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What lies beneath Antarctica's ice? | Kiwi scientists are using an innovative approach to try to work out what's happening beneath part of the largest single mass of ice on Earth. The Antarctic Ice Sheet (AIS) holds some 26.5 million cubic km of ice and sprawls across 14 million sq km, or around 98 per cent of Antarctica itself. The sheer size of the ice sheet makes it extremely hard for scientists to access and study what the conditions are like underneath it. But, fortunately, there are some small, ice-free areas around the Antarctic margin where they sometimes find unusual deposits created by meltwater at the ice sheet base. Advertisement A team of researchers currently on the continent, and led by the University of Auckland's Associate Professor Paul Augustinus, are turning to cutting-edge instruments including drones and laser scanners to work out how this material formed. More importantly, he said, it could tell us about changing nature of and the causes and location of - meltwater beneath the vast sheet. The contribution of the world's ice sheets to global sea level rise and Antarctica holds an equivalent 60m - would likely increase in the future, he said. While there was still much uncertainty around precisely how this would play out, Augustinus said rapid changes in water at the base of ice sheets was a potential additional driver of ice sheet response to changing climate and sea-level rise. "More than 400 subglacial lakes exist under the AIS with the exchange of water between them sometimes involving catastrophic discharges," Augustinus said. "The implication is that much of the AIS has basal meltwater - with important implications for a complete understanding of ice sheet stability." What we know about the nature of the base of the AIS is largely limited to geophysical studies and glaciological modelling, with actual observations limited to the few ice cores that penetrate to the ice sheet base. But we could solve some of the puzzle by developing unique records of past sub-glacial hydrological conditions using calcium carbonate or calcite and aragonite formed from meltwater at the ice sheet base of the AIS from Northern Victoria Land and other ice-free areas. "These deposits contain geochemical and microbial DNA-based evidence of the nature and mode of formation of the meltwater, that curiously also contain signals of volcanically-heated meltwater," Augustinus said. "Interestingly, some of the bacterial DNA preserved in the deposits are more akin to what we might find in hot springs in New Zealand." After flying to Northern Victoria Land's Helliwell Hills, Augustinus and his team will set up a field camp on a previously-used site overlooking Boggs Valley. "Our project largely involves detailed mapping of the unusual carbonate deposits precipitated at the base of thick ice as well as the associated glacial landforms," he said. "We are using a range of technologies to do the mapping: drones, GPS, terrestrial laser scanners with all the data and images integrated into an ArcGIS database." They'd use this combination of mapping approaches to optimise the sampling of the different carbonate-types they found in the field. "Our work will improve our understanding of the nature, timing and drivers of changing hydrological conditions under the Antarctic Ice Sheet using these deposits that have formed over the past 340,000 years," he said. "This new knowledge will hopefully contribute to improved prediction of AIS response to a warming world. "An improved understanding of hydrological conditions at the base of the AIS has implications beyond the Antarctic continent whereby this information could even feed into models used to predict sea-level rise impacts on the New Zealand maritime zone - as well as changing climate." The five-strong team is being supported by Antarctica New Zealand. | https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12186422 |
Has homesick US airman who vanished after stealing plane in 1969 been found? | A homesick US Air Force mechanic who vanished in 1969 after stealing a plane to fly home and see his wife may finally have been found. Divers believe they have found the wreckage of the C-130e Hercules in the English Channel, 50 years after Sergeant Paul Meyer stole it from RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk, England, and tried to fly home to Langley, Virginia. The discovery was made eight months after giver Grahame Knott successfully raised 6,200 needed for 25 days of diving to search for the aircraft. US Air Force mechanic Paul Meyers successfully stole a C130-e Hercules plane to fly from England to his home in Virginia to see his wife Jane, but crashed en route. Divers believe they may finally have located the wreckage of the plane (Picture: SWNS) Knott told the BBC that he believed he had located a 10 square-mile area likely to contain the wreckage after fishermen reported snagging their lines on unexpected objects beneath the sea. Advertisement Advertisement The experienced diver, who used sonar equipment in his search, said he got sucked in to the mystery of the missing mechanic after coming across the story 15 years ago. Dad 'shot wife after finding tape of her having sex with his best friend' Knott added: We just want to try to find the aircraft. Whats it going to tell you? And the truth is, we dont know. But leaving it lost in the Channel isnt going to tell us anything, either. So the first thing to do is simply to look for the aircraft. Knott has refused to discuss his views on conspiracy theories that the plane was deliberately shot down by US Air Force jets amid wild claims it contained secret CIA papers. Other popular theories claim that the 23 year-old was shot down by his colleagues over fears the unqualified pilot could have accidentally crashed the jet into a populated area. He is believed to have been drunk at the time of the theft, tried to fly low to avoid radar detection, and may have crashed the plane himself because of this intoxication. Vietmam War veteran Meyer mounted his doomed mission on May 1969 after requesting leave so he could go home to Virginia to see his new wife Mary Ann, known as Jane, and their stepchildren. A Hercules C-130e plane similar to that stolen by Meyer for his doomed flight across the Atlantic (Picture: SWNS) When that was refused, he got drunk at a house party, posed as a captain and demanded a Hercules be fueled and made ready for the 3,000 mile flight across the Atlantic Ocean to Langley. Advertisement Advertisement Meyer successfully pulled off the deception and made it into the air before anyone realized what had happened. Although an unqualified pilot, he was an experienced mechanic with considerable experience of how the transporter plane functioned. Once airborne, he called Jane on the planes phone, then said: Hi honey! Oh my God! The couple chatted for an hour, with Meyers final words to her being: Babe. Ill call you back in five. I got some trouble. It is unclear whether he was referring to technical difficulties, or an interception by military aircraft. US officials claim they were not able to make visual or audio contact with Meyer before he crashed. But Jane says a voice cut across the line part-way through her husbands call, asking her to keep talking so they could locate him. A few days after the smash, small piece of wreckage and a life raft washed up close to the Channel Island of Alderney. No further traces of the aircraft or Meyer have ever been found, with his family hoping the recent discovery may finally shed some answers on what happened to the serviceman, and provide them with a body that they can bury. | https://metro.co.uk/2019/01/07/homesick-us-airman-vanished-stealing-plane-50-years-ago-finally-found-8319047/ |
Where are we Going? | By By Bishop Mike Lowry A legend arises out of the mist of early Christian lore of a crucial turning point in the life of the infant church which merits reflection on this occasion. Like most legends it carries a core kernel of truth. So compelling is the story that it was made into an award-winning movie entitled Quo Vadis in 1951. In The Rise of Christianity, scholar Rodney Stark records the following: In the Acts of Peter [a mid-second century Christian writing] we read that an upper-class Roman wife and convert sent word that Peter should flee Rome as he was to be seized and executed. For a time, Peter resisted their pleas to flee: Shall we act like deserters, brethren? he says. But they argue with him, No, it is so that you can go on serving the Lord. Reluctantly Peter agreed. Putting on a disguise, he begins to flee the great center of the Roman Empire. As Peter exits the city gates, to his shock he sees the Lord entering this citadel of imperial might. Lord, Peter asks, where are you going (quo vadis)? And the Lord said to him, I am going to be crucified. And Peter said to him, Lord, are you being crucified again? He said to him, Yes, Peter, I am being crucified again. The Acts of Peter records the following: Peter came to himself; and he saw the Lord ascending into Heaven; then he returned to Rome, rejoicing and giving praise to the Lord, because he said, I am being crucified. Back among the followers, Peter told them what had taken place and of his new resolve to be crucified. They again tried to dissuade him, but he explained that they were now to serve as the foundation so that they might plant others through him. In the crucifixion account that follows, Peter (crucified upside down at his own request) speaks at length from the cross to a crowd of onlooking Christians about the power of faith in Christ. We who gather this day stand again at the city gate. We too converse with good, well-meaning colleagues who believe deeply in a different path to faithfulness. We too, just as Peter so long ago, this day encounter Christ before us. The question put by Peter lingers in the air over our gathering: Quo Vadis where are you [we] going? It is here, leaning on the gate pillars of conviction and commitment, that we must pause to seek again the guidance and insight of those first Christ followers. It is here we are bid to stop, worship, pray, reflect, and anchor ourselves again in the heart, mind, and fellowship of the One crucified for our sake, and for the sake of this bruised and battered world. Focus with me on the Apostle Pauls writing to Christians at the heart of the Empire. He anchors himself, those first followers, and we 21st century followers in the gospel. Thats why Im ready to preach the gospel. Im not ashamed of the gospel: it is Gods own power for salvation (Romans 1:15-16). Scholars tell us that the claim to be unashamed of the gospel carries a distinctive weight and witness in Roman culture. That culture was built along lines of status, standing, and shame. Shame represented the disgusting opposite of honor. Paul takes the very concept of shame and stands it on its head. It is a challenge flung boldly into the face of societys false presumptions and personal predilections. No wonder the gospel will be called a scandal and foolishness by Paul in 1 Corinthians. Our situation today is not as dissimilar from the writing of Pauls letter to the Romans as we are inclined to think. Make no mistake. The days of casual Christianity are over. The same issue of deep faithfulness is upon us. Once again, we are in a time when to be Christian is to be seen as quaint, backwards, and scientifically ignorant. For some, it is even a sign of being mean spirited and bigoted. And here we must pause for a moment to confess that we have brought some of this on by ourselves through a narrow-minded refusal to love those who disagree and more often than we would like, a coarse indifference to the hurting, hungry, and homeless, both physically and spiritually. Yet surely the response to our appropriate confession is not abject surrender to the whims of our hedonistically saturated civilization. To borrow an insight from James Davidson Hunters To Change the World, we have steadily sacrificed a Wesleyan commitment to sanctification for purposes of cultural acceptance and the result has been to steadily be marginalized by the culture itself. We gather at the city gate, the intersection of Christ and Culture. Let this be our grace filled witness: So dont be ashamed of the testimony about the Lord or of me, his prisoner, writes Paul. Instead, share the suffering for the good news, depending on Gods power (2 Timothy 1:8). Bishop Mike Lowry is the Resident Bishop of the Central Texas Annual Conference/Fort Worth Episcopal Area. | https://goodnewsmag.org/2019/01/where-are-we-going/ |
Should we Abandon the Old Testament? | By By David F. Watson As Christianity continues its numeric decline in the West, we in the church rightly look for ways to reverse this trend. In this new book, Irresistible: Reclaiming the New That Jesus Unleashed for the World (Zondervan, 2018), Andy Stanley offers a diagnosis for our decline, along with several solutions. For Stanley, senior pastor of North Point Community Church in the Atlanta area, a faith that was once irresistible is now all-too-resistible. In the early centuries after Jesus, the Christian faith spread like wildfire. Today, however, we suffer the effects of generation after generation having misrepresented the true faith Jesus came to reveal. The result is that more and more people are walking away from the church. Our great error in the twenty-first century church, according to Stanley, is primarily theological: we have blended the old and new covenants. This is nothing new, he says, but it was not always so. The earliest Christians knew that God had done away with the old covenant once and for all and had replaced it with a new covenant through Jesus Christ. The old covenant, established at Sinai, had one way of doing things. The new covenant has another. To blend the two covenants is to undermine the power of the new, the very power that once made it irresistible in the early generations following Jesus. Stanley spends most of the book establishing a few major claims: the old covenant is legalistic, judgmental, and unnecessarily harsh. In the new covenant God has made the old obsolete. We now have a covenant rooted in the grace of God, one that compels us in all our actions to ask what love requires. The Old Testament (OT) contains the old covenant. The New Testament (NT) tells us about the new covenant. When we claim that we are saved according to the new covenant, but still act as if we are under the old (living according to OT teachings), we are blending the covenants, and thus rejecting Gods work in Jesus Christ. Let me be entirely honest: I disagree with virtually every major premise of this book, save the claim that Christians live within a new covenant that God has established through Jesus Christ. Its problems are both historical and theological. For example, one historical problem emerges in Stanleys discussion of the way in which early Christians regarded the Jewish Scriptures. He seems to believe that the earliest Christians somehow devalued or even outright rejected them. At one point he writes, [I]magine how first-century, Jesus-following Jews felt when it was suggested that they bid farewell to texts that shaped their culture and consciences (151). At another point he remarks, [T]he credibility of our faith has never hung by the thread of the credibility of a collection of ancient texts. Even inspired ancient texts. Especially Old Testament texts. Once upon a time, a group of textless Jesus followers, sandwiched between empire and temple, defied both (306, italics original). Frankly, I dont know what to do with statements like this one. It is quite simply historically inaccurate. Though they did come to understand their Scriptures in a new way, Jesus first followers did not bid farewell to their sacred texts, nor did Jesus ever suggest that they do so. Jesus and his first followers were firmly planted in the soil of the Jewish Scriptures. Paul relies heavily upon these texts, as do the Apostolic Fathers, Irenaeus, and Clement of Alexandria. The second-century apologist Justin Martyr writes that the early Christians with whom he would gather would read from the gospels or the OT prophets for as long as time would allow. Much of the earliest Christian art consists of depiction of OT figures such as Moses, Noah, Jonah, and the three young Hebrew men in Nebuchadnezzars fiery furnace. The third-century Christian theologian Origen of Alexandria (185-254) thought the OT so important that he undertook a massive project to establish the most accurate possible rendering of these texts. Over two decades he developed a document called the Hexapla in which he compared the Hebrew Bible (in Hebrew and transliterated into Greek) and four versions of Greek translations of the Hebrew Bible, including the most well known and widely used version, the Septuagint. This work consisted of around 6,000 pages, and its cost must have been phenomenal. Another historical problem emerges in Stanleys discussion of Athanasius Festal Letter 39 (A.D. 367), the first witness we have to our twenty-seven book NT canon. Stanley writes, The documents that made Athanasius list and eventually our list, were considered valuable, credible, and reliable the moment they were written (303). Again, this is simply incorrect. Some of the works on Athanasiuss list were widely accepted early on. In the second century there began to emerge collections of the four gospels and Pauls letters. 1 Peter and 1 John were also widely accepted before the beginning of the third century. Other works, such as Hebrews, James, 2 Peter, 2 and 3 John, and Revelation, were slower to find acceptance. They were held in suspicion by some parts of the church. Revelation had a particularly difficult time in the Eastern churches. The process by which we came to understand the authority and inspiration of the twenty-seven books of the NT we recognize today was slow and messy. Stanley also asserts, In the fourth century, church leaders bound the Jewish Scriptures together with the Gospels and epistles for the first time and gave the collection a name: ta biblia. The Bible. Once the Hebrew Scriptures were bound together with Christian Scriptures, the texts of the Hebrew Scriptures were granted the same authority as the Gospels and epistles (155). In fact, the process of canonization was quite the opposite of this. From its inception the church understood the Jewish Scriptures as authoritative. Over time, specifically Christian writings, such as the Gospels and epistles, came to stand alongside the Jewish Scriptures as authoritative for the life of faith. The Jewish Scriptures were authoritative well before specifically Christian writings came to be regarded as Scripture. The Old and New Testaments were bound together in the fourth century because it took until the second half of the fourth century for our present NT canon to find widespread acceptance. These historical problems, however, are outmatched by the books theological problems. For example, at one point Stanley writes, Christianity begins with Jesus, not Genesis, (284). Matthew and Luke apparently disagree. Both evangelists include genealogies in their Gospels that trace the story of Jesus back through the stories of Israel, all the way back to you guessed it Genesis. Jesus did not simply appear out of thin air. He stands within the salvation history of Israel as the one who extends that salvation to all the world. Stanley argues, however, that God has done something entirely new in Jesus Christ, and what came before (i.e., the OT) is merely the backstory. Sure, you might find the backstory interesting, even helpful in some ways. It is not, however, the basis of our faith, nor is it binding upon us as Christians. At one point he writes, The Christian faith doesnt need to be propped up by the Jewish Scriptures, and, In a post-Christian context, our faith actually does better without old covenant support (278). In keeping with his deflationary view of the authority of the OT, Stanley makes some rather radical suggestions regarding how we should speak about and order the writings contained in the Bible. What if, instead of Old and New Testaments, he writes, our texts were labeled the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Bible. Thats clearer and more accurate (280). Its only more accurate, however, if youre willing to concede that the Old Testament is not properly a part of the Christian Bible. Since, however, the church has never affirmed this at any point in its history, and in fact has specifically repudiated it, we would be wise to reject this suggestion. Christians sometimes refer to the OT as the Hebrew Bible. In so doing, they are attempting to demonstrate their rejection of supersessionist theologies (i.e., theologies according to which Christianity has utterly replaced Judaism) and show respect to Jewish people. Stanleys rationale is that, because both testament and covenant are translations of the same Greek word, diathk, when we use the term Old Testament we suggest that there is nothing more in this body of writings than the old covenant. He insists, however, that the OT includes more than the old covenant. A lot more (280). The answer to this question never becomes apparent. He also picks up the idea that referring to these works collectively as the Hebrew Bible will be less offensive to Jewish people. [I]f you start referring to the Old Testament as something other than old, it isnt going to hurt Gods feelings. It wasnt his idea. And referring to it as something other than old may reduce the number of Jewish feelings we hurt along the way (283). Never mind that he spends the better part of the book describing the Jewish Scriptures as obsolete, irrelevant, and barbaric. At one point he refers to the legalism, hypocrisy, self-righteousness, and exclusivity that characterized ancient Judaism (146). Were a Jewish person to read Stanleys book, the use of term Old Testament would not likely rank among its more offensive elements. For the sake of clarity, Stanley continues, perhaps the Christian Bible should precede the Hebrew Bible in our published texts (284). He goes on to suggest, Perhaps our Bibles should begin with Luke (284). The lack of even a hint of deference to Christian tradition the judgment of the saints and martyrs who have passed on the Churchs faith to us is utterly stupefying. Stanley rightly describes Christians as people of the new covenant, noting that we are not bound by or saved by the law. Thats Christianity 101. Yet as he himself points out, the OT involves much more than the old covenant. The Old and New Testaments together provide us with a single great narrative of salvation. Each is incomplete without the other. In Romans 11:17-18, Paul writes, If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, do not consider yourself to be superior to those other branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you (NIV). The OT is more than the backstory. It is the unfolding of Gods great plan of salvation in human history, a plan that will emerge out of Israel in Jesus Christ. While we are not bound by the law, moreover, the OT does reveal to us certain principles about the moral fabric of Gods creation. Stanley acknowledges this (p. 166), but it doesnt seem to do any heavy lifting in his argument. I agree with him that we do not refrain from, say, theft because the law commands that we do so. Rather, we refrain from theft because, in Gods ordering of creation, it is wrong to take what belongs to another person. The OT commandments against theft simply give voice to this. In dialogue with the NT, Christians can extrapolate other ethical principles from the OT as well. I dont dispute that Andy Stanley is a man of God who has made many important contributions to the life of the church. In this book, however, he has missed the mark. I cannot recommend it for any type of use in the church. The inspiration and authority of Scripture have come under attack quite commonly in recent years by people who wish to see a resurgence of Christian practice. I, too, wish deeply to see our churches fulfilling the Great Commission of Matthew 28:18-20. The way to do this, however, is not by neglecting what God has revealed to us as canon a rule or measuring rod for Christian faith and practice. On the contrary, a deeper engagement with Scripture, rather than a more limited one, will stoke the fires of revival. David F. Watson is the academic dean and professor of New Testament at United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio. He is the author of Scripture and the Life of God (Seedbed). | https://goodnewsmag.org/2019/01/should-we-abandon-the-old-testament/ |
How many hoops must Manny Yekutiel jump through before hes deemed worthy to set foot in the Mission? | When you wander into Mannys at 16th and Valencia, everything is chill. Its a big space. And its crowded. People are working on projects, sipping $1.75 cups of coffee, or reading the literature they can purchase in-house from an adjunct of Dog-Eared Books located in the store (curated titles from Franz Fanon, Ta-Nehesi Coates, Howard Zinn and many others for sale). This space feels casual and accessible. Thats the idea. Owner Manny Yekutiel, in fact, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with United to Save the Mission, a coalition of more than a dozen neighborhood nonprofits and activist groups, to ensure the community is copacetic with his community space. The Mission anti-gentrification activists wanted a bicultural, bilingual environment for Mission families with bilingual signage here. And that happened. They wanted Yekutiel to hire bilingual staff that reflects the availability of qualified applicants in the local community, and the staff here is now heavily composed of local people of color (many are also LGBTQ, like Yekutiel). United to Save the Mission called for moderate price points and not only is the coffee a buck seventy five, but Tecate runs you two bucks and a meal starts at six. The food here, in fact, is prepared on-site by Farming Hope, a nonprofit employing homeless, formerly incarcerated, and low-income community members and they earn all the food revenue. And, on top of that, the MOU calls for community-serving groups to use the event space here for free. Thats happening too (groups with a bit more cash pay $54 per hour, which is still low). United to Save the Mission also originally wanted Yekutiel to have awnings, because, he was told, certain physical traits supposedly make spaces more welcoming for Latino families. This wasnt a hard and fast point. He doesnt have an awning. And yet, theres controversy here now. It has nothing to do with United to Save the Mission. Or awnings. Last night, Black and Brown Social Club, the Lucy Parsons Project, QUIT (Queers Undermining Israeli Terrorism) and allied groups showed up to fight the Zionist-Gentrification cafe Mannys while white supremacist Zionists ate a meal in support of Mannys: pic.twitter.com/Ff7g8VhZcx LucyParsonsProject (@LucyParsonsProj) December 27, 2018 Boycott Mannys and its woke-washing of the Mission, blared an email sent Dec. 5 to media outlets by The Lucy Parsons Project, a self-described radical black queer direct action group fighting anti-blackness in the Bay Area. Mannys as a gentrifying wine-bar, cafe and fake social justice space in the Mission District, will only accelerate the raising of rents and the displacement of Black, Latinx, disabled and trans/queer people in the Mission, the letter continued. Additionally, the proprietor of Mannys, Emmanuel Yekutiel, has unequivocally espoused racist, Zionist, pro-Israel ideals that we will not tolerate or accept in our community. We will not tolerate gentrifiers and Zionists attempts at invading and destroying our community through woke-washing! ! And, surely enough, a handful of protesters began showing up, weekly, shouting through bullhorns and waving placards. Someone painted a Star of David on Mannys exterior along with the words Fuck Zionism. A window was broken. But all of this was initially ignored here in the city. By the media. And by Yekutiel, too. At first. Media outlets, including this one, were loath to provide a greater platform to a small cadre of demonstrators making a Jewish mans position on Israels right to exist a litmus test for operating a business in the Mission. Yekutiel did the same. Until the Forward, the longstanding New York-based Jewish newspaper, went with the story on Dec. 27. Yekutiel followed shortly thereafter with an op-ed in the Chronicle, and now were off to the races. This is not an ideal story for straightforward, both-sides, he-said-she-said coverage all the more so because one of the sides is a diminutive group of attention-seekers going on about Zionist gentrifiers in the Mission and using Jew-as-interloper-and-parasite language (invading and destroying our community). There are earnest discussions to be had about Mideast politics and Israels treatment of the Palestinians and the shifting role of Israel in Jewish American life. But the gotcha here is that Yekutiel has espoused baseline support on Facebook for the mere existence of Israel (the nation where his paternal grandparents and their eight children fled from near-certain death in Afghanistan). Protesters are not canvassing the Valencia Street corridor gauging the non-Jewish business owners stances on Israels right to exist. Thats something to think about. As it is, nearly every claim the protesters have made isnt borne out by the facts. As far as gentrifying Valencia, Mannys has replaced a high-end sushi shop known for its rolled ice cream with an establishment featuring (MOU-mandated) moderate price points and free community space. (Also, while the demonstrators often refer to Mannys as a wine bar, which certainly sounds chi-chi and protestable, the MOU mandates it remain a full-service restaurant and not a bar). Far from getting a sweet deal from landlord Sam Moss of Mission Housing, Yekutiel is, in fact, paying higher rent than the sushi joint did rent that subsidizes the below-market-rate housing in this building. While the email calling for a boycott of Mannys described the programming as Washington DC politicos TED-talks catering to the ruling-class Tech-elite, that would come as news to Lateefah Simon and Lenore Anderson, hosting a forum Tuesday on criminal justice reform. Other January events include a panel of public school teachers brainstorming how to afford Bay Area life; a San Francisco public defender discussing a history of incarceration; The Queer Latinx History of San Franciscos 16th-Street Corridor, and The State of the LGBT Rights Movement in the U.S. with Kate Kendall and Cecilia Chung. Yekutiel was described by his critics as being in cahoots with his homie Mayor London Breed which would be a hell of a thing, considering he served as the finance director for Mark Lenos mayoral campaign. And perhaps most significantly of all, Yekutiel did not drop, unbidden, into the Mission. He spent well over a year methodically making inroads with multiple elected officials, nearly every nearby business owner, and several dozen community leaders culminating in the aforementioned negotiated MOU. I have rarely seen a business owner go about things in such a thoughtful way and take feedback to heart, said Supervisor Hillary Ronen. The attacks are unfounded and unfair. He offers low-cost food made by people recently released from jail what more can you ask of Manny? Renouncing Zionism, it would seem. Yekutiels belief in the Jewish States right to exist is, it seems, the only accurate allegation made against him. The MOU Yekutiel signed with United to Save the Mission does not mention Israel, Zionism, or any other forms of ethno-nationalism among its 12 clauses. Imagine that. Yekutiel has ostensibly lived up to his end of the bargain, however the price points are low, the programming is booked solid, and the food revenue is going to a benevolent nonprofit. Its crowded in here, but Yekutiel is cagey when asked if hes making money. There have been a lot of free events, and he wont profit unless he sells a goodly amount of coffee, tea, or beer and, again, the price points are low. Its easy to portray an unelected group of self-proclaimed community guardians like United to Save the Mission as heavy handed for dictating a business price points (and even decor). The awning part, admittedly, doesnt make much sense but the more substantive issues seem quite germane in a community so decimated by gentrification. Nearly all of the asks made of Yekutiel are warranted and reasonable, especially given his professed desire to run a community space. Thats why he signed the MOU, all the way back on Nov. 28. United to Save the Mission, however, has not signed its own document. We called multiple members of United to Save the Mission to query about the status of Yekutiels MOU. We did not receive a call back. We do not know the reason behind the holdup; we do not know if these protests are a factor. Of note, clause No. 12 of this MOU would bind United to Save the Mission to discourage peer organizations from taking any oppositional actions to Mannys. That would be a good thing to do. What more can you ask of Manny? is a relevant question. Its time to start asking more of everyone else. | https://missionlocal.org/2019/01/how-many-hoops-must-manny-yekutiel-jump-through-before-hes-deemed-worthy-to-do-business-in-the-mission/ |
How Can Community Managers Add Value to a Digital Transformation? | Managers of enterprise community portals whether they are internal or external facing are rarely in charge of a digital transformation project. But they are on the front lines of such changes and the first to feel, or rather hear about, the pain when things start to go awry. Which not only makes them the proverbial canary in the digital coal mine, so to speak, but also the first responder to a problem. For that reason they have to be kept in the loop about what is happening, said MyWorkDrive.com CMO Jackie Rednour-Bruckman. They are responsible if a user base gets infuriated and blows up Twitter or is on the receiving end of employees complaints. Rednour-Bruckman would know. Community manager has been among the many hats she has worn throughout her career and she attests to the difficulty of the job even in the best of times when there is not a major change underway. Community managers need to be tech savvy, but also enjoy people because the job can require a lot of hand holding, she said. These are the folks that end their emails with a smiley emoji. They are the ones handing out chocolates. These helpful touches go into overdrive during a digital transformation, but that is the least of the community managers responsibilities during such a project. Above all else, a community manager needs to be proactive about letting the community know what is happening and what they can expect, Rednour-Bruckman said. They need to be able to provide exact dates and times when the system will be down, alternative methods that can be used to communicate, an escalation process if things really go awry and finally, what the system will look like after the change is made. The overarching goal is to keep the community productive during the change, said Rednour-Bruckman. Related Article: Change Management For Digital Transformation A Changing Role If you dont recognize this particular version of community manager i.e. someone who takes charge of and guides a changing situation that is because the evolution of the role is somewhat new. The community managers role has changed in scope and importance, going beyond just monitoring and responding to questions from fans, said Stevie Dove, VP, social & content marketing at Publicis.Sapient. Today, we see this role as a critical resource for any brand, company or service that puts customers first, especially those with a digital-first business strategy. In short, they have become a strategic connector between a brand and the community of like-minded people they are trying to create or reach, he said. They have the power to help move a customer closer to purchase at just the right moment, they have the power to win a customer back when they have had an unpleasant experience, Dove said. And they also have the power to make or break a digital transformation project. Related Article: Change Management: The Key to Successful Digital Transformations Deeply Embedded in the Community The most effective community managers are deeply embedded in their communities, whether it is an internal community of employees or an external community of customers or prospective influencers or partners, said Greg Perotto, VP of corporate marketing for Hootsuite. This is when the community manager assumes their digital first responder role because they are able to tap into not only the companys resources to aid with a problem, but also address the problem before it becomes insurmountable. They also are an invaluable resource before a problem arises, Perotto continued. They can talk with the community and ask what is on their minds. They ask what things theyre hoping will be accomplished through the digital transformation, whether it is create a better customer experience or remove unnecessary administrative tasks for employees or make things easier for future searches. Trust is integral to this relationship there is nothing worse than a community manager that is outed or identified as nothing more than a mouthpiece for a brand, said Pete Sena, founder and CEO of Digital Surgeons. The community manager understands the voice of the customer and its pain points. That is how they can add a tremendous level of insight to help improve the digital transformation. Not that the community manager is completely divorced from the brand, on the contrary, Sena said. Today the role of the community manager is to be evangelist and advocate for both the brand and the customer. It is a difficult job and one that should be valued. | https://www.cmswire.com/digital-experience/how-can-community-managers-add-value-to-a-digital-transformation/ |
Will LinkedIn Ads Take 2019 By Storm? | LinkedIn wants its Sales Navigator solution to be a system of engagement. PHOTO: Ben Scholzen More brands are turning away from Facebook Ads and heading towards Instagram and LinkedIn, according to a compilation of studies and surveys. Most interestingly, the reports show that LinkedIn saw a 212 percent increase in ad spend growth, compared to a 204 percent increase for Instagram. A report by Demandware shows 71 percent of B2B marketers use LinkedIn as part of their advertising strategy, but the aforementioned growth statistics show that even more money is being laid down. Both LinkedIn Ads and Facebook Ads give marketers the ability to target campaigns by demographics such as gender, age and location. However, LinkedIn Ads, unlike Facebook Ads, can target an audience based on industry and profession. While ads running on LinkedIn dont differ much from ones youd find on Facebook or Instagram, the real differentiator a Linkedin [ad] provides is a targeted audience broken down by some pretty unique and powerful data points like education, skillset, employer and industry. These are qualifiers the other social media sites just cant pinpoint as accurately, said Brian Byer, VP of content & commerce at Blue Fountain Media. Furthermore, LinkedIn has become an indispensable professional tool for networking and building brand awareness. According to Chris Olson, CEO of The Media Trust, professionals access the platform at least once a day for content to assist with making informed business decisions. LinkedIn tends to be sober in tenor and tailored to the professional needs of users. At the same time, ads are fewer and farther between and less conspicuous so that they do not disrupt users who want to dig into insightful, engaging and reliable professional content, Olson said. LinkedIn Ads are extremely popular in the B2B space and accorindg to Byer commented, a good channel for B2B brands. Linkedin Ads [are a] terrific channel for the underserved B2B companies whose ads dont really work in a consumer-facing market space like Facebook. With an audience of business leaders and influencers, LinkedIn is a powerful platform for B2B companies to target those specific types of companies they need to reach with their product. However, since LinkedIn is a professional network, LinkedIn Ads is not catered towards the B2C space. This is where platforms like Facebook and Instagram will provide a higher ROI in B2C marketing. LinkedIn is a workplace professional platform and one of the few social media platforms corporations allow to be accessed on work computers, several companies still block Facebook. Unless a B2C company is promoting a product to help workplace productivity [or] process efficiency, I dont think their ads hit the right tone for the platform, said Julie Huval, CPSM at Beck Technology. LinkedIn Advertising: Evaluating the Pros and Cons LinkedIn Ads have helped brands generate new leads, via its Lead Forms, and raise brand awareness. Facebook Ads also provide this capability, but more on the B2C front. Alan Santillan, marketing specialist at G2 Crowd, whose firm heavily invests in LinkedIn Ads, said one significant advantage that LinkedIn Ads has is it can create authentic adverts. The one advantage that LinkedIn has over other platforms is its the only social media source that can truly make advertisements look like native content, said Santillan. With so many connections promoting their business on LinkedIn day to day, a regular software advertisement that is promoting a social event, webinar, or product, can look fairly organic and non-spammy. Santillan continued by saying that the authentic nature of LinkedIn Ads helps to nurture more engagement and views in comparison to Instagram and Facebook. Another advantage, according to Byer, is LinkedIns diverse range of advertising options. LinkedIn offers sponsored content, text ads and sponsored InMail. Linkedin demonstrates a clear ad-buy advantage is in its diverse range of advertising types. [Linkedin Ad options] like sponsored posts are a great way to reach a qualified and literate audience who might better respond to your content when its presented to them in a more sophisticated manner, Byer said. But the major drawback is cost. In DemandZen, Justin Warner wrote that it is currently cheaper to run campaigns on Facebook than LinkedIn. Also, Facebook has a much larger user base. Latest figures show that Facebook has 2.2 billion active users and LinkedIn has 550+ million active users. Despite the contrasting difference in the number of users, LinkedIn Ads possess a higher ROI, according to Warner. The only disadvantage of LinkedIn Ads is its cost. They can be very pricey compared to Facebook; however, their ROI is usually much higher, said Keri Lindenmuth, marketing manager at Kyle David Group. Another disadvantage, as observed by Huval is LinkedIn Ads analytics platform. The analytics [of LinkedIn Ads] dont show you exactly who viewed or clicked on your ad even though the LinkedIn platform knows exactly who did. The disconnect between following up with a potential lead and a view is frustrating. Related Article: How LinkedIn Local Changed the Face of the Professional Network LinkedIn Ads: The Boss of B2B in 2019 Facebook has long been seen as the leader in online advertising, whether youre B2C or B2B. But if the statistics and expert opinions are anything to go by, 2019 will be the year that B2B marketers spend more money into LinkedIn than any other platform. As for B2C marketing, its fair to say that brands will prefer Facebook and Instagram for lead generation, revenue and brand awareness. | https://www.cmswire.com/digital-marketing/will-linkedin-ads-take-2019-by-storm/ |
When is Blue Monday 2019 and why is it the 'worst day of the year'? | Get daily updates directly to your inbox Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email Here we are at the start of another brand New Year and for some, the January blues may be kicking in. Well, they may have already slipped. But worry not as there could be a perfectly reasonable explanation if you are feeling less than chirpy on January 21. The day has become known as Blue Monday and the 'most depressing day of the year'. It is seemingly due to a combination of the things already mentioned above, plus the added stress of Christmas spending catching up with us. But let's add a bit of science if you will to it. In 2005, British psychologist Dr Cliff Arnall came up with a formula to calculate why we feel a little blue on that one day, which generally falls on the third Monday of January every year. The formula is: [W+(D-d)]xTQ/MxNA. Us to. But here's what it all means: W = Weather d = Debt T = time since Christmas Q = time since failing New Year's resolutions M = low motivational levels Na = low motivational levels But now you know the day is approaching, why not flip it on its head and make it a positive Monday instead. To help, the Samaritans are encouraging people to participate in Brew Monday and encourage people to talk. The charity have been championing this for two years as a way of getting people together with their friends, family or colleagues over a brew whilst also raising vital funds for Samaritans. So why don't you watch that film you have been desperate to see for months, finish the book that you have been telling yourself to read for ages, book the holiday you have been dreaming about or head out on a winter walk and banish those January blues. Helplines and websites Samaritans (116 123) operates a 24-hour service available every day of the year. If you prefer to write down how youre feeling, or if youre worried about being overheard on the phone, you can email Samaritans at [email protected] . Childline (0800 1111 ) runs a helpline for children and young people in the UK. Calls are free and the number wont show up on your phone bill. PAPYRUS (0800 068 41 41) is a voluntary organisation supporting teenagers and young adults who are feeling suicidal. Depression Alliance is a charity for people with depression. It doesnt have a helpline, but offers a wide range of useful resources and links to other relevant information. http://www.depressionalliance.org/ Students Against Depression is a website for students who are depressed, have a low mood or are having suicidal thoughts. Bullying UK is a website for both children and adults affected by bullying. http://studentsagainstdepression.org/ The Sanctuary (0300 003 7029) helps people who are struggling to cope - experiencing depression, anxiety, panic attacks or in crisis. You can call them between 8pm and 6am every night.operates a 24-hour service available every day of the year. If you prefer to write down how youre feeling, or if youre worried about being overheard on the phone, you can email Samaritans at [email protected] . Let us know - in complete confidence - by emailing [email protected], calling us on 0161 211 2323, tweeting us @MENnewsdesk or messaging us on our Facebook page. You can also send us a story tip using the form here. Join the Manchester Evening News breaking news Facebook group for a place to read and talk about breaking news in Greater Manchester. | https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/blue-monday-2019-worst-day-15641814 |
What's Driving First Solar's Weaker Than Expected Margin Guidance? | 2019 could prove to be an interesting year for First Solar, the largest U.S. solar panel manufacturer, as it scales up production of its much anticipated Series 6 panels. Production of the next-generation panel is likely to grow to between 3 GW and 3.2 GW this year, accounting for about two-thirds of the companys output. However, despite the transition, First Solars margin guidance for 2019 was relatively lackluster. In this note, we take a look at some of the factors impacting the companys weaker-than-expected margin outlook, and why we believe things could pick up from 2020 onwards. You can modify the various drivers to arrive at your own forecasts for the companys 2019 revenue and EPS. First Solars Gross Margin Guidance First Solar has guided for gross margins of 20% to 21% for 2019. While this is ahead of the 18.5% to 19.5% margins projected for 2018, the markets were expecting better margins, on account of an increasing mix of Series 6 modules and also because a high-margin project sale in Japan was moved from 2018 to 2019. However, First Solar has noted that there are multiple factors influencing the weaker than expected margins. Firstly, the companys systems business which is expected to account for 55% to 60% of its net sales is likely to dilute overall gross margins. While margins for EPC projects are expected to come in at about 15%, self-developed projects could have margins of as much as 20%. This is well below the margins projections for the companys panel-only sales. Moreover, the company will continue to ship its Series 4 modules over 2019 (about 2 GW planned production). These panels are likely to have weaker margins, as they are likely less competitive in the current marketplace, considering their lower power ratings. Additionally, efficiency ratings for Series 6 over the early part of the year could remain low, as production facilities ramp up to capacity, and this could also hurt gross margins. Full Impact of Series 6 Could Be Seen In 2019 That said, its possible that First Solar could see a bump in margins starting in 2020 and 2021, as it is expected to stop production of Series 4 panels next year. Moreover, as its Series 6 manufacturing process gains maturity, costs could come down and conversion efficiencies could rise with factory utilization rates also improving. The new panels have a significantly higher rated capacity compared to its legacy Series 4 panels, with manufacturing costs also estimated to be as much as 40% lower. Explore example interactive dashboards and create your own | https://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2019/01/07/whats-driving-first-solars-weaker-than-expected-margin-guidance/ |
Does NJ trust our police? | We were sent an email and video by a guy who claims to be a former NJ municipal police officer. He said he left due to the corruption, misconduct and extortion he saw in his department every day. The email is unsigned other than "PSNJ Ironbound Media". In the video he claims to be there doing a news story about a lack of information being released to the public. We should all have a healthy suspicion of government and law enforcement. We also need to have a healthy respect and trust in both institutions. But that trust and respect needs to be earned and kept. We need people to be watchdogs. Too many people are making a very comfortable living keeping the status quo. Who are the people who are watching those in charge. You tell me, if you think this guy is being a jerk or he is protecting the rest of us from losing our rights. More from New Jersey 101.5 : | http://nj1015.com/does-nj-trust-our-police/ |
Who are Plymouth Hunted contestants Jess Kirkham and Emma Davidson? | Get Daily updates directly to your inbox Subscribe Thank you for subscribing See our privacy notice Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email Two Plymouth nurses are set to star on Channel 4's Hunted as it hits our screens this week. The reality game show sees members of the public trying to evade capture for 25 days while professional hunters - former police, military and special services as well as psychologists and hackers - try to find them. The hunters try to use the same methods of surveillance employed by the state, including cyber expertise and interrogating friends and family. They also use CCTV cameras and even hack into phones and social media sites to gain information on the fugitives. Those that remain on the run after 28 days and reach the secret extraction point win a share of 100,000. (Image: Channel 4) Series four will start on Thursday, January 10, and will star three contestants from Devon, nurses Emma Davidson and Jess Kirkham, who work at Derriford Hospital and Royal Marine Matt Mason. In 2018, Plymouth MP Johnny Mercer was crowned the winner of the celebrity special of Hunted. In July, producers of the show were desperate to find Mr Mercer, who was partnered with TV presenter Kay Burley, and put out several tweets in a bid to stop them winning the show, offering rewards for any information about their whereabouts. Ms Burley was captured in the second-to-last episode, however Mr Mercer made it to the very end - and ended up winning the entire show. Friends and fellow nurses Emma, 23, and Jess, 27, believe their medical training and experience will give them the advantage they need over the Hunters to succeed on the run. Working long hours, and dealing with extreme pressure, theyre ready for whatever mental or physical challenges life as a fugitive will throw at them. Neo-natal intensive care nurse, Emma, and neuro-intensive care nurse, Jess, have been friends for just over a year after meeting at a mutual colleagues BBQ, where they instantly hit it off. They believe the Hunters will take them at face value and severely underestimate their abilities, but they are tougher than they look and know they can rely on each other to get them through any difficulties. They believe their combination of skills and big personalities will give them a great chance of winning a share of 100,000. Emma We want to go on Hunted because we are here for a bit of fun. Jess More fun than anything. Emma And just to do something that we have not done before. Together. Jess New experiences. Jess Meeting new people, Emma Building ourselves. Maybe a bit of soul searching, as you do. Jess Proving to ourselves that we can do something completely ridiculous. Emma Yes, and proving to other people Jess There are a lot of people saying You wont last two minutes, Oh my god they will catch you in two minutes. Emma They will recognise you in two minutes. Hmm, I dont think so! Jess Well I hope not Emma Yeah I hope not, we will see. Q How will you succeed, what tactics will you employ, and are there any that you have seen from previous series of Hunted that you would like to employ or avoid. Emma I think that people are going to underestimate us. Because we come across quite silly, and we have some good plans and some very good contacts that will benefit us along the way. Jess We have a lot of disguises. Emma A lot of disguises yeah, some of which I think have used before in the past. But not to the extent that we are doing. Jess We are going to blow your mind! Emma Yeah, we will. Jess We just dont want to be caught basically. Emma - We are going to avoid that tactic, of getting caught, like some of the other people did. Jess We can go rural if we want to, stay in hotels. We are just going to try and appeal to the public to help us Emma Fit in. Jess Yeah, fit in. You have charmed me! Jess Do you know, I think I am very confident but I dont want to be nave and in denial about it. Emma Yeah same. I am pretty sure that we have some pretty good tactics up our sleeves, that I am hoping that we are going to execute really well, but Jess We cant plan too much, we are rolling with it, hour by hour. Emma Exactly. Emma We have got to stay undetectable. To keep up to date with Plymouth Live's latest news, follow us on Facebook here and Twitter here , or visit our homepage at www.plymouthlive.com For Devon news, find Devon Live's Facebook page here , or their Twitter page here , or visit their homepage at www.devonlive.com For Cornwall news, find Cornwall Live's Facebook page here , or their Twitter page here , or visit their homepage at www.cornwalllive.com | https://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/news/celebs-tv/who-plymouth-hunted-contestants-jess-2402453 |
Should researchers engineer a spicy tomato? | Biquinho peppers (a cultivated variety of Capsicum chinense). Credit: Emmanuel Rezende Naves The chili pepper, from an evolutionary perspective, is the tomato's long-lost spitfire cousin. They split off from a common ancestor 19 million years ago but still share some of the same DNA. While the tomato plant went on to have a fleshy, nutrient-rich fruit yielding bountiful harvests, the more agriculturally difficult chili plant went defensive, developing capsaicinoids, the molecules that give peppers their spiciness, to ward off predators. With the latest gene-editing techniques, it could be possible, although challenging, to make a tomato produce capsaicinoids as well, researchers argue in an opinion article publishing January 7 in the journal Trends in Plant Science. Their objective isn't to start a hot, new culinary fadalthough that's not completely off the tablebut to have an easier means of mass producing large quantities of capsaicinoids for commercial purposes. The molecules have nutritional and antibiotic properties and are used in painkillers and pepper spray. "Engineering the capsaicinoid genetic pathway to the tomato would make it easier and cheaper to produce this compound, which has very interesting applications," says senior author Agustin Zsgn (@shogur), a plant biologist at the Federal University of Viosa in Brazil whose group is working toward this goal. "We have the tools powerful enough to engineer the genome of any species; the challenge is to know which gene to engineer and where." The spicy taste that capsaicinoids add isn't a taste, but a reaction to pain. They activate nerve cells in the tongue that deal with heat-induced pain, which the brain interprets as a burning sensation. Evidence suggests that the evolution of capsaicinoids helped chili peppers deter small mammals from eating their fruit. Birds, which are much better seed dispersers, show no pain response to the molecules. Jalapeo peppers (a cultivated variety of Capsicum annuum). Credit: Emmanuel Rezende Naves There are at least 23 different types of capsaicinoids, which originate from the pith of the chili pepper. The spiciness of a pepper is determined by the genes that regulate capsaicinoid production, and less pungent peppers have mutations affecting this process. Previous gene sequencing work has shown that tomatoes have the genes necessary for capsaicinoids but don't have the machinery to turn them on. "In theory you could use these genes to produce capsaicinoids in the tomato," says Zsgn. "Since we don't have solid data about the expression patterns of the capsaicinoid pathway in the tomato fruit, we have to try alternative approaches. One is to activate candidate genes one at a time and see what happens, which compounds are produced. We are trying this and a few other things." Habanero peppers (a cultivated variety of Capsicum chinense). Credit: Emmanuel Rezende Naves The sequencing of the chili pepper genome and the discovery that the tomato has the genes necessary for pungency paves the way for engineering a spicy tomato. The researchers write that not only will this endeavour help better understand the evolution of this unique botanical trait and allow for the development of tomato capsaicinoid biofactories, but perhaps allow for the development of some new varieties of produce in the grocery aisle. Explore further: Tree shrews can tolerate hot peppers: Mutation in pain receptor makes peppery plant palatable More information: Trends in Plant Science, Rezende-Naves et al. : "Capsaicinoids: pungency beyond Capsicum" https://www.cell.com/trends/plant-science/fulltext/S1360-1385(18)30261-9 , DOI: 10.1016/j.tplants.2018.11.001 | https://phys.org/news/2019-01-spicy-tomato.html |
What was the chaplaincys role in the Struggle? | Picture: Phill Magakoe/African News Agency (ANA) Johannesburg - The historical role of the clergy - especially the office of the chaplain-general - in the liberation movement that is now the governing party, has come into sharp scrutiny after the unfortunate patriarchal utterances of the incumbent, Reverend Vukile Mehana, went viral on social media. In a taped telephone conversation between Mehana and another elder of the Methodist Church, the chaplain-general of the ANC is heard making plainly disparaging remarks against the role of female priests in the church. In a statement, the party quickly moved to distance itself from Mehanas views, after it had noted with disappointment the utterances attributed to Mehana. The statement continued: The derogatory remarks about women have no place in our country, where our Constitution encourages all of us to work for a truly non-sexist society. The ANC has informed the presiding bishop of the Methodist Church of South Africa, Bishop Zipho Siwa, that Mehana will not officiate at the January 8th celebrations planned for next week. The Methodist Church appealed for space to deal with this matter internally. True to form, Twitter was aflame with opinion, from the likes of Anda Bici who was quick to locate the clergy inside the ANC: My brief understating is that at the formation of the ANC in 1912 or shortly before, the first assignment of the ANC was a prayer that came from the Bloemfontein conference where the ANC was conceived as a movement. Then that became the tradition since then. Bici said: One of the things that is unsaid is the father of non-racialism is Reverend Tiyo Soga. Importantly, it is Reverend Soga who composed Lizalis idinga Lakho Thixo Wenyaniso. The isiXhosa hymn was the first to be sung at the opening of the conference that founded the ANC in 1912 in Mangaung. It has since been elevated to the status of a Struggle hymn. Bici argued that we should also remember that the ANC was an organisation of the elite and not the masses. Part of the acceptance of elitism was an appreciation of chaplaincy that will, in part, open major events by a prayer. He noted: Bishop Maison, among others, was a chaplain of the ANC for the greater part of the exile years. He used to do this work. So was General Fumi Gqiba. The broad church had since grown to accommodate other faiths, Bici acknowledged. Bishop Malusi Mpumlwana, general-secretary of the South African Council of Churches (SACC) said: The principle of the chaplaincy is related to the fact that it was people of Christian commitment who stood up in 1912. Mpumlwana postulated that Reverend Ngcayiya was the first chaplain of the ANC appointed by then-president Sefako Makgatho. But Reverend Ngcayiya of the Ethiopian Church was elected deputy chaplain at the founding conference. Asked for comment, Mehana would not be drawn on what exactly the chaplain-general did other than officiating at major party events. It is almost sensationalist to speculate that Mehanas role could be pastoral, by ministering to those among the flock burdened by sin like Mbulelo Goniwe, Marius Fransman, and the latest phallus-wielding pair of Malusi Gigaba and Pule Mabe. The chaplaincy took different forms from the time of exile and following the return of the ANC in the country, said the Reverend Frank Chikane. He advised that the reporter talk to a person at Luthuli House who is responsible for the chaplaincy, which turned out to be a task in the mould of looking for a needle in a haystack. I would say talk to Reverend Mehana as well. There is also Ambassador General Gqiba. The ANC said it should be the Methodist Church that sanctioned Mehana through its internal processes. The church, through the office of its Presiding Bishop Zipho Siwa, has already issued a statement condemning Mehanas comments, and said the matter is receiving attention. Mpumlwana seemed to recall that the Methodist Church had resolved that its members not take up positions as chaplains of political parties. Understandably, the SACC would have no hold over Mehana or any other Chaplain. Mpumlwana said: The SACC has no relationship whatsoever with the chaplaincy of the ANC or any other political party. Church ministers belong to member churches, not to the SACC. It would not be possible for the SACC to have any say on the ministers of those churches - be it in the defence force, police, or political parties. That is a matter between the church concerned and its ministers, in case of Mehana, the Methodist Church. Sunday Independent | https://www.iol.co.za/news/politics/what-was-the-chaplaincys-role-in-the-struggle-18707630 |
Will Georgia transfer QB Justin Fields be eligible for Ohio State Buckeyes in 2019? | Jan. 01, 2019 New Orleans: Georgia quarterbacks Justin Fields (1) and Jake Fromm warm up for the team's Sugar Bowl NCAA college football game against Texas on Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2019, in New Orleans. Yahoo Sports' Pete Thamel reports that Fields and his family "have contacted attorney Tom Mars, a famed collegiate establishment antagonist, to handle his eligibility case." More from Thamel: The case for Justin Fields eligibility is a compelling one, as it hinges on a racial incident and, potentially, Fields potential as a professional baseball player. During Fields tenure at Georgia, a baseball player allegedly shouted racial slurs toward him during a September game against Tennessee. The player, Adam Sasser, later issued an apology on Twitter and the school threw Sasser off the team. The incident is relevant for more than the general ugliness of it. Fields was considered a potential high-round Major League Baseball draft pick in high school, and hed thought enough about a career in baseball that he was considered a potential MLB draft pick. He also considered playing baseball at Georgia. An MLB scout gave this scouting report to Yahoo Sports in 2017: Similar situation as Jameis Winston when he was in high school. Hes a better overall athlete and runner for sure, but [Fields] baseball skills are behind due to all the time he gives to football. Thamel adds that incumbent OSU quarterback Tate Martell has said he doesn't intend to transfer, but if he does, it would leave the Buckeyes "with three scholarship quarterbacks - with Fields the only one having on-field experience." Last week's NFL mock draft from USA TODAY Sports' Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz had Buckeyes quarterback Dwayne Haskins' OSU teammate, defensive end Nick Bosa, going No. 1 in the 2019 NFL Draft to the Arizona Cardinals - with Haskins as the top quarterback drafted, at No. 6 overall by the New York Giants. LOVE FOOTBALL?Subscribe today to get access to all of our coverage | https://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/college/othercolleges/2019/01/07/justin-fields-eligibility-2019-question-ohio-state-buckeyes/2501420002/ |
Can Nick Foles Force Eagles To Trade Carson Wentz? | Seriously. Because if he can win Super Bowl LIII, hell put the Eagles in a hilarious predicament. Theyll have an invaluable asset: Carson Wentz, a talented quarterback on his rookie deal. And then theyll have Foles, a two-time Super Bowl champion. Its a wild scenario to consider and its an unlikely one. Foles run last season was staggeringly improbable, and the Eagles face even tougher odds to return to the Super Bowl because last year they were sitting in the #1 seed. Most notably, the 2017 defense was far better than this 2018 defense. But Foles is a mystic with magical playoff properties. His body of work grew larger on Sunday. The Bears were favored by almost a touchdown, and somehow Foles and the Eagles managed an upset with Chicagos missed kick grazing the fingers of Treyvon Hester and finishing with a double-doink. Foles had his ups and downs in the game he always does. But in typical fashion, he executed a game-winning drive that put the Eagles ahead by one point with four minutes left. At that point, everyone outside of Philly was thinking: this cant be happening again. But in Philly, with cheesesteak in hand, everyone was thinking: ITS HAPPENING. ITS HAPPENING AGAIN. It happened again. Foles contract gives the Eagles the option to release or retain him. If they choose to retain him, however, then Foles will also have to be onboard. He can also opt in or out. And even if both parties opt in, the Eagles could then trade him. Hed earn $20 million in 2019 under the terms of his contract. That dwarfs what quarterback Carson Wentz is set to earn at $8.4 million in 2019. The Eagles could begin taking calls for Wentz. Yes, Foles has been a middling quarterback for most of his career with sparse flashes of playing like Drew Brees. Yes, middling quarterbacks and bloated contracts are a recipe for major team-building problems. And yes, Wentz is on his rookie deal for 2019 with a fifth-year option in 2020. But that fifth-year option will cost the Eagles over $20 million. Essentially, the Eagles have just one more year of a discounted Wentz. His deal isnt that good for that much longer. If the Eagles decide that the difference between Foles and Wentz is not so great, they can also get a much bigger haul of compensation by being willing to trade Wentz. He would instantly become a massive boon, and remember, Foles is only four years older and turns 30 later this month. Its hard to imagine a team parting ways with a quarterback on the heels of consecutive Super Bowl wins. Its also hard to imagine them forcing him to hold a clipboard. But were talking about Foles: Anything is possible. I have taken a deep dive into Hypothetical Land. (Its a real place.) With a few more wins, Foles can put the Eagles in a position when they consider giving up Wentz. With a few more wins, Foles could complicate the quarterbacking landscape of the NFL. Heck, it may be a question the Eagles should consider regardless of the result next week, if they are comfortable with Nick Foles at quarterback in this offense, and can get a massive haul of players and multiple first round picks from a QB-needy franchise. | https://thebiglead.com/2019/01/07/can-nick-foles-force-eagles-to-trade-carson-wentz/ |
How many episodes in Manhunt and what is the Levi Bellfield drama about? | Martin Clunes stars in Manhunt (Picture: ITV) Manhunt the ITV drama based on the true story of Levi Bellfield and which stars Martin Clunes continues tonight with the second episode. SAS Who Dares Wins 2019 contestants ITVs latest crime drama began on Sunday night and it is based on true events surrounding serial killer Levi who carried out several murders between 2002 and 2004. The mini series has been written by Ed Whitmore, who has produced other crime dramas including Silent Witness and Rillington Place. The first episode of Manhunt aired on ITV1 on Sunday 6 January. If you missed it, you can catch up on ITV Player. The second episode is airing on ITV1 at 9pm tonight, with the third and final episode airing on Tuesday 8 January at 9pm. The new ITV drama follows a detective trying to capture the serial killer Levi Bellfield, following the death of a student whos body was found on Twickenham Green. Levi Bellfield ITV drama Manhunt has viewers horrified (Picture: PA) Detective Chief Inspector Colin Sutton, played by Martin Clunes, worked for the Metropolitan police and was placed in charge of investigating the murder. The first saw the events unfolding following the discovery of French student Amlie Delagrange, who was found dead after receiving deadly facial injuries. Sutton set out to investigate the crime and track down who did it despite having no motive or forensic evidence. Levi was convicted in 2008 of murdering Marsha McDonnell and Amelie Delagrange, as well as the attempted murder of Kate Sheedy. He was then later found guilty of the murder of Milly Dowler, which happened in 2002. He wasnt convicted for her murder until 2011 when he was sentenced to life imprisonment. Martin Clunes plays the lead role in Manhunt, portraying detective Colin Sutton. Sutton was responsible for the manhunt to find Amlie Delagranges killer, following her death in 2004. And it was this manhunt that led him to link Levi to two previous murders: one being Milly Dowler (2002) and the other being Marsha McDonnell (2003). Martin Clunes as DCI Colin Sutton (Picture: Neil Genower/ITV) Celyn Jones as Levi Bellfield (Picture: Neil Genower/ITV) Playing the role of Levi Bellfield, the serial killer who is currently serving life sentences, is Welsh actor Celyn Jones, who some may recognise from his role in Catastrophe. Katie Lyons as DS Jo Brunt (Picture: Neil Genower/ITV) Playing the role of DS Jo Brunt, who worked with Sutton on the murder case, is Katie Lyon, who has starred in Call The Midwife and Lucky Man. Advertisement Advertisement Manhunt also stars Claudie Blakley as Louise Sutton, Stephen Wight as DC Clive Grace and Steffan Rhodri as DC Neil Jones. Manhunt continues tonight on ITV1 at 9pm. MORE: Inside the 2019 Golden Globes gift bags worth over 500 MORE: Emma Willis pays tribute to Celebrity Big Brother on the week show would normally launch | https://metro.co.uk/2019/01/07/time-manhunt-tonight-many-episodes-levi-bellfield-drama-8318314/ |
Which Penn State true freshmen burned their redshirt in 2018? | The new NCAA rule that allows for players to participate in up to four games before losing a year of eligibility benefitted many in its first year in play, as eight Lions saw action in at least one game during the teams 9-4 year, meaning they will still be redshirt freshmen 2019 while also gaining some experience. Eight of Penn States true freshmen will be classified as sophomores in the new year, though, as kickers Rafael Checa and Jake Pinegar, receiver Jahan Dotson, tight end Pat Freiermuth, linebackers Jesse Luketa and Micah Parsons, defensive tackle P.J. Mustipher, and back Ricky Slade all played in five games or more. Heres a look at the full freshmen rundown by total number of games played: K Rafael Checa - 12 DT Judge Culpepper - 0 WR Jahan Dotson - 8 OL Bryan Effner - 0 TE Pat Freiermuth - 13 WR Daniel George - 3 CB Trent Gordon - 4 DT Aeneas Hawkins - 0 LB Charlie Katshir - 0 TE Zack Kuntz - 1 QB Will Levis - 0 LB Jesse Luketa - 13 DT PJ Mustipher - 12 DE Jayson Oweh - 4 LB Micah Parsons - 13 K Jake Pinegar - 13 OG Fred Juice Scruggs - 1 WR Justin Shorter - 4 RB Ricky Slade - 9 DE Nick Tarburton - 2 OT Rasheed Walker - 4 | https://www.pennlive.com/pennstatefootball/2019/01/which-penn-state-true-freshmen-burned-their-redshirt-in-2018.html |
Who else has been under consideration for Baltimore Police commissioner job? | Joel Fitzgerald, Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pughs pick to become the citys next police commissioner, withdrew from consideration Monday, meaning more uncertainty for the police department. Now, Pugh will have to nominate another candidate for the top cop spot. At least 51 people applied for the job last summer. Here are some who either applied or were considered during the first search, according to previous reporting from The Baltimore Sun: New Orleans Police Superintendent Michael Harrison: A panel of police executives who met with top possibilities recommended Harrison even though he hadnt applied for the job. Ed Jackson, inspector general for Baltimore Police Department: Jackson told the Sun he met with the panel set up to interview the key candidates. Kevin Ward, recently retired New York Police Department official: Ward was chief of staff to the NYPDs then-commissioner, William Bratton. Ward told the Sun on Monday that he remains interested in the Baltimore job. The Baltimore Police Department has had 10 police commissioners since 1989. With Joel Fitzgerald named Mayor Catherine Pugh's pick for the next Baltimore police commissioner, here's a look back at the top Baltimore cops through the years. Sabrina Tapp-Harper: A top commander and spokeswoman in the Baltimore sheriffs office, Tapp-Harper publicly said she submitted her name for the job in June. Sources said she also met with the panel of police executives. Melvin Russell, deputy police commissioner: Sources said Russell, who is a deputy police commissioner in Baltimore, was interviewed by the panel. Interim police Commissioner Gary Tuggle: Tuggle, a former Drug Enforcement Administration official appointed by Pugh after Commissioner Darryl De Sousa resigned, had said he wanted the top job permanently, but then withdrew from consideration in October. Baltimore Sun reporters Ian Duncan and Kevin Rector contributed to this article. | https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/crime/bs-md-police-commissioner-possibilities-20190107-story.html |
How can I harness the IoT for manufacturing? | The Edge Intelligence Server combines industrial-grade computing hardware with a secure operating system and is surrounded by a modular IoT suite Hardware manufacturers may have been somewhat handicapped when it comes to exploiting the business potential in cloud computing. But now there is a new opportunity that could drive even greater positive change in the industry: the internet of things (IoT). Advantechs Edge Intelligence Server is a game-changing solution that helps these organisations accelerate the IoT and drive advantage. It can be customised for different markets and applications, offering IoT connectivity, data manageability and analytics The IoT is a win-win for manufacturers: by implementing it on their own production lines they can increase internal efficiencies, and by incorporating it into their products they can drive competitive differentiation. As such, it is nothing short of a game-changer for the industry. Yet many are still held back, either because they do not have a clear idea about how to incorporate the IoT into their business or the appropriate levels of funding, time and skilled employees to do so. Advantech knows first-hand the importance of having a clear vision throughout the organisation. If projects are restricted to the R&D team, appropriate funding or business plans for how to take the technology to market and drive effective return on investment may be lacking. The Edge Intelligence Server Advantech has incorporated IoT both into its production line to improve process efficiencies and its product offerings. One of the latest innovations to come to market is the Edge Intelligence Server, industrial-grade computing hardware combined with a secure operating system and surrounded by a modular IoT suite. It is a horizontal solution that can be customised for different markets and applications, offering IoT connectivity, data manageability and analytics. It is able to connect physical devices to the cloud, digitising data and normalising it for use in the cloud to add tremendous value. Advantech is working hard on further refining the offering to create even more customised solution-ready packages for specific verticals and applications. For more information, visit www.advantech.eu This article was originally produced and published by Business Reporter. View the original article at business-reporter.co.uk | https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/business-reporter/iot-in-manufacturing/ |
What's the best wireless presentation system? | Simple, easy-to-use meeting-room technology allows for streamlined, successful meetings in which employees of all levels and technical abilities can take part without calling in the IT support cavalry Three years from now, a third of all companies will rely on digital collaboration as their No 1 competitive asset, according to a recent report on the digital workplace from Gartner. We are living in a knowledge economy, and for many companies the way employees work together is becoming their businesss leading driver of productivity and profitability. Collaboration is vital for every business to survive and thrive: failing to collaborate risks harming the competitive edge. Recent research suggests that Fortune 1,000 companies could lose up to $75bn (59bn) in revenue if they fail to collaborate effectively. Barco interviewed 3,000 office workers globally and found they spent, on average, 48 minutes in a meeting, and have 10 meetings per week. That adds up to one day per week in meetings. About half of all respondents interviewed felt unclear about what they were trying to achieve in those meetings, and uncertain why they had to be there. Half of meetings were considered by workers to be a waste of time, which equates to around half a day per week in pointless meetings. ClickShare has been installed in more than half a million meeting rooms globally to improve employees collaboration and productivity For companies looking to transform their meeting culture and improve productivity, there are four factors to consider: who is in the meeting; the bring-your-own-device trend (BYOD); device security; and the user experience. A meeting with external guests, for example, presents complex challenges. The rise of the BYOD trend also means that external guests now often bring their own devices to meetings, and expect to collaborate using their own tools and applications. This poses security risks, because multiple personal devices on a company network can undermine it, making it difficult for IT departments to keep secure. The final factor user experience is of particular importance. Companies must ensure a unique, efficient and above all seamless user experience, as neither employees nor guests have time to read manuals and undertake training. Simple, easy-to-use meeting-room technology is the key to streamlined, successful meetings. Businesses want technology solutions that require zero learning and minimal IT support, so employees of all levels and technical abilities can use it without calling in the tech support cavalry. Barcos ClickShare is a wireless presentation system that provides this collaborative solution for businesses. ClickShare has been installed in more than half a million meeting rooms globally to improve employees collaboration and productivity and help companies to maintain their competitive edge. Find out how to improve meeting room collaboration and productivity at www.barco.com/en/clickshare This article was originally produced and published by Business Reporter. View the original article at business-reporter.co.uk | https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/business-reporter/wireless-presentation-system/ |
Is John Abrahams highest paid actors remark targeting the Khans? | There are few Bollywood actors who chose to remain low-key be it personally or professionally, but when they speak, they express their heart out. Here, we are referring to John Abraham. The actor has had a great 2018 with films like Paramanu and Satyamev Jayate, performing well at the box office. Well, apart from his hard-hitting films, his statements are no less at least his latest ones say so. In a recent interview, John Abraham opened up about trolls, social media and he also took some serious jibes at the Khans. *coughs* When John was asked about celebrities being ruthlessly trolled on social media, he said that celebrities are mostly asking for it. Abraham believes that social media has taken over our real lives and wonders why actors are so obsessed with being on a list. "As an actor, you are here to show your craft. I have always worked hard for credibility, I get that, I move on quietly. I wish we had more actors cut out from the same fabric." Hmm, we wonder who he is referring to. Recently, Salman Khan topped the highest-paid celebrity list in 2018. Okay then, John! The actor also finds it insulting to dance at the weddings for money and he believes those who wear funny clothes outside airports are as good as clowns at the circus. "There is but aren't celebrities also asking for it, wearing funny clothes outside airports and doing funny things. You can only be laughed at if you decide to be a clown in the circus. It's your choice. I'm not an actor who dances at shows or weddings for money. I find it demeaning. I'm not saying that I'm right, but I wouldn't do it, ever." LOL! *rubbing eyes because we cant believe what we just read* On the work front, John Abraham will be next seen in Romeo Akbar Walter and Batla House. Both the films are slated to hit the big screens in 2019. | https://www.in.com/entertainment/bollywood/john-abraham-makes-somis-john-abrahams-highest-paid-actors-remark-targeting-the-khanse-controversial-remarks-is-he-targeting-the-khans-282217.htm |
Which is better for an active family holiday Neilson or Mark Warner? | Neilson and Mark Warner have both been beloved of active families for more than 40 years. After all, both offer a wide range of activities on sunny beaches; the main difference lies in locations. The two Mark Warner summer resorts Ive visited, San Lucianu in Corsica and Phokaia Beach in Turkey are very different. The Corsican resort felt quite Little England with an almost exclusively British staff, while the Turkish resort was more international and the resort board (all meals except for two dinners were included) and easy availability of bikes naturally encouraged us to get out and explore the local area more. Our then-tween kids enjoyed how they could dip in and out of their activities as they wished and how well the clubs were adapted to the different age groups, and both came home totally in love with their group leaders. My husband and I loved how the water sports were so hassle-free with excellent equipment, cheerful staff available at all times to help you set up and derig everything, with a clearly-defined sailing area, tuition and a safety boat to bring you back in if it all gets too much. Fundamentally, Mark Warner and Neilson holidays are very similar, with both offering a wide range of activities to Boden-clad families in sunny places with beaches. For the most part, people remain loyal to one company or the other according to which they had grown up with or their friends had recommended - its a bit like where you fall on the Devon vs Cornwall debate. Neilson and Mark Warner both include various water sports lessons for children and adults Journalist Gina Clarke has been on two Neilson holidays at their Vounaki Beachclub in Greece with her husband and two children, aged two and five. She said: The mixture of sports, the beach and the activities for the kids made it the perfect holiday. The food was lovely and the little village in the bay was easy to kayak or walk to in the evening. We met couples, friends who had been coming for a decade, tennis partners and families with children of all ages. The clients were obviously people of a certain income bracket but it was very relaxed. Resorts vary across both companies with some being more luxurious than others, some larger or smaller and certain activities only available in certain locations, but the box below outlines the main (small) differences between the two. Both companies deliver a great active holiday with trusted and reliable childcare for all ages your choice will really come down to your preferred destination and whether you prefer quiet evenings (Mark Warner) or leisurely lunches (Neilson). | https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/family-holidays/neilson-vs-mark-warner-active-beach-holiday/ |
Where have all the safe havens gone? | SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (Project Syndicate) With equities slumping, exchange-rate volatility increasing, and political risks intensifying, financial markets around the world have hit a rough patch. During times like these, international investors generally grow cautious and prioritize safety over returns, so money flees to safe havens that can provide secure, liquid investment-grade assets on a sufficiently large scale. But there are no obvious safe havens today. For the first time in living memory, investors lack a quiet port where they can find shelter from the storm. Historically, the safe haven par excellence was the United States, in the form of Treasury TMUBMUSD10Y, +0.40% backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. As one investment strategist put it back in 2012, When people are worried, all road lead to Treasuries. The bursting of the U.S. real-estate bubble in 2007 offers a case in point. No one doubted that the U.S. was the epicenter of the global financial crisis. But rather than flee the U.S., capital actually flooded into it. In the last three months of 2008, net purchases of U.S. assets reached a half-trillion dollars three times more than that of the preceding nine months combined. To be sure, some of these dollar claims were due to the fact that foreign banks and institutional investors needed greenbacks to cover their funding needs after interbank and other wholesale short-term markets seized up. But that was hardly the only reason why portfolio managers piled into the U.S. Much of the increased demand was due to sheer fear. At a time when nobody knew how bad things might get, the U.S. was widely seen as the safest bet. But this was before the arrival President Donald Trump, who has managed to undermine confidence in the dollar BUXX, -0.32% to an unprecedented degree. In addition to abandoning any notion of fiscal responsibility, Trump has spent his first two years in office attacking international institutions and picking fights with U.S. allies. To be sure, even before Trump, confidence in the dollar suffered a blow in 2011, when Standard & Poors downgraded Treasury securities by one notch in response to a near-shutdown of the U.S. government. That episode was triggered by a standoff between then-President Barack Obama and congressional Republicans over a routine proposal to raise the federal debt ceiling. Today, however, investors have even more reason to worry about the U.S. governments credit rating. In 2018 alone, the U.S. government was shut down three times, and it remains in a partial shutdown to this day, owing to Trumps demand for funds to build a big, beautiful wall on the border with Mexico. The eurozone might seem like a logical alternative. After the dollar, the euro EURUSD, +0.6317% is the worlds most widely used currency. And, taken together, the capital markets of the eurozones 19 member states are close in size to the U.S. market. But Europe has troubles of its own. Economic growth is slowing, not least in Germany, and the risk of a banking crisis in Italy the eurozones fourth-largest economy looms on the horizon. Worse still is the uncertainty over Brexit, which could prove highly disruptive if the United Kingdom crashes out of the European Union without a divorce agreement. Needless to say, Britain GBPUSD, +0.4009% , too, can be ruled out as a safe haven, at least until the Brexit fiasco is resolved. Though its attractions are obvious, Switzerlands financial markets are simply too small to serve as an adequate substitute for the U.S. That leaves Japan USDJPY, +0.05% . With its abundant supply of government bonds, it is the biggest single market for public debt outside the U.S. The question for portfolio managers, though, is whether it is really safe to invest in a country where government debt exceeds 230% of gross domestic product. For comparison, the public debt-to-GDP ratio in the U.S. is around 88%; and even in troubled Italy, it is no more than 130%. Admittedly, the market for Japanese government debt is more stable than most, owing to the fact that much of it is held by domestic savers (which is to say, it is safely tucked under the mattress). But Japan is an aging country with an economy that has remained almost stagnant for a quarter-century. Investors would be right to wonder where it will find the resources to continue servicing its massive debt overhang. And then there is China USDCNH, -0.2330% , with the worlds third-largest national market for public debt. Certainly, the supply of assets in China is ample. But the Chinese market is so tightly controlled that it is essentially the opposite of a safe haven. It will be a long time before global investors even consider putting much faith in Chinese securities. With secure ports becoming scarce, investors will become increasingly jittery. They will be inclined to move funds at the slightest sign of danger, which will add substantially to market volatility. Todays rough patch is probably here to stay. Providing critical information for the U.S. trading day. Subscribe to MarketWatch's free Need to Know newsletter. Sign up here. | https://www.marketwatch.com/story/where-have-all-the-safe-havens-gone-2019-01-07 |
What Was Farrah's Biggest Disagreement With Her Ex Simon? | Farrah and Simon squabbled quite a bit when they appeared together on Teen Mom OG and ultimately wound up as exes. And the bickering didn't exactly continue when he blindsided his former girlfriend on the beach (because no in-depth convo actually occurred and he was promptly cut from the series). "I think over the years on Teen Mom, the biggest disagreement was about an engagement ring that we had a little situation over," Sophia's mama revealed to MTV News. "That stood out because thats a life-changing and loving memento, and that turned into an ugly situation and about money. Thats disgusting, and hes disgusting, so that was the biggest situation." Farrah is referring to a part of her life from 2016, but the moment was not featured on TMOG. Some context: The entrepreneur was in the Bahamas with her mini-me (celebrating the little lady's birthday), and the duo found themselves in a jewelry store. Sophia encouraged her mama to try on rings and pick something out to signify her bond with Simon. Farrah gave Simon a call to ask if he was okay with this idea and to make sure he was involved, and he even spoke with the owner of the business about how to customize it. She took care of the purchase -- and he never paid her back. The aftermath of the shopping story was featured on TMOG -- and, as the video below shows, reliving the situation with Simon and Dr. Jenn during a therapy session was emotional and painful. Give us your take and be sure to keep watching Ex on the Beach with Farrah (sans Simon) on Thursdays at 8/7c. | http://www.mtv.com/news/3102965/farrah-simon-ex-on-the-beach-teen-mom-og-fight/ |
Can We Minimize Econogenic Outcomes? | DeMartino noted policies supported by many economists that can be defended on the grounds that they supposedly lead to gains that outweigh losses with Hicks compensation potentially able to make things right and pay off those who might be hurt. Lots of economists have supported such policy changes when convinced that such calculations are correct. The problem is that most of the time, indeed, the vast majority of the time, those compensating payments are not made. And to make things worse, while those gains may exceed those losses, they often are widely spread across many people, while the costs are intensely concentrated very painfully on a smaller group of people. I am back from the annual ASSA/AEA meetings in Atlanta. I learned a new term that on checking I find has been around for about five years. It is econogenic, coined by George DeMartino, who spoke on this in a session on Ethics and Economics held by the Association for Social Economics. It means harm done by economists, and it is inspired by iatrogenic, referring to harm done by physicians. His talk focused on this and claims that the medical profession is 50 years ahead of the economics profession on dealing with harm they do. For physicians he praised the patients rights movement that took off in the 1960s and has gained substantial legal support, with patients now having say on how they are treated by physicians rather than living in a world where the physician was always right. His main example is increasing free trade. Most estimates show gains outweighing losses, but those gains are widely and thinly distributed as lower prices while costs are heavilly borne by much smaller groups of people who end up losing their jobs. While there have been some half-baked efforts in the US to provide some adjustment assistance, it has always amounted to little. Other nations have done this far more vigorously, with those Nordics Sweden and Denmark outstanding examples. Of course it is easier for them as much smaller and more homogeneous economies than that of the US, where growing export industries are often located far away from areas losing jobs due to imports. These issues are not easily dealt with, but there have been amazingly few efforts to do so in the US. Another example is shock therapy policies in transition and other economies. Again, after a painful period of adjustment, most of those transition economies have ended up having higher real incomes with more democratic regimes than they had previously. But despite these improvements in most of these nations there have remained groups of people, usually rural, older, and less well educated, who have remained worse off than they were before, although by how much has varied greatly across these nations. Anyway, I urge more use of this term and more importantly more efforts by economists to make much more serious efforts to urge that when major policy changes happen that seriously damage identifiable groups of people that genuine efforts be made to make those compensations that can be covered by the gains from the new policies. Barkley Rosser | https://angrybearblog.com/2019/01/can-we-minimize-econogenic-outcomes.html |
How much money do I need to save for my pension? | The amount you can save into a pension ultimately depends on what you can afford - but the longer you leave it the more you will need to save. Research regularly shows that we put ambitious targets on our hoped for income in retirement and then underestimate how much we will need to set aside to achieve that. We take a look at what you might want to retire on and how to get there. We take a look at what you need to consider First... a quick guide to pensions There are two main types of pension schemes that you encounter through work, defined contribution and defined benefit - with the latter often known as final salary schemes. The crucial difference is that with a defined benefit scheme your employer promises to deliver you an income in retirement and is responsible for doing so. You will most likely have to contribute each month too, putting in the required amount that your employer specifies. On the other hand if you have a defined contribution scheme, you save into this and get contributions from your employer too. The money is invested to build up a pot, which will then fund your retirement. With a defined benefit pension the simple answer to how much to save is straightforward: put in as much as your employer asks for in order to get the pension it promises. With a defined contribution scheme the answer is more complicated, because the onus is on you to deliver the money you need in retirement - so the more you save the more you will get. When you reach retirement you can keep your pension invested and draw money as income, or buy a regular income until you die in the form of a financial product called an annuity. If you save into a personal pension this will be a defined contribution-type plan. You pay money in, invest it and build up a pot. There are a couple of essential things to consider when thinking about how much you would need in retirement. The first is that your outgoings are likely to be lower. One general rule used in the financial industry is that someone aged 40 would need about 50 per cent of their current income to have the same standard of life in retirement. This works on the basis that by the time they retire they will be mortgage-free, not supporting children and no longer spending as much on things such as commuting and other costs involved in going to work each day. The second thing to consider is the state pension. Under the new flat-rate state pension scheme this is 155.65 per week, which is 8,094 per year. Allowing for a full state pension, someone targeting retirement income of 23,000 would need other pension income of about 16,000. The pension pot needed to deliver that income based on taking a 4 per cent income from funds that stayed invested in retirement would be 400,000. Legal & General has an annuity calculator showing how much income you could expect from a pension pot with an annuity. Obviously, the amount that you need to save each month depends on how big a pension you want. But it also depends on your age. For example, you may get a decent level of retirement income if you start in your 20s by paying in 12 per cent of your salary, but if you leave it until you're over 40 then you might need to pay in closer to 20 per cent to get the same level of retirement income. Jamie Jenkins, pensions expert at Standard Life, says: While 15 per cent is a good target to aim for, many people will start by paying less than this and increase their contributions gradually.' The good news is that the money going into your pension doesn't just rely on you. Your employer will contribute too and many offer more generous contributions than the bare minimum that auto-enrolment pensions specify. You also get income tax relief on your contributions into a pension scheme, meaning that you effectively save out of untaxed income. There are some general rules of thumb for working out what percentage of your salary needs to be going into a pension, in terms of your and your employer's contributions. The most common is half your age from when you started saving from - so if you start at age 30 it could be 15 per cent, whereas if you start at 40 it is 20 per cent. A more accurate view can be delivered by the wealth of pension calculators our there. Many allow you to put in your age, salary, required pension income and any current pension contributions or pots. You can then play around with the numbers. Calculators to help you work out your pension saving The pension calculator below powered by Fidelity allows you to put in your details and work out how much you might have in terms of a total pot and future income - and compare that against what you hope for. Investment returns are calculated using projections by the investment specialist and show what you could expect under average market performance and poor market performance (it's worth noting that you may get lucky and get above average performance). Future income projections are adjusted for inflation, allowing you to make a direct comparison between your income now and potential future income expressed in today's terms. Here are links to some more of the best that we have found: > Aviva pension calculator (Shows potential pot and compares drawdown and annuity) > Money Advice Service pension calculator (Works on your personal scenario) > Standard Life pension calculator (Quick and simple to use) The key thing is to look at what your projected income will be when you reach retirement and then try to work out if this will be adequate. However, be warned, it can be confusing and demoralising to work out how your savings today will translate into income when you retire. The reality is that when you start saving for retirement you may not be able to pay in as much as you would like. However, it's important to remember that payments can be upped at any time and the early you start the better chance you have of building a bigger pot. Aviva's pension calculator suggests a 35-year-old currently on 35,000 who saved 10 per cent of their salary with their employer adding 5 per cent for the rest of their career would build up a pot worth 283,000 by their state pension age of 68. They are forecast to get a state pension of about 8,000. If they used income drawdown for retirement they could have an income of 21,000 per year from age 68 to 94, when their pension pot would run out. After this their income would drop to the state pension. Alternatively, an annuity would deliver an income of 16,915 for the rest of their life. Investing for retirement doesn't have to be into a pension It makes sense to take the maximum advantage of any offer to match contributions that your employer makes. For example, if they will match up to 5 per cent of what you put in, then putting in that maximum 5 per cent means that you make the most of your employer's scheme. Above this level, you will still benefit from tax relief on contributions but won't get any more boost from your work scheme. That means that because of the restrictions surrounding pension savings - primarily that you cannot access them until at least age 55 - some people choose to invest extra sums elsewhere. So for example, you could put an extra 5 per cent of your salary into an investment Isa, where you do not get any tax relief on contributions but any income that you eventually draw from it should be tax-free. How to balance a pension against other investments such as an Isa comes down to personal choice. Top of the pile: The earlier you start saving for retirement, the better. Pension essentials - the things you need to know Defined contribution vs defined benefit There are two main types of pension schemes - defined contribution and defined benefit schemes (also known as final salary).. A defined contribution pension will usually allow members to decide how much of their salary they want to pay in and these payments will matched by their employers, at least up to a certain level. The money is saved into a pension and then invested into funds with the view that it will grow over the years to deliver a retirement pot. You are able to track the investments, measure how they are performing and change them if you wish. However, its up to you to build up your pot needed for retirement, so its important to keep payments up once you start and reassess how much you can afford to pay in every few years. With a defined benefit pension scheme your employer will usually pay out a certain amount of your final salary when you retire and they will take responsibility for funding that. There are other types of defined benefit schemes, such as career-adjusted schemes where you'll be paid a proportion of your average earnings during your employment. Different pension providers will run schemes in different ways, so it's worth checking with your provider for the full details. However, defined benefit pension schemes have turned out to be very expensive for companies and as a result they have become rare in private businesses and are usually only offered in the public sector. Most people with some years left to work will find themselves reliant on a defined contribution pension for a hefty chunk of their retirement income. Types of work pension Defined contribution pension A worker agrees to pay in a set amount into their defined contribution pension scheme, say 5 per cent of their earnings. Their employer may match this, so 10 per cent of their total earnings goes into the pension each month (5% + 5%). The money is invested in stock market funds and the pot grows over the years. On retirement the saver must take their pot and buy an income with it or draw on it for one. Defined benefit pension A worker agrees to pay in a certain amount per month into their final salary pension, say 8 per cent of their earnings. In return, their employer will pay them a set chunk of their final salary for every year they have worked there, in this case one-sixtieth. Someone who has worked at the company and been a pension scheme member for 40 years would therefore retire on two-thirds of their final salary (40/60ths). Many people have been paying into a pension with work for many years, but not all companies had schemes and this means millions were missing out on saving for retirement As a result, the government tasked The Pensions Regulator with making sure that employers roll out a scheme considered vital to ensuring that people have more retirement income to top up state pension payments. The rules mean that if you're an employee then your employer must offer you a pension scheme. These rules if you're at least 22 years-old and employed with a salary of at least 10,000 a year. You have the option to say no to auto-enrolment if you dont want to join, but if you do nothing then youll automatically get signed up. By 2018 all employers by law will have to contribute to their employees pensions, but to start with only bigger firms had to offer this. Over 5 million people have been auto enrolled since it started in October 2012, and less than 1 in 10 have chosen to opt out, according to government figures. The law says a minimum percentage of your qualifying earnings must be paid into your workplace scheme, this means either the amount you earn before tax between 5,824 and 42,385 a year, or your entire salary or wages before tax. It depends on how your employer chooses to work out qualifying earnings. At the moment the minimum rates are low, with around 1 per cent of your salary from you and 1 per cent from your employer. That will increase to 4 per cent from you and 3 per cent from your employer by 2018. In practice, minimum amounts may be higher for you or your employer, because of individual schemes rules. The minimum you pay The minimum your employer pays The government pays 0.8% of your 'qualifying earnings' rising to 4% by 2018 1% of your 'qualifying earnings; rising to 3% by 2018 0.2% of your 'qualifying earnings' rising to 1% by 2018 Tax relief on contributions to your pension pot Tax relief on contributions to your pension pots means that some of the money that would have gone as income tax goes into your pension instead. If you pay money into a pension yourself or its taken by your employer from your pay, then youll automatically get 20 per cent tax relief. For example, youre a lower rate tax payer and you put 80 of your tax-home pay into your pension. You would have earned 100 before income tax was applied, so you would get tax relief of 20. It gets a bit more complicated if youre a 40 per cent higher rate tax payer as you can claim relief on the extra 20 per cent - but may have to do this yourself - while top-rate taxpayers can claim back up to their 45 per cent tax rate. How higher rate taxpayers get their tax relief depends on their pension scheme. Some will have it automatically done for them, others will have to write to HMRC or claim it back through self-assessment. Ask your employer what you need to do. Tax relief on pensions is limited. It is capped at 100 per cent of your earnings in a year, or by the 40,000 per year annual allowance. A 1million lifetime allowance on the size of a pension pot also applies, which includes money you pay in and what it grows too, above this it is no longer tax efficient to save into a pension. Personal pensions If you're self-employed or keen to boost your pension pot you can set up your own personal pension in addition - or instead of - your work pension and invest through that too. You can opt for a simple stakeholder pension, or a more flexible self-invested personal pension, known as a Sipp. You also get tax relief on your personal pension pot contributions, as explained above. Don't forget about the state pension As well as your work or personal pension, those with enough qualifying years of National Insurance payments will get a basic state pension payment provided by the Government - which is now 155.65 per week for a single person under the new flat rate system. The state pension age is due to be increased over the next few years, you can use HMRC's state pension calculator to see when you will be eligible for it. For a 35-year-old today, the state pension age will be 68. Although it might not seem like a big amount it's a good foundation on which to build your retirement income. | https://www.dailymail.co.uk/money/howmoneyworks/article-3177112/How-money-need-save-pension.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ito=1490&ns_campaign=1490 |
Could new NHS plan see an end to Norfolks cruel and desperately unfair IVF postcode lottery? | Prime Minister Theresa May speaking at Alder Hey Children's Hospital, Liverpool during her visit where she launched the NHS Long Term Plan. Photo: Charlotte Graham/Daily Telegraph/PA Wire A cruel and desperately unfair postcode lottery which locks some Norfolk families out of accessing fertility treatment on the NHS could come to an end after announcements made as part of a long term plan for the health service. Share Email this article to a friend To send a link to this page you must be logged in. File photo of a newborn baby as announcements made in the NHS Long Term Plan could end IVF inequality in Norfolk. Photo: PA File photo of a newborn baby as announcements made in the NHS Long Term Plan could end IVF inequality in Norfolk. Photo: PA Theresa May yesterday hailed the launch of a 10-year plan for the NHS in England as a truly historic moment. Health chiefs say that up to 500,000 lives could be saved under the plan, which involves greater use of high-tech treatments and diagnostic testing and could prevent 150,000 heart attacks, strokes and dementia cases. But it could also mean joy for women who are struggling to conceive, as differences in access to IVF could end. Currently there are five clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) across Norfolk and Waveney, each able to decide how many rounds of IVF can be offered to women in their areas on the NHS. Dr Mike Macnamee, CEO of Bourn Hall. Photo: Holdsworth Associates Dr Mike Macnamee, CEO of Bourn Hall. Photo: Holdsworth Associates In most places two cycles are offered, even though The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommends three. But in south Norfolk no NHS-funded treatment is offered, except in very specialist circumstances, which Dr Mike Macnamee, chief executive of Bourn Hall Clinic previously said was absolutely devastating. A spokesman for the CCGs said there were no plans to merge the five organisations. But the long term plan said areas such as Norfolk and Waveney must operate under a new system, known as an integrated care system (ICS). And the document said this would typically involve a single [clinical commissioning group] for each ICS area. There were hopes this could mean IVF access would be equal across the region. Health Secretary Matt Hancock gestures after Prime Minister Theresa May speaks at Alder Hey Children's Hospital, Liverpool during her visit where she launched the NHS Long Term Plan. Photo: Anthony Devlin/PA Wire Health Secretary Matt Hancock gestures after Prime Minister Theresa May speaks at Alder Hey Children's Hospital, Liverpool during her visit where she launched the NHS Long Term Plan. Photo: Anthony Devlin/PA Wire Dr Macnamee said: While it is difficult to predict the outcome of such a merger of the Norfolk CCGs we would hope that this would be a positive move for fertility treatment. A joined up service from GP through to resolution would improve patient outcomes. Some areas of Norfolk have among the best fertility care in the UK, it would be wonderful if this was made available to all patients and those that need it - and who meet the strict NHS criteria - can gain access to IVF. While Aileen Feeney, chief executive of charity Fertility Network, said although there was little detail so far reducing the number of clinical commissioning groups in England has the potential to be positive for fertility patients facing the current postcode lottery for access to NHS IVF. She added: What we do not want to see is CCGs moving towards the lowest provision of care. This is an opportunity for CCGs to end the cruel and desperately unfair IVF postcode lottery. Prime Minister Theresa May speaking at Alder Hey Children's Hospital, Liverpool during her visit where she launched the NHS Long Term Plan. Photo: Charlotte Graham/Daily Telegraph/PA Wire Prime Minister Theresa May speaking at Alder Hey Children's Hospital, Liverpool during her visit where she launched the NHS Long Term Plan. Photo: Charlotte Graham/Daily Telegraph/PA Wire A number of other priorities set out in Mrs Mays new plan for the health service are pertinent for the region, especially as they are reflected in the plan already put forward by local bosses. Reduce pressure on hospitals The aim is to reduce the reliance on hospitals, which may be welcome news for the three in Norfolk who last week were seeing the pressure of winter stack up at the front door. For those who do need emergency care, one of the major short-term priorities is understood to be a new target to ensure every hospital with a major A&E department has same day emergency care in place - largely understood to ambulatory care units. James Paget University Hospital ambulatory nurse practitioner Karen Foden in the new ambulatory care unit. Picture: JPUH James Paget University Hospital ambulatory nurse practitioner Karen Foden in the new ambulatory care unit. Picture: JPUH In these units, which are available in varying guises in all Norfolks hospitals, patients are assessed, diagnosed, treated, and then able to go home the same day - keeping them out of hospital and freeing up beds for those who really need it. The James Paget University Hospital (JPUH), in Gorleston, opened their ambulatory care unit in November. Joanne Segasby, associate chief operating officer, last week attributed some of the success the JPUH has had with keeping ambulance handover delays the lowest in the county to the unit. Improved mental health care The long-term plan also said there would be more support for mental health in schools, and 24 hour access to mental health crisis care via the NHS 111 service. John Worthington, who took his own life after NHS 11 put the phone down on him. The NHS has pledged to provide 24/7 mental health crisis care using NHS 111. Picture: Samantha Harrowven John Worthington, who took his own life after NHS 11 put the phone down on him. The NHS has pledged to provide 24/7 mental health crisis care using NHS 111. Picture: Samantha Harrowven The latter is unlikely to soothe the fears of patients in Norfolk who already struggle to get crisis support, as revealed in the most recent inspection into Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust. And the proposal has been criticised as not being a substitute for properly funded and professional care. Labour MP Luciana Berger said: Theres no use directing people in #mentalhealth crisis to a helpline to signpost care that either doesnt exist, or they will struggle to access quickly. Last year an inquest found NHS 111 hung up on mentally ill Norwich man John Worthington when he was in crisis on June 6. He took his own life. The plan will also look at mental health care for new and expectant mothers - something bosses will keep a close eye on considering the Kingfisher Unit, provided by NSFT at Hellesdon Hospital in Norwich, is due to open soon. It will mean new mothers with serious mental health problems will soon be able to receive specialist inpatient treatment closer to home. Focus on heart attacks, stroke, and dementia But ahead of full publication the NHS said the plan would prevent 150,000 heart attacks, strokes and dementia cases, plus ensure an extra 350,000 children and young people get mental health help. More money to prevent heart attacks will be welcome in the county, as one of the areas of focus in the Norfolk and Waveney Sustainability and Transformation Partnership (STP) - the regions health plan - is to improve cardiology. In Norfolk and Waveney demand for cardiology services is high and there is a shortage of cardiologists. Improvements in stroke will also be relevant for the county, as it was announced in September that a pioneering treatment which brings patients back to life2 from stroke to be launched at the NNUH. And with an aging population and a high prevalence of dementia, extra help for those services will be welcomed. New testing centres for cancer patients Early prevention of cancer is also high up on the agenda - with a hope more people can be cured if it is caught earlier. Earlier detection of the disease was one of the ambitions of the NNUH when they launched a bid to become a cancer centre of excellence in 2017. At the time NNUH cancer manager Matt Keeling said: We want diagnoses as early as possible so that their outcome is better. The cancer strategy is about how we are going to meet that challenge. Consultant urological surgeon and cancer clinical lead Vivekanandan Kumar said they were aiming to reach the top of what we can deliver nationally within the NHS. There will also be DNA testing for children with cancer and those with rare genetic disorders to help select the best treatment. Dr Chris Bushby, chief executive at Norfolk and Waveneys cancer charity the Big C, said: We enthusiastically welcome an NHS England strategy which invests in early detection and prevention as these factors are crucial for improved outcomes for cancer patients. These are also areas which are central to Big Cs vision here in Norfolk as we look to the future. For Norfolk in particular, with an ageing population and many people settling in the county for retirement, it is vital that there is continuing investment in cancer diagnosis and cancer services. Everyday we see the impact of cancer on individuals and their families and the earlier a cancer is diagnosed, often the less invasive treatment, more successful outcome and better quality of life for those affected. We were also delighted to see and endorse the target to include health and wellbeing support and information within every individuals cancer care plan by 2021. This is a fundamental aspect of the services that Big C has established over the past 38 years within our region and we are fully committed to continuing to develop outstanding cancer support and information services across our communities in Norfolk and Waveney. New technology When West Suffolk MP Matt Hancock became health secretary last year, it was expected he might use some of his experience as minister for digital and culture to try and revolutionise the NHS technology. His support for bringing more up-to-date technology into the NHS was clear from his support of GP app GP at Hand and his announcement to scrap fax machines in the health service. So the announcement that everyone in the country will have digital access to their GP, including being able to make appointments, manage prescriptions and view their health records online. The independent chair of the Norfolk and Waveney STP, Patricia Hewitt, said: I warmly welcome the NHS Long Term Plan and, particularly, the commitment to increase the share of funding going to primary, community and mental health services. This is essential if we are to support people to remain healthier for longer. In Norfolk and Waveney, where work is well underway to create an integrated care system, the NHS is already working closely with Norfolk and Suffolk county councils and other partners on improving services and delivering better value for money. | https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/health/nhs-long-term-plan-could-end-norfolk-ivf-postcode-lottery-1-5842917 |
Were the Early Church Fathers Really the First Catholics? | It was the Church Fathers ... that convinced me to be a Catholic. British writer and theologian C.S. Lewis, in his autobiographical book Surprised by Joy, wrote, A young man who wishes to remain a sound Atheist cannot be too careful of his reading. And he was right! A Baptist Finds His Way to the Catholic Faith Just ask former Baptist Steve Ray, whose journey to the Catholic Church was helped by careful study of the Early Church Fathers. Surprise, surprise! Steve wrote. We were not prepared for what we discovered. We always stated, 'The Fathers are not inspired; the Bible is inspired and that's all we need.' But this new discovery was a real eye-opener. These first Christians lived, preached, worshiped and died before the New Testament was even in existence. They were authentic witnesses to the life, tradition and practice of the apostles themselves. They still have the apostolic voices ringing in their ears. Steve and his wife Janet began a study of the Church Fathers in 1993. Despite their ingrained animosity toward Catholicism, they recognized that the Fathers were, in a word, Catholic. Steve, Janet and their whole immediate family were received into the Catholic Church on Pentecost Sunday, May 22, 1994 and he has never looked back. The full version of Steve's conversion story can be found in his book Crossing the Tiber: Evangelical Protestants Discover the Historic Church (Ignatius Press, 1997). His website is CatholicConvert.com. A Pentecostal Preacher Discovers Catholicism's Connection to Antiquity The late Deacon Alex Jones was another Christian who found the words of the Early Church Fathers a compelling reason for conversion. Alex was a well-known Pentecostal preacher who had served for 25 years at two Detroit-area churches, Zion Congregational Church of Christ and Maranatha Christian Church, when he and his wife first began a study of the Church Fathers in March 1998. His goal at the time was to develop a worship service for his community which mirrored that of the earliest Christians. But as he studied, he came to see that early worship greatly resembled what he knew of the Catholic Mass, with its focus on Old and New Testament readings, a homily, consecration of the elements of bread and wine, and communion. The church of the ancient fathers, he discovered, was charismatic/ liturgical, hierarchical, and Eucharistic-centered in short, Catholic. Alex and his wife Donna started a class on the Church Fathers and, he wrote, ...began a two-year journey into the Catholic Church that culminated in 54 members of my previous congregation, including 14 members of my family, entering the Catholic Church. Alex Jones was received into the Church and eventually entered diaconal formation in the Archdiocese of Detroit, and was ordained in October 2005. Deacon Alex died of a heart attack in 2017, but he left behind a legacy of conversions. His story is told in Wisdom from Above, a DVD available through Vision Video. Evangelical Protestant Crosses the Tiber After Reading the Church Fathers Albert Little is a Catholic convert whose blog The Cordial Catholic follows the advice found in 1 Peter 3:15: Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope. Little described his transformation from an Evangelical Protestant to a committed Catholic after an evangelical pastor and friend asked him an important question: Which is more important, the Bible or Tradition? Albert was stumped; and in his quest to answer that challenge, he began to read about Catholicism. He'd made a fatal mistake, he says, and would later learn that he had begun to be fair to the Catholic Church a mistake which famous convert G.K. Chesterton calls the first step toward conversion. Little explained, If 'being fair' to the Church was the first step I took, then reading the Early Church Fathers, for me, must've ranked somewhere amongst the final ones.... It was after reading from these, the earliest Christian sources after the New Testament, that I found myself finally roundly convinced of the enduring truth of Catholic Church. It was the Church Fathers and, namely, one all-encompassing quotation, that convinced me to be a Catholic. The quote he cited was from St. Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch, who lived and wrote from about 35 to 107 A.D. Ignatius was, by all accounts, a disciple of St. John the apostle. He learned from one who learned directly from Christ. Ignatius warned against schism against breaking away from the one true Church which Christ founded. Ignatius wrote, Make no mistake, my brothers, if anyone joins a schismatic he will not inherit Gods Kingdom. If anyone walks in the way of heresy, he is out of sympathy with the Passion. Be careful, then, to observe a single Eucharist. For there is one flesh of our Lord, Jesus Christ, and one cup of his blood that makes us one, and one altar, just as there is one bishop along with the presbytery and the deacons, my fellow slaves. In that way whatever you do is in line with Gods will. St. Ignatius of Antioch was fundamentally convincing for Albert Little. Here was a disciple of St. John, Little explained, ...speaking against setting out on ones own, outside of the authority of the Church Christ founded. He speaks, likewise, about the importance of submitting to bishops and their appointed authority and how, remarkably, all of this centers back around the beauty of the Eucharist and Christs once-for-all sacrifice. Albert Little admits that as an Evangelical, even while a History major in university, he was wholly ignorant of the Church Fathers. His understanding of the early church was based on a very narrow reading of the Acts of the Apostles and select tidbits from the Epistles. He was ignorant of the concept of the successive, authoritative structure of the Church found roundly in Ignatiuss writings, as well as the clear language and belief about the Eucharist. When Albert Little finally read the writings of the Early Church Fathers when he explored what Church Fathers like Ignatius were actually writing about he was convinced that Jesus established a Church, authoritative in nature, which will continue until the end of time. He was convinced, also, of the Catholic teaching of the Real Presence because there it is, as early as Ignatius of Antioch, and there it continues to be for the subsequent two thousand years. He was convinced; and although he did explore alternatives in the Anglican and Orthodox churches, he found the teachings of the Early Church Fathers reflected most resoundingly, beautifully, like a mirror, in the Catholic Church. A Convert's New Website Is a Topical Guide to the Church Fathers Brandon Vogt is the youngest convert on this list; he became a Catholic in 2008, while still in college. Brandon is a talented young apologist: a bestselling author, blogger, and speaker, he works as Content Director for Bishop Robert Barron's Word on Fire Catholic Ministries, and he is the founder of ClaritasU, an online community for Catholics who want to get clear about their faith. He established the website Strange Notions, which he describes a digital Areopagus that opens a conversation with atheists. Brandon is author of seven books including Why I Am Catholic (And You Should Be Too) (Ave Maria Press, 2017) and RETURN: How to Draw Your Child Back to the Church (Numinous Books, 2015). I mention Brandon today because his latest project is a website called ChurchFathers.org. Brandon describes it as a one-stop shop for Protestants, Catholics, or anyone wondering what the earliest Christians taught about different issues. His goal was not to create a Catholic apologetics site, but to share source quotes from Church Fathers directly, without any commentary or spin, so the Fathers could speak for themselves and readers could draw their own conclusions. The site does not attempt to persuade; rather, it allows the reader to decide for himself which contemporary church most clearly reflects the church of biblical times. The site lists thorny issues for Protestants such as Mary and the Saints, Morality and Ethics, Sacraments, Salvation, Scripture and Tradition, and the Church and the Papacy. Under each section, it explains what the Church Fathers and earliest documents taught about that issue. ChurchFathers.org is an easy-to-navigate resource that will help readers to understand the Church's timeless traditions in light of historical practices. | http://www.ncregister.com/blog/kschiffer/were-the-early-church-fathers-really-the-first-catholics?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+NCRegisterDailyBlog+National+Catholic+Register |
Who decides the timing of traffic light signals? | ORLANDO, Fla. - News 6 traffic safety expert Trooper Steve Montiero answers viewer questions about the rules of the road every week, helping Orlando-area residents become better drivers by being better educated. This week, Montiero answers a viewer's question about traffic signals. We have all been there: sitting at a red light and wondering if it will ever change. Kevin, of Wedgefield, asked how traffic signals are timed. Well, there are multiple factors that determine just how long you're going to sit there. [ASK TROOPER STEVE: Send safety question to Trooper Steve] First, your local government is in charge of traffic management. Complaints should never go to the police department because although officers do suggest changes, they do not make final calls regarding traffic lights. Local residential population, traffic flow, speed limits and crash history determine the length of each traffic signal. From red to yellow, each is specifically calculated for better flow of traffic. Yet there are times these lights lose their patterns. In that case, complaints should be directed to the road and bridge department. I've said it once and I'll say it again: Just because we don't like something, doesn't necessarily make it wrong. If you have a traffic question for Trooper Steve, submit it here. Copyright 2019 by WKMG ClickOrlando - All rights reserved. | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/ask-trooper-steve/who-decides-the-timing-of-traffic-light-signals |
What next as the deadline nears? | Anyone not following the twists and turns of Brexit over the festive season has not missed a great deal. With MPs away from parliament for the past two weeks such Brexit activity that there has been has been very low-key and largely behind the scenes. On the government front a lot of effort has gone into trying to secure a compromise from the EU over the Irish backstop. Theresa May has spoken to, among others, Angela Merkel, the German leader, and Jean-Claude Juncker, the European Commission president. Leo Varadkar, the Irish prime minister, has also held talks with Mrs Merkel over what kind of a compromise might be acceptable to Dublin. Meanwhile across the political divide in Westminster, | https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/q-a-what-next-as-brexit-day-nears-zgqbvz2js |
Is Disneyland Repeating Apple's Mistake? | It will cost you a lot more the next time you want to visit Disney's(NYSE: DIS) original theme park resort. Disneyland raised its prices on Sunday, and this isn't just a token inflation-adjusted nudge higher. One-day ticket prices are now 7.2% to 10.4% higher, depending on the travel season. A single day at Disneyland or the adjacent California Adventure park will now set a visitor back between $104 and $149. Annual passes are getting 8% to 10% more expensive, with the high-tier Premier Pass that offers no blackout restrictions for Disneyland and Disney World admissions soaring a mind-numbing 23%, to $1,949 per person. Even higher-percentage gains are kicking in for other amenities, including parking and Disneyland's MaxPass digital ride-reservation service, which are moving 25% and 50% higher, respectively. Disney's theme parks segment had a record showing in fiscal 2018, so one can argue that Disneyland has the pricing elasticity to keep boosting admission fees. The sticker shock was too much for smartphone shoppers, and iPhone sales have fallen over the past year. Disney could be the next iconic company to price its way out of growth. Donald Duck sweeping through Disneyland. Image source: Disney. It's a maul world after all There may seem to be a method to Disney's madness. The highly anticipated Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge -- the 14-acre expansion themed to the media giant's most potent theatrical franchise -- opens this summer. The problem here is that Disneyland rolled out an unusually steep increase last year. One-day tickets rose as much as 9% last February, with annual prices getting a boost as large as 18%. We're talking about one-day ticket prices going up nearly 20% over the past 12 months, with annual-pass prices moving substantially higher. An obvious response here is that Disney is just pushing through what the market will bear. Disneyland is still routinely slammed with visitors, particularly on weekends and in peak travel seasons. Disney's shift to demand-based tiered pricing three years ago hasn't helped spread out the crowds, despite reserving the largest increases for admission during the busiest times of the year. The rub here is that there is no experience that has complete pricing elasticity. Folks used to think that Apple could keep slapping higher price tags on updated iPhones, sentiment that made the tech bellwether the world's most valuable company by market cap until just a couple of months ago. It's a whole new world now. Apple stock has plummeted 36% since peaking three months ago, surrendering its trillion-dollar market cap. The latest dagger came last week when the class act of Cupertino warned that revenue declined during the seasonally potent holiday quarter. The latest iPhones cost as much as $1,449 for the XS Max with the largest storage capacity. Apple and wireless carriers are now scrambling for promotional offers to make the new smartphones more accessible. | https://news.yahoo.com/disneyland-repeating-apple-apos-mistake-170000203.html |
How will Cody Parkey bounce back after one of the most heartbreaking misses in NFL playoff history? | It was a strange Wild Card Weekend, to say the least. The No. 6 seeds both managed to win (and neither was particularly shocking), and the Chargers were able to get revenge on the Ravens as the Cowboys beat the Seahawks. The stage is set for the divisional round, and it's clear that no one is safe this postseason. The most devastating loss of the weekend, of course, goes to the Chicago Bears. The Bears had a chance to win it, but Cody Parkey's kick was apparently tipped at the line and hit an upright before hitting the crossbar on its way down. The loss gave the Eagles a 16-15 win, and it cut a strong season for the Bears short. On Monday's "Off the Bench" podcast, Danny Kanell and Raja Bell recap the weekend that was on the NFL. While they touch on the Colts, Cowboys and Chargers advancing, they pay special attention to the Bears' heartbreak. Kanell says that Nick Foles is one of the NFL's best quarterbacks in clutch situations, and the two also discuss Parkey and how a player can move forward after a memorably heartbreaking moment. Listen and Subscribe to Off The Bench with Kanell & Bell: iTunes | Stitcher | TuneIn | https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/how-will-cody-parkey-bounce-back-after-one-of-the-most-heartbreaking-misses-in-nfl-playoff-history/ |
When is Jack and Dani's show on itv2 and how many episodes are there? | The video will start in 8 Cancel Get daily updates directly to your inbox Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email It seems like an eternity ago now that Jack and Dani won Love Island but the duo will be back on screen on Monday night with their own show. Fresh from their appearance on the much hyped Love Island Christmas Reunion, the 2018 winners will appear in their own show Jack & Dani: Life After Love Island. The show will allow viewers to get a close-up of their relationship, along with the everyday ups and downs that come with a non-stop schedule in the public eye. Jack & Dani must deal not only with the new experience of living together, but also with the pressures that come with building their careers around their relationship. Jack & Dani: Life After Love Island starts on ITV2 on Monday, January 7, at 9pm. There are three in total with the following two this Tuesday and Wednesday, also at 9pm. Speaking about his favourite moment from the series, Jack says "My favourite moment was going to Rome. I felt like a proper tour guide. It was wicked. "We had an amazing meal looking over the Vatican. That was brilliant." Dani added "It was really romantic. I wished we could have stayed longer." | https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/tv/when-jack-dani-show-episodes-15642684 |
What could go wrong in 2019? | Hong Kong The global geopolitical environment is at its most dangerous in decades, according to Eurasia Group, the consultancy founded by Ian Bremmer. Here is a look at Eurasias top predictions for risks that could impact the world in 2019. 1. Bad seeds Global decision-makers are so consumed with addressing or failing to address the daily crises that arise from a world without leadership that they are allowing a broad array of future risks to germinate, with serious consequences. The outlook for institutions like the EU and the World Trade Organisation, as well as the US-China relationship and that between Russia and its neighbours, is negative. 2. US-China There has been a long-held view in Washington and Beijing that the best way to manage their rivalry was to try to keep the relationship as amicable as possible for as long as possible. That has changed, especially in the US, which is embracing an openly confrontational approach under President Donald Trump amid a months-long trade war between the worlds two largest economies. Expect more discord in the arenas of technology, economics and security. 3. Cyber gloves off This year is likely to be a turning point in cyber competition. For the first time, the US will be undertaking a serious effort to establish real deterrence by projecting its cyber power in much more assertive ways. This show of strength is not only unlikely to create an effective system of global deterrence, but it could well backfire. 4. European populism When the EU holds parliamentary elections in May, euro-skeptics from both the left and right will win more seats that ever before. In the past, fringe parties gained support by blaming Brussels for domestic problems. Now they are winning by promising to ignore EU rules. The unprecedented influence of these new parties will undermine Europes ability to function. 5. US at home This will be a chaotic year for US domestic politics. While the odds of Trump being impeached and removed from office remain low, political volatility will be exceptionally high. 6. Innovations winter Eurasia predicts a reduction in the financial and human capital available to drive technological development. It blames three factors: security concerns leading states to reduce their exposure to foreign suppliers; privacy concerns causing governments to more tightly regulate how their citizens data can be used; and economic concerns leading countries to put up barriers protecting their emerging tech champions. 7. Coalition of the unwilling Trumps election was a blow to the decades-long commitment by Washington to protect a US-led global order. Since then, Trump has collected some fellow travelers a coalition of world leaders unwilling to uphold the those principles, with some even bent on bringing the system down. These leaders will have an increasingly disruptive effect on the international order. 8. Mexico The countrys new president, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, begins his term with a degree of power and control over the political system not seen in Mexico since the early 1990s. For Obrador, making Mexico great again means taking it back to the 1960s and 1970s with more spending, more interventionist and lower-quality policies. Until now, Mexico had been in a different political and economic cycle than the rest of Latin America, with a lower category of political risk. This year, it will look much more like its southern neighbours. 9. Ukraine President Vladimir Putin sees Ukraine as vital to Russias sphere of influence. Their shared historic, political and cultural links have undergirded Russias actions since long before the Ukraines 2013-2014 Maidan revolution. Putin believes Russia should have a big say in Kievs future. But that will pose a problem in the March presidential elections and ensuing parliamentary ballot, in which Russian interference whether to support or undermine particular candidates is a certainty. 10. Nigeria Nigeria faces its most fiercely contested election since the countrys transition to democracy in 1999. One candidate is President Muhammadu Buhari, an elderly and infirm leader who lacks the energy, creativity or political savvy to significantly move the needle on Nigerias most intractable problems. The other is former vice-president Atiku Abubakar, long dogged by allegations of corruption, which he has denied. * Brexit UK Prime Minister Theresa May has almost no chance of passing her unpopular withdrawal agreement when she puts it to a vote later this month. That promises a very messy 2019 in Europe. For Eurasia Group, Brexit was an asterisk because three years after the vote, almost any Brexit outcome remains possible. Bloomberg | https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/world/2019-01-07-what-could-go-wrong-in-2019/ |
Who should be the Hollis Wright Coastal prep basketball player of the week? | Here is your chance to vote for the Hollis Wright Player of the Week. The poll is open now and will close Thursday morning. The winner will be announced in next Mondays Game of the Week post. Nominations come from game results reported by area coaches. Results should be emailed to [email protected] following each game in order for candidates to be considered and results to be included in roundups during the week. Here are this weeks choices: BOYS Riley Leonard scored a game-high 24 points as Fairhope defeated Murphy 50-30. Matthew McNeece scored 20 points and grabbed 12 rebounds as McGill-Toolen defeated Spanish Fort 68-52. Malik McClain had 19 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, four steals and two blocked shots as Daphne defeated Robertsdale 72-52. Jacob Hatch scored 20 points and had five assists as Williamson defeated W.S. Neal 81-31. Lue Williams had 21 points and six rebounds as Escambia County defeated St. Lukes 59-41. McNeece powers McGill-Toolen GIRLS Elsie Harris scored 24 points as B.C. Rain defeated Murphy 57-27. Elizabeth Roebuck had 18 points, seven steals and five rebounds as St. Lukes defeated Millry 71-16. Destiny Sanders had 21 points and 18 rebounds as Faith Academy defeated Vigor 55-43. Kelsey Thompson scored 19 points as Davidson knocked off Alma Bryant 59-46. Kaitlyn Knight scored 19 points to help Foley notch its first Class 7A, Area 2 win in the history of the program. Nya Valentine scored 17 points as No. 3 McGill-Toolen improved to 18-1 with a 43-37 victory over Hattiesburg, Miss. | https://www.al.com/sports/2019/01/who-should-be-the-hollis-wright-coastal-prep-basketball-player-of-the-week.html |
Does Apple's 'used content' patent spell disaster for the marketplace? | Apple has filed a patent for a system allowing people to resell or loan their digital content. The newly-revealed applications, lodged in 2011 and 2012, mean it could be possible for music, eBooks, films and games to be passed on to friends and loved ones without them having to buy their own copy. A similar patent was granted to Amazon back in January, though it restricts transactions to Amazon's central marketplace. But Apple is clearly looking at something more open, as well as a cloud-based system that could mean digital products don't even need to be on a device to be gifted. The patent does, however, outline certain limitations, such as how long a user must have the content before selling it on. Apple may, therefore, have control of the situation for a while, but when others jump on the bandwagon and decide such restrictions aren't necessary, it could mean trouble. Digital dilemma Currently, purchasing content from the iTunes store doesn't give you complete ownership of the file. Instead, "owners" are given rights to access the content via the device of their choice. Music-streaming company 7digital told TechRadar: "Apple or Amazon might have the clout to establish a model with content owners, but their history with closed formats and systems means it might not be the best, open service for consumers" It also added: "The main barrier for such services would likely be legal implications and reaching agreements with content owners. For music alone there are multiple ways to acquire digital music; downloads, streaming, subscription services, ripping from CDs." Last year, we heard that Bruce Willis lashed out at Apple for not letting users pass their digital music collection on when they die. The story was exposed as a hoax, though it did get people talking about digital rights. Now it seems that Apple might have been listening all along. There's no saying whether Apple will go ahead and see its patent materialised, but it's certainly a sign of the way things are likely to head. Via AppleInsider | https://www.techradar.com/uk/news/computing/apple/does-apple-s-used-content-patent-spell-disaster-for-the-marketplace-1136248 |
Is coach Sammy 'Pamzo' Omollo heading to KCB? | 'Pamzo' was released by the mailmen following what the club termed as poor results Immediate former Posta Rangers coach Sammy Omollo Pamzo could be heading to KCB. According to reports, Pamzo could take up the place of assistant coaches Elvis Ayany Ezekiel Akwana who were both suspended alongside Captain Dennis Orenge for gross misconduct. Article continues below Reports indicate that Pamzo is being considered to replace any of the two. 'Pamzo' was released by the mailmen following what the club termed as poor results. The Bankers have been struggling since their promotion to the top tier and after six rounds, they are placed second last in the log with just two points. | https://www.goal.com/en-ke/news/is-coach-sammy-pamzo-omollo-heading-to-kcb/1n9m54xw7pq2v1xqjbzw6pibjt |
What are the rules of the road when moving cattle? | In some parts of the country the movement of cattle on a public road provides neighbours with the opportunity to have a chat or give each other a dig out. However, the reality is that farmers who have their cattle on a public thoroughfare hold a high level of legal responsibility and its not just in relation to the animals themselves, but also to other road users as well. AgriLand spoke to the Road Safety Authority (RSA), and with the health and safety officer at Mayo Co. Council about the rules governing the movement of cattle on roads and the ways in which farmers can protect themselves. Noel Gibbons, health and safety officer, Mayo, Co. Council, pointed out that farmers who drive cattle along a road need to ensure that they identify and manage risk in order to avoid potentially costly legal consequences. Use road signs to warn other users that cattle are on the road, he advised. To avoid liability, you must ensure that you use all reasonable care to prevent the animals from causing harm or damage and whether you have acted reasonably will be judged by the standards of the ordinary man. If permanent signs are needed at regular crossing places, you should approach your local council; one type of sign to provide is the flap folding sign which can be opened/closed as necessary. Advertisement Once the cattle have left the road, ensure that signs are placed to warn motorists of any mud or dung which has been deposited on the road by the cattle and take steps to ensure that the road is cleaned after use. Mr. Gibbons went on to say that farmers who do not have their cattle under sufficient control on a road could be held negligible should a difficulty arise. Assess the number of people needed to manage the cattle and their roles in the process; at least one person should be at the front of the cattle to warn road users. This means that you would be responsible for any damage or injury caused to other road users or their property, and in practical terms, it could mean that you have to pay for the damage to a car to be repaired or to settle a personal injury claim if a passerby was injured, he continued. To avoid liability, you must ensure that you use all reasonable care to prevent the animals from causing harm or damage and whether you have acted reasonably will be judged by the standards of the ordinary man. | https://www.agriland.ie/farming-news/what-are-the-rules-of-the-road-when-moving-cattle/ |
Why is EastEnders not on TV tonight and when is it back on? | Get daily updates directly to your inbox Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email EastEnders fans will be left disappointed tonight as the usual weekday installment will not air. The Albert Square soap has lost its place in the BBC1 schedule this evening due to the FA cup match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Liverpool. Coverage of the third-round match begins on the channel at 7.30pm, which means there is no space for the BBC drama at 8.00pm. However, there is still the same number of episodes airing as in a regular week. There will be one episode on Tuesday and Thursday at 7.30pm and a double bill on Friday at 8pm and 9pm. EastEnders fans were left wanting answers last week as many thought a main character has been killed off. The episode focused on the aftermath of Hunter shooting Ray, as his mum, Mel scrambled to cover up their crime. After burying Ray, who was on the run from the police after being arrested for bigamy, in a shallow grave in the woods, Hunter looked traumatised by how far he went to save his mum. But at the end of the episode, Hunter pulled out the murder weapon from his pocket, staring at it menacingly. The scene then cut to Mel in the kitchen, as she picked up the bin bag containing her soiled wedding dress, she smashed a glass. As it hit the ground there was a smash AND a gun shot sound. Concerned viewers immediately thought Hunter had killed himself, but could not be certain if it was simply a flashback in Mel's mind. | https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/tv/eastenders-not-tv-tonight-back-15641372 |
Are Bradley Cooper & Girlfriend Irina Shayk Married? | Over the course of Bradley Coopers relationship with girlfriend Irina Shayk, the two have been the subject of marriage rumors. But, it doesnt look like the couple is husband and wife, according to Romper. Cooper and Shayk started dating in 2015 and share one child together. According to People, the couples daughter Lea De Seine Shayk Cooper was born at 7:49 a.m. on Tuesday, March 21, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. A source told People that, It seems L.A. is now their home base. When they are together in L.A., they are very low-key and mostly hang out at home. Cooper talked about the impact that having a daughter has had on his life to People and he said, So I guess having a child, and having a family of my own which is a miracle and something Ive always dreamt of has opened me up even more, I guess, to the day, and to be present The thing I want my daughter to have I just always want her to feel loved. Though Cooper and Shayk are not married, it doesnt mean that marriage isnt in the cards. In 2013, before meeting Shayk, Cooper told The Daily Mail, I would say I am a romantic, for sure. I think most guys are deep down. I look at my parents, who have been married happily since 1963, and my grandparents are the same. What guy wouldnt want that? In October 2018, Page Six reported rumors that Cooper and Shayk were miserable together, but they were shown laughing at each others sides at the 2019 Golden Globe Awards. A source told Page Six, They are miserable together. They have been for months. He doesnt drink and is into spirituality. She wants to go out She went to Ibiza by her herself for a party that [celebrity photographers Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott] threw. Another source opposed the rumors and said that the reports are not true. Cooper notoriously chooses to keep his personal life as private as possible. According to E!, he appeared on The Howard Stern Show and Stern asked him why hes taken his mother instead of his girlfriend to awards shows with him in the past. Cooper responded, saying, Youre right, its so great to take someone youre with to a place where a hundred people are going to photograph you every step you make and ask you tons of questions, and then rip it apart the next day. No, no, no, no, no. Then, Cooper said that if he was married maybe itd be different. Clearly, hes taken his relationship with Shayk to some kind of level higher than just girlfriend, though they may not be actually engaged. After all, she is the mother of his child. Shayk is a 10-time Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model, who has also walked the catwalk for the Victorias Secret fashion show. In fact, Shayk actually rocked her baby bump on the runway at the Victorias Secret Fashion Show in 2016. According to People, Shayk said she suffers from mom guilt and tries to live in every moment she can with her family. | https://heavy.com/entertainment/2019/01/bradley-cooper-wife-girlfriend-irina-shayk/ |
Who Is Michael B. Jordan Dating? Does He Have a Girlfriend? | Michael B. Jordan does not appear to have a girlfriend, according to popular celebrity dating website Whos Dated Who. The actor, best known for his role in films such as Black Panther and Creed, has been linked to a woman named Ashlyn Castro, but the current status of their rumored relationship is unclear. He & Castro Were Spotted Dancing & Kissing in St. Tropez in July 2018 Last summer, TMZ reported that Jordan was spending time with Castro and even posted some photographic proof that Jordan was, at least, hanging out with her. The two were spotted together at the VIP Room, a swanky nightclub in St. Tropez. [Jordan] and Ashlyn were all over each other grinding, sucking face and living it up, TMZ reported at the time. The photo below shows Castro sitting on Jordans lap at the club. Photos: Michael B. Jordan Parties With Rumored Girlfriend Ashlyn Castro At St Tropez Club https://t.co/DLlQm3XZJy pic.twitter.com/6Q5ObLvEec Chase Gideon (@chaseymania) July 12, 2018 The two havent been seen together since then. Although he is fairly active on social media, Jordan hasnt been Instagram official with any woman since breaking onto the entertainment scene. He Recently Opened up About Being Single Jordan was involved in a bit of shipping, which occurs when a fandom puts two people in a movie or television show together and wishes for them to date in real life. Jordan and his Creed co-star Tessa Thompson seemed like the perfect pair but the two arent together, according to Jordan. In November, the actor talked to Extra at the premiere of Creed II. As he walked to red carpet by himself, he opened the door for those dreaded relationship questions. Jordan was very candid about his current relationship status, however, confirming that hes single. Im completely single, man. Im by myself with my family, just getting this movie out to the people, he told the outlet. He was then reminded of the women in the business who have said they have crushes on him Nicki Minaj and Tiffany Haddish, specifically. Im a fan of all of them, man Those are all my friends, man. Theyre great artists doing what they do. They support me. I support them. Its a lot of love, Jordan said. | https://heavy.com/entertainment/2019/01/michael-b-jordan-dating-girlfriend-who/ |
Who Is Jim Carrey Dating? Does He Have a Girlfriend? | Jim Carrey has been one of the biggest names in comedy for as long as many of us can remember. With hits like Ace Ventura, Dumb and Dumber, and The Mask, the 56-year-old actor has been a household name for years. Heres what you need to know: These days, there is no information circulating about Carreys love life, leading us to think he may be single. But he has been married twice, and made headlines last year after being sued over the death of his ex-girlfriend Cathriona White. Thats right in 2015, Carreys girlfriend, White, passed away. In September 2016, the actor was sued by Whites estranged husband and mother for wrongful death. In the suit, they claimed that Carrey got hold of the drugs White used to kill herself under a false name, and provided them to her despite knowing she was prone to depression, reports People. In February of 2018, the case against Carrey was dismissed; he was cleared of any role in the suicide of his ex-girlfriend. Carrey has been married twice. His first marriage to Melissa Womer lasted eight years. His second marriage to Lauren Holly, his Dumb and Dumber costar, lasted less than one year. With Womer, Carey has one daughter: Jane Erin Carrey. In 2012, Jane was a contestant on American Idol. Today, Jane is 30-years-old. According to Providr, Jane has said she has no intentions of living off her dads celebrity status and if she finds a way to make it in the industry, she wants to do it herself. On Idol, she made it all the way to the finals. Jane has a son, Jackson Riley Santana, with ex-husband Alex Santana, who is the lead singer of the band Blood Money. After his latest divorce, Carrey was in a five-year relationship with model and actress Jenny McCarthy, who is now married to Donnie Wahlberg. McCarthy began her career as a model for Playboy before working as the co-host of MTVs Singled Out. She is also a former co-host on ABCs The View. Carrey was also in a relationship with his Me, Myself and Irene co-star Renee Zellweger for a stint. The two were even engaged from 1999 to 2000. According to an interview with Celebrity Insider, Renee spoke out in support of Carrey after a suit was filed against him by Whites mother and estranged husband. An insider told the outlet, Renees horrified at whats being said about Jim right now and cant believe the allegations. She said that Carrey was nothing but a total gentleman to her during their engagement. The source added, Renees already reached out to him Renee and Jim are back in touch regularly now. Shes trying to help him rebuild his confidence. At tonights Golden Globes, Carrey has received a nomination for best actor in a drama series for his Showtime series, Kidding. Be sure to tune into the Golden Globes, which will air live on NBC Sunday, January 6, at 8pm ET/PT. | https://heavy.com/entertainment/2019/01/jim-carrey-dating-girlfriend-today/ |
Who is Emma Stone Dating? | Emma Stone is one of the most desirable actresses in Hollywood these days, with an Academy Award under her belt at just 30-years-old. The La La Land actress will be attending tonights Golden Globes, where she will be presenting, and has also been nominated for Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture for her work in The Favourite. As she takes to the stage, people will likely wonder about her personal life, as they tend to when it comes to celebrity actresses. Heres what we know: For a while from roughly 2011 to 2015 Stone dated Amazing Spider-Man co-star Andrew Garfield. The two met on set, and their relationship was documented often in the media. At the time of their breakup, sources told US Weekly that the pair still have a lot of love for one another but it just wasnt working. Now, it appears Stone may very well be single. In December, she was interviewed by Vogue. She opened up about her life, detailing what it felt like to turn 30 she did not once mention her love life. If she is, in fact, in a relationship, Stone is keeping her lips sealed when it comes to her partners identity. Even though shes likely single these days, Emma says she does see herself settling down eventually. In August, she told Elle, My perspective about kids has changed as Ive gotten older. I never babysat or anything. As a teenager, I was like, Im never getting married, Im never having kids. And then I got older and I was like, I really want to get married, I really want to have kids. She continued, Its the turning-30 thing where youre like, Im not that young. Im young, but Im not that young. For now, however, it seems Stone is putting her career first. Most recently, she was linked to SNL director Dave McCary. In fact, its possible the two are still dating in December, W reported that Stone and McCary were still going strong, despite the fact that they havent been spotted together in nearly a year. The pair were first reported to be an item in October 2017. At that time, a source said they had been dating for about three months. They met when Emma starred in the December 3 SNL sketch Wells for Boys which was directed by McCary. Fellow SNL writer Julio Torres told Vulture about McCary, He is one of the most tender, beautiful hands when it comes to directing. It isnt surprising that Emma is constantly in the news when it comes to her personal life, but the actress certainly seems to be keeping it tight-lipped when it comes to her life out of the spotlight. Be sure to tune in to find out. | https://heavy.com/entertainment/2019/01/emma-stone-dating-boyfriend-does-have/ |
Is Mahershala Ali Married? Does He Have Children? | Mahershala Ali was nominated for the Best Film Supporting Actor Golden Globe for his portrayal as Doctor Don Shirley in the film Green Book. Ali brought home another Golden Globe in 2017 for his starring role in the hit film Moonlight. Id like to thank the HFPA for this extraordinary honor, said Ali in an emailed statement after his receiving his current Golden Globe nomination. Im humbled that all our work has been recognized in such a broad capacity, especially that of my friends Viggo Mortensen and Peter Farrelly. Green Book offered a unique opportunity to embody a man with breadth, virtuosity and complexity. Im so grateful that our story has resonance in a time that calls for empathy. Ali has been married to wife Amatus Sami-Karim since the two met while Sami-Karim was enrolled at the Tisch School of the Arts, and have been married since 2013. Heres what you need to know about Alis family: Ali & Sami-Karim Met While They Were Both in College Ali and his wife met while she attended classes at Tisch and he studied for his Masters degree at NYU. In 2014, Ali told ELLE magazine just how meaningful Sami-Karim was to him: She and I have known each other for a really long time [about] 17 years. So, at this point, shes seen a big shift in things, but at the same time, shell ground me real quick if I start feeling myself a little too much. Shes very real, like, seriously. Sami-Karem is a graduate of Tisch School of the Arts and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. Sami-Karem has established her own career as a musician, artist and actress. According to her personal website, her work generally deals with themes related to identity, history and popular culture. Her debut EP Broken Compass, has been featured in tastemaker blogs such as Pigeons and Planes, Afro Punk, Obscure Sound, Hollywood Playlist, OkayPlayer, and The Source, among many others. On Sami-Karems birthday last year, Ali posted the picture above, with a short, sweet caption to express how proud he was to be her husband. The couple tied the knot in 2013 after meeting as students in 2000. Just four days before Ali won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, the couple welcomed their daughter, Bari Najma Ali. You can read more about their daughter below. Sami-Karim Gave Birth to Their First Child in 2017 Daughter Bari Najma Ali and Sami-Karem share a daughter together. Sami-Karem was in her third trimester when she accompanied her husband on the red carpets as he brought home an Academy Award, Critics Choice Award, and SAG Award for his starring role in the hit film Moonlight. Ali made sure to give his pregnant wife a shoutout while accepting his awards: I just want to thank my wife who was in her third trimester during awards season, he said during his Oscar-winning speech. I just want to thank her for being such a soldier through this process and really carrying me through it all. The actor raved about fatherhood on the Academy Awards red carpet in 2018, exclaiming how beautiful it has been to be a dad to his daughter Bari Najma. Its good. Its been amazing, said the actor, according to People. She wears me out and puts me in my place in her own way, but I absolutely love her and thats my heart. Shes absolutely grounding and its just beautiful. Ali often shares pictures of his little family on his Instagram account. | https://heavy.com/entertainment/2019/01/mahershala-ali-wife-kids-children-family/ |
What Time Is Kendall Jenners Story Revealed? When Is It? | Kendall Jenner was set to reveal a big secret to help other people. Her mother, Kris Jenner, had been teasing the raw story for a day. The answer: Shes already made the big reveal, and it turned out to basically be an ad for Proactiv. In it, Kendall discusses the problems shes faced with acne. Kendall revealed the so-called raw story on her Twitter page on Sunday, January 6, 2019. At 7:30 p.m. on the east coast, Kendall posted on her Twitter page. She announced that she was the new face of Proactiv. The above video with the tweet contains photos of Kendalls acne. She admitted she wants it gone, and described how she was bullied online after photographs from a red carpet appearance highlighted the acne. She said she went online and saw all of the horrible things people were saying about me and my skin. Then she received tweets of how proud people were of her. It completely flipped my energy on itfor me, I can obviously say that the magic was ProactivI am hoping that I can help people, she says in the video. However, some people found the announcement underwhelming after so much hype. Kendall jenners announcement was deadass proactive wtf alflfkskddksk why did they make such a big deal about it karina (@swiftsgadot) January 7, 2019 really got my hopes up thinking kendall jenner was actually gay but it just turns out she has acne chaur (@ChaurRenai) January 7, 2019 Im psychic and annoyed. pic.twitter.com/Mg3zODT2Xq V I N C E N T (@half__virgin) January 7, 2019 You can find Kendall Jenners Twitter page here. She tweets at @kendalljenner. As of 3:30 p.m. EST, there was nothing new on her page. The same was true on her Instagram page, which you can find here. Kris Jenner has posted a glamour shot and two pictures of her out on the town since she first posted about Kendalls big announcement. You can see Kris Jenners Instagram page here. Kris Jenner didnt give any hints about what Kendall will reveal, other than expressing great admiration in her daughter. Observers have speculated that the big reveal may deal with anxiety or acne (both issues that Kendall has dealt with) or something else. Kris Jenner made the announcement on her Instagram page on January 5, 2019, and she included a video that shows Kendall referring to the revelation in vague terms. Kendall Jenner did indicate that the issue is something thats affected her life since she was 14-years-old. Heres what you need to know: Kris Jenner Says Kendall Will Share Your Most Raw Story In the Instagram post that she cross posted on her Twitter page, Kris expressed her pride in her supermodel daughter. Im so proud of my darling @KendallJenner for being so brave and vulnerable she wrote. Seeing you share your most raw story in order to make a positive impact for so many people and help foster a positive dialogue is a testament to the incredible woman youve become. Make sure to watch Kendalls Twitter on Sunday night to find out what Im talking about and be prepared to be moved. #bethechange #shareyourstory #changetheconversation #proudmom #finallyasolution #authenticity #mydaughterinspiresme #getready. In the video that accompanied that post, Kendall, wearing blue jeans and a white T-shirt, says, When I was 14, I couldnt reach as many people as I can now. Now that Im 22 and I have this whole thing behind me, I can speak to so many people and just be like, I can help you. And its OK. And I experienced it. Im very normal. And I understand it. I can connect with you. Im going to try and help. The video fades to a black screen with the words Connect With Kendall. The video concludes with the date: January 6, 2019. Kendall Jenner has a massive social media following with 101 million Instagram followers and 27 million Twitter followers. That means that she will have a large audience for her announcement. Her most recent Twitter post on January 5, 2019 dated to New Years and read, happy new year! i hope its so so wonderful to you On Instagram, her most recent post on January 5 was also a New Years post in which she highlighted that she was wearing the color green. Shes also posted a lot of modeling shots of herself lately and a picture of her reclining in a private jet. Kendall Has Dealt With Anxiety & Acne Throughout the Years Kendall has been very forthcoming with the public about personal issues in the past. In the past, Kendall has been open about her struggles with anxiety, including panic attacks. I have such debilitating anxiety because of everything going on that I literally wake up in the middle of the night with full-on panic attacks, Kendall once told Harpers Bazaar. In February 2018, she also discussed her anxiety, attributing it in part to traumatic incidents in her life, including when her sister Kim Kardashian was robbed in Paris, ABC News reports. She revealed that she was also a victim of a robbery. On the familys show, she recounted how she had tried acupuncture, meditation and sound bathing to deal with the anxiety issue. She has also dealt with acne issues, revealing those issues started around age 13. never let that sh*t stop you! she wrote after being criticized for hitting a red carpet with visible acne. | https://heavy.com/entertainment/2019/01/kendall-jenner-story-when-what-time/ |
Is Cynthia Bailey Engaged to Boyfriend Mike Hill on RHOA? | On Real Housewives of Atlanta, Cynthia Bailey has been giving viewers a look at her relatively new relationship with boyfriend Mike Hill. In clips ahead of tonights episode, it looks like Bailey and her boyfriend, Mike Hill, may have gotten engaged. Heres what we know On January 1, 2019, Bailey posted a photo of herself with Hill on her Instagram account and Hill left a comment that stated, Id share any stage with you baby!! #[Altar]Next? In November 2018, Hill gave Bailey a pre-proposal on the Steve Harvey Show, according to Bravo TV, which is where they actually met. When asked by Harvey whether the two have talked about marriage or not, Hill said, Its on the table. Its gonna happen. I was open to marriage when I came here before, but now she just kicked the door wide open Steve, were going to make that a reality. Were gonna do that. I do want to marry her one day. Baileys response was, I mean, you didnt just propose, right?, to which Hill said, That was a pre-proposal. The Steve Harvey Show was most likely taped after Real Housewives had filmed its episode of the two, so we are guessing the couple does not get engaged on tonights episode of RHOA. Were thinking that maybe Hill proposes moving in together or taking some kind of step in the relationship, but maybe its not getting married yet. After all, Bailey just got divorced from ex-husband Peter Thomas in 2016. So, she may not be ready to jump into another marriage unless she feels its the right move. After all, in 2016, Bailey said that she would never marry again, according to Us Weekly. Bailey stated, Im just not wife material. I will never be in a relationship again where it will take a lawyer for me to walk away. I will never marry again. From what viewers have seen on RHOA, Bailey and Hill appear to be very happy together, though their relationship has been long-distance up until this point on the show. Like Bailey, Hill is a single parent. He is a proud father to his two daughters, Ashlee and Kayla, and often makes it a point to sing their praises on his Instagram account. In one post about the two girls, Hill wrote, The reason why I work, hustle, breathe & pretty much live. They make my heartbeat in fact, they are my heart. Of the many titles Ive held in my in life, the title of FATHER is the one Im most proud of. Hill also has a habit of praising his lady love, Bailey, on social media. As for what Hill does for a living, he is a broadcaster on FOX Sports, who has over 20 years in the business, so he is definitely accomplished. He even has two Sports Emmy Awards under his belt. In addition to being involved with FOX Sports, Hill is also the CEO of Thrill of Entertainment, according to his Instagram. | https://heavy.com/entertainment/2019/01/cynthia-bailey-boyfriend-engaged-mike-hill/ |
Is Rami Malek Dating Lucy Boynton? | If youre a fan of Mr. Robot, youre a fan of Rami Malek, but unfortunately for those of you crushing on the actor, he may be off the market. In April, rumors began to surface that Malek was dating his Bohemian Rhapsody co-star, Lucy Boynton, and the two still seem to be going strong today. Boynton portrays Mary Austin, Maleks love interest, in the biographical film. The performance earned her a nomination for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture at the 25th Screen Actors Guild Awards. The actress, 24, was born in New York, and grew up in London. Her father, Graham Boynton, is the Group Travel Editor of the Telegraph Media Group. In April, an insider told US Weekly, They met while filming Bohemian Rhapsody in London He is so into her. He goes and visits her in London all the time. In November, Malek and Boynton were seen walking on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. Rami had his armed draped around Lucy as they shopped. Just one month prior, they posed together at the BAFTA screening of Bohemian Rhapsody. Boynton rose to fame playing young Beatrix Potter in the 2006 film Miss Potter, for which she was nominated for the Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a Feature Film Supporting Young Actress. She went on to appear in Sing Street as Raphina, as well as Rebel in the Rye, Murder on the Orient Express and Apostle. On TV, Boynton has acted in Borgia, Endeavor, Law & Order: UK, Life in Squares, and Gypsy. A 2016 profile on Boynton in Interview Magazine explains that once she had her first experience on Miss Potter, she was bitten by the bug. It was no longer enough for me to enjoy watching a film; I wanted to play the roles in them. I wanted to feel all those things, she tells the outlet. I remember watching that scene in My Girl where Anna Chlumsky cries at a funeral. I would cry with her and be like, Yeah, I think I could do that. I could do a funeral scene. In 2007, Boynton landed a role in the film Ballet Shoes alongside Emma Watson. She also played Margaret Dashwood in the miniseries adaptation of Sense & Sensibility. Asked about one of the most pivotal roles in her career, Boynton explained, I think Ballet Shoes was a very pivotal role for me. I was about 14 then, and it was an incredible cast: Eileen Atkins, Victoria Wood, Emilia Fox, Harriet Walters. All these incredible women. Being surrounded by them and being treated more like an adult on set really brought me out of being coddled as the child on set. That role was also one of my bigger rolesmy first kind of lead role, so I had a lot more responsibility. It was exhausting, but so rewarding. Next, she is slated to appear in the new Ryan Murphy series The Politician, alongside Zoey Deutch. | https://heavy.com/entertainment/2019/01/rami-malek-girlfriend-lucy-boynton/ |
Is There an NFL Sunday Night Football Game on TV Tonight? | There is not a traditional NFL Sunday Night Football game on TV tonight, January 6. NBC had the Eagles-Bears game which kicked off at 4:40 p.m. Eastern and was the final game of the weekend. This game was over by the time the Sunday night game typically begins. Fans tuning into NBC looking for a football game will be greeted with the Golden Globes as there are no more NFL games until January 12th. NFL fans will have to wait until Saturday, January 12th for more NFL action. The good news is Alabama and Clemson square off for the college football national championship on Monday, January 7th at 8 p.m. Eastern. The Colts and Chiefs will kickoff the Divisional Round on January 12 at 4:35 p.m. on NBC. It is a highly anticipated matchup with Andrew Luck trying to outduel Patrick Mahomes at Arrowhead Stadium. Since starting the season 1-5, the Colts have been red-hot. Colts head coach Frank Reich explained the teams mindset for the postseason. We know we have an elite quarterback and we can throw it 400 yards and win when we have to, Reich told ESPN. But what we talked about is the margin for error in playoff football when you try to do it that way is very thin. But when you can win like this, when you can win running the football and stopping it, thats just everything. The Cowboys punched their ticket to the postseason. Dallas will face the Saints in the Divisional Round unless the Eagles upset the Bears. If Philly defeats Chicago, the Cowboys would face the Rams. The Cowboys would be on the road in either matchup. The Saints are the Vegas favorite to win the Super Bowl. Drew Brees spoke about whether the team feels the pressure of being the NFCs No. 1 seed. No, I dont think we look at it that way, Brees said per the Saints website. Again, were focused on ourselves right now and then once we know who were playing then you just prepare for it like its any other game. Not for me. Heres a look at the NFL playoff schedule for next weeks Divisional Round. NFL Playoff Schedule: Divisional Round | https://heavy.com/sports/2019/01/nfl-sunday-night-football-game-tonight-schedule/ |
Is Penelope Cruz Married? Does She Have Children? | Penelope Cruz is predicted to win a Golden Globe for her performance as fashion designer Donatella Versace in The Assassination of Gianni Versace in the second season of American Crime Story. According to Gold Derbys combined odds, Cruz resides in third place with odds of 4/1 behind Particia Clarkson for Sharp Objects and Alex Borstein for Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. With Cruz on track to win her first Golden Globe, people have grown curious about her personal life. Read on to find out more about Cruzs family. Cruz Has Been Married to Husband Javier Bardem Since 2010 & Has Starred in Films With Him Over The Years Cruz has been married to husband Javier Bardem since July of 2010. They both starred in 1992s Jamon, Jamon, which was Cruzs first movie. Years later, they costarred in the movie Vicky Cristina Barcelona, with Cruz playing his emotionally unstable ex. The couple fell in love on the set of Vicky Cristina and dated for two years before tying the knot. In an interview with GQ, Bardem mentioned how thankful he is for his wife, saying Im happily married. I breathe and stay in peace. I truly thank whoevers up there for giving me the opportunity to be loved. Bardem professed his love for Cruz during the 2010 Cannes Film Festival, giving her a shoutout on stage: To my girlfriend, my companion, my love: Penelope. I owe you so much and I love you a lot. The two have appeared in several other movies together, including The Counselor and Loving Pablo, their first movie together as a couple, and more. Although Cruz has starred in many movies with her husband, she recently told Marie Claire that she doesnt want to work with her husband that often. Obviously we cant choose parts just for logistical reasons, like, Oh, lets work together more often because its easier, she told Entertainment Tonight. No. In fact, its not something we want to do that often, partly out of a desire to protect what we have. On the one hand, its easier because you know that person, he knows you, and the way you work is very similar, she continues. On the other hand, the idea of it happening every year is kind of scary. You never know if that might mix things up too much. My instinct is that it would. I think its better for it to just be once in a while, even though theyve been very good experiences. The pair are starring in an upcoming February thriller, Everybody Knows, which was an exception to the rule of not working on too many more films together, due to the characters that they play. Bardem stars as Cruzs childhood sweetheart, whom she reconnects with when she returns home and her daughter is kidnapped. The couple have each won an Academy Award, the only Spanish-born actors to have done so, according to Marie Claire. Cruz & Bardem Have Two Children Together Their Son Leonardo & Daughter Luna The award-winning actors are the proud parents of their son Leonardo, born in January 2011, and their daughter Luna, born in July 2013. Cruz has described motherhood as the biggest transformation of her life, according to Heightline. When Cruz is not working, she spends as much time with her children as possible. For both Cruz and Bardem, their children and family are their first priority, so much so that the longest Cruz has been away from her kids is four days. We like the family to be together, she says. The couple is notoriously private about their children and aim to raise them in a quiet, anonymous environment. In 2011, Cruz told Vogue, I want my son and my kids if I have more to grow up in a way that is as anonymous as possible. The fact that his father and I have chosen to do the work that we do doesnt give anybody the right to invade our privacy. Cruz has stated that being both a mom and an actress was a dream of hers since she was a little girl. However, she says that motherhood has made her the happiest of both, according to Marie Claire. I never speak about the children in interviews. I dont care if people think Im strange; thats sacred for me, she says. But there are a lot of things that have surprised me about [motherhood]. Its like a revolution inside youa very animal-like one. The whole world looks different. Youll never think of yourself first again, and I think thats a very good thing. It happens in a second. When asked what values he would like to instill in his children, Bardem told Entertainment Tonight: I just want them to be nice, honest, caring, loving people. We know that its not easy to do because the world is a very complex place. READ NEXT: Andy Samberg Wife & Kids: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know | https://heavy.com/entertainment/2019/01/penelope-cruz-married-husband-children-kids/ |
Who Is Hosting the Golden Globes 2018? | The 76th Annual Golden Globes are tonight on NBC, honoring and awarding the best in this years television and film performances. Andy Samberg and Sandra Oh will be co-hosting the night. Andy Samberg first found fame as one of the members of the comedic music group The Lonely Island, which has regularly appeared on Saturday Night Live featuring a variety of celebrity performances. He appears now as Jake Peralta on Brooklyn Nine-Nine, for which he won a Golden Globe in 2014 for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series Comedy or Musical. Sandra Oh portrayed the beloved Cristina Yang on Greys Anatomy from 2005-2014, which won her a 2006 Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television. She now stars in BBCs Killing Eve in the title role. Oh and Samberg have on-stage award show experience together they presented at the 70th Emmy Awards last year. Although Samberg has hosted the MTV Movie Awards, the Spirit Awards, and the Emmys, Oh is new to the hosting world. Sandra Oh told People that when she was asked to host, My reaction was, Is this a joke. And then when it was not a joke, it was just this feeling of terror and thrill. There was no way I would do this without Andy. Its really exciting. When People pointed out that the last duo to co-host the Golden Globes was Amy Poehler and Tina Fey, she added I am leery to put the duo-ness anywhere near Tina and Amy, Oh says. I think Andy and I are just going to find our way and do our own thing. Andy is so seasoned. I am not in that realm. I really just want to hang out with him onstage in front of millions of people! When the two spoke with The Hollywood Reporter, they revealed that they dont plan to go hard into detailed politics stuff. Of her hosting plan, Oh said I dont think its shallow to 1) have fun and 2) be honestly celebratory. Just the fact that Im fucking up there is crazy-pants in a great way. And Im not interested in [talking about Trump] at all. What Im interested in is pointing to actual real change. I want to focus on that cause people can pooh-pooh Hollywood all they want and there is a lot to pooh-pooh, sure but we also make culture. Tonight will be a big night for Sandra Oh. In addition to hosting the award ceremony, she is nominated for a Golden Globe for her role in Killing Eve. TIME pointed out that at the Golden Globes, bagging trophies as a host is a very rare occurrence: the Globes only made a practice of having hosts at all in the last decade, and only one of those has managed a same-evening win. Amy Poehler won in 2014 while hosting. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Samberg told Oh Im obsessed with Killing Eve. I hope you win. Im going to make you a crappy little tinfoil fake Globe, just in case you dont win, and Im going to bring it out and give it to you and be like, Youre always a winner to me. Tune in to NBC tonight at 8pm ET to watch Sandra Oh and Andy Samberg host the 76th Annual Golden Globes. | https://heavy.com/entertainment/2019/01/golden-globes-2019-hosting-tonight-awards/ |
Why is Netflix enabling the Saudi crackdown on press freedom? | Netflix's decision to comply with the request from Saudi Arabia to block the second episode of the original series Patriot Act, a news commentary show by comic Hasan Minhaj, is concerning both because of the precedent it sets and the signal it sends to autocrats around the world. By enabling censorship in Saudi Arabia just months after Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman allegedly ordered the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, the company is restricting an important avenue of information on an issue of great importance in one of the most censored countries in the world. It is also signalling to other repressive states that it will comply with censorship requests and vague cybercrime laws that do not comply with international norms. As the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), where I work, has documented, cybercrime laws are used to stifle independent and critical reporting and commentary throughout the Middle East and elsewhere. In a boilerplate statement, Netflix told me, "We strongly support artistic freedom worldwide and only removed this episode in Saudi Arabia after we had received a valid legal request - and to comply with local law." 190103052750782 The second episode of Patriot Act, which featured a searing 27-minute commentary eviscerating the Saudi political establishment over the Khashoggi murder, aired on October 28, but it was not until two months later that Netflix acquiesced to an official Saudi request and removed it. In its request to the company, the Saudi Communications and Information Technology Commission had cited Article 6 of its cybercrime law, according to reports. The article stipulates that anyone found guilty of using computer networks to aid human trafficking, pornography and gambling, or drugs and impinging on public order or morals faces jail terms of up to five years and fines of up to three million riyals ($800,000). Cybercrime legislation is often justified as a means of preventing terrorism and protecting children, but it is also used to restrict legitimate news and expression, especially when it is critical or embarrassing to those in power. According to CPJ's 2018 annual census of journalists jailed for their work, at least 130 of the 251 journalists imprisoned globally worked online. Nearly all of them were imprisoned on anti-state charges, such as violations of vague cybercrime or anti-terrorism provisions. In Nigeria, the cybercrime law has been used to harass and charge journalists who criticise the political and economic elite. In Jordan, Finance Minister Omar Malhas filed a criminal complaint under the cybercrime law against journalists who reported on allegations of tax evasion. And in Vietnam, the cybersecurity legislation that went into effect on January 1 will severely restrict online expression and allow the government to compel tech companies operating there to reveal their users' personal information and censor online information on demand. Apart from cybercrime laws, traditional journalism in the Gulf is highly restricted in a variety of other ways, according to CPJ research. Thus, citizens there rely on alternative platforms for their news. I myself experienced the severity of censorship in the region when I lost my job at the Saudi satellite channel Al Arabiya after reporting on safety problems at the Emirates' national airline. I was forced to take it off the website, but I posted the story on my blog after I had left the country. CPJ research has found that platforms like YouTube and Facebook are important outlets for addressing controversial issues and documenting events not covered by the Saudi media. The consulting firm McKinsey found in a report, obtained by The New York Times, that Twitter coverage of a set of economic reform measures announced by the crown prince outpaced coverage by the traditional news media or blogs two-to-one and that the sentiment expressed on social media was largely negative. There is little journalistic independence for the media in Saudi Arabia, and those who attempt to report on issues like human rights or corruption are jailed, reportedly even tortured. Less than a year ago, columnist Saleh al-Shehi was sentenced to five years in prison for columns and TV appearances suggesting that the royal court was the source of corruption. Saudi bloggers Eman al-Nafjan and Nouf Abdulaziz, who wrote about ending the ban on women driving and expanding women's rights, were arrested just a month before King Salman lifted the ban. Despite the appalling levels of repression and censorship in Saudi Arabia, Netflix has sought to dodge the broader implications of its decision. Using the term "artistic freedom" in its statement seemed like an attempt to distance itself from its problematic compliance with laws that restrict news and commentary. But the company cannot claim that its service does not host journalistic content because the fact is that it carries numerous documentaries and it has become a news platform by deciding to fund and host shows, like Patriot Act, which are journalistic in nature. Its decision to block the second episode of Patriot Act means it is complicit in censorship of journalism and commentary on issues of public importance in a country where the levels of repression were recently made so brutally clear with Khashoggi's murder at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. Netflix does not appear to track government takedown requests, at least not publicly, so it is unclear how common such censorship requests are. Despite being one of the world's most popular streaming platforms, the company does not release a transparency report. Its spokesperson did not respond to a CPJ question on whether the company has or conducts any kind of human rights assessment. Since 2010, more than 70 other tech platforms have published transparency reports, and it is clearly time for Netflix to do so as well. Netflix must come to terms with the fact that it is both a platform for and producer of journalistic content and adopt safeguards to protect public interest content from being censored in repressive countries. The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera's editorial stance. | https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/netflix-enabling-saudi-crackdown-press-freedom-190107051448233.html |
Is NJPW America's Second Biggest Touring Promotion? | With the announcement of All Elite Wrestling, many are anxiously waiting for more information on the promotion. 2018's biggest non-WWE success was All In, drawing the famed 11,263. Although the number was far and away the biggest stand-alone event, one event does not yet make a touring promotion. Ring of Honor broke attendance records once again in 2018. In numbers based on those reported in The Wrestling Observer, the company nearly reached 50,000 total fans in attendance for the first time and averaged 1,106, a 10% increase over the previous year. Some of Ring of Honor's biggest numbers came with New Japan assistance. In addition to Supercard of Honor (with the New Japan logo inside the O of the ROH logo in promotional materials) drawing an ROH record of 5,879, the War of the Worlds and Global Wars inter-promotional tours, with 4 shows each drew an average of 1,307, 18% over the company's overall average for the year. New Japan ran six shows stateside. However, two or three of those shows would come with asterisks (2 shows ran back to back days at the CharaExpo with around 200 fans each day and one show promoted by CEO Gaming and Kenny Omega in Daytona Beach). See Also New Japan To Return To The United States In Early 2019 For New Beginning Shows New Japan achieved the biggest non-WWE attendance outside of All In in 2018. The Cow Palace in July drew 6,333. This number was mostly seen as a disappointment in an industry of elevated expectations. Long Beach in March drew a sellout of 4,372 and 3,007 in September. The CEO show drew a reported 2,350. New Japan did utilize talents domestically exclusive to ROH, such as The Young Bucks and Cody, but shows were not promoted with the ROH brand as a key ticket driver for any of its shows. Ring of Honor recently wrote that the company shares a symbiotic relationship with New Japan. Where one ends and the other begins in the U.S. can be confusing. The dual branded sellout of the forthcoming MSG show demonstrates this well. Based on New Japan's stand-alone gates and support of key ROH tours, New Japan is America's current biggest North American touring brand in terms of average attendance, outside of the WWE. In terms of total attendance, that honor would go to ROH. Follow Lavie on Twitter via @Laviemarg. | https://www.wrestlinginc.com/news/2019/01/is-njpw-america-second-biggest-touring-promotion-649566/ |
Is it really a good idea to have sex four time a night? | (Picture: Ella Byworth for Metro.co.uk) Look, were all very happy for Nicki Minaj, who is, according to Twitter, having sex four times a night. 3-4 on average. 6 is a bit much sis https://t.co/HQ465hafG6 QUEEN (@NICKIMINAJ) January 5, 2019 But lets get real here. All hugely important questions. First things first. Personally, no. In a straw poll of the office, no. On a more scientific basis, according to the Kinsey Institute, the average person aged between 18 and 29 has sex 112 times a year, which works out at 2.1 times a week. So thats almost half of one night in the Minaj household. According to a study of 500 women by fertility app Kindara, 60.8% of women desire sex three to five times a week. So chances are statistically, four times a night might be a bit much. That depends what you count as sex. If were talking about penis in vagina, ejaculation sex then it depends on how old the person youre having sex with is. Studies show that the average refractory period (technical term for how long it takes before you can orgasm again) is 15 minutes for an 18 year old, and 20 hours for a 70 year old. The average for all men across the board is half an hour. So yes, in theory a man can have sex four time in one night, though you would expect there to be less semen after the initial ejaculation. In theory, yes, there is no reason that you could not have sex four times in a night. The caveat to that is that you might end up sore, or with micro tears. If youre going to try to have sex four times in one night you need to use a high quality lubricant. Also condoms, while brilliant for contraception, can make sex less comfortable. So if youre having sex four times a night with one person, you might want to think about both getting an STI test and then using a different form of contraception. You should be having sex as much as suits you and your partner. Advertisement Advertisement Obviously we dont know. Good for her if she is, but we think that sounds really very tiring. MORE: Woman poses in her underwear to show off her stoma bag and body confidence MORE: A daily dose of chocolate could lower your blood pressure, study says Advertisement Advertisement | https://metro.co.uk/2019/01/07/nicki-minaj-might-really-good-idea-sex-four-time-night-8319107/ |
Why is EastEnders not on tonight and when will the next episode air? | Our faces at finding out theres no EastEnders (Picture: BBC) Brace yourselves, its time for a Kat Moon cry face as we will be left without our regular Monday night of EastEnders tonight. Its hard enough dealing with the Monday blues but just to add to the grimness of the start of the working week, we also dont have the wonderful world of Walford to ease our pain tonight. If youve checked tonights TV schedules you may like us have experienced a knot in the gut at the big gap where our beloved soap should be. The FA Cup is taking its place as Match Of The Day kicks off at 7.30pm, meaning EastEnders regular 8pm slot has been booted off the schedule. No Eastenders bc of football Kirsty (@Dannydyer117) January 7, 2019 So BBC has replaced #eastenders with sodding football..really!!! Debbie (@Oldlady711) January 5, 2019 But fear not EastEnders aficionados, we will still have our full dose of the soap as the lost episode will still air. Kats feeling the loss too (Picture: BBC) This week EastEnders will air Tuesday at 7.30pm, Thursday at 7.30pm, and then the double on Friday at 8pm and 9pm to make sure we get all four eps. And judging by whats to come in Albert Square this week, itll be worth pushing back those Friday night plans for your final fix of EastEnders. Tiffany and Bernadette are in trouble when theyre confronted by transport police while carrying drugs. And Mick forges an unlikely friendship with as they bond over the local football team, but Mitch seems to be hiding a secret. So its just an extra day to wait for all that juicy East End goodness. MORE: 10 soap spoilers: Emmerdale shock death and knife attack, Coronation Street crash, EastEnders collapse, Hollyoaks verdict MORE: Coronation Street star Tina OBrien in first look pics of romantic New Year wedding to Adam Crofts | https://metro.co.uk/2019/01/07/earth-eastenders-not-tonight-panic-not-fans-episode-will-still-air-8317454/ |
What will the NHS long-term plan mean for patients? | Reducing stillbirths and mother and child deaths during birth by 50% Women, particularly those from a BAME community and/or deprived background will see greater continuity of care from their midwife as this has been shown to reduce the chances of losing a baby. Pre-term birth clinics will be encouraged to help those at risk, including younger mothers and those from deprived backgrounds. The long-term plan also talks about minimising unnecessary intervention, improving foetal heartbeat monitoring and reducing smoking during pregnancy. Preventing up to 150,000 heart attacks, strokes and dementia cases over the next 10 years Cardiovascular diseases are seen as the single biggest area where the NHS can save lives over the next decade. The public will be offered increased opportunities to be tested for high blood pressure and other high-risk conditions. There will also be expanded access to genetic testing for familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH), which causes early heart attacks. Defibrillator networks will be built to improve survival from out of hospital cardiac arrest and there is a goal of 85% of eligible patients accessing cardiac rehabilitation by 2028. Long-term plan for NHS England 'undeliverable' amid staffing crisis Read more Saving 55,000 more lives a year by diagnosing more cancers early and improving outcomes for children and young people The threshold for referral by GPs will be lowered, and diagnosis and treatment accelerated. There will be new tests for bowel cancer, mobile lung cancer screening units and rapid diagnostic centres that yield a result on the same day. The age at which people are offered bowel cancer screening will be lowered from 60 to 50. There will be use of personalised and risk stratified screening and the NHS will begin to test family members of cancer patients for the disease. All children with cancer will be offered genetic testing to enable more comprehensive and precise diagnosis and access to more personalised treatments. Advanced CAR-T and proton-beam therapy will be available to children in England. Action will be taken to tackle the causes of morbidity and preventable deaths in people with a learning disability and for autistic people Launching the 10-year plan, Simon Stevens, NHS England chief executive, said learning disabilities and autism had previously gone unsupported by the NHS. The plan aims to increase uptake of health checks by people with a learning disability and a specific health check for people with autism is being piloted. There will be action to tackle over-medication and staff will receive information and training on supporting people with a learning disability and/or autism. Their condition will be digitally flagged in their patient record by 2023/24. NHS England is also aiming to reduce waiting times for specialist services to facilitate speedier diagnosis and to increase investment in community support services. Read more An estimated 345,000 more children and young people will be treated via NHS funded mental health services and school or college-based mental health support teams over the next five years. Over the same period, an extra 380,000 more adults will be offered access to talking therapies. By 2023/24, there will also be community-based care available for 370,000 people with severe mental illness each year. Crisis care, which NHS bosses say is a serious weakness, will be improved by people of all ages being able to ring the NHS 111 helpline at any time and be directed to support. Mental health liaison services will be available in all A&E departments and ambulance staff will be trained to respond effectively to people experiencing a mental health crisis. Expanding support for perinatal mental health conditions An extra 24,000 women with moderate to severe perinatal mental health difficulties and a personality disorder diagnosis will get care each year by 2023/24, on top of the extra 30,000 women getting specialist help by 2020/21. Care provided by specialist perinatal mental health services will be expanded to be available from preconception to 24 months after birth. Partners of women accessing specialist perinatal mental health services and maternity outreach clinics will also be offered assessment for their mental health. | https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/jan/07/what-will-the-nhs-long-term-plan-mean-for-patients |
Who took their FA Cup opportunity for City and who wasted their chance to shine? | Share Email this article to a friend To send a link to this page you must be logged in. The Canaries head coach made eight changes to his starting XI for the third round tie, which finished in a 1-0 loss to the League One visitors, due to a late goal from Andre Green in the fifth minute of added time for Pompey. Heres how the match unfolded for the players trying to earn more Championship game time... Michael McGovern Fifth cup start of the campaign for the Northern Ireland international, one fine save from Jamal Lowe but twice bailed out by Christoph Zimmermann after misjudgments in the second half. Tidy enough distribution but the 34-year-old looks likely to continue providing cover for Tim Krul until his contract expires in the summer. Felix Passlack (replaced by Hernandez, 85) Some bright involvement in attacks but with little end product, while too many crosses came in from his side and aerial limitations are obvious. Borussia Dortmund loanee is yet to make a league appearance and looks unlikely to unless there are injury issues, although still only 20 so has room to improve. PLAYER WATCH: Busy shift but concerns persist as Dortmund loanee makes rare City appearance Grant Hanley Red card may have been a touch harsh but charged into a hard tackle unnecessarily as the last man, giving the referee a decision to make. Will now serve a one-game ban and miss the league game at West Brom, holding up the club captains return from three months out with a thigh injury further, having signed a new long-term contract in November. Ben Marshall (replaced by Klose, 78) Bright start but had to drop to left-back after Hanleys red card, where he persevered but again looked vulnerable to aerial balls. First appearance since August and Birmingham are reportedly interested in a January loan, so will want first-team assurances if hes to stick around. TRANSFER RUMOUR: Championship rival keen on loan deal for Marshall Fit-again midfielder Kenny McLean made an encouraging return for the Canaries Picture: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Fit-again midfielder Kenny McLean made an encouraging return for the Canaries Picture: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Kenny McLean Vital 90 minutes on the comeback trail for the Scotland international, bringing plenty of energy in central midfield, with his trusty left foot looking an asset. Probably best suited to a more attacking role though and may have to stay patient, particularly as he doesnt count as a homegrown player. Failed to beat the wall with a late free-kick. Tom Trybull Solid performance built on league display during draw at Brentford and may well be needed at West Brom with Alex Tetteys injury issue. Needs games to find his rhythm but a decent shift, with concerns about a lack of pace still in the mix. Made an important block from a powerful Gareth Evans shot late in the first half. Dennis Srbeny (replaced by Pukki, 85) Missed a golden chance just before the hour after being freed by Todd Cantwell, but took another touch rather than test the keeper from close range and allowed time for Anton Walkes to tackle back. Worked hard in unfamiliar attacking midfield role but looked a bit rusty. Jordan Rhodes Appeared isolated for much of the game, with City down to 10. Denied by a brave block from Jack Whatmough in the 35th minute and crossed for big late chance that saw Cantwells header well saved. Loan striker is nine games without a goal now so must fight against frustration as he provides cover for Teemu Pukki. Let us know in the poll above | https://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/sport/norwich-city/who-took-their-fa-cup-opportunity-for-city-and-who-wasted-their-chance-to-shine-1-5842854 |
Will banknotes save the UKs most endangered species? | Quick Quid, an online lender, has teamed up with NeoMam Studios to redesign the UKs banknotes, featuring the countrys most endangered animals. Some of the animals that the company has targeted for their awareness campaign are species such as the red squirrel, the loggerhead turtle, and the pine marten. Prompted by the Bank of Englands public invitation to offer new faces for the 50 note, Quick Quid opted to honour animals that face extinction in the near future. The team hopes to gain visibility for conservation campaigners using the 3.6 billion banknotes the UK has in circulation. Jonny Addy, the managing editor of the project, feels that it is important to highlight that society not only has a moral obligation of species conservation, but that biodiversity is important to a balanced ecosystem, and even humans rely on this. Animals which have been featured include the red squirrel, of which there are only 140,000 left in the wild. Invasive mammals like the Eastern grey squirrel have wrought havoc on numerous native species, outcompeting them for food and spreading deadly viruses to them. Attempts to save red squirrel populations have included culling grey squirrels in their habitat, though it remains a controversial strategy. On the redesigned 10 note is the loggerhead turtle. The marine turtle faces a diversity of existential pressures. Historically, population decline was caused by fisheries by-catch and the harvesting of eggs. After UK legally protected the loggerhead turtle, the species has continued to decline due to the loss of nesting habitat to human development and climate change. Instead of a scientist who is no longer living, Quick Quid has designed a 50 note with the pine marten. Once common throughout the UK, the pine marten is now endangered with a population of 3,600 (less than 100 in England and 60 in Wales). Similar to the loggerhead turtle, mass deforestation and hunting caused a dramatic decline in the late 1800s. Though the species has managed to thrive in the north of Scotland, numbers have dwindled in other parts of the UK. Their role in local ecosystems could be critical as they are the natural predators of grey squirrels, which could in turn help raise populations of red squirrels. The UK is one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world. The State of Nature Report, compiled by more than 50 conservation organisations, reports that 15 per cent of the UKs nature populations are extinct or endangered. Approximately 55 per cent of UK species have been declining since the 1970s. Sir David Attenborough, who helped launch the first State of Nature report in 2013, advocated for action to combat escalating pressures, such as climate change and modern land management. | https://mancunion.com/2019/01/07/will-banknotes-save-the-uks-most-endangered-species/ |
Will Democrats summon Mattis to testify on Capitol Hill? | WASHINGTON Jim Mattis could be headed to Capitol Hill soon to talk about his concerns with President Donald Trumps defense strategy. In an interview on ABCs This Week on Sunday, House Armed Services Committee Chairman Adam Smith, D-Wash., said he would like to have the former defense secretary testify before his panel on national security concerns. Mattis was forced out of his military leadership role on Jan. 1. His views on what we should be doing around the world would be invaluable for members of our committee, Smith said. So we'd love to get his perspective on a wide variety of issues. New HASC chairmans tough sell: More defense spending isnt always better House Democrats' top voice on defense issues says planners need to think differently about how to approach the hundreds of billions spent each year on national security. The new committee chairman said he would not interrogate Mattis on what did the president say about this, what did he do about that. But he said the former Marine Corps general is one of the most knowledgeable, capable experts we have on defense policy and foreign policy, making him a potentially valuable resource for the committee. Whether Mattis will be a willing witness on Capitol Hill remains to be seen. Fear no longer. Be the first to hear about breaking news, as it happens. You'll get alerts delivered directly to your inbox each time something noteworthy happens in the Military community. Thanks for signing up. By giving us your email, you are opting in to our Newsletter: He also specifically mentioned both the Defeat-ISIS coalition of 74 nations and NATO as proof alliances that have benefited America. His resignation came just days after news broke that Trump wanted to withdraw all U.S. forces from Syria, saying that Islamic State fighters in the region had been defeated. Trump initially called Mattis departure a retirement but then forced the defense secretary out two months earlier than Mattis had planned, installing Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan as the acting official in his place. Trump later publicly claimed he had fired Mattis and said his work in regards to Afghanistan strategy was not too good. In a farewell letter to Defense Department employees, Mattis wrote that the militarys leadership remains in the best possible hands and encouraged all troops and civilians there to keep faith in our country and hold fast, alongside our allies, aligned against our foes. He has not spoken publicly since then. Trump insists he fired Mattis, says former defense secretary was not too good' at the job The comments come just two days after the popular former Marine Corps general was forced out of his Defense Department leadership post. Smith said in the interview he believes Mattis did a good job navigating the difficulties of the Trump administration, and said his warnings on American attitude towards allies should raise concerns among policy leaders. Our allies matter enormously, and the president treats them like dirt, he said. He insults them regularly, does not consult them, makes radical decisions via Twitter and then changes his mind the next day. | https://www.militarytimes.com/news/pentagon-congress/2019/01/07/will-democrats-summon-mattis-to-testify-on-capitol-hill/ |
Can Trump use 'emergency powers' to build border wall? | A section of the steel wall on the US - Mexico border near San Diego, California Facing stiff resistance from Congress, President Donald Trump has said he might use his emergency powers to construct hundreds of miles of wall on the southern border to prevent migrants from crossing into the United States illegally from Mexico. Trump could indeed declare a national emergency, citing what the administration calls a "crisis" at the border, after nearly 103,000 people were detained in October and November after entering the country illegally. But trying to build a wall in this way would face significant legal barriers. - Trump does have emergency powers - US President Donald Trump has hinted he could use his emergency powers to move ahead with construction of a wall on the US-Mexico border if Congress will not fund it The National Emergencies Act allows the president to declare a national emergency, providing a specific reason for it. That then allows the mobilization of hundreds of dormant emergency powers under other laws. Those can permit the White House to declare martial law, suspend civil liberties, expand the military, seize property, and restrict trade, communications and financial transactions. But the powers are not unlimited, and can be blocked by Congress and the courts. During the Korean War in 1952, President Harry Truman sought to take over US steel factories to keep them producing in the face of a planned national strike by industry workers. Steel companies took the case to the Supreme Court, which ruled in their favor, saying the president's emergency powers did not allow him to seize privately-owned plants to avert a strike. - All presidents use the National Emergencies Act - Central American migrants climb the US-Mexico border fence to take a look before trying to cross from Tijuana to San Diego on New Year's Eve Every recent president has used the NEA, and more than two dozen states of emergency are currently active, renewed annually. President George W. Bush invoked it after the September 11, 2001 Al-Qaeda attacks to be able to expand and ready the military beyond what was budgeted, and to undertake secret surveillance and employ interrogation methods on detainees widely denounced as torture. President Barack Obama tapped the NEA to declare an emergency in 2009 over the swine flu threat, giving authorities and hospitals extra powers to act quickly against the outbreak. Most often, the NEA has been used in actions against other countries. One NEA emergency in place since 1979 has restricted trade with Iran. Another, dating to 2006, blocks property of people who were deemed to be undermining democracy in Belarus. - Powers, funds limited - If Trump declares a national emergency, he could deploy more manpower to the border. But to build a wall, he would still have to find billions of dollars to fund it. One emergency law permits the president to order "military construction projects" using funds already available in the military budget. There are strong restrictions on the US military and its funding being deployed for domestic, non-defense purposes, though emergency laws sometimes permit it. Moreover, building the wall will require taking control of privately owned land that abuts much of the border, which could force years-long legal battles with landowners. - Challenge from Congress - The NEA gives Congress the right to immediately challenge a presidential emergency declaration. Given that Congress has already declined to fund the wall, a challenge would likely quickly pass the Democratic House. Then the Republican-controlled Senate would have to decide whether they agree with the president's invocation of emergency powers to build a wall they haven't given him money for. "That's a non-starter," senior Democratic Congressman Adam Schiff said Sunday. "If Harry Truman couldn't nationalize the steel industry during wartime, this president doesn't have the power to declare an emergency and build a multibillion-dollar wall on the border." | https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/afp/article-6566149/Can-Trump-use-emergency-powers-build-border-wall.html |
Do NASA And SpaceX Collaborate? | originally appeared on Quora: the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. Never ask why until you know whether. Space-X exists because of NASA. Space-X, Blue Origin, and Sierra Nevada are the principle beneficiaries of a series of commercial space incubation projects started by NASA under the Bush administration and continued to date. NASA remains a principle customer for Space-Xwhich tells you a lot has changed. From 1958, when NASA was created until the end of the century, American spacecraft were contracted for NASA in the same way weapons systems were contracted by the military (and often by the same companies, using the same basic spacecraft). This got the job done, but with the federal government as the only customer, it didnt exactly spur economy. Whats changed in the last twenty years is that NASA is now encouraging companies to develop commercial space services which they can then sell to NASA or anyone else. NASA promises work to qualifying participants, but those participants own their own assets. Thats why Space-X has developed fly-back boosters where no one else has before. No one did before because NASA didnt require it. But now, Space-X thinks they can make money by reusing their boosters, and using each one to sell multiple launches to NASAand others. This is an economic game changer. As I write this, Space-X has now moved well beyond NASAs incubation, and is flying the Falcon Heavy which they created on their own, for their own commercial purposes, but based on the Falcon series of boosters that NASA helped foster and incentivize. This is exactly what these programs were meant to lead to. Next, Space-X is developing the BFR (or whatever they are calling it this week) which Musk wants to use to colonize Mars and blast executives into orbit or who knows what. NASA didnt incentivize any of that, but if Space-X pulls off the booster, NASA might very well book passage on it. Meanwhile, they continue to develop the SLS in the old cost-plus accounting military procurement model because, well thats where we still are today. Well see. These commercial incubation programs have made the last twenty years the most significant in the development of the American aerospace industry since the decades of the 1920s and 30s, when the NACA and the Guggenheim prizes did much the same for aeronautics. This is what NASA is forthis and the basic research and exploration that occupy 2/3 of its budget. This question originally appeared on Quora - the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. You can follow Quora on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+. More questions: | https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2019/01/07/do-nasa-and-spacex-collaborate/ |
What Would An Effective Solution To Climate Change Look Like? | originally appeared on Quora: the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. Answer by Katharine Hayhoe, Ph.D. Atmospheric Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, on Quora: We need climate solutions that will: Generate energy from clean sources that dont produce carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases - because fossil fuel extraction and combustion is the number one cause of climate change, responsible for about two-thirds of the problem (see figure below). Reduce heat-trapping gas emissions from other important sectors, like agriculture, land use change, industrial processes, wastewater treatment and more - because these are responsible for the remaining third of the problem. Suck some of the carbon dioxide weve produced back out of the atmosphere and put it into the soil fuel stone Theres no one silver bullet that will fix it for us: but there is a lot of silver buckshot. And the very best type of buckshot are solutions that fix other things at the same time: like increasing clean energy use, which grows the local economy, reduces air pollution, and increases energy security; reducing food waste, which also tackles hunger; and my personal favorite, educating women and girls, which reduces infant mortality, increases economic security, and allows them the freedom to choose how many children they have. For a truly inspirational list of viable, practical, and beneficial climate solutions, please check out Project Drawdown. And as for how to implement these solutions, the answer is simply: at all levels. Simple solutions we implement in our own lives, our homes, our communities and our organizations. We know they wont make a dent in the global carbon budget, but they sure as heck can make a dent in our own consciousness of this issue and that of those around us and give us the hope we need to make a difference in this world, as well as giving us the oomph we need to chivvy and encourage our elected leaders to do their job. Exhibit A, climate scientist Peter Kalmus and his vision to change the way he and his family lives. Exhibit B, the amazing churches and congregations that are taking action through Interfaith Power and Lights Cool Congregations program. Regional solutions implemented across a business, an industry, a city, a state or a province. From giant Walmart, the richest corporation in the world, whos aiming for 50% clean energy by 2025 and leading an effort to cut a gigaton of carbon from the worlds supply chain; to tiny Georgetown TX, who decided to go 100% clean energy after a student initiative at the local university paved the way and showed how much money theyd save. And yes, national and international solutions as well, such as the country of Ireland, thats chosen to divest itself of its fossil fuel investments; Canada, thats put a price on carbon; India, thats replacing more than three quarters of a billion light bulbs with LEDs; Bhutan, thats maintained and expanded its forests (including setting the record for the most trees planted in one hour, 50,000) such that they absorb three times more carbon than its population emits; and of course the Paris Agreement, where countries commit to the reductions we need to make sure that we are able to prepare for and adapt to the impacts that will occur. When it comes to fixing climate change, we need all options on the table and all hands on deck. Trends in Global CO2 and Total Greenhouse Gas Emissions (2017) This question originally appeared on Quora - the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. You can follow Quora on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+. More questions: | https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2019/01/07/what-would-an-effective-solution-to-climate-change-look-like/ |
Is Indonesian democracy up to the challenge? | Viewed from most places in Southeast Asia, Indonesias upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections seem a landmark in a democratic success story. While good-news stories for democracy are few and far between throughout the region, this April Indonesians will for the fifth time in 20 years elect their parliament and president in largely free and fair elections. This is an Indonesian national political achievement of considerable importance to a region that faces a vastly less certain world than that with which it has had to deal for many decades. To meet the challenges, Indonesia and its ASEAN partners will need to adopt a vigorous, proactive regional and global diplomacy with clear strategies for projecting core interests, as well as develop regional structures and arrangements through which these strategies can be advanced. A strong Indonesian democracy is a considerable regional and international asset in taking on these endeavours. But as Edward Aspinall makes clear in this weeks lead essay, Indonesias democratic gloss is flakier the closer one looks at political machinations taking place ahead of President Joko Widodos fight for re-election. As Aspinall says there is, a slow-moving but perceptible drift toward increasingly authoritarian measures a trend that might be putting Indonesias democratic achievement at risk. Not entirely confident of re-election despite strong poll numbers, the government is increasingly turning to authoritarian measures to shore up its support and stymie its opponents, with police hampering the activities of some opposition groups and the military showing signs of becoming re-politicised. Aspinall cautions against alarmism, emphasising that [t]here has not yet been any fatal blow to Indonesian democracy. But there is an emerging consensus among experts that Indonesian politics is heading in the wrong direction, conforming to a global trend whereby elected leaders transgress the limits of important democratic norms to shore up their political position. Deeper social and political trends are also playing their part in shaping the terms on which Indonesias election is being fought. As Indonesian Muslims grow more pious, and in some ways more conservative, religion is has gained a bigger role in electoral politics. Jokowi, Greg Fealy observes, has always felt vulnerable on religious issues, having long been painted by Islamists as not sufficiently Islamic, and too friendly to minority interests. Following the defeat of his Chinese-Christian ally, Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (Ahok), in Jakartas 2017 gubernatorial election, Jokowi intensified his efforts to cultivate Islamic support, most recently by nominating a conservative cleric, Maruf Amin, as his running mate for 2019. This gradual trend towards a more Islamic political atmosphere might lead some to fret about what a more religiously conservative Indonesia means for its neighbours and the region. A more Islamic Indonesia will the pessimistic narrative goes find its foreign policy derailed by emotive religious issues. Such concerns are probably overblown. Domestic politics will grow more conservative no matter who wins this years election; the Islamisation of Indonesian society has been a decades-long process, which politicians have adapted to, rather than caused. When it comes to working with the world, Indonesias elites are ultimately a pragmatic bunch where it matters. While an increasing number of Indonesian voters want a more Islamic brand of politics in some areas, surveys still show that what they want most from their politicians are stable prices, jobs and decent government services. Indeed, an election based on identity politics is not the one that President Jokowi wants to fight. He is himself not a religious conservative, and to the extent that he has made appeals to Islamic sentiment he has done it somewhat awkwardly and with political expediency foremost in his mind. The President would instead prefer to keep the focus on touting his record of infrastructure development, macroeconomic stability and the expansion of Indonesias nascent social safety net. The centrality of economic concerns in electoral politics does not have uniformly good effects on policy. Economic nationalism has also loomed large ahead of the polls. As Rainer Heufers has recently noted, Jokowi has scrupulously avoided doing anything that opens him up to criticism of unduly favouring foreign investors and trading partners. Many of Indonesias policy settings leave the country more exposed than it needs to be to global economic turbulence, While Indonesia remains less exposed than many of its neighbours to fluctuations in global trade, the effects on the Rupiah caused by financial market jitters can have significant effects on domestic inflation, and thus on the governments approval ratings. Still, for some Indonesians it is the fear of Jokowis opponent that will drive them to unite behind the incumbent no matter what. Jokowi is once again being challenged by Prabowo Subianto, a former general who was once the son-in-law of Suharto. Prabowo stands accused of human rights violations during his military days, and has openly advertised his unhappiness with Indonesias democratic status quo. Prabowo has, so far, displayed little of the populist vigour that marked his 2014 campaign. Fealy speculates that his candidacy is more aimed at winning seats for his party, Gerindra, and thus influence in a re-elected Jokowi administration than serious presidential ambition. Surveys show Jokowi comfortably in front at the beginning of the election campaign. But Indonesian elections often defy pollsters predictions. As election day draws near, Prabowo could gain ground rapidly, especially if economic circumstances are not favourable to the incumbent. Whats certain is that with Jokowi no longer considered the agent of change that so many hoped he would be in 2014, the stakes in 2019 seem lower than last time around for those invested in policy reform and democratic consolidation. Yet for the rest of the region, with much now hanging on Indonesias weight and standing as a central balancing force in geopolitical affairs, these things loom larger than ever. A confident, well-grounded Indonesian democratic polity at the heart of ASEAN is key to navigating a tricky regional landscape and to Southeast Asias taking more control of shaping the pathway forward. | https://www.citizendaily.news/is-indonesian-democracy-up-to-the-challenge/ |
Should President Donald Trump be impeached? | That he will be seems likely as Democrats take control of the House of Representatives, the chamber where impeachment proceedings begin. That he deserves to be is similarly self-evident. President Andrew Johnson was impeached after firing a member of his Cabinet without congressional approval. President Bill Clinton was impeached for lying about a sexual affair with an intern. To say nothing of charges that his campaign coordinated with Russia to get him elected. Or the fact that he seems to have obstructed justice in plain sight. Not to mention that he gave away state secrets in the Oval Office. Surely Trump hurdles the bar high crimes and misdemeanors set by the Constitution with room to spare. So, yes, he may well be impeached and surely deserves to be. Thats a trickier question. As you may recall from civics class, removal by impeachment is a two-step process: The House produces articles of impeachment, the Senate conducts a trial to determine if a president should be kicked out of office. Given that the Republican-dominated Senate has heretofore shown all the moral fiber of algae, there is little prospect it will dismiss Trump. Even assuming for the sake of argument that it did, theres no reason to believe his removal would be a panacea for the disunion, disharmony and dyspepsia that afflict this country. Indeed, it could easily make matters worse. Remember: 63 million people voted for this guy, even knowing what he is. Remember, too, that his latest Gallup approval rating stands at 39 percent. Though no elected president since Eisenhower has polled that low at a similar point in his term, that figure still seems stunningly high. As flagrantly awful a president as Trump has been, four in 10 Americans think hes doing a bang-up job. To overturn the will of that many people, especially in todays charged environment, is to fracture an already fractured union. None of which is to say it shouldnt be done, but only to point out the consequences thereof. But again, the argument is academic. As noted, Trump will probably be impeached (though not removed). And the six in 10 of us who see his awfulness for what it is surely will exult. Which is fine so long as we realize that impeachment will very likely change very little of what actually ails America. Perhaps thats as it should be. One gets the sense sometimes that people think of impeachment as a magic trick. Abracadabra and presto! Trump disappears in a cloud of Cheetos dust, America is saved. Its a great fantasy, but only that. Because Trump is not the problem, only a symptom. And America doesnt need to be saved. No, for its own mental and moral health, America needs to save itself, needs to clearly and emphatically reject what it has become. Impeachment does not do that. Voting the awfulness out, does. Consider this new Congress, with its record number of women, including its first Native American women, its first Muslim women and its youngest woman ever, this Congress that looks so much more like the country it serves. Consider the organizing, the canvassing, the fundraising, the putting lives on hold, the stop-complaining-about-it-and-getting-involved it took to produce this result. Then roll up your sleeves and forget about magic. Thats not what got us into this mess. Its not what will get us out. Leonard Pitts is a columnist for The Miami Herald. Email him at: lpittsmiamiherald.com Read or Share this story: https://www.jacksonsun.com/story/opinion/columnists/2019/01/07/should-donald-trump-impeached/2502013002/ | https://www.jacksonsun.com/story/opinion/columnists/2019/01/07/should-donald-trump-impeached/2502013002/?from=new-cookie |
What's Being Done To Improve Pedestrian Safety Near Cincinnnati Schools? | Cincinnati officials are working on a number of alternatives to make it safer for kids walking to schools in the city. They're particularly focused on the areas around Dater and Western Hills High Schools. Meanwhile, the family of 15-year-old Gabriella Rodriguez is still looking for answers. She was killed in September after being struck by two vehicles while crossing Harrison Avenue to catch a Metro bus. One driver stopped, but the second has not yet been found. Her father, Eduardo, addressed Council's Law and Public Safety committee Monday morning. "You can't put a kid on the street with a 3,500-lb. vehicle," Rodriguez said. The vehicle is going to win." The family told council members they believe the city police department could be doing more with its investigation of the fatal crash. Since the beginning of the school year in September, 13 Cincinnati Public School students have been struck by vehicles while walking to school. Cincinnati transportation officials are recommending nine possible solutions to improve pedestrian safety around Dater and Western Hills high schools. So far they've added new LED lighting and replaced the in-road signs designating crosswalks. They also want to study adding warning systems for such crossings and working to slow down traffic on Ferguson Avenue. City Traffic Engineer Dennis Lechlak said there's also education for pedestrians about when vehicles have to stop for them. "If the pedestrian is still waiting on the curb, a driver does not legally have to stop, that's the way the law is written," Lechlak said. Certainly they should stop. But in terms of the way the law is written, that's not the case." Cincinnati School Superintendent Laura Mitchell said they can teach students how to use crosswalks, but added drivers also need to be educated on driving safely around schools and to slow down. "How can our drivers across the city be more cognizant of pedestrians as they're crossing the streets, and how can we develop a campaign around the safety of our communities as it relates to driving in general?" Mitchell said. The school district is also asking the city to fund more crossing guards too. The Law and Public Safety Committee is expected to revisit the issue in about six weeks, and want transportation officials to update them on the progress of the seven additional proposals still being studied. You can see the full list of improvements from the Department of Transportation & Engineering below. Department of Transportation & Engineering Pedestrian Safety Evaluation (1.7.19) by WVXU News on Scribd < | http://www.wvxu.org/post/whats-being-done-improve-pedestrian-safety-near-cincinnnati-schools |
Could Syracuse salt return as a cooking staple? | Syracuse, N.Y. Chefs and many home cooks know that salt is more than the sum of its sodium chloride parts. Different salts contain different minerals. Those combinations create salts that vary from bitter to mild to cheek-puckering. Size matters too: flaky finishes the dish, while small grains are better for cooking. In recent years, salts once known only to professional chefs have gone mainstream. Maldon is a salt type, a place and a company that sells sea salt from the southeast coast of England. Pink Himalayan rock salt comes from Pakistan. Even Wegmans sells its own version of fleur de sel, flaky sea salt from the coast of France. The father and daughter behind Syracuse Salt Co. think so. Eventually, everybody might know about Salt City salt, says Libby Croom, who with her father started their company in 2015. The two already sell many of their 17 types of salts at nearly 30 retail spots throughout Central New York. Currently, they buy salts from around the world then flavor them with Syracuse-area ingredients and products such as lavender, hops, espresso and even a Finger Lakes red wine. But they want to dig deeper into Syracuses salt history. In the mid-1800s, Syracuse was the nations salt production capital. Most of the salt used in the United States came from Syracuse. Drivers haul salt from evaporation flats during Syracuse's heyday as a salt producer. Producers poured brine into flat vats (left) and let the sun evaporate the water, leaving the salt. Onondaga Historical Association Croom and her father, David Iannicello, aim to restart salt production in Syracuse. They hope to sell two kinds a table salt for cooking and a flaky version for finishing by this spring. Its going to happen, David Iannicello said. Its kind of hard to turn back now. Iannicello and his daughter started the company after Croom brought back New England sea salts from her honeymoon. Croom brought her public relations knowledge to the table, developing marketing strategies to grow the business. Iannicello brought his own knowledge of balancing flavors, after years working in restaurants. My brother was also a chef in Syracuse for his whole career, Iannicello said. Plus my mother was a great cook, so we were always around the kitchen. She always let us experiment as long as we cleaned up. To be clear: They are not talking about getting salt from Onondaga Lake or any surface waters, where concerns of past pollution and ongoing cleanup swirl. This salt would come from the leftovers of an ancient sea thats hundreds of feet underground. A good place to drill is in the Inner Harbor area, Iannicello said. Down below is brackish water that has 5 times the amount of salinity as sea water, they said. They know that because one salt-water well already exists in the area. Its owned by the New York State Department of Transportation, which uses the saline water in the winter to treat roads. Croom and Iannicello have asked the state to sell them 5,000 gallons of that salty water to get through the first year of production. The state Department of Transportation said no last fall, according to a spokesman. But it did allow them to test the water. The results offered good news. The water tested clean for heavy metals, meaning its safe to consume. And the sample batches they made tested clean, with no lingering bitterness than can come from too much magnesium. They passed out a few samples to some Syracuse-area chefs. Chefs are fussy about what kind of salt we use, said Sarah Hassler, who is a partner with John Vigliotti at Peppinos Pomodoro Room in Armory Square. She said shes been cooking with it at home, finding it similar to fine sea salt. It tastes delicious. Im pretty impressed with it. See how the dining scene in Armory Square is changing Croom and Iannicello have some hope the state may allow them further access, though that appears unlikely. In the fall of 2018, NYSDOT notified the Syracuse Salt Company that as an active state resource currently being used for highway safety purposes, the salt water contained in the well is not available for sale to the public, spokesman Curtis Jetter wrote in response to questions on Friday. But the company has a backup plan. Theyve already been looking at spots south of the Inner Harbor area they might lease to drill their own salt-water well. If you go deep enough, itll be down there, Iannicello said. That option, obviously, would involve more cost and risk upfront. But it also might get them closer to their long-term goal of expanding into some serious salt production in Syracuse. Right now, Croom still works another full-time job. Iannicello is partly retired. If production ramps up, as they want it to, it would mean hiring a staff. Eventually, they want to produce salt using heat and time. They would build a greenhouse to shelter trays of salty water. As the water evaporates, the salt emerges. The slower the evaporation, the flakier the salt, Iannicello said. Once they secure access to the water, they think theyll have Syracuse salt to sell within about four weeks. Iannicello said hes aiming for the first batches to be available in spring. - Syracuse Salt Company offers 17 different salt flavors. Several are infused with local flavors like lavender, hoppy lime and espresso. Katrina Tulloch They say the price for the Syracuse salt would be in line with their current products. Most range from about $7 to $10 per small jar, which contain about 1.75 ounces to 6 ounces, depending on the size of the flakes. We want to make it affordable and high quality, Croom said. And high quality. And to be a regular salt. One thing remains uncertain: What to call this new Syracuse salt. Both are thinking of names, which they want to celebrate Syracuse and its salty history. But they also want to come up with a name that customers regionally, and even nationally, will embrace. One chef suggested fleur de Salina, Iannicello said, laughing. Theyre still thinking. Staff writer Katrina Tulloch contributed to this report. Raise the Bar training helps restaurant staffs combat sexual violence | https://www.syracuse.com/food/2019/01/could-syracuse-salt-return-as-a-cooking-staple.html |
Is Syracuse getting any votes in new AP mens basketball poll? | Syracuse, N.Y. -- Duke made no mistake about its hold on No. 1 with its crushing defeat of Clemson at Cameron on Saturday. The Blue Devils remain the No. 1 team in the land. Now might be an interesting time to mention that Syracuse visits Durham next Monday after playing home games against Clemson and Georgia Tech. The Orange did not receive any votes in this weeks poll; SU likely needs a marquee win against either Duke or Virginia Tech over the next couple weeks to make some AP noise. The Orange will play both of those games on the road. St. Johns entered the Top 25 this week. So did Iowa State. Heres this weeks AP Top 25 in its entirety, with my ballot beneath it: The top 25 teams in The Associated Press' men's college basketball poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, records through Jan. 6, total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote and last week's ranking: Record Pts Prv 1. Duke (37) 12-1 1535 1 2. Michigan (9) 15-0 1499 2 3. Tennessee (13) 12-1 1481 3 4. Virginia (5) 13-0 1471 4 5. Gonzaga 14-2 1319 7 6. Michigan St. 13-2 1291 8 7. Kansas 12-2 1159 5 8. Texas Tech 13-1 1109 11 9. Virginia Tech 13-1 1093 10 10. Nevada 14-1 920 6 11. Auburn 11-2 919 12 12. North Carolina 11-3 889 15 13. Florida St. 12-2 879 9 14. Mississippi St. 12-1 683 17 15. NC State 13-1 674 18 16. Ohio St. 12-2 620 14 17. Houston 15-0 565 19 18. Kentucky 10-3 520 13 19. Buffalo 13-1 434 20 20. Iowa St. 12-2 344- 21. Marquette 12-3 340 16 22. Indiana 12-3 245 21 23. Oklahoma 12-2 243 23 24. St. Johns 14-1 221 - 25. TCU 12-1 99 - Others receiving votes: Villanova 56, Wisconsin 45, Iowa 40, Minnesota 23, Purdue 20, Nebraska 15, Maryland 14, Seton Hall 14, Alabama 7, UCF 6, Louisville 3, Texas 2, Arizona St 1, Florida 1, North Texas 1. Virginia Tech guard Justin Robinson (5) goes up for a basket against Boston College guard Ky Bowman (0) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019, in Blacksburg, Va. Tech won 77-66. (AP Photo/Don Petersen) AP DON PETERSEN Im voting in this seasons Top 25. For fans of the Big East, I moved out Seton Hall after it lost at DePaul and moved in St. Johns after its big win over Marquette. (Yes, I know Seton Hall beat the Red Storm, but man, that ending ...) I moved Virginia Tech to No. 7 this week. Looking forward to seeing Buzz Williams' team in person in a couple weeks when Syracuse visits there. The Hokies are a fun team to watch. That said, heres the ballot I submitted on Sunday night: 1) Duke 2) Virginia 3) Michigan 4) Tennessee 5) Michigan State 6) Gonzaga 7) Virginia Tech 8) Kansas 9) Texas Tech 10) North Carolina 11) Auburn 12) Mississippi State 13) Nevada 14) Florida State 15) Buffalo 16) North Carolina State 17) Houston 18) Kentucky 19) Marquette 20) Ohio State 21) Indiana 22) St. Johns 23) Iowa State 24) Oklahoma 25) TCU Follow Syracuse basketball on Twitter and Facebook Syracuse native Symir Torrence, a Class of 2020 guard, picks a college | https://www.syracuse.com/orangebasketball/2019/01/is-syracuse-basketball-getting-any-votes-in-new-ap-poll.html |
Can artificial intelligence tell a polar bear from a can opener? | Teapot with golf ball pattern. They have improved greatly in recent years, but still have a long way to go, a team of UCLA cognitive psychologists reports in the journal PLOS Computational Biology. Supporters have expressed enthusiasm for the use of these networks to do many individual tasks, and even jobs, traditionally performed by people. However, results of the five experiments in this study showed that it's easy to fool the networks, and the networks' method of identifying objects using computer vision differs substantially from human vision. "The machines have severe limitations that we need to understand," said Philip Kellman, a UCLA distinguished professor of psychology and a senior author of the study. "We're saying, 'Wait, not so fast.'" Machine vision, he said, has drawbacks. In the first experiment, the psychologists showed one of the best deep learning networks, called VGG-19, color images of animals and objects. The images had been altered. For example, the surface of a golf ball was displayed on a teapot; zebra stripes were placed on a camel; and the pattern of a blue and red argyle sock was shown on an elephant. VGG-19 ranked its top choices and chose the correct item as its first choice for only five of 40 objects. "We can fool these artificial systems pretty easily," said co-author Hongjing Lu, a UCLA professor of psychology. "Their learning mechanisms are much less sophisticated than the human mind." VGG-19 thought there was a 0 percent chance that the elephant was an elephant and only a 0.41 percent chance the teapot was a teapot. Its first choice for the teapot was a golf ball, which shows that the artificial intelligence network looks at the texture of an object more so than its shape, said lead author Nicholas Baker, a UCLA psychology graduate student. "It's absolutely reasonable for the golf ball to come up, but alarming that the teapot doesn't come up anywhere among the choices," Kellman said. "It's not picking up shape." Humans identify objects primarily from their shape, Kellman said. The researchers suspected the computer networks were using a different method. Black-outlined white hammer. Credit: PLOS Computational Biology/clker.com In the second experiment, the psychologists showed images of glass figurines to VGG-19 and to a second deep learning network, called AlexNet. VGG-19 performed better on all the experiments in which both networks were tested. Both networks were trained to recognize objects using an image database called ImageNet. However, both networks did poorly, unable to identify the glass figurines. Neither VGG-19 nor AlexNet correctly identified the figurines as their first choices. An elephant figurine was ranked with almost a 0 percent chance of being an elephant by both networks. Most of the top responses were puzzling to the researchers, such as VGG-19's choice of "website" for "goose" and "can opener" for "polar bear." On average, AlexNet ranked the correct answer 328th out of 1,000 choices. "The machines make very different errors from humans," Lu said. In the third experiment, the researchers showed 40 drawings outlined in black, with images in white, to both VGG-19 and AlexNet. These first three experiments were meant to discover whether the devices identified objects by their shape. The networks again did a poor job of identifying such items as a butterfly, an airplane and a banana. The goal of the experiments was not to trick the networks, but to learn whether they identify objects in a similar way to humans, or in a different manner, said co-author Gennady Erlikhman, a UCLA postdoctoral scholar in psychology. In the fourth experiment, the researchers showed both networks 40 images, this time in solid black. With the black images, the networks did better, producing the correct object label among their top five choices for about 50 percent of the objects. VGG-19, for example, ranked an abacus with a 99.99 percent chance of being an abacus and a cannon with a 61 percent chance of being a cannon. In contrast, VGG-19 and AlexNet each thought there was less than a 1 percent chance that a white hammer (outlined in black) was a hammer. Black abacus. PLOS Computational Biology/Sweet Clip Art.com The researchers think the networks did much better with the black objects because the items lack what Kellman calls "internal contours"edges that confuse the machines. In experiment five, the researchers scrambled the images to make them more difficult to recognize, but they preserved pieces of the objects. The researchers selected six images the VGG-19 network got right originally, and scrambled them. Humans found these hard to recognize. VGG-19 got five of the six images right, and was close on the sixth. As part of the fifth experiment, the researchers tested UCLA undergraduate students, in addition to VGG-19. Ten students were shown objects in black silhouettessome scrambled to be difficult to recognize and some unscrambled, some objects for just one second, and some for as long as the students wanted to view them. The students correctly identified 92 percent of the unscrambled objects and 23 percent of the scrambled ones with just one second to view them. When the students could see the silhouettes for as long as they wanted, they correctly identified 97 percent of the unscrambled objects and 37 percent of the scrambled objects. Humans see the entire object, while the artificial intelligence networks identify fragments of the object. "This study shows these systems get the right answer in the images they were trained on without considering shape," Kellman said. "For humans, overall shape is primary for object recognition, and identifying images by overall shape doesn't seem to be in these deep learning systems at all." There are dozens of deep learning machines, and the researchers think their findings apply broadly to these devices. Explore further: New AI system mimics how humans visualize and identify objects More information: Nicholas Baker et al. Deep convolutional networks do not classify based on global object shape, PLOS Computational Biology (2018). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1006613 | https://phys.org/news/2019-01-artificial-intelligence-polar.html |
Can Turkey broker peace in Afghanistan? | Turkey is set to host the Afghan peace talks in March. Abdulhakim Mujahid, the head of the Afghan Peace Council, believes it could be a turning point in the efforts to find durable peace in the war-torn country. "Turkey is an important country, which can positively influence regional themes. Both the Afghan government and the Taliban have friendly relations with Ankara," Mujahid told DW. Mujahid, however, did not elaborate what kind of ties exists between Turkey and the Taliban. Some Afghanistan experts claim that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan supported the Afghan Mujahideen (Islamic warriors), particularly the Hezb-e-Islami group, in the 1980s. Hezb-e-Islami, which fought against the Soviet Union, is now an Afghan government ally. Kabul hopes that its peace agreement with Hezb-e-Islami could serve as a blueprint for talks with the Taliban, but many Afghan officials fear that Pakistan could hijack the peace process once again to serve its own interests. Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan, who recently concluded his trip to Ankara, has once again emphasized the need for peace in Afghanistan and highlighted his country's role in the Abu Dhabi process that paved the way for talks between US representatives and Taliban commanders. But Latif Arasch, a Kabul-based political analyst, warns against high expectations from involving Turkey in the peace process. He is of the view that neither the Taliban nor the US will participate in the Turkey talks, but the summit could still mend bilateral ties between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Watch video 04:52 Now live 04:52 mins. Share US & Afghanistan call on Taliban to negotiate Send Facebook google+ Whatsapp Tumblr linkedin stumble Digg reddit Newsvine Permalink https://p.dw.com/p/395k8 US & Afghanistan call on Taliban to negotiate Lacking a direction After Abu Dhabi, the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah has been named as the next venue for the Afghan peace talks, but the Taliban said they would prefer the meeting to be held in Qatar, which hosts the group's international office. The Afghan Peace Council also said it would only send its delegates to Saudi Arabia if the Taliban agreed to engage in talks with Kabul. The Taliban have thus far refused to talk to the Afghan officials, saying they do not consider the Afghan government to be a legitimate representative of the Afghan people. Bismillah Randschbar, an expert on Central Asia at the Afghan Center for Strategic Studies, told DW that Afghan peace talks lack a direction. "We can only hope for peace when there are synchronized efforts in a certain direction when these efforts do not cancel out each other," said Randschbar. The endless battle for power in Afghanistan Fragile security Repeated attacks in Afghanistan over the past several months have killed and wounded hundreds of innocent Afghans, and shown the world the fragile and worsening state of security in the conflict-stricken country. The incidents have plunged war-weary Afghan citizens into a state of despair and highlighted the limitations faced by the government in Kabul in ensuring public security. The endless battle for power in Afghanistan A long series of attacks The violent incidents have made Afghanistan once again a staple of international headlines. Outfits like the Taliban and the "Islamic State" (IS) have claimed responsibility for the attacks. The Afghan government is under heavy pressure to restore security and take back territory controlled by a number of insurgent groups, including the Taliban and IS. The endless battle for power in Afghanistan Spring offensive Last week, the Taliban announced the start of their annual spring offensive, dismissing an offer of peace talks by President Ashraf Ghani. The militants, fighting to restore their version of strict Islamic law to Afghanistan, said their campaign was a response to a more aggressive US military strategy adopted last year, which aims to force the militants into peace talks. The endless battle for power in Afghanistan Trump's Afghanistan policy US President Donald Trump unveiled a new strategy for Afghanistan last year, vowing to deploy more troops, on top of the 11,000 already in the country, to train and advise Afghan security forces. Trump also pledged to support Afghan troops in their war against the Taliban and maintain American presence in the country for as long as there was a need for it. The endless battle for power in Afghanistan Afghan peace process Despite President Ghani's offer in February for peace talks "without preconditions," the Taliban have shown no interest, dismissing the peace overtures as a "conspiracy." Observers say it is unlikely that the militant group will engage in any negotiations, as they currently have the upper hand on the battleground. The Taliban now control more Afghan districts than at any other time since 2001. The endless battle for power in Afghanistan Pakistani support Pakistan has been under pressure from Kabul and Washington to stop offering safe havens to militants blamed for attacks in Afghanistan, a charge Islamabad denies and insists that its influence over the insurgents has been exaggerated. Kabul and Islamabad regularly trade accusations of harboring the other country's militants and the harsh language has underscored the strains between them. The endless battle for power in Afghanistan Role of the warlords Apart from the Taliban, Afghan warlords exercise massive influence in the country. Last year, Hizb-i-Islami leader Gulbuddin Hekmatyar returned to Kabul after a 20-year exile to play an active role in Afghan politics. In September 2016, the Afghan government signed a deal with Hekmatyar in the hope that other warlords and militant groups would seek better ties with Kabul. The endless battle for power in Afghanistan An inefficient government In the midst of an endless battle for power, President Ghani's approval ratings continue to plummet. Rampant corruption in the Afghan government and a long tug-of-war within the US-brokered national unity government has had a negative impact on the government's efforts to eradicate terrorism. Author: Shamil Shams Conflicting interests The Taliban seem to have more time and patience before they agree to take part in negotiations. While all parties are now trying to woo them into discussions, the Islamists are not in a hurry. Even Iran, a Shiite-majority country at odds with the hardline Sunni Taliban, does not shy away from expressing its desire to engage with the militant group. Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi recently confirmed a meeting between Iranian officials and the Taliban and traveled to Kabul last weekend to discuss the future of the Chabahar Port that is crucial to the interests of Iran, Afghanistan and India. On the other hand, Pakistan is coordinating efforts with China and Russia to further its own interests. The US has removed Chabahar from its list of Iran sanctions, acknowledging its importance to Afghanistan and India. Experts say the biggest challenge in the present scenario would be to somehow bring different stakeholders closer together and align conflicting geopolitical interests to peace in Afghanistan. But that Turkey could somehow facilitate that would be asking for too much, they say. | https://www.dw.com/en/can-turkey-broker-peace-in-afghanistan/a-46985146 |
What time is the FA Cup fourth round draw and what are the ball numbers? | (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images) The FA Cup remains a popular tournament in football with underdogs and surprise upsets often being highlights of the competition. Paul Pogba provides injury boost for Man Utd as he flies out to Dubai Already fans have seen non-league side Barnet eliminate Sheffield United, while Leicester City were knocked out by Newport County. Many big teams still remain though, including a Manchester City side that thrashed Rotherham 7-0 last night, as well as Chelsea who managed a routine 2-0 win against Nottingham Forest. If youre wondering who your team will face next in this years FA Cup then here is everything that you need to know. The draw for the FA Cup fourth round will take place on Monday 7 January following the match between Wolves and Liverpool. Advertisement Advertisement Kick-off is at 19.45 so the match will end at around 21.25, which means that the draw is likely to start at 21.30. You can watch the draw take place live on BBC One hosted by Mark Chapman and he will be joined by Robbie Keane and Carl Ikeme who will be choosing the balls. There are currently four replay matches set to take place, but their could be a fifth if Wolves and Liverpool draw tonight. Luton Town vs Sheffield Wednesday and Blackburn vs Newcastle will kick off at 19.45 on Tuesday 15 January, with Stoke City vs Shrewsbury kicking off slightly later at 20.00. Southampton vs Derby will then take place at 19.45 on Wednesday 16 January. The fourth round matches will take place in just a few weeks time between Friday 25 January and Monday 28 January. FA Cup fourth round draw ball numbers 1 Bolton 2 Millwall 3 Gillingham 4 Brentford 5 Sheffield Wednesday or Luton Town 6 Manchester United 7 Everton 8 Tottenham 9 Doncaster Rovers 10 Newcastle or Blackburn 11 Chelsea 12 Crystal Palace 13 Derby County or Southampton 14 Accrington Stanley 15 Bristol City 16 Newport County 17 Oldham Ahtletic 18 Shrewsbury or Stoke City 19 Arsenal 20 Manchester City 21 Brighton & Hove Albion 22 West Ham United 23 Watford 24 Burnley 25 Queens Park Rangers 26 Barnet 27 Portsmouth 28 AFC Wimbledon 29 West Brom 30 Middlesbrough 31 Wolves or Liverpool 32 Swansea City MORE: Jurgen Klopp admits Naby Keita was a better player at former club RB Leipzig MORE: FIFA 19 Team of the Year full line-up includes Kevin De Bruyne and Luca Modric | https://metro.co.uk/2019/01/07/what-time-is-the-fa-cup-fourth-round-draw-and-what-are-the-ball-numbers-8318776/ |
When is Death in Paradise on TV? | Ardal OHanlon is reprising his role as DI Jack Mooney in the eighth series of BBC1s hit drama Death in Paradise, which will see the lead detective solving even more murder mysteries in the sunny climes of fictional island Saint Marie. Advertisement Hell be joined by some familiar faces including Josphine Jobert (DS Florence Cassell), Tobi Bakare (Officer JP Hooper), and Don Warrington (Commissioner Selwyn Patterson) and some new ones. The eighth series also marks the departure of Strictly star Danny John-Jules, wholl be handing in his badge as Officer Dwayne Myers. Heres everything you need to know about Death in Paradise series eight. The series will return on Thursday 10th January at 9pm on BBC1. Series eight will see the introduction of a brand new regular cast member: Officer Ruby Patterson (played by Shyko Amos), Commissioner Pattersons niece, whos fresh out of police college and eager to prove herself to the team. Amos says: There is nothing quite like Death in Paradise on TV and it hasnt quite sunk in yet that Ive joined such a massively popular show. Its given me a butterfly or two but Im very excited! Officer Ruby Patterson is a bundle of joy! I am very excited for Death in Paradise viewers to experience her as the new member of the already amazing law enforcement team of Saint Marie. Among the cases for series eight are a popular local DJ killed live on air and a group of friends celebrating their fiftieth birthdays when one of them meets their maker. Meanwhile, DS Cassell finds romance and Officer Hooper mentors new recruit Ruby. Series eight marks the departure of original cast member and series favourite, Danny John-Jules, who plays Officer Dwayne Myers. His two children Dant and Dana also played minor roles in the show. Were very sad to have said goodbye to Danny, whos brilliant performance as Dwayne has helped make the show such a success, said executive producer Tim Key. We wish Danny all the very best and look forward to working with him again. Production company Red Planet Pictures have previously said the actor wanted to leave the show on a high following seven series and 62 murders successfully solved. The idyllic, fictional island of Saint Marie is filmed in Guadeloupe, predominantly in the commune of Deshaies, which doubles for the town of Honorin. Advertisement But shooting scenes on a beach isnt always fun and games back in September 2017, filming had to be suspended because of Hurricane Irma. | https://www.radiotimes.com/news/tv/2019-01-07/death-in-paradise-air-date-cast-bbc/ |
Is Donald Trump an Asteroid? | Sixty-six million years ago, so the scientists tell us, an asteroid slammed into this planet. Landing on whats now Mexicos Yucatn Peninsula, it gouged out a crater 150 kilometers wide and put so much soot and sulfur into the atmosphere that it created what was essentially a prolonged nuclear winter. During that time, among so many other species, large and small, the dinosaurs went down for the count. (Dont, however, tell that to your local chicken, the closest living relative -- its now believed -- of Tyrannosaurus Rex.) It took approximately 66 million years for humanity to evolve from lowly surviving mammals and, over the course of a recent century or two, teach itself how to replicate the remarkable destructive power of that long-gone asteroid in two different ways: via nuclear power and the burning of fossil fuels. As humanity has armed itself ever more lethally, it has also transformed itself into the local equivalent of so many asteroids. Talking about accomplishments: as humanity has armed itself ever more lethally, it has also transformed itself into the local equivalent of so many asteroids. Think, for instance, of that moment in the spring of 2003 when George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, and crew launched the invasion of Iraq with dreams of setting up a Pax Americana across the Greater Middle East and beyond. By the time U.S. troops entered Baghdad, the burning and looting of the Iraqi capital had already begun, leaving the National Museum of Iraq trashed (gone were the tablets on which Hammurabi first had a code of laws inscribed) and the National Library of Baghdad, with its tens of thousands of ancient manuscripts, in flames. (No such asteroid had hit that city since 1258, when Mongol warriors sacked it, destroying its many libraries and reputedly leaving the Tigris River running black with ink and red with blood.) In truth, since 2003 the Greater Middle East has never stopped burning, as other militaries -- Afghan, Iranian, Iraqi, Israeli, Russian, Saudi, Syrian, Turkish -- entered the fray, insurgent groups rose, terror movements spread, and the U.S. military never left. By now, the asteroidal nature of American acts in the region should be beyond question. Consider, for example, the sainted retired general and former secretary of defense, Jim Mad Dog Mattis, the man who classically said of an Iraqi wedding party (including musicians) that his troops took out in 2004, How many people go to the middle of the desert... to hold a wedding 80 miles from the nearest civilization? Or consider that, in the very same year, Mattis and the 1st Marine Division he commanded had just such an impact on the Iraqi city of Fallujah, leaving more than 75% of it in rubble. Or focus for a moment on the destruction caused by some combination of U.S. air power, ISIS suicide bombers, artillery, and mortars that, in seven months of fighting in 2017, uprooted more than a million people from the still largely un-reconstructed Iraqi city of Mosul (where 10 million tons of rubble are estimated to remain). Or try to bring to mind the rubblized city of Ramadi. Or consider the destruction of the Syrian city of Raqqa, the former capital of ISISs caliphate, left more than 80% uninhabitable after the U.S. (and allied) air forces dropped 20,000 bombs on it. All are versions of the same phenomenon. And yet when it comes to asteroids and the human future, one thing should be obvious. Such examples still represent relatively small-scale local impacts, given whats to come. What Osama bin Laden began with just 19 fanatic followers and four hijacked commercial airliners the U.S. military continued across the Greater Middle East and North Africa as if it were the force from outer space (which, in a sense, it was). It doesnt matter whether youre talking about cities turned to rubble, civilians slaughtered, wedding parties obliterated, populations uprooted and sent into various forms of exile, the transformation of former nations (however autocratic) into failed states, or the spread of terrorism. Its been quite a story. And its not faintly over yet. More remarkable still, just about all of this has largely been ignored in the country that functionally made it so. And thats just to begin to mention the kinds of destruction that have gone on largely unnoticed here. In the first 18 years of this century, tens of millions of people have been uprooted and displaced -- more than 13 million in Syria alone -- from what had been their homes, lives, and worlds. Many of them were sent fleeing into countries like Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey. Sooner or later, more than one million Syrians made it to Europe and 21,000 even made it to the United States. In the process, Washingtons wars (and the conflicts that unfolded from them) unsettled ever more of the planet in much the way those particulates in the atmosphere did the world of 66 million years ago. So consider it an irony that, here in the U.S., so few connections have been made between such events and an unceasing series of American conflicts across the Greater Middle East and Africa -- or that the thought of even the mildest sorts of retreats from any of those battlegrounds instantly leaves political and national security elites in Washington (and the media that cover them) in an uproar of horror. Were talking, of course, about the conflicts from hell that have long been labeled the war on terror but -- given the spread of terror groups and the rise of the anti-immigrant right in Europe and the United States -- should probably have been called the war for terror or the war from hell. Consider this a tale of imperial power gone awry that -- were anyone here truly paying attention -- could hardly have been uglier. And no matter what happens from here on, its hard to imagine how things wont, in fact, get uglier still. Im not just thinking about Donald Trumps Washington in 2019, where such ugliness is par for the course. Im thinking about all of those lands affected by Americas unending post-9/11 wars (and the catastrophic American-backed Saudi one in Yemen that goes with them) -- about, that is, the region and the conflicts from which Donald Trump sorta, maybe, in the most limited of ways was threatening to begin pulling back as last year ended and about which official Washington promptly went nuts. Were talking, of course, about the conflicts from hell that have long been labeled the war on terror but -- given the spread of terror groups and the rise of the anti-immigrant right in Europe and the United States -- should probably have been called the war for terror or the war from hell. And its this that official Washington and much of the mainstream media cant imagine getting rid of or out of. Naturally, doing so will be ugly. In functionally admitting to a kind of defeat (even if the president insists on calling it victory), Washington will be tossing aside allies -- Kurds, Afghans, and others -- and leaving those who dont deserve such a fate in so many ditches (just as it did in Vietnam long ago). Worse yet, it will be leaving behind a part of the world that, on its watch, became not just a series of failed or semi-failed states, but a failed region. It will be leaving behind populations armed to the teeth, bereft of normal lives, or often of any sort of life at all, and of hope. It will be leaving behind a generation of children robbed of their futures and undoubtedly mad as hell. It will be leaving behind those cities in rubble and a universe of refugees and insurgents galore. Even if ISIS doesnt rebound, dont imagine that other horrors cant arise in such circumstances and amid such wreckage. Ugly will be the word for it. And for some of that ugliness, you can indeed thank Donald Trump, whether he withdraws American troops from Syria, as promised, or not. After all, heres the strange thing: though no one in Washington or elsewhere in this country had paid more than passing attention to it, the recent Syrian withdrawal decision wasnt The Donalds first. Last March, he froze $200 million that had been promised for Syrian aid and reconstruction, money that assumedly might have gone to derubblizing parts of that country -- and rather than being up in arms about it, rather than offering a crescendo of criticism (as with his recent decision to withdraw troops), rather than resignations and protests, official Washington and the media that covers it just shrugged their collective shoulders. It couldnt have been uglier, but Washington was unfazed. As for countermanding the presidents order and staying, we already know what more than 17 years of endless American war have delivered to that region (as well as subtracted from the American treasury). Heres one thing for sure: ugly wouldnt even cover it. And keep in mind that, despite Donald Trumps recent Syrian and Afghan decisions (both of which are reversible), so much of what passes for American war in this century, including the particularly grim Saudi version of it in Yemen and those Air Force and CIA drone assassination strikes across much of the region, has shown little sign of abating anytime soon. Using Up Precious Time And then, of course, theres that other issue, the one where withdrawal cant come into play, the one where ugly doesnt even begin to cover the territory. In case you havent instantly guessed -- and I suspect you have -- Im thinking about whats happening to the place known to its English-speaking inhabitants as Earth. It no longer takes a scientist or a probing intelligence to know that the planet that welcomed humanity all these thousands of years has begun to appear a good deal less gracious thanks to humanitys burning of fossil fuels and the release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. By now, no matter where you live, you should know the litany well enough, including (just to start down a long list): temperatures that are soaring and only promise to rise yet more; a record melting of Arctic ice; a record heating of ocean waters; ever fiercer storms; ever fiercer wildfires (and ever longerfire seasons); rising sea levels that promise to begin drowning coastal cities sometime later this century; the coming of mega-droughts and devastating heat waves (that by 2100 may, for instance, make the now heavily populated North China plain uninhabitable). Nor do you have to be a scientist these days to draw a few obvious conclusions about trends on a planet where the last four years are the hottest on record and 20 of the last 22 years qualify as the warmest yet. And keep in mind that most of this was already clear enough at the moment in planetary history when a near-majority of Americans elected as president an ardent climate-change denier, as were so many in the party of which he became the orange-haired face. And also keep in mind that the very term climate-change denier no longer seems faintly apt as a description for him, his party, or the crew hes put in control of the government. Instead, they are proving to be the most enthusiastic group of climate-change aiders and abettors imaginable. In other words, the administration heading the country that, historically, has been the largest emitter of greenhouse gases is now in the business -- from leaving the Paris climate accord to opening the way for methane gas releases, from expanding offshore drilling to encouraging Arctic drilling, from freeing coal plants to release more mercury into the atmosphere to rejecting its own climate-change study -- of doing more of the same until the end of time. And that's certainly a testament to something. Ultimately, though, what its doing may be less important than what it isnt doing. On a planet on which, according to the latest U.N. report, there are only perhaps a dozen years left to keep the long-term global temperature rise under 1.5 degrees centigrade, the Trump administration is wasting time in the worst way imaginable. An Asteroidal Future Even 18 years into a series of quagmire Middle Eastern wars, the U.S. could still withdraw from them, however ugly the process might be. It could indeed bring the troops home; it could ground the drones; it could downsize the Special Operations forces that now add up to a secret army of 70,000 (larger than the armies of many nations) at present deployed to much of the globe. It could do many things. What Washington cant do what we cant dois withdraw from the Earth, which is why we are now living on what I increasingly think of as a quagmire planet. What Washington cant do what we cant dois withdraw from the Earth, which is why we are now living on what I increasingly think of as a quagmire planet. In the 1960s, that word, quagmire (a bog having a surface that yields when stepped on), and its cognates -- swamp, sinkhole, morass, quicksand, bottomless pit -- were picked up across the spectrum of American politics and applied to the increasingly disastrous war in Vietnam. It was an image that robbed Washington of much of its responsibility for that conflict. The quagmire itself was at fault -- or as historian Arthur Schlesinger, Jr., put it at the time: And so the policy of one more step lured thUnited States deeper and deeper into the morass... until we find ourselves entrapped in that nightmare of American strategists, a land war in Asia. Embedded in the war talk of those years, quagmire was, in fact, not a description of the war as much as a worldview imposed on it. That image turned Vietnam into the aggressor, transferring agency for all negative action to the land itself, which had trapped us and wouldnt let us go, even as that land was devalued. After all, to the Vietnamese, their country was anything but a quagmire. It was home and the American decision to be there a form of hated or desired (or sometimes, among Americas allies there, both hated and desired) intervention. Much the same could be said, of course, of the Greater Middle East in this century. When it comes to this planet in the era of climate change, however, quagmire seems like a far more appropriate image, as long as we keep in mind that we are the aggressors. It is we who are burning those fossil fuels. It is, as our president loves to put it, American energy dominance that is threatening to submerge Miami, Shanghai, and other coastal cities in the century to come. It is the urge of the Trump administration to kneecap the development of alternative energies, while promoting coal, oil, and natural gas production that is threatening the human future. It is the acts and attitudes of Trumpian-like figures from Poland to Saudi Arabia to Brazil that threaten our children and grandchildren into the distant future, that threaten, in fact, to turn the Earth itself into a rubblized, ravaged planet. It is Vladimir Putin's Russian petro-state that is at work creating a future swamp of destruction in the Arctic and elsewhere. It is a Chinese inability to truly come to grips with its use of coal (not to mention the way its exporting coal plants to Africa and elsewhere) that threatens to make our world into a morass. It is the lack of any urge on the part of fossil fuel CEOs to keep it in the ground that will potentially take humanity down for the count. In that context, think of the man who, from his earliest moments in the Oval Office, wanted to withdraw the United States from the Paris climate agreement, filled his cabinet with climate-change aiders and abettors, was desperate to obliterate his predecessor's modest steps on climate change, and never saw a coal mine, oil rig, or fracking outfit he didnt love as the latest asteroid to hit Planet Earth. Under the circumstances, if the rest of us dont get ourselves together, we are likely to be the dinosaurs of the Anthropocene era. Donald Trump himself is, of course, just a tiny, passing fragment of human history. Already 72, he will undoubtedly be taken down by a Big Mac attack or something else in the years to come and most of his record will become just so much human history. But on this single subject, his impact threatens to be anything but a matter of human history. It threatens to play out on a time scale that should boggle the mind. He is a reminder that, on this quagmire planet of ours, we -- the rest of us -- have no place to go, despite NASAs plans to send humans to Mars, the rise of privatized projects for space tourism, and a Chinese spacecraft's landing on the far side of the moon. So, if we care about our children and grandchildren, as 2019 begins there is no time to spare and no more burning issue on Planet Earth than this. | https://www.commondreams.org/views/2019/01/07/donald-trump-asteroid |
Do We Really Need Billionaires? | In March 2018, Forbes reported that it had identified 2,208 billionaires from 72 countries and territories. Collectively, this group was worth $9.1 trillion, an increase in wealth of 18 percent since the preceding year. Americans led the way with a record 585 billionaires, followed by mainland China which, despite its professed commitment to Communism, had a record 373. According to a Yahoo Finance report in late November 2018, the wealth of U.S. billionaires increased by 12 percent during 2017, while that of Chinese billionaires grew by 39 percent. These vast fortunes were created much like those amassed by the Robber Barons of the late nineteenth century. The Walton familys $163 billion fortune grew rapidly because its giant business, Walmart, the largest private employer in the United States, paid its workers poverty-level wages. Jeff Bezos (whose fortune jumped by $78.5 billion in one year to $160 billion, making him the richest man in the world), paid pathetically low wages at Amazon for years until forced by strikes and public pressure to raise them. In mid-2017, Warren Buffett ($75 billion), then the worlds second richest man, noted that the real problem with the U.S. economy was that it was disproportionately rewarding to the people on top. The situation is much the same elsewhere. Since the 1980s, the share of national income going to workers has been dropping significantly around the globe, thereby exacerbating inequality in wealth. The billionaire boom is . . . a symptom of a failing economic system, remarked Winnie Byanyima, executive director of the development charity, Oxfam International. The people who make our clothes, assemble our phones and grow our food are being exploited. 82 percent of the global wealth generated in 2017 went to the wealthiest one percent. As a result, the further concentration of wealth has produced rising levels of economic inequality around the globe. According to a January 2018 report by Oxfam, during the preceding year some 3.7 billion people--about half the worlds population--experienced no increase in their wealth. Instead, 82 percent of the global wealth generated in 2017 went to the wealthiest one percent. In the United States, economic inequality continued to grow, with the share of the national income drawn by the poorest half of the population steadily declining. The situation was even starker in the country with the second largest economy, China. Here, despite two decades of spectacular economic growth, economic inequality rose at the fastest pace in the world, leaving China as one of the most unequal countries on the planet. In its global survey,Oxfam reported that 42 billionaires possessed as much wealth as half the worlds population. Upon reflection, its hard to understand why billionaires think they need to possess such vast amounts of money and to acquire even more. After all, they can eat and drink only so much, just as they surely have all the mansions, yachts, diamonds, furs, and private jets they can possibly use. When it comes to desires, the answer is: plenty! Thats why they drive $4 million Lamborghini Venenos, acquire megamansions for their horses, take $80,000 safaris in private jets, purchase gold toothpicks, create megaclosets the size of homes, reside in $15,000 a night penthouse hotel suites, install luxury showers for their dogs, cover their staircases in gold, and build luxury survival bunkers. Donald Trump maintains a penthouse apartment in Trump Tower that is reportedly worth $57 million and is marbled in gold. Among his many other possessions are two private airplanes, three helicopters, five private residences, and 17 golf courses across the United States, Scotland, Ireland, and the United Arab Emirates. In addition, billionaires devote enormous energy and money to controlling governments. In addition, billionaires devote enormous energy and money to controlling governments. They dont put their wealth underneath their mattresses, observed U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders; they use that wealth to perpetuate their power. So you have the Koch brothers and a handful of billionaires who pour hundreds of millions of dollars into elections. During the 2018 midterm elections in the United States, Americas billionaires lavished vast amounts of money on electoral politics, becoming the dominant funders of numerous candidates. Sheldon Adelson alone poured over $113 million into the federal elections. This kind of big money has a major impact on American politics. Three billionaire families--the Kochs, the Mercers, and the Adelsons--played a central role in bankrolling the Republican Partys shift to the far Right and its takeover of federal and state offices. Thus, although polls indicate that most Americans favor raising taxes on the rich, regulating corporations, fighting climate change, and supporting labor unions, the Republican-dominated White House, Congress, Supreme Court, and regulatory agencies have moved in exactly the opposite direction, backing the priorities of the wealthy. With so much at stake, billionaires even took direct command of the worlds three major powers. Donald Trump became the first billionaire to capture the U.S. presidency, joining Russias president, Vladmir Putin (reputed to have amassed wealth of at least $70 billion), and Chinas president, Xi Jinping (estimated to have a net worth of $1.51 billion). The three oligarchs quickly developed a cozy relationship and shared a number of policy positions, including the encouragement of wealth acquisition and the discouragement of human rights. Admittedly, some billionaires have signed a Giving Pledge, promising to devote most of their wealth to philanthropy. Nevertheless, plutocratic philanthropy means that the priorities of the super-rich (for example, the funding of private schools), rather than the priorities of the general public (such as the funding of public schools), get implemented. Moreover, these same billionaires are accumulating wealth much faster than they donate it. Philanthropist Bill Gates was worth $54 billion in 2010, the year their pledge was announced, and his wealth stands at $90 billion today. Overall, then, as wealth is concentrated in fewer and fewer hands, most people around the world are clearly the losers. | https://www.commondreams.org/views/2019/01/07/do-we-really-need-billionaires |
Why is Chrome OS introducing a desktop? | Last year, Google's Sergey Brin said that traditional computers were "really torturing users" with their complexity. What the world needed was a faster, simpler operating system. He was right, but unfortunately that operating system turned out to be Apple's iOS, not the Chrome OS Brin was promoting. Ho ho! It's safe to say that Chromebooks haven't exactly lived up to the hype, so Google's having another go and there's a big new idea to go with the relaunch. The big idea is... copy Windows! Ho ho again! The same old story I'm being a little unkind here, I know, but the appearance of a Windows-style desktop in Google's OS is worth a titter at the very least. Chrome was supposed to represent a clean-sheet rethink of what an operating system could be, but what we've ended up with looks considerably less radical than Microsoft's Metro interface for Windows 8. That's not necessarily a bad thing - people know and like windowed desktop OSes - but given the initial hype, it's rather disappointing. It's like Tesco promising to unveil a whole new kind of vegetable only to reveal a slightly smaller kind of carrot. Interface aside, there's no doubt that Chrome OS is becoming a very slick product, but as I said back in 2010, "I really can't see why you'd want a Chrome OS notebook when you could buy a normal notebook and run the Chrome browser on it - or skip notebooks altogether and go with a tablet instead." That was two years ago. Since then tablets have matured immensely, netbooks have been replaced by ultrabooks and Windows has been reengineered and reinvented. Chrome OS has moved on too, but to my eyes it's designed for a big but fairly dull market: the locked-down boxes you'll find in hotel internet suites, on check-in desks and in giant corporations' offices. A far as the consumer market goes, I didn't understand the need for Chrome OS in 2010, and I don't understand it now: Google's got Chrome on OS X, Linux and Windows, it's got a perfectly good mobile OS in the form of Android, and while Apple's cutting its Google ties it's still the default search engine on iOS devices too. Chromebooks are nice enough, but I suspect the number of people who'd buy one over a Windows 8 Ultrabook, the new iPad or a MacBook Air is vanishingly small. For consumers, Chrome OS appears to be the Google+ of operating systems, the answer to a question somebody else has already answered. | https://www.techradar.com/sg/news/software/operating-systems/why-is-chrome-os-introducing-a-desktop-1082445 |
Can Arkansas Stay in the Top 15 by National Signing Day? | The Razorbacks were riding high after the early national signing period but other SEC schools capitalized on securing some big-time commitments this dead period and now the Hogs are at risk of falling out of the top 15 recruiting classes in the nation. In the past week, USC and Florida had big rises in the rankings. USC secured the official commitment of 5-star California athlete Bru McCoy and the no. 8-ranked WR in the nation, another Californian Kyle Ford. Florida got the commitments of Texas 4-star WR Arjei Henderson and California 5-star DB Chris Steele. Tennessee also made up a lot of ground in the final days of the early signing period and jumped Arkansas with the commitments of two 4-stars, former Arkansas target Eric Gray and athlete Quavaris Crouch. As everybody knows, Arkansas didn't sign all 29 spots in the early signing period and they're still waiting for decisions from a couple high-profile athletes like Jalen Catalon and Lakia Henry but even then, it might not be enough. Here's a look at all the scenarios left for the 2019 class and even with the best case scenario, the Hogs only gain 37 points for Catalon and 45 for Henry. With Florida State and Auburn still below their projected signing numbers, it doesn't look like Arkansas can keep their spot in the top 15. It might even be tough to beat the no. 16 finish that Petrino had in 2009 but the Rivals ranking system has changed in the past few years, putting more weight on high-ranked players so while Arkansas has a vast quantity of 4-stars, they would need a 5-star to be in the top 15 this year. Only Texas and Notre Dame have managed high rankings without 5-star commit. The difference between a few spots in the rankings doesn't matter in the grand scheme of recruiting, what will be more important is if they can repeat this performance with the 2020 class. | https://arkansas.rivals.com/news/can-arkansas-stay-in-the-top-15-by-national-signing-day- |
Is er een pyromaan aan het werk in Erps-Kwerps? | ADPW 07 januari 2019 18u43 0 In de nacht van zaterdag op zondag, zo rond 1.15 uur, merkte een buurtbewoner van de Kammestraat in Erps-Kwerps een brand op in een nabijgelegen bosje. Een houten schuurtje dat als speelkamp door buurtkinderen werd gebruikt, was in vlammen opgegaan. Volgens de brandweer was de brand duidelijk aangestoken. Er stond ook een bus benzine in de buurt van de brand. Het parket stelde geen deskundige aan. Voorlopig zijn er geen verdachten in beeld. Het is al de vierde opmerkelijke brand op een paar weken tijd in Erps-Kwerps. Aan de Dreef in Erps-Kwerps brandde op zaterdag 22 december, zo rond 16.40 uur, een alleenstaande garage volledig uit. De brandweer van Zaventem en hun Vilvoordse collegas hadden de brand snel onder controle en konden voorkomen dat het vuur zich uitbreidde naar de tuinhuizen even verderop. In de garage stonden op het moment van de brand geen voertuigen. De bewoonster van het huis zat op een kerstfeestje toen ze het nieuws vernam. Zij kwam onmiddellijk naar huis en moest samen met haar man de schade vaststellen. Gelukkig bleef de woning wel gevrijwaard. Twee kindjes hadden te veel rook ingeademd, maar hadden geen verzorging nodig. De avond voordien brandde een mobilhome volledig uit aan de Dekenijstraat. Ook hier is het niet duidelijk wat er precies gebeurd is. En daarvoor brandde er ook al eens een stal uit in Erps-Kwerps. Vier branden op enkele weken tijd, en allemaal op redelijk afgelegen plaatsen. | https://www.hln.be/regio/kortenberg/is-er-een-pyromaan-aan-het-werk-in-erps-kwerps~a1964340/ |
Will we see a Nikon D5200 before the end of the year? | Nikon has had an incredibly busy 2012, launching the Nikon D4, Nikon D800, Nikon D3200 and Nikon D600 over the past few months. Around this time of year most of the major camera manufacturers slow down new release schedules in the run up to Christmas. However, rumours are suggesting that we may be seeing a D5200 announcement before the year is out. With the announcement of the 24 million pixel D3200 earlier this year, the Nikon D5100, which is above the D3200 in the range, is outgunned in a number of ways by the entry level model. Upgrade schedule The D5100 was announced in April 2011, so it would seem relatively ripe for an upgrade, especially now that Nikon has unleashed its large megapixel sensor offerings. Rumoured specs of a D5100 replacement include the same 24 million pixel DX (crop-format) CMOS sensor as found on the D3200, Expeed 3 processor and an ISO range that can be expanded up to 25,600 (compared with12,800 on the D3200). It's alos rumoured to feature a continuous shooting speed of 5fps (compared with the D3200's 4fps), a 2,016 pixel RGB metering sensor (which is the same as the full-frame D600) and a vari-angle, 3 inch 921k dot screen. It's also been suggested that the Nikon D7000 could be upgraded with a Nikon D7100 soon.Still no more news about a replacement for the Nikon D300S though. Stay tuned for more updates as they happen. via NikonRumors | https://www.techradar.com/au/news/photography-video-capture/cameras/will-we-see-a-nikon-d5200-before-the-end-of-the-year-1108537 |
Did JRD think Patel would have been a better PM than Nehru? | January 07, 2019 10:40 IST 'Nehru once told JRD, "I hate the mention of the very word profit".' '"Jawaharlal, I am talking about the need of the public sector making a profit!" JRD replied.' 'Nehru reiterated, "Never talk to me about the word profit, it is a dirty word".' A fascinating excerpt from Shashank Shah's The Tata Group: From Torchbearers To Trailblazers. IMAGE: J R D Tata. Fifteen years younger to Nehru, J R D Tata admired him as the heroic knight in armour and an apt leader for independent India. However, four decades later, while penning the foreword to a compilation of his keynote addresses, JRD wrote, 'I have often thought that if fate had decreed that Vallabhbhai Patel instead of Jawaharlal, would be the younger of the two, India would have followed a very different path and would be in a better economic shape than it is today.' Well, several factors did. The most central being the approach, or rather the lack of it, towards economic development in the first three decades since Independence. The nature of the Tatas's businesses in core sectors such as steel, electricity and locomotives made it imperative for their companies to be heavily dependent on government orders and anti-dumping protection. This required the maintenance of a fine balance between the Raj and the freedom movement. Yet, whether under the Raj or post-Independence, their key focus of dialogue with the government of the day was India's industrial development. Farokh N Subedar recalled that whenever the Tata Group chairman went to North Block for a pre-Budget presentation before the finance minister, the focus wasn't on a 'wish list' of things that were relevant for the Tatas alone. The interests of the Indian industry at large were always a priority. L K Jha, former governor of the Reserve Bank of India, recalled in 1986 that when he was a secretary to the government, JRD never approached him on behalf of any Tata company, but for the whole industry. He wanted no favours, only fairness. IMAGE: From left: S K Patil, then vice-president Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, J R D Tata and then prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru in New Delhi, October 28, 1958. Photograph: Kind courtesy Press Information Bureau In 1944, some of the most eminent industrialists of India were hosted by the Tata chairman to propose 'A Plan of Economic Development for India'. This was later known as the 'Bombay Plan' or the 'Tata-Birla Plan'. The Rs 10,000 crore plan put forth several recommendations on improving per capita income, health, education, housing, agriculture and industry. It was probably one of the first plans in the world prepared by capitalists, which laid a strong emphasis on social well-being. It envisaged a largely deregulated economy with government investments in industries of national and strategic importance. When the newly formed Government of India adopted centralised economic planning, there was no precedent of economic planning and liberal democracy going hand in hand. But policymakers found no inherent contradiction among the two. In 1954, Nehru, impressed by his visit to China, incorporated in the draft of the Second Five Year Plan that India would move towards a 'socialist pattern of society'. Nehru once told JRD, 'I hate the mention of the very word profit.' 'Jawaharlal, I am talking about the need of the public sector making a profit!' JRD replied. Nehru reiterated, 'Never talk to me about the word profit, it is a dirty word.' In the general elections of 1971, Naval Tata (Ratan Tata's father) decided to stand for elections as an Independent candidate from the South Bombay constituency. It is believed Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was displeased with the Tatas's attempt at contesting elections against the Congress candidate. Furious and unforgiving, she is supposed to have told JRD, 'So the Tata Group wants to set up a front against me?' This was history repeating itself. Nearly fifteen years earlier, Nehru had reacted in similar fashion. The context was different. JRD was increasingly disillusioned by the Nehruvian approach to socialism, centralised planning and nationalisation of key industries. To add to that, during the 1957 general elections, the Communist Party of India emerged as the second largest party in the Lok Sabha. JRD believed the country needed a credible Opposition, and the leftist parties would further damage the prospect of free enterprise flourishing in India. IMAGE: The first batch of vehicles bearing the 'T' rolling out of the Tata Engineering and Locomotive (now Tata Motors) plant at Jamshedpur. Photograph: Tata Central Archives Around 1959, Chakravarti Rajagopalachari, former governor general of India, started a new party in reaction to the Nehru-led Congress's anti-industry and socialistic approach to governance. He requested JRD's support to the fledgling Swatantra Party. Naval Tata asked JRD to exercise caution. He was concerned that public support to Rajaji would earn Nehru's displeasure. JRD took two full months before sending a positive reply. However, the transparent leader that he was, he communicated this decision to Nehru when he met him the next time. On hearing about the Tatas's support to Swatantra Party, Nehru blew up, 'You have no business to do that.' In order to pacify him and clarify his stance, JRD wrote a detailed letter to the prime minister dated 16 August 1961: ...We have been perturbed by the total absence of any responsible and organised democratic opposition which we feel is an equally indispensable element of any permanent democratic organisation of society... It is indispensable in the national interest that an effort should be made to displace the Communist Party as the second largest in the Parliament... We have therefore come to the conclusion that in addition to continued support to the election funds of the Congress, we should also contribute, although on a lower scale, to the funds of the Swatantra Party... In a letter dated 18 August Nehru responded, '...You are, of course, completely free to help in any way you like the Swatantra Party. But I don't think that your hope that they will emerge as a strong Opposition is justified...' 'When I joined business, there was no black money. When you did not have a system of government control where you had to get a permit for everything.' 'In the early days, taxes were also very low. Black money will always be there as long as taxes and controls are high,' JRD affirmed this in the late 1980s based on his half a century of experience under different systems of government. It was the same during the years when Tata Steel and Tata Power were being established. Dorabji Tata did face political problems with the Raj, but not corrupt officers. The British officers he dealt with were men of their word. The only gift they accepted was a Christmas hamper of tinned ham and wine. Despite differences on political and economic grounds, JRD remained appreciative of the finer qualities of both Nehru and Indira. Whenever called upon to advise or assist the government on matters of public interest and policy, the Tata leadership made their services available, much beyond the call of duty. Between 1947 and 1984, the most difficult days for Indian businesses, the Tatas retained the number one position despite an unsympathetic relationship between business and bureaucracy. Operating in core industries that were governed by strict price controls and severe caps on expansion, their achievement was laudable. Throughout this period, JRD believed in keeping business and politics apart. He felt it was wrong for businessmen to run newspapers, or undertake any activity of a political or quasi-political character. In 1979, when JRD was asked why the Tata Group had not grown as fast as some other groups during the Licence Raj years, he said, 'If we had adopted the means some others have, we would have grown twice as big as we are today, but we didn't.' Then he forcefully added, 'And I would not want it any other way.' IMAGE: J R D Tata with Ratan Tata. Photograph: Kind courtesy Gopal Shetty Nearly forty years later, Ratan Tata reaffirmed the Tata approach. In a September 2017 interview he said, 'I would be lying if I said there weren't moments when issues came up and decisions had to be made (on taking shortcuts with the government). 'Happily, every time, boards and leadership stood together saying -- that's not what we (the Tatas) do.' 'Over the years, we have suffered because of that.' 'I believe it is very important to come back at night and say I have not succumbed (to pressure).' Excerpted from The Tata Group: From Torchbearers To Trailblazers by Shashank Shah, with the kind permission of the publishers, Penguin Random House India. | https://www.rediff.com/business/special/did-jrd-think-patel-would-have-been-a-better-pm-than-nehru/20190107.htm |
What Time Is The Bachelor On Tonight? | Former Bachelorette contestant Colton Underwood takes another shot at love during an all-new season of The Bachelor! The three-hour Season 23 premiere of The Bachelor debuts tonight on ABC. Thirty ladies will vie for the heart of Colton in what promises to be an equal parts dramatic and entertaining three hours. From a pageant star who calls herself the hot-mess express to a California beach blonde with a secret, these ladies hope to find love under the watchful eye of Bachelor Nation. Heres everything you need to know! The season premiere of ABCs The Bachelor begins at 8:00 p.m. ET. Tonights episode will air from 8:00-11:00 p.m. ET on ABC. HOW TO LIVE STREAM THE BACHELOR: The Bachelor airs on ABC, which means depending on your location, you may be able to live stream tonights episode on ABC.com or with the ABC app by signing in with a participating TV provider. Once you sign in, you can watch at abc.com/watch-live or you can select live TV in the ABC app. You can also find a Bachelor live stream if youre a DIRECTV NOW, YouTube TV, Hulu Live TV, or PlayStation Vue subscriber. Learn more about these services (and free trials!) below. If you miss the live airing of The Bachelor, the season premiere will be added to Hulu tomorrow morning (January 8). The episode will also be available to stream on ABC.com, but youll need a valid cable login to access the episode. Nope. You bet! With Hulu with Live TV you have the ability to watch live and on demand TV from 50+ top channels (like ABC) for $39.99 a month. Plus, you also receive unlimited access to the Hulu Limited Commercials plan! Win/win. The service is available for Apple devices, Xbox One, Android, and other devices. New subscribers can take advantage of a 7-day free trial. Yes! DIRECTV NOW is a streaming service from AT&T that you can enjoy for as little as $40 per month. Available to watch on your TV, computer, or while youre on the go, DIRECTV NOW offers flexible packages like the Live a Little package which features 65+ channels (including ESPN, FOX, NBC, ABC, The CW, BET, and more ) for $40 month and the Gotta Have It package which features 125+ channels for $75 a month. DIRECTV NOW is currently offering a free seven-day trial. YouTube TV allows you to live stream ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, ESPN, TBS, and more. Available in most metro locations around the United States, the service features unlimited DVR storage space, and your subscription includes six accounts for $40 per month, with each profile getting its own recommendations and other personalized settings. Plus, you can cancel anytime. New subscribers can sample the service with a free trial. Over 100 of your favorite channels including ESPN, NBC, FOX, TNT, Comedy Central, and FX are available with PlayStation Vue. The service also allows you to stream a multitude of TV stations on your favorite device without a cable or satellite subscription. From their Access package that includes 45+ channels for $44.99 a month to their Ultra package that includes 90 channels plus HBO and Showtime for $79.99 a month, the service offers a variety of exciting opportunities for cord-cutters. New subscribers can take advantage of a a 5-day free trial of PlayStation Vue. Where to stream The Bachelor | https://decider.com/2019/01/07/what-time-is-the-bachelor-on-tonight-2019/ |
Has U.S. Fracking Activity Peaked Already? | Shale drilling activity in the US likely dropped to 44 jobs per day in November 2018, Rystad Energys analysis of preliminary data suggests. We conclude that nationwide fracking activity was mostly stable from April 2018 to August 2018 at an average daily level of 48 to 50 fracked wells. However, the fracking rate has slipped some since and remains between 44 and 46 in the period of September to November 2018. After reaching a peak in May/June 18, fracking activity in the Permian has gradually decelerated throughout the second half of 2018, says senior analyst Lai Lou. (Click to enlarge) A key observation is that as we move into November, there is evidence that seasonal activity deceleration might have started in all major plays except Eagle Ford, Lou adds. There has been a considerable slowdown in Bakken and Niobrara in November based on our estimation. The latest FracFocus update, a national US database, was released on January 1. It provides sufficient visibility on fracking operations across the US in November 2018, yet the uncertainty range for November remains significant, as indicated by the figure above. Some major operators are bucking the general slowdown. The largest operator, ExxonMobil, experienced a strong uptick in October, making it one of the months with the highest number of fracked wells in this period. Energen Corporation is also unaffected by the slowdown. (Click to enlarge) In general, many of the key operators have exhibited a largely flat trend from June to October 2018, which implies that the market-wide deceleration in fracking activity has a more significant implication for smaller operators in contrast to the major players in the Permian, Lai said. In terms of absolute numbers, the reduction in the number of jobs for top 10 operators collectively is around 10% from June to October while the corresponding percentage for the remaining operators is as high as 48% in the same timeframe. Rystad Energys analysis is based on currently available data. Underreporting implies that the reduction in percentage will be smaller then what we see as of today. By Rystad Energy More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: | https://news.yahoo.com/u-fracking-activity-peaked-already-180000175.html |
When is the best time to plant hybrid tea roses in SLO CA? | Black Magic hybrid tea rose Rosa Black Magic Planting areas: USDA Zones 7 to 10 Size: 4 to 7 feet tall Digital Access for only $0.99 For the most comprehensive local coverage, subscribe today. Bloom season: Spring through fall Exposure: Full sun Pruning needs: Prune when dormant (December or January). Water needs: Water regularly. Snaphot: January is the month to buy and plant bare-root roses, the most economical way to purchase hybrid tea roses. Buying a dormant plant without soil around its roots allows you to see the plants structure and root system before you plant. Buy a rose with three to five strong, plump canes, or, branches, with smooth bark, avoiding plants with shriveled, brown or damaged canes. The roots should be light colored and symmetrically placed around the trunk. Look for buds that are plump and brightly colored on the sides of the canes, not swollen ones. Examine the site of the graft union; it should be firm and solid. Plant bare-root roses as soon as possible, ideally within a day of purchase. Pick a location that has at least six hours of sunlight and air circulation. Morning sunlight dries foliage and helps prevent powdery mildew. Roses like well-drained soil that is neutral or slightly acidic. Place the bare-root rose in a tub of water for 12 to 24 hours prior to planting to hydrate the roots. Dig a hole large enough to accommodate the roots of the plant. Amend native soil with a third to a half portion of organic material such as compost, add half a cup of super phosphate or bone meal to the bottom of the planting hole and mix thoroughly. Examine the canes and trim if needed to create a cane length of about six inches long, ideally with three to five buds. Place the plant in position over a cone-shaped mound of amended soil and spread the roots over the cone, then fill in with more amended soil so that the graft union is about an inch above the soil line. Press firmly to remove air pockets, but dont compact the soil. Create a water basin around the new bare-root rose slightly larger in diameter than the root system. Fill the basin with water, making sure the soil around the roots is wet. Add a 2-inch layer of mulch before the first blooms. After the first blooms, the roots should be developed enough for feeding with a rose plant food. | https://www.sanluisobispo.com/living/home-garden/article223848720.html |
Will the Texans look into a different play-caller? | The question was presented to coach Bill OBrien Sunday during the teams closing press conference. I think at the end of every year we evaluate everything, OBrien said. Obviously, we just ended [Saturday]. But, well take a look at everything. OBrien was the play-caller for the entire season, and some of the criticism was that he was too predictable or stuck to a conservative philosophy that handicapped his big-play passing game. And OBriens love for the run is undeniable as the Texans finished with the fourth-most rushes in the NFL at 472 despite being tied for the 13th-lowest yards per carry at 4.3. We always try to make the best decisions in the best interest of winning, said OBrien. Like I said after the game, I think we have a very good future here. A lot of things to fix, but like I said, well take a look at everything. The Houston offense had manifold problems beyond just a single play-caller. Their 50.0 percent red zone conversion rate was the fifth-worst in the NFL. Only the Dallas Cowboys had a worse red zone conversion percentage among 2018 playoff teams. Houston also had 15 red zone penalties, which played a part in their trouble in the red zone. If a simple change in play-caller can fix the problem, then the Texans need to make the switch. However, the problems hampering the Texans offense may have been more than a case of who held a laminated sheet of paper wearing a headset. | https://texanswire.usatoday.com/2019/01/07/will-texans-look-new-play-caller/ |
How Will Those Bonkers Golden Globe Results Affect Oscar Picks? | Green Book and Bohemian Rhapsody were the nights big winners. Photo: Alex Bailey/Twentieth Century Fox/Universal Pictures When its time to hand out their film awards, the Golden Globes have three main motivations. Like a critics group, they want to reflect the often idiosyncratic tastes of their membership. Like any self-respecting precursor ceremony, they want the prestige of predicting the Oscars. And, like the MTV VMAs, they want to create moments that everyone will be talking about the next morning. These goals are often in conflict, but occasionally, they align: The Globes handing Isabelle Huppert Best Actress in a Drama two years ago certainly was in keeping with the, lets say, continental sensibilities of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, but that surprise win also provided crucial momentum for Huppert to pick up her own Oscar nomination, and in retrospect was a key sign that Jackie just didnt have it. First, Im skeptical that big wins for Bohemian Rhapsody and Green Book mean that theyre our new Best Picture front-runners. The small voting pool of HFPA members ensures polarizing contenders have a much better shot at taking home the top prize at the Globes than at the Oscars, where the preferential ballot rewards consensus picks in Best Picture. And those Globes trophies tend to have a habit of sparking even more backlash. Recall the massive dunkfests that greeted La La Land and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri after they were their respective nights biggest winners neither wound up winning Best Picture. With the preferential ballot, its important to be loved but its just as important not to be hated, and I suspect too many people have issues with both Bohemian Rhapsody and Green Book for either to triumph. Twenty-four hours ago, I would have said A Star Is Born, before the Globes did everything but drop a handkerchief in the face of Bradley Coopers film. Star missing out on nominations for Best Supporting Actor and Best Screenplay seemed to indicate the HFPA was cooler on that giant than anticipated, and the ceremony confirmed the suspicion, with the film taking home only a single win: Best Song, an honor even the biggest Star Is Born hater would not have denied it. Still, it remains to be seen if the lack of love for the remake is widespread, or just one of those weird Globes things. The guild awards should tell us more if Star underperforms at those too, it might be time to start betting on Roma, Black Panther, or even a dark horse like The Favourite. If Best Picture is marked by uncertainty, a few other races became clearer last night. With wins in Best Director and Best Foreign-Language Film, Roma all but locked up those categories on Oscars night. Into the Spider-Verse triumphing in Best Animated Feature solidifies it as the surprise front-runner in that category, making this the rare year that title doesnt go to the Pixar entry. And in the supporting acting categories, Mahershala Ali and Regina King cemented themselves as the names to beat, though Richard E. Grant and Amy Adams should not be counted out just yet. Most interestingly, though, both lead acting categories remain open. Rami Maleks win over Bradley Cooper is proof the younger actors gaining in the race between the years two rock stars. I had been curious how the Bryan Singer issue would affect Bohemian Rhapsodys chances, but judging by its acceptance speeches Sunday night, Team BoRhap seems to have embraced the convenient fiction that the movie has no director. And, since filmmaker and star are known to have clashed on set, viewers can justify a vote for Malek as a vote against Singer, if they so choose. Over on the Musical/Comedy side, Christian Bale gave one of the nights more memorable acceptance speeches, and the prospect of him delivering another fiery podium moment may be enough for liberal Oscars voters to get over any subconscious aversion to marking a ballot for Dick Cheney. Best Actress, too, seems like a three-way race between the two Globes winners, Olivia Colman and Glenn Close, and the Star Is Born player who was snubbed. Working against Lady Gaga is the fact that shes a shoo-in for Best Song, which means shes also going to be singing at the ceremony; voters who love to spread the wealth around might embrace the chance to see someone else up on stage, too. Colman is the natural pick for the industrys sizable contingent of Commonwealth voters, and Hollywood loves to reward an actress for playing a queen, even a mediocre one. Close, meanwhile, is a respected veteran who fought hard to get her film made, and shes been nominated for six Oscars without a win; to my ears, the ovation for her surprise win was the biggest of the Globes. Its rare for the four lead-acting winners at the Globes not to include either of the two Oscars winners, which is bad news for the Star Is Born duo. The last time it happened was in 1986*, when eventual Oscar winners William Hurt and Geraldine Page lost to Jon Voight and Whoopi Goldberg, respectively. I suspect the snubs were hurtful enough for Cooper and Gaga to have one very pointed question for the HPFA: Why did you do that, do that, do that, do that, do that to us? *This post originally misstated the winners of the 2009 Golden Globes. Kate Winslet did not win lead actress for The Reader because she was placed in supporting actress, and won. | https://www.vulture.com/2019/01/oscars-2019-how-the-golden-globe-winners-affect-the-race.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+nymag%2Fvulture+%28Vulture+-+nymag.com%27s+Entertainment+and+Culture+Blog%29 |
Could DSLRs replace video cameras? | DSLRs are in. Photographers and film makers are using them in their practice - and not just small fries either. In 2010, the season finale of the hit US drama House was shot entirely with a Canon 5D Mark II. "I use DLSR for my video work for a few reasons. Firstly it gives you manual control over the image that no other cameras in its price range really offer (certainly the 550D price range anyway)," says freelance video journalist Adam Westbrook. "You can control the aperture, the shutter speed, focus, ISO and frame size. 'Traditional' cameras that do this cost upwards of 2500. Cheaper camcorders don't offer this control." Westbrook has been shooting professional work on his Canon 550D for the past two years and he's produced some brilliant video as well as becoming an expert in filming in this way. Drawbacks He's in good company - On-Par productions, based in Cardiff, has experts in making film for commercial clients including Carlsberg, The Guardian and Fujitsu. Director of the company, Toby Cameron, films his work on DSLR because he prefers the picture and the HD standard fulfills the requirements for his work. However, he's well aware of the drawbacks: "Recording decent sound straight on to the camera is very difficult. If I had a pound for every time I saw a really well shot DSLR film, but the sound was terrible I'd be a lot better off," he told us, "We use a separate recorder and then sync up the footage afterwards, we use software called PluralEyes that syncs it up by using sound waves, it doesn't always work though." Cameron also notes that while SLRs are a really useful tool for the television and film industry, he can't see it becoming an industry standard. "TV is moving towards more HD content that has to be shot with a camera that captures at 50mb/s and Canon SLRs capture at about 35mb/s. Some super geeks have hacked the Panasonic GH2 camera and have got it capturing at 70mb/s, but you wouldn't see a broadcaster using a hacked camera. "The next wave of cameras that has just come out mix the best features of DSLR's and video camera like the Panasonic AF101, Sony F3 and now the Canon c300 (which captures at 50mb/s)." Limits Cameron's thinking is backed up by a BBC White Paper published just before the public release of the Canon EOS 5D MK II. Technicians stopped their testing of the pre-production model of the Canon 5D MK II at a very early stage because it failed aliasing pattern tests and "the results were not encouraging." Adam Westbrook explains, "they don't have manual audio control (without buying an expensive bit of kit) so most users resort to recording their audio separately and syncing it up afterwards which is a pain. Some cameras have issues with something called 'rolling shutter' which can distort the picture in certain situations. Almost every DSLR camera I know has a shooting limit of 12 minutes, which means you have to stop and start your footage regularly." That said, following some of the bugs being worked out, the Beeb has been experimenting more and more with DSLR and compact system cameras like this short report shot on a Sony NEX 5N, as has Al Jazeera... and CNN. It looks like more and more TV and journalism producers are choosing DSLR, with this week's Oscar nominations including a documentary short shot on a 5D Mark II. With the introduction of cameras such as the Canon C300, it'll be interesting to see how traditional video and stills cameras converge - watch this space. | https://www.techradar.com/uk/news/photography-video-capture/cameras/could-dslrs-replace-video-cameras-1057419 |
Does UE grad Rami Malek's Golden Globe win increase his Oscar chances? | CLOSE The 76th Golden Globe Awards brought tears, laughter and even made history. USA TODAY Brian May, left, and Roger Taylor, right, of Queen, and Rami Malek pose in the press room with the award for best motion picture, drama for "Bohemian Rhapsody" at the 76th annual Golden Globe Awards. (Photo: Dan MacMedan, USA TODAY) EVANSVILLE, Ind. University of Evansville graduate Rami Malek won best actor in a drama on the Golden Globes Sunday night. Malek's performance of legendary Queen lead singer Freddie Mercury beat out highly favored Bradley Cooper for the award. Cooper was up for his role in "A Star is Born." "Bohemian Rhapsody" also won for best motion picture drama. The University of Evansville congratulated the 2003 alumnus on social media. The Golden Globes are often hailed as predictors of Oscar winners. For best actor and actress, the odds are in their favor according to Flavorwire. Oscar nominations are announced Jan. 22. One of the two best actors (comedy and drama) at the Golden Globes walks away with an Oscar 90 percent of the time, the industry publication cited. Previous Globe winners getting an Oscar include Philip Seymour Hoffman in "Capote," Forest Whitaker in "The Last King of Scotland," Daniel Day-Lewis in "There Will Be Blood" and "Lincoln," Jeff Bridges in "Crazy Heart," Colin Firth in "The Kings Speech," Matthew McConaughey in "Dallas Buyers Club," and Eddie Redmayne in "The Theory of Everything" (all Drama), plus Jean Dujardin in "The Artist" (Musical/Comedy). The only time neither Globe winner took the Oscar was in 2008, when the Globes went to Mickey Rourke in "The Wrestler" and Colin Farrell for "In Bruges," but the Oscar went to Sean Penn for "Milk," Flavorwire reported. The Golden Globes only has about 70 voters compared to over 7,000 voters for an Oscar. Despite the size difference, It looks like Malek has good odds to get another award. The Oscars are Feb. 24 at 7 p.m. on ABC. Malek walked on stage to "Bohemian Rhapsody" and told the audience through shaky words, "I am beyond moved. My heart is pounding out of my chest right now. "... Of course to Queen. To you, Brian May, to you Roger Taylor for ensuring that authenticity and inclusivity exist in the music and in the world and in all of us. Thank you to Freddie Mercury for giving me the joy of a lifetime. I love you, you beautiful man. This is for and because of you gorgeous." More: Rami Malek on University of Evansville Theatre: 'They made me scared; They were so good' More: University of Evansville theater takes pride in Rami Malek, many other successful alumni Read or Share this story: https://www.courierpress.com/story/news/2019/01/07/rami-malek-golden-globes-winners-oscars-bohemian-rhapsody-freddy-mercury/2501120002/ | https://www.courierpress.com/story/news/2019/01/07/rami-malek-golden-globes-winners-oscars-bohemian-rhapsody-freddy-mercury/2501120002/ |
Where do polyolefins and olefins fit into 2019's petrochemicals story? | The below 2019 outlook from Stephen Zinger, Wood Mackenzie Senior Vice President Chemicals, looks at what the next 12 months will hold for the petrochemicals industry. Even in 2018, plastics continued to take centre stage for the worlds petrochemical industry. Global demand growth rates exceeded global GDP growth, we saw double-digit demand growth rates in China despite a waste import ban, there was another year of peak profitability across most regional petrochemical-to-plastic value chains and consumers and governments declared war on single-use plastics. Additionally, despite engaging in a trade war with China, the U.S. began implementing a large wave of export-oriented petrochemicals and plastics investments. The dynamic market events of 2018 will be further enhanced by these key themes concerning the petrochemical industry in 2019: Peak crude oil transportation demand Transportation demand, via gasoline, diesel and other distillates, represents the majority of end-use applications for crude oil. As a result, most existing oil refineries are configured to maximise transportation fuels. The majority of oil companies and analysts, including Wood Mackenzie, believe that transportation demand for crude oil will peak globally in the late-2020s due to improved internal combustion engine efficiency standards, increased use of electric vehicles, and consumer preferences. As a result, many oil production and refining companies are emphasising chemicals - particularly olefins and aromatics - as a key target area for future crude oil long-term demand growth. Dedicated crude-oil-to-chemicals technologies are being developed by Saudi Aramco, Sabic and ExxonMobil. Many traditional oil refineries will consider retrofitting to maximise production of chemical feedstocks rather than transportation fuels. Other major strategic moves will take the form of mergers, acquisitions, and joint ventures to more tightly connect companies that have crude oil/refined product supply with chemical markets and demand e.g. Saudi Aramco becoming one of the 5 largest chemical companies after acquiring Sabic. These trends will force national oil companies (NOCs) and international oil companies (IOCs) to greatly increase participation in petrochemical markets. Expand Global crude oil demand growth China's drive towards self-sufficiency for basic chemicals and polymers China has traditionally been the world's largest importer of most petrochemical and plastic raw materials, which has driven its rapid growth in finished goods manufacturing over the past fifteen years. China is massively investing in propylene and primary derivatives to become self-sufficient in this value chain, just like they have already done for polystyrene and PVC chains. China is currently only around 55 per cent self-sufficient in the ethylene value chain and continues to be the largest importing country in the world for ethylene, polyethylene, ethylene glycol, and other ethylene derivatives. However, China will begin to measurably increase its self-sufficiency in the ethylene value chain through more domestic capacity in this sector beyond the traditionally state-controlled companies of Sinopec, Petrochina, and CNOOC by encouraging further private Chinese and Western investments. The majority of new refinery/paraxylene projects will be implemented by private Chinese companies. These crude-to-chemicals projects often include ethylene complexes as well. Several Chinese steam crackers will also be built by private companies based on imported ethane and/or LPG. Even with an ethylene self-sufficiency rising above 60 per cent, China will still be extremely dependent on imports for this value chain. There will be a race to fulfill this need among new domestic Chinese capacity additions, other Asia capacity additions (e.g. Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia), Middle East capacity additions, Russia capacity additions, and North America capacity additions. Therefore, competition for importing ethylene and ethylene derivatives into China will likely become tougher. Second wave of investments in North America North America's shale gas developments have accelerated a huge wave of new ethane-based ethylene/PE/MEG export-oriented facilities starting up in the 2017-2019 period. A second wave will reach FID in 2019/2020, with commercial production expected in the first half of the 2020s. However, North American ethane prices rose to unexpectedly high levels in 2018 due to inadequate infrastructure to bring ethane from shale gas fields to steam crackers, and a surge in demand from the first wave of new ethylene facilities. This recent spike in ethane prices will give pause to those considering a second wave of investments in North America. However, there is plenty of cost-advantaged ethane supply in North America to support a second wave of export-oriented ethylene and derivative facilities that will become available after further ethane midstream infrastructure investments are completed. Significantly more NGL exports will also occur from the U.S., as evidenced by increased volumes of associated liquids anticipated from the Permian Basin and the construction of several new export terminals. Many of these new NGL exports will be targeted to feed China's propylene (new PDH units) and ethylene (new ethane and LPG crackers) assets. However, as long as the current trade war continues between the U.S. and China, many new China chemical project decisions and government approvals based on imported ethane and propane will be delayed. | https://www.britishplastics.co.uk/bprblogs/guest-blog/where-do-polyolefins-and-olefins-fit-into-2019-s-petrochemic/ |
Where Was Lady Gaga at the Golden Globes Parties? | They sought her here, they sought her there. They sought Lady Gaga everywhere. At the half-dozen parties held at the Beverly Hilton hotel following the Golden Globes on Sunday night, it seemed as though every celebrity was looking for the singer and nominated actress, if only to touch the hem of her enormous periwinkle gown. I wanted to meet Lady Gaga, I really did, said Chuck Lorre, who won a Globe for producing Netflixs The Kominsky Method. I would have said thank you for all the great work she does. But the artist was not present. After winning for best song (and losing in the best acting category) Lady Gaga somehow managed to vanish in a puff of Valentino taffeta. Other stars were there to be seen but not heard. At Amazons after-party, held at the hotels Stardust Penthouse, Timothe Chalamet begged off interviews so he could dance with his mother, Nicole Flender. | https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/07/style/golden-globes-parties-lady-gaga.html |
Could Immunotherapy Offer a Cure for Cancer? | Stein appeared to be yet another doomed patient, but his doctors noted an interesting coincidence: Each time he developed a high fever, his tumors began to shrink. Four and a half months later both the infection and the cancer were gone, and Stein walked out of the hospital, Graeber writes. Coley determined the difference was that Steins fever had somehow enlisted his immune system as a cure. That moment could have signaled the beginning of the field of immunotherapy and, perhaps, the beginning of a new way to fight cancer but no one else in the medical field bought it. Instead, as Graeber points out, Coley was relegated to quackdom, and the conventional, respectable treatments for cancer remained those of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation cut, burn and poison in the words of the author and the medical establishment he writes about. It is simplistic but probably accurate to say that most cancer research went in the wrong direction early and stayed there: The conventional wisdom held that it was best to attack the disease instead of looking for ways to help the body heal itself. Graeber, then, tells an untold story that runs parallel to Siddhartha Mukherjees erudite 2011 cancer history, The Emperor of All Maladies. Immunotherapy teaching the immune system to attack cancer was barely even acknowledged when that book was published. In highlighting it now, The Breakthrough relates an unfolding and very frustrating mystery. Researchers have come tantalizingly close to beating the disease even creating miraculous cures in mice and the occasional human only to come up against another harrowing complexity in the body they hadnt imagined or anticipated. Over the years, these scientists became like a platoon that could get itself behind enemy lines, only to find itself without weapons. Returning with weapons, they would find they had no bullets. Returning with bullets, they would discover they had the wrong kind, and so on. The Breakthrough is the story of this desperate war waged on a cellular level. Like many medical stories, it isnt an easy one to tell, thanks to an unlimited supply of jargon and scientific terms that can cause a migraine in the average reader. (PD-LI seemed to be involved in a different type of T cell inhibition. It wasnt the activation phase. PD-I/PD-LI seemed to stop T cell attack long after they had been activated.) Graeber does a good job of hacking through it all, interspersing the medical research with interesting accounts of patients and their determined physicians. One of the most fascinating stories involves the eccentric and highly confident James P. Allison, once an outsider from the small Texas town of Alice, who went on to discover how T cells could be programmed to fight cancerous tumors. Graeber describes him as looking like a cross between Jerry Garcia and Ben Franklin a basic science researcher happy to be wrong 99 times to be right once. | https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/07/books/review/breakthrough-charles-graeber.html |
What the Heck Is That? | A SABRA is a Jewish person who was born in Israel . The term is related to the Arabic word sabr, which means patience and perseverance. In Hebrew, the word SABRA also refers to the prickly fruit of a species of cactus. SABRAs compare themselves to the fruit, which has a prickly exterior and a soft interior, as a way of describing that perseverance. The term was first used in the 1930s, before the establishment of the state of Israel, to describe those who had immigrated as part of the Jewish diaspora . How It Might Be Clued SABRA has been an entry in the New York Times Crossword a total of 47 times, most recently in the Friday, Jan. 4, puzzle by Neil Padrick Wilson. | https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/07/crosswords/what-the-heck-is-that-sabra.html |
Was ist der Unterschied zwischen westlichem und orthodoxem Weihnachten? | Im orthodoxen Russland kommt kein Weihnachtsmann. Es wird vorher 40 Tage gefastet und anschlieend zwei Wochen gefeiert. Es ist aber nicht so schlimm, wie es sich anhrt. Wir erklren es Ihnen mit diesen einfachen Fragen und Antworten. Bis 1918 lebten Russland und die westliche Welt nach unterschiedlichen Kalendern: Russland hielt an dem lteren julianischen Kalender fest, der nach und nach hinter dem modernen, gregorianischen, zurckblieb. Im Jahr 1918 bernahmen die Bolschewiki den gregorianischen Kalender in Russland, aber der Klerus beschloss, sich weiter an den julianischen zu halten. Nach ihrem Kirchenkalender feiern die Orthodoxen Weihnachten daher zwar auch am 25. Dezember, doch fr den Rest der Welt ist dann bereits der 7. Januar. 2 Moment! Getty Images Getty Images Nein, das mssen sie nicht. Es gibt gar keine Geschenke zu Weihnachten und auch der Weihnachtsmann existiert nicht. 3 Du meine Gte, warum das denn?! In Russland ist Weihnachten nicht so populr wie in der westlichen Gesellschaft, in der es vor allem um den Weihnachtsmann und Geschenke geht. Es ist in Russland ein hauptschlich religiser Feiertag, der vor allem von den Orthodoxen begangen wird. Konventionelle Feiern, die mit denen im Westen vergleichbar sind, finden zu Neujahr statt, wenn auch Geschenke ausgetauscht werden. Dann kommt der russische Kollege des Weihnachtsmannes, Vterchen Frost, in die Huser und bringt den Kindern Geschenke. Es ist ein offizieller Feiertag und vom 31. Dezember bis zum 8. Januar macht ganz Russland Urlaub. Getty Images Getty Images Nicht ganz. Es gibt einige Unterschiede. In Russland mssen Glubige, die in die Kirche gehen, eine lange Messe durchstehen, die Nachtwache, um die Freude an der Geburt von Christus dem Erlser zu beweisen. In der katholischen Kirche whlen die Glubigen zwischen drei Weihnachtsandachten: nachts, morgens oder nachmittags. In der orthodoxen Tradition geht dem Weihnachtsfest auch eine strenge Fastenzeit von 40 Tagen voraus. In der katholischen Welt kommt dem die Adventszeit am nchsten, eine Zeit der Vorbereitung und des Gebetes, aber ohne Beschrnkungen. Zu dieser Zeit des Jahres ist die Atmosphre im ganzen Land weihnachtlich, denn Neujahr rckt nher. berall gleichen sich die Weihnachtsbume, Dekorationen und Feiern. Wenn Sie eine Weihnachtsmesse besuchen wollen, gibt es in mehreren groen Stdten katholische und protestantische Gemeinden mit eigenen Kirchen, in denen Sie die festliche Atmosphre der Weihnachtszeit erleben knnen. Um vor Ort eine Kirche Ihres Bekenntnisses zu finden, knnen Sie in beliebigen Reisefhrern nachschauen. Fr Katholiken gibt es im Internet den Katholischen Online-Reisefhrer (eng). Fr die Protestanten ist es aufgrund der vielen verschiedenen Glaubensrichtungen etwas schwieriger, aber sowohl in Moskau als auch in Sankt Petersburg gibt es eine lutherische Pauluskirche. Alle Rechte vorbehalten. Vervielfltigung ausschlielich unter Angabe der Quelle und aktiven Hyperlinks auf das Ausgangsmaterial gestattet. | https://de.rbth.com/lifestyle/81391-unterschied-westliches-orthodoxes-weihnachten |
How serious is Trump about withdrawing from Syria? | The U.S. withdrawal from Syrian might not be as precipitous as it was originally described by President Trump. It also may not be as complete. Yesterday, during a visit to Israel where he met with Prime Minister Netanyahu, John Bolton outlined objectives that must be met before the U.S. withdraws from Syria. The timetable flows from the policy decisions that we need to implement, he explained. One objective, of course, is the comprehensive defeat of ISIS in Syria. Bolton acknowledged that pockets of ISIS remain. The other main objective identified by Bolton is protection of our ally, the Kurds. Bolton stated: Its also very important that as we discuss with members of the coalition, [and] other countries that have an interest, like Israel and Turkey, that we expect that those who have fought with us in Syria . . . particularly the Kurds [not be put in] jeopardy. I dont see how a complete U.S. withdrawal can be accomplished without putting the Kurds in serious jeopardy at the hands of Turkey. Turkey regards the Kurdish fighters were allied with as separatists and terrorists. Thus, the Turks cannot reasonably be expected to forebear from attacking the Kurdish forces if the U.S. is out of the picture. If Bolton is serious about protecting the Kurds, and if hes speaking for President Trump, we wont be withdrawing from Syria in the foreseeable future. I dont know and Im not sure he does. Yesterday he said he remains committed to the withdrawal but that I never said were doing it that quickly. Actually, he did say this. On December 19, he tweeted: Our boys, our young women, our men, theyre coming back and theyre coming back now. Fortunately, we need not take this statement literally. How seriously we should take it remains to be seen. | https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2019/01/how-serious-is-trump-about-withdrawing-from-syria.php |
What happens when Tobi Nussbaum vacates his seat in Rideau-Rockcliffe? | With Coun. Tobi Nussbaum leaving Rideau-Rockcliffe Ward for the National Capital Commission, remaining councillors will soon choose how they want to replace him. It all has to start with a written resignation from Nussbaum himself, submitted to the city clerk. At this point in time, no such notice has been provided and, therefore, no decisions have been formally taken, the citys media office said in an email Monday. Eventually, council declares the seat vacant. At that point, the Municipal Act gives it choices: Appoint someone to serve out the rest of the term; or Hold a by-election. It has to make this announcement within 60 days of declaring the seat vacant. From there, it can allow anywhere from 30 to 60 days for nominations. After nominations close, there would be 45 days until the vote, and probably one advance voting day. Nussbaum is leaving city hall to be the new CEO of the NCC. ALSO IN THE NEWS: Firefighters save home after residents report chimney fire Murderer in downtown nightclub death has conviction downgraded by appeal court Not fade away: Older Canadians are having more sex than ever [email protected] twitter.com/TomSpears1 | https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/what-happens-when-tobi-nussbaum-vacates-his-seat-in-rideau-rockcliffe |
Is a Yaiba Ninja Gaiden Z PS4 Remaster on the Way? | Koei Tecmo Files a New Trademark for Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z Koei Tecmo recently filed a new Ninja Gaiden trademark, but this likely isnt what many were expecting. The trademark is for Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z and was filed in the United States on January 2, 2019. Theres no word yet from Koei Tecmo on this development, but well see if anything comes of this. In case youve never heard of Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z, its a zombie-themed spin-off of the normal Ninja Gaiden series. It released back in 2014 for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC. It was far from well-received at the time of its release, and its current score on Metacritic is 43. Its also not a generally fondly-remembered game, making a potential revival somewhat curious. Still, its worth noting that trademark filings arent indicative of anything. However, as Gematsu notes, Koei Tecmo very rarely files trademarks it has no intention of following through on. With that being said, we could see a Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z remaster announced at some point in the future. Keji Inafune, who was a producer on the title, later blamed its poor reception on the then-current console transition. By the time Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z released, the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One had been out for about four months. Many were hoping the Koei Tecmos announcement at The Game Awards 2018 would be a new Ninja Gaiden game. However, it turned out to be a new Team Ninja-developed Marvel Ultimate Alliance game, though exclusive to the Nintendo Switch. If this turns out to be real, we could be seeing a new Ninja Gaiden game after all. Just probably not the one anyone was expecting. [Source: Reddit via Gematsu] | https://www.playstationlifestyle.net/2019/01/07/possible-yaiba-ninja-gaiden-z-ps4-trademark/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=possible-yaiba-ninja-gaiden-z-ps4-trademark |
What makes eco-friendly dry cleaners different? | A: Although some greener alternatives exist, most dry cleaners still use perchloroethylene ("perc" for short), a petroleum-based solvent that can be hazardous to the human central nervous system, with exposure causing headaches, nausea, dizziness and memory problems for some people. Perc's constituent components phosgene, vinyl chloride, carbon tetrachloride and trichloroacetic acid have also been linked to a range of other health issues, including liver and kidney malfunction, reproductive abnormalities and even cancer. Luckily for consumers, safer alternatives to perc for dry cleaning are available. The most common comes from a company called GreenEarth Cleaning, whose products and process form the backbone of a large network of independent "green" dry cleaners across North America. GreenEarth's process uses biodegradable liquid silicone essentially liquified sand in place of petrochemicals. Since liquid silicone is chemically inert, it doesn't chemically react with fabric fibres and is safe to use on delicate garments beads, lace, silk, cashmere and won't cause shrinkage. And perhaps best of all, it breaks down into natural elements (sand, water and carbon dioxide) that are safe for air, water, soil and people. In fact, liquid silicone is so safe that it is often a base ingredient in many everyday shampoos, conditioners and lotions that we put right onto our skin with no ill effects. From its humble beginnings in a lab back in 1998, GreenEarth's system is now used by some 6,000 dry cleaners globally. You can find one near you by searching the company's website, greenearthcleaningcanada.com. Another green alternative to dry cleaning is so-called professional wet cleaning, whereby fabric is laundered in a computer-controlled washer and dryer that uses water along with specialized soaps and conditioners instead of solvent and spins its contents much more slowly than a typical home washing machine. The result is that it's much gentler on fragile clothing. Yet another eco-friendly choice is liquid carbon dioxide cleaning, which uses pressurized CO2 in combination with other gentle cleaning agents to dissolve dirt, fats and oils in clothing instead of perc. One often-overlooked option is simply to hand-wash delicate clothes and fabrics in Woolite, or some other non-toxic detergent, and then hang them to dry. If you need your hand-washed clothes to have a finished pressed look, you can take them to a standard cleaner for pressing only. Despite the existence of greener alternatives, four out of five dry cleaners still use perc. Consumers should beware of dry cleaners that advertise their process as organic, given that perc can be considered organic because its petroleum-based chemicals do come out of the ground. If you aren't sure about that neighbourhood dry cleaner, ask them a few questions to find out what makes them consider themselves green. Just because they might recycle hangers or plastic bags doesn't get them off the hook as polluters if they use perc or other hazardous substances or processes. | https://www.therecord.com/living-story/9112989-what-makes-eco-friendly-dry-cleaners-different-/ |
How well has Raiders GM Mike Mayock evaluated the tight end position? | One of the great things about the Raiders hiring former NFL Network star Mike Mayock is that we have access to all of his player rankings since the 2006 NFL Draft. With all of that information, we may be able to find trends and make educated guesses throughout the draft process as to who Mayock may like, but also, what positions he knows bests. While we have all offseason to run through the tape and his draft boards, this piece is going to be a little less comprehensive. Instead, this simply a list of Mayocks top-five for each draft class since 2008. In the first three parts of this series, we reviewed Mayocks top quarterbacks running backs and receivers. Today, we are looking at how well Mayock has done evaluating tight ends. Here is the full list of his receivers since 2008, via the NFL.com archives: 2008 1. Dustin Keller, Purdue 2. John Carlson, Notre Dame 3. Martellus Bennett, Texas A&M 4. Fred Davis, USC 5. Jermichael Finley, Tennessee 2009 1. Brandon Pettigrew, Oklahoma State 2. Cornelius Ingram, Florida 3. Shawn Nelson, Southern Miss 4. Jared Cook, South Carolina 5. James Casey, Rice 2010 1. Jermaine Gresham, Oklahoma 2. Rob Gronkowski, Arizona 3. Dorin Dickerson, Pittsburgh 4. Dennis Pitta, BYU 5. Ed Dickson, Oregon 2011 1. Kyle Rudolph, Notre Dame 2. Lance Kendricks, Wisconsin 3. Luke Stocker, Tennessee 4. D.J. Williams, Arkansas 5. Virgil Green, Nevada 2012 1. Coby Fleener, Stanford 2. Dwayne Allen, Clemson 3. Orson Charles, Georgia 4. Ladarius Green, Louisiana-Lafayette 5. James Hanna, Oklahoma 2013 1. Tyler Eifert, Notre Dame 2. Zach Ertz, Stanford 3. Gavin Escobar, San Diego State 4. Travis Kelce, Cincinnati 5. Vance McDonald, Rice 2014 1. Eric Ebron, North Carolina 2. Jace Amaro, Texas Tech 3. Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Washington 4. Troy Niklas, Notre Dame 5. C.J. Fiedorowicz, Iowa 2015 1. Maxx Williams, Minnesota 2. Clive Walford, Miami (Fla.) 3. Tyler Kroft, Rutgers 4. Blake Bell, Oklahoma 5. Jeff Heuerman, Ohio State 2016 1. Hunter Henry, Arkansas 2. Jerrell Adams, South Carolina 3. Austin Hooper, Stanford 4. Nick Vannett, Ohio State 5. Beau Sandland, Montana State 2017 1. O.J. Howard, Alabama 2. David Njoku, Miami 3. Evan Engram, Ole Miss 4. Adam Shaheen, Ashland 5. George Kittle, Iowa 2018 1. Hayden Hurst, South Carolina 2. Mike Gesicki, Penn State 3. Dallas Goedert, South Dakota State 4. Mark Andrews, Oklahoma 5. Feel free to comment below. | https://raiderswire.usatoday.com/2019/01/07/how-well-has-raiders-gm-mike-mayock-evaluated-the-tight-end-position/ |
Was bedeutet Hingabe? | Keine Angst vor Hingabe, durch sie verwandelt sich das Leben in Anmut und Poesie. In der Hingabe gibst du nichts Wirkliches von dir auf - nur die falschen Vorstellungen und Illusionen des Egos gehen. Den Tod gibt es nicht, der Tod ist unwirklich. Aber du erschaffst ihn. Du erschaffst ihn, indem du Getrenntsein erschaffst. Hingabe bedeutet, die Idee von Getrenntsein aufzugeben. Der Tod verschwindet dann automatisch, es ist keine Angst mehr zu finden und der ganze Geschmack des Lebens verndert sich. Dann ist jeder Moment von so kristallklarer Reinheit, das reine Entzcken, die reine Freude und Glckseligkeit. Dann ist jeder Moment Ewigkeit. Und in dieser Hingabe zu leben bedeutet Poesie. Jeden Moment ohne Ego zu leben ist Poesie. Ohne das Ego zu leben bedeutet Anmut, ist Musik. Ohne das Ego zu leben bedeutet zu leben, wirklich zu leben. So ein Leben nenne ich Poesie: das Leben eines Menschen, der sich der Existenz hingibt. Hingabe die Aufgabe der Illusion vom Ich Und denke daran, lass es mich noch einmal wiederholen: Wenn du dich der Existenz hingibst, gibst du nichts Wirkliches hin. Du gibst einfach nur eine falsche Vorstellung hin, du gibst einfach nur eine Illusion hin, du gibst Maya hin. Du gibst etwas hin, das du von Anfang an niemals gehabt hattest. Und indem du das hingibst, was du nicht hast, bekommst du das, was du hast. Zu wissen, dass ich zu Hause bin, ich immer existiert habe und und ich immer sein werde, ist ein groartiger Moment der Entspannung. Zu wissen, dass ich kein Auenseiter bin, dass ich nicht entfremdet bin, dass ich nicht entwurzelt bin, dass ich zur Existenz gehre und die Existenz mir gehrt, beruhigt alles und es wird still und ruhig. Diese Stille ist Hingabe. Das Wort Hingabe gibt dir eine ganz falsche Vorstellung, so, als ob du etwas hingeben wrdest. Du gibst berhaupt nichts hin. Du lsst einfach nur einen Traum gehen, du lsst einfach etwas Knstliches gehen, das die Gesellschaft erschaffen hatte. Osho, Zitat Auszug aus The Book of Wisdom #4 | https://www.findyournose.com/was-bedeutet-hingabe |
What Will Be the Last Gadget Standing at CES 2019? | Every year, I enjoy judging the annual Last Gadget Standing competition at the CES show. The products in the competition are rarely the ones that get the biggest headlines at the showno 8K TVs or 5G phones this yearbut they are usually fun and interesting. This year's nominees include a variety of products that stand out by doing something different from the everyday. This year's nominees are: Harry Potter Kano Coding Kit is a build-it-yourself wireless wand that teaches how to code and learn about sensors. Following the step-by-step coding manual, you build a wand and learn about sensors, data, and code along the way. The wand combines a gyroscope, accelerometer, and magnetometer so it can track hand movements; and once you've built it, you can unlock a variety of Harry Potter settings and complete more than 70 coding challenges. It sounds like a great way to teach coding to fans. The HP Spectre Folio is a luxury laptop with a difference: it comes bonded to a leather-bound case, so it looks like a high-end notebook. It's actually a convertible that you can use as a traditional notebook, a tablet, or in an easel mode for viewing video. It has a 13.3-inch display, a low-power Intel Y-series processor, and a claimed 18-hour battery life. I've been using it (and am taking it to CES) and hope to have a full report next week. But in the meantime, here's PCMag's review. IQbuds Boost from Nuheara is an innovative assistive listening device. Earlier versions of the product served as noise-canceling earbuds that could be tuned to improve your ability to hear in particular environments, such as noisy restaurants or automobiles. But the Boost version goes one step further by adding Ear ID, a clinically-backed audiometric hearing assessment that calibrates the earbuds to the way you hear. The result is a truly wireless product that lets runs a clinically-approved hearing test, so it's perfect for people who have minor hearing loss. I've been trying these out as well, and they really fill a need in the market. Mixxtape is a music player that looks like an old-school cassette. As with most music players, you can load songs from your computer in all the standard formats. Then, you can listen to them via the headphone jack, Bluetooth, or most impressively by putting the drive into a standard cassette tape player. The nostalgia factor is strong. Orii from Origami Labs is a smart ring designed to let you send and receive text, make calls, and use your voice assistant in noisy environments without using a headphone or earbuds. Instead, you just hold your ring finger up to the side of your ear. It certainly sounds more convenient than pulling out your earbuds. Owl Car Cam is a dash cam with dual-facing HD cameras that uses LTE and connections to track what happens in and around your car. Like most dashboard cameras, It can show you what happened in a crash, but it can also show you what is happening during a break-in, and even as anti-theft floodlights to help protect your car. Vuze XR from Human Eyes combines a 360-degree camera and a 3D camera for VR 180 in a single device. The nifty device can have one camera on each side for a 2D 360-degree view, or you can twist it around to get a dual-camera 360-degree image. The basic video is at 5.7K resolution with 18 MP still image capture, and it includes the ability to live broadcast and share to social media in both Google and Facebook formats. It's a neat twist on the VR camera market. Yubikey 5 NFC is a hardware authentication device that supports multiple protocols, including FIDO2. In a world where account breaches have become so commonplace, multi-factor authentication is getting more attention; and perhaps the safest method is a hardware key. Yubikey has been the biggest vendor of such keys, and the latest version supports NFC so it can work with mobile devices as well as PCs. It's an important step forward towards better security. In addition, there will be two other currently unannounced products on stage, including one wearable and one audio product. Usually, the on-stage competition among the finalists is both interesting and entertaining, as the contestants try to convince the audience to vote for their product. This year's competition will take place at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, January 11 in room N255 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. I hope to see many of you there. | https://in.pcmag.com/hp-spectre-folio/127877/what-will-be-the-last-gadget-standing-at-ces-2019 |
Is pet insurance worth it? | Robert Bashores dogs cornered a muskrat in the backyard of his Lansing, Michigan, home. The muskrat won, and Nathan, a 5-year-old dachshund, fared the worst in that heated battle. Puncture wounds required a trip to the emergency vet and an $800 bill. VPI Pet Insurance, a subsidiary of Nationwide, reimbursed Bashore for nearly half that amount. "Get [insurance] as early in the dogs life as possible," says Bashore, who insured Nathan the muskrat hunter before he was 1 year old. "If thats not possible, still get it knowing that there may be some exclusions based on the dogs health history." Many owners feel the same way as Bashore. In 2017, more than 2 million pets in the U.S. and Canada were insured, reports The New York Times. According to Healthy Paws Insurance and Foundation, $17.1 billion was spent by pet owners on veterinary services in the same year. The average annual premium for accident and illness coverage was $516, and the average claim was $278. Whether you have a newly rescued cat or a pack of muskrat-hating pooches, pet insurance can help save money on veterinary care. While far less complicated than insurance for people, finding the right plan can still be a difficult process. Here are a few things to consider before selecting insurance for your pet. Early enrollment has its benefits Pet insurance companies use three key factors to determine your monthly rate: the pets age, breed and your geographic location. As with insurance for people, monthly rates increase over time. Accident and illness coverage for a 2-year-old Lab mix in Canton, Ohio, may cost $29 a month with a $100 deductible through ASPCA Pet Health Insurance, while the rate for a 9-year-old Lab mix in the same town would cost $31 a month. Many plans also cap the enrollment age for pets. ASPCA Pet Health Insurance enrolls dogs ages 12 and under, and cats ages 14 and under. VPI, the nations largest and oldest pet insurer, enrolls companion animals including birds, lizards and mice under the age of 10. Healthy Paws Pet Insurance & Foundation sets the age limit at 14. All three plans cover your pet throughout its life. Focus on the coverage rather than the premium Every plan offers something different and pays based on certain criteria, so look beyond monthly premiums to get whats best for your pet and your budget. Healthy Paws focuses on accident and illness coverage, with monthly rates for a 2-year-old mixed breed Lab ranging from $35 to $45. Once you pay the annual $100 deductible, the plan covers 90 percent of the veterinary bill with no service limits. ASPCA Pet Health Insurance offers four levels of coverage ranging from $5,000 to unlimited annually with deductibles ranging from $100 to $500, and reimburses pet owners 90 percent of usual and customary rates for veterinary services. VPIs popular Major Medical plan is around $80 with a $100 deductible. The ASPCA and VPI also offer wellness plans that cover routine services such as dental cleanings or vaccination for an additional monthly rate. Pre-existing conditions are not necessarily a deal breaker If you're going to buy an insurance policy, it's best to do so when you first get a pet. (Photo: Lubava/Shutterstock) Pet insurance companies will not cover conditions that existed before coverage begins, which is why its best to insure pets early. For older pets that do have pre-existing conditions, VPI offers an accidents and injury plan that ranges from $12 to $15 a month. However, some pre-existing conditions, such as recurring ear infections, may be eligible for coverage after a six-month waiting period, says Lisa Hockensmith, a representative with Hartville Group, which insures more than 100,000 pets for ASPCA Pet Health Insurance. "Pet insurance does a lot to make pet care much more affordable," she says. "Pre-existing conditions dont have to limit everything." Pet owners foot the bill first then get reimbursed Human insurance typically pays the healthcare provider, while pet insurance reimburses owners for a portion of veterinary bills. This means you have to cover fees for diagnostic exams or trips to the emergency veterinary hospital before getting a portion of those expenses reimbursed. Consider opening an emergency savings account to ensure that unexpected bills dont put a serious dent in your household expenses, and dont be afraid to ask your insurance provider for help. "There are situations where a pet parent has an emergency, and there could be a $4,000 to $5,000 bill for the emergency, and they dont have the room on their credit card to put the deposit down," said Healthy Paws CEO Rob Jackson in 2012. "If the emergency hospital and pet parent immediately faxes info of whats going to happen to us, we can appraise and pay the hospital." Jackson's dog Lilly had her own health scare that led to $700 in diagnostic tests. "Pet parents really view their four-legged family members as their children. About 43 percent sleep in the pet parent's bed, that's a long way from the dog house in the back yard," he says. "There's hardly a thing we do for our two-legged family members that we can't do for our four-legged family members." An ounce of prevention can save a wad of cash In 2011, Teresa Praus-Choe of Las Vegas, Nevada, joined VPI, paying $17 a month to insure Crispy Bacon, her pot-bellied pig. A month after getting coverage, she filed her first claim when Crispy discovered medication that had been placed within hooves reach. "We found a table knocked over with pills and half-pills on the floor," said Praus-Choe, adding that one bottle was completely gone. "He started vomiting and we called around to find an emergency room that referred me to another one." After calling the ASPCA Poison Control Center (1-888-426-4435) for guidance, the Praus-Choes loaded Crispy into the car bound for an emergency hospital. The pig was given an IV and charcoal, then transferred to his veterinarian for two days of monitoring. The total bill was $2,000 and VPI covered $350, about 20 months' worth of premiums. "Hes like my child and I would not have a child without having health insurance," Praus-Choe said. "Its more than I would have gotten back if I didnt have it." Ask about discounts Pet insurance has become a popular company perk. According to VPI, half of Fortune 500 companies offers group discounts of its insurance plans. Use VPIs online search tool to see if your company offers group discounts. ASPCA Pet Insurance has become popular among employers as well. Call 1-888-716-1203 to see if your company is in the insurance network or make a pitch to your HR rep. Healthy Paws (1-800-453-4054) also offers coupon codes and discounted rates to members of AAA, AARP, Costco and the military. Multiple pet discounts may be available as well. Remember, plans dont cover everything Just like insurance for people, pet insurance wont cover every accident or ailment. "Thats what a lot of people dont understand," Bashore says. "But the ultimate thing is it gives you peace of mind that you dont have to take your dog or cat in the ER, they tell you the cost and you think, 'How am I going to pay for this?' You dont have to be put in that position." Editor's note: This article has been updated since it was originally published in August 2012. Whether you have a newly rescued cat or a pack of muskrat-hating pooches, pet insurance can help save money on veterinary care. | https://www.mnn.com/family/protection-safety/questions/what-are-my-pet-insurance-options |
Was Cody Parkey's missed field goal tipped by an Eagles defensive lineman? | Cody Parkey accepted all of the blame for missing the field goal that would have given the Chicago Bears a wild-card win the Philadelphia Eagles. As it turns out, it looks like one Philadelphia Eagles defensive lineman might have gotten his fingertips on the ball. All-22 footage clearly shows Treyvon Hester got a piece of Cody Parkeys final FG attempt vs. Eagles. pic.twitter.com/kAZdjdXug4 Nick Shook (@TheNickShook) January 7, 2019 Its hard to tell from any angle exactly how much Hester actually made contact with the ball, but he took some credit for the miss when he met with reporters after the game. The Eagles are still alive thanks to the left hand of Treyvon Hester, who tipped Cody Parkeys final kick. pic.twitter.com/NliKZhQ2eZ Bo Wulf (@Bo_Wulf) January 7, 2019 Well never know if Parkeys kick would have gone in had it not been touched, but given that it hit both the upright and the crossbar, a couple of inches in a different direction could have been a big difference. These claims from the Eagles wont take much, if any, of the shame away from the Bears kicker, who will have a hard time living this down in Chicago. | https://bearswire.usatoday.com/2019/01/07/cody-parkey-missed-field-goal-philadelphia-eagles-wildcard-playoffs-treyvon-hester/ |
Was Carol Burnett Right About Variety Shows In The Modern Era? | Last night's Golden Globes was often surprising, with a Best Picture - Drama entry that few predicted in Bohemian Rhapsody, just as Green Book won for Best Picture - Comedy. Beyond surprises, the night had glamour alongside some truly excellent speeches (Jeff Bridges and Christian Bale come to mind). Notable among the speeches included a moving, thought-provoking tribute to TV from the iconic and influential Carol Burnett, speaking on her love for the TV industry and her doubt that variety shows, the classic show format of The Carol Burnett Show that thrived in America from the 1940s through the 1980s, could get enough network support to survive in today's world. Requiem for a Variety Show The Hollywood Foreign Press Association had invited Burnett as the first recipient of the newly-christened The Carol Burnett Award honoring individuals for "outstanding contributions to television on or off the screen." Having been honored with Kennedy Center Honors (2003), the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor (2013), and receiving a Screen Actors Guild Lifetime Achievement Award (2015), her influence on comedy has been as great as her well-deserved honors. Burnett's moving speech ended with her gracious expression of joy at the career she's had: This award, oh my gosh, so generously named after me, is dedicated to all those who made my dreams come true, and to all those out there who share the love I have for television and who yearn to be part of this unique medium that has been so good to me... Im just happy that our show happened when it did. And that I can look back and say once more I am so glad we had this time together. Notably, Burnett expressed her joy over having been able to launch "The Carol Burnett Show" in an era where networks would support such a show. In her words: Nothing like our show, and I might add other variety shows at the time, could ever see the light of day today because the networks just wouldnt spend the money... And because there are so many cable competitors, they are not going to take a chance. Variety is the Spice of Life Variety shows, once a major force in the TV landscape, have largely gone away. Saturday Night Live is perhaps the most successful continuing variety show proper in the U.S., with elements of the format (and their mixture of music, comedy, and other performances in a singular show) influencing other Late Night TV shows and, in a competition format, shows like America's Got Talent. Beyond SNL, variety shows proper have had a harder time in recent decades since the 1980s. Fox's Osbournes Reloaded (2009) was canceled after only one episode. A pilot episode for Rosie Live (2009) failed to take off at NBC. More recently, The Maya Rudolph Show (2014) sparked the May 2016 premiere of Maya & Marty (2016), which failed to thrive past its first limited season. One must wonder why these show, all backed by great talent, continue to fail today. I would argue that variety series absolutely can work these days, but perhaps network TV is no longer the right venue. With Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Hulu all vying for content (and Disney and Warner Media set to be on their tails soon) the TV content market is huge without even consideration of premium channels like HBO and Showtime, cable, or network TV. Streaming services are exactly the right venue for a variety resurgence. On the one hand, companies like Netflix and Amazon have enough money to gamble on the resurgence of the classic format, and it is strongly in their interest to do so. Hear me out. Netflix and Amazon (in particular) have been vying for Hollywood legitimacy--competing for major awards (Oscars, Emmys, Golden Globes), original content, and the talent to back that up. Old-guard Hollywood has been hesitant (though it is safe to say that hesitancy is slowly eroding given the increased proliferation of awards-season support for their offerings). What they don't have is history. Newer tech titans are flush with cash but have no storied legacies, yet giving rebirth to a storied Hollywood pastime like variety programs would be a perfect way to ingratiate themselves to Old Hollywood purists while pinning themselves as the start of a new chapter. The format is also perfect, adding the sort of streamable flexibility that individuated variety show elements (performances, skits, etc) could thrive with. The key to their success then would be the show's quality--the timeliness of the format, quality of writing, etc. The format is not too old to survive, but its content needs to be resonant with modern themes, comedic and musical styles, etc. -Invite A-tier comedians to guest-write skits. -Instead of a house band, have musical acts provide guest musical accompaniment. -Make sure the material is cutting edge and aimed at younger, streaming-savvy generations The notion that celebrity-packed content is enough to garner an audience is, it seems, an inconsistent bet at best. Putting The Rock in a film may help sell it to US markets, for example, but it sure didn't help Skyscraper--so much high-quality content competes for attention and popular acts are so prolific that celebrity is only a partial draw. Variety shows can thrive, but they need the right venue... and the right quality... to survive. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffewing/2019/01/07/was-carol-burnett-right-about-variety-shows-in-the-modern-era/ |
Whats in Store for the British Royal Family in 2019? | The Prince of Wales, the Duke of Cambridge, the Duchess of Cambridge, the Duchess of Sussex and the Duke of Sussex attend Christmas Day church services on December 25, 2018. For the royal family, 2018 was like the final season of a prestige television show. There were two royal weddingsboth Prince Harry and Meghan Markles, and Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbanksas well as the milestone of Prince Charless 70th birthday, with the announcement of Meghans pregnancy in the fall on top of everything else. A great number of plotlines converged, the year ending with a flood of rumors about a potential Kate-Meghan feud, as well as the report that the Sussexes will be moving to a home outside of London. Well, its going to be tough, but lets take a look at what we have to look forward to. Meghan and Harrys Move: As previously mentioned, Meghan and Harry made what was seen as a curious decision to turn down lodging at Kensington Palace, where they would have been living essentially next door to William and Kate, for the low-key Frogmore Cottage, located roughly 20 miles outside of London. Its been widely thought that the two are looking for more privacy for their growing family, as Meghan is due to give birth this spring (more on that in a second). Meghan and Harrys Baby: Yes, Meghan will be giving birth to a son or daughter at some point this spring. No one really knows exactly when, though well have a sense when the two move, as reports have said theyll be settled in at Frogmore Cottage before the child is born. There is much intrigue as to Meghans exact due date: she said on Christmas day she is nearly there. (We still have our money on them naming their child Juniper, whether for a girl or a boy.) Prince Louiss First Birthday: This will take place on April 23, presumably with a big Kardashian-style bash, with giant floats, Billie Eilish performing, and one of those Instagram-friendly cakes that breaks open with all the colors of sprinkles when you hit it with a mallet. 70th Anniversary of the Commonwealth: This one doesnt quite have the va va voom of a Meghan-Harry wedding, lets say, but this year marks the 70th anniversary of the Commonwealth (the London Declaration was signed in 1949), so there will be a number of high-profile events in connection with the anniversary, where a whole lot of fascinators will be worn, to be sure. Meghan Will Announce Her Patronages: Meghan has already had great success with her work on the Together charity cookbook, which supports the victims of the Grenfell Tower fire. But at some point this year, we will learn about her other patronages, and what specific causes and charities she will be focusing on, as approved by the Queen. Harrys 35th Birthday: Knowing Meghan and Harrys vibe, it seems likely Harry might have a low-key celebration for his September birthday. The Daily Mail would have no space for any other content for the subsequent week. Get Vanity Fairs Royal Watch A weekly overview of the chatter from Kensington Palace and beyond. E-mail Address Subscribe | https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2019/01/the-year-ahead-in-royals-2019 |
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