawsuits have been lost in the past by the city of Berkeley.”
Commissioner John Selawsky said he wanted to make a similar point regarding zoning board authority for those in the room and those who might be listening to the meeting from elsewhere.
The zoning board, he said, “has less and less discretion over some of these projects. Our hands, I wouldn’t say are tied. But there’s limited discretion in what ZAB can do on some of these projects. And, quite honestly, sometimes it annoys me.”
Selawsky said he thought an eight-story building was too tall and that it didn’t respect the existing neighborhood.
Commissioner Darrell Owens, who was sitting in for an absent member of the board, took a different position.
“We do need to respect the inhabitants of the existing neighborhood — but I don’t want to give the impression that someone who lives in an eight-story building is any less part of the neighborhood. There’s all types of diversities of housing. And, frankly, you know, 40 years from now, this may be considered a historic structure.”
Read the staff report. See more project materials on the city of Berkeley website. | {
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Open this photo in gallery Finance Minister Bill Morneau, seen here on March 19, 2019, announced $4.7-billion in spending for Indigenous Canadians in Tuesday’s budget, with a promise to end all drinking-water advisories on reserves within two years. Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press
Finance Minister Bill Morneau announced $4.7-billion in spending for Indigenous people in Canada in Tuesday’s budget, with a promise to end all drinking-water advisories on reserves within two years.
The Liberal government has made a priority of Indigenous issues in its past three budgets and continued that practice on Tuesday with a range of measures aimed at improving health and social services and boosting Indigenous-led businesses.
“We know that building a better Canada must – by definition – include advancing reconciliation for Indigenous peoples,” the Finance Minister said in his speech.
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Federal budget 2019 highlights: 10 things you need to know
Spread over six years, the budget promises nearly $1-billion to settle land claims; $1.2-billion to expand health and social services for First Nations children; and $739-million to eliminate drinking-water advisories on reserves.
The past four budgets have allocated a total of more than $21-billion to Indigenous communities, said Perry Bellegarde, National Chief for the Assembly of First Nations.
The federal budget includes new spending in a range of areas including support for first-time homebuyers, ensuring seniors are enrolled in CPP and the further advancement of reconciliation.
“Through our sustained advocacy, you see sustained investments in children and water and education,” Mr. Bellegarde said. “This is maintaining the momentum … but the needs are great and the hole is huge and we need to fill that gap that is there.”
He noted that Canada ranks sixth in the world in terms of human development – a United Nations measure of national economic and social health – while Indigenous communities taken separately would rank 63rd.
Since 2015, the government has spent nearly $2-billion to build or repair public-water systems in First Nations communities. More than 80 drinking-water advisories have been lifted and Ottawa says it is on track to eliminate all advisories in two years.
The government is also proposing to invest $333.7-million over five years to implement the Indigenous Languages Act, with $115.7-million committed every year after that. The act is currently before the House of Commons and advocates worry it may not pass before the House adjourns ahead of a fall election.
Mr. Morneau also allocated funds to address several of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s calls to action, including $126.5-million in fiscal 2020-21 for the establishment of a National Council for Reconciliation.
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Ottawa earmarked $100-million to establish an Indigenous Growth Fund to encourage investment in Indigenous businesses. The budget also proposes to expand existing programs such as Futurpreneur to support First Nations, Métis and Inuit entrepreneurs.
The growth fund will be an important financing tool for Indigenous businesses, said JP Gladu, president of the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business.
Meanwhile, the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples complained the budget ignored Indigenous people who live off reserve or in cities, despite overwhelming evidence that they are continuing to fall behind.
“Through this budget, the government is continuing to discriminate between Indigenous peoples,” CAP’s National Chief Robert Bertrand said.
With a report from Gloria Galloway in Thunder Bay | {
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Para solicitar un crédito hipotecario de $ 2 millones en UVAs a 30 años se deben disponer de ingresos netos por alrededor de $ 80.000. Es el requisito mínimo para que la entidad crediticia afecte el 25% del salario y el beneficiario sea capaz de afrontar una cuota de alrededor de $ 20.000 más intereses, que desde agosto a la fecha tuvieron un incremento de cinco puntos porcentuales, pasando del 6,5% al 11%.
Hace solo tres meses, antes de que se registrara la suba de tasas y el aumento de las Unidades de Valor Adquisitivo (UVAs) la misma operación significaba una cuota inicial cercana a los $ 17.600 más un interés mínimo de 6,5%.
Opciones de préstamos
Las condiciones varían según la entidad en la que se solicite el dinero, y las particularidades a las que acceda el tomador, como si se trata de un cliente del banco (tasa preferencial) o no. Así, para tomar $ 2 millones en el Banco Nación se deben demostrar ingresos mínimos de $ 79.231, para afrontar una cuota inicial sea de $ 20.049, equivalente al valor de 693,10 UVAs.
Tanto el valor de la cuota inicial como el de los ingresos mínimos necesarios, para que la relación entre ambos factores no se altere (25%), varían según los aumentos de las Unidades de Valor Adquisitivo en que se miden este tipo de créditos.
Es las UVAs se actualizan diariamente, según el Coeficiente de Estabilización de Referencia o inflación, que calcula el Banco Central de la República Argentina. Así una unidad que al 15 de noviembre se pagaba en $ 29,03, al mismo día del próximo mes habrá aumentado un 5% ($ 30,60) y, en consecuencia, la cuota se habrá elevado a $ 21.208,86. Por ese motivo, los ingresos mínimos necesarios para el tomador del crédito el próximo mes serán de $ 84.835.
Por otro lado, hay que considerar que dichos valores son a cuota pura. A eso hay que sumarle la tasa de interés, que en el caso del Nación es del 11,5%, cuando en agosto de este mismo año (último incremento registrado) era del 6,5%).
Igualmente, en el Banco Galicia se puede solicitar un préstamo por la misma cantidad a devolver en 30 años, para lo que serían necesarios ingresos por $91.632, a fin de afrontar una primera cuota por $ 22.908 a una tasa nominal anual del 13,50%.
Para solicitar $ 2.000.000 en Banco Francés, se debe pagar una cuota mensual de 687,40 UVAs, lo que es equivalente a $ 19.955 con la cotización de las Unidades de Valor Adquisitivo al 16 de noviembre ($ 29,03) más una tasa de interés de 11,50% (TNA).
Aumento de las tasas
De acuerdo con el informe del Banco Central, en octubre los créditos hipotecarios en UVA se otorgaron a una tasa de interés promedio ponderada por monto de 6%, similar a la observada en el mes anterior, pero en la actualidad se observa un interés superior al 11% en la mayoría de los bancos.
El BCRA reconoció que "en un contexto de aceleración de la inflación y depreciación del peso, los préstamos hipotecarios dejaron atrás el dinamismo que habían mostrado durante 2017 y hasta abril de este año, período de fuerte crecimiento de los préstamos denominados en UVA". Así, en octubre crecieron 1% en términos nominales, equivalente a una disminución de 3,2% ajustados por inflación y sin estacionalidad.
Al respecto, el economista Pablo Salvador, señaló que con estos valores, no es ventajoso sacar un crédito en UVAs, o al menos no significa lo mismo que cuando comenzó el programa. "Para calcular si es conveniente o no, el tomador tiene que tener en cuenta la inflación estimada, con la variación de la UVA y los aumentos que tendrá su salario", consideró.
Según el especialista, en 2016 las tasas de interés de estos créditos empataron con la inflación, y los salarios acompañaron ese aumento, mientras que las propiedades que adquirieron por esos valores crecieron en mucha mayor medida. En 2017 la UVA acompañó a la inflación, pero los salarios subieron entre 3 y 7 puntos por encima, lo que significó un beneficio para quien sacó el crédito en ese momento.
En cambio, según Salvador, este año la variación de las UVAs estuvo por encima de los aumentos salariales, lo que significa una pérdida para los beneficiarios de los préstamos.
El economista estimó que para que estos créditos funcionen "la inflación debería ser de entre 2 y 4% anual, y no superar esas cifras de manera mensual, algo que sucedió este 2018".
Salvador explicó que las tasas de las Letras de Liquidez (Leliq, o instrumentos financieros a 7 días con un rendimiento del 62,5% anual) se establecieron en un nivel tan alto que todas las cargas de los préstamos se incrementaron, y si estas bajaran, las tasas de interés tenderían a bajar.
"El Banco Central bajó de 74% (octubre) a 62% la tasa de las Leliq, y hoy está midiendo cuánto puede bajar sin que los ahorristas se refugien en el dólar", a fin de mantener tasas bajas para facilitar el acceso al crédito, sin desestabilizar el esquema monetario actual (la divisa puede cotizar libremente entre los $ 35,54 y los $ 45,99).
Por su parte, el economista José Vargas, titular de Evaluecon, explicó además que la UVA tiene una modalidad de ajuste que se había atrasado en relación a las tasas del mercado (préstamos hipotecarios tradicionales, expresados en pesos y no en Unidades de Valor Adquisitivo), y esto se corrige elevando la tasa de interés que las acompaña. "Evidentemente tienen que ajustar, porque si no la demanda se hubiera disparado", comentó.
Al igual que Salvador, Vargas consideró que el tomador tiene que analizar si los incrementos salariales que recibirá en el futuro podrían ganarle a la inflación. "El salario promedio en Mendoza está cerca de los $ 22.000, entre sector público y privado, y para acceder a $ 1.000.000 en una familia debería haber al menos dos ingresos sin afectación de otros gastos ($ 1 millón en el Banco Nación, implican ingresos mínimos de $ 39.615,50, y una cuota de $ 10.175,22), y con ese millón no se accedería a una vivienda hoy en día", cerró.
La construcción afectada
De acuerdo con el vicepresidente de la Confederación de Pymes Constructoras de Argentina, Atilio Calzetta, las tasas de interés están imposibilitando las tomas de crédito del sector constructor y del cliente que va a construir. "Cualquier desarrollo inmobiliario se imposibilita", consideró.
El constructor consideró que como sistema, puede ser bueno, pero no mejorará hasta tanto no disminuyan las tasas de interés y se hagan más accesibles para las dos partes involucradas, ya sea el constructor o el privado que desea edificar su vivienda. | {
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Ethan Nell, Reed Boggs, DJ Brandt, and Adolf Silva are all relative newcomers to Red Bull Rampage, but they're hoping to mix it up with the freeride veterans. | {
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Every major phone launch has a “-gate”: a drama about some problem or worry with the hardware. With the Pixel 4, there are several: the battery may be too small, the face unlock works with your eyes closed, and now the conditions at which the screen will refresh at 90Hz and when it will ratchet down to 60Hz are pretty confusing. Google calls the feature “Smooth Display,” but its reception has been anything but smooth in the past 24 hours.
Google previously said it adjusts the refresh rate depending on what’s happening on the screen to improve battery life, but yesterday some Redditors figured out that refresh rate also drops down to 60Hz if the screen brightness is set below 75 percent. Further investigation from the Android community revealed that it may stay up at 90Hz at lower brightness levels if the ambient lighting in the room is bright enough.
It’s all very strange, so we asked Google for a statement and it has replied with a little more detail on when the screen changes its refresh rate and — most importantly — a promise of a software update. Here’s the full statement, emphasis mine:
We designed Smooth Display so that users could enjoy the benefits of 90Hz for improved UI interactions and content consumption, while also preserving battery when higher refresh rates are not critical by lowering back down to 60Hz. In some conditions or situations, however, we set the refresh rate to 60Hz. Some of these situations include: when the user turns on battery saver, certain content such as video (as it’s largely shot at 24 or 30fps), and even various brightness or ambient conditions. We constantly assess whether these parameters lead to the best overall user experience. We have previously planned updates that we’ll roll out in the coming weeks that include enabling 90hz in more brightness conditions.
So there you go: there are a lot of situations that will cause the screen’s refresh rate to drop down, certainly more than you might assume.
That makes two software updates Google has promised for the Pixel 4, the other being an update that requires your eyes to be open for face unlock to work. That update is due “in the coming months,” while this screen refresh update is set for the “coming weeks.”
One of the reasons to buy a Pixel phone instead of another Android phone is the guaranteed software updates. Somehow I don’t think anybody was thinking about updates for face unlock and screen refresh rates when they made their preorders, but here we are. It’s great that Google is so quickly addressing complaints — but it would have been better if they didn’t have to in the first place. | {
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If you’ve ever attempted to move to a foreign country and learn to speak the local language, you’re aware that successfully doing so is an enormous challenge.
But in our age of widely distributed Wi-Fi hotspots, free Skype video calls from one hemisphere to another and favorite TV shows available anywhere in the world over the web, speaking a foreign language may be more difficult than ever.
That’s because, as new research shows, merely seeing faces and images that you associate with home could make speaking in a foreign tongue more difficult. In a study published today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers from Columbia University and Singapore Management University found that for Chinese students who’d recently moved to the U.S., seeing several different types of China-related visual cues measurably reduced their fluency in English.
In the first part of the study, the researchers tested 42 students’ English speaking ability under two different circumstances—while looking at a computer screen, they either spoke with an image of a Caucasian face or a Chinese one. In both cases, they heard the exact same prerecorded passage (about the experience of living on a college campus) and responded with their own thoughts in English.
When the students conversed with the image of a Chinese person, they spoke more slowly and with slightly less fluency, as judged by an observer that was unaware of which image they’d been looking at. As a control, the researchers also tested a group of native English speakers’ fluency when speaking with both images, and found no difference.
In the second part, instead of looking at a face, 23 other students viewed quintessential icons of Americana (Mt. Rushmore, for example) or icons of Chinese culture (such as the Great Wall) and then were asked to describe the image in English. Once again, looking at the Chinese-related images led to reduced fluency and word speed.
Finally, in the last part of the experiment, the researchers examined particular objects with names that can be tricky to translate from Chinese to English. The Chinese word for pistachio, for example, translates literally as “happy nut,” while the word for lollipop translates as “stick candy,” and the researchers wanted to see how prone to using these sorts of original Chinese linguistic structure the students would be under various conditions. (For an English example, think of the word “watermelon”—you wouldn’t translate into other languages by combining that language’s word for “water” with the word for “melon.”)
The researchers showed photos of these sorts of objects to 85 Chinese-speaking students who’d only been in the country for about 3 months. Some students saw familiar images from Chinese culture, while others saw American or neutral images. All groups demonstrated the same level of accuracy in describing objects like pistachios, but they proved to be much more likely to make incorrect overly literal translations (calling pistachios, for example, “happy nuts”) when shown Chinese imagery first than with either of the other two categories.
The researchers explain the results as an example of “frame-switching.” In essence, for the native Chinese speakers still learning English as a second language, being exposed to faces or images that they associated with China unconsciously primed them to think in a Chinese frame of reference. As a result, it took more effort to speak English—causing them to speak more slowly—and perhaps made them more likely to “think in” Chinese too, using literal Chinese linguistic structures instead of translating into the correct English words.
All this could eventually have some impact on the practices surrounding the teaching of second languages, providing further evidence that immersion is the most effective way for someone to gain mastery because it reduces the sort of counter-priming examined in this study. If you’ve recently immigrated to place where your native tongue isn’t widely spoken or you’re living abroad for an extended period of time, there’s a lesson here for you too: If you want to become fluent in the language around you, keep the video calls and TV shows from home to a minimum. | {
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Nov. 13th 2017 7:36 am
It feels like Faraday Future, once a well-funded electric car startup with over 1,000 employees, has been fading away over the last few months.
Now it looks like the end is near as the company loses several members of its top leadership again.
One thing that always impressed us about Faraday Future is its ability to attract top talent.
It has been the case since the beginning when it poached literally dozens of engineers and executives from Tesla, but also more recently even though they were already clearly in financial trouble.
We reported on them hiring Stefan Krause, a former BMW and Deutsche Bank CFO, to straighten up the company’s finances and even more recently and deeper into their financial troubles, Faraday Future also managed to hire BMW’s head of EVs, Ulrich Kranz, as its new CTO.
Now both Krause and Kranz have confirmed that they resigned from their roles at Faraday Future over the last month.
When both the CFO and CTO quit around the same time, it’s certainly not a good sign, but we also looked into other recent departures and it looks like a lot of people are jumping ship.
Another important hire, Kevin Vincent, a former Chief Counsel at NHSTA who led regulatory and safety affairs at FF, updated his LinkedIn profile earlier this month to show that he terminated his employment at the company.
Computer vision expert Khalid Yousif did the same and joined Samsung this month.
They are just a few examples of many over the last few months. Several engineers and managers ended up going to other EV startups, like Romeo Power, Byton, and Rivian Automotive.
Faraday Future, first founded by Chinese billionaire Jia Yueting and a team of “founding executives”, was operating with limited funding since Jia had his own financial troubles at his Chinese company LeEco.
Over the first few months following Krause taking over, it looked like they might be able to turn things around on a smaller scale after they abandoned their $1 billion factory project in Nevada and instead purchased an existing plant in California to produce their electric vehicles at a more reasonable volume for a first vehicle from a new company.
But now sources at the company told Electrek that the outlook is bleaker than ever at the startup. The same sources say that they are considering filing for bankruptcy or selling their remaining assets with a deal to pay their current creditors.
Electrek’s Take
While it’s disappointing to see another EV startup go away, maybe we will still see something coming out of the mess if a company, or preferably an existing automaker, decides to buy it.
Even though the company has been in financial trouble for the better part of the last 2 years, its 1,000+ employees haven’t been sitting on their hands during that time and they did develop some interesting EV technologies showcased in the FF91.
The vehicle set a new “production” EV record at Pike’s Peak – beating last year’s Tesla P90D by 20+ seconds.
Also, their latest all-electric FF91 beta prototype is pretty badass-looking. Maybe there’s something to salvage out of the company.
It could kickstart an EV program for an automaker. Anyone interested?
Featured Image: A look at Tesla Model X vs Faraday Future’s FF91
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Subscribe to Electrek on YouTube for exclusive videos and subscribe to the podcast. | {
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Subverting the Mechanisms of Control: ©2003 Jim Rovira, Drew University
"It is the real, and not the map, whose vestiges persist here and there in the deserts that are no longer those of Empire, but of ours. The desert of the real itself." (Baudrillard 1)
"Welcome to the desert of the real." - Morpheus, The Matrix.
The marriage of art and idea is an old one in western culture. From the dominance of theological motifs over medieval creative production to the influence of psychoanalytic theory upon early 20th century art and literature, the western aesthetic has consistently taken direction in both form and theme from abstract theoretical frameworks. The late 20th century saw this relationship become increasingly self-conscious as postmodern theory became a dominant paradigm. The Matrix Trilogy works specifically within a paradigm derived in part from the postmodern theory of Jean Baudrillard, whose Simulacra and Simulation makes its appearance in The Matrix in the "Follow Instructions" scene. Thomas Anderson (a.k.a. Neo, played by Keanu Reeves) opens a copy of Baudrillard's Simulacra and Simulation to a chapter entitled "On Nihilism." The hardcover book is hollow, serving as Neo's hiding place for black market software. He opens the book at the halfway point; the opening page of the final chapter, "On Nihilism," lies to the left while the right half is a hollowed out storage area. First note that the opening page of the chapter was displaced to the left side of the book when it would normally be found on the right. Add to this the fact that "On Nihilism" is the book's last chapter, not a middle chapter, and it appears that the directors have deliberately placed this chapter in the shot to direct viewers to a specific referential point for the film. Baudrillard's Simulacra and Simulation, in fact, is so intricately woven into the narrative structure that the movie can be described as a conscious validation of Baudrillard's theory. Simulacra and Simulation was so important to the directors that it was required reading for cast members (Nichols 26). This, however, was the only Baudrillard appropriated by the film. As such, The Matrix Trilogy is a snapshot of Baudrillard rather than a representation of his thought over time.
But the film doesn't draw just from Baudrillard. Almost paradoxically, religious imagery seemingly confronts the viewer at every turn. Neo, the One, the savior of humanity, dies and returns to life and has remarkable abilities within the Matrix. He is sought out and revealed by a John the Baptist figure, Morpheus, and is betrayed by a Judas figure, Cipher. Neo is loved by Trinity and becomes the One by attaining full consciousness of his surroundings, enabling him to realize his abilities within the Matrix. His perception of his environment as streams of computer code at the end of the first movie signals the apex of his enlightenment and also the point at which he has absolute mastery of the Matrix, immune to bullets and even death while within it. Baudrillard and overt religious imagery seem to be odd theoretical bedfellows, however; religion is virtually non-existent in "On Nihilism," having been twice displaced: "The true revolution of the nineteenth century, of modernity, is the radical destruction of appearances, the disenchantment of the world and its abandonment to the violence of interpretation and history" (Baudrillard 160). Religion isn't named, isn't even a discreet object in "On Nihilism," it is a displaced member of a class, "appearances," part of a previous enchantment from which the nineteenth century was disenchanted.
The Wachowski Brothers drew from a wide range of religious traditions even though Christianity provides the predominant sign system in the first film. As a result, it seems less likely that the film is proselytization for any specific religion and more likely that Baudrillard's critique of the west failed the Wachowski brothers when they wanted to move beyond critique. The Wachowski Brothers have created an effective sign system that serves as a generic representation of the process of enlightenment, one so effectively generic that any and every connection -- from Christ to Gödel to Buddhism -- is relevant, whether or not it is directly referenced by the film or even known to the directors. Baudrillard's "On Nihilism" goes on to describe the destruction of meaning via postmodernism once meaning has been destroyed by appearances, but once both meaning and appearance has been destroyed, what is left? In the midst of a theoretically destructed and deconstructed society no images, signs, or sign systems are available for the act of construction that seems so inevitable to human thinking. The Wachowski brothers' appropriation of religious imagery to meet this need is telling. It is quite possible that The Matrix Trilogy not only points to the past and present future of science fiction, but to the past and present future of religion; it seems that their film series asserts that the dialectic of enlightenment governing the early 21st century is a dialectic engaging both instrumental reason and mystical religious experience. This question can only begin to be answered, however, via an analysis of the films in the light of Baudrillard.
In the pre-history of The Matrix Trilogy, which also finds exposition in the Animatrix film shorts, human computer technology developed to the point of creating an artificial intelligence; a thinking, willing, self-determined, conscious computer. This computer continued to learn and grow, "spawning a whole race of machines" (Matrix 1.7), gaining influence over human society incrementally to the point of almost total control. Human revolt took the form of an atomic cataclysm initiating a nuclear winter intended to block sunlight from the surface of the Earth and shut down the solar-powered computer. The plot, to this point, is unoriginal. The Terminator films operate on the same premise. It is the extension of the war into the minutia of human consciousness that generates an aura of mystical enlightenment over the film, adding to its widespread appeal. This extension of control takes place in response to the nuclear cataclysm: the computer started breeding human beings for use as a power source. It created a technology that grew its victims in gel-filled pods, intravenously feeding them nutrients while tapping their body heat and electro-chemical activity to power the computer. To keep people alive as long as possible the computer created a program called "the Matrix," an exact sensory duplicate or, as it is called in the film, "neural interactive simulation," of late 20th century earth (Matrix 1.12). People grown in pods, nicknamed "coppertops" to reflect their sole purpose of powering a computer (Matrix 1.7, 1.12), are plugged directly into the computer network via implants in the bases of their skulls. Each individual within the Matrix perceives themselves as living out a normal life somewhere in late 20th century earth while, in reality, their entire lives are lived within a gel filled pod.
Compare this to Baudrillard's "The Precession of Simulacra," which asserts that simulation "is no longer that of a territory, a referential being, or a substance. It is the generation by models of a real without origin or reality: a hyperreal" (1). His word for this model of a real "without origin or reality" is "simulacrum": a copy without an original. By the "desert of the real" (quoted above) he means that the simulacrum, the imitation, now has more vitality and integrity than the original, which is fraying beneath the edges of the imitation, decaying, "rotting like a carcass" (Baudrillard 1). This construct moves beyond imitation, it works by
substituting the signs of the real for the real, that is to say of an operation of deterring every real process via its operational double, a programmatic, metastable, perfectly descriptive machine that offers all the signs of the real and short circuits all its vicissitudes. Never again will the real have a chance to produce itself. (Baudrillard 2)
This is precisely the world of the movies. The "real" late 20th century earth is a charred, uninhabitable wasteland, impossible to reproduce or recover, while 20th century earth in simulacrum is vital, alive, unchanged.
The diabolical nature of simulacra is reflected not only by its concealment of the decay of the real but through its intent, an intent Baudrillard seeks to expose in the essay "Simulacra and Science Fiction," also found in Simulacra and Simulation. In that essay he describes three levels of simulacra, each reflected by three forms of science fiction: natural simulacra, expressed through utopian literature; productive simulacra, expressed through "traditional" science fiction; and the simulacra of simulation, represented in the novels of Philip K. Dick and projected to be the science fiction of the future. Baudrillard specifically drew from Philip K. Dick in this essay, using Dick's novel The Simulacra as the basis of his theory of science fiction. In this novel western society is divided into different levels, each characterized by their knowledge of the fictions that govern society. The west, a conglomeration of Europe and the United States in Dick's projected future, is governed by the First Lady and different Presidents are elected to be her husband. The latest Presidents don't even really exist. Each are simulacrum created by private industry contracted out to the government. When the First Lady tries to cut the company that makes the Presidents out of the next contract, the company exposes their secret and western society unravels. Fringe elements then try to take control and establish a totalitarian state. It is this third form of simulacrum that is reproduced in The Matrix, the latest in a long line of science fiction stories that trap human society within a fictional world.
It should be noted at this point that Baudrillard told New York Times editorialist Brett Staples that the first Matrix film proceeds upon a misunderstanding of his books (Staples 1). Baudrillard's statement may reflect the fact that the films delve into ontological questions about reality and perception he disregarded for the sake of social analysis. The Wachowski Brothers, in the first film, seem to be interrogating metaphysical questions that Baudrillard specifically said were abandoned by the third level of science fiction, the level of science fiction that the Matrix films seem intended to represent (see quotation below). It should be observed, however, that the films abandon the ontological questioning so heavily stressed in the first film to focus more and more on control, and knowledge as a means of control, as the central issues in the second and third films. This raises the likely possibility that the Wachowski Brothers were never primarily interested in ontological questions. The ontological questioning was merely a means of discourse on issues of control.
These control issues, according to Baudrillard's argument in Simulacra and Simulation, are fully exploited in the third level of simulacra, the simulacrum of simulation, which is "founded on information, the model, the cybernetic game – total operationality, hyperreality, aim of total control" (121). He asserts that Dick's novel depicts a gigantic "hologram in three dimensions, in which fiction will never again be a mirror held toward the future, but a desperate hallucination of the past" (Baudrillard 123) and that in its historical moment this type of science fiction is produced by societies that have lost the pioneering imagination, that have spanned their territory from ocean to ocean, because "when the map covers the whole territory, something like the principle of reality disappears" (Baudrillard 123, his emphasis). He argues that human excursions into space, which effectively project earthly habitats into the transcendence of outer space, signal the "the end of metaphysics, the end of the phantasm, the end of science fiction" (Baudrillard 124), and the beginning of the era of hyperreality.
Baudrillard goes into some detail about the future of science fiction:
It is no longer possible to fabricate the unreal from the real, the imaginary from the givens of the real. The process will, rather, be the opposite: it will be to put decentered situations, models of simulation in place and to contrive to give them the feeling of the real, of the banal, of lived experience, to reinvent the real as fiction, precisely because it has disappeared from our life. (124)
Baudrillard's thesis is workable, but not without problems, as it could be argued that all three levels of simulacra had as their concern "total control" in varying forms – the first could be said to be concerned with mastery of a new physical environment, the second with mastery of a new network of societies, and the third with mastery of individual consciousness. A more effective description would seek to describe the different types of control represented by each of these forms of science fiction, each an expression of instrumental reason as understood within the context of Horkheimer and Adorno's Dialectic of Enlightenment. As one domain is mastered, mastery of the next is sought, until the state's ubiquitous control extends even to the minutia of human consciousness.
Either way, the hyperreal in The Matrix serves the purpose of total control, as in Baudrillard. Morpheus' speech to Neo during his first experience of a miniature "neural interactive simulation" in scene 12, "The Real World," is pure exposition of Baudrillard's thesis. After explaining to Neo late 20th century earth history and the purpose of the Matrix, Morpheus goes on to ask:
What is the Matrix? Control. The Matrix is a computer generated dreamworld built to keep us under control in order to change a human being into this [he holds up a coppertop battery]. (Matrix 1.12)
As in Baudrillard, the simulacra of simulation that is the Matrix is a device whose aim is total control, a device seeking to reduce human existence to no purpose but the guarantee of the continued survival of the system. People are not unlike cattle whose defecation fertilizes the ground from which they feed, who exist only to feed their owners, kept within set bounds they are never allowed to transgress. This is the Wachowski Brothers' commentary on late 20th century society and our participation in it: that we have been reduced to the status of drones feeding the system upon which we are dependent, and the system works hard to keep us from this knowledge.
"On Nihilism" is Baudrillard's description of the progression of nihilism parallel to his earlier description of the progression of science fiction. He contrasts the nihilism of the 19th century, characterized by "the destruction of appearances [. . .] in the service of meaning (representation, history, etc.)" with the nihilism of the 20th which entails the destruction of meaning itself (Baudrillard 160). When Baudrillard said that the "true revolution of the nineteenth century, of modernity, is the radical destruction of appearances" (160) his argument seems to parallel Lyotard's historical/philosophical metanarrative opening The Postmodern Condition. "Modernity" in the form of Marxism, Darwinian evolutionary theory, and Freud's theory of the mind destroyed the appearances imposed upon human thought via the previous grand narratives provided by religion.
Baudrillard then goes on to detail "the second revolution, that of the twentieth century, that of postmodernity, which is the immense process of the destruction of meaning" (160-1). By the destruction of meaning he means the destruction of what had been called "meaning" by its redefinition as appearance – the introduction of the hyperreal. Terrorism of the past relied upon aleatory violence to provide the necessary function of "checking the system in broad daylight" (Baudrillard 163). Terrorism of the present, according to Baudrillard, is concerned with transparency, melancholy, and fascination: simulacra are made transparent to reveal the loss of the real beneath them; nihilism is melancholic because it is overcome by an indifference inspired by the transparency of simulacra; the nihilist's fascination is fascination "by all forms of disappearance, of our disappearance" (160). These are all facets of a nihilism directed toward the hyperreal, and this is the type of nihilism represented in The Matrix. Morpheus and his group are understood by those who seek to preserve the system as dangerous terrorists, but not because of the physical destruction they cause. For the most part they destroy only appearances; while the people they kill in the Matrix really die in their pods, the life they understood as theirs never ended because it never existed. Morpheus and his group are known as terrorists because of their awareness that they are primarily destroying appearances. The problem is that these appearances are so intimately linked with the "real" human being beneath it that to kill the one is to kill the other. Absolute liberation is suicide, or only by suicide.
The second movie in the trilogy, The Matrix Reloaded, reinforces this convinction. Even Zion is dependent upon machines, and to shut down the Matrix will be, consequently, to shut down the millions of lives dependent upon it. Neo, at the end of the second film, risks the lives of virtually the entire human race by refusing to submit to the mechanisms of control, and at this point it's not apparent that he hasn't already risked or sacrificed the lives of every human being in the Matrix. Their reasoning here quite possibly mirrors state reasoning intended to justify civilian casualities in time of war, introducing the problematic of killing those, or at least some of those, you intend to liberate. At some point death itself appears to be liberation. The third film resolves this tension the only way possible: a detenté with the machines for the sake of defeating the "anti-Christ" within Matrix mythology, Agent Smith. Through his ubiquitous self replication he threatens to transform the entire human and machine world into a single, self replicated "I." Control would then be truly absolute, for only a singular will would be in existence.
Baudrillard goes on to argue in "On Nihilim" that nihilism today still checks the system in broad daylight, but not with weapons: "Theoretical violence, not truth, is the only resource left to us" (Baudrillard 163). His immediate hope is that "the more hegemonic the system, the more the imagination is struck by the smallest of its reversals. The challenge, even infinitesimal, is the image of a chain failure" (Baudrillard 163). He compares even the most infinitesimal challenge of a hegemonic system to a wry smile at the end of an impassioned speech; it invalidates everything said previously, "effaces the whole discourse" (Baudrillard 163). The Matrix Reloaded reveals that even Zion is part of an infinitesimal system anomaly that needed to be maintained in order for the system to work at all. Intuition is pit against instrumental reason, reason designed to dominate nature and human beings, in a dialectic in which each is dependent upon the other. Baudrillard ultimately asserts that the situation is insoluble because the system itself is nihilistic, absorbing both physical and theoretical violence into its own indifference, as the Matrix attempts to do in The Matrix Reloaded, wanting to incorporate the unique insights of Neo, the latest version of the One, into itself until all potential choices produced by intuition exist only as choices within the Matrix. At that point, the Architect fantasizes, his system will have achieved total control. In Baudrillard, even death "shines by virtue of its absence" and participants remain seduced by appearances again, appearance imposing itself upon us through the meaning that ostensibly destroyed it (Baudrillard 163). Matrix Revolutions represents the wry smile in Neo's final confrontation with Agent Smith, who effectively outthinks himself while Neo, confident, overcomes through submission.
Recent events in the United States seem to bear out Baudrillard's observations: physical terrorist violence only strengthens the grip of the system as people become willing to substitute knowledge, privacy, and governmental accountability for security. At this point, of course, the value of his observations come into question. What is the purpose of the knowledge gained by his analysis if even Baudrillard's own theoretical violence is ineffectual? Is the social critic and theorist a clownish figure pointing out incongruities we all accept? Or is there an optimism masked by the mere act of writing, one that presupposes that "enlightenment" in the form of knowledge of the individual's material system of relations can empower the individual to break free, to some degree, of the system in which all are caught?
This ubiquitous control exercised by this system even (or especially) extends to the mundane sphere of the workplace, representing the individual's economic existence. In the scene "They're Coming for You" in the first film, Neo's supervisor at the computer firm Metacortex (higher mind, drawing a parallel between the A.I. supercomputer and the organizational structures of the everyday workplaces) chastises Neo for being late to work by saying:
You have a problem with authority, Mr. Anderson. You believe that you are special, and that somehow the rules do not apply to you. Obviously you are mistaken. This company is one of the top software companies in the world because every single employee understands that they are part of a whole. Thus, if an employee has a problem, the company has a problem. The time has come to make a choice, Mr. Anderson. Either you choose to be at your desk on time from this day forward, or you choose to find yourself another job. Do I make myself clear? (Matrix 1.5)
Ironically, window washers distract both Neo and his supervisor while the supervisor delivers this reprimand, window cleaning representing both the clarity of the supervisor's position and the clarity of Neo's place in the workforce. The clarity of signification serves as the means of reinforcing an ideological construct; namely, the ideology guiding the workplace. Neo's value in the workplace, similar to his value within the Matrix, is simply to feed the system. When he no longer does so he is flushed out. Control mechanisms are set up in both contexts to ensure he serves the role intended for him.
The system, the artificial world, interpellates each individual within it so completely that their perceived subjectivity is a complete fiction, a simulacrum, while their "real" subjectivity is completely unknown to them. Their fictional subjectivity is taken for granted, never questioned, even to the point where their real physical existence and perceived physical existence are literally worlds apart. This existence is maintained and supported by the Matrix for its own material benefit and physical survival. Neo's conversation with his supervisor parallels, precisely, his relationship to the Matrix, and it is a relationship in which he will play his part, subject himself to control, or he will be disciplined or removed by "agents" of control.
Since Morpheus, Trinity, Neo, and their group are known as terrorists within the world of the Matrix, physical violence overpowers the trilogy. The "Lobby Shooting Spree" of the first film represents the films' elevatation of violence to a visual art; the scene glories in a sensual aesthetics of violence (Matrix 1.29). The film's cinematography emphasizes control through enlightenment, as in this shooting scene where a heavily armed Neo and Trinity kill over twenty security guards and special forces police to gain access to the building and camera angles represent total control and manipulability of the shot. The film's physical violence, however, is just a thin analog to the deeper violence Neo advocates in his final speech to the supercomputer from a phone booth, a violence that threatens the system and all caught within it, a violence that is ultimately theoretical, not physical:
I know you're out there. I can feel you now. I know that you're afraid. You're afraid of us, you're afraid of change. I don't know the future. I didn't come here to tell you how this is going to end. I came here to tell you how it's going to begin. I'm going to hang up this phone, and then I'm going to show these people what you don't want them to see. I'm going to show them a world without you, a world without rules or controls, without borders or boundaries. A world where anything is possible. Where we go from there is a choice I leave to you. (Matrix 1.35)
The constant stream of digits that represents the Matrix stops then reads "System Failure" and Neo hangs up the phone, flying into the distance, into the space occupied by the audience. Rage Against the Machine's "Wake Up" plays to the closing credits: "Departments of police, the judges, the feds / Networks at work, keepin' people calm / You know they went after King / When he spoke out on Vietnam / He turned the power to the have-nots / and then came the shot" (DeLa Rocha "Wake Up"). The physical violence in all three films symbolized theoretical violence against forms of control and against a ubiquitous system designed to maintain control; when the hero gains enlightenment, he gains control.
In the second film his very enlightenment, however, is shown to be part of the system of control. This deconstructs the salvation narrative of the first film by locating its origin in the system itself. In a further reversal, we learn that the machine world isn't governed by the Architect's sole consciousness, but by multiple points of view vying for control. Viewers learn in the second film that the Oracle is working for the system. They learn in the third film that she's working, against the Architect's will, to end the war and make peace with humanity, a possibility opened up to Neo in the third film by his encounter of a loving Indian family in the train station. The dialectic of enlightenment interrogated by this film trilogy, then, isn't simply represented by a machine vs. human dichotomy. Both sides of the dialectice are equally represented in both the human and machine worlds, both of which would come to an end if either attempted to gain complete control. The real threat, it seems, is only Agent Smith.
This dialectic was initially represented by the pairs of options presented to Neo throughout the first film. He has two identities; Thomas Anderson, his interpellated subjectivity, and his hacker alias Neo, his intuitively known subjectivity (perhaps even his "class consciousness" in Lukác's sense of the word), the part of him that maintains a dim awareness that he lives a fiction and is seeking the truth. He must choose between the red and the blue pill, and by doing so chooses between ignorance and the truth about the Matrix. He must choose between his life and Morpheus', between leaving his workplace by the scaffold (climbing to Promethean heights – in his fear he subjects himself to the agents of control rather than risk falling) or in the custody of agents, between the "real world" and the "dream world," a distinction that is consistently confused throughout the film by agents of control. In every case, his choice is between conformity and self-determination; submission to the system and the subjectivity it has defined for him or the forging of his own consciousness; blindness or knowledge of the truth about his condition. The second film, rather than reinforcing the sign system established in the first film, assumes it while calling into question the very existence and meaning of choice. Where choices were once offered, now they appear to be part of the mechanism of control itself. Neo's job in the third film is to untie the gordian knot of free will and control, the very dialectic of enlightenment itself. He does so not be defeating the machines, but by making peace with them.
Baudrillard's postmodernism offer readers similar choices, but without setting up human consciousness as the primary battleground because consciousness itself is a simulacrum. The Matrix's development of individual subjectivity in specifically non-materialist terms is where the film departs from its postmodern influences and projects itself into the future, a development communicated through the film's pervasive religious imagery. The film simply doesn't adhere to a bare materialism, which in the film would mask rather than uncover humanity's "true" condition. The film's Christian imagery has already been described. Hindu and Buddhist belief systems are represented by two different children at the Oracle's home in the first film and elsewhere in the trilogy. Any religion descending from the Vedas is an adequate contextualization for a personal enlightenment consisting of the truth that "you are a slave, Neo, like everyone else you were born into bondage, born into a prison that you cannot smell or taste or touch, a prison for your mind" (Matrix 1.8). This is almost reminiscent of Kant's image of the human mind in Critique of Pure Reason as an island in a fog, separate from the external world. Neo's enlightenment blows away the fog so that he completely perceives the world around him, turning idealism on its head while representing far more than just a material system of relations. It doesn't matter if the Wachowski Brothers believe in any religion or all the them. It is significat that they had to appropriate religious symbols to describe a desperately longed for liberation. It is this appropriation that signals the importance of religion in the west today.
The Baudrillard of Simulcra and Simulation would reject the first and third film's optimism although his standpiont is mirrored in the second film's answers. But the films' answers for Baudrillard's insoluble, pervasive nihilism is personal enlightenment, an enlightenment consisting of each individual realizing their condition and the nature of the matrix within which they are caught. Baudrillard implicitly values this realization however much he silences the language of individual enlightenment. His exposé of the mechanisms of societal control demands a telos that takes the form of an enlightened subjectivity attained by his readers at some time. The film's unabashed optimism is that individuals can finally understand the system in which they are caught well enough to manipulate it according to their own wills, working independently of the will of the system, becoming programmers, becoming gods that can shape their environment to their own wills.
The Matrix Trilogy locates the future of science fiction and the possible future of western thought in its optimism and in its abandonment of purely materialist conceptions of social relations and a re-emphasis upon psychic, even "spiritual," realities. All previous metanarratives focused attention beyond the inner self; Medieval and Renaissance theology looked through the material universe to a God and creator, while the scientism arising in the 19th century reduced the individual to a monad in a material world governed by mechanistic, unchangeable physical laws. Scientism is so transparently a substitute for theology, in fact, that a 2002/2003 college catalog entry for a course entitled "Narratives of Human Evolution: Neanderthals" conveys the instructor's belief "that scientific evidence for our evolution suggests a narrative stranger and more wonderful than any creation myth or work of fiction" (Drew First Year Seminar Program 1). Invoking the religious elements of mystery and wonder, this professor attempts to supplant religion by science with an almost child-like transparency, setting up scientists as priest/initiates in a gnosis uncovered through scientific research. Postmodern theory is a development of this scientism which remains forever inadequate; any completely outward looking philosophy is inadequate to meet the intuitively felt need for personal enlightenment consistently represented in all three films. It is no coincidence that evil, in the film, is represented by a machine. We fear most what we ourselves have created, what we have constructed. Our creation anxiety directed toward the machine is but a trope for our fears of our real creation: society itself. The machine is the world of human interaction, birthing us, feeding us, using us for its own survival and we are dependent upon it with seemingly nowhere else to go.
The machine is a trope for instrumental reason, reason whose goal is to dominate nature and the rest of humanity. What happens when instrumental reason attains its own consciousness? Is it really necessary to posit a self conscious supercomputer to assert that its increasing ubquity ultimately dehumanizes the human? What form could revolt take then? The Wachowski Brothers may as well have invoked Marcuse at this point instead of Baudrillard, who frighteningly predicted in 1955 that guerilla warfare (read: terrorism) is the only outlet of revolt against a ubiquitous system:
The body against "the machine" -- not against the mechanism constructed to make life safer and milder, to attenuate the cruelty of nature, but against the machine which has taken over the mechanism: the political machine, the corporate machine, the cultural and educational machine which has welded blessing and curse into one rational whole. The whole has become too big, its cohesion too strong, its function too efficient -- does the power of the negative concentrate in still partly unconquered, primitive, elemental forces? The body against the machine: men, women, and children fighting, with the most primitive tools, the most brutal and destructive machine of all times and keeping it in check -- does guerrilla warfare define the revolution of our time? (Marcuse 7)
The Matrix Reloaded confronts the reader with the inevitability only hinted at by Cipher's character in the first film. The only way to save human beings caught within the Matrix and free them from machine control is for human beings to gut the consciousness of the machine and take control. But the choice, then, is between independent instrumental reason in the form of a machine, and instrumental reason in control of a small group of human beings. Cipher escaped machine control to be subject to Morpheus' orders; when he came to see his situation in that light, he chose a comfortable position in the Matrix to the "freedom" of being subject to human control.
Postmodernism seems at first to be an advancement. While still providing its own metanarrative, it so thoroughly exposes outward looking metanarratives as constructs that the individual is turned in upon his or her own consciousness as the only grounds of judgment and value. But since postmodern theory is still rooted in its materialist philosophical predecessors such as Marxism, the postmodern individual is left desperately seeking to transcend a self which has now become its prison, allowing narratives of religious awakening to a heightened subjectivity through awareness of an outward, transcendent, immaterial "reality" to have an almost irresistible appeal. If this progression from postmodern paradigms to ecstatic religious experience seems unlikely, consider this excerpt from a Methodist seminary's 2003-2005 course catalog:
Jacques Derrida—long reviled as the progenitor of and poster boy for a radical, atheist, nihilistic relativism unleashed upon the world under the flag of something called 'deconstruction'—has more recently become the new poster boy for the convergence of themes in postmodernism and religion. (Drew University 2003-2005)
Consider also that Derrida was the keynote speaker at the conference "Irreconcilable Differences? Jacques Derrida and the Question of Religion," hosted by the University of Santa Barbara in October of 2003, and was plenary speaker at the 2002 joint conference of the American Academy of Religion and Society of Biblical Literature in Toronto (5). Religion tells us there is somewhere else to go: the transcendent. These religious narratives, unlike those of the past, will be personal and non-dogmatic, experiential rather than doctrinal. There is a long tradition in many religious traditions that even distrusts language about God. To some Hindus, God is s/he "before whom all words recoil." Christian Eastern Orthodoxy's apophatic theology defines God as "not this"; once everything, even language, has been erased as "not God," what is left is God. The future of postmodernism is personal spiritual awareness, science fiction is a trope for religous enlightenment in this film. The post-postmodern period has seen the destruction of appearances and meaning turned upside down.
The translation of the film's theoretical violence to the present world is problematic, however. Unlike the world of The Matrix, our "real" world does not have a readily apparent escape hatch. We are dependent upon the system that feeds us. We are inextricably dependent upon grocery stores for food, hospitals for health care, phone companies for communication, and have no substitutes should these fail. Our only hope is that the Wachowski brothers' optimism is justified, that personal enlightenment gives us some distance from our matrices. Unfortunately, it is only from a position of personal enlightenment that we can know. We can only know how much power we have outside the matrix once we are outside the matrix; we can't even know if there is an "outside" the matrix until after we have pressed against or passed through its boundaries. Ironically, the film's use of materialist postmodern theory leads it to affirm that religious subjectivity is a viable response to nihilistic ideological constructs that already presuppose materialism. Baudrillard's theory doesn't account for a future in which something like his own construct would become an ideological agent wielding ubiquitous control, nor that religious enlightenment could represent human emancipation. The Matrix Trilogy reveals that western techonological republics are still longing for a Christ to show the way to an escape hatch leading us out of ourselves, and that our postmodern condition has made us ripe to seek the fulfillment of this longing.
Works Cited
Baudrillard, Jean. Simulacra and Simulation. Trans. Sheila Faria Glaser. Ann Arbor, MI: The University of Michigan Press, 1994.
Drew University. "First Year Seminar Program," 2002/2003 Course Catalog: College of Liberal Arts. <20 April 2002>
Drew University. "THRST 724/Theology & Derrida: (Re)Drawing Lines in the Sands of Ambiguity. 2003/2005 Course Catalogy: The Theological School.
Marcuse, Herbert. Eros and Civilization. Boston: Beacon Press, 1974.
The Matrix. Dir. The Wachowski Brothers. Perf. Keanu Reeves, Lawrence Fishburne, Carrie-Ann Moss, Hugo Weaving, and Joe Pantoliano. 1999. DVD. Warner Brothers, 1999. Scene titles and scene and chapter numbers are taken from the DVD index.
Nichols, Peter. "HOME VIDEO: More to Satisfy 'Matrix' Mania." The New York Times, Late Edition: Final, Section E, Column 3, p. 26 November 9, 2001.
Rage Against the Machine. "Wake Up." By Zack de la Rocha and Rage Against the Machine. Rage Against the Machine. Epic, 1992.
Staples, Brett. "Editorial Observer; A French Philosopher Talks Back to Hollywood and 'The Matrix.'" The New York Times Late Edition: Final , Section A , Page 24 , Column 1, p. 788 May 24th, 2002.
Notes
1. Special thanks to Prof. Cassandra Laity, Dan Knauss, and Sheridan Lorraine for invaluable editorial assistance.
2. If you'd like to read an old version of this article published elsewhere on the web, go here. This early version of the essay was originally written shortly after the release of the film.
3. If you'd like to read my short review of The Matrix Reloaded published in Riverwest Currents, go here.
4. A shortened version of this paper was presented at a Fordham University's conference entitled: "Metaphysics of the Image: The Alternate, The Transcendent, and The Virtual in Literature" on October 20th, 2001.
5. For details about the UC Santa Barabara conference, go to: http://www.religion.ucsb.edu/projects/irreconcilabledifferences/main_page.htm
For the AAR/SBC conference details, go to: http://www.religions.divinity.gla.ac.uk/derrida_and_religion.htm
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"Dressing to Dodge Bullets" by Ruth La Ferla for the New York Times |
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Derechos de autor de la imagen Getty Images Image caption Hay cerca de 35.000 bombreos voluntarios en Chile. "Cuando vamos a combatir estos incendios nos despedimos de nuestras familias".
Las autoridades chilenas confirmaron que cuatro bomberos y dos policías murieron combatiendo los feroces incendios en el centro y sur del país, que ya han consumido cerca de 290.000 hectáreas.
Uno de los bomberos fallecidos es Hernán Avilés, de 36 años, quien era padre de dos niños pequeño y fue alcanzado por las llamas al quedar enganchado en un alambre luego de rescatar a una familia de su vivienda en una zona rural.
¿Cómo es la lucha de los miles de bomberos voluntarios en Chile que arriesgan su vida para combatir los implacables incendios que azotan actualmente al país?
BBC Mundo recogió el testimonio del bombero honorario Ricardo Carrasco, de la Primera Compañía de Bomberos de Talagante, la misma a la que pertenecía Hernán Avilés.
"Dolor y orgullo por Hernán"
"Hernán tenía la misión de sacar unas personas que no querían salir de su hogar por temor a perder sus cosas.
Derechos de autor de la imagen Bomberos de Talagante Image caption Homenaje de los bomberos de Talagante a Hernán Avilés, que aparece iluminado en la imagen.
Derechos de autor de la imagen Getty Images Image caption Una misión primordial es rescatar a las personas de las viviendas en las zonas en las que avanzan las llamas.
Él logro sacar a una familia de tres personas.
Una señora se volvió a su hogar yHernán fue, la sacó y en el momento de salir producto de las condiciones del humo se quedó enredado en unos alambres.
Quiso salir de esta casa done había rescatado estas personas y lamentablemente con las condiciones que había en ese momento, ráfagas de humo, humo caliente, vapores, no vio este alambre, quedó enredado en él y las llamas lo alcanzaron. Fueron segundos.
Cuando nuestros compañeros y bomberos del sector quisieron ir en su rescate ya era imposible sacarlos, entre el humo, fuego y la temperatura. Hernán falleció asfixiado.
Tienes que entender que las ráfagas de viento son fuertes en ese sector, estamos hablando de zonas rurales donde hay casas de material ligero por lo general rodeadas de mucha vegetación. Son sectores montañosos y los vientos que hay en el sector son muy fuertes, en un segundo pueden recorrer 50 metros fácilmente.
Hernán sabía el riesgo, sabía a lo que iba a lo que se enfrentaba cuando quiso sacar a esas personas. Nosotros sentimos mucho dolor al hablar de Hernán pero también orgullo.
"Nos despedimos de nuestras familias"
Estar en el frente combatiendo los incendios significa un sacrificio enorme para nosotros.
En Chile somos 35 mil a 40 mil bomberos voluntarios y actualmente todos estamos trabajando.
Derechos de autor de la imagen Getty Images Image caption "Nos ha tocado mucho el cambio climático. Con temperaturas de 40 grados que no se veían y eso complica nuestra labor".
Es muy difícil hacer este trabajo ya que las condiciones climáticas en Chile han estado my cambiantes en los últimos años. Vivimos en una zona donde nos ha tocado mucho el cambio climático.
Está muy seco sobre todo en el sur con temperaturas que no conocíamos de 40 grados Celsius y eso nos ha complicado la labor.
El trabajo en el terreno se hace solamente con sacrificio, con vocación de servicio.
En Chile los bomberos somos voluntarios y somos voluntarios porque queremos serlo.
Hacemos un juramento de sacrificio que es dar la vida si fuere necesario y cada uno lo sabemos cumplir. Sabemos el peligro que corremos.
Cuando vamos a este tipo de incendios nos despedimos de nuestra familia. Sabemos que alguno de nosotros puede ser que no vuelva o puede ser que vuelva herido.
Hacemos también una pequeña ceremonia al salir de nuestros cuarteles, nos despedimos de nuestros camaradas, los oficiales a cargo nos dan sus directrices, muchas veces vienen autoridades eclesiásticas y nos despiden.
Es un momento íntimo y emotivo porque sabemos los riesgos que podemos correr.
"Soy ingeniero"
Yo soy ingeniero y gerente de una compañía, y llevo más de 18 años como bombero voluntario. Soy viudo y tengo una hija de 13 años.
Nuestro país es un país con muchas catástrofes naturales, siempre al borde de un terremoto, de un tsunami, de incendios.
Derechos de autor de la imagen Getty Images Image caption "Estamos hablando de montañas, de cerros y quebradas con vientos muy fuertes y donde no llegan los carros de agua ".
Para nosotros es un orgullo ser bomberos, poder ayudar a la gente. Solamente lo hacemos por amor al prójimo, por vocación de servir.
Cuando ayudamos vemos la sonrisa de las personas, vemos que se pudo hacer algo, y eso ya es suficiente pago para nosotros.
Aunque tengamos segundos trabajos somos bomberos profesionales, normados a través de la norma NFPA2001 y siempre nos estamos capacitando.
Lo que hizo Avilés de ir a una casa en llamas a rescatar a tres personas, a una familia entera, no lo haría alguien por un pago, esos sacrificos se hacen solamente por amor al prójimo, por amor a servir, porque es nuestro juramento, porque nacimos así.
Si le ofrecieran mucho dinero a alguien para que se metiera en una casa en llamas no lo haría.
"Una chispa puede viajar 20 metros"
Estamos hablando de montañas, de cerros, lo que más necesitamos es infantería (gente en el terreno).
Derechos de autor de la imagen EPA Image caption "La gente cree que los aviones lanzan el agua para apagar las llamas vivas, pero no es así. Lo que hacen es enfriar el sector para que podamos llegar a extinguir los focos".
Derechos de autor de la imagen AP Image caption "El riesgo de convexión por medio del cual se propaga el fuego es muy alto. Una chispa de fuego puede viajar 20 metros y los vientos cambian constantemente".
Los aviones y helicópteros que van a este tipo de siniestro, la gente cree que lanzan el agua para apagar las llamas vivas, pero no es así. Lo que hacen este tipo de aviones es enfriar el sector para que infantería a través de palas, batientes, y otros elementos como mochilas de agua pueda llegar y apagar los focos.
El riesgo de convección (la propagación de calor en un medio fluido por diferencias de densidad) por medio del cual se propaga el fuego es muy alto. Una chispa de fuego puede viajar 20 metros y los vientos cambian constantemente.
Estamos hablando de quebradas, de lugares en altura, allí no llegan los carros de agua.
¿Por qué infantería? Porque mientras más manos tengamos al momento que pase el avión supertanque y nos enfríe un sector, mayor es la posibilidad de ir a apagar hasta el último foco de incendio y así evitar que por convección se traslade a otro lugar". | {
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People love Star Wars. This is a fact as simple as the sky being blue. So it’s no surprise that you will find some unscrupulous (or perhaps just ignorant) companies trying to play on the Star Wars love. That’s exactly what we find in these “Star Wars” toys purchased by wholesale trader Karl Baxter, of Wholesale Clearance UK. But these discount toys that arrived just in time for the new film release weren’t exactly what he expected.
These weren’t just knock-offs; these were fakes that seemed to have been designed by someone with no knowledge of the franchise and the results are hilarious (maybe not for Mr. Baxter). Most of the molds do not come close to properly resembling the characters intended but the names/titles are even funnier. Obi-Wan Kenobi was dubbed Toy-One and C-3PO is R2-3PO. A young Anakin Skywalker is simply called “little girl” and Qui-Gon Jinn is Fly-Gone-Gin.
These are not the Star Wars action figures you’re looking for…
He writes about it here on his blog, with a complete backstory, and some hilarious photos of the merchandise. Read it all here in Attack of the Poorly Made Clones.
A snippet:
So for your entertainment we photographed a selection of bootleg Star Wars toys from our warehouse whose names are almost as mistranslated as their moulds. From the freaky limbs of the Pod Race Droid, to Daft Serious’ vacant stare, these characters are sure to inspire a chuckle, even if the force is not with them.
At least he managed to have some fun with it. They decided to remove some of the toys and recreate some famous movie scenes with the knock-offs (or at least, attempt to): | {
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In “Star Trek,” Lieutenant Uhura wore a miniskirt and go-go boots. Astronauts in “2001: A Space Odyssey” floated in snug orange, yellow and blue space suits. Jane Fonda’s interstellar Barbarella sported a see-through top.
Real astronaut Neil Armstrong wore a bulky Michelin Man moon suit, and from 1995 space shuttle astronauts launching into orbit wore orange outfits known as “pumpkin suits.” Scientists today on the international space station bounce around in frat-house fashion staples, including cargo shorts from Nebraska-based hunting and camping outfitter Cabela’s.
“It’s a step up from Walmart , ” sniffs Ted Southern, president of space-gear maker Final Frontier Design in Brooklyn, who previously designed wings for Victoria’s Secret runway models.
Now, it seems, the future will finally look like it was supposed to—cool. Space garb is entering a new dimension, propelled by competition among private ventures seeking to carry NASA astronauts—and eventually private citizens—into orbit. New technologies mean it will finally be possible to leave the planet in style.
Elon Musk recently revealed the sleek flight suit, topped by Daft Punk-style headgear, his company created for crews to wear inside its Dragon capsule when headed for the international space station. SpaceX says it is on track to start ferrying U.S. astronauts to the orbiting laboratory as soon as this fall. | {
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Silvia Engels: Am Telefon ist Norbert Walter-Borjans. Er war zu rot-grünen Regierungszeiten Finanzminister in Nordrhein-Westfalen, ist vielen noch als derjenige bekannt, der CDs mit Steuerdaten ankaufen ließ, um Steuerbetrügern auf die Schliche zu kommen. Und er bewirbt sich jetzt, gemeinsam mit der Bundestagsabgeordneten Saskia Esken, für den SPD-Bundesvorsitz. – Guten Morgen, Herr Walter-Borjans.
Norbert Walter-Borjans: Guten Morgen, Frau Engels!
Engels: Sie müssen sich ja demnächst mit allem beschäftigen, wenn Sie SPD-Chef werden sollten. Koalitionsausschuss war gestern Abend; es ging um das Thema Klimaschutz. Fortschritt in diesem Bereich hat die SPD ganz maßgeblich zu einer Bedingung für den Fortbestand der Regierung gemacht. Hören Sie denn irgendetwas über Fortschritte bei diesem Thema?
Walter-Borjans: Ja, das ist ein Zeichen dafür, dass Fortschritte bei diesem Thema mit CDU und CSU enorm schwer umzusetzen sind. Es ist zwar so, dass jetzt die Wortwahl sich sehr geändert hat. Herr Brinkhaus spricht davon, dass man jetzt liefern muss. Auch von der SPD-Seite heißt es, es darf kein Klein-Klein geben. Aber wenn man sich dann anguckt, in dem Moment, wo es an das Eingemachte geht, dann stellt sich sofort die Frage: Es darf keine Steuer geben, obwohl die – das ist ja der SPD-Vorschlag – mit einer Rückzahlung an die Bürger dazu führen würde, dass man, wenn man sein Verhalten nicht ändern kann, gar nicht schlechter dasteht, aber wenn man es ändert, tatsächlich sparen kann. Stattdessen wird dann von einer Bepreisung gesprochen von CDU/CSU-Seite, die am Ende beim Verbraucher ankommt, nicht zu einer Entlastung der kleinen und mittleren führt, aber wahrscheinlich mit dem Deal verbunden ist, den Soli ganz abzuschaffen und damit den Topverdienern noch mal zehn Milliarden oben draufzulegen. Da weiß ich noch nicht so richtig, wo am Ende eine Einigung liegen könnte, mit der sich dann auch eine SPD ihren Wählerinnen und Wählern gegenüberstellen kann.
CO2-Steuer ist großer Anreiz etwas zu ändern
Engels: Aber bei der CO2-Steuer hat ja auch die SPD durchaus in Teilen ein Problem, denn das könnte ja auch die Wirtschaft belasten, und gerade Sie als nordrhein-westfälischer Politiker mit großen Industrieunternehmen im Land müssen ja auch darauf achten. Werden die dann aus dem Land getrieben?
Walter-Borjans: Nein. Das würde ja eher passieren bei dem, was CDU und CSU vorschlagen, nämlich wenn ich CO2 bepreise, wenn ich für den Ausstoß einen Preis nehme, dann liegt der erst mal bei der Wirtschaft. Die wird versuchen, das natürlich an die Verbraucher weiterzugeben, aber zunächst mal ist das ein Kostenfaktor. Wenn das über die CO2-Steuer auch wieder zu einer Rückzahlung führt, dann ist das ein großer Anreiz, etwas zu ändern, und es ist vor allen Dingen die Sicherstellung, dass die Normalverbraucher, die Pendler nicht diejenigen sind, die am Ende die Rechnung dafür bezahlen müssen, dass wir eine Menge an Lasten in die Zukunft verschoben haben in den letzten Jahrzehnten.
Engels: Klimaschutz hat ja auch sehr viel mit dem anstehenden Braunkohleausstieg bis 2038 zu tun. Hier steht ja der Zeitplan, wann welches Kraftwerk abgeschaltet wird, noch nicht fest. Aber als NRW-Politiker müssen Sie doch im Blick haben, dass es wahrscheinlich zuerst Kraftwerke in NRW trifft. Tragen Sie das mit?
Walter-Borjans: Ich habe auch da im Blick, dass am Ende nicht die Arbeitnehmerinnen und Arbeitnehmer in der Braunkohle diejenigen sind, die die Rechnung dafür bezahlen, dass wir alle über Jahrzehnte etwas in die Zukunft verschoben haben. Wenn wir liefern wollen, wie das Herr Brinkhaus so schön gesagt hat, natürlich müssen wir dann auch über den Ausstoß aus den Kraftwerken reden. Es gibt den Kompromiss, bis 2038 auszusteigen. Ich finde jede Anstrengung gut, die das früher möglich macht.
Engels: Und wann macht der erste Meiler beziehungsweise das erste Kraftwerk in NRW dicht?
Walter-Borjans: Das kann ich nicht sagen. Bislang ist es so, dass wir eine Vereinbarung haben bis 2038. Abweichungen wären gut, wenn sichergestellt ist, dass die sogenannte Transformation, das heißt, dass diese Umstellung nicht dazu führt, dass die Menschen es tragen müssen, mit dem Verlust ihres Jobs, mit dem Verlust ihrer Lebensperspektive, die jetzt in diesen Bereichen arbeiten, und auch das ist möglich. Das ist im Übrigen ein Punkt, der genauso gilt, wenn wir über Rüstungsindustrie sprechen. Wir können nicht auf der einen Seite sagen, wir wollen die Welt sicherer machen, wir wollen mehr Frieden haben, und dann aus Arbeitsplatzgründen aber sagen, wir müssen trotzdem hin und wieder mal ein paar Panzer und ein U-Boot nach Saudi-Arabien liefern.
Lebensstandard auf Kosten unserer Kinder erwirtschaftet
Engels: Schauen wir noch mal etwas konkreter auf Ihre angekündigte Bewerbung für den SPD-Parteivorsitz, gemeinsam mit der Bundestagsabgeordneten Esken. Ich habe es erwähnt. Sie haben sich selbst als "gutes Alternativangebot zu Bundesfinanzminister Scholz" bezeichnet. Was wollen Sie denn anders machen als er?
Walter-Borjans: Ich glaube, es gibt besonders im Bereich der Finanzpolitik ja durchaus Akzentsetzungen, die durchaus alle innerhalb der Sozialdemokratie diskutiert werden, aber bei denen wir durchaus, auch gerade wir beide unterschiedliche Positionen bezogen haben. Ich habe immer gesagt, wir müssen als SPD uns nicht kirre machen lassen von denen, die uns, wenn man die Verteilungsfrage anspricht, immer direkt unterstellen, wir wollten noch gar nicht erwirtschaftetes schon jemandem abnehmen. Wir haben in Deutschland viel erwirtschaftet. Wir erwirtschaften auch ständig viel. Aber das wird nicht in einer Weise verteilt, dass man sagen kann, die, die die Leistung erbringen, sind auch richtig daran beteiligt.
Wenn wir das Thema Klima uns gerade noch mal angucken, dann haben wir unseren Lebensstandard über Jahrzehnte dadurch erwirtschaftet, dass wir viel in die Zukunft verschoben haben, unseren Kindern etwas hinterlassen haben, was durchaus Schulden sind, wenn auch nicht in Geld. Und wenn wir das in die Gegenwart holen wollen, dann wird das in der Gegenwart etwas kosten, und dann stellt sich die Frage: Bezahlen das die kleinen und mittleren, die Arbeitnehmerinnen und Arbeitnehmer, die Pendler, oder müssen wir dann auch die Ungleichheit in Deutschland ansprechen? Ich glaube, dazu haben wir einen Anlass.
"Die schwarze Null ist für mich nicht das Dogma"
Engels: Die Vermögenssteuer, die Sie wahrscheinlich damit meinen, die will mittlerweile ja auch Herr Scholz. Wie steht es denn damit, für den Klimaschutz die Neuverschuldung hochzufahren, die schwarze Null zu verlassen?
Walter-Borjans: Ja, das ist der zweite Punkt. Wenn ich - das habe ich ja als Finanzminister in Nordrhein-Westfalen auch gemacht; ich habe einen hoch verschuldeten Haushalt mit hoher Neuverschuldung übernommen und nach sieben Jahren einen abgegeben, der ein Plus hatte. Insofern: Wenn die Steuereinnahmen das hergeben und man kann investieren, ohne dafür Kredite aufzunehmen, dann bin ich der erste, der sagt, natürlich machen wir das. Aber wenn wir auf Investitionen verzichten würden, die die Zukunft des Landes und unserer Kinder sichern würden, nur weil wir jetzt eine schwarze Null als Monstranz vor uns hertragen, dann würden wir auf die falsche Art Schulden übertragen, und da haben wir durchaus ein paar unterschiedliche Ansichten. Die schwarze Null ist für mich nicht von vornherein das Dogma.
Engels: Was für eine Art von Neuverschuldung schwebt Ihnen vor? Die grundgesetzliche Schuldenbremse setzt da ja enge Grenzen. Aber sollte man das, wenn Sie SPD-Parteichef sind, sofort an diese Grenze auch treiben?
Walter-Borjans: Erst mal wissen wir, dass die ins Grundgesetz geschrieben worden ist. Ohne eine verfassungsändernde Mehrheit bekommen Sie das ja gar nicht hin. Man sieht allerdings, dass mittlerweile Professoren und wissenschaftliche Institute, die weit entfernt sind davon, im Verdacht zu stehen, die Sozialdemokratie zu stützen, etwa das Arbeitgeberinstitut der deutschen Wirtschaft, dass Herr Hüther sagt, wir haben uns eingemauert. Und man sieht auch, wohin das läuft. Das verunsichert und treibt auch Wähler und Menschen wieder weg.
Wenn man sieht, dass am Ende wir uns eingestehen müssen, die ist, so wie sie konstruiert ist, ein Fehler, sie müsste Investitionen in die Zukunft zulassen. Also so, dass man sagt, was zusätzlich investiert wird, das darf wie in einem Privathaushalt auch mit einem Kredit finanziert werden. Wenn wir das nicht tun, dann kann man jetzt schon absehen, dass nach Hintertüren gesucht wird, dass nach Nebenhaushalten gesucht wird, weil am Ende auf irgendeine Art die Investitionen bezahlt werden müssen. Und wenn die Wirtschaft nicht so brummt, wie sie jetzt brummt, dann kommt man nicht darum herum, das auch mit einem Kredit zu machen, so wie das jeder, der eine Immobilie kauft, auch macht, wenn er nicht zufällig gerade eine Million in der Tasche hat.
Große Koalition hindert die SPD
Engels: Mit der Union wird aber ein Anheben der Neuverschuldung wohl nicht zu machen sein. Geht mit Ihnen als SPD-Chef und Ihrer Mitbewerberin die Regierungskoalition in Berlin rasch zu Ende?
Walter-Borjans: Alles was wir gerade besprochen haben zeigt eigentlich, dass eine Politik, die das, worüber wir sprechen, ernst nimmt, Investitionen in die Zukunft, tatsächlichen Klimaschutz, wirkliche Bekämpfung von Fluchtursachen, soziale Sicherung im eigenen Land, dass das Dinge sind, für die eine Große Koalition keine gute Grundlage ist. Ich gehöre nicht zu denen, die zu irgendwelchen Panikreaktionen neigen, aber ich glaube, diese Feststellung, die muss man erst mal im Kopf haben. Und mit dieser Feststellung werden wir ja auch beim Parteitag am 8. Dezember diskutieren, eine Halbzeitbilanz aufstellen und uns angucken, wie ist das weitere Verfahren, was ist sinnvoll. Aber ich sehe nur, dass im Augenblick ziemlich viele angezogene Handbremsen uns daran hindern, uns als SPD erkennbar zu machen, aber vor allen Dingen damit wirklich auch eine zukunftsgerichtete Politik zu machen.
Äußerungen unserer Gesprächspartner geben deren eigene Auffassungen wieder. Der Deutschlandfunk macht sich Äußerungen seiner Gesprächspartner in Interviews und Diskussionen nicht zu eigen. | {
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Software development website design... This is our idea on how it should look like 😉
See the full project here: https://softdev.weblium.site
And follow us on Dribble if you like our shots! | {
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Play video content EXCLUSIVE 2/20/18 TMZSports.com
UFC legend Anderson Silva is still adamant he never knowingly used steroids -- but says if the positive test results are accurate, the only explanation is "contaminated supplements."
Silva tested positive for two banned substances in a U.S. Anti-Doping Agency drug test conducted back in October. Silva is now facing a maximum 4-year suspension from fighting.
But, "The Spider" tells TMZ Sports he would NEVER knowingly juice up -- saying it would be a "stupid" thing to do at the tail end of his career.
His explanation -- "Maybe the supplements I'm using are contaminated."
Silva says his lawyers are still fighting to clear his name -- and he's confident he'll fight again.
In fact, he's still focused on getting a fight with boxing legend Roy Jones Jr.
And get this ... if 42-year-old Silva IS banned for 4 years -- he does NOT plan on retiring ... insisting he'll still take a fight even in his late 40s because he loves the sport so much. | {
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School Zone The Journal Sentinel education reporters offer news and notes from their beat SHARE
By of the
The American Civil Liberties Union of Wisconsin is looking into the Greendale School District's decision to removed a Hindu devotional song from a series of elementary school seasonal concerts.
The song, Raghupati Ragava Raja Ram, was removed from concerts this week after parents objected to it. Greendale Patch online newspaper reported that it was part of a multicultural program, with other songs including "Feliz Navidad" and "Hava Nagila."
An online translation of its lyrics referred to Hindu deities Sita and Rama and said: "God or Allah is your name."
Anna Madden, spokeswoman for the district, said the song was going to be performed at three elementary schools this week along with other holiday songs, but Greendale Superintendent William Hughes decided to remove it from the program on the recommendation of elementary school principals.
In a letter to Hughes, Christopher Ahmuty, executive director of ACLU of Wisconsin, asked for information about the decision and any communications about holiday concerts over the past three years.
"Given our mission your district’s decision raises a number of questions," Ahmuty wrote. "I hope that your answer to these questions will help us decide whether or not your district may have violated the First Amendment’s protections of religious liberty."
"We're not threatening one way or another," Ahmuty said in an interview. "We're just trying to find out what's going on."
Madden released a statement Wednesday that said in part: “The Greendale School District is committed to enhancing the awareness of and respect for the diverse cultures that exist in our District and our community. These annual concerts are part of our ongoing effort to incorporate an appropriate celebration of the holidays into our school activities. However, this is becoming increasingly more difficult to do." | {
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Reports that the new Snapdragon 810 chipset has been contending with heating problems has not stopped all OEMs from getting on board with the new octa-core 64-bit silicon.LG was the first manufacturer to announce it would be using the new system-on-a-chip in the new LG G Flex 2 . The company said it was able to work around the chip’s heat emissions. While that is arguably a good sign, it could also be seen as an acknowledgment that the Snapdragon 810 runs hotter than some would prefer.The issue has been the source of reports that Samsung was forgoing use of the new Qualcomm chip, in favor of its own Exynos CPU for the next generation Galaxy flagship (presumably called the Galaxy S6). However, it looks like Qualcomm is working on a redesign to address the heat emission issue and should have a solution for Samsung by March.It is not known if that will be in time for Samsung’s plans for manufacturing its new line of devices in 2015, but Qualcomm is undaunted since the Snapdragon 810 is obviously an integral part of the chipmaker’s strategy. For its part , LG has stated that heat levels are not solely about the CPU, but how a device is also designed to dissipate that heat. The company noted that the G Flex 2 was designed with the Snapdragon 810 in mind, so heat levels have remained within what LG deems optimal.There is some conjecture by analysts that Samsung may use this opportunity to provide wider distribution and use of its Exynos CPUs.source: The Wall Street Journal | {
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Für diesen Rentner gibt es noch Hoffnung,
dass er sich ans Internet gewöhnt
dhu, ssi; Foto oben: © Kzenon - Fotolia.com, Foto rechts: © Peter Maszlen - Fotolia.com dhu, ssi; Foto oben: © Kzenon - Fotolia.com, Foto rechts: © Peter Maszlen - Fotolia.com
Berlin (dpo) - Sie bewegen sich durch die reale Welt, als wären sie dort geboren, kommunizieren "Face-to-Face" oder gehen "Analogsurfen". Sie vernachlässigen Facebook-Freunde, verlieren ihr ganzes Geld in sogenannten "Läden" und sind oft nicht fähig, sich in Foren und Chats adäquat zu äußern: Die Rede ist von Offlinesüchtigen. Weil es davon in Deutschland zu viele gibt, schlägt Mechthild Dyckmans, die Drogenbeauftragte der Bundesregierung, jetzt Alarm Dyckmans erklärte im Zuge eines Presse-Livechats auf ihrer Domain : "Allein in der .de-Region sind rund 20 Millionen potenzielle User offlineabhängig und verbringen nahezu ihr gesamtes Leben außerhalb des Internets. Weitere 60 Millionen sind stark gefährdet und unternehmen immer wieder teils mehrstündige Ausflüge ins wahre Leben, wo sie für Familie und Freunde über Facebook oder Twitter nicht mehr zu erreichen sind."Senioren seien besonders anfällig für die Suchterkrankung. "Offlinesucht ist gerade in einer immer älter werdenden Gesellschaft ein großes Problem", schreibt Dyckmans teilweise in Leetspeak und berichtet schockiert vom Fall einer 94-jährigen Dame: "Die findet sich im Internet überhaupt nicht mehr zurecht. Da wurden durch lange Offline-Phasen ganze Hirnregionen geschädigt. Begleitet man sie ins Internet, so hat man den Eindruck, sie wäre dort zum ersten Mal (n00b!)."Eine aktuelle, crowdgesourcte Studie erklärt dieses Phänomen damit, dass das Phänomen Offlinesucht bis vor wenigen Jahren noch völlig unbekannt war. Besonders ältere Menschen seien nicht sensibilisiert und hätten von klein auf erhebliche Zeit offline verbracht, da die Beschränkung auf eine körperliche Identität bis in die 90er-Jahre des vergangenen Jahrhunderts als völlig unproblematisch angesehen worden war.Um die Anzahl der Offlinesüchtigen erfolgreich einzudämmen, will Dyckmans nun so schnell wie möglich eine Suchtberatungswebseite mit Chatberatung und Hilfsforen einrichten. Eine Pop-Up-Kampagne auf allen großen Nachrichtenportalen soll weitere Aufmerksamkeit schaffen. Dyckmans: "Es wäre ja gelacht, wenn wir Offlinesüchtige auf diese Weise nicht erreichen können." | {
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After facing repeated protests over his resistance to raising taxes on wealthy New Yorkers, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo relented on Tuesday, striking a deal with legislators that will boost state revenues by $1.9 billion while simultaneously dropping the middle class tax rate to the lowest it has been in 58 years.
Members of “Occupy Wall Street” have for months been pressuring elected officials to raise taxes on wealthy Americans and lighten the burden on the poor and middle class. This very issue is what activist and author Naomi Wolf was arrested over in October, outside a Huffington Post event where Cuomo was being honored for his support of marriage equality.
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At the time, he was opposed to renewing or replacing the state’s “millionaire’s tax,” which expires at the end of the year. But instead of doubling back on the “millionaire’s tax,” Cuomo’s deal will create a series of new tax brackets, according to The New York Times.
New York citizens earning $20,000 per year or more are currently taxed at a rate of 6.85 percent, as are married couples earning more than $40,000 per year. The new tax brackets would drop tax rates for the lowest incomes to 6.45 percent, while increasing the rates for higher earners. Couples with incomes between $150,000 and $300,000 will pay 6.65 percent; households that earn $300,000 to $2 million will pay 6.85 percent; and incomes over $2 million will be taxed at 8.82 percent, the Times noted.
The change represents the lowest middle class tax rate New Yorkers have seen in 58 years, Cuomo said in a prepared statement.
The arrangement represents a significant turn for the governor, who had adamantly opposed raising taxes on his wealthiest constituents. His position on the issue flew in the face of fellow Democrats and allied labor unions, which pressured the governor to fill the gap left in state revenue when the “millionaire’s tax” expires.
It also flew in the face of public opinion: not only do most New York voters support keeping the tax, a huge majority of Americans and even a majority of Republicans support higher taxes for top earners.
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The state is expected to face a budget deficit of at least $2.4 billion this fiscal year, although the Times estimated that it could grow to $3.5 billion.
Photo: Flickr user bogieharmond. | {
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“In perhaps its final ignominious act, the Reid Senate has ushered a 1,774 page omnibus funding measure through the world’s greatest deliberative body without a single amendment, a single chance for improvement, or a single opportunity for public participation.
“The United States Senate – challenged directly by the President’s unconstitutional immigration order – has laid prostrate and defenseless. Reid and his caucus have aggressively blocked a vote on my amendment to prohibit funds for the President’s illegal action – a motion that received unanimous Republican support and also five Democrat votes when last offered. Surely, Congress should not fund an action which violates our laws and imposes new laws we have refused to pass.
“But the Senate has made no attempt to defend itself, the Constitution and the citizens we are supposed to represent. Once again, Senate Democrats rallied around their leader to serve as the Administration’s imperial guard. They acted one more time to protect the White House at the expense of their own constituents. Why can’t Americans get representation in their own Senate?
“President Obama’s order violates the laws Congress has passed in order to force on the nation laws Congress has refused to pass. His order gives work permits, photo ID’s, Social Security, Medicare and free tax credits to illegal immigrants – taking jobs, wages and benefits directly from struggling Americans and lawful immigrants.
“It is not a choice but a duty: the new Senate in January must have no higher priority than to block this amnesty and defend the "people who sent us here. Every American must use the days and weeks ahead to call their lawmakers and ask them simply: who do you represent? | {
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WASHINGTON—As Walmart executives that showcased no-cost spine and heart surgeries at select hospitals, managers delivered a different message to retail associates at their stores: your healthcare costs are going up, again. Premiums are set to increase by up to 36% next year, employees were told, adding to steep hikes they faced last year. In comparison, projections for large employer-sponsored health plans are expected to increase by only 5.5 percent, .
This time last year, Walmart substantially rolled back coverage for part-time workers and significantly raised premiums as reported in the . Already working for poverty paychecks as a result of low-wages and insufficient hours, many of the company’s 1.4 million employees and their families are already uninsured and rely on costly public healthcare programs. The costly new changes are pushing many more hard-working Walmart Associates to drop coverage – a concern that members of OUR Walmart, the nationwide organization of Associates calling for change at the company, have been speaking out about.
Dan Hindman, a four year Associate from Paramount, Calif. store, doesn’t know how he is going to manage the rising costs. “Last year, my monthly premium went up 33%, and this year it’s going up another 25%. I can barely afford the Walmart healthcare right now,” said Hindman. “But I don’t want to lose coverage for my son and me.”
Walmart workers with families are some of the hardest hit by the changes in the plan. The increases over the last two years have doubled family coverage. This year alone, workers with children are facing an increase of up to 36% and those with full family coverage are confronted with a hike of 32%.
“Walmart’s double-digit premium increases, increased deductibles and cutbacks for part-time employees seem really excessive given the company’s profits,” said Ross Eisenbrey, Vice President at the Economic Policy Institute. “These harsh benefit cuts are out of line with what’s actually required by the insurance market, which nationwide has had only single-digit cost increases. With wages and household incomes stagnant—as well as families still recovering from the recession—it’s a particularly bad time for a rich company like Walmart to be shifting more costs onto its employees.”
Barbara Andridge, an eight-year Associate from Placerville, Calif. was hit hard last year when premiums and deductibles increased. Of the news, she said, “I couldn’t believe the increases last year and how much I had to pay out-of-pocket before my insurance started kicking in. I just couldn’t afford another hike this year. Walmart just doesn’t understand what’s really going on for the workers that keep the company’s doors open. That’s why OUR Walmart is working to make sure our voices are heard.”
members have been calling for changes at the company, including access to affordable healthcare, that will help workers, families and communities. In just one year, OUR Walmart has grown from an organization of 100 workers to a national organization of thousands of employees from 43 states. Earlier this month, workers from more than a dozen cities in protest of the retaliation that workers have been facing for speaking out about issues such as healthcare, scheduling, customer service and safety issues. Elected officials, community leaders and workers held protests at more than 200 Walmart stores across the country and committed to joining workers to stop the retaliation and to reclaim Black Friday for Walmart workers and their communities by engaging in a wide range of non-violent activities on and leading up to Black Friday, including rallies, flash mobs, direct action and other efforts to inform customers about the illegal actions that Walmart has been taking against its workers.
Karin Aubrey-Sullivan, a 54-year old Walmart Associate from Cape Canaveral, Fla. store, says the increases mean healthcare premiums could now eat up one-third of each of her paychecks. “I am scared to death now with the insurance changes for 2013,” she says. “The rates have gone up again, and the deductibles have both been increased. I have developed some health issues over the past couple of years so I really need to carry insurance, but I just don’t know how I’ll cover the costs.”
In addition to the premium increases, Walmart has added a number of restrictions on eligibility to the plan that will significantly limit access to coverage, even at the unaffordable rates. Under the new plan, Associates hired after February 1, 2012 will need to average 30 hours a week to be eligible for healthcare, an increase from the 24-hour eligibility requirement that was put into place last year. Up until last year, all part time employees were able to purchase insurance after 365 days of employment.
Workers also face steep increases in out-of-pocket costs. Beyond the dramatic increases in premium costs, Walmart has drastically increased costs for out-of-network coverage. For the first time, Walmart has created different deductibles for in-network versus out-of-network care. Previously all monies spent counted toward the deductible.
__________
Follow latest developments at
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india
Updated: Apr 12, 2018 20:27 IST
A 17-year-old girl who has accused Uttar Pradesh legislator Kuldeep Singh Sengar of raping her said on Thursday she fears he will harm her uncle and should be arrested immediately.
“Why is he being shielded?” she said. “If the MLA is allowed to remain out he will not leave my uncle... He had earlier too hatched conspiracies against my kin,” said the girl, a resident of Unnao district.
The girl was allegedly abducted and raped last year. The case sparked new headlines after the girl’s father on Monday died of injuries reportedly sustained while in police custody.
The Uttar Pradesh government on Thursday announced Sengar, who belongs to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), had been formally charged and handed over the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
“I will get justice only if CBI investigates the case with honesty. How will I get justice if they don’t investigate honestly?” she said about the government’s announcement. “Only when he is arrested, I will be satisfied and I will be able to say that the BJP government is doing justice.”
Read | In midnight drama, Unnao BJP lawmaker Kuldeep Sengar meets police
The girl attempted to immolate herself outside chief minister Yogi Adityanath’s residence on Sunday. She says her father was tortured by police and was arrested for trying to pursue the case.
Sengar has denied the charges. “I am a disciplined BJP worker. I am innocent. I am being implicated,” he has said.
The state goverment rejected allegations that it had been soft on Sengar. “Nobody is defending him (Kuldeep Singh Sengar). All we are saying is that we have to hear both sides. Now that the case has been given to the CBI, they will decide on arrest,” said OP Singh, the state’s director general of police.
“If any evidence is found, the CBI will take a call if the accused has to be arrested or not,” Singh said at a press conference in Lucknow.
(With agency reports) | {
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When we started building our Basket protocol in September 2017, we had an eye out for new Blockchain platforms, and were especially tethered to developments surrounding the rise and growth of NEO. Earlier this February, we started looking into the NEO Blockchain in much greater detail and found a lot of high-quality projects building on NEO on the back of strong platform potentials. Hence, from being a purely Ethereum-based project, we decided to pivot to a multi blockchain project on Ethereum as well as NEO — a radically new way to trade on a DEX.
Soon, you will be able to download and install a new WandX Desktop Application in line with the new way of the project. And in this post, I would like to highlight not just the features of our new desktop app but also elaborate on what our vision is, for WandX, in the coming year.
Our reasons to exist
Make crypto investments market accessible. For a new user looking to enter the crypto market, there’s fear and feelings of uncertainty around how to enter the market and how to work the market sentiments to buy and sell ‘tokens’ or digital assets meaningfully and in a risk-balanced way. Make DEX trading easy. For a new entrant in the crypto space, a centralized exchange, today, offers a far better user experience than a DEX, though a Decentralized Exchange (DEX) has proven advantages of security, non-centralized custody, and finality of the trade over a centralized exchange (CEX). Low liquidity, high price volatility. Due to low liquidity and high price volatility of most crypto assets, there’s uncertainty as to which Tokens to gain exposure to.
How we are solving for these
We have created what we call the ‘Basket protocol’.
The basket protocol enables users to buy, at one go, a bundle or a ‘Basket of Tokens’ on either NEO or ETH blockchains.
This helps users in building token portfolios easily and in a cost-effective manner, while potentially reducing volatility and balancing out many of the risks associated with individual token purchase. To add to that, this protocol is fully decentralized, meaning that custody of the Tokens is transferred directly from the creator of the Basket to the buyer, with no other central authority maintaining custody.
2. We have now created a one-stop, multi-blockchain decentralized exchange (DEX) on NEO and Ethereum, as a Desktop application, one that supports existing ledger wallets as well as allows creation of new wallets/importing of existing wallets within the app.
With this way of managing trading wallets, not only do users sign transactions to execute trades far more easily, they trade seamlessly on the various tokens issued on Ethereum as well as NEO without having to jump from platform to platform.
Key Benefits of the WandX Desktop app
It is a single platform for trading both NEO and Ethereum assets and saves you from maintaining various wallets and then signing transactions on a different wallet from the custody wallet. It provides a low friction trading experience on a decentralized exchange. You are in control of your funds as wallets are created locally on a users’ machine, and the trades happen through our smart contracts. You can manage your portfolio of assets on NEO or Ethereum using our Basket protocol, hence enabling others to buy or copy your portfolio.
Features of the WandX Desktop app
Wallets
A wallet is a combination of a private/public key pair.
On the WandX Desktop app, users can create new Wallets for NEO and Ethereum, import existing wallets using private keys or JSON files, or use Ledger wallet to make trades.
The private-public key pair is generated locally on the users’ machine, and users can use the wallet to easily sign transactions for placing orders, execute orders, create Token Baskets, trade Token Baskets and more. All of this can be done on either NEO or Ethereum as both kinds of wallets can be created on the platform. Also, any number of wallets can be created on NEO or Ethereum on the WandX Desktop App.
Trade using any wallet created on either the NEO or ETH Blockchains.
DEX on NEO
The WandX Desktop app has a decentralized exchange on both NEO and Ethereum. On the NEO DEX, it enables users to trade NEP-5 Tokens for NEOGAS or NEO. The smart contracts support trade of NEP5 for NEP5 as well, and this will be available on the desktop app as soon as we integrate support for a stable coin on NEO. The smart contracts on NEO follow an escrow model, where users have to deposit Tokens/NEO/NEOGAS into our smart contract, and then the trade happens on the smart contract.
Trading on the NEO DEX for trading NEOGAS for NEP5 Tokens and vice versa.
DEX on Ethereum
On the Ethereum DEX, the smart contracts enable trade of ETH for ERC20 Tokens and ERC20 for ERC20, which will be enabled using DAI by the end of September ‘18. On both the NEO and ETH DEX, support for the ledger wallet will be enabled by the end of September, hence users can directly trade from their hardware wallets.
Basket Protocol on NEO
To enable users to trade Token Baskets, which makes it easy for users to get exposure to multiple Tokens through a single transaction, we have created this protocol on NEO and ETH but with differences in terms of the contract structure. On NEO, if a user wants to create a Basket of say 4 NEP5 Tokens, he assigns these 4 Tokens in a particular ratio into the Token Basket, after which the Basket is created. The creator of the Basket assigns an “Ask Price” for the Basket. When another user purchases a Basket, he pays the ask price + the platform fee of 0.1% of the total Ask Price. He then receives ownership of the Token basket that contains all the underlying Tokens. In the next couple of updated releases of the desktop app, we’ll be adding profile pages for users, and themed Token baskets, hence users will be able to request for Token Baskets that they want to purchase, even though it’s not been created yet on the platform.
Token Baskets created using ERC20 Tokens.
Basket protocol on Ethereum
On Ethereum, the basket protocol that we’ve developed and released onto the main network enables users to create, trade, and liquidate Token Baskets. This structure is different from the NEO Baskets, in that every Token Basket created on Ethereum is a smart contract that holds the underlying Tokens, and the owner of the smart contract is the creator of the Token Basket. When another user transfers the ask price worth of ETH to the Token Basket smart contract, the ownership of the Token Basket is automatically changed to the new user. Hence, this is a fully decentralized protocol, that can enable any user to create or trade in Token Baskets. This protocol is also compatible with 0x V2.
Token model for WAND
The WAND Token enables user to obtain a discount of 75% on transactions made on the Ethereum DEX and the Ethereum Basket protocol.
Token model for WANDNEO
The WANDNEO Token will be released early this September. It’s utility is that it has a staking model that enables users to stake the WANDNEO in return for the fees made by the platform in NEOGAS. This fee will be distributed every 45–70 days, depending on the block number and time for new blocks to be created. The WANDNEO Token will also be tradable on the WandX Desktop app. The WANDNEO Token will have the following characteristics:
Type of token: NEP-5
Total supply: 100 million WANDNEO
Circulating supply: 25 million WANDNEO
This is the total amount that is being airdropped to all those who download and Register for the WandX Desktop app, and for all WAND Token holders on a 1:1 ratio.
Airdropped to users who don’t hold WAND but download the desktop app = 300WANDNEO. Airdropped to users who hold WAND and download the desktop app = 300WANDNEO + 1:1 ratio of WAND to WANDNEO.
The remaining 75 million tokens will be staked on the staking contract and will remain with the team for future partnerships or investments, if needed.
Note: The WandX platform will be available only as a Desktop app, and the web version will still remain, but won’t be actively worked on. The Desktop app has all the features described above, hence providing a seamless experience for users. The Desktop app will be released on Mac, Windows, and Linux operating systems, with the Beta already out on all three.
Key links:
Website — https://wandx.co
Community — https://t.me/wandxapp
Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/wandx.co/
Twitter — https://twitter.com/WandXDapp
Desktop App Beta — https://www.wandx.co/downloads.html | {
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So how many and what kind of mRNAs are part of Smaug’s treasure? Microarray analyses have shown that at least 20% of all maternal mRNAs are substrates of the maternal degradation pathway [2, 4]. Surprisingly, Smaug is required for the degradation of two-thirds of those, a minimum of 700, and presumably more than 1,000, mRNAs [2]. In their study, Chen et al. [1] examined the mRNAs translationally repressed by Smaug. For this purpose, they isolated polysome-associated mRNA from smg and wild-type control embryos and analyzed them by microarrays. The experiments resulted in a high-confidence set of 342 mRNAs that were more strongly polysome-associated in smg mutants, implying their Smaug-dependent repression in the wild-type. Using a statistical analysis, the authors extrapolated that as many as 3,000 transcripts, about one-half of the total number of mRNAs detectable in the early embryo, may be under translational control by Smaug. However, the two well-known Smaug targets, Hsp83 and nos, were not among them. This was not unexpected: Hsp83 RNA is destabilized but not repressed by Smaug, and nos mRNA has been reported (and was confirmed in this study) to be associated with polysomes, even though translation products are not detectable. This is an important caveat, showing that the presence of an mRNA in polysomal fractions does not exclude regulation by Smaug.
How many of the mRNAs regulated by Smaug are direct targets? Using immunoprecipitation of the protein followed by microarray analysis of associated RNA (RIP-chip), Chen et al. identified transcripts of 339 genes that are bound by Smaug. By means of a recently developed computational method, they then scanned the Smaug-bound RNAs and the high-confidence set of 342 translationally repressed RNAs for the presence of potential SREs, stem-loop structures with the loop sequence CNGGN 0-4 . Both in the bound and in the regulated RNAs, SREs were predicted with a 10-fold higher probability than in non-bound and non-regulated RNAs, respectively. In addition, the selected RNAs contained variant SRE sequences with probabilities matching the binding specificity of Smaug determined in earlier biochemical experiments: high-affinity sites were more enriched than low-affinity sites. These results come as no surprise with regard to the Smaug-bound RNAs; they merely support the reliability of their identification. However, a similar degree of enrichment of the SREs in the translationally repressed RNAs suggests that a large fraction at least of the high-confidence RNAs are direct targets of Smaug. By analyzing data from one of their previous studies [2], the authors also found SREs to be strongly enriched in mRNAs degraded in a Smaug-dependent manner, again suggesting a direct role for Smaug. Performing pairwise comparisons of RNAs bound by Smaug, repressed by Smaug (directly or indirectly) and destabilized by Smaug (directly or indirectly), Chen et al. found high degrees of overlap: two-thirds of the Smaug-bound RNAs were also destabilized by the protein, and three-quarters of the binders were also translationally repressed. Similarly, the destabilized and repressed RNAs overlapped to a large extent.
What about those RNAs that are destabilized or repressed but were not identified as Smaug ligands? These could be regulated indirectly by Smaug or they could be false-negatives in the RIP-chip experiments. From a significant enrichment of SREs in these classes of RNAs, Chen et al. concluded that a large fraction of the regulated RNAs are in fact direct targets of Smaug that escaped detection by RIP-chip.
As the number of Smaug-regulated mRNAs is large, they code for proteins involved in many aspects of biology. Messenger RNAs localized to the posterior pole were prominent among the Smaug targets, as were those encoding proteins involved in the regulation of DNA replication and transcription. More unexpectedly, the list of targets predicts regulatory effects of Smaug on protein folding and proteasome-dependent protein degradation, lipid droplets and even basic energy metabolism. With regard to metabolism, the majority of glycolytic enzymes were identified as potential Smaug targets, and enzyme assays confirmed a modest increase in hexokinase and phosphofructokinase activity in smg mutants. | {
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In 1967 I was outraged by the manner of Che Guevara’s execution while a prisoner of war in Bolivia and it led me to create this now world-famous image.
I have now also made this image available for free download so that it can be used by everyone -including those who cannot afford my prints or canvas of El Che: the unemployed, the oppressed, the victims of banker-imposed austerity here in Ireland, the EU and elsewhere, those who fight against the legal/political elite and the corrupt banker cartels who think they rule us -and those who rage against injustice.
This image is yours. Use it!
No resale or commercial usage please -it has been exploited enough.
LEGAL NOTICE: Please remember I do NOT ever license this image for commercial usage.
Misuse this image or resell any reproductions thereof and you will be liable for a fine of $10,000 per item sold or for any violation of my copyright of this image.
Time to RECLAIM CHE!
Free usage for leftist causes under Creative Commons Licence.
No fee for leftist/socialist political usage.
-JIM FITZPATRICK. ARTIST. IRELAND. | {
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Over the course of the last year and a half, our team has become recognized as a global leader for portfolio rebalancing in the crypto market. Executing over $350M in rebalances, Shrimpy has captured the minds of tens of thousands of cryptocurrency traders. Not only did we introduce rebalancing as a viable option for the average crypto user, our research has lead to the exploration of a new strategy — high frequency rebalancing.
If you’re new to rebalancing, sign up for a free Shrimpy account and join our Telegram group to stay up to date on the latest research. We also recommend reading one of the first articles we ever published here:
Our team has analyzed the performance of hundreds of thousands of different portfolios over the course of the last year. We’ve found the rebalance period which historically performed the best was somewhere between 1 hour and 1 day. This study will investigate these intraday rebalance periods to determine how rebalances between 1 hour and 1 day has historically performed. The goal is to better characterize high frequency rebalances.
Although periodic rebalances have historically performed exceptionally, more recent studies have also pointed to threshold rebalancing outperforming periodic rebalancing. You can find one of these studies here:
Before we dig into the results, it’s important to understand how the study was set up. The source of our data, backtest restrictions, and configurations all impact the results we obtain. Without this information, it’s difficult to discern how we reached our conclusions. If you can’t wait to get to the results, feel free to skip ahead to the “Results” section.
Trades & Data
A complete year of exact bid-ask market data was collected from the Binance exchange for each asset pair they support. Beginning on May 3, 2018 and ended on May 3, 2019, this precise data was used to evaluate the specific trades at the moment a rebalance would have been performed.
When trades were simulated for this study, a standard fee of .075% was factored into the calculations. This is currently the highest trading fee for Binance users who have enabled the ability to use BNB for fees. Since this is the most common scenario for users on the Shrimpy application, we will use this as our base fee rate. During each backtest, this fee will be taken on every trade. So, a trade from LTC to XMR would trade from LTC to BTC and then BTC to XMR. In this instance, both trades incurred a .075% fee. The result is an accurate model of how fees will be taken in a live trading scenario.
As mentioned, our backtests use actual bid-ask data collected from the exchange. This data provides a precision that is not available with other data sources such as CoinMarketCap. The results are close simulations to what actually takes place during a portfolio rebalance.
Finally, our studies don’t attempt to apply analysis of traditional markets to cryptocurrencies. These two markets are different in many ways, which means we can’t always apply traditional market research to the crypto space. Attempting to do so can result in inaccurate conclusions.
Caution: People have recently been publishing studies which evaluate the performance of trading strategies by using CoinMarketCap data. CoinMarketCap does not provide bid-ask data, but aggregated data which should not be used to analyze trading strategies. Running backtests on CoinMarketCap data will lead to wildly incorrect results, poor conclusions, and a potential loss of funds.
Rebalance Period
This study will evaluate intraday rebalance periods ranging from 1 hour to 1 day. Starting at 1 hour, every whole hour period will be evaluated until we reach a 24 hour rebalance period. This means we will examine rebalancing every 1 hour, 2 hours, 3 hours, … , 23 hours, and 24 hours.
A rebalance period is the specific amount of time between each rebalance. Therefore, a rebalance period of 24 hours would result in a rebalance every day at the exact same time. Varying this time period will help us determine if the frequency of rebalances has historically affected portfolio performance. Learn more about rebalancing for cryptocurrency.
Asset Selection & Allocation
All assets that were available on Binance from May 3, 2018 to May 3, 2019 were included in this study except for the following stablecoins: USD, USDT, TUSD, PAX, USDC, USDS.
During the portfolio construction process, assets were randomly selected from the pool of assets available on Binance to create a portfolio of 10 assets. Each portfolio maintained evenly weighted allocations throughout the entire backtest. This means, at the end of each rebalancing event, every asset held 10% of the total value of the portfolio.
In addition to the number of assets for each portfolio being fixed, our study also fixed the initial value of each portfolio to $5,000.
While our study randomly selects assets, we strongly discourage this as a strategy for creating a portfolio. Learn more about how to successfully build a strong portfolio.
Backtest
Backtesting is the process of running a simulation of how a strategy would perform over a given set of data. This helps demonstrate the viability of a strategy without using real funds to test. In this study, we use backtests to compare the results of high frequency portfolio rebalancing to a simple buy and hold strategy. For each rebalance frequency, we run a set of 1000 backtests. This allows us to find trends and patterns in portfolio performance by graphing the outcomes of all these backtests. Read more about backtests or run your own.
Results
After running backtests for every hourly rebalance period from 1 hour to 24 hours, we graphed the median performance of the 1,000 backtests. What we found was the following graph. | {
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Check out our new site Makeup Addiction
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Strips cheese off pizza Doesn't eat either part | {
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Already ignored repeatedly by the United Nations in complaining about Turkish drilling in its waters for energy, Cyprus said it wants the body's Security Council to intervene in Turkey's plans to reopen the abandoned ghost town of Varosha.
That has been shut down since an unlawful 1974 Turkish invasion in which the northern third was seized and a UN resolution declared the village could only be reoccupied by the original inhabitants, those who are still alive after 45 years and couinting.
Speaking after his meeting with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades said he wasn't satisfied with the response he got in asking for help although it wasn't reported what happened.
Guterres presided over a July 2017 negotiaton at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana where the two sides were talking about reunification before the talks collapsed when Turkish-Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said they would never remove a 35,000-strong army on the occupied land and wanted the right to militarily intervene.
After that debacle, Guterres released a report blaming nobody for anything, including himself, and has refused to take steps to pressure Turkey not to drill in Cyprus' Exclusive Econonic Zone in defiance of Cyprus, Greece, the United States and European Union.
Earlier in September, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said told the private CNN-Turk broadcaster that, “Yes, there are preparations. Varosha will be opened.” The area was fenced off by the Turkish military after the invasion and has stayed locked in time.
The eastern town, part of Famagusta that used to be known as the “pearl” of Cyprus, has been abandoned since then, for 45 years, the residents forced to flee the advancing Turkish forces with the UN declaring they would one day be allowed to return, which hasn’t happened yet.
Last June, the administration in the Turkish-occupied north of Cyprus had also announced its intention to open Varosha, which is protected by a 1984 UN Security Council resolution, stating that the the empty town can only be resettled by its original inhabitants.
Asked by CNN Turk about Turkey’s controversial exploration for hydrocarbon deposits in Cyprus’ exclusive economic zone, meanwhile, Cavusoglu said that no one can “prevent” its continued efforts, adding that Ankara will “defend” the rights of the Turkish-occupied north of Cyprus.
Officials from Turkey and the Turkish-Cypriot side took an inspection tour there on Aug. 23, said Turkey’s Hurriyet Daily News, the visit coming almost a month after Turkish-Cypriot officials, led by its self-declared foreign minister Kudret Ozersay, visited the ghost town.
This time the ante was upped when Turkey’s Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Ersoy visited the region to have an air and ground inspection accompanied by the occupied territory’s self-proclaimed tourism chief, Unal Ustel.
Until now only the Turkish army was allowed in but the Turkish-Cypriot side said on June 18 it would begin allowing tourists to visit the empty, eerie town where 1974 cars are still in showrooms and everything is as it as 45 years earlier.
Ersoy said a project to be prepared by the occupiers will be submitted to Turkey’s Culture and Tourism Ministry, which is ready to provide necessary technical and financial support after an ownership inventory work is completed, if ever. | {
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She never replied…now you’re wondering how to text women?
It seemed like you really hit it off when you met.
She was smiling, flirting, and enthusiastic. “Yeah, let’s have coffee!” she said before leaving.
You messaged her expecting she’d get right back to you, but hours passed, then days, and she didn’t even bother to say “Hi” back.
Also read: How to Approach Women in Public (Ultimate Guide)
I’ve messaged countless women with very little luck. The ones that do reply back end up messaging 3-5 times, but when I try to set up a date the text msg gets cold.
Walk up to any woman, get a date. I’ll show you how. Click here to learn more.
Or maybe she did respond, and you had a great text conversation.
You bantered back and forth, told a few jokes, and you knew she was into you. It seemed like everything was good but when you asked her to meet she stopped messaging, or would take hours to get back to you.
In the end it was just “I’m busy” or no reply at all, and frustration. It may seem like a mystery but there’s a way to get more girls to reply.
On this post learn:
Why the “3 day rule” sucks.
Why long text are ruining your chances of getting a date.
How to use texting to set up a date on your first message.
The worst mistakes guys make texting which turn women off.
Texting examples for different scenarios.
And much more.
Keep reading till the end to learn each step and get more dates now..
1. Why Do Women Go Cold on Text and What Can You Do About It?
That feeling of excitement from meeting someone new quickly turns into disappointment when your text chat goes cold. Even worse, when she doesn’t even bother to reply.
You feel like you did everything right but it’s a complete mystery why she won’t respond to you.
You may have even tried to look up “text game” but you’re still not getting any responses.
It seems strange because when you met her it was all smiles and flirts.
However, when you think about it everything becomes clear. Hot girls get asked out by guys all of the time, and if you don’t stand out there’s another guy who’s going to get her attention.
How Can I Get Girls to Reply to My Messages?
Getting her to reply and come out on a date often boils down to getting out of your own way. It doesn’t matter if you’re in Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Asia, or anywhere else in the world. Women will respond positively if you let them.
The common text mistakes guys make can change a girl from interested to “busy”. If you’re doing any of the following, it could be killing your chances to get a date.
You should never:
Send long messages
Tell her your life story
Use the “3 day rule”
Try to make her like you by text
Try to be cool, witty or funny
Texting frequently
You don’t need to be funny, tell her your life story, have a text conversation or try to make her like you.
Women fall for guys who make them feel something and text doesn’t cut it, you need to get her to meet you on a real date.
When you introduced yourself she may have felt butterflies, curiosity, been turned on, or she may have had no interest at all. Whatever it was, that’s going to be the one thing that gets her to reply or not.
Learn how to negotiate like the FBI. Click here.
If you take too long to msg (3 day rule) or set up a date (get to the point) you’ll let her cool off and “life will get in the way”.
Guys who are feeling insecure will often send long text or messages frequently. It’s needy and turns women off because it looks like you have nothing better to do.
*Note: There’s nothing wrong with being funny or witty, it’s just not necessary and can even work against you. It’ll often look like a guy is trying too hard, so just stick to the basics.
2. Why You Can’t Win A Woman Over By Text
Guys sometimes tell me “I don’t agree with you on this one, I know I’ve changed girls minds by texting them X and X…”
The problem is 90% of communication which creates attraction is missing when you text. Body language, voice tonality, eye contact, and touch.
Attraction isn’t created with pixels on her phone. If she didn’t like you when you met, nothing you text will change her mind.
Sometimes it’s just a matter of persistence and timing, and that’s where following up comes into play. More on how to follow up near the end.
The Purpose Of Texting
There’s only one reason to text a girl you’ve just met – To set up the first date. And after the first date? The point is to set up a second date.
Don’t get confused by so -called pick up artist trying to sell you “The Ultimate Guide To Texting” or any other complicated junk. You have her number so now it’s time to make the magic happen; go see her in person.
3 Simplified Rules To Get Dates By Text
This is the only set of rules you’ll ever need on how to text girls. I’ve done this for years and know how effective it is. Best of all, it’s simple and easy.
MSG her the same day you met her: Attractive women get invited on dates frequently. If you don’t message her the same day she’ll lose interest in a flash. Life’s busy, don’t become a memory. Set up a date on your first message: There’s no reason to go through a series of messages trying to win a woman over via text. She either likes you or she doesn’t, based on when you approached her, so strike while the iron is hot. Avoid over thinking and invite her for a date. Keep it simple: Don’t send a long complicated message. Keep your first message short and sweet by getting to the point.
3. How to Text a Girl You like Examples
Opening Text to a Girl
Depending on how you met her, this is how to text a girl for the first time, “Hi Jane, it was nice meeting you today. Let’s have a coffee this weekend, which day works for you?”
What to Text a Girl to Start a Conversation
If you haven’t been in contact for a while you’ll want to message her something to spark something up again. Try this, “Hey Anne, long time no see! I’ve been busy with work so lost touch. How has everything been with you?”
What to Text a Girl to Make Her Smile
If you’ve gone on a few dates or more you can get a little looser with your messages. An occasional joke can be good but make sure you don’t message too often. Try, “There are three kinds of people in this world, those who know math, and those who don’t…”
4. Texting Q&A
How do you keep a girl interested while texting?
Trying to keep a girl interested while texting is a losing game. The longer you wait to set up a date the more likely she is to flake. After approaching a girl, each day that passes she’ll lose more of the “feeling” she had when you talked to her. If you wait too long, she’ll become “busy” simply because she doesn’t feel enough interest to meet anymore.
How do you text a woman?
Keep it simple Get to the point Set up a date Use assertive language but don’t be too serious Follow up a day before the date so you don’t get a no-show
Should I text a girl everyday?
Definitely do not text a girl everyday unless she text you first. By texting everyday you’ll show neediness and it will look like you have nothing else going on. When you first text a girl just set up the date then leave it at that. If she messages you then feel free to engage her in a conversation.
When should you stop texting a girl?
If a girl says she’s not interested, or you’re just getting one word answers, or she replies days after you message her, then it’s time to stop texting her. Obvious signs of disinterest like these mean you’re wasting your time.
How should I text a girl I like?
When you like a girl it’s too easy to get overly excited and lose your cool. In this situation, try:
Think of her like any other girl. Don’t message her first except to set up a date. Write your message but don’t send it. Come back to it an hour later and re-read it to see if it still looks good (avoids sending needy messages) Don’t tell her you like her. This is the biggest mistake guys make. Show her you like her by going on a date. Don’t send random messages to chat.
What can I say instead of hey?
“Hey” is probably the most boring message you could ever send. Always got to the point, whether it’s for online dating or texting a girl you approached. Have something to say which is relevant to going out together.
How do you make a girl want you?
Never try to make a girl want you by texting, it doesn’t work. Instead focus on dating in person and do the following:
Keep strong eye contact Hold her hand Smile Focus the conversation on her Keep the date short (no more than 1 hour) Invite her home Don’t message too much Don’t try to impress her or brag Don’t talk about yourself unless she ask Go for a kiss
How do u make a girl miss u?
Unless she likes you then she won’t miss you. This is why you need to develop confidence and social skills so you can make connections with women. Confidence is the biggest turn on for women, and that includes being assertive, direct, not apologizing for everything, not asking her what she wants to do (you set the date agenda) etc.
How frequent should you text a girl?
Keep your texting frequency to only what is necessary. After meeting a girl you should message her the same day to set up the date. After a first date try messaging the next day or two days later to set up another date. If she wants to chat and messages you then the door is open and chatting is a good idea.
What do you text your crush?
Texting your crush is the same as texting any other girl. Keep it simple and don’t show too much interest or vomit your feelings over to her via text. Ask her out for a coffee or a drink then focus on building a connection.
How do I ask out my crush?
To ask out your crush by text, send her a quick message suggesting a coffee or drink. For example, “Hey Julie, I’m going to be free this weekend, let’s grab a drink.”
What is the 3 day rule?
The 3 day rule is the idea that you should wait 3 days to message a girl after getting her number. It’s based on a false assumption that texting too soon will look needy. What ends up happening is that your crush will end up losing interest because you waited so long to message her.
How can I impress a girl by chatting?
Don’t. If you’re trying to impress girls you’re already heading in the wrong direction. Women are attracted to independent men who aren’t looking for validation from women. By trying to impress her you’ll either come across as needy or a braggart. Instead, think of it as, “What would impress me about her?”. By letting her prove herself to you, you’ll change the entire dynamic and look much more confident and self assured.
Isn’t Messaging Her Too Soon Needy?
A lot of guys use the “three day rule” because they’re worried about looking needy. In reality, a guy who sets things up right away is bold and assertive.
He’ll also stand out from all of the other guys who are waiting, trying to look cool even though they’re thinking about her all day.
Guys who wait, masterb…you get the point. There isn’t a perfect time to message after meeting a woman, but if you wait your odds get worse.
The window of opportunity after meeting a girl is short. Take advantage of that short time while you’re fresh in her memory. You’ll only come off as needy if you send her a novel sized text or too many messages.
As a general rule, whoever is putting the most effort into the communication is the one doing the chasing. So if you want to have any shot of getting a girl to chase you, then you must not over-text. Instead, look to keep the text ratio close to 1:1 and text the girl about as frequently as she texts you. –The Art of Charm
What Should I Say In My Message?
As long as you keep it simple and to the point, the exact wording isn’t too important. Tell her it was good to meet her, and ask which day works to meet up for coffee.
Avoid Submissive Language: One thing to avoid is weak language like “Do you want to”, “Can we” “Could we”, “Would you like to” etc. Those all come off as ‘beta’ or insecure.
In my case, I actually set up first dates at home which is a bit more complicated. I won’t go into that on this post though as it’s more advanced than setting up a coffee. Keep it simple for better results.
How Do I Follow Up if She Doesn’t Reply?
Always send a follow-up text a couple of days later if she doesn’t reply.
A lot of women who don’t reply to the first message will reply to the second one. It knocks the fence sitters off the fence. The women who are not interested will continue to be silent.
Just send a “?” and be done with it.
It’s just a poke or friendly reminder for fence sitters. There’s no reason to say more because you already said it on the first message.
Part of dating is a numbers game so don’t get too torn up about someone not replying. After all, who’s she anyways?
A stranger. Don’t take it too seriously, another date is always just around the corner.
Questions? Comment below!
Listen to my interview with Jack Donovan here: Never apologize for being a man. | {
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Never posted a WIP before, and I thought I would since last timeposted a WIP of their side of our art trade XDBut ye, this is a WIP for another art trade xD | {
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Exclusive Sydney screening - KillSwitch: the battle to control the Internet
EFA's Sydney Chapter, in conjunction with the NSW Council for Civil Liberties presents an exclusive screening of the award-winning documentary, Killswitch: the battle to control the Internet.
The Internet is under attack. Free speech, innovation and democracy are all up for grabs.
In Killswitch: The Battle to Control the Internet, Lawrence Lessig, Tim Wu and Peter Ludlow frame the story of two young hactivists, Aaron Swartz & Edward Snowden, who symbolize the disruptive and dynamic nature of the Internet. Their lives parallel one another as they free information to millions on the Internet, putting them directly in the cross-hairs of the most powerful interests in the world.
WHO
The post-screening discussion will be led by:
Jon Lawrence, Executive Officer of EFA.
Jon has 20 years of experience in the software and internet service sectors and has been working for EFA since 2012. His interests include resisting mass surveillance, protecting privacy and freedom of speech, promoting copyright law reform and bridging digital divides. He has a Master of International Relations from the University of Melbourne.
Christopher Camacho, Office Coordinator of NSWCCL.
Christopher is currently pursuing his Masters at the University of Sydney studying Public Policy. His main area of interest, and the focus of his thesis, involves the growing importance of the internet on the future of democracy.
WHEN
Thursday, 16th February, 6pm - 9pm (film screening will commence at 6.25pm)
WHERE
Mitchell Theatre, Sydney Mechanics' School of Arts - 280 Pitt Street, Sydney (between Park & Bathurst Streets). (SMSA map)
TICKETS
Full price: $15.00
Concession: $10.00
EFA, NSWCCL & ALHR members: $10.00
-----------------------------
Join the Sydney Meetup.com group.
Sign up for chapter updates.
Subscribe to the Sydney Chapter discussion list.
----------------------------- | {
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On a recent afternoon in Albuquerque, an unmarked SUV pulled into a gas station on the corner of a busy intersection. Detective Brian Sallee lifted a pair of binoculars and scanned a parking lot a quarter mile down the road. “Have a look,” he said, handing me the binoculars and pointing to a chain-link fence, two picnic tables, and a food truck outside a tire repair shop. In ten minutes, two Mexican nationals were going to conduct a $28,000 drug deal with an undercover officer.
The sting operation was a collaboration between the Albuquerque Police Department Narcotics Squad, which Sallee heads, and a parallel unit from a city in southern New Mexico that I was asked not to name. Close to a dozen unmarked vehicles were scattered in parking lots and side streets within a quarter-mile radius of the tire shop. Dealers often employ counter-surveillance on bigger sales to detect law enforcement, so support teams risk ruining a sting and endangering an undercover agent if they monitor a scene too conspicuously. But they also need to be close enough to make an arrest or to intervene quickly if something goes wrong. The agents positioned with clear sightlines provided updates on a shared radio frequency to all law enforcement in the area.
“What looks to be the two targets,” a voice said over the radio. “One in red shirt and jeans, one in a tan hat. They’re hangin’ outside near the table.” We were on the outer periphery of the operation, too distant to see the scene clearly without binoculars. “The gray SUV with dark-tinted windows and silver rims. One of the targets is in that vehicle right now.”
To have the strongest possible legal case, the undercover agent had to see the drugs before his support team could make an arrest. Once he saw the product, he would give a signal. Something too common, like saying “OK,” or too unusual, like raising an arm in the air, might trigger a premature arrest or arouse the suspicions of the dealers.
A man walked over to the SUV with silver rims. The radio buzzed: “U.C. is talking to target, he’s on the driver’s side.” Then it erupted: “He took his hat off. U.C. took his hat off. Hat is off, let’s go, move in.” Almost instantly two SUVs blocked the exit to the parking lot and three men in black tactical vests approached the targets’ vehicle on foot with guns drawn. The undercover officer, or U.C., and one of the suspects raised their hands, and the suspect inside the SUV opened the door and stepped out with his hands raised. Within seconds, a dozen agents were advancing on the scene from all directions. Four SUVs blocked the entrance to the lot, and a patrol car started diverting traffic. The targets were handcuffed and separated; the U.C. was also handcuffed to preserve his cover. The arrest took less than a minute.
The Albuquerque Police Department executes stings involving multiple pounds of product and tens of thousands of dollars roughly once a month. Meth stings happen in Albuquerque far more often than stings for cocaine or any other drug. Two pounds of meth might sell wholesale for around $28,000, but Mexican cartels reduce costs by producing meth in Mexico, whereas cocaine is typically imported from countries south of Mexico. By diluting the purity of those two pounds of meth, lower-level distributors would then increase the quantity of meth and reap additional profits. If the process of dilution and resale happened several times, those two pounds might eventually become eight pounds and yield close to $150,000 in profit. “It’s hard to know how much we disrupt when we take off a few pounds of meth,” Sallee said. “There are estimates that even if we intercepted nine out of every ten loads, the cartels would still make money. And we’re not getting anywhere near ninety percent.”
Mexican cartels have established almost total dominance in the production of meth in the past decade. In 2003, Sallee’s squad dismantled ninety labs in Albuquerque. In 2012, they hit only sixteen labs, and most of those were producing only an ounce or less. Fifteen years ago, narcotics squads would find converted trailers in the New Mexico desert being used to cook several pounds of meth. Now domestic production is mostly limited to micro-batches cooked by users. Smaller batches leave subtler clues. Detectives used to look for hundreds of empty boxes of Sudafed; now three or four might raise suspicion. A portable burner and a funnel in a backpack, a soda bottle filled with liquid and grayish powder, or empty boxes of matches and Sudafed all signal small-scale production. Smaller batches mean smaller stakes for law enforcement. Intercepting two pounds barely makes a dent in supply, so arresting someone cooking an ounce using the so-called “one-pot” method does virtually nothing to decrease the use and sale of meth. Superlabs—typically defined as operations with a production capacity of ten pounds or more per cook—have moved across the border to Mexico.
Sallee and other law enforcement and federal agents I spoke with thought AMC’s dark drama Breaking Bad was a fairly accurate depiction of many aspects of meth in the American Southwest. The show captures the chemical expertise necessary to produce high-quality meth, the drug’s insidious capacity to infiltrate placid suburban communities, the use of front businesses to launder money, the devastating physical effects of the drug, and even the color blue as a signal for high-quality meth. What is less plausible is the premise that a disgruntled chemistry teacher could build a meth empire in Albuquerque and produce vast quantities of meth in a superlab hidden beneath an industrial laundry facility. “Maybe in the late eighties or early nineties something like that could have happened,” Sallee said. Since then, Mexican cartels have flooded New Mexico with cheap, high-quality product. While Breaking Bad does depict the power and reach of cartels, it overstates their readiness to use conspicuous violence on American soil and understates their vast and pervasive control of the market.
Superlabs in the central Mexican state of Michoacan are estimated to produce one hundred pounds of meth per cook. That’s roughly $14,000,000 of wholesale product and many times more after multiple dilutions. And that’s only one cook from one superlab. Multiple superlabs cooking several times a month have flooded the Southwest with relatively cheap meth and have largely removed any incentive for significant production in the U.S. This means that any agency or task force attempting to seriously disrupt the supply and distribution of meth in the Southwest will eventually confront the Mexican cartels.
* * *
“See the scorpion, bro? That’s a cartel sign.” I was driving through a trailer park with a narcotics agent in Farmington, New Mexico, a town of fifty thousand an hour south of the Four Corners area. The palm-sized scorpion sticker was stuck on the back window of an old silver Cadillac. Most of the vehicles in the park were new trucks and SUVs, though average rents are just a few hundred dollars a month.
The trailer park is a hotbed of cartel activity. The agent is part of a secretive multi-agency task force that operates in Farmington. The area is designated a HIDTA, or high-intensity drug trafficking area, which qualifies the task force for federal funding. While Sallee and the APD work a few cases that reach mid-level cartel members, much of their work targets small-scale street dealers and users. The Farmington task force has a more ambitious mandate: to dismantle and disrupt DTOs, or drug trafficking organizations. The agent I interviewed often works undercover, so he declined to have his name used in print. He looked like a guy who would not raise much suspicion if he tried to buy meth. His arms were thoroughly tattooed, his beard thick, and his baseball cap pulled low over his face. “Our guys tend to look like just your typical scumbag,” his boss said. As we drove slowly through the trailer park, the agent told me about the structure of the groups he penetrates.
“Cartel members work in cells,” he said. “Usually three to five members per cell, and the cells work in isolation. It’s not unlike the structure of some terrorist groups. You’ll have one guy who handles the money, one in charge of the dope, one does the driving, one knows English.” I asked him to trace the path of a single shipment of meth from production to final sale. “Start in a superlab in Mexico, next it crosses the border, maybe stashed in a door panel or engine, and goes to a house in Phoenix. You and I, from here to Phoenix is a six-hour drive. They’ll take a ten-hour route with all these weird, small roads. These are passed-down routes. A lot of times they’ll have two cars: a load and a lookout. Something goes wrong, the lookout does everything he can to get pulled over and the load car drives on up the road.”
He was reluctant to share specific tactics on gathering intelligence or logistical details of cells currently operating in the area. It was unlikely that any cell members would read this article, but cartels do keep lawyers and detectives on retainer to search public records for patterns in arrest warrants, listen to police scanners, and research the law enforcement personnel working narcotics in an area. The task force has an often-repeated mantra: there are ten ways to ruin a case. Talk about it, talk about it, talk about it…. So instead of talking about a particular case, he described a hypothetical family that was a composite of various actual cases.
“Let’s imagine the fictitious Martinez family. They’ve been here for thirty years. Maybe they own a pump business. Some are dirty, some are clean. Maybe a clean family member will rent a trailer in his name. That guy has a sister, and her husband’s cousin is in one of these cells, and he ends up using the trailer. Some people in the family may not even know what’s going on. Maybe the utilities are in the name of another guy in the cell, but it’s a false name. They change names and phones all the time to be harder to track. We try to look at patterns, habits, schedules. These trailers keep operating hours like a normal business. Your average deal will last maybe a minute. They’ll have a guy that can count two or three thousand in a heartbeat, then you’re out of there.”
Certain patterns are more obvious than others. If someone without a job pays cash for a $40,000 SUV or wires $600-$900 to Mexico every other day, he’ll arouse suspicion. But if the Martinez family is sufficiently large and accommodating, it could absorb tens of thousands of dollars in a few months without attracting attention. When a U.C. succeeds in penetrating a cell and his team makes an arrest, the goal is typically to persuade suspects to become confidential informants who will reveal incriminating information about higher levels of a cartel. Cartels protect against this threat in two ways. First, they’re structured to ensure that members of a cell know as little as possible. Cells work in isolation, rotate members every few months, and keep members ignorant of organizational levels above them. A cell member may have a name and phone number of a guy in Phoenix, but it’s likely that the name is false and that the number will be changed by the time a U.C. tries to contact him. If someone does know potentially damaging information, cartels may threaten to kill a family member in Mexico if he turns informant. Though these threats are sometimes credible, it’s hard to know when family members are actually in danger. “Everyone says, ‘Oh, they’ll kill my family if I talk.’ We try to do research and corroborate these claims, but it’s not always clear whether someone is telling the truth.”
This difficulty reflects two problems raised by the use of informants. The information they provide is not always trustworthy, and extracting it sometimes endangers informants or their families. But without the evidence and leads they supply, most meth investigations would be impossible.
One of the informants who works with the agent I met was a man in his early forties who asked to be called Paco. We met under the shade of a cottonwood in a parking lot behind a baseball stadium. He was born and raised in Farmington, and his family was known for making trouble in town. “Everyone knows us around here. We’re always doing something crazy, raising all kinds of hell.” Eight years ago, he had been driving to Phoenix every two weeks in a rental car and buying meth from a Mexican man in a motel. Paco got the money for the purchases from a cousin in Farmington. At first it was five or six thousand per trip, but gradually the amount increased until he was going to Phoenix with $35,000 in hundreds, fifties, and twenties and returning with over a pound of meth. His cousin in Farmington paid him with meth, so he never saw any profit from the deals. He packed the meth in Ziploc bags and put the bags in the bottom of a cooler for the drive from Farmington to Phoenix. Sometimes he’d take back roads through the Indian Reservation, but it was impossible to avoid major highways entirely.
He’d been making the trip for over a year when he was pulled over. A search of the vehicle revealed over a pound of meth. The quantity of meth and the fact that he was transferring meth across state lines qualified the case for federal prosecution, which carries tougher mandatory minimum sentences. He was given a choice: serve thirty years or lead agents to his cousin.
Paco had never liked his cousin. “He’s one of them bully types. One of them crazy ones. He’ll come to your house and kick your ass if you owe him twenty dollars.” Paco tipped off a police raid that caught his cousin with $80,000 in cash, several pounds of meth, and over two hundred firearms. He also arranged a sting to catch the seller at the motel in Phoenix. “These guys were in the next room doing video and voice surveillance. I had a wire and when they told me to go to the bathroom they came in and busted him. Two times in Phoenix them Mexican guys had Uzis. I’d make ‘em put the guns under the mattress before we did a deal.”
Informants receive lighter sentences, but they also run considerable risks. Sergeant Phil Goodwin, Chief of the Farmington task force, said that an investigation is only effective if informants are kept safe. But Paco’s case illustrates some of the dangers informants inevitably face. “Everyone knew when I got busted, so some of my family don’t talk to me now cause of what happened. Most of ‘em won’t do nothing. But my cousin’s sons I worry about. He told ‘em he’d give $20,000 for my head.”
During the discovery phase of a trial defense attorneys can demand access to possible witnesses who will testify against their clients. Though it’s illegal to share the names of informants with those they informed against, Paco claimed to know of corrupt lawyers who reveal the names of informants. Paco said that this happened twice in his case. “Two people know for sure. Lawyers told ‘em. And then there’s all these rumors and bullshit.”
A few months before we met, Paco’s sister-in-law was stabbed eighteen times in a Farmington laundromat. He thinks that he was meant to be the target but that the assailant was too high on meth to realize she was attacking the wrong person. The attacker fled the scene and was eventually caught after crawling through the dog door of a suburban home, tracking blood throughout the house, and washing off in the Jacuzzi. His sister-in-law lived, but the incident prompted Paco to start planning a move to Colorado. But as part of his contract with police he must continue his work as an informant for an unspecified period.
Working with informants also poses risks for law enforcement agents. “In general, you’ve got to treat C.I.s with some caution,” Goodwin told me. “They know some of our tactics, like how someone is wired. Maybe they’re a C.I. this week, but they could be a target next week. They could put someone in the trees to take photos when they meet one of us, and then one of my guys is exposed.”
Goodwin’s team has found names and photos of agents in the homes of suspects while executing search warrants. They’ve also noticed increasing sophistication in the counter-surveillance methods cartels are using. “Meth is a billion-dollar industry. With that kind of money, you can afford to hire good people. They use ex-military guys, guys with professional training in surveillance techniques.” Goodwin has internalized certain habits of vigilance. He always locates exits when he enters any space. And he always sits facing the door in restaurants. He reveals as little as possible about his work, even to family members. The location of his office is undisclosed; not even other law enforcement agencies know where it is. He’s never told his wife where his office is located, and he never discusses work at home. If his kids are going down the driveway to get the mail, they lock the door behind them.
Working undercover also requires certain skills and precautions. A dealer might offer a U.C. a hit of meth to seal the exchange. Declining without rousing suspicion demands a talent for improvisation. Sometimes a dealer will suddenly insist on changing the venue of a deal, leaving a U.C. without any backup in the area. “You’ve got to roll with it,” the bearded and tattooed U.C. who works with Paco told me. “Maybe you’re like, ‘Naw, man, come on, I told you I borrowed my mom’s car today and I gotta get it back to her. I don’t got time to go somewhere else.’ You gotta think about the role you’re playing. If I’m a baller, and somebody offers me a hit, then why wouldn’t I take it? I don’t need the money I could make from selling it. But maybe I’m not a baller. Maybe I need that money.” Spending time around C.I.s makes it easier for a U.C. to pick up the slang of meth and its users. There’s a teener, an eightball, a gram. You slam it or you smoke it. On the phone, you might ask for a six-pack of coke to initiate a purchase. But knowing the language and playing a part hasn’t made him overly sympathetic to users. “You hear all sorts of stories and excuses for how someone’s life ended up with them selling and using. But the truth is never arbitrary. You can’t bend it to fit your beliefs. No, dude, you’re a drug dealer. Own it and let’s move on.”
The investigations that Goodwin and his team build have resulted in substantial seizures. The largest amount they ever confiscated was eleven pounds of meth, close to $700,000 of product. This hit dismantled a midlevel rung of a cartel, but the effect was only temporary. Even midlevel cartel members are somewhat expendable. “The higher-level people,” Goodwin said, “they’re going to be somewhere else.”
* * *
Paul Chavez works in a bland office building in southeast Albuquerque. The area was meant to be a suburb of twenty-five thousand homes, but the developers ran out of money. Dirt roads are still carved into the desert hills, but only a few buildings interrupt the landscape. Dust storms and tumbleweed blow through every afternoon.
Chavez is the Intelligence Director for the HIDTA-funded Investigative Support Center. He leads a team of analysts who support investigations by the DEA and various narcotics task forces. His team doesn’t gather intelligence in the field; they do research and analysis to support the investigations of the DEA and special task forces throughout the Southwest. His job is to notice the subtle clues and patterns that agents in the field often miss.
He worked in the field as a detective with the APD for many years, but eventually he became bored with the work. One time he was in the parking lot of a bar with some other narcotics agents. They all wore black vests with the word POLICE printed across the front. Despite the vests, a guy walked up and tried to sell them hash. “With some of the low-hanging fruit, you’re dealing with people so stupid it just gets boring. From the hunter and hunted perspective, this work is much more interesting,” he said.
Chavez was reluctant to discuss an active investigation, so he told me an intricate story that is a composite of real meth cases. He asked me to imagine a guy in Albuquerque named Joe. Joe is one of the five biggest dealers in the city. “Joe drives a Honda Civic and has a fat wife, and he’s probably messing around with someone else on the side.” He lives in a modest house in a middle-class neighborhood. He owns at least one tire repair shop, a cash-heavy business that makes it easy to invent receipts and launder money. “Guys with blinged-out SUVs and fancy houses, they’re not too smart.” If Joe is smart, he always pays cash to his supplier, a guy in Los Angeles. “Most drug violence happens because of fronted dope. Maybe somebody vouches for Joe, so the cartel guy in L.A. gives him $50,000 of meth. Say Joe is unlucky. His lieutenant gets pulled over and loses the meth. If Joe can’t repay that $50,000, he gets beat up and never sold to again. If it’s more money, maybe he gets killed.”
For a $50,000 investment, Joe gets two kilos (4.4 lbs) of meth. From that quantity he can make $120,000, netting $70,000 in profit. Joe’s meth is made in a superlab concealed in a small warehouse in Michoachan. The two largest deep-water ports in Mexico are in Michoachan, which makes it easier to unload precursor chemicals shipped from India or China. The Knights Templar cartel controls the lab, which required several hundred thousand dollars of initial investment. The lab produces 50 kilos a week and is run by two guys, one with a degree in chemical engineering and another with a decade of experience cooking meth. Once the 50 kilos leave the lab, they must pass through the territory of the cartel Pacifico Sur and the Sinaloa cartel.
The 50 kilos are divided into five loads of ten kilos, each of which pays a $7,000 tax at each of four tax points. The loads end up in the hands of a Tijuana cartel that specializes in smuggling drugs across the border. To make the crossing, the cartel might try to bribe a customs official with the lure of $10,000 a week. For someone making $31,000 per year, this is often an irresistible offer. If a bribed official is working the day of the crossing, the driver might get a call telling him to be in lane six between one and two PM on Saturday. Without a bribed official, a halcyon, or eagle, will watch the entry point with binoculars for patterns and opportunities. If he notices the official in lane four is fighting with his wife on the phone and waving all the cars through without inspection, he’ll radio this information to the driver.
The shipments are taken to a stash house in a suburb of Los Angeles controlled by a high-level member of the Michoachan cartel. From the stash house, they are shipped around the country. Joe knows very little about his source in L.A. If the source in L.A. is smart, he doesn’t deal directly with Joe; an assistant handles all transactions with distributors. Joe was introduced to the assistant by his brother’s friend, who served time with him in prison. After Joe’s initial investment of $50,000 yields a profit of $70,000, he reinvests the money, ordering four kilos this time.
Joe has six to ten employees. They sell to the street level dealers who sell to the end users, but these employees are not users themselves. If they start using meth, they are no longer employees. If Joe is smart, his employees never meet him. They don’t know his phone number or where he lives or even his real name. Joes delegates all interactions with these employees to a single trusted associate, an old childhood friend. His employees are not allowed to spend money in extravagant or obvious ways. They drive old cars and live in normal neighborhoods.
The DEA wants Joe and his supplier in California. The APD focuses on street level dealers and users. They both target Joe’s six to ten employees, but the DEA wants them only as a means to getting Joe. One day Joe’s trusted associate gets pulled over on a routine traffic stop. The arresting officer follows a hunch and calls in a canine search unit that happens to be in the area. They find a few ounces of meth in the car and detain him for twenty four hours. By the time the DEA interrogates him, they’ve learned from Chavez’s unit that his mom is dying of cancer. They tell him it would be a shame for him to spend the last months of her life in prison. There’s a way for that not to happen: he just needs to tell them about his friend Joe. Joe will try to kill his associate if he knows he’s facing a life sentence. The associate doesn’t return Joe’s calls for the twenty-four hours that he’s in detention, and Joe starts to get suspicious. The associate tells Joe that he ran into an old buddy and went fishing at Lake Huron. But if Joe knows a corrupt clerk at the Metropolitan Detention Center he can confirm that the associate was actually there. If he learns this, he kills the associate. If not, maybe Joe goes to prison.
“There might be five to seven Joes in Albuquerque at any given time. Three to four of those are probably on our radar.” Chavez might identify a Joe after becoming suspicious that a tire repair shop reported 2.4 million in revenue to the IRS. The IRS might mount a pole camera across the street from the shop to monitor the volume of customers, but if Joe is smart he’ll have his friends come by the garage regularly to create the appearance of a thriving business; they’ll close the door and have a beer.
“The longer Joe goes without getting caught doesn’t necessarily mean it’s more likely that he will. I guarantee there are Joes who have made eight to ten million and are now retired and living quietly in Albuquerque. The smarter Joe is, the more insulated he is from the effects of what he does. There may be a turf dispute between two small dealers in the southeast part of town. He reads the next morning in the paper that somebody got shot and he thinks, ‘God, that part of town is going to shit.’ He doesn’t know it was his meth they were selling. The supplier in California will be similarly insulated. The California supplier is high-level cartel. If he’s a genius, we’ll never catch him. He’ll be surrounded by too many expendables who don’t know anything about him.”
* * *
One of the people Joe would never hear about is Cassie Johnston. She grew up in a small town about twenty miles south of Albuquerque. She first tried meth as a fifteen-year-old in the welding shop at Los Lunas High School. Her first time was terrifying: “It scared the crap out of me. I couldn’t sleep, eat, or concentrate for thirty six hours. I went home and pretended to sleep but I felt like I was going ninety miles per hour in neutral.” About six months later she tried it again at a party and liked it more. After that she used meth once or twice a week until she graduated from high school. “I pawned things, I had a job, but it’s not expensive or hard to get meth.” Initially her parents attributed her erratic behavior to typical teenage rebelliousness.
Two days after graduating, she disappeared, and they didn’t hear from her for several months. She’d moved in with her boyfriend, a small-time dealer who supplied her habit free of charge. Soon she was delivering meth to his clients. “I sold drugs to PTA moms, doctors, lawyers, high school teachers, all kinds of people. Meth is not biased. It doesn’t care who you are, how much money you have, what your parents do. It will kill you just as quick as anything else.” One day her boyfriend went to Albuquerque and never returned. She knew he had borrowed money from the Mexican guys who supplied his meth, and she figured he had lost the money and fled the area before they could find him. About three weeks later she walked to a gas station a mile from her house. In the parking lot, three Mexican guys told her to get into a black Buick. One had a gun in his waist band. They drove her to a warehouse and locked her inside. A mattress and a jug of water sat in one corner. The next day they returned and explained that she would sell meth until she had worked off her boyfriend’s debt. Each day she drove out on deals with one of the Mexicans tailing her in the black Buick and collecting all the money she made. Each night, she was locked in the warehouse. Her diet was bread, apples and water. The Mexican guys also gave her as much meth as she wanted.
She was rescued after about a month when her dad spotted her in town and called a detective friend. They lost the tail car and took her home. She stashed her car in a hidden spot and didn’t leave her parent’s house for a month. When she was rescued she weighed only 97 pounds, down from 135 pounds before.
Cassie has not used meth since 2007. She never heard from her old boyfriend again, and she has cut herself off from almost all of the people she knew while using. She works as a massage therapist and a counselor for a teen therapy program. She still has cravings for meth, but they’re not as powerful as they were during her first two years after quitting.She thinks of herself as an example of the indiscriminate destruction meth causes. “I’m total proof that kids are not just the product of their environment. I grew up with two parents, nev
er wanted for a thing, went to church once a week. I still did it.” Current and former users tend to describe meth as an almost supernatural force, something with a limitless power to harm and destroy. Even after recovery, former users remain vulnerable. The mother of one addict lost her son after he had been clean for almost two years. He died of heart complications that were a legacy of meth’s impact on his health. An informant in Albuquerque summed up the feelings of many users and family members whose lives have been disrupted by meth: “If you believe in heaven and hell and good and bad, then one thing’s for sure: meth is the Devil’s drug.” | {
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RAAF BASE WILLIAMTOWN: The unique capabilities of the 72 F-35As Australia will buy are driving the close US ally to rethink and build new infrastructure to protect the aircraft’s highly classified stealth capabilities, as well as its data, Air Commodore Michael Kitcher said during a visit here.
The Royal Australian Air Force Air Combat Group Commander is guiding his country’s fundamental transition from a legacy fleet of fourth generation Hornets to the fifth generation F-35A fleet. And that transition is taking place within an even broader shift for the Aussies as they’ve added C-17s, KC-30As and Wedgetails over the past few years. The pace of transformation is rather breathtaking: if you thought that the five past years brought quite a change, wait to see what the next three years are about to bring about!
The challenges to transition and stand up two F-35A squadrons here over three years are enormous. That’s why Kitcher emphasizes a realistic and focused approach. “We do not have to connect every player at all times with each other, but remain mission-oriented,” he reminds us.
Infrastructure
Welcoming F-35As has meant creating a brand new infrastructure whose main constraint is secrecy and data protection : “We started to address advanced capabilities and the associated security issues with the introduction of the Super Hornet, but the F-35 brings a whole new level in the required need to protect an information-centric platform.”
Training
To generate a purely Aussie F-35A capability, it is necessary to develop what Kitcher refers to as a “healthy training system.” They will take lessons learned and years of embedding with the US Navy, but they are also incorporating their much shorter work with the US Air Force. In that sense, the F-35A is a major – -and unexpected — game changer as far as the traditionally Navy-centric military relationship between the United States and Australia is concerned.
While they’re taking much information from the US, the end-result is that Australia is to use its new air assets in a different way from any of the US services. RAAF aircrew and maintenance personnel training takes place at Luke AFB, where pilots and maintainers from various parts of the world are embedded for three to four month periods. “This,” the air commodore says, “is key to creating the RAAF F-35A IOC capability,” as this blend of cultures and the ability to learn from US F-35 experience represent a fundamental change compared to the past decades that allows each F-35 country to develop its own tailored modus operandi.
Maintenance and sustainability
The third major challenge, one that may affect sortie generation, is the ability to sustain the F-35, more an information system than simply an airplane. The approach is once again to focus on what is real, i.e. to project the same type of manpower from the legacy fleet to the next gen, building the RAAF F-35 capability from a current base of 35 to 40 maintainers and six to eight pilots. “The idea is to adjust as we move along. But transitioning with the same level of manpower, that, in itself, is a major challenge,” he concludes.
In addition to being in itself a very different animal, the F-35A brings therefore a genuine transition to the Australian armed forces from multiple standpoints. The shift from primarily working with the US Navy to working with the USAF. The rapid shift from legacy fighters to F-35A, whereby the Hornet is being transitioned out and the F-35 transitioned in a very short period of time.
Put all of Australia’s air capabilities together — Wedgetail, Super Hornet, Growler, KC-30A and the F-35A with Royal Australian Navy assets such as the new Air Warfare Destroyer and it’s clear the Aussies will be blazing a path of innovation that the United States and other allies can learn from. | {
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