question
stringlengths 9
197
| article
stringlengths 174
99.3k
| url
stringlengths 23
392
|
|---|---|---|
Do Jazmine Barnes shooting suspects have gang ties? | Larry Woodruffe (L) and Eric Black Jr. (R) have both been charged in the shooting death of Jazmine Barnes. Larry Woodruffe, 24, and Eric Black Jr., 20, are charged with capital murder. Woodruffe has an extensive criminal history. Court records show Woodruffe was sentenced in January 2017 to two years in prison for assaulting a family member. That same year he was released under mandatory supervision, and by November he was charged with being a felon in possession of a gun. Court records show he pleaded guilty to a lesser charge in the weapons case and was sentenced to nine months in county jail. READ: What to know about the threat of gangs in Texas When Woodruffe pleaded guilty in the weapons case, he was two months shy of completing his sentence on the assault charge, according to court records. That someone was Larry Woodruffe and he murdered 7 yr old #JazmineBarnes in cold blood #brokensystem." That someone was Larry Woodruffe and he murdered 7 yr old #JazmineBarnes in cold blood #brokensystem pic.twitter.com/EieAAHgegG Joe Gamaldi (@JoeGamaldi) January 7, 2019 Gamaldi tweeted a photo Tuesday of Woodruffe throwing up what he says are gang signs, claiming, "This is the Dirtbag that killed #JazmineBarnes Take a good look before people start framing him as some misunderstood youth, here he is flashing gang signs and below is his extensive criminal history at the ripe old age of 24. He has no place in our community! #JusticeForJazmine." This is the Dirtbag that killed #JazmineBarnes Take a good look before people start framing him as some misunderstood youth, here he is flashing gang signs and below is his extensive criminal history at the ripe old age of 24. He has no place in our community! #JusticeForJazmine pic.twitter.com/Cp8raG5wON Joe Gamaldi (@JoeGamaldi) January 8, 2019 In an interview with KPRC2 on Tuesday, Gamaldi said there's no reason Woodruffe should have been on the streets. "There's plenty of blame to go around. The fact of the matter is we need to stop treating our criminal justice system like a factory. Everyone needs to slow down and look at these individual suspects. And when you see someone who's a documented gang member, who's a repeat offender, who's shown to have violent tendencies, throw the book at him. That's not the type of person you give a break to. Make sure he spends a lot of time in prison because these are our crime drivers. These are the people who are victimizing the hardworking people in this city," Gamaldi said. He urged citizens to call the district attorney's office and local judges to help keep criminals off the streets and help law enforcement officers. "(Police officers) are risking their lives. Theyre working their tails off out there, short-handed, and we just see these criminals go through the revolving door and theyre back out again. Its very disheartening," Gamaldi said. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott jumped into the conversation Wednesday, tweeting, "#JazmineBarnes the innocent 7 year old girl gunned down in Houston appears to have been killed by a gang member. There are too many gangs in Houston. We must expand the Texas Anti-Gang Task Force in Houston to clean our streets of this trash and restore safety." #JazmineBarnes the innocent 7 year old girl gunned down in Houston appears to have been killed by a gang member. There are too many gangs in Houston. We must expand the Texas Anti-Gang Task Force in Houston to clean our streets of this trash and restore safety. #txlege https://t.co/WTqLHCmlps Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) January 9, 2019 Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez then responded in a tweet, saying, "Absolutely gangs continue to be a growing problem. It is here and its something were trying to deal with. The landscape is constantly shifting. While enforcement is crucial, lets not forget the need to invest in prevention & early intervention." Absolutely gangs continue to be a growing problem. It is here and its something were trying to deal with. The landscape is constantly shifting. While enforcement is crucial, lets not forget the need to invest in prevention & early intervention #lesm #hounews Ed Gonzalez (@SheriffEd_HCSO) January 9, 2019 When asked about the suspect's gang ties, the Harris County District Attorney's Office issued a statement to KPRC2 that read, "We are limiting our comment to what we say in the courthouse." SEE A TIMELINE OF THE JAZMINE BARNES CASE BELOW: Copyright 2019 by KPRC Click2Houston - All rights reserved. | https://www.click2houston.com/news/do-jazmine-barnes-shooting-suspects-have-gang-ties |
Is The Tesla Model S Really A Robot Killer? | 1 H BY DOMENICK YONEY All your PR stunts are belong to us. Tesla is in trouble again. This time, were told, a Model S was in full-self-driving (FSD) mode in Las Vegas when it picked up a passenger and then promptly ran over a robot belonging to a company called Promobot. We are led to believe that this one robot had wandered away from a group of his robot pals as they were rolling themselves into the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) venue and found itself alone in the street. Cue an avalanche of very SEO-friendly headlines. We didnt run with the story from the get-go because, well, it didnt really add up. For one thing, contrary to a statement from the supposed passenger in this killer car, Tesla vehicles do not yet offer full self-driving. Nevermind that it just seems unlikely a person would randomly get into a parked Tesla Model S and start driving it through a parking lot, especially on Autopilot. Or that a perfectly-framed black and white video of the incident (with no sound) could immediately be obtained by the company. Or that the robot didnt fall over when it stepped off the significant curb. So while we didnt spend much time considering the story, Erik, from the Tesla-centric Drik YouTube did. He put together a video (above) detailing why he thinks the whole thing was an elaborate PR stunt. He makes some good points. Well let you watch his dissection of the press release put out by the Russian robot maker as well as the pair of videos that quickly went up on the companys YouTube account, which weve added here (below) and decide for yourself just how credible this claim is. For our part, we still arent buying it. Besides all the things Erik brings up there is also the interesting fact that two years ago, another robot freed itself from the confines of the companys headquarters and snarled traffic in Russia (video report of that incident also below). Source: YouTube | https://insideevs.com/tesla-robot-killer-hoax-video/ |
What Are Airports Going to Do About Drones? | For the second time in less than a month, flights at a major London airport have been halted by drone activity. On Monday evening, departures from Heathrow Airport were stopped for about an hour after a drone sighting nearby with the British military investigating the situation. Tiny Drone, Big Threat A demonstration of a drone striking the nose cone of an airliner from the Crashworthiness for Aerospace Structure and Hybrids (CRASH) Lab at Virginia Tech. It's no secret that a collision between an airliner and a drone could be catastrophic. Even though it's small, these "mechanical geese from hell" pose big threats to a plane's exterior and its engines. Yesterday's disruption at Heathrow has been minor compared to the holiday mess at Gatwick Airport, which shut down after an airport security officer spotted two drones flying over a perimeter road. Over 140,000 passengers had their flights diverted or delayed. Airport operations at Gatwick did not resume until 36 hours after the original incident. Geofencing restrictions built into consumer drones are supposed to stop them from operating in prohibited areas but those safety measures can easily be hacked. New UK laws prohibiting drone use near airports may stop hobbyists, but are clearly not enough to stop malicious users, such as criminals, terrorists, or activists bent on stopping flights. That leaves the use of force. The military capability brought in at Gatwick was withdrawn on January 3 and is now at Heathrow. The Ministry of Defence refuses to comment exactly what they are using, but we can gather a pretty good idea of what it is and what it does. There are currently six different ways to take down a drone, and some more plausible than others. Detect, Identify, and Jam Authorities at Gatwick airport searching for the offending drone on December 21, 2018. Getty Images Jack Taylor Small drones are elusive. Despite 93 credible sightings by witnesses at Gatwick Airport, there was no good video of the drone in action, and drones are just as difficult to spot on radar. Radar to spot and track aircraft is designed to filter out small, slow objects, which were previously most likely to be birds, so special sensors are needed for drones. According to Aviation Week Magazine, the system used at Gatwick was the $6 million Anti-UAV [Unmanned Aerial Vehicle] Defence System or AUDS. This combines a radar sensor from Blighter, a Hawkeye video tracker and thermal imager which can track and classify a drone, and a radio jammer from Enterprise Control Systems. Jammers work by interfering with communications between the operator and the drone. This is fairly easy with commercial drones, which operate on known wavelengths and have no resistance to interference. When a drone loses the radio link, it will attempt to fly back towards the operator to re-establish a connection. If GPS navigation is also jammed, it will usually land on the spot. There are many similar drone detection and jamming systems. According to The Times of Israel, the British used the Drone Dome system from Israeli company Rafael at Gatwick, another one combining specialist sensors and jammers. This is certainly possible given that the UK purchased a system earlier in 2018. However, this type of defense works only with consumer drones, which often rely on radio signals. More advanced drones can work on their own; for example, the new Skyraider from Aeryon has a "Dark Mode" for covert operations, flying autonomously with no operator link, while DARPAs Collaborative Operations in Denied Environment shows how whole swarms of drones can work together when both communications and GPS are jammed. And this capability is only going to spread. Shoot Em Down CC BY-2.0/FRANCIS FLINCH + JOHN MILLS (MODIFIED BY ERIC LIMER) Police considered trying to shoot down drones at Gatwick, but even that is not as easy as it sounds. While drones have been knocked down with thrown sticks, beer bottles, or by shotgun-wielding neighbors, these are usually slow or stationary drones hovering at short distance. Police at Gatwick were pictured armed with shotguns, which present less of a safety hazard than rifles but are only effective at close range. At an altitude of several hundred feet, and moving at 30 mph, a drone is an extremely challenging target. The U.S. Armys guidance on tackling small, low, slow drones advises that rather than individual soldiers trying to shoot at the drone, the entire platoon should fire their rifles and machine guns at a fixed point in the sky in the drones flight path so it runs into a wall of lead. However, every bullet has to land somewhere, and bullets can be dangerous more than a mile away. Massed firing into the sky in densely populated southern England would be likely to end up with unacceptable collateral damage. Even one broken window would draw unfavorable media attention. Call In R2-D2 Maybe something more advanced than manually aimed bullets is needed. The Phalanx CIWS fitted to U.S. warships is a computer-controlled, radar-guided cannon with an awesome rate of fire. Affectionately known as R2-D2 (and "the Dalek" to UK Royal Navy crews), it spits out 70 20mm rounds a second and can shoot down sea-skimming missiles at the last second before they reach a ship. A modified version, C-RAM, defends U.S. bases from rockets and mortar rounds. CIWS looks ideal for taking out small drones with shells designed to explode at a certain altitude so as to reduce injuries on the ground. But any duds would leave an area littered with unexploded ordnance, something that's happened to London before. During World War II, falling anti-aircraft shells sometimes did more damage than the bombers they were supposed to shoot down. For the meantime though, these systems are simply not built to deal with small, slow threats at low levels. Rockets and mortar rounds come in on a high trajectory where they show up well on radar, whereas drones can stay close to the ground. Phalanx would need to be integrated with a new radar/sensor system to cope with the threat, and protecting a major airport like Gatwick would be an expensive proposition. Tangled Up in Nets Skynet Nets are safer than bullets or missiles with no risk of collateral damage to the surrounding area. Skywall made by UK company Liteye is a bazooka-like device, which fires a net to entangle a drone and parachute it safely to the ground. There is no danger to anyone underneath and the drone is captured intact for forensic analysis. Other net projectiles range from Skynet 12-gauge shotgun cartridges to 40mm cannon rounds. But high-velocity rounds are dangerous projectiles. Skywall is launched with compressed air, which ensures that it is safe but means that range is limited to about a hundred meters, which would have been of little use to security personnel at Gatwick. Getting a Bit Sci-Fi U.S. Army / Monica K. Guthrie On its surface, lasers look like the ideal way to counter drone weapons. They are precise enough to hit small, agile targets a mile away, and there is no risk to people or property on the ground. Israeli aerospace outfit Rafael, who make the Drone Dome system allegedly deployed at Gatwick, can also supply a laser "hard kill" anti-drone module. There are a vast number of other counter-drone lasers jostling for room in the marketplace, from the U.S. Armys own version, to systems from makers like Raytheon and Lockheed Martin and European firms BAE Systems and Rheinmetall. Not to mention similar systems in China and Russia. Lasers have been shooting down drones on test range since 1973, but have not yet been used in action because of a key issue known as "dwell time." Rather than being instantaneous like a bullet, the beam has to stay focused on the drone for a period of time to melt or burn it enough to bring it down. Drones in tests fly in convenient straight lines, an unlikely path for a real target. Military lasers also work on specific, known wavelengths, so operators could coat their drones in protective material to reflect that specific frequency and degrade the lasers effectiveness. Fighting Fire With Fire DroneClash In the end, the best way to bring down a drone may be with another drone. An event known as DroneClash, organized in 2018 by Delft University of Technology, challenges developers and engineers to find creative ways to counter threat drones without any risk to bystanders. In last year's competition, teams armed their drones with entangling devices and dart guns or reinforced them for ramming. Dogfighting drones are a cheap, long-range solution which can be directed with high precision. The military has also done something similar. In June 2018, the U.S. Marine Corps fielded a mobile defense system called GBAD with an array of sensors, jammers, and missiles, along with a pod of interceptor drones. These are based on Raytheons Coyote drone and are armed with high-explosive warheads. Unlike missiles, the interceptor drones should not present a hazard if they fail to find a target and may even be reusable. No Easy Solution The motives of the drone operators at Gatwick and Heathrow are not known, but another drone incident looks like a near certainty. None of the existing solutions is likely to work on its own. In the future, airports are likely to rely on a variety of drone detection and tracking sensors, backed up by jammers and other systems such as interceptor drones. Cost will be an issue. While big airports like Gatwick and Heathrow may be able to afford several million for drone protection, smaller operators will not have that luxury, simply shifting the problem to the places that are less able to deal with it. Any failure is likely to lead to another shutdown, and at worst, a malicious drone could bring disaster. | https://www.popularmechanics.com/flight/drones/a25832417/airports-drones-gatwick-heathrow/ |
Were the Cuban Embassy Sonic Attacks Actually Just Crickets? | In late 2017, a number of diplomats and related personnel working at the embassy in Cuba suffered a series of bizarre health problems, including concussions and brain damage. No one knew what the problem was, and after more than a year of investigations officials were no closer to an answer. But now, a group of researchers may have found the culprit: Anurogryllus celerinictus, otherwise known as the Indies short-tailed cricket. From the very beginning, officials identified that the cause of the diplomats distress was related to some sort of sound they had been hearing. In March, the Associated Press released a recording of that sound. At the time, experts speculated that it could be some sort of sonic interference produced by a particular arrangement of electronic devices. The truth is likely to be much simpler. Two researchers, Alexander Stubbs from the University of California, Berkeley, and Fernando Montealegre-Z from the University of Lincoln in England, heard that AP recording and immediately suspected it was from some type of insect. They downloaded the recording and analyzed its acoustic patternsproperties like frequency, duration of the signal, and power spectrumand found it was an exact match to the noise made by the Indies short-tailed cricket. I can say fairly definitively that the AP-released recording is of a cricket, and we think we know what species it is, said Stubbs to The New York Times. Its tough to say exactly, but according to the researchersand everyone whos ever heard onethis particular species of cricket is very, very loud. Theres a chance the incredible din simply drove the diplomats our of their gourds, but its also possible that the cause of the diplomats suffering is actually completely unrelated to the noise. Still, thats one mystery solved, at least, and now future diplomats will know to pack some earplugs on their next trip to Cuba. Source: The New York Times | https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/animals/a25811537/cuban-embassy-sonic-attacks-crickets/ |
Will Microsoft scrap fees for Xbox Live? | It is an issue that's particularly pertinent to gamers right now, following aggressive PR moves from Sony to discredit Microsoft for charging for its Xbox360 online service. Massive revenue loss "As the majority of Xbox Live accounts are claimed to be Gold accounts by Microsoft, scrapping the fee altogether would result in the loss of a substantial revenue stream for Microsoft," said Industry Analyst Nick Gibson of gamesinvestor.com "Assuming 51 per cent of the current 17m Xbox Live users pay $49.99 [for a yearly subscription], then gold subscriptions would gross over $430m per annum, of which Microsoft would get to keep at least 50 per cent. It is difficult to see Microsoft sacrificing this dependable revenue stream." However, Gibson did add a word of caution, noting that "as PS3 and Wii's online services become more sophisticated (and remain largely free), it may reconsider this in the long term. Reducing the price is a more realistic option and would result in a higher conversion rate which may well offset the lower revenue per user." Successful velvet rope approach Piers Harding-Rolls, Senior Games Analyst over at Screen Digest is largely in agreement, and doesn't expect Microsoft to entirely drop subscription charges for Gold membership any time soon. Harding-Rolls told TechRadar that, at present he was "unaware of any official reduction in the cost of a Gold subscription to Xbox Live". He also added that: "there have been retailer promotions before for pre-paid subscription cards and Microsoft points, so Amazon's move is not necessarily a prelude to a wider drop in RRP for subscription." "Subscription revenue from the service represents a large majority of the more than $1bn Microsoft has generated from the service since its launch and aside from this revenue, which would be hard to relinquish, the current two-tiered membership approach appears to work well - much like the velvet rope approach for online games that are free to access, but then cost a subscription for premium features." Movie downloads bolster Live offering Additionally, the Screen Digest man reminds us that, "new Gold features, such as access to Netflix in the US, suggests that the premium subscription offer remains a concrete part of Microsoft's plans moving forward." CVG.co.uk's editor Gavin Ogden is, like us, a big fan of Xbox Live, for the simple reason that "for the price of a game a year you get a great online service populated with plenty of content that's updated regularly." Ogden is also aware that "cost of hosting all this content and maintaining the infrastructure of XBL must be absolutely huge to Microsoft, so they'll be keen to reap some kind of reward." The CVG editor turns our original question on its head, asking: "With this in mind, you've got to wonder how long Sony is prepared to foot the bill for the PlayStation Network?" "Aside from the differences in functionality and sophistication between Xbox Live and PSN, and their cost implications, Sony's strategic approach has historically been fairly different to Microsoft's in being less prescriptive about how its publisher partners use the PSN," argues Nick Gibson, in defence of Sony's free-for-all strategy. "To a great degree, this flexibility has reduced the financial burden of running the service for Sony. Despite new services and features being rolled out on PSN and PSN's growing user base, I cannot see Sony levying an Xbox Live Gold-style annual charge. Firstly, [because] its PSN revenues from PDLC and microtransactions are growing very rapidly, and secondly, it will want to continue using free network gaming as a competitive advantage over Microsoft." So there we go. It's unlikely that Microsoft will slash its Xbox Live fees by much (if anything at all) over the next year. The Redmond giant will only need to make changes to its online gaming strategy when Sony and Nintendo's online services are seen by the majority of gamers to be a threat to the value proposition of Xbox Live. Bah! And there we were thinking we might get something for nothing... | https://www.techradar.com/uk/news/gaming/will-microsoft-scrap-fees-for-xbox-live-506740 |
Did the Browns get it right with Freddie Kitchens? | Freddie Kitchens will be named the next head coach of the Cleveland Browns. On today's edition of Cover 2: A podcast on the Cleveland Browns, Nate Ulrich and Dan Kadar discuss the hire. Namely, these topics were covered: - How and why Kitchens ultimately got the job. - Whether it was a surprise that it came down to Kitchens and Kevin Stefanski of the Minnesota Vikings. - The decision to fire Gregg Williams as defensive coordinator. - Thoughts on how the hiring evolved from Mike McCarthy to Matt Campbell and Matt Eberlus to Kitchens and Stefanski. - Why Kitchens will probably call plays on offense, and if that's actually a good thing. - Who Kitchens might have in mind to be his offensive coordinator. - Some of the names who could be in play as defensive coordinator. Click here for a direct link. You can also subscribe on iTunes, Spotify and Google Podcasts. | https://www.indeonline.com/sports/20190109/did-browns-get-it-right-with-freddie-kitchens |
Why isn't there more outrage about the closing of Monarch? | Almost 1,000 families have chosen this school as their best option for their child's education over a local public school. If Baltimore wanted this school to thrive and succeed it would (Closing of Monarch Academy more about dislike for charters than problems with the school, Jan. 4). Keep in mind that the Baltimore School system has now decided to close a school backed by The Childrens Guild, which is one of the great local charitable organizations in Baltimore. A group that for 45 years or more has been helping kids in Baltimore. I guarantee it is not positive (Closing Monarch Academy Baltimore will traumatize students, Jan. 1). Get behind this school and help it succeed and do the same for other charities trying to make a difference in this city. We need all the help we can get to make Baltimore the best it can be. Steve Shaw, Owings Mills | https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/readersrespond/bs-ed-rr-monarch-closing-outrage-letter-20190108-story.html |
Where Can Apple's Growth Come From Now? | With Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) recently saying that its revenue for its important holiday quarter is going to be significantly below management's initial guidance for the period, some investors may be worried about the company's long-term growth potential. After all, the shortfall in Apple's revenue for the quarter is due to declining iPhone sales, management said. While it won't be easy for Apple to make up for weakness in a segment that currently represents 63% of the tech giant's trailing-12-month revenue, there are two segments with potential to be meaningful catalysts. Indeed, over the long haul, these two segments could become integral to Apple's growth story. These segments are services and "other products." A woman uses Apple Pay to buy a coffee More Image source: Apple. Services Apple's most important catalyst is arguably its services business, which includes revenue from iTunes, the App Store, and licensing, as well as revenue from services like Apple Music, AppleCare, iCloud storage subscriptions, and Apple Pay. As the company's second-largest segment, it accounted for 14% of fiscal 2018 revenue -- up from just 11% of revenue two years ago. Highlighting the segment's strong growth, trailing-12-month revenue for the segment is up 24% year over year. Importantly, Apple has said its services revenue isn't as easily influenced by volatility in emerging markets or the ebbs and flows of product launches as its iPhone segment is, making it a steadier and more reliable catalyst for Apple. In addition, management asserts that its services revenue growth is more closely related to the size of Apple's installed base of active devices, not quarterly sales. Fortunately, Apple's installed base is growing rapidly, up by about 100 million units over the past 12 months. "There are more Apple devices being used than ever before," Apple CEO Tim Cook said in his recent letter to shareholders about the company's lowered outlook for its first quarter of fiscal 2019, "and it's a testament to the ongoing loyalty, satisfaction and engagement of our customers." In a recent interview with CNBC's Mad Money host Jim Cramer, Cook said Apple is poised to announce more new "services" this year. While the CEO didn't describe the services, Apple is rumored to be working on a streaming-TV service and a news subscription service. Other products Looking beyond Apple's services business, another key catalyst is Apple's "other products" segment. The segment, which includes sales from Apple Watch, AirPods, Beats products, Apple TV, HomePod, iPod touch, and other accessories, is the company's smallest segment. But it's also Apple's fastest-growing segment. The segment's revenue climbed 35% year over year in fiscal 2018 and accounted for 7% of the year's total revenue. | https://news.yahoo.com/where-apple-apos-growth-come-220600432.html |
Is Donald Trump an illegitimate president? | Buy Photo President Donald Trump talked about his tax reform plan at the Pennsylvania Air National Guard 193rd Special Operations Wing at the Harrisburg International Airport in Middletown, PA on Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2017. (Photo: Jeremy Long, Lebanon Daily News)Buy Photo Betteridge's Law of Headlines is an aphorism stating, "Any headline that ends in a question mark can be answered by the word no." Thats true of todays header, as well as earlier headlines such as 2017: Americas worst year ever? and Is there a 12-step program for Phillies fans? But one end-December 2016 headline was an exception to Betteridge: 2016: Funniest political year ever? Politically, 2016 was hilarious! Donald Trumps election was a belly-laugh, a well-deserved poke in the collective eye of self-entitled Washington political and media elites convinced that the natural order of things includes their rights to govern and control the narrative. Buy Photo Jerry Shenk (Photo: Lebanon Daily News) President Trump was elected without their permission, indeed, over their objections, so, because voters rejected the judgment of their self-styled betters, Washington insiders consider Trumps election illegitimate and are working assiduously to undermine his presidency. More: LDN: 5 benefits of a Lebanon Daily News digital subscription More: Wait! What?! President Trump is vilified by Democrats and media, but also by GOP-Lite elites, all of whom are infuriated when President Trump meets their attacks with vigorous counterattacks, an entertaining habit to ordinary Americans who have endured years or, in some cases, generations of lousy governance, biased media and elite condescension. But, things that were amusing in January 2017 are less funny now. Media and political elites have lost credibility among large segments of the voting population, because, among other reasons, in contesting President Trumps legitimacy, they are really denying the legitimacy of the people who elected him. Author Kurt Schlichter observed that, pretending power sans accountability, elites believe the real problem is regular Americans like you [who] want to have a say in our government andlook what happens when you do. You elect the wrong people. People like Trump. Clearly, Washingtons bipartisan clubbies would have preferred a lousy president whos "one of us" to a president who "just isnt our kind." But Americans had a bellyful. Americans needed an advocate. Elites, everyone, must face facts: President Trump was inaugurated nearly two years ago, so constantly re-litigating Trumps electoral legitimacy is ridiculous. Professor Glenn Reynolds wrote: [Trump is] a symptom of how rottenly dysfunctional our sorry political class is. Take away Trump and theyre just as awful and destructive. He just brings their awfulness to the fore, where its no longer ignorable. Donald Trumps vanity candidacy prevailed in the Republican primaries, because enough voters found his style and message refreshing. Rejecting an unthinkable alternative, many who voted for him in November 2016 held only modest expectations for a Trump administration. Then, in 2017, everything changed. President Trump has fought, primarily for conservative principles, in ways Americans have rarely seen Republicans fight. Trumps judicial nominations alone changed minds and made converts. Voters expect elected officials to perform. Washingtons smug insiders havent performed, so America elected a promise-keeping, combative outsider who beat Hillary and revealed millions of Americans doubts about the Washington mediocracys self-assumed legitimacy. Contact the author: [email protected] CLOSE Hundreds raised money for Developmental and Disability Services of Lebanon Valley in the 29th Polar Bear Plunge. By Barbara West, for Lebanon Daily News Read or Share this story: https://www.ldnews.com/story/opinion/2019/01/09/opinion-donald-trump-illegitimate-president-conservatives-2016-election/2525232002/ | https://www.ldnews.com/story/opinion/2019/01/09/opinion-donald-trump-illegitimate-president-conservatives-2016-election/2525232002/?from=new-cookie |
Can Mueller indict Trump under seal to avoid the statute of limitations expiring while the president's still in office? | Get the Think newsletter. By Chuck Rosenberg, former United States attorney and MSNBC legal analyst Heres an interesting dilemma: Two Department of Justice memos suggest that a sitting president cannot be charged with a crime while in office. Though these memos constitute policy and not law, lets assume that if the president did commit a federal crime, these memos would be abided by the Department of Justice and, therefore, by Robert Mueller's team. Impeachment, then, would be the only means short of the extraordinary procedures envisioned by the 25th Amendment to remove a president from office during his term. One problem prosecutors face is that the statute of limitations to bring charges against that sitting president five years for many (but not all) federal crimes could expire if that president is elected to a second term and serves the balance of the first term and all of the second term without committing any more offenses. (In the old days, that would not be too much to ask.) As the 2020 presidential race heats up, and as the statute of limitation clock ticks, this is a question thats likely to be asked more and more. In fact, I have heard several thoughtful people including a serious and articulate member of Congress suggest recently that one option would be to file an indictment against a sitting president under seal and let it remain under seal, presumably until one or both presidential terms expired. The indictment would then be unsealed, and the case could proceed. Perhaps not. Heres why: The Sixth Amendment to the Constitution holds that [i]n all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial. Congress has codified that right in federal law. SIGN UP FOR THE THINK WEEKLY NEWSLETTER HERE In Doggett v. United States, the Supreme Court ruled that a delay of eight years and six months between a defendants indictment and his arrest violated his speedy trial act rights. The 1992 Doggett decision amplified a 1972 Supreme Court speedy trial act decision Barker v. Wingo. Going forward, cases involving potential speedy trial violations have needed to prove that the delays in question were caused by the government, and also that the defendant in question was harmed by the delay. Cases involving potential speedy trial violations have needed to prove that the delays in question were caused by the government, and also that the defendant in question was harmed by the delay. Generally speaking, when the government asks that an indictment be sealed and a federal judge grants permission it is to locate a fugitive. In fact, Rule 6(e)(4) of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure permits an indictment to be sealed under limited circumstances, noting that the: judge to whom an indictment is returned may direct that the indictment be kept secret until the defendant is in custody or has been released pending trial. The clerk must then seal the indictment, and no person may disclose the indictment's existence except as necessary to issue or execute a warrant or summons. Naturally, the government wants the indictment under seal so as not to tip off the bad guy. The government, then, must diligently search for the fugitive. Failure to do that, as in the Doggett case, can trigger speedy trial concerns and, in extreme cases, cause a court to overturn a conviction. Arguably, yes. As the Supreme Court noted in Doggett: For six years, the Government's investigators made no serious effort to test their progressively more questionable assumption that Doggett was living abroad, and, had they done so, they could have found him within minutes. While the Government's lethargy may have reflected no more than Doggett's relative unimportance in the world of drug trafficking, it was still findable negligence, and the finding stands. A decision by the government to indict a sitting president under seal coupled with a failure to do anything about it could run into Sixth Amendment headwinds. The majority opinion in the closely divided (5-4) Doggett decision noted that many federal courts consider a one-year delay to be sufficient to trigger a speedy trial inquiry. Put simply, a delay of one year is not dispositive (the case wont necessarily be thrown out) but it is concerning (and it might be thrown out). So, a decision by the government to indict a sitting president under seal coupled with a failure to do anything about it to initiate trial proceedings or to litigate the question of whether a sitting president can be charged with a crime could run into Sixth Amendment headwinds. It is not clear that the government would lose under these circumstances, but it could. By the way, you might be familiar with some of the Department of Justice lawyers involved in the Doggett case when it was argued in the Supreme Court. The solicitor general on the Doggett brief filed in the Supreme Court was a gentleman by the name of Ken Starr. And the high-ranking assistant attorney general who argued the case the first time in the Supreme Court in 1991 (before it was reargued in 1992) was a gentleman by the name of Bob Mueller. | https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/can-mueller-indict-trump-under-seal-avoid-statute-limitations-expiring-ncna956841 |
Did Democrats reverse border wall position after Donald Trump was elected? | Says Sen. Charles Schumer "repeatedly supported a physical barrier in the past along with many other Democrats. They changed their mind only after I was elected president." In his call for a border wall, President Donald Trump said Democrats made a U-turn on immigration after he was elected president. "Sen. Chuck Schumer, who you will be hearing from later tonight, has repeatedly supported a physical barrier in the past along with many other Democrats," Trump said Jan. 8 in his prime time address on the border wall. "They changed their mind only after I was elected president." Thats a mischaracterization of the barrier that won Democratic support 13 years ago. Just over half of Democrats in the Senate voted for the Secure Fence Act of 2006, which was signed into law by President George W. Bush, including then-Sens. Barack Obama, Chuck Schumer and Hillary Clinton. Most Democrats in the House voted against it, including Rep. Nancy Pelosi. The law authorized a fence along about 700 miles of the border between the U.S.-Mexico border. By 2015, U.S. Customs and Border Protection had constructed 654 miles of fencing, the Government Accountability Office reported. The fence was different from the wall Trump promised to build on the campaign trail, which he said would be made of "hardened concrete" as tall as "95 stories" with a "very big, very beautiful door." Trump derided the 2006 fence as too modest during the 2016 campaign he said it was "not a wall" but a "little fence" that could be scaled with a ladder. "Now we got lucky because it was such a little wall, it was such a nothing wall, no, they couldn't get their environmental probably a snake was in the way or a toad," Trump said. (Actually, the project didnt face environmental hurdles; we rated that part of the claim Mostly False.) A 2016 Associated Press report from the border described the fencing as "rust-colored thick bars" that form "teeth-like slats." That includes the steel fence dividing Nogales in Arizona and Mexico, which is between 18 and 26 feet tall. "There are miles of gaps between segments and openings in the fence itself," the AP reported. The Democrats offer to Trump is a continuing resolution on last years appropriations act, which provided $1.3 billion for fencing and additional money for other types of border security. The language made it so that the funds could only be used on repairing or extending fencing that had already been built under the 2006 law. Were rated similar statements in which the Trump administration has claimed Democrats wanted a wall as Half True, but here, Trump goes farther. Democrats have not changed their stance on the border fencing they previously supported; they simply dont support the more ambitious wall Trump proposes. Our ruling Trump said Schumer has "has repeatedly supported a physical barrier in the past along with many other Democrats. They changed their mind only after I was elected president." Schumer, along with tens of other Democrats including former President Barack Obama, voted for the Secure Fence Act of 2006, which authorized building a fence along about 700 miles of the border between the United States and Mexico. Thats the majority of the barrier in place today along the southern border. However, the fence was mocked as a "nothing wall" by Trump in the past and was far less ambitious, both politically and physically, than the wall Trump wants to build now. Finally, Trump says the Democrats no longer support their previous position simply because he wants it. But Democrats have actually proposed current funding for the fencing that was approved in 2006. We rate this statement Mostly False. | https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2019/jan/09/donald-trump/trump-democrats-reverse-border-wall-position/ |
Could The Southeast End Up Being The Worst NBA Division Ever? | Getty Image When the NBA expanded to six divisions from four in 2005, it retained a rule that guaranteed each division winner a top seed in the conference. Therefore, a team that won its division could finish no lower than third, even if it had a worse record than another team that didnt win its division. That led to some interesting jockeying for playoff seeding in 2006, most notably when the Los Angeles Clippers may or may not have deliberately lost to the Memphis Grizzlies in the last week of the season to fall to No. 6 in the West. As a result of that loss, the Clippers played the Northwest champ Denver Nuggets in the first round, who they beat handily, instead of the Dallas Mavericks, who finished 16 games better than Denver and eventually advanced to the NBA Finals. Needless to say, that was bad optics for the league, which immediately changed its postseason rules to only guarantee a division winner a top-4 seed in the conference, and not even homecourt advantage in the first round if the fifth seed had a better record. That worked mostly well, but also failed to solve the leagues issues. Over the next nine postseasons, five division winners received the No. 4 seed despite another team in the conference having a better win-loss record. The straw that broke the camels back came in the 2015 playoffs when the Portland Trail Blazers earned the No. 4 seed at 51-31 while two teams finished four games better, the Grizzlies and the San Antonio Spurs. | https://uproxx.com/dimemag/nba-southeast-worst-ever-division-miami-atlanta-orlando-washington-charlotte/ |
Will Patriots Home Dominance Continue Vs. Road Warrior Chargers? | FOXBORO, Mass. Sunday afternoon will be a battle of undefeateds, of sorts. The Los Angeles Chargers will visit the New England Patriots in the AFC Divisional Round with the winner inching one step closer to Super Bowl LIII. When the final horn sounds Sunday, one team will experience a first this season. After defeating the Baltimore Ravens, 23-17, in the wild-card round at M&T Bank Stadium, the Bolts now are 9-0 outside of Los Angeles. The Chargers only road loss came to the Los Angeles Rams, but they also won a home game in London against the Tennessee Titans. Meanwhile, the Patriots went a perfect 8-0 at home this season and earned a first-round bye for the ninth consecutive season. LAs success away from Southern California has galvanized the team, but quarterback Philip Rivers is aware of the tough task the road warriors face. This year we were a little more settled back in, Rivers said Wednesday on a conference call. As youve said, weve had some tough road trips. Weve had to go across the country and had a home game in London and been all over so its a tough group, its a tough team, you know, were well aware the Patriots havent lost at home and we havent lost out of LA County so one of those streaks are going to be broken on Sunday. Rivers and the Chargers are the most complete team the Patriots will have faced to this point. The veteran quarterback is surrounded by a bevy of offensive weapons, including running back Melvin Gordon, wide receivers Keenan Allen and Mike Williams and tight end Antonio Gates. LAs defense has two of the most-feared pass rushers in the league with Melvin Ingram and Joey Bosa, and one of the more underrated secondaries in the lead, led by cornerbacks Casey Hayward and Desmond King and rookie safety Derwin James. Gillette Stadium has brought out the Patriots A-Game this season, but the Chargers havent been phased on the road. Something has to give Sunday. Thumbnail photo via Tommy Gilligan/USA TODAY Sports Images | https://nesn.com/2019/01/will-patriots-home-dominance-continue-vs-road-warrior-chargers/ |
Will New York Fashion Shows Ultimately Land at The Shed? | For years, reports have been circulating that the fashion shows would take place at The Shed once it was completed. The Shed revealed Wednesday that the new nonprofit cultural organization dedicated to commissioning, developing and presenting original works of art, across all disciplines for all audiences, will have its opening season starting April 5. The Shed looks to present world premiere works in the performing arts, visual arts and popular culture. We have built a home where established and emerging artists working in all disciplines can create new work in ways that we cannot even imagine, said Alex Poots, artistic director and chief executive officer of The Shed. Ivan Bart, president of IMG Models and IMG Fashion Properties, said, We are hosting NYFW: The Shows at Spring Studios this February, and our focus is on the upcoming season. The Shed is an exciting new development with incredible potential to enhance New Yorks culture, and were confident many of our talent at Endeavor, whether with IMG or WME, will perform or engage with the space. He declined to discuss whether The Shed will be part of NYFW: The Shows future plans. IMG owns and produces NYFW: The Shows, the central hub of NYFW. A spokeswoman for The Shed had no update about Fashion Week. Sources indicate that ultimately the plan is for the fashion shows to take place at The Shed, but nothings been set yet. When asked whether New York fashion shows would ultimately show at The Shed, Steven Kolb, chief executive officer of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, said via e-mail, As Ive said that in the past, we dont produce shows. We are the official organizer and schedulers of New York Fashion Week and accompanying shows throughout the city. Actual production venues vary, with IMG hosting a significant number of shows. Thats a question for IMG and The Shed whether they plan to work together or if the Shed has their independent plans. Before landing at Spring Studios, the New York fashion shows traveled from Bryant Park to Lincoln Center to Skylight Moynihan and Skylight Clarkson. The Sheds building, located on West 30th Street between 10th and 11th avenues, has been named The Bloomberg Building, after former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who gave $75 million. The Sheds Bloomberg Building is a 200,000-square foot structure that can physically transform to support artists ideas. The eight-level base building includes two column-free galleries totaling 25,000 square feet; a 500-seat theater that can be subdivided into intimate spaces, and on the top floor, The Tisch Skylight for events and artist rehearsals, and The Tisch Lab for artist development. In fact, The Shed revealed a gift of $27.5 million from Jonathan M. Tisch, vice chairman of its board of directors, and his wife, Lizzie Tisch. Their gift supports the buildings construction and includes a $10 million challenge grant to a newly formed Commissioning Fund, to support the creation of new work at the Shed, along with the two major spaces on the buildings top level named for them. A hallmark of The Shed is a movable outer shell that can double the buildings footprint when deployed over the adjoining plaza to create The McCourt, a 17,000-square-foot light, sound and temperature-controlled, multi-use hall that can accommodate large-scale performances, installations and events. To date, The Shed has raised $488 million toward its capital campaign goal of $550 million, which includes building costs, organizational start-up expenses and the Commissioning Fund. The Sheds Bloomberg Building is designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro, lead architect, and Rockwell Group, collaborating architect. | https://wwd.com/fashion-news/fashion-scoops/will-new-york-fashion-shows-ultimately-land-at-the-shed-1202952247/ |
How Many Must Die? | In this age of fake journalism, rampant propaganda, and refusal by Democrat-run cities, counties, and states to comply with federal laws, accurate murder statistics are hard to come by. The same is true for those killed by drunk drivers. The numbers vary and are disputed by both sides, and are pretty much non-existent when it comes to whether the killer(s) was an illegal alien. However, it seems safe to suggest that somewhere around at least 6,000 Americans have been killed by foreigners who have entered our country illegally, and probably a lot more. It was not that long ago that a favorite mantra of the Democrats, run out every time they wanted to pass another law restricting the way government allows Americans to live, was, If it saves only one life, its worth it. Since the vast majority of the illegal aliens who have killed and murdered Americans have entered the country by crossing our wide-open southern border with Mexico, it seems curious, at best, and downright evil, at worst, that they refuse to do anything to stop the flow of these criminal invaders. Doing so would save not just one life, but thousands. There are several reasons behind this criminally negligent refusal to obey existing immigration laws and the Constitution, the willingness to shut down the government, to damage the economy and society, and to allow the rape, robbery, killing and murder of Americans, including children. The New Axis of Evil is a coalition that includes globalist fascists who want a North American Union, with no borders, and an unlimited supply of cheap labor, a permanent underclass. This group is made up of uber-rich Democrats and Chamber of Commerce establishment RINOs. Also in the coalition are radical leftists/progressives/socialists/communists, or whatever they are calling themselves this week. This group includes communist unions like the SEIU, and political gangs like Antifa and Black Lives Matter. They want the massive invasion to create chaos in our society and to undermine our traditional morals and values. Violence is an integral part of their tactics and strategy. A third group, and perhaps the strongest, and certainly the most despicable, is the Democrat Party, especially its leadership. They have trampled the Rule of Law into the dust, refusing to enforce our laws or prosecute thousands of criminal illegal invaders, regardless of the seriousness of the crimes they have committed. They have turned our elections into farces that the dictators of the world are green with envy over. Illegals have already swung elections in many states, and these cynical, power-hungry professional political tyrants hope to arrange for all 20 to 60 million again, getting an accurate number is impossible - criminal invaders to become registered Democrats, thus turning America into a one-party totalitarian dictatorship. How pathetic, not to mention disgusting, too, that the so-called leftist Womens Movement has also taken the side of the rapists, child molesters, wife-beaters, pimps, drug dealers, and human traffickers, in much the same way that they support Islamists. And, of course, Hollywood and the Ministry of Leftist Propaganda, aka, the mainstream media, are right up there, praising the New Axis of Evil and doing their best to aid and abet. All this is bad enough, but when you add to it the spineless, cowardly response of far too many Republicans, their refusal to stand firm against this attack on the safety of Americans and America by these groups and the criminal invaders they are abetting, you have a situation that cannot end well. In the 65 or so years that I have been, to one degree or another, politically aware, I have never, repeat: never, seen anything like what the Democrats and the left have done since the election of the total fraud, Obama, and then Donald Trump. They are clearly out to overthrow our free, capitalist, constitutional republic and replace it with a collectivist, totalitarian police state that has total control over every aspect of the lives of its captive population. Just a cursory look at the public statements of the groups cited above make it crystal clear that if they are ever able to get the control they so desperately drool over, they will make Hitler, Stalin, and Mao look like church deacons and boy scouts. The first step in solving any problem is to accurately define it. In this case, we need to stop, immediately, seeing the Democrats and the left as the loyal opposition, or indeed, as loyal Americans. They are NOT. They have not been for the past three decades. They are The Enemy, and lately, prove it on a daily basis with their actions and constant deluge of vicious, slanderous lies. We need to publicly denounce them at every turn, and demand, repeat: DEMAND, that our laws be enforced and criminals be punished. Only YOU can save CFP from Social Media Suppression. Tweet, Post, Forward, Subscribe or Bookmark us The son of a German immigrant, I am an archaeologist by profession, with a BA from Metropolitan State College of Denver, and an MA from Leicester University, in England. Over the years, I have lived and worked all over the country, and traveled in Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, Europe, Australia, and Japan. I sincerely believe in the old saying, America, love it or leave it. Please adhere to our commenting policy to avoid being banned. As a privately owned website, we reserve the right to remove any comment and ban any user at any time.Comments that contain spam, advertising, vulgarity, threats of violence and death, racism, anti-Semitism, or personal or abusive attacks on other users may be removed and result in a ban.-- Follow these instructions on registering | https://canadafreepress.com/article/how-many-must-die |
Could Charlotte Russe Be Up for Sale or Headed for Bankruptcy? | After restructuring its debt by more than 50 percent last year, Charlotte Russe Holding Inc. could be up for sale or headed for bankruptcy restructuring. According to reports in the Wall Street Journal, the decades-old, San Diegobased retailer is considering a sale or filing for bankruptcy protection. Reportedly, the retailer has hired Guggenheim Securities to explore strategic alternatives. Charlotte Russe executives did not immediately reply to inquiries about a possible sale or bankruptcy. Last year, Charlotte Russe reduced its term-loan debt from approximately $214 million to $90 million, which in turn reduced its annual interest expense by nearly half. The loans maturity date was extended with term lenders to February 2023, with the lenders receiving 100 percent of Charlotte Russes equity. At the time of the loan reduction, Charlotte Russe operated 532 mostly mall-based stores in 45 states and Puerto Rico. A few years earlier, Charlotte Russe expanded to include Peek Kids, with 11 stores and an e-commerce site. Over the past several years, Charlotte Russe has seen increased competition from other retailers including Forever 21 and other mall-based stores that target young female customers. Charlotte Russe has been led by Jenny Ming since she became the chief executive in 2009, taking over from Mark Hoffman, who left after some merchandising missteps and declining same-store sales. She previously had led Old Navy as its president. Charlotte Russe, named after a French dessert, was founded in 1975 by three brothersDan, Frank and Larry Lawrencewho grew up in the retail business in Brooklyn, N.Y. They opened their first store in Carlsbad, Calif. The concept grew slowly over the next 20 years into a 35-store chain and was acquired in 1996 by investment firm Saunders, Karp & Megrue and Bernie Zeichner, who at the time was Charlotte Russes chief executive. The company went public in 1999, trading on the NASDAQ market until the companys debt was acquired by lenders. | http://www.apparelnews.net/news/2019/jan/07/could-charlotte-russe-be-sale-or-headed-bankruptcy/ |
Will the LG G4 sport a 3K display? | According to a new rumour the upcoming LG G4 could be coming with an impressive 3K display. "Could be" is the key phrase here, as although we'd be interested in seeing such a stunning screen on the LG G4, this rumour is far from verified, so read on with caution. According to the MyLG website, a "trust worthy tipster" got in contact with a screenshot that claims to be a list of various specifications for a device with the model number 'LG-VS999'. MyLG has come to the conclusion that this device could be the LG G4, as its predecessor, the LG G3, had the model number LG VS985 for the Verizon model. Screen dreams In the screenshot the LG-VS999 is claimed to have a screen resolution of 16202880, which could suggest that the LG G4 will be getting a special edition for the Verizon network with a 3K screen. A similar rumour was posted on the French forum forum.hardware.fr, again suggesting the screen's resolution would be 16202880. Until we get further verification on these rumours we wouldn't get too excited, but if they do prove to be correct then we hope LG has also included a battery in the LG G4 that will be able to cope with such demand. | https://www.techradar.com/au/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/will-the-lg-g4-sport-a-3k-display-1282909 |
What is Titans GM Jon Robinson looking for in Matt LaFleur's replacement? | CLOSE Titans players discuss 33-17 season-finale loss against the Colts at Nissan Stadium. George Walker, Nashville Tennessean Jon Robinson (Photo: AP) Jon Robinson hoped the Titans would have more time with Matt LaFleur. But hes not surprised they dont. LaFleur, the former Titans offensive coordinator, was formerly introduced Wednesday as the Green Bay Packers' new head coach. His stay in Nashville lasted just one season, the risk of bringing in a young, offensive-minded coach who, by the way, also interviewed for the Titans head coaching position a year ago before Mike Vrabel won the role. Knowing his lineage and kind of the coaching tree that he came from, kind of knew that he was going to be (a) candidate (for head coaching positions), Robinson, the Titans general manager, said on Wednesday. Thought we would have him for another year or two, but Id say I wasnt surprised." In the wake of LaFleur's departure, the Titans are left to grapple with their unfortunate reality: a search for a new offensive coordinator means quarterback Marcus Mariota will have a fourth OC (and fifth play-caller) in five seasons. As coaching vacancies across the league continue to be filled, Robinson said his team wouldnt prioritize speediness over finding the right fit. Theres been several meetings throughout the course of the last two days, three days here with Vrabel and I about the direction that were going to go with the football team, Robinson said. Well, continuity. Among the potential candidates who could offer that trait are Titans quarterbacks coach Pat O'Hara and Rams quarterbacks coach Zac Taylor, who coached under LaFleur in Los Angeles in 2017. Robinson compared learning a new offensive play-caller to learning a foreign language. For Mariota and the Titans, the less foreign, the better. Absolutely, Robinson said. I think if that can happen so that there is some carry-over, some familiarity there, so that not just Marcus but all of our players on offense, whether its line protections, whether its formations, the less that we have to put on their plate to learn the different terminology, the different concepts, if theres carry-over, then I think they can build upon what theyve kind of gone through the last year. So well do our best to try to keep as much continuity as possible carrying over into the offseason and certainly into next season." Sizing up Marcus Mariota's 2018 Mariota threw for only 2,528 yards with 11 touchdowns and eight interceptions this season, though his 68.9 completion percentage set a franchise single-season record. But he suffered three nerve-related injuries over the course of 2018, which meant time away from the field (he failed to start on three occasions), which made things harder on his GM. "It definitely makes my job tough to really evaluate any of our players when theyre not 100 percent healthy, whether its Marcus or any other position group," Robinson said. "But I know that he is a tough football player. He cares about this team. He cares about his teammates. And hes made some good plays for us. Hes helped us win a lot of football games in my time here. "Im glad hes here and look forward to him taking some down time, getting healthy and getting back to work whenever that day rolls around in April." As for the decision to not play Mariota in the final game of the season, a winner-take-all scenario against the Colts on Dec. 30 at Nissan Stadium, Robinson reiterated points that both Vrabel and Mariota mentioned in the aftermath. "Knowing how much his teammates and this team and winning means to him," Robinson said, "yet trying to weigh in the health concerns from the opinions that we had gotten and kind of having a collaborative conversation about all that, at the end of the day, the players safety, regardless of who the player is, thats of paramount important to us. So yeah, it was a tough decision for us. It was a tough decision for him. But its one that we thought was best for everyone moving forward." Titans hire new strength and conditioning coach The Titans on Wednesday announced the hiring of Frank Piraino as their new strength and conditioning coach. Piraino replaces Tom Kanavy, who held the role for one season. Piraino joins the Titans after spending the past six years as the head strength and conditioning coach for football at Boston College, where Vrabel's son, Tyler, is a freshman offensive lineman. Piraino also spent time as the head strength and conditioning coach at Temple (2011-12) and Marshall (2010). Reach Erik Bacharach at [email protected] and on Twitter @ErikBacharach. More: 9 potential candidates to replace Matt LaFleur as Titans offensive coordinator Rexrode: Matt LaFleur to Packers: Green Bay's (possible) gain, Titans' (definite) loss | https://www.tennessean.com/story/sports/nfl/titans/2019/01/09/titans-offensive-coordinator-matt-lafleur-jon-robinson/2528210002/ |
What is impeachment and is it likely to happen to Trump? | US President Donald Trump's disregard for laws, limits and facts has ensured that talk of impeachment has dogged him from the moment he set foot in the White House. State attorneys general and good governance groups have sued him over accepting gifts from foreign powers. A special counsel continues to probe his ties to Russia, already resulting in convictions and jail time for his associates. Trump faces serious legal questions about White House policy accommodation of Russia after the Kremlin supported his presidential campaign. Trump has violated campaign finance laws, has staffed his cabinet with people rife with business conflicts, has interfered in ongoing investigations, and has undermined branches of the US government by singling out judges for criticism. Most presidents would struggle with one of these scandals; Trump is juggling multiple major scandals at the same time all of which gives rise to talk of impeachment. Here's what you need to know. Impeachment is the only process set out in the US Constitution for removing a president or official from their office after an election. | https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/what-is-impeachment-and-is-it-likely-to-happen-to-trump-20190108-p50q5t.html?ref=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss_world |
What Just Happened With Kliff Kingsbury? | Kliff Kingsburys head coaching career at Texas Tech was largely undistinguished. The team posted a 35-40 record and won only one of the three bowl games it appeared in during his tenure. He was fired in November, six seasons after returning to place where hed made his name as a quarterback. Kingsbury appeared, briefly, to take the familiar route for young hotshots ousted from head coaching jobs. He signed on in early December as the offensive coordinator at the University of Southern California, which was certainly a step down, but was nonetheless the kind of opportunity in which a marginal success could lead to a second chance as a head coach. But a funny thing happened to the San Antonio native on his way to Southern California: he somehow became one of the hottest names in the NFLs head coaching search. Failing upward happens in every industry, but its rare in football, where teams searching for head coaches are often in that position because the previous guy was a flop. But Kingsburys position is unusual. Hes a young coach, considered an offensive guru, and hes coached some of the hottest quarterbacks in the NFL. So though its unconventional for a guy to go from being fired from a mid-tier school in a soft NCAA conference to a head coaching gig at the NFL level, well, Kingsburys an unconventional guy. On Tuesday, the Arizona Cardinals swooped in and hired Kingsbury, who was also being heavily pursued by the New York Jets. The move was controversial for a few reasonsnot the least of which is that the Cardinals, whove struggled for the past several seasons and fired their previous coach after just one year, are now in a position to convince fans in Phoenix that Kingsbury can succeed at what he failed to do in Lubbock. For the past few weeks, Kingbsury was locked in a battle with USC over his future. Both the Cardinals and the Jets reached out to the university to ask permission to interview Kingsbury. Such calls fall into a nebulous spot among NFL rulesteams are required to request permission, but they arent penalized for conducting an interview without oneand USC declined. That decision led to speculation that Kingsbury might bet on himself, buy out his own contract, and walk to whatever NFL job wanted him. On Monday, Kingsburys name vanished from USCs website, and he scheduled his meetings with the Jets and the Cardinals. Its unclear what happenedits possible that Kingsbury and the university quietly agreed on an exit, or that USC Athletic Director Lynn Swann relented and allowed the teams to interview the coachbut regardless, he somehow finagled his way out of a job that he agreed to just a month earlier and into an opportunity to lead an NFL franchise. As much as the Cardinals decision speaks to Kingsburys reputation, it probably says even more about the current state of the NFL, and what a viable head coach looks like in 2019. This past season offenses put up massive points, spurred by unparalleled quarterback play. Middle-of-the-pack franchises like the Kansas City Chiefs were suddenly Super Bowl contenders because of young quarterback like Patrick Mahomes, whom Kingsbury coached at Tech. Basement-dwellers like the Cleveland Browns were feared and respected because of the success of Baker Mayfield, who followed Mahomes for his freshman year under Kingsbury in Lubbock before transferring to Oklahoma. Even the Broncos Case Keenum, who has seen only intermittent success in the NFL, was turned into an all-time college great with help from then then-offensive coordinator at the University of Houston: Kingsbury. John Weast/Getty Images Kingsbury almost exactly matches the profile of a hot NFL coaching candidate right now, in other words. Its a guy whos under 40, offensive-minded, branded an innovator and a quarterback whisperer. He looks like Rams head coach Sean McVay (the 2017-2018 NFL Coach of the Year), or like Bears head coach Matt Nagy (the favorite for the 2018-2019 award). Their offenses score a ton of pointsKingsburys NCAA offenses averaged almost 42 per gameand they have young quarterback to mold into a potential superstar. Most importantly, they can win fast. The Rams went from 4-12 to 11-5, then 13-3, under McVay. The Bears spent four seasons in last place in the NFC North before storming the division with a 12-4 record in Nagys first year. Selling the Cardinals fanbase on Kingsbury as the guy who went 35-40 at Texas Tech might be a stretch, but selling them on him as the second coming of Sean McVay might carry a lot of water out in the desert. (It was likely no coincidence that an early press release from the Cardinals, since amended, stressed that Kingsbury and McVay were friends.) And yet, theres a lot of questions that definitely wont be satisfied by an association with McVay. All of those questions are open right now, and well only learn the answers to some of them as the 2019 season kicks off in the fall. Either way, though, Kingsburys failure with the Red Raiders have left his arrow pointing in one direction: straight up, with the unlikely expectations of an NFL franchise on his shoulders. | https://www.texasmonthly.com/the-culture/what-just-happened-with-kliff-kingsbury/ |
Is Fan Bingbing making a comeback? | On Chinese social media platform Weibo, photographs of the actress - whose star dimmed after a tax evasion scandal last year - have emerged, with the 37-year-old sporting a brand of eyewear. A photograph also popped up on the Instagram account of her Thai fan club, with the caption mentioning a new 2019 line of eyewear. It is not clear which company she is endorsing, but it has been reported previously that she herself owned an eyewear company. The Weibo story, which speculated whether the advertisement could mark her first step towards making a comeback in March, drew mixed reactions, with not all netizens giving Fan their support. Fan, who topped Forbes' 2017 list of top earners in China with 300 million yuan (S$60 million), was fined 883 million yuan by the authorities last year over tax evasion. Television presenter Cui Yong-yuan had revealed in May that the actress had received two contracts for her work in movie Air Strike, with the one with a lower amount to be used for tax reporting. In the uproar that followed, online talk had it that she had been arrested when she disappeared from public view for about four months. Fan Bingbing is shown on an Instagram account of her Thai fan club, with the caption mentioning a new 2019 line of eyewear. PHOTO: INSTAGRAM/ FAN BINGBING_ THAILAND_FC After the fine was imposed, she broke her silence, posting on Weibo on Oct 3 that she had "lost selfdiscipline in the face of monetary benefit". "I sincerely apologise to society, to the friends who love and care for me, to the people, and to the country's tax bureau. "Without the party and the country's great policies, without the people's loving care, there would be no Fan Bingbing," she wrote. While she was photographed walking to a car outside Beijing airport on Oct 15, she has not been on the radar since. Some netizens said she had been lucky to avoid a jail sentence, but that the authorities could have imposed other unreported punishments, apart from the fine. Hong Kong's Apple Daily reported that Fan was banned by the authorities from acting for three years though this was never confirmed. Rumours also swirled that she planned to marry actor Li Chen - who had backed her throughout her ordeal - and bow out of show business. | https://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/is-fan-bingbing-making-a-comeback |
Are Aliens bombarding Earth with mysterious lights? | Scientists are puzzled about the source of mysterious, almost invisible light bombarding the Earth. These ultrastrong, ultrabright radio signals, known as fast radio bursts(FRBs) last only a few milliseconds and are thought to originate from billions of light-years away, though their precise source is unknown. Aliens have not been ruled out. The FRBs are different from the other array of radio signals and microwaves cast out by distant stars, black holes and other celestial bodies. The mystery is partially owed to a lack of data; since astronomers first discovered FRBs in 2007, only about 60 have been observed. Now, those numbers are growing fast. According to two new papers published Jan. 9 in the journal Nature, scientists working at the CHIME (Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment) radio telescope in the hills of British Columbia have detected 13 new FRBs in just a two-month span. Among these newly captured signals are seven bursts that registered at 400 megahertz the lowest FRB frequency detected so far and, for only the second time ever, an FRB that flashed repeatedly, six times in a row. Until now, there was only one known repeating FRB, Ingrid Stairs, a member of the CHIME team and an astrophysicist at the University of British Columbia, said in a statement. With more repeaters and more sources available for study, we may be able to understand these cosmic puzzles where theyre from and what causes them. Scientists have a few theories about those origins. Previous studies have suggested that FRBs may be the remnants of distant supernovas, or radiation spewed out by supermassive black holes. Avi Loeb, a scientist at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics who was not involved in the discovery, has said that we shouldnt rule out artificial origins, like the pulses of an alien spacecraft. *Read More livescience.com | https://www.nan.ng/news/are-aliens-bombarding-earth-with-mysterious-lights/ |
Can Chinas electric-car start-up Byton beat Elon Musks Tesla? | Tesla Motors chief executive Elon Musk showed up at a muddy Shanghai industrial suburb earlier this week for the groundbreaking ceremony of the electric carmakers first plant in China. By the end of this year, the first locally assembled Model 3 cars should start rolling off its production line. These vehicles would incur fewer taxes and be more competitive in pricing, reducing the edge that domestic Chinese electric car brands had over the Palo Alto-based company, which has to ship its vehicles from the US to China. The day after Musks appearance in China, one of his would-be competitors stood on stage more than 10,000 kilometres away at the CES trade show in Las Vegas to unveil its first production model. Byton, which has its headquarters in Nanjing, was showing an electric sport utility vehicle named M-Byte. What we are trying to offer is not just another electric car model, but a smart device, Daniel Kirchert, Bytons co-founder and president, said in an interview on Tuesday when asked to compare the Chinese start-up with Tesla. While Chinese electric-vehicle start-ups like Byton are striving to topple Tesla, they would probably not have come into existence in the first place if not for Musk, whose ability to upend a decades-old automotive hierarchy in just a few years captured the imagination of Chinas leadership. 2018 review: Huawei, share bikes, AI buses, electric cars and more China sees in connected electric vehicles an opportunity to reduce foreign oil imports and gain parity at last in automaking with established powerhouses like Germany, the US and Japan. It was with that in mind that China issued new car manufacturing permits to companies outside the auto industry, hoping to inject innovation and create a home-grown Tesla. Against that backdrop, the key to winning the keenly contested market for connected cars is in giving consumers the right smart features and having the imagination of the future of mobility, said Kirchert, a former Infiniti executive. And Byton believes the answer lies in having more screens. The M-Byte has not one, not two, but five screens: a 49-inch, edge-to-edge dashboard display, a tablet embedded in the driving steer and a new 8-inch touch screen in the centre console, combined with two more on the headrests for rear-seat passengers. So far most models designed by Chinese electric star-ups are closer to Teslas solution in terms of a centre control touch screen, said Kirchert, but we have leapt further, by taking into full account a self-driving era. Chinese Tesla challenger Xpeng set to roll out first electric car The company is working with deep integration apps including navigation and music that will provide individualised recommendations based on ones calendar schedule and interest preferences stored on the cloud. The model will feature Amazons Alexa for overseas markets and Baidus voice control for China. Similarly, Byton is working with US self-driving start-up Aurora and Baidu on self-driving technology for foreign and local markets, respectively. Deliveries are slated for the end of this year in China, and the cars will feature advanced autonomous driving capabilities. More than half of the 40,000 reservations it has received are from the US and Europe, Kirchert said. Even so, Bytons vehicles would be coming onto the market at about the same time as Teslas locally assembled cars, and more than a year after other Chinese EV brands like WM Motor, NIO and Xpeng have begun deliveries. Its pricing of about US$45,000 is also expected to be in the same range as Teslas China-assembled cars. The latters imported Model 3 now sells for 499,000 yuan (US$73,000) in the mainland. Despite being a late mover, Kirchert thinks the timing is just about right. The year of 2019 and 2020 will see the take-off of smart electric vehicles in the Chinese market, with more new offers and improved infrastructure, he said. | https://www.scmp.com/tech/start-ups/article/2181440/can-chinas-electric-car-start-byton-beat-elon-musks-tesla |
How can the Coyotes cope in wake of Nick Schmaltz's season-ending injury? | Arizona Coyotes center Nick Schmaltz (8) scores a goal against San Jose Sharks goaltender Aaron Dell, left, during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) (Photo: Ross D. Franklin, AP) Stop me if youve heard this one before: A key member of the Coyotes is expected to be out for a significant amount of time with a knee injury. Its a statement the Coyotes have had to make on several occasions this season, the most recent being center Nick Schmaltz, whom the team announced Tuesday will miss the remainder of the season. Other key players in the organization such as Antti Raanta, Jason Demers, Jakob Chychrun, Alex Galchenyuk and Nick Merkley have missed a significant amount of time due to knee injuries this season. Three of those players (Chychrun, Galchenyuk and Merkley) have since returned to game action, but Raanta and Demers are out indefinitely and neither are guaranteed to return this season, though Demers is more likely. Christian Dvorak (torn pectoral) and Michael Grabner (eye) are also both out indefinitely. Arizona Coyotes center Nick Schmaltz (8) is congratulated after scoring a goal against the Nashville Predators in the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Nov. 29, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey) (Photo: Mark Humphrey, AP) Schmaltzs absence hurts just as much as any of them and could represent the nail in the coffin that holds the Coyotes already-slim playoff chances. Since being acquired in a trade with the Blackhawks that also sent Dylan Strome and Brendan Perlini to Chicago, Schmaltz has amassed 14 points (five goals, nine assists) in 17 games serving as a top-six center with the Coyotes. Not only did Schmaltz serve as a ballast for the teams lineup during 5-on-5 play, but the 22-year-old was a dangerous presence on the Coyotes top power-play unit and displayed palpable chemistry with Clayton Keller on the man-advantage. Schmaltz is likely the most versatile forward in Arizonas fold, possessing speed, skill, creativity, intelligence and defense, among other things. (Schmaltz) came in and was basically what we had hoped for, Coyotes President of Hockey Operations and General Manager John Chayka said. He was a difference-maker. He made high-end plays, came with speed and made plays down the middle of the ice. That combined with his ability to be an elite half-wall guy and bring that dynamic, it really gave us a boost. Its a tough loss, but weve now experienced a few of these injuries and guys have stepped up and done a nice job." ANAHEIM, CA - DECEMBER 29: Arizona Coyotes rightwing Conor Garland (83) on the ice during warm-ups before a game against the Anaheim Ducks played on December 29, 2018 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, CA. (Photo by John Cordes/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) (Photo: Icon Sportswire, Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) Chayka mentioned rookie Conor Garland as a player who has seized the opportunity presented with so many regulars out of the lineup. The Coyotes have, perhaps surprisingly, managed to tread water in the Western Conference playoff race. They enter play Wednesday just six points off the playoff pace and at least one game in hand on most teams in front of them in the standings. Every team faces some sort of adversity throughout the year and ours just seems to be injuries, Coyotes assistant captain Derek Stepan said. Its the world we live in right now. Weve got guys banged up, but I feel like weve left points out there. As we sit now, were in the hunt. Realistically, weve got to win a lot of hockey games. Its not easy to make the playoffs, and Im not saying its impossible, but you never know what will happen. I think our group has faced the adversity extremely well and has had that hard-working mindset. Those things are a good formula. According to @ManGamesLostNHL, a Twitter account that tracks the amount of total games lost by injury for each team, the Coyotes currently rank second behind the Anaheim Ducks for the most man-games lost to injury this season. Forecasting suggests the Coyotes will likely surpass the Ducks in a few weeks for the NHL lead. While the Coyotes are trying to control what they can, its becoming more and more challenging each day to ignore the growing list of players on the injury report. For Coyotes head coach Rick Tocchet, the simplest approach seems to be the appropriate one. Dec 6, 2018; Glendale, AZ, USA; Arizona Coyotes head coach Rick Tocchet looks on during the first period against the Washington Capitals at Gila River Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports (Photo: Matt Kartozian, Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports) I think, as a coach, weve taken the approach a little while ago where if you think about other stuff you lose focus as a staff, Tocchet said. If somebody says, This guy cant play, then (Michael) Bunting comes in and weve got to make sure Bunting does the stuff we want him to do. You have to have that approach as a coaching staff otherwise youll drive yourself crazy. If both Kevin Connauton, who is day-to-day with a lower-body injury, and Josh Archibald, whose wife is days away from giving birth, are forced to miss Thursdays game against the Vancouver Canucks, the Coyotes will be without eight regulars from their 23-man roster. As Christian Fischer said after a recent game, the Coyotes are at a point where we need every point. As the injuries continue to pile up on this team, those points will get tougher and tougher to come by. Coyotes' Christian Fischer (36) misses a chance to redirect a shot on Canucks' goalie Anders Nilsson (31) during the first period at Gila River Arena in Glendale, Ariz. on October 25, 2018. (Photo: Patrick Breen/The Republic) Still, the Coyotes arent hanging up the skates just yet. Each injury is a bigger chunk and a bigger chunk and a bigger chunk, Stepan said. Obviously Schmaltzy really balanced out our lineup really well and added an element that we didnt otherwise have. With all that going on, its next man up. It seems like the cliche thing to say, but we dont have a choice. This is our situation and we have some big roles open. If were going to compete for the playoffs, everyone needs to grab a chunk of the rope and pull. READ MORE Richard Morin covers the Coyotes and Diamondbacks for azcentral sports. He can be reached at [email protected] and by phone at 480-316-2493. Follow him on Twitter @ramorin_azc. Thursdays game Coyotes at Canucks When: 8 p.m. Where: Rogers Arena, Vancouver. TV/Radio: FSAZ/KMVP-FM (98.7). Outlook: The Arizona Coyotes (18-21-3) begin a three-game road trip when they visit the Vancouver Canucks (20-21-4) on Thursday at Rogers Arena in Vancouver. The games will all be against Pacific Division rivals in western Canada, also featuring games in Edmonton (Saturday) and Calgary (Sunday). The Canucks, who have lost two of their last three games, will begin a six-game homestand with Thursdays game against the Coyotes. This is the second of four meetings between the teams this season, with the Coyotes taking a 4-1 victory over the Canucks on Oct. 25. The Canucks are led in scoring by rookie Elias Pettersson with with 42 points (22 goals, 20 assists) and center Bo Horvat with 36 points (17 goals, 19 assists). | https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/nhl/coyotes/2019/01/09/how-can-arizona-coyotes-cope-wake-nick-schmaltzs-season-ending-injury/2530457002/ |
Would Mexico "indirectly" pay for the wall? | Mexico made it clear it won't pay for the border wall promised by President Donald Trump during the 2016 election campaign. Yet Mr. Trump keeps repeating the notion in various forms, most recently tying it to his newly renegotiated trade agreement with Mexico. The latest utterance came in his speech from the Oval Office last night. "The wall will also be paid for indirectly by the great new trade deal we have made with Mexico," Mr. Trump said. Fact check: False. The new trade agreement reached last year, called the United States Mexico Canada Agreement, or USMCA, would replace the existing North American Free Trade Agreement, known as NAFTA, which has been in effect since the early 1990s. NAFTA eliminated most tariffs between the three signatories, with a few exceptions. USMCA, which does little to change those eliminations, isn't yet in effect. That's because Congress still needs to ratify the deal (as do legislative bodies in Mexico and Canada). In the U.S., USMCA ratification is far from certain and isn't likely to be taken up soon, given Democrats now control the House and the government remains partially shut down. Even if the new trade deal is enacted, it's not clear how funds in the U.S. Treasury would be earmarked to build Mr. Trump's wall. Congress controls the purse strings The president has previously implied that tariffs paid on Mexican imports could be used to bolster U.S. coffers and, in turn, be eventually allocated to pay for wall construction. That's also problematic: Congress drafts budgets and must approve any government spending. "Donald Trump keeps repeating the ludicrous claim that somehow the revised NAFTA will fund his wall even though it remains unclear if the deal will be enacted," Lori Wallach, director of trade policy for advocacy group Public Citizen, said in a statement. "And if it is, the text does not include border wall funding directly nor would it generate new government revenue indirectly given it cuts the very few remaining tariffs, not raises them." Tariffs are taxes paid at the border to the government in order to import goods and services into the U.S. for sale inside the country. Any taxes collected into the U.S. Treasury that could be allocated for wall construction would still have to be approved by Congress, which at the moment remains at an impasse with Mr. Trump on that very topic. It's why the government is partially shut down. Reminder: Companies, not countries, pay tariffs Importers like Ford or Walmart pay these duties. They either swallow the cost or pass it along to consumers. That means it's often ordinary Americans who foot the bill for tariffs. Mr. Trump's trade levies are designed to make certain goods more expensive for U.S. consumers, who in turn are likely to seek out lower-cost items made in the U.S. or from countries that aren't facing the higher tariffs. For U.S. manufacturers, purchases are often raw materials, like steel, or finished and semi-finished parts, like seats for automobiles. The U.S. also imports food and commodities like grain and meat. Take steel and aluminum. Mr. Trump's White House imposed tariffs on imported steel and aluminum last year. Because prices for imported metals are now higher, domestic producers have also been able to raise prices. And it's those increases that can get passed onto consumers for the finished goods. When it comes to the USMCA, Mexico generally doesn't pay taxes on goods imported into the U.S. If there are tariffs, U.S. companies pay them. Higher tariffs can force a company to pass on that extra cost to the consumer. Another theory is that the U.S. economy will be so good under the new agreement that the U.S. Treasury's coffers will swell, providing enough funds to pay the billions for Mr. Trump's wall. That's a lot of ifs, given the current impasse, experts have noted. Bottom line: No matter how many times Mr. Trump says it, Mexico probably isn't paying for the wall, directly or indirectly, anytime soon. As things now stand, U.S. taxpayers would wind up with the bill. | https://www.cbsnews.com/news/border-wall-trump-claim-mexico-will-pay-for-the-wall-indirectly-usmca-nafta/ |
What's the N.L. 2018 Word of the Year? | That's so 2017. (The word, that is. The bearded men were back at it with another calendar, raising money for a good cause.) Merb'ys, you may recall, was crowned 2017's Newfoundland and Labrador Word of the Year. Now, the St. John's Morning Show is on the hunt for what will be the winner of 2018. "It'd be great if it was particular to Newfoundland and Labrador," said Paul De Decker, a professor of linguistics at Memorial University in St. John's. "Cultural relevance is always something that we have to take into account and we have a lot of things going on here, so I don't think it's going to be any problem coming up with a word." They made such a splash, Merb'ys was named the 2017 N.L. Word of the Year. (Photo credit: Ritche Perez) Some suggestions De Decker has some of his own suggestions that should be in contention. "They've been around for a while, but there seem to be more food trucks on the sides of roads in 2018 than in previous years," he said. "Food truck two words, but we're going to count it as an option." Sticking with the food and drink scene, De Decker said growler is another one on his list of contenders and one of his favourites. A popular draft beer container, it's also the name of the ECHL team based in St. John's. Krissy Holmes, co-host of the St. John's Morning Show, is pitching "cannasseur," a portmanteau of cannabis and connoisseur. Ian Power says he is a 'cannasseur, not a stupid stoner.' (Ted Dillon/CBC) Ian Power gets the credit for using (creating?) the word when he was interviewed by CBC, in the minutes after weed was legalized as of 12:01 a.m. on Oct. 17. "I like to call myself a cannasseur ... I'm a cannasseur, not a stupid stoner," said Power, who was among the first people to purchase cannabis legally. De Decker said it could be a winner. "Now that cannabis is legal in Canada, we'll probably find new words being added to that lexicon. There's a new culture that's being created [with] the legalization of marijuana, so we're going to expect new words coming into that as well," he said. But don't discount old favourites, De Decker said. Boondoggle could bounce back. The word was used by Stan Marshall in 2016 to describe Muskrat Falls, but the megaproject is back on the front burner, garnering lots of heat at the inquiry over the last several months. "Not a new word, but it certainly came into currency again," De Decker said. "You just say boondoggle, you're talking about Muskrat Falls ... here's a good word that's current, it's given new life, new meaning, and everyone's aware of what it refers to." Wordsmiths, we want you! We want to hear your opinion. Tweet us your suggestion, and the reason behind it, with #NLWordOfTheYear. Or, even better, calling the Morning Line and record your nomination at (709) 576-5259. You can also write it in the comments section below. The winning word will be announced Friday on the St. John's Morning Show. | https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/2018-newfoundland-labrador-word-of-year-1.4971871?cmp=rss |
Why wait to trade for Wayne Simmonds? | Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window) A shrewd contender should ask themselves a simple question regarding a Wayne Simmonds trade: Why wait? Simmonds name has been surfacing in trade rumblings lately, including when Darren Dreger weighed in on the matter during Tuesdays edition of TSNs Insider Trading. Dreger and others indicate that Flyers GM Chuck Fletcher is still mulling over options, with at least some possibility for Philly to simply re-sign the 30-year-old power-play whiz. The Athletics Pierre LeBrun reports (sub required) that Simmonds reps are expected to increase pressure on Fletcher to make a decision soon (maybe by the end of the week), and while that might lead to some sweaty palms, its likely for the best overall. In fact, it could end up being a situation where everyone the Flyers, Simmonds, and a potential new team wins. Consider the many factors at hand. Lame duck: Lets face it, the Flyers essentially sealed their fate without Simmonds when they handed James van Riemsdyk $7 million per season with considerable term. The two players are just too similar from an age and role (power play ace, big body) perspective. Unfortunately, its been a tough season for Simmonds and an even rougher one for JVR. On one hand, Simmonds has motivation as his near-$4M cap hit is set to expire, as his next contract is a true mystery. The current situation doesnt seem particularly happy for Simmonds, and the Flyers might not have a ton of luck driving his value any higher. Plenty of selling points: Luckily, Simmonds brings a lot to the table already. Were talking about a forward whos not that far removed from regular 30-goal seasons, and while his next contract could be risky, hes a better bargain rental than that Oscar winner you nabbed at RedBox. Naturally, he checks a bunch of old-school intangibles boxes. (Cuts to GMs salivating.) Buying time: The waiting game may or may not make sense for the Flyers, but there are some significant reasons why a contender should get him sooner rather than later. For one thing, theres the stupidly simple logic: if you land Simmonds, that means your competitors dont get him. Its also worth noting that, giving Simmonds affordable cap hit, that same contender might be able to land another big fish. Considering rumors about the Golden Knights allegedly running out of time to trade for Erik Karlsson, it might help to cross an item off of the to-do list. Lets not forget human elements, either. When a players traded, that person has to find somewhere new to live, possibly relocating family too. Some players are creatures of habit almost to a Rick Spielman level of zaniness (looking at you, Jack Eichel, hopefully with more reasonable pants policies). Disrupting those habits could be a real bother, particularly mid-season. The sooner youd land Simmonds, the more likely youd be able to get him comfortable with new teammates and new surroundings before the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs kick in. Youd get more time to make sure youre optimizing strategies on the power play, where Simmonds seems like a dynamite difference-maker. And, hey, getting extra looks at Simmonds could be crucial if said contender is thinking long and hard about signing the winger beyond this season. It would be dangerous to make such a decision based on, say, 30+ games, but that would sure beat about 15 regular-season contests. *** The proactive argument makes sense for quite a few would-be trade targets, yet Simmonds ranks as one of the clearer cases, as hes one of those UFAs whose teams have been noncommittal about the future. (In other words, hes not being wooed with free vodka to stay in town, like Artemi Panarin is with Columbus.) Seeing Simmonds score big goals for a contender might sting for the Flyers and their fans, yet trading him might help that franchise get back to a place where theyre doing the contending. Sometimes that means making tough decisions, and this is a great time to pull off that Band-Aid. MORE: Your 2018-19 NHL on NBC TV schedule James OBrien is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter @cyclelikesedins. | https://nhl.nbcsports.com/2019/01/09/why-wait-to-trade-for-wayne-simmonds/ |
Is There Bias Against Movies With VFX by Awards Voters? | Cinema lives or dies by illusion. To make stories work, movies must take audiences to another place, suspend their disbelief and thrill them. And effects, whether created in-camera or in post-production or a combination of the two, have always been among the tools used by filmmakers to make that happen. But despite their vital role, visual effects have qualified for a five-slot Oscar category in only the past decade, and films deemed heavy on VFX have often found themselves on the outs in the acting and writing categories. The effects category has evolved over time. In 1963, the special effects award was removed and two categories one for visual effects and one for sound effects were created. Then, from 1977 to 1979, a maximum number of five VFX nominees were permitted, though 1979 was the first year to max out nominations. From 1980 to 1995, two or three films could be nommed in the VFX category; by 1996, the rules required exactly three VFX nominees. Since the 82nd Academy Awards in 2010, the category has grown once again to five nominees. If so, the studios are partly to blame. Related 'Black Panther': How Comic Books Informed the Costumes of Wakanda Tennessee Bids for Production With Old South Charm, Country Music Icons and Incentives Theres the legacy issue that VFX is the stepchild of the movie industry, says Scott Ross, former general manager of effects superpower Industrial Light & Magic and founder of Digital Domain. Ross was with ILM at the time of Robert Zemeckis 1988 Who Framed Roger Rabbit, a pioneering mix of live action and animation and a landmark film for VFX. I wanted to tout from the highest building the work Industrial Light & Magic did on this film, Ross says, but Disney came down on me like Reagan on the Soviet Union. They said you cannot talk about it. Do not mention it. To overcome the studios prohibition on the use of images or photos from the film to promote ILMs work, Ross expressed congratulations to the filmmakers by running an ad in the trades that showed an illustration of the magician who was in ILMs logo pulling Roger Rabbit out of a hat. Visual effects supervisor Kevin Baillie whose credits include Star Wars: The Phantom Menace; Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire; Transformers: Age of Extinction; and Zemeckis latest, Welcome to Marwen believes that films that use VFX in lieu of narrative are partly responsible for the negative feelings toward his trade. People are really looking to hear a story, Baillie says. Bob Zemeckis believes every shot should have a reason for being there and that every shot is a visual effect in a way because youre capturing light through a lens. Youre telling a story, and either people want to see it or they dont. The paradox is that while VFX are often considered a kind of muscular filmmaking with little depth of story, many effects-heavy films draw from beloved fantasy or science fiction books. Whether its Lord of the Rings, the Harry Potter films or the recently released Mortal Engines, based on the novel by Philip Reeve, such books have a strong connection with their readers, and in view of their content, it would be difficult if not impossible to bring them to the screen without plenty of VFX and heavyweight effects talent. Indeed, VFX supervisors and tech experts often collaborate to create proprietary tools that make the stunning shots in these films possible. And each new story demands a fresh look at ways to bring effects to the screen in a manner that audiences who have been exposed to so many VFX can really believe what theyre seeing. Its the kind of marriage of art and science that made film possible in the first place. There are lots of big films where theres a sheer spectacle of VFX, says Christian Rivers, director of Mortal Engines. We wanted to be true to the book. We wanted real characters sitting in the fantastical setting of these effects that fill out and support the story. They shouldnt be mutually exclusive. The films I loved when I was growing up were character-driven stories that had the spectacle of visual effects. I dont buy that just because a film has a lot of visual effects it should be a big background for lots of product placement. Terminator and Alien were great films that told great stories and had lots of spectacle. You can have both things and tell a really good story. | https://variety.com/2019/artisans/production/is-there-bias-against-vfx-by-awards-voters-1203102835/ |
How about we grow our own? | By BROOKE COLE STANSBURY & FRANK SHELTON, KCPS Kentucky is open for business! National quit rates and state unemployment rates seem to agree that the job market is getting better...sort of. The answer is the lack of a skilled and talented workforce. This is not to say that local schools are just turning out students who arent willing to work. Its more complex than that. Not everyone c.an graduate top of the class. But everyone can graduate with a path or at least a plan. Additionally, those at the top must be motivated to stay. You must be logged in to view this content. | http://mountainadvocate.com/how-about-we-grow-our-own/ |
Is Bohemian Rhapsody on Netflix? | Rami Malek's performance as Freddy Mercury in the Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody will certainly go down as being a more than a suitable tip of the cap to the legendary performer. The wildly popular film took viewers inside the slightly historically inaccurate rise to fame of the genre-shifting and highly influential stadium rock band and resonated with both viewers and critics alike as it racked up Golden Globes for Best Film of the Year and Best Male Actor for Malek's chameleon-like portrayal of "Mr. Farenheit". But what real fans of the band are wondering is where is the award for actor Gwilym Lee's uncanny ability to recreate guitarist-songwriter Brain May's flowing curly locks. But, I digress. Before earning these accolades, the film had already crossed the milestone of being the most profitable biopic of all time making nearly $200 million in ticket sales worldwide. While the over-under on whether or not most people have seen the film is in the favor of "of, course we've seen it", now is the time to see what everyone is talking about (for better or for worse). Rami Malek. Photo: Getty Images. While it's in our nature to want everything to be streaming THIS second, unfortunately for both fans of the movie and those of us who don't like venturing out into to public to see the hot movies of the day, we'll have to wait a little longer to see Bohemian Rhapsody on Netflix. The film is still enjoying its victory lap in the theaters after gaining incredible momentum from these Golden Globe wins. The film will be released on DVD because those are still a thing on February 12th with streaming versions of Bohemian Rhapsody on Netflix, Amazon Prime, and all of the other streaming platforms unclear at the moment. You are, however, able to preorder your own digital copy of the film for the DVD release date through platforms like Amazon and iTunes. | https://www.metro.us/entertainment/is-bohemian-rhapsody-on-netflix |
Should Buhari Get Four Plus Four? | Incumbent presidential elections are usually framed as a referendum on stewardship. But where the opposition is either weak or running a less than coordinated campaign, power holders have been known to turn the narrative into one of choice. The electorate is then presented with this kind of proposition: You may not like me, but can you trust my opponent? With little over a month to the presidential election, that exactly is what we are faced with in our country today. Aside Tolu Ogunlesi who has been using his Twitter handle to showcase what the current administration has done in the area of infrastructure and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo who is hopping from one market to another and visiting families and communities, the campaign of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is essentially targeted at the person of the former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and what they believe to be his character weaknesses. With the inability of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to launch a serious counter-offensive beyond releasing a series of audio tapes, the APC strategy to present the main opposition candidate as unworthy seems to be working. It is therefore no surprise that President Muhammadu Buhari is playing the same game, except where his party operatives attack Atiku, he focuses his darts at the PDP. That much was evident during his interview with THISDAY last Sunday, https://bit.ly/2HcCVt0. Although ARISE Television was initially billed to be part of the session, the Villa had by Sunday afternoon restricted it only to THISDAY with a proviso that NTA would record proceedings and hand us the tape afterwards. I was not part of the negotiation between THISDAY Managing Director, Mr Eniola Bello and the Special Adviser on Media to the President, Mr Femi Adesina. With my own experience of that delicate terrain, I have nothing but tremendous respect for Adesina and his colleague, Mallam Garba Shehu for giving us the raw video tape which is the exact copy of our own audio recording. I leave the judgement of the content to viewers, but there are a few issues that should be considered. One, whatever the merit of the presidents position on the minimum wage controversy, the view canvassed in his engagement with us cannot be helpful to ongoing negotiations with Labour. Two, appointing as Nigerian ambassador to the United States a man who was considered unfit by the Senatedue to poor health and advanced agejust because he once gave a judgement in his favour is a clear abuse of power. Three, finding a ready excuse to every national problem in the 16 years of PDP is not only hollow, it betrays a lack of ideas. These, aside the insecurity challenge, growing poverty in the land and whether or not the president has a grasp of issues, are what you might expect the main opposition to focus on. But all we get are audio tapes. However, the president may be carrying his luck too far by outsourcing his campaign to Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, a throwback to 2015 when the APC propaganda machine was running at full throttle, though not in this brazen manner. At that period, Buhari allowed so many of the top party members to make all manner of promises before the story changed the moment he got to power. For those who may have forgotten, on 29th August 2015, Garba Shehu issued a statement to distance the president from two popular pre-election documents containing promises as to what he would achieve in his first 100 days in office. He claimed they emanated from the partys many centres of public communication which, for whatever reason, were on the loose. As a consequence of these publications, all of which bore the party logo but were declared not authorised once the election was over, expectations were raised unreasonably that, as president, Muhammadu Buhari will wave his hand and all the problems that the country faces insecurity, corruption, unemployment, poor infrastructure would go away said Garba Shehu who then added rather sensationally: He (Buhari) didnt put a Kobo to finance the power sector. Yet, reading his body language alone and knowing that there are things you cannot do and get away with under Buhari, electricity supply all over the country has risen to unprecedented heights. In this period of three months, government certainly deserves a pat on the back for improved power, reform in the energy sector, foreign relations, fight against corruption and insurgency and the fact of Nigerians being at peace, not only among themselves, but with their neighbours and the rest of the world. The jury is now out on those initial accomplishments that were based on body language but we cannot forget that Garba Shehu concluded his treatise by promising that President Buhari will turn out to be a leader in the tradition of Lee Kuan Yew and Indias current reform-minded Prime Minister Modi with strong and clear emphasis on detail and execution. He may, however, differ with them by not micro-managing things. While I subscribe to the view that micro-managing is bad for a president, outsourcing responsibility is far worse and that is perhaps the most egregious charge against President Buhari, even by his wife. Ceding his campaign to Tinubu falls into the same pattern. Unfortunately, Atiku is neither offering anything different nor challenging what is going on beyond some occasional tepid statements from his campaign office. And no matter how damaging the contents of audio tapes may be, those are not things that sway Nigerian voters one way or another. The sooner PDP strategists realise that and get serious, the better. That I have never been as unexcited about a presidential election in Nigeria as I am about the coming one is both sad and ironic considering that under the current dispensation which started in 1999, we have also never had as many interesting candidates as we have today. But I understand the Nigerian political terrain enough to know that the February election is principally between Buhari and Atiku. This much was confirmed in the latest report by the Eurasia Group, regarded globally as number one in the field of political risk assessment. Top Risks for 2019 highlights how risks created by bad actors inflicting damage could engender an unprecedented escalatory cycle this year in many countries but of greater interest is the analysis of the coming presidential election in Nigeria which it also describes as a straight contest between Buhari and Atiku. A second term for the incumbent president, according to the report, would mean the country at best muddles through the next four years, with little progress on critical policy priorities like tax reform or a restructuring of the energy sector; stating further that a re-elected Buhari would be a lame duck from day one, with powerbrokers in his own party quickly shifting their focus to the next electoral cycle in 2023. On the other hand, while an Atiku victory could create a brief, superficial boost to the countrys image, according to the report, the former vice president is also not likely to undertake the difficult and politically unpopular tasks necessary for reform and may in fact return the nation to the path of an even more rent-seeking governing style. Both prospects offer no comfort at a period our nation is confronted by pressing issues that this election should be about. These are some of the issues you expect would be engaged in a campaign season but the only candidates offering any sensible ideas are those who do not have credible structures to support their aspirations and may have unwittingly already been schemed out of reckoning by the unwritten ethno-religious cum geo-political consensus that defines Nigerian elections. Meanwhile, I am disappointed in the PDP that has refused to learn from its own experience. Having spent the 2010/2011 academic session researching incumbent presidential elections across the world, my finding (https://scholarsprogram.wcfia.harvard.edu/publications/divided-opposition-boon-african-incumbents) is that the odds are usually against the opposition, including in the United States where the rules of engagement dictate a more level-playing field. History, according to Ross Baker in a piece titled Beware of the incumbent advantage, published in USA Today, demonstrates that it is a dauntingly difficult job to unseat an incumbent president who is seeking a second term. Indeed, the number of presidents who have won a second term is almost twice the number of those who have failed to gain the favour of voters a second time. Throughout the 19th century in the United States, as I once explained on this page, only five incumbents failed to secure second term in office. John Adams was defeated by Thomas Jefferson in 1800; John Quincy Adams lost to Andrew Jackson in 1828 while Martin Van Buren was ousted by William Henry Harrison in 1840. Incidentally, Grover Cleveland who lost to Benjamin Harrison in 1888 went on to defeat his successor four years later in 1892. Being the only man elected twice with another president in-between, Cleveland was 22nd and 24th presidents and this accounts for why Mr Donald Trump is the 44th American to be president yet officially recognised as the 45th president. In the 20th century, there were only four incumbents who failed in their bids for second term: William Taft was defeated by Woodrow Wilson in 1916 while Gerald Ford lost to Jimmy Carter in 1976. Carter himself was defeated by Ronald Reagan in 1980 and the second term aspiration of George H.W. Bush was derailed in 1992 by Bill Clinton. There were of course incumbent presidents who failed to secure their parties nomination for a second term. They included John Tyler (1844); Millard Fillmore (1852); Franklin Pierce (1856); James Buchanan (1860); Andrew Johnson (1868) and Chester Alan Arthur (1884). Theodore Roosevelt, Harry Truman and Lyndon Johnson were among the six presidents who did not seek second term. While the Nigerian and the American political circumstances are markedly different, the odds are even more daunting for the opposition in our country where the incumbent is usually more powerful, controls all the resources, has the heads of security agencies at his beck and call and is not bound by strict rules to which his opponents are subjected. Therefore, whatever may be the failings of Buhari in the past four years, both the PDP and Atiku have to do more in the coming days and weeks. Otherwise, they are setting themselves up for a big disappointment at the polls. Lifting The Siege on Daily Trust For years, there has been a tension between the military and the media over the prosecution of the war against Boko Haram, essentially because of the mindset by the former that it has a monopoly on patriotism. But what the military authorities fail to understand is that they cannot win a war, especially one against insurgency, without the support and collaboration of the media. Besides, those who carry arms on behalf of the state cannot act above the law, no matter what they consider the rightness of their cause. It is within this context that the unfortunate development at Daily Trust newspaper stands condemned. Yes, there was an error of judgement on the part of Daily Trust last Sunday because the story which irked the military ought not to have been published, in the interest of national security. So, it was a big goof for the editor to have run such a story. But the response by the military is not only unhelpful, it is counter-productive. If they are to succeed in the war against Boko Haram, they need the media on their side, not against them. In the age of terror, it is a necessity that the media and military embrace cooperative form of engagement and that is what obtains in other countries where there are threats to national security such as we have in Nigeria today. The Chief Executive Officer/Editor-in-Chief of Daily Trust, Mannir Dan Ali is my very good friend and I felt sad on Tuesday when he recounted to me their experience since Sunday. It is even more shocking that despite all the talk about resolving the crisis through dialogue nobody in either the military or within government has reached out to him or other management staff of the media house. Several of their computers carted away by the military have also not been returned nor the phones of some of their staff that were seized handed back. While the anger of the military is justified given the sensitivity of the report, I believe they went about it the wrong way. Daily Trust is not, and cannot be, an enemy of the military in the prosecution of the war against Boko Haram, it is a partner in the efforts to rid our country of terrorism. A mistake was made from which lessons will be learned. But it does not warrant the excessive use of force that was on display last Sunday. There is therefore an urgent need for the military leadership to have a session with the Daily Trust management and resolve whatever misgivings there are. It is in the interest of both parties to do that. You can follow me on my Twitter handle, @Olusegunverdict and on www.olusegunadeniyi.com | https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2019/01/10/should-buhari-get-four-plus-four/ |
Was John Deacon involved in Bohemian Rhapsody? | Despite being in development for nearly a decade, an avalanche of production issues when filming actually started, distinctly average reviews and criticisms about its depiction of Freddie Mercury, Bohemian Rhapsody has proven to be a cultural phenomenon. Not only has it taken in over $740 million worldwide, making it the highest grossing music biopic of all time, but it recently won the two biggest awards at the Golden Globes, as it was named Best Picture and Rami Malek picked up Best Actor, too. But while Queen members Brian May and Roger Taylor have been heavily involved in the film since the very beginning, to the point that they have executive music producer credits, very little has been heard about bassist John Deacons contribution. He was not around at all, confirms Jan Sewell, the make-up and hair designer for Bohemian Rhapsody. I dont really know why. I think he is quite a recluse now. For whatever reasons, and I definitely dont know why that is. That didnt impact Joe Mazzellos preparation to portray Deacon in Bohemian Rhapsody, though. For Joe Mazzello, his preparation, like all of the boys, was phenomenal. They watched tape after tape after tape. Getting their facial movements. We spoke about putting a small gap in Joes teeth, because John had the tiniest little gap in his teeth. They were all all over it. But John Deacon was definitely not around. However, Deacons absence did mean that Mazello wasnt able to get the specific and meticulous assistance that Brian May and Roger Taylor provided to Gwilym Lee and Ben Hardy, respectively, as well as the other members of the crew. [May and Taylor] were very involved. I only met Brian and Roger. Because they were the band members that were around a lot. They were just utterly brilliant. Brian very happily leant original pieces that he wore. Which was massive. I think he leant guitars and all sorts of stuff, too. The first time that Brian met Gwilym, because he is so well known for his wonderful head of hair, he even just moved a couple of curls, making sure they were in the right place. Which I thought was brilliant. That showed the detail. They were extremely generous. Completely delightful and 100% all over it. | https://www.metro.us/entertainment/movies/john-deacon-bohemian-rhapsody-jan-sewell |
Will Trumps State Department push religious freedom to center stage? | One of the most underestimated movements in Washington today started with a man and a vacuum sweeper. It was 1999, and Robert Seiple had just been named Americas first ambassador at large for religious freedom, a position created by Congress the year before. An escort ushered him to his new office in the State Department, and left him at the door; the room was so small that no one else could fit in it. It was just me and a vacuum sweeper, Mr. Seiple recalled recently at a conference commemorating the 1998 International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA). I was grateful for that vacuum sweeper, because that office needed it. Recommended: The Monitor's View Religious responses to religious persecution Indeed, the title Office of International Religious Freedom was more grandiose than the space. Today, however, it is held by veteran politician Sam Brownback, who heads up a team of more than 30 people and has millions of dollars at his disposal. And he has powerful political allies in Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, fellow Christian conservatives who speak passionately about exporting what they see as a hallmark American value and defending it abroad. We think its true in this administration that [religious freedom] is a God-given right, says Mr. Brownback in an interview. As a God-given right, then no government has a right to interfere with it. In the two decades since Congress passed the IRFA, an often-overshadowed movement in Washington has pushed to make religious freedom a key plank of US foreign policy. Now, in a move many see as driven by domestic politics, the Trump administration is trumpeting religious freedom promotion as a signature issue. I think theres been a sense among conservative religious groups that recent administrations have just ticked the box of the IRFA rather than genuinely embracing the agenda and investing in it, says Peter Mandaville, who served as senior adviser of the State Departments Office of Religion and Global Affairs from 2015-16. I think its felt that with this administration, theyve had an unprecedented opportunity to push this issue. In July, the State Department convened a first-ever ministerial on religious freedom, a three-day event attended by representatives from more than 80 countries, which culminated in the Potomac Declaration and Plan of Action. Several months later, after an unusually high-profile intervention by President Trump, the administration celebrated the release of American pastor Andrew Brunson, who had been imprisoned in Turkey. Brownback says the administration is raising Chinas persecution of Uyghur Muslims, Buddhists, and Christians at the highest levels, and he and Mr. Pence have issued strong statements in support of Rohingya Muslims. Such actions are boosting a growing enterprise that stretches across government, academia, and Washingtons think tank world. Religious freedom promotion encompasses an unlikely set of bedfellows, riven by internal divisions and bedeviled by wildly different perceptions of their character and intent, from saintly to insidious. In particular, critics question whether the Trump administration supported by many white conservative Christians, for whom religious oppression abroad has long been a concern will put equal effort into non-Christians causes. As the movement gains momentum, it is stirring vigorous debate about just what it means to protect religious freedom, if and how the issue should be incorporated into US foreign policy, and whether the efforts are bearing fruit. Advocates dont have as much power in a realpolitik sense, but I think they have the power to frame the narrative that is also very powerful and gets underestimated, says Elizabeth Shakman Hurd, author of The Politics of Secularism in International Relations and a professor of politics at Northwestern University in Chicago. She is critical of religious freedom promotion, describing it as an imperial project that presumes that the US has figured out how people of many faiths can coexist and is now teaching others about it. But, she adds, to just demonize it as just a Christian power play is way too simplistic. EXPANDING MOVEMENT PUT TO THE TEST What started decades ago as a largely white, male, conservative Christian movement has grown to include Sikhs and Scientologists as well as more liberals, women, and people of color including Suzan Johnson Cook, whom former President Barack Obama appointed in 2011 to head the Office of International Religious Freedom. Her successor, Rabbi David Saperstein, was the first non-Christian to hold the office. | https://news.yahoo.com/trump-state-department-push-religious-freedom-center-stage-223116485.html |
Should live mascots be banned from sporting events? | A near disaster at the Sugar Bowl between Bevo and Uga, the live mascots for Texas and Georgia respectively, called into question the necessity of having living mascots at all. Some want the practice to end because it puts unnecessary stress on animals in a loud, chaotic environment. Others think live mascots are cute, treated well and worshiped by millions of fans. PERSPECTIVES As cute as live mascots are, the stress they go through dealing with thousands of screaming fans at athletic events is something they should not have to endure. The incident between Bevo and Uga was a warning. Any further escalation and animals are getting hurt. Here is PETA Senior Vice President Lisa Lange with more: It's indefensible to subject animals to the stress of being packed up, carted from state to state, and paraded in front of a stadium full of screaming fans. It's no surprise that a skittish steer would react to a perceived threat by charging, and PETA is calling on the University of Texas and the University of Georgia to learn from this dangerous incident, retire their live-animal mascots, and stick to the talented costumed mascots who can lead cheers, react to the crowd, and pump up the team. Animal rights activists need to save their outrage for issues that are actually problems. Live mascots are harmless traditions and these beloved animals get the care they need to be happy and healthy. There is no need to end the practice when lovable animals bring joy to millions of fans. Live mascots are great ambassadors for their respective schools and they should be allowed to be honored at games. Top 25 live animal mascots in college football The Tylt is focused on debates and conversations around news, current events and pop culture. We provide our community with the opportunity to share their opinions and vote on topics that matter most to them. We actively engage the community and present meaningful data on the debates and conversations as they progress. The Tylt is a place where your opinion counts, literally. The Tylt is an Advance Local Media, LLC property. Join us on Twitter @TheTylt, on Instagram @TheTylt or on Facebook, we'd love to hear what you have to say. | https://www.pennlive.com/sports/index.ssf/2019/01/should_live_mascots_be_banned.html |
How Was This Week's WWE SmackDown Viewership After Topping RAW For Two Straight Weeks? | This week's WWE SmackDown episode, featuring Becky Lynch defeating Carmella and Charlotte Flair in a Triple Threat main event, drew 2.032 million viewers. This is down from last week's 2.091 million viewers for the taped New Year's episode. SmackDown was #16 for the night in viewership on cable, behind Hannity, Rachel Maddow Show, Cuomo Prime Time, Curse of Oak Island, The Ingraham Angle, Tucker Carlson Tonight, CNN Tonight, Project Blue Book, MSNBC Special Coverage of President Trump's address, Last Word, All In, 11th Hour, The Story, The Five and Special Report. SmackDown was #4 in the 18-49 demographic this week, behind Hannity, Cuomo Prime Time and Curse of Oak Island. Coverage of President Trump's address dominated the night on cable. Hannity also topped the night on cable in viewership with 7.129 million viewers. The big draw on network TV was NCIS on CBS at 8pm, which drew 12.077 million viewers. In comparison, Monday's WWE RAW drew 2.324 million viewers, up from last week's 1.968 million viewers for the New Year's Eve taped episode. SmackDown beat RAW in viewership for the Christmas Night and the New Year's episodes but that streak ended this week. Below is our 2019 SmackDown Viewership Tracker:: January 1 Episode: 2.091 million viewers (New Year's episode, taped) January 8 Episode: 2.032 million viewers January 15 Episode: 2018 Total: 122.304 million viewers 2018 Average: 2.352 million viewers per episode 2017 Total: 132.401 million viewers 2017 Average: 2.546 million viewers per episode Source: ShowBuzz Daily | https://www.wrestlinginc.com/news/2019/01/how-was-this-week-wwe-smackdown-viewership-after-topping-649654/ |
Which stick vacuum cleans up and which just sucks? | Whizzy, lightweight and promising super suction, todays stick vacuum cleaners are very different from the clunky uprights of old. But the array can be baffling. In the first of a new series where we rigorously test the latest products, ALICE SMELLIE scattered 20g of Cheerios cereal on her carpet to see how each cordless machine performed on a standard setting, then put them through their paces throughout her house . . . Alice Smellie (pictured) gave her verdict on a selection of the latest stick vacuums for their ability to remove 20g of Cheerios cereal from her carpet and clean her house LACKLUSTRE 'LIGHTSABER' Vax Blade 32V Cordless Vacuum, 179.96, vax.co.uk Alice says Vax Blade 32V Cordless Vacuum (pictured) feels light to use and is easy to get into corners and under sofas WEIGHT: 3kg SUCTION: It takes 27.36 seconds to suck up the Cheerios, and when I lift it up, a few fall out of the head. VERDICT: Looks like Luke Skywalkers lightsaber. Uses VAX Direct Helix Technology to keep debris continuously spinning to reduce the risk of blockage. Theres no bag just empty the cylinder. Suitable for hard floors and carpets, with a brush bar for loosening debris and a boost button for picking up stubborn dirt. Runs for 45 minutes although I need to run it on the Boost option to get powerful enough suction to whizz around my house. But it feels light to use and its easy to get into corners and under sofas. 6/10 WHIZZES ALONG SKIRTING BOARDS Dyson Cyclone V10 Absolute, 449.99, dyson.co.uk Alice says Dyson Cyclone V10 Absolute (pictured) is the best all rounder and cleans swiftly WEIGHT: 2.68 kg SUCTION TEST: 16.57 seconds. Sucks up swiftly those Cheerios shoot up the handle. VERDICT: This bagless cleaner comes with a selection of heads and attachments I find it especially impressive at sliding along skirting boards. With a motor spinning at 2,000 times per second, it has a battery life of up to an hour, during which time I test out the attachments and hand-held version which slots off neatly, cleaning two sofas and my car, which appears to contain the best part of a Cornish beach. 9/10 POWERFUL NIFTY NOZZLE Philips SpeedPro Max Stick Vacuum Cleaner, 420, philips.co.uk Alice claims Philips SpeedPro Max Stick Vacuum Cleaner (pictured) was awkward to use in areas such as underneath her bed WEIGHT: 2.73kg SUCTION: 29.02 seconds. I have to lift the head a little to scoop up the Cheerios, but were talking powerful suction. VERDICT: A top-heavy offering that doesnt handle brilliantly. Has a 360-degree suction nozzle to get dirt with every stroke. Up to 65 minutes of cleaning power, and captures allergens and bacteria inside the filter. Top marks for the charger, which is a little magnetic button, as well as the timer telling you how long you have left in the battery and the LED nozzle so you can see the dirt. Great on awkward areas such as under my bed it lies flat so I dont have to. 6/10 QUIETLY EFFICIENT Bosch Cordless Upright Vacuum Cleaner, 499.99, boschhome.co.uk Alice says Bosch Cordless Upright Vacuum Cleaner (pictured) was the quietest out of the vacuums she tested WEIGHT: 2.9 kg SUCTION: 18.5 seconds. Extraordinarily powerful as it scoops up the Cheerios and rubbish from the carpet at the same time. VERDICT: Has near-continuous running time thanks to exchangeable battery packs, each of which lasts for up to an hour and can charge in an hour. Its not as dextrous as some of the others, but, nonetheless, slides into corners and along the bottom of the stairs. The brush works on all surfaces and comes with an upholstery nozzle, furniture brush and crevice nozzle. Has a filter with a membrane and hygienic filter for clean exhaust air. Its very easy to empty: the bin slots out and tips into the bin. Plus, it seems to be the quietest of the bunch. 7/10 A ROARING DUST-BUSTING BEAST Shark DuoClean Cordless Vacuum Cleaner with TruePet and Flexology, 479.99, sharkclean.eu Alice claims Shark DuoClean Cordless Vacuum Cleaner (pictured) is the best for power WEIGHT: 4kg SUCTION: 18.02 seconds. The Cheerios are crunched up with the rapidity of Jaws himself. VERDICT: A heavy chap, with two rollers working together to remove small and large particles as well as stuck on bits. Has extended reach wand for curtains and light fittings and 44-minute run time. Once I press the booster buttons it feels as though Im being taken for a walk by a very clean but powerful dog. I give it a go in my ten-year-old daughters bedroom an environment coated in sugar and glitter. Within a minute the bin needs emptying. 8/10 PERFECT FOR ANIMAL LOVERS Hoover H-Free Pets, 149.99, argos.co.uk Alice says her favourite feature of Hoover H-Free Pets (pictured) is the light which illuminates dark corners WEIGHT: 2.2kg SUCTION: 25.25 seconds. Moves smoothly across the carpet, sucking up the Cheerios. But some scatter, and I end up chasing them which is slightly annoying. VERDICT: A slinky cordless stick model with a removable handheld device, 25-minute battery life and a nozzle with amazing gliding capabilities. The advanced HEPA mechanism traps dust and debris, pre-venting them escaping back into the atmosphere. Appropriate for all types of floor. A light comes on at the front to illuminate the darkest corners of the kitchen so you can see all the nasties I simply slither the vacuum cleaner under to reach them. EMAIL: [email protected] | https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-6574463/Which-stick-vacuum-cleans-just-sucks.html |
Whats With Those Artifacts Beneath the Future Obama Center? | You were the first archaeologist to officially dig at the site of the Worlds Columbian Exposition of 1893. Im super excited that Chicago is going to have the center. I just dont know if Jackson Park is the right place for it. I would love to do more excavating before its built, to find out whats there before its destroyed by construction. When the Olympics was being discussed as having some events in Jackson Park, I thought, Oh God! I wanna get in before they do, because theres still stuff there! Preservationists have brought you in to assess the historic value of the site. Its hard to be super specific; you never know what sort of understanding you can get archaeologically. But we do know there were important structures there, like the Womans Building and a little bit of the Transportation Building, which was by Louis Sullivan. Thats a really important moment in American archaeological history. There are a lot of people whose diaries arent in the Chicago History Museum: working-class people, women, people of color. The way we learn more about them is often through their archaeological record, by finding accounts that challenge the dominant narrative of what life was like in Chicago. So theres a reason to do archaeology beyond finding stuff. Remnants of one of the state-themed buildings the Ohio Building. If you were visiting the fair from Ohio, you might go there to relax, check the ledger, see if any of your neighbors were in town. After the fair, part of it was thrown into a ditch and buried. Plaster isnt supposed to last 125 years underground, but with all the columns, it looked like we were doing an excavation in ancient Greece. There were also bits of artifacts from the building: broken plates, pretty little cruet tops from oil or vinegar, buttons all sorts of odds and ends. You have a personal connection to the fair. My great-grandfather was a Russian immigrant, and he got a job digging ditches on the Midway as a laborer, doing the same kind of thing I do moving dirt. This article appears in the January 2019 issue of Chicago magazine. Subscribe to Chicago magazine. Share | http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/January-2019/Whats-With-Those-Artifacts-Beneath-the-Future-Obama-Center/ |
Is Procter & Gamble a Millionaire-Maker Stock? | The recipe for generating massive long-term shareholder returns is simple, if not a little boring. Just invest in companies with durable competitive advantages and hold on for decades. Your gains are frequently supercharged by dividend reinvestment with stocks that regularly boost their payouts, so a seven-figure portfolio is achievable over a typical investing lifetime. Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG) seems to check all of those important boxes. It owns a collection of some of the most dominant consumer product franchises around, and its dividend growth streak, at over 60 years, is one of the longest on the market. But those impressive assets don't necessarily ensure market-beating investor gains, as shareholders have learned over the last few years. A person measures out laundry detergent in front of a washing machine. More Image source: Getty Images. A multiyear funk P&G's operating strategy involves using its premium positioning in consumer staples niches like diapers, paper towels, and razors to outgrow the wider industry. Its global scale and world-class supply chain, meanwhile, help produce even faster profit growth. Combine these trends with rising cash returns in the form of dividends and stock buybacks, and you have the potential for modest, but persistently strong total returns that can snowball into life-changing gains for investors over decades. That formula has broken down in recent years, though. P&G missed its growth targets in each of the last two fiscal years, even after having wrapped up a portfolio reboot that saw it remove 100 weaker brands from its operations. Sure, cost cuts and restructuring initiatives have kept earnings rising lately, and cash returns have soared. But without that fundamental market-share boost, the stock has lagged the broader market for most of the last decade. Signs of a rebound The good news is the tide could finally be turning back toward accelerating growth. P&G recently posted its fastest organic sales pace in years, with revenue rising 4% after accounting for foreign currency shifts and brand divestments. That result outpaced peers like Kimberly Clark (NYSE: KMB) by a wide margin. It was driven by a healthy balance of rising sales volumes and higher pricing, too, which implies plenty of room for additional gains ahead. Still, P&G has gone through optimistic periods like this in the recent past only to disappoint investors by reducing its growth forecast because of demand struggles in franchises like Gillette razors. That's why it's critical that the company meet its fiscal 2019 prediction of sales gains that range between 2% and 3% to at least double the prior year's expansion pace. P&G's return to market darling status would have to start with management demonstrating that it has a good reading on its growth opportunities, and that those gains can come in the context of steadily rising prices. Bottom line Assuming the business can get back on track in terms of growth, P&G has all the right firepower to ensure that earnings keep climbing and that shareholders are richly rewarded for their patience. The company's 20% operating margin makes it an industry leader with respect to profitability, and it remains one of the most efficient stocks on the market at converting profits into free cash flow. That financial prowess, in turn, gives management plenty of funds it can direct toward growth initiatives and those direct shareholder cash returns. | https://news.yahoo.com/procter-gamble-millionaire-maker-stock-233200182.html |
Are Texas border cities actually safer than other cities? | Earlier this week, Laredo Rep. Henry Cuellars office released figures stating that all of the border cities have lower crime rates than big cities like Washington and Houston. KTSA News decided to compare the border cities to cities in Texas of a similar size to see if they were truly safer than cities located in other parts of the state. We focused only on South Texas cities, since they are easier to compare statistically to other cities in the state El Paso has 150,000 fewer people than the city it is behind (Fort Worth) and 200,000 more people than it is ahead of (Arlington), meaning there was no city to compare it to. Comparison Lets start with three cities that are directly on the border with Mexico: Laredo, Brownsville and Hidalgo. These numbers are the 2016 crime statistics compiled by the FBI and Texas Department of Public Safety. City Population Homicide Sex offense Robbery Agg Assault Violent Crime Violent Crime per 100,000 Laredo 259,325 12 148 160 620 940 362.48 Plano 288,242 5 77 109 208 399 138.43 Lubbock 252,900 6 177 471 2087 2741 1,083.83 Garland 238,859 7 117 345 298 767 321.11 Irving 240,765 5 37 213 266 521 216.39 City Population Homicide Sex offense Robbery Agg Assault Violent Crime Violent Crime per 100,000 Brownsville 185,583 4 50 130 264 448 241.40 Amarillo 200,141 11 162 260 981 1414 706.50 Grand Prairie 190,270 9 139 185 254 587 308.51 McKinney 169,689 5 49 65 124 243 143.20 Frisco 162,917 0 21 27 78 126 77.34 Pasadena 154,648 3 105 211 372 691 446.82 City Population Homicide Sex offense Robbery Agg Assault Violent Crime Violent Crime per 100,000 Hidalgo 13943 0 5 3 14 22 157.79 Live Oak 15809 1 3 9 12 25 158.14 Leon Valley 11376 0 2 6 28 36 316.46 Kilgore 15258 0 12 11 41 64 419.45 Hewitt 14384 0 3 3 17 23 159.90 La Marque 16191 4 10 21 88 123 759.68 These numbers show the border cities compare favorably to comparably-sized stand-alone cities in Texas, though are generally more dangerous than higher-income suburban cities. We also looked at cities that were near the border and looked at how they compared to other Texas cities of similar size. City Population Homicide Sex offense Robbery Agg Assault Violent Crime Violent Crime per 100,000 McAllen 142227 3 40 65 107 215 151.17 Mesquite 145786 2 66 250 285 603 413.62 Killeen 143248 16 129 234 617 996 695.30 Carrollton 136095 4 51 65 100 220 161.65 Midland 137780 3 24 93 292 412 299.03 Waco 133790 4 126 156 409 695 519.47 City Population Homicide Sex offense Robbery Agg Assault Violent Crime Violent Crime per 100,000 Edinburg 86535 3 61 51 239 354 409.08 Sugar Land 90088 0 16 43 18 77 85.47 Mission 84380 0 36 40 44 120 142.21 Longview 82287 13 59 120 292 484 588.19 Bryan 83286 1 59 96 264 420 504.29 Pharr 77744 1 25 35 167 228 293.27 Baytown 77224 9 25 98 170 302 391.07 City Population Homicide Sex offense Robbery Agg Assault Violent Crime Violent Crime per 100,000 Harlingen 65913 2 35 58 186 281 426.32 Conroe 71111 1 39 86 126 252 354.38 Victoria 67574 5 42 60 162 269 398.08 Cedar Park 69051 0 41 17 58 116 167.99 Mansfield 65882 1 16 19 31 67 101.70 Georgetown 67436 0 22 11 52 85 126.05 San Marcos 64380 1 58 56 112 227 352.59 And here are some other notable San Antonio area statistics from 2016 to compare crime rates to: | https://www.ktsa.com/are-texas-border-cities-actually-safer-than-other-cities/ |
What does the rapidly changing workplace mean for college students? | CLOSE Apparently, employers are hiring people with wonderful soft skills. Business Insider reports, "Employers today aren't necessarily looking for candidates with the right set of technical skills and years of experience under their belt.They also want to hire those who also have something unique to offer like a great personality or a strong set of soft skills." Edward Fleischman, chief executive officer of Execu Search, "In fact, if they find a candidate who has less experience than their competition, but has stronger growth potential and seems to be a better cultural fit, the employer may feel encouraged to hire that person." Wochit College president says employers are looking for 'soft skills' like empathy, creativity Man holding a tablet that's projecting lights in the shape of a human brain. (Photo: Getty Images) From time to time I am asked, What keeps you up at night? The answer is not what people generally expect. Futurists say the nature of work will change dramatically over the next 20 years. As a result, my thoughts churn constantly on the professional pathways that lie ahead for our graduates and how they might be affected by changes in automation, computerization and artificial intelligence. At every opportunity, I speak with leaders of large and small businesses and public and private institutions. I read much about the future of work, but there is no substitute for talking to those hiring today and anticipating the workforce needs of the future. Based on these conversations, the best advice I can give students is: Avoid the risk of majoring in a job title. Odds are the role students are preparing for wont last in its current form long enough to support an extended career. Sometimes I think students should major in adaptation. More than any other skill, the need to adapt is essential to every career. Some aspects of work that are less emphasized by parents and policymakers are staging a comeback. An executive from a large technology firm who has hired and managed engineers for more than 20 years looks for engineers who are humble, hungry and people smart. I asked him if hed ever fired an engineer who was not humble, hungry and people smart. His response was a decisive, Yes. I then asked if hed ever fired an engineer for not having sufficient math skills. No, he said. He told me what distinguishes solid engineers is not technical ability. Its their capacity to be energetic and creative; to work in teams and with colleagues in other countries and from other backgrounds. He indicated that these soft skills are as important to a successful technology career as the so-called hard skills. I recently met a lawyer from a large legal firm during a dinner at a professional conference. Thinking that the law was relatively impervious to technological change, I asserted that automation and artificial intelligence would certainly not affect the legal profession in any meaningful way. He told me I was completely wrong. His firm has many large corporate clients who will not pay a lawyer to review contracts. Instead, they use a software program that learns through pattern recognition the essential elements of a valid contract. The software reads the contract, validates it and the client saves money. Lawyers perform other tasks that require novel thinking and creativity. At another dinner, a recruiter for a large, big-city corporation told me that no applicant for any position gets past her unless they write and speak well. Her company views these skills as a proxy for many other strengths. This practice was not limited to positions that required writing skills. It was applicable to all positions in the corporation. I recently read an article entitled Wanted: Experts at Soft Skills. The article describes corporate training in empathy skills to maximize personal relationship with clients skills a computer cannot replicate. PBS NewsHour recently aired How These Humanities Graduates are Finding Jobs in Silicon Valley. The piece featured employees and entrepreneurs with undergraduate degrees in philosophy, art history, dance and English who are playing vital roles in the technology industry. Theres a theme here. We like things simple. But the world is not cooperating. We face accelerating complexity and change. The skills of the future certainly involve technical and professional competence. But competitive graduates need to be energetic, hardworking, understanding of human difference and diversity, creative and critical thinkers, effective communicators, appreciative of context and nuance and of high character. This sounds a lot like a liberal arts education and the mission of Iowas private colleges and universities. Mark Putnam is president of Central College in Pella, Iowa, and the current chair of the Iowa Association of Independent Colleges and Universities board of directors. Email: [email protected] Read or Share this story: https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/opinion/columnists/iowa-view/2019/01/09/what-does-rapidly-changing-workplace-mean-college-students-job-market-automation-ai-education/2515311002/ | https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/opinion/columnists/iowa-view/2019/01/09/what-does-rapidly-changing-workplace-mean-college-students-job-market-automation-ai-education/2515311002/ |
Is Apple Stock a Buy or a Sell Right Now? | Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL ), to its credit, is as much of a cult for its customers as it is for its shareholders. And thats a plus for the company. Its customers have been very sticky, meaning that they continue to buy and own their iPhones remaining inside Apple World and all of the content and apps that run through iTunes. And these same customers fawn over the annual product presentations and even line up at stores around the globe to buy the latest new or not so new devices. Apple stock owners have had much of the same relationship with the company. They have bought and held the stock even with its paltry dividend and are willing to pay nearly 7 times its underlying book value with a large share of that in cash and its equivalents. And that has largely been paying off for Apple stock. The last five years have seen the shares rise by just shy of 100% more than doubling the gains of the S&P 500. But AAPL stock has really not done that much better than the S&P 500 Information Technology Index, as Apple merely beat the tech index by only 6% for the trailing five years. Apples business model is really showing its flaws right now. Unlike the more successful technology companies that have or are moving away from unit sales to recurring income, AAPL is still locked into moving more iPhones. The iPhones for the most recently reported quarter amount to 59.12% of its overall revenues. And as weve been learning and figuring out, iPhone unit sales are not expanding and for some of the newer models they are actually slipping. Remember, AAPL doesnt really engineer much of its iPhones and other devices as that is outsourced to many technology companies. And it doesnt assemble its products as that is outsourced again to a few companies. And both the component makers and the assemblers have been reporting big drop-offs in orders with some announcing production line shutdowns on order by AAPL. Apple in turn, has moved to raise unit prices to keep revenue topped up. And it also has announced that it wont tell shareholders how many units its sells anymore. That can be figured out of course, but still, the end of transparency is a problem. Apple is trying to focus the attention on recurring income called services. This includes iTunes sales of apps and content. But the problem is that if the number of units declines, then the universe of customers for services will decline. And thats not a good recipe for building more recurring revenue. And it is beginning to get worse for AAPL stock. Already, the company is facing class-action suits over its monopoly over app sales in iTunes. Since the company has a lock on its platform, iPhone customers have to use iTunes for apps. And thus, Apple can (and it does) charge more for app purchases and downloads without competition. This is unlike Android devices from Alphabets (NASDAQ: GOOG , NASDAQ: GOOGL ) Google, which has many other platforms for apps while still having its own, Google Play. And now, two major companies are cutting out Apple from its apps, including Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX ), which will force customers to pay separately and Epic Games, which is pulling its products, including the major game title Fortnite from iTunes. If others join in, it could be a rout that threatens services revenues for Apple. And since Apples iOS operating system is a small fraction of the global universe for mobile thats dominated by Android, fewer users and fewer vendors would be a potential death knell for the company, much like what happened to the likes of Palm and Nokia and even the old version of Blackberry (NYSE: BB ). One of the biggest ways to get on its way would be to license its iOS systems for other companies to offer access to Apple services on non-Apple devices much like Google does with Android. And while it might sound far-fetched, a deal just announced with Samsung Electronics to offer Apple TV on Samsungs own televisions is a big first step that would be game changing. Then there is what I see may be in the works in what some are calling Apple Prime after the Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN ) subscription services moniker. Apple Prime would offer a subscription service with monthly or annual charges for which its customers would get the latest iPhones as well as all or some of the content from iTunes. And it could be tiered depending on the products and services. This again could be a game-changer for the company, and AAPL stock. And one bit of evidence was the tease-out of a suggestion that the company is thinking of making a simpler trade-in service for iPhones in its retail stores. Right now, the company has quite a bit of capability for funding change. It has plenty of cash and its credit is excellent with debt-to-assets sitting at only 31.30%. And while its trailing operating margins are fat, resulting in excellent-appearing returns on shareholders equity and the companys capital, thats all hindsight without changes to keep those numbers solid. And while AAPL shares are expensive on a price-to-book basis as noted above, they are more reasonable on a price-to-trailing-sales basis at only 2.9 times. But to buy Apple stock you need to expect big changes with proof along the way. If not, then its time to sell, take the capital gains, pay the taxes and redeploy the cash to a new company thats focused on capitalizing on advancing and not just relying on the past. Neil George is the editor of Profitable Investing and does not have any holdings in the securities mentioned above. | https://investorplace.com/2019/01/is-apple-stock-a-buy-or-a-sell-right-now/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+InvestorPlace+%28InvestorPlace%29 |
Could Cronk play beyond 2019? | Cooper Cronk has put his injury behind him. Cooper Cronk has put his injury behind him. Sydney Roosters officials have left the door open for champion playmaker Cooper Cronk to play beyond 2019 with only a limited number of established halves off-contract this season. Cronk is heading into his second and potentially final year, prompting the Roosters to consider life after the star Queenslander. Only problem, there aren't a large number of playmakers available on the 2019 market outside of Mitch Moses and Te Maire Martin. This could prompt the Roosters to wait a season for an influx of playmakers off-contract in 2020, including big names Brodie Croft, Kodi Nikorima and Chad Townsend. Cronk has already indicated he could extend his stellar career at least a season, which would give the Roosters time to land a suitable replacement. The Tricolours have signed former Knights half Brock Lamb, who could be an option depending on his development. Either way, Cronk is expected to play an active role in helping the Roosters find his halves successor. Five-eighth Luke Keary proved he can lead the Tricolours when he took control during last year's finals series but he still needs help in the halves. Keary would benefit greatly from a controlling playmaker like Croft, who is carved out of the same mould as Cronk from the pair's years together at Melbourne. Cronk should be ready to face Wigan. (AAP Image/Dean Lewins) This would free up Keary to play his natural running game - one of his main strengths. Meanwhile, Roosters coach Trent Robinson confirmed Cronk will play in the World Club Challenge against Wigan on February 18. There were doubts the No.7 would line-up in the WCC after he underwent off-season shoulder surgery. The Queenslander had metal plates inserted into his shoulder after breaking his scapula in last year's preliminary final against South Sydney. Cronk courageously defied a 15cm fracture through his scapula to steer the Roosters to the 2018 premiership. On Tuesday, he joined pre-season training as he prepares for the Tricolours' premiership defence. Robinson revealed Cronk was on track to play against Wigan at the DW Stadium next month - a huge boost for the defending premiers. The 35-year-old completed a series of light ball work drills as he looks to ramp up intensity in the coming weeks following off-season shoulder surgery. "Yes, he will be fine," Robinson said about Cronk playing in next month's World Club Challenge against Wigan. Cronk's addition is a major boost for the Roosters as they attempt to win their fourth World Club Challenge title. The match-up against Wigan will be a repeat of the 2014 Challenge, when the Tricolours defeated the Warriors 36-14 at Allianz Stadium. This time Wigan will be on home turf and confident of victory. The Warriors are the most successful club in World Club Challenge history having claimed four titles - their most recent a 22-6 home win over Cronulla in 2017. Every Test, ODI & T20I live, ad-break free during play and in 4K. Only on Foxtel. SIGN UP TODAY! | https://www.news-mail.com.au/news/roosters-officials-leave-door-open-for-cooper-cron/3618233/ |
What will cause the next US recession? | Berkeley OVER the past 40 years, the US economy has experienced four recessions. Among the four, only the extended downturn of 1979-1982 had a conventional cause. The US Federal Reserve thought that inflation was too high, so it hit the economy on the head with the brick of interest-rate hikes. As a result, workers moderated their demands for wage increases, and firms cut back on planned price increases. The other three recessions were each caused by derangements in financial markets. After the savings-and-loan crisis of 1991-1992 came the bursting of the dot-com bubble in 2000-2002, followed by the collapse of the sub-prime mortgage market in 2007, which triggered the global financial crisis the following year. As of early January 2019, inflation expectations appear to be well anchored at 2 per cent per year, and the Phillips curve - reflecting the relationship between unemployment and inflation - remains unusually flat. Production and employment excesses or deficiencies from potential-output or natural-rate trends have not had a significant effect on prices and wages. sentifi.com Market voices on: At the same time, the gap between short and long-term interest rates on safe assets, represented by the so-called yield curve, is unusually small, and short-term nominal interest rates are unusually low. As a general rule of thumb, an inverted yield curve - when the yields on long-term bonds are lower than those on short-term bonds - is considered a strong predictor of a recession. Moreover, after the recent stock-market turmoil, forecasts based on John Campbell and Robert J Shiller's cyclically adjusted price-earnings (CAPE) ratio put long-run real (inflation-adjusted) buy-and-hold stock returns at around 4 per cent per year, which is still higher than the average over the past four decades. These background indicators are now at the forefront of investors' minds as they decide whether and when to hedge against the next recession. And one can infer from today's macroeconomic big picture that the next recession most likely will not be due to a sudden shift by the Fed from a growth-nurturing to an inflation-fighting policy. Given that visible inflationary pressures probably will not build up by much over the next half-decade, it is more likely that something else will trigger the next downturn. Specifically, the culprit will probably be a sudden, sharp "flight to safety" following the revelation of a fundamental weakness in financial markets. That, after all, is the pattern that has been generating downturns since at least 1825, when England's canal-stock boom collapsed. Needless to say, the particular nature and form of the next financial shock will be unanticipated. Investors, speculators, and financial institutions are generally hedged against the foreseeable shocks, but there will always be other contingencies that have been missed. For example, the death blow to the global economy in 2008-2009 came not from the collapse of the mid-2000s housing bubble, but from the concentration of ownership of mortgage-backed securities. Likewise, the stubbornly long downturn of the early 1990s was not directly due to the deflation of the late-1980s commercial real-estate bubble. Rather, it was the result of failed regulatory oversight, which allowed insolvent savings and loan associations to continue speculating in financial markets. Similarly, it was not the deflation of the dot-com bubble, but rather the magnitude of overstated earnings in the tech and communications sector that triggered the recession in the early 2000s. At any rate, today's near-inverted yield curve, low nominal and real bond yields, and equity values all suggest that US financial markets have begun to price in the likelihood of a recession. Assuming that business investment committees are thinking like investors and speculators, all it will take now to bring on a recession is an event that triggers a retrenchment of investment spending. If a recession comes anytime soon, the US government will not have the tools to fight it. The White House and Congress will once again prove inept at deploying fiscal policy as a counter-cyclical stabiliser; and the Fed will not have enough room to provide adequate stimulus through interest-rate cuts. As for more unconventional policies, the Fed most likely will not have the nerve, let alone the power, to pursue such measures. As a result, for the first time in a decade, Americans and investors cannot rule out a downturn. At a minimum, they must prepare for the possibility of a deep and prolonged recession, which could arrive whenever the next financial shock comes. PROJECT SYNDICATE | https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/opinion/what-will-cause-the-next-us-recession |
Who was playing Mario Kart on Kauffman Stadium's giant video board? | A local news stations helicopter, scoping out the site of Saturdays NFL playoff game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Indianapolis Colts, somehow caught an altogether different game in progress at the neighboring stadium. KCTVs helicopter was gathering aerials of Arrowhead Stadium on Tuesday when it noticed that a super-size game of Mario Kart was being broadcast at neighboring Kauffman Stadium, less than half a mile away. Mystery solved. Turns out it was Royals Charities, the franchises own foundation. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP This is a part of a @Royals Associates fundraiser with us to kick off the year! the team wrote on Twitter. You may even see a video game party on CrownVision as an auction item in 2019. The foundation provides grants to support childrens programs and military families. | https://www.foxnews.com/tech/who-was-playing-mario-kart-on-kauffman-stadiums-giant-video-board |
What Does Andrew Cuomos #MeToo Joke Even Mean? | Andrew Cuomo. Photo: Yana Paskova/Getty Images Historically joke-inept New York Governor Andrew Cuomo tried his hand at humor again on Wednesday: After being crowded by a gaggle of reporters, he quipped, We need space. Or Ill bring you all up on charges under the Me Too movement. Journalists on the scene tweeted that the governor was mostly greeted by silent astonishment. Andrew Cuomo just had a semi-impromptu gaggle with reporters. It started with an aide asking us to move back a few steps to give him room. Ill bring you all up on charges under the Me Too movement, Cuomo said. Thats not how the legal system works! There are no Me Too charges in New York State, which Cuomo likely knows, as he didnt even have a Me Too process for dealing with sexual misconduct within his own administration. This isnt Cuomos first gaffe when it comes to talking about sexual violence. In 2017, after a reporter asked him a question in which she referenced a former aide to the governor who had been accused of sexual harassment, he scoldingly told her she was doing a disservice to women by focusing on one specific case rather than society in general. And in 2018, he opened a Women for Cuomo event by remarking that it was a pleasure to be in a room full of women. (Could be worse, could be worse. Usually, it is worse, he added.) Unsurprisingly, the remark was not well received. A good strategy going forward perhaps, would be to just refrain from saying anything at all. | https://www.thecut.com/2019/01/ny-governor-andrew-cuomo-made-a-tasteless-me-too-joke.html?utm_source=nym&utm_medium=f1&utm_campaign=feed-part |
How real is my 'mamak mee'? | JANUARY 10 At the corner of Del Monte and Araneta lay the scene for my education on food consumption. Glory, the supermarket, sold crackers. I did not bother to read the back of the packet, its safe obviously. In my serene but feeble mind. Crackers, after all. Not so, when I did actually read it on a whim, months after consuming them crackers daily. Consists of vegetable fat, animal fat (beef, pork, chicken etc), marine fat or any other kind of fat. Half of me was aghast, and the other perplexed that they just did not put fat instead of that elongated admission of uncertainty. The bloated fat universe was uncovered to me. Apparently, food producers around the world dont stay up late at night working out details to ensure a certain Tamil-blooded Malaysian living at the edge of Quezon City the largest of the 12 which constitute Metro Manila was offered only food fit for him from his peculiar mindset. Rather, the world was screaming, Want something, look for it, dipshit! Growing up in Malaysia, it is expected that food arranges itself specifically in the way we expect it to, well, arrange itself. Or in other words, we expected smart food, long before the arrival of smart technologies. When I pointed this out to Caloy my ever-supportive mate from another mother after my fat discovery, he laughed out loud and said I should read the ingredients list if I had prohibitions. A fairly obvious point, but one my countrymen, through the virtue of our conditioning, by large ignore, to assume responsibility of what we eat rather than expect a third party to ensure us in our stead. Which brings me to persistent rumours about, for the lack of a better phrase, cultural appropriation of mamak restaurants. To be precise, the mushrooming of false mamak. [Restaurants presenting Islamic piety with visual displays on the walls, donation boxes to religious charities at the payment counter and workers growing beards accompanied by skull caps, when in truth, the owner is not Muslim and probably possesses halal certification and has his South Indian workers dress in a way to suggest they are Muslims.] A dark presence Earnest bloggers bent on averting panic among Muslims, set out to offer information. Presenting incorporation documents and other litmus tests for restaurants, to identify which are proper Muslim-run, Indian-Muslim owned and Indian food certified outlets. One blogger went as far as to thank the man who assaulted a worker at a Shah Alam restaurant for asking the patron to desist from smoking indoors. Because it inevitably revealed the non-Muslim name of the mamak owner when he filed a police report for his foreign worker. But it is foolhardy to dismiss the deep need for many Malaysians to have secure dining spaces, in substance and in perception. As much as food binds Malaysians, it is equally for the same reason an incendiary issue. Owners can claim a thematic outlet. The shop observes halal codes as drawn out and regulated by religious authorities, the visual presentation does no disservice to the faith as in compromising the treatment of valuable religious items and the uniform is equally respectful. Fair points, however, there is the matter of intention in our local context. The supposed Indian Malaysian owners are aware if the restaurant appears to be Muslim owned, run and manned, the market grows exponentially. Not very honest. Yet, the owners can claim if they adhere to dietary requirements and preparation, and do not disparage the Islamic faith, they are friends of Islam. Its a fine argument, and I will not venture to the theology, but do welcome the discourse because the practical elements below render widescale enforcement impossible. Every neighbourhood from Johor Barus Stulang Laut to Penang Islands Balik Pulau has a mamak at some corner. It would be an enormous undertaking to track all of them, all the time. Ownership can be fluid, and there are instances where the parent company is Muslim owned, but the franchisor is not. Or even partial business ownership by non-Muslims. It must come down to caveat emptor to a large degree. I do welcome bloggers, social commenters and citizen journalists to report fairly about these outlets and allow the public to have better information. Or even generate crowdsourced mamak verification apps. Let players who live by the sword of perception, die by the sword of public judgement. The public can be vicious if they realise they are pawns in a game of deception. The informed many There is an opportunity here. If Malaysians are aware of corporations, like the mamak, who are not what they say they are without the assistance of the state, it would be a proud day for consumerism. It augurs well too for the Malaysian in the globalised era, where goods and services are procured without borders. The false mamak may be exploitive, but they are stark reminders to Malaysians that they must arm themselves, in order to protect themselves and far more pointedly, to benefit from blind spots emerging from a world without explicit guidelines. It can be the cue for the Pakatan Harapan government to urge more initiatives to encourage an informed citizenry. That just like fake news and fake promises, fake mamak are just realities of this brave new world. That does not make them right, but it would be wrong for our rakyat to expect the government to sift and sort it for us. Or we risk becoming fake owners of our own destinies. * This is the personal opinion of the columnist. | https://www.malaymail.com/s/1710877/how-real-is-my-mamak-mee |
Can China join the big free trade deal that Donald Trump failed to kill? | The Chinese government should consider joining the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), an 11-nation free trade alliance, to show Beijing remains committed to open trade as its tariff battle with Washington drags on, a Chinese think tank said on Wednesday. The US absence from the new trade block, which officially launched at the end of 2018, gives China a time window for expanding its circle of friends and avoiding being excluded from any new trade system, the Beijing-based Centre for China and Globalisation said in a research report unveiled at a media briefing. Participating nations in the CPTPP include Japan, Australia, Vietnam and Mexico. We should make preparations in advance and join as many regional trade blocks as possible, centre founder Wang Huiyao, who also serves as an adviser to Chinas State Council, told reporters. Joining CPTPP which would require China to meet the partnerships standards on labour, state-owned enterprises, service trade and intellectual property would be a good way to build consensus [within China] and reduce friction with the US, Wang said. CPTPP is an improved version of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which was dealt a staggering blow when US President Donald Trump withdrew the US from it on January 23, 2017 in one of his first acts after his inauguration. US pushes structural changes in trade talks, but no sign of agreement However, the remaining countries, guided strongly by Japan, managed to preserve the deal, which represents 13.2 per cent of the worlds economic output and 500 million people. The first ministerial-level conference of the CPTPP is expected to take place in Tokyo on January 19 with the top agenda item being setting the process for admitting new members. South Korea and Britain are new candidates. Talks with China are going very well! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 8, 2019 The Chinese governments official line about CPTPP is that it is open to joining, although many analysts say Beijing is far from ready to agree to the terms. For instance, one of the alliances rules is that member countries must share information about their state-owned enterprises with each other. China, which regards state firms as the backbone of its national economy, could have difficulty accepting that stipulation. US-China trade war: a boxing match with no winner or loser China has been pushing ahead with the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) deal, a proposed free trade agreement between the 10 member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), with terms that China can meet more easily than the CPTPP. However, as Trump pushes for bilateral trade deals with major trading nations and the multilateral framework set by the World Trade Organisation becomes increasingly clunky, China is starting to sense the risks of being isolated from the world trade system. Such feelings were inflamed by the inclusion of a poison pill clause in the recently updated North American trade pact that gave Washington an effective veto over any attempt by Canada or Mexico to agree to a free-trade deal with a non-market economy a provision that was widely seen as targeting Beijing. The months-long trade war with the US has added urgency to Beijings need to find new partners. Everyday people are suffering in trade war The latest round of talks between US and Chinese officials concluded in Beijing on Wednesday. Delegates to the talks did not reveal what specifically was discussed, or if anything was agreed to. Although Wang, the think tank founder, had said China and the US were likely to reach a deal through negotiations, he acknowledged that differences will remain. As such, joining the CPTPP would be a relatively easy way for Beijing to gain an edge over the US, Wang said, calling the prospect a low hanging fruit. However, Beijing would serve its interests better by waiting two years to join in case a new US president replaces Trump in the White House after the 2020 election, he said. A new chief executive could have a different view on the issue of China joining the CPTPP, Wang said. Its been a good one, US delegate says as trade talks end Domestic opposition [against CPTPP] in China has been disappearing, after the US pulled out of the deal, Wang said. The trade war has made people realise that the country must open up further for its own benefits. Tu Xinquan, a University of International Business and Economics professor, told the media briefing that CPTPP would be good place for China to exercise its trade influence. Joining CPTPP might be more feasible for Beijing than attempting to push ahead with multilateral trade talks at WTO, he said. However, China would still face technical obstacles before it could join the free trade deal, Tu said, citing Beijings treatment of state-owned enterprises and rules regarding free information flow. China has the worlds most censored internet under a concept of cyberspace sovereignty and a huge police force to back up its control of the information highway behind its Great Firewall. | https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/2181439/can-china-join-big-free-trade-deal-donald-trump-failed-kill |
Can K.J. Santos help solve some of MUs scoring problems? | There werent many positives takeaways from Missouris 24-point loss to No. 3 Tennessee on Tuesday, but if there was one, it would be sophomore K.J. Santos. The 6-foot-8 forward logged career-highs in minutes (26) and points (seven) and showed flashes of being able to help a Missouri offense that ranks last in the Southeastern Conference in points per game. Santos had missed most of the nonconference slate to a fractured right foot that he injured in the preseason and didnt return until MUs game against Oral Roberts on Dec. 7. While he only scored three baskets for MU on Tuesday, it was the ways Santos scored that are encouraging for Missouri. He hit a deep three early in the game and had another basket in the paint. Digital Access For Only $0.99 For the most comprehensive local coverage, subscribe today. He also showed some athleticism by getting the ball at the key and then driving to the basket before scoring on a floater that kissed the backboard on its way down. Mizzou coach Cuonzo Martin thought the eight-day break between games helped Santos rest his foot and get more acclimated into the offense, but things hes far from full strength. Hes continuing to get his conditioning down., Martin said. Hes continuing to get his feel. I think he can post up, it was good to see him make a three point shot. I think he can score around the rim. He has good athleticism I think hell continue to display that. I think hes getting there. As a freshman at Illinois-Chicago, Santos averaged 7.1 points and 42 rebounds per game before transferring to a junior college, where he sat out last season. Santos admitted after the game that he wasnt expecting to play 26 minutes last night and thought Missouri got fatigued towards the end of the first half, when Tennessee went into halftime on a 24-4 run. We do need to do a better job of fighting through fatigue, Santos said. I think our offense got pretty stagnant. We need to work on putting a full game together, a full 40 minutes. With Missouri thin on post options after Jeremiah Tilmon, who is prone to foul trouble, the Tigers are going to lean on Santos a lot now that hes healthy as the team tries to make a run at a postseason tournament. That starts with South Carolina on Saturday, which has Chris Silva, who is one of the toughest forwards in the conference. Puryear was happy to see Santos out there Tuesday and is ready to see more. He brings a lot to the table, Puryear said. He showed a little bit of it. A physical presence down low. Im looking forward to having more of him on the floor. | https://www.kansascity.com/sports/college/sec/university-of-missouri/article224196610.html |
What's Wrong With North Carolina's Nassir Little? | Photo: Sam Wasson (Getty) Twelfth-ranked North Carolina pulled off an impressive and highly entertaining 90-82 road win against 15th-ranked rivals NC State on Tuesday night. The breakneck UNC squad is off to a 2-0 start in the ACC, and looks like a team that could be both fun and dangerous in March. With the exception of their home win against Gonzaga last month, the Heels victory over the Wolfpack is their most impressive triumph thus far. However, one player whos been unexpectedly absent from most of that success this year is Nassir Little, UNCs most-heralded freshman and one of the top recruits in college basketball. A five-star out of Orlando and last years McDonalds All-American Game MVP, Little arrived in Chapel Hill with a reputation as an electrifying wingman and versatile scoreras close to a sure thing as exists in recruiting, and a near certain one-and-done. Not only was Little projected as a lottery pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, but 24/7 and Rivals both had him ranked higher than guys like Bol Bol and Zion Williamson. ESPNs evaluation of him as the sixth-best incoming freshman was on the conservative end of expectations. And yet, in comparison to such ultra-vaunted peers as Zion and R.J. Barrett at Duke or even his UNC teammate Coby White, Little has been underwhelming. He has yet to crack UNCs starting lineup, plays 19.3 minutes per game and and is averaging a deeply ho-hum 9.9 points per game. On the perimeter, hes struggled to find a rhythm, going just 6-for-28 from deep. And on defense, despite a 7-1 wingspan and some obvious gifts as a one-on-one stopper, Little has been a massive liability in UNCs system. I feel like guarding your man in high school was the thing that I was dominant at, Little said right before ACC play began. I can guard my guy, and my guy wouldnt score. In college, its more of a team concept, where youve got to be able to make your rotations, be in the deny lanes, be on weak side help. That struggle to adjust on defense has been the single biggest factor in Littles overall struggle to contribute as expected. Even with last nights injury to standout UNC forward Cameron Johnsonwhos forced Little to try and earn more time at the 4 because of his dominance at the 3Roy Williams had low-key junior Brandon Robinson and fellow freshman Leaky Black on the court for the final minutes, rather than Little. (Little finished with a line of two points, two rebounds, and two turnovers in 17 minutes.) Advertisement Those disappointing stat lines arent deceiving. In most of UNCs big games, Little has been practically invisible. At Michigan, he scored four points on five shots. Against Gonzaga, it was seven points on seven shots. Against Texas, when he put up 11 points in 21 minutes, Littles 1-of-5 night from three made a clear difference in what wound up being a 92-89 loss. Against weaker competition, Little has often fared better, and there have been small signs of improvement recently, but he apparently hasnt done much to impress his coach so far. After a December loss to Kentucky in which Little took eight shots and scored four points, Williams kinda-sorta defended his player from criticism, but accidentally (or not) shed light on the 18-year-olds current shortcomings and struggle for minutes: Im trying to get him some more minutes out there, Williams said. Today, we wanted him to drive the ball to the basket, and we settled for 3-point shots. In the All-American Game, they never guard anybody, so if you go down and dunk, you look pretty good in that, and he does that as well as anybody. Hes a kid that wants to be good. Hes a kid thats trying to learn, and hes trying to learn against Texas, UCLA, Michigan, Gonzaga and Kentucky, and so that makes it hard as well. Advertisement As noted, Little is still just 18. He has plenty of talent, and plenty of time to improve. The name Marvin Williams has been tossed around a lot as a comparison to Little in the past couple of weeks, and thats not an insultWilliams was also a highly touted recruit who didnt start as a freshman, but he played a key role for one season as a bench player on a great team before being drafted with the second overall pick. Still, its impossible to compare Little to the even-younger Zion Williamson or R.J. Barrett and not come up disappointed. Given his failure to produce anything notable on the court, the possibility of Little returning for his sophomore season at UNC may be in play. Financially, at least, that would probably be an unwise decisionhis massive potential will still make him a first-round pick, and that will make him very rich. Against the Wolfpack and in general, North Carolina has shown that they dont necessarily need Little in order to handle tough games in the ACC. But in what still seems likely to be the final three months of his college career, Little may be in the uncomfortable position of needing his team to give him opportunity more than his team needs him to contribute. | https://deadspin.com/whats-wrong-with-nassir-little-1831620696 |
Can the President Constitutionally Declare a State of Emergency To Build the Wall? | My inbox is being inundated with the question: If President Trump declares a State of Emergency to build the wall on the border of Mexico, is that constitutional? I am certain that is not the right question or perhaps not the right way to ask it, but to ask it and answer it correctly, lets briefly remind ourselves of Americas constitutional structure and function. A Reminder The Constitution of the United States defines the powers for the three branches of federal government. Each of these branches are delegated specific enumerated powers that are not only limited and defined by the Constitution but also separate and distinct in their delegations. The branches of government do not share powers unless that specific cooperation is ascribed by the Constitution. For example, the power to create treaties (today referred to with the obfuscatory label deals) is not an autonomous power belonging to the president but one that requires specific concurrence by the Senate. Recall that the Tenth Amendment declares that any power not delegated through the Constitution remains in the hands of the states. This is the opposite of Teddy Roosevelts stewardship doctrine that says the feds can do whatever they want as long as the Constitution doesnt say they cant. Federal Supremacists love this perspective. That was NOT the discussion or conclusion of the ratification debates. There are no unnamed powers floating in the ether waiting to be snatched up by the central government. Roosevelts Secretary of War William Taft rightly conveyed the framers positions, a specific grant must be either in the Federal Constitution or in an act of Congress passed in pursuance thereof. There is no undefined residuum of power which (the federal government) can exercise because it seems to be in the public interest TRENDING: Ex-Wrestler Who Accused Republican Jim Jordan in Abuse Case Gets Arrested The specific delegations of power, as well as non-delegations, were created thoughtfully, deliberately, with knowledge of history and human nature. The limitations of those powers involved considerable debate and study into past history and ancient governments. Patrick Henry said in his famous Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death speech: I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided; and that is the lamp of experience. I know of no way of judging of the future but by the past. Alexander Hamilton wrote in Federalist #20: Experience is the oracle of truth However, it is not uncommon in the evolution of the American Republic to see the government AND the citizenry cast off the wisdom and experience enshrined in the founding documents to address some urgent necessity. Instead of taking the intentionally cumbersome path to do it right, Americans willingly run roughshod over constitutional barriers because we have to get this done, or there is no other way to do it! These instances have slowly transmuted the Republic into the nearly limitless federal behemoth we know today. We would be well-served to paste a banner over our televisions and computers reminding us of what William Pitt said in 1783: Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom. It is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves. The Question So when people ask questions like Can the president do? Can the House, Senate, or Supreme Court do? the first sources that must be consulted are the Constitution and the people who drafted it. If the Constitution provides no authority for the activity, then the power does not constitutionally reside in the hands the federal government. So more to the root of the question being asked, Does the Constitution enumerate a power to the President to declare a state of emergency? The short answer is no. Every state of emergency refers to the National Emergencies Acts as the source of its authority. So the real question is Does the Constitution authorize Congress to alter (expand or contract) executive power by legislative act? The constitutional answer to this question is obviously no. Congress cannot add powers that the Constitution has not delegated to the president nor can they take away powers that have been delegated. For Congress to have the authority to add power to the executive branch, they would have to possess the authority to actually amend the Constitution by congressional act, and they do not. Additionally, for Congress to delegate a power to the executive branch that has been constitutionally delegated to Congress, is a per se violation of the Constitution by crushing the principle of Separation of Powers. James Madison, quoting political philosopher Montesquieu, was very direct with his words regarding separation of powers: There can be no liberty where the legislative and executive powers are united in the same person, or body of magistrates Federalist #47 Spending, war, appropriations, national defense and naturalization are all powers specifically delegated to Congress. For Congress to abdicate its power to the executive branch is not only not authorized by the Constitution, it is necessarily forbidden by the principle of Separation of Powers to ensure the security of the liberty of the people. RELATED: Dick Morris: What the Pundits Missed About Trumps National Address Shockingly, this debate over states of emergency has raged for decades and nobody seems to offer the obvious correct answer if we want the president to have such powers we must amend the Constitution. Yet if you consider how far we have strayed and how long we have been off the path, President Trump is doing nothing out of the ordinary, he is following a long history of extra-constitutional (aka unconstitutional) action. If you tell a lie long enough, people believe it to be truth and the lie of expanded executive power has a long history. I think this principle is even more powerful when that lie comes from someone you like, or applies to a situation you happen to agree with. But that lie can only operate as truth with very dire consequences, the most obvious consequence would be that the lie operates as truth not only for the people you like but also the people you dont like. Some claim expansion of executive power began with the George Washington administrations response to the whiskey rebellion. Yet in this instance, Congress authorized Washington to quell an insurrection which falls within the constitutional authority of both Congress and President. It was Congress that then began creating stand-by laws to give the President powers beyond the grant of the Constitution in time of national emergency. They should have proposed a constitutional amendment, not passed a law. (Interestingly, Washington later pardoned everyone who was arrested during the rebelling, if they were not already acquitted.) The first unilateral act of a president arose when Lincoln blockaded American ports and expanded military forces without Congress. The Congress and the courts eventually went along and this became the confirmation and justification of the Presidents emergency power. Woodrow Wilson and FDR faced similar emergency power controversies and were not thwarted by Congress. In 1917, President Woodrow Wilson started the Presidential Proclamation that triggered the availability of all so-called stand-by laws for these declarations of emergency. The process came to a head when, after Truman proclaimed an emergency in response to Korean hostilities, the same order was used to wage war in Vietnam 22 years later. Congress, led by Senator Church, launched an investigation. One of numerous Congressional studies in 1973 showed that the Congress had already passed over 470 statutes granting the President EXTRAORDINARY POWERS during time of emergency. In an attempt to restrain and proceduralize the use of emergency powers, perhaps restrain the monster they allowed to grow, Congress passed the National Emergencies Act on in September of 1976. In light of the fact that Congress is not authorized through Congressional act to expand delegated authority, consider these two points from two constitutional delegates: There is no position which depends on clearer principles, than that every act of a delegated authority, contrary to the tenor of the commission under which it is exercised, is void. No legislative act, therefore, contrary to the Constitution, can be valid. Federalist #78- Alexander Hamilton the power of the Constitution predominates. Any thing, therefore, that shall be enacted by Congress contrary thereto, will not have the force of law. James Wilson, Pennsylvania Ratifying Convention 1787 The Constitution is not silent on this issue. Article 6 clause 2 codifies the principles laid down by the above drafters of the Constitution when it says: This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in pursuance thereof; shall be the supreme Law of the Land; and the Judges in every State shall be bound thereby, any Thing in the Constitution or Laws of any State to the Contrary notwithstanding. Every law must be made, every federal action must be taken, in pursuance to the Constitution. If that act is not specifically authorized by the Constitution, then the Judges in every State are NOT bound thereby. What that means is the National Emergencies Act, War Powers Act, 8 US 1182- empowering the president to determine the admissibility of aliens, and many, many others are all unconstitutional delegations of power by Congress to the president. Which makes them, by the terms of the Constitution AND the drafters of that document, null and void. So the question is NOT: If the president declares a national emergency and builds the wall, is that constitutional? Thats an easy question to answer, no. The question is: Will we keep pretending to live in a constitutional republic, while making it up as we go along? Other than electing a Congress that actually cares for the security, safety and integrity of the nation, there are two simple options: Amend the Constitution and have the states give the president this authority or stop pretending, get rid of the Constitution and go back to monarchy. The views expressed in this opinion article are those of their author and are not necessarily either shared or endorsed by the owners of this website. We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards. | https://www.westernjournal.com/can-president-constitutionally-declare-state-emergency-build-wall/ |
When did March Madness expand to 68 teams? | March Madness is known for its sprawling schedule filled with 67 games. But the tournament didnt used to be that way. The inaugural tournament, in 1939, had just eight teams, and saw Oregon beat Ohio State 46-33 for the title. Since then, the tournaments format has changed drastically. RELATED: What is March Madness: The NCAA tournament explained In 1951, the field doubled to 16, and kept expanding sporadically over the next few decades until 1985, when the modern format of a 64-team tournament began. In 1999, the Mountain West Conference joined Division I. In its second season, 2000-01, the conference received an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament, pushing the number of automatic qualifiers to 31, and the total teams in the tournament to 65. To account for this, rather than remove an at-large bid, the NCAA added a single game prior to the first round. This Opening Round game would pit the two lowest-seeded teams against each other to cull the field to 64 for the first round. In 2011, to flesh out that first set of games and deepen the field, three more at-large bids were added, and with them, three more games to round out the First Four. That brought us to the current number of 68 teams. When selecting the teams for the NCAA tournament, the Selection Committee ranks every team from No. 1 through No. 68. In its current format, the First Four consists of eight teams the four lowest-seeded automatic qualifiers, and the four lowest-seeded at-large teams. Each subset plays against itself (i.e., at-large teams face at-large teams, and automatic qualifiers face automatic qualifiers). Every year, the First Four is played on the Tuesday and Wednesday after Selection Sunday, with the Round of 64 starting that Thursday. The First Four has always been hosted at the University of Dayton. Here is more on Dayton's impressive history as a college basketball town. The First Four can often be found at the top of a bracket. Heres how this years bracket looks (and here's a PDF): | https://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball-men/article/2019-01-09/when-did-march-madness-expand-68-teams |
Why shouldnt able-bodied actors play disabled roles? | One day, my friends mock, theyll make a film about you. Ha ha, I say, and if it ever happens Ill insist Cate Blanchett plays me. In some quarters, though, thats called cripping-up, and its enough to get you lynched. The latest victim of casting fascism is the actor Bryan Cranston, playing a wealthy quadriplegic in the film The Upside, released tomorrow. Its a remake of the great French comedy Untouchable, starring the able-bodied actor Franois Cluzet, which was box office gold and garnered massive, unambiguous support from the wheelchair community. But that was 2011, and this is now. These days, say the righteous mob, that constitutes stealing a role from a disabled actor. Its unacceptable for the able-bodied to play disabled, or the straight | https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/why-shouldn-t-able-bodied-actors-play-disabled-roles-zdz6qz8f3 |
Are the days of the private car really over? | Image copyright Getty Images A couple of months ago I wrote a wildly optimistic piece about how we've all probably bought our last cars. It drew on analysis that suggests that the convergence of electric cars and Uber-style ride hailing networks, together with autonomous driving technology, could completely reshape the car market. These new "robo-taxis" would be so cheap to use that it just wouldn't be worth owning a car any more, and that this transformation could happen very quickly - in as little as a decade - or so the argument runs. The results would transform the way we live. I acknowledged that the idea was controversial and invited readers to respond. And you did. Thousands of you. Lots of readers thought this brave new world of self-driving vehicles sounded great. But more doubted whether it would really come to pass. So we recruited some experts to explore your concerns and to help try and work out just how likely it is that the age of the private automobile really will soon be over. Let's take each element of this revolution separately. Find out more The original interviews will be available on Thursday 10 January's episode of the Beyond Today podcast on the BBC Sounds App from 5pm. First off, the cars. Many of you asked whether there would really be enough lithium or cobalt in the world to make all the batteries they would need, for example. Image copyright Andrew Aitchison/Getty Images Image caption Four million electric cars have been sold around the world Step up Michael Liebreich, a sustainability expert who runs a clean energy and transportation consultancy in London. There's no shortage of either element in the world, he says, the real issue is whether the mining industry has the capacity to dig the stuff out, and there's been huge investment in putting that in place as demand has risen. Mr Liebreich reels off statistics suggesting that we have already entered the era of the electric car: four million have already been sold, and he predicts the next million will hit the streets in just six months. Lots of mainstream forecasters now reckon that there'll be more than 100 million electric vehicles on the world's roads by 2030. Not quite the wholescale upheaval I talked about - there could be nearly two billion cars in total on the roads by then - but a very significant development nonetheless. Lots of you talked about the sense of freedom driving gives; the thrill of putting the pedal to the metal. The response of CarlitosWay was fairly typical: "If you think I'm giving up burning off boy racers at the lights in my Jag, think again suckers." Image copyright Michael Cole/Getty Images Image caption Driving for the sheer joy of driving I'll bowl that one to Gary Marcus, a professor of psychology at New York University who found time to set up an artificial intelligence (AI) company that was snapped up by Uber. He acknowledges that driving can be a very "liberating experience" but says that doesn't mean we'll always do it, or always should do it. "Eventually it will be a safety issue," says Prof Marcus. "There will come a day when driverless cars are just much safer than people." But - and there is a big but here - he doesn't think the transition to self-driving vehicles is going to happen in the next 10 years. He thinks it could be a couple of decades before autonomous technology is up to the challenge of driving a car safely. That will come as a surprise to those who have watched in awe at the success of AI programs like Google subsidiary DeepMind's AlphaZero. Within two hours of taking up chess AlphaZero was beating human players; after four it was beating the best chess computer in the world; in nine it was the best chess player the world has ever seen. But Prof Marcus says progress on self-driving cars has been nowhere near as rapid. The problem is that driving is a lot more complex and unpredictable than chess. It turns out the challenge of getting a vehicle to control itself is a perfect illustration of the limits of current AI: computers may be able to do some things way better than even the very cleverest of humans, but often fail at tasks that even the stupidest humans can achieve with ease. Image copyright Laguna Beach Police Department Image caption This Tesla crashed into a parked police car in California last year; the driver said the car had been in Autopilot mode A key issue is that, when it comes to driving, you can't afford to make mistakes, points out Prof Marcus. A self-driving car that works 99.99% of the time still can't be trusted if 0.01% of the time it drives into parked vehicles or kills a pedestrian. The realisation that getting cars to navigate safely anywhere other than straightforward environments like motorways has made the ride-hailing giants a lot less bullish about the autonomous driving revolution. Uber, for example, has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in self-driving technology. Back in 2014 the company's then-boss, Travis Kalanick, was predicting that self-driving cars would replace drivers. Now the most ambitious it gets is talk of rolling out a "hybrid network". "[There will be] places and times where it makes a whole lot of sense for an autonomous vehicle to pick someone up, and there will be other places and times and weather conditions and areas of the country where having a driver that looks a lot like what Uber looks like today will continue for quite a while," Uber's head of transportation policy and research, Andrew Salzberg, concedes. Image copyright Education Images/Getty Images Image caption Many readers claimed the vision of the autonomous future would never reach rural areas Mr Salzberg's response to this criticism may surprise you. He says some of the most dramatic changes Uber has already brought have been in the smaller towns and rural areas in California. He says that it used to be hard to hail a taxi in the more remote areas of Uber's heartland, but claims the company can now offer many users five or 10-minute response times. The key is the size of the network, says Mr Salzberg. Uber now has sufficient customers - in California at least - to generate enough rides to make driving a taxi worthwhile even in areas with low population densities. The bottom line So here's my conclusion. Two of the three components of the autonomous revolution - electric vehicles and ride-hailing apps - appear to be coming along quite nicely. Image copyright Ola Image caption Ride-hailing apps are proliferating: Indian firm Ola has been expanding outside its home market and last year launched in the UK But the third - and most important - automation, still has a long way to go. Yes, you can already buy a car that will steer you along a motorway, though you'll need to keep your hands on the wheel because these technologies are officially just an advanced version of cruise control. So it's clear it is going to take much longer than 10 years before fully automated vehicles are approved, and therefore the full robo-taxi revolution can begin in earnest. It will happen - but just not as quickly as many hoped. But in the meantime other forces are undermining our attachment to our automobiles. Last month Uber began the process of floating itself on the US stock market. It will be one of the biggest initial public offerings in history, with talk of the company being valued at as much as $120bn and that's despite posting losses topping $1bn in the three months to September. It is because Uber is at the vanguard of the battle for the future of one of the biggest businesses on the planet - transportation. There's lots of evidence that the market is already beginning to change - just look at UK car sales. Gone are the days when a gleaming new car was something we all aspired to. Increasingly twentysomethings don't even bother to pass the driving test because these days there are lots of alternatives to the car. Image copyright AFP Image caption Uber recently invested in electric scooter and bike hire company Lime That is certainly the argument Uber's Andrew Salzberg makes. He predicts that many millennials will never own a car. "People choose things that are convenient for them," he says. Uber's focus now is to offer a range of travel alternatives, recently investing in electric bike rental and electric scooters. "It is faster in the morning commute here in San Francisco to take a bike to work, but late at night you may need a car to the airport," Mr Salzberg says. Lots of other companies are snapping at Uber's heels, coming up with new ways to provide cheap and efficient ways for us all to get around. So even if the robo-taxi revolution is a way off there are lots of new reasons you may decide not to shell out on a car of your own. | https://www.bbc.com/news/business-46794948 |
How is Qatar coping with its economic embargo? | Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Qatar's vast natural gas supplies have made it resilient to the embargo When four of Qatar's neighbours hit it with an economic and diplomatic embargo back in June 2017, one expert says it faced two big problems. "The Qataris had a two-fold battle to fight," says Michael Stephens, Middle East research fellow at London's Royal United Services Institute. "One was to convince world opinion that they weren't these horrid terrorist-supporting Bin Laden types. "And the other was to show that the economy was robust, that it was a good place to invest, and that the Qataris were creating conditions that will make it easier for foreign direct investment to thrive." The embargo was introduced by four countries - Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates - who accused gas-rich Qatar of supporting terrorism, a charge it strongly denies. They also made 13 demands, including ending economic cooperation with Iran, and closing down TV station al-Jazeera. Qatar refused to meet any of these, and so 19 months later the blockade remains in place. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption The blockade includes Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates not allowing Qatar Airways planes to cross their airspace While the question of whether Qatar supports terrorism is no longer in the headlines - superseded by Saudi Arabia's woes following the murder of dissident Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul - Qatar is still working hard to show that its economy is open for business. Prior to the blockade, as much as 60% of Qatar's imports are estimated to have come through the countries now boycotting it, particularly its food supplies, so the government had to act fast to secure alternative supply routes through Turkey and Iran. It also moved quickly to ramp up domestic production, even importing tens of thousands of cows to ensure milk supplies. "Qatar has managed to cope quite well," says a former economic advisor to Qatar, who spoke on condition of anonymity. But he wonders whether it would have been easier, and better, for Qatar - the world's largest exporter of liquefied natural gas (LNG) - to have used its vast wealth to instead buy stakes in Western food companies so as to better guarantee supplies in the longer term. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption The Emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, addressed a global economic forum in the country's capital last month Akber Khan, a senior director at Qatari investment fund Al Rayan, says that the government "has done a far better job in handling this extraordinary crisis than most could have expected". He adds: "Importantly, and to their considerable credit, they ensured the lives of residents were virtually unaffected. The blockade has affected sentiment, but not our ability to conduct our business." Qatar has also been helped by timing, in that in September 2017, three months after the blockade started, it officially opened the $7.4bn (5.8bn) deep-water Hamad Port, which has enabled the country to receive much larger cargo ships. Previously, Qatar was greatly dependent on re-exports - goods from around the world that were first sent to ports in neighbouring countries, such as Dubai in the UAE, before then being shipped to Qatar on smaller vessels. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Qatar imported tens of thousands of dairy cows to avert a milk shortage In addition to insuring supplies of food and consumer goods, Qatar has been working hard to increase economic ties outside of Middle Eastern region, particularly with the US. The country's Ministry of Commerce website details meetings last year with the likes of US Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross and US Secretary of Treasury Steven Mnuchin. It also highlights Qatar Airways' multi-billion dollar ordering of Boeing passenger planes, and overall Qatari investments in the US. Global Trade More from the BBC's series taking an international perspective on trade: Qatari trade officials have also been working hard to increase economic ties with Germany. "The diplomatic and economic overtures are all part of a new Qatar engaging more fully with the world outside the Gulf," said Mr Khan. "These meetings are partly to educate that it's business as usual despite the blockade. Trade works both ways, so it's not just about showing off Qatar's very considerable financial muscle, but also to highlight the growing opportunities for foreign companies to set up in Qatar." Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Centered on its capital Doha, Qatar has a population of 2.6 million, but only about 300,000 of these are Qatari nationals To try to boost overseas investment in Qatar, the government has announced economic reforms related to labour laws, privatisation, special economic zones, and higher foreign ownership limits that it says will make it easier to invest and operate in the country. Many are still unconvinced though, with structural problems potentially deterring large-scale foreign activity. "The bureaucracy is absolutely horrendous in Qatar - that's why you have a very small marketplace, little competition and very high prices," said the anonymous former Qatar advisor. Ultimately though, it is Qatar's vast gas reserves - the third largest in the world - that is enabling it to shrug off the blockade after the initial scramble to secure alternative supplies of food and consumer goods. The world's largest exporter of liquefied natural gas, it shipped 81 million tons in 2017, or 28% of the global total. Qatar also exports 600,000 barrels of oil a day, but it left oil producers cartel Opec at the start of this year to focus more on gas. It said the move was unconnected to the boycott. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Qatar is the world's largest exporter of liquefied natural gas Such is Qatar's hydrocarbon wealth that its economy has continued to expand despite the embargo. Its economy grew by 1.6% in 2017, and that rate of expansion is expected to rise to 2.4% in 2018 and 3.1% in 2019, says the International Monetary Fund (IMF). "Compared with other Gulf countries, the case for Qatar to diversify its economy is much weaker," says Jason Tuvey, Middle East economist at London's Capital Economics. "There are only about 300,000 Qatari citizens and the government can easily afford to employ all working Qataris in the public sector." Mr Stephens adds that, "Qatar doesn't have to have a diverse business-friendly economy unless it wants to". "Ultimately, the Qataris can survive if they need to just by pumping out more gas," he says. "The gas money can prop everything up." | https://www.bbc.com/news/business-46795696 |
Did it really hit 33 below zero near Fort Collins last week? | Buy Photo An inflatable snowman expresses his feelings on the cold as snow continues to fall in Fort Collins on Thursday, December 21, 2017. (Photo: Austin Humphreys/The Coloradoan)Buy Photo The mystery began not with a horrifying crime or a whodunit, but with a number on Page 6A of the Friday edition of the Coloradoan. Minus 33 degrees: the low temperature recorded in Waverly, Colorado, in the wee hours of Thursday, Jan. 3. The frigid integer set a record for the coldest temperature recorded in Colorado and the rest of the country that night. But it left a few eagle-eyed Coloradoan readers scratching their heads. Waverly, an unincorporated community, encompasses about 20 square miles of mostly rural farmland just northwest of Wellington. It's less than 10 miles north of Fort Collins, which hit 12 degrees that night. The next night, the Waverly station logged a low of minus 29 degrees to Fort Collins' 20 degrees. And the night after that, it logged a low of minus 19 degrees to Fort Collins' 21. Stranger things have happened, but that's not what happened here. We tracked down the answer with the help of Colorado state climatologist Russ Schumacher, who agreed that Waverly probably didn't get that cold last week. Maybe it was a bad reading. But finding the weather station that recorded those sub-zero temperatures proved tricky. The Colorado Climate Center doesn't operate a weather station in Waverly, nor does the National Weather Service forecast office in Boulder. Which made a lot of sense once we realized the temperature record was set in a different Waverly not a hop and a skip north of Fort Collins, but over 200 miles south, near Alamosa. This Waverly, much like the other one, is a small farming community located adjacent to a larger city. It's not a census-designated place or a statutory town, and it only shows up in a Google search if you include its zip code. The low temperatures in nearby Alamosa from the Jan 2 to Jan. 4 were minus 24, minus 22 and minus 19. Right on the money. Schumacher said he heard from the National Weather Service office in Pueblo that the Waverly reading came from a volunteer-run Cooperative Observer Program weather station. The observer is "very conscientious" and reported a temperature of minus 28 degrees the morning after their gauge recorded the low of minus 33, Schumacher said. "With snow on the ground and a very cold air mass, there often are some very sharp variations in low temperatures based on small changes in elevation, etc., so Im inclined to think its probably a real measurement," he wrote in an email. Mystery solved, basically. Searching for more affirmation, we tried calling every number we could find listed in the Waverly near Alamosa there weren't a lot but aside from one gentleman who couldn't hear us, no one picked up the phone. Perhaps they were still busy thawing out. Loading... Read or Share this story: https://www.coloradoan.com/story/news/2019/01/09/fort-collins-weather-did-really-hit-minus-33-degrees-waverly/2525989002/ | https://www.coloradoan.com/story/news/2019/01/09/fort-collins-weather-did-really-hit-minus-33-degrees-waverly/2525989002/ |
How will school board handle call to sanction its longest-serving member? | A threat that Palm Beach County School Board member Debra Robinson made about a radio station in August has put her fellow board members in an awkward position. Its an unusual conundrum, one resulting from the fact that Robinsons actions were investigated by an agency that reports back to her and fellow board members, leaving them as the final arbiters. The investigation released Tuesday concluded that Robinson violated the boards ethics code by threatening to cut off business to a radio station that grilled her on the air about her commitment to the Haitian community. RELATED: School board members vow to punish radio station broke ethics code, investigation says The Pinellas County inspector general, who investigated the case on the boards behalf, recommended that board members call for Robinson to take an ethics class, apologize officially and recuse herself in future board meetings from media-related discussions and/or votes. School Board Chairman Frank Barbieri quickly ruled out the inspector generals recommendation, saying in an interview Tuesday that it isnt the boards role to police its own members. I dont believe the board has authority to sanction or require any one of its colleagues to do anything, he said. I believe its up to Dr. Robinson as an elected official to comply with the code of ethics, and Im sure she will. That drew a rebuke from the Pinellas County inspector general, Hector Collazo Jr., who called Barbieris stance disappointing. Im disappointed in the chairs comments, Collazo said Wednesday, and we stand by our recommendations and hope that the School Board implements the recommendations. At Barbieris behest, the boards general counsel weighed in too, saying that state law does not authorize school boards to sanction their own members. There are NO provisions which confer authority of a school board to discipline, direct, or require any action or inaction of another individual duly-elected school board member, wrote JulieAnn Rico, the boards general counsel, in a memo to board members Wednesday. This is the sole authority of the governor, she continued. Thus, the School Board of Palm Beach County, as a collective body, has no authority to take any action as recommended in the Pinellas County inspector general's report. RELATED: After election win, school board member vows to cut off business to Haitian radio station In the memo, Rico did not address whether board members could call for Robinson to voluntarily accept the inspector generals recommendations. The situation facing board members is an unusual one. Its rare for a school board member to be the subject of an investigation carried out under the boards own authority, and even rarer for such an investigation to call for board members to sanction one of their own. Another wrinkle: Its not clear whether the school boards ethics policy applies to board members, who are elected officials, not school district employees. Government ethics codes tend to function as employment policies, and therefore dont usually apply to elected officials overseeing those agencies, said Mark Bannon, executive director of the Palm Beach County Commission on Ethics. Those employment policies do not apply to elected officials, he said. Board member Karen Brill said she suspected that would be outside their authority as well. When it comes to being an elected official, we arent each other bosses," she said. I do not believe that we have the authority to take any action. It wasnt clear Wednesday whether Robinson intended to act on the inspector general's recommendations. She did not respond to a question Tuesday, and she did not return a phone call seeking comment on Wednesday. The investigation sprang from an incident in August when Robinson, on the heels of winning her sixth term in office after a heated campaign, was caught on video vowing to cut off business to a Haitian-American radio station in West Palm Beach. 1600 AM already got shut down, she said in a recording broadcast live on Facebook, apparently without her knowledge. I said not only are they not getting business from the school district, they get negative business. A subsequent anonymous complaint about the incident went to the school boards inspector general, who forwarded it to the Pinellas inspector general in keeping with a policy of delegating to outside agencies any complaints regarding high-level officials. In his report, Collazo wrote that Robinson broke no laws but violated the school boards ethics code, which calls for board members and district employees to create a culture that fosters personal and institutional integrity, and avoids conflicts of interest and appearances of impropriety. In a written rebuttal, Robinson disputed that her actions violated the ethics code, saying she broke none of the code's specific rules, which prohibit such things as falsifying official records or engaging in sexual behavior with students. The report fails to cite a violation of any ethical standard of conduct, she wrote. The board's next scheduled meeting is Jan. 23. [email protected] @AMarraPBPost | https://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/20190109/how-will-school-board-handle-call-to-sanction-its-longest-serving-member |
Who will win MVP? | Two pro-Russia Ukrainians, who owed the former Trump campaign chairman money, were the intended recipients of American polling data Serhiy Lyovochkin and Rinat Akhmetov, two Ukrainian oligarchs who had paid Paul Manafort for years for his political work in their country, were the intended recipients of the American polling data that Manafort shared with Konstantin Kilimnik during the 2016 presidential campaign, a person familiar with the matter said on Wednesday. Analysis: Why the latest Manafort news is a very big deal On Tuesday we learned -- thanks to a redaction error in a filing in the special counsel's investigation into Russian interference -- that Paul Manafort met with a Russian-linked operative named Konstantin Kilimnik during the course of the 2016 campaign. And in that meeting, according to special counsel Robert Mueller's office, Manafort discussed policies related [] Santorum: Nobody wanted to work for Trump Former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA) offers his thoughts on why Paul Manafort was hired by the Trump campaign, claiming that establishment Republicans didn't want to work for Trump. Analysis: Manafort filing hints at collusion Lawyers working for former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort accidentally revealed on Tuesday the clearest public evidence of coordination between the campaign and Russians, adding new details to the murky mosaic of potential collusion in 2016 -- including sharing polling data with an alleged Russian operative. Law firm that represented Russian interests part of mystery Mueller subpoena case One law firm involved in a foreign government-owned company's challenge of a mysterious grand jury subpoena related to the Robert Mueller investigation is Alston & Bird, CNN has learned, a firm that has previously represented Russian interests, including working for a Russian oligarch and a contractor of the Russian government. Lawmakers respond to Manafort revelation Lawmakers are reacting after a partially unredacted court filing released to the public revealed special counsel Robert Mueller believes former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort shared polling data with an associate with ties to Russian intelligence. CNN's Sara Murray reports. Opinion: Senate needs to grill Trump's pick for attorney general Next week, the Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a confirmation hearing for William Barr, President Donald Trump's nominee for attorney general. While any attorney general inherently holds immense power, the ongoing investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller -- and the threat it poses to Trump's presidency -- potentially raises the ordinarily high stakes to bet-the-republic [] He saw Trump's TV speech. Then he decided to look for a new job. When Dante Biss-Grayson Halleck, a veteran and federal employee, watched Tuesday night's address by President Trump and the Democratic response, he said he felt motivated. Motivated to hit the send button on new job applications. | http://theechotimes.com/who-will-win-mvp/ |
Is affirmative action in India becoming a gimmick? | Image copyright Reuters Image caption There has been a clamour for quotas among the economically weak upper castes India's affirmative action programme is one of most comprehensive in the world. It is built into the country's 68-year-old constitution, and reserves seats in parliament and state assemblies for the country's most socially disadvantaged groups, as well as government jobs and places in educational institutions. "Reservations" or quotas have been given to the caste-based groups - mainly Dalits (previously known as "untouchables") and tribespeople - to rectify historical wrongs perpetrated by the country's harsh and toxic Hindu caste hierarchy. There's ample evidence to prove that these quotas have helped to empower and uplift the socially deprived. The programme is also controversial. Identity and caste-based groups clamour for fresh quotas as formal jobs and quality education remain chronically scarce. This has forced the Supreme Court to cap reservations at 50% of the total jobs and seats. No wonder affirmative action has become a tool for politicians to win quick votes. Earlier this week, fresh evidence of this surfaced when Prime Minister Narendra Modi's BJP-led government proposed that 10% of government jobs and seats in educational institutions should be reserved for economically-backward upper caste citizens - those who earn less than 800,000 rupees ($1,500) annually and own less than five acres of land. Since all parties are complicit in mining caste to dole out patronage, few MPs resisted this move. A bill to amend the constitution to allow for the new quotas was passed by the lower house in a record 48 hours. The upper house passed it late on Wednesday. The timing of the move is evidently suspect. The BJP is facing crucial general elections in a few months. The shock defeat of the ruling party in three major states recently has energised - and united - the often fractious opposition ahead of the summer elections. Mr Modi, a charismatic campaigner and his party's prime vote-getter, no longer looks unbeatable. Formal jobs have dried up, and farmers across the country are struggling because of poor crop prices. "This is an eleventh-hour ploy to shape a pre-election economic narrative," says Milan Vaishnav, a senior fellow and director of the South Asia Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Image copyright AFP Image caption India's historically deprived communities have been the main beneficiaries of quotas It is difficult to argue otherwise. India's economy may be reasonably buoyant, but the rising tide is no longer lifting all boats. Put simply, there aren't enough jobs. To make matters worse, the country lost 11 million jobs last year, according to a startling report by the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy. People in both cities and villages have been hit. Two-thirds of Indians live in villages, where the majority of the job losses have taken place. Even people belonging to politically influential, upper caste groups have fallen upon hard times. Wooing back voters Mr Modi's party hopes that this quota announcement will help it woo back the upper castes - traditionally the party's faithful base - who are now economically struggling because of a lack of jobs and a sluggish business environment. But, as Pratap Bhanu Mehta, vice-chancellor at Ashoka University, says, announcing a quota to tackle what is essentially a dire jobs crisis is "cynical politics, cynical policy". Many believe it is cynical because it will be difficult for Mr Modi's government to honour this promise. For one thing, there isn't enough time to enforce it before the elections, which must be held by May. Secondly, this move may still run into legal challenges, and the top court may yet strike it down. Thirdly, it could trigger another wave of affirmative action demands from other groups like minorities and women. Image copyright AFP Image caption India's top court in 2016 struck down a government move to reserve jobs for the powerful Jat caste Most importantly, there aren't enough government jobs to honour the quota. There were 17 million jobs in the government in 2012, down from 19 million in 1991. "The fact is that an increasing number of people in India are clamouring for a consistently shrinking number of government jobs. More people want a slice, but the pie is getting smaller each year. This may be good politics, but it also reflects a sense of desperation about India's jobless growth trajectory," says Mr Vaishnav. The summer elections will prove whether it's good politics. After all, as political scientist D Shyam Babu says, Indian voters are astute. "They are very suspicious of pre-election promises of this kind". More on India from Soutik: | https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-46806089 |
How Will The Shutdown End? | Welcome to FiveThirtyEights weekly politics chat. The transcript below has been lightly edited. sarahf (Sarah Frostenson, politics editor): In his first prime-time address to the nation, President Trump told Americans on Tuesday night that the flow of illegal immigrants and drugs across the U.S.-Mexico border was a crisis. He did not declare a national emergency to secure funding for his proposed border wall, but he did suggest that he wouldnt end the partial government shutdown until funding for the wall was approved. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer made it clear in their rebuttal that congressional Democrats were not prepared to give Trump what hes asking for. Congressional leaders from both parties are scheduled to meet with Trump today, but at this stage, it doesnt seem as though the government will reopen anytime soon. We seem to be at an impasse. And the stakes are such that neither party can back down. I thought it was a wildly useless exercise by both the president and the congressional leaders. It was like a public declaration of impasse. nrakich (Nathaniel Rakich, elections analyst): I agree, Clare. In general, research has shown that Oval Office speeches and the like dont really change minds. Reportedly, even Trump was skeptical that the speech would make a difference! sarahf: It certainly was a departure from how previous presidents have used an address from the Oval Office. clare.malone: The public nature of it did, as you say, up the stakes for backing down. It almost felt like he was just trying to remind everyone in America that theres a shutdown and that the White House and Congress are having a slap fight. perry (Perry Bacon Jr., senior writer): It felt like Trump was making a kind of Hail Mary. A majority of the public (51 percent) think the president deserves most of the blame for the partial shutdown, according to a Reuters-Ipsos poll that was released Tuesday. But some Republican senators are balking at Trumps strategy. That said, an address from the Oval Office is a card he can play that no one else can. But, yes, it was unlikely to work presidential addresses dont generally change minds, as Nathaniel noted. Plus, opinions on immigration are pretty entrenched, and Trump is fairly unpopular. clare.malone: One thing that struck me was how much Trumps speech echoed both his inaugural address (American carnage) and his campaign announcement back in 2015. He talked about rapists and murderers, but from the Oval Office. It was fascinating from a historical perspective, I guess. The usurpation of a formula, that formula being the dignified, seemingly apolitical Oval Office address. perry: This take from Voxs Dara Lind hits on that theme, too. The headline of her piece is: Immigrants are coming over the border to kill you is the only speech Trump knows how to give. sarahf: Theres this idea floating around that one purpose of last nights address was to convince Americans that there is a crisis at its southern border. perry: I tend to be skeptical of the kind of insider, access-based reporting through which we learned that Trump didnt want to give the speech. Yes, Im sure Trump said this, but its not like someone made him give the address. He is the president. clare.malone: It was definitely meant to bring the crisis to Americans living rooms. But it seems like a move that doesnt come from a position of strength. It feels more like a last ditch move of negotiation a high-profile attempt to shift blame. Not sure that will work nrakich: Yeah, the calm demeanor (unusual for Trump) plus the inflammatory words was a weird juxtaposition. perry: My guess is that Trump will increase the number of Republicans who say we have an immigration crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border. That number is 72 percent, according to the latest Morning Consult poll. I could see that becoming 80 percent or 90 percent. But I doubt that he moved anyone else. sarahf: So there was talk ahead of the address that Trump would use it to declare a national emergency to go around Congress and move ahead on building the wall. But that didnt happen. clare.malone: Thats an interesting question. It feels like a Rubicon to cross. nrakich: White House press secretary Sarah Sanders says its still on the table: "It's something we're still looking at," says @PressSec of declaring a "national emergency" at the border. "It's something that's certainly still on the table," she says at WH driveway gaggle. But says "best solution" is a deal with Congress to fund border security. pic.twitter.com/5SIPRmMyA5 Mark Knoller (@markknoller) January 9, 2019 perry: I really think thats still on the table. The move is legally questionable. There would be lawsuits. It would be seen as another violation of norms by Trump inflating an emergency to get done what he cant get done through Congress. But its also the easiest way out of this mess for Trump. Democratic lawmakers are very opposed to the wall, and some Republicans in Congress are not that excited about it either. Trump needs a way out of the shutdown without losing the fight, and declaring an emergency might be the cleanest approach. Yet, its also not clean at all, of course. nrakich: Yeah, Jim Acosta of CNN tweeted that Trump has been seeking advice on it but is hearing that it would be on shaky legal ground. clare.malone: Once again, the Trump era is a great era for lawyers billable hours. It feels like there would be enough Republicans who dont care about the wall to get to two-thirds of each chamber. Were already seeing members who are up for re-election in 2020, like Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, backing away from the wall and calling for an end to the shutdown. sarahf: GOP Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Cory Gardner of Colorado have called for an end to the shutdown, too. perry: I really dont see that. I dont think we are in a place yet where Republican senators or House members will buck Trump like that. Its more likely that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell passes a bill that has, say, $4 billion in border security funding, including $750 million or so for the wall. Maybe that can pass the House and Trump can sign it. I think McConnell is a potentially big player here. A bipartisan bill passed in the Senate (and it must have 60 votes to pass the Senate, so it would have to be bipartisan) complicates the strategy for both Pelosi and Trump I think. nrakich: Yeah, its almost always the president who wins in a government shutdown. Or at least this has been the case in previous shutdowns, but most of those times, presidents won only by making some sort of concession to their congressional agitators. sarahf: Weve also written that government shutdowns dont typically have lasting negative repercussions for the party considered responsible. I do wonder, though, whether that could change in this situation, because the fight is over immigration, which is an issue that has become deeply symbolic for both parties build the wall, dont build the wall. perry: I dont think anyone will remember this shutdown by the time people are voting next, which is in almost two years, so Im skeptical that this has much real electoral impact. nrakich: Im open to arguments that the political fallout from a record-long shutdown will also last a record-long amount of time, but, yeah, I agree with Perry not two years. clare.malone: I think its certainly a gauntlet being laid at the beginning of divided government in Washington, as they say. Its tone-setting, from both sides. sarahf: Tell me more, Clare. clare.malone: I think that neither side wants to lose face right now with their base. Trump obviously reverts to wall talk, but Schumer and Pelosi would be pilloried if they immediately conceded. So they are demonstrating that they now have a foothold of power in government. It marks an obvious change in tone from the past couple of years. Theyre on the offensive a bit more. perry: Yeah, one unique aspect of this shutdown is that the Democrats now have a dont compromise wing, too. In previous shutdowns, it was the GOP that had to deal with talk radio and Fox News telling them to fight. But now Democrats have groups like Indivisible that will attack Pelosi and Schumer pretty aggressively if they offer wall funding to Trump. clare.malone: Everyones feisty right now. sarahf: Thats whats so interesting about this to some extent, both parties want border security. Democrats were willing to pass $1.3 billion in funding, but because of Trumps focus on the wall, it has taken on a life of its own that doesnt leave much room for compromise. I dont see how this ends without one of the parties getting egg on their face. perry: Yeah, if the wall is a monument to Trump or racism or both, as its becoming defined on the left, its difficult to see a situation where theres support to give even $1 for it. perry: Im not sure it has to end quickly. I do think thats one advantage for Trump, in fact. It seems like he thrives on disruption. He doesnt want to lose, and he views compromise as a sign of weakness. He also thinks federal workers are basically all Democrats, which is wrong. But the fact that he has said that gives you some sense of how Trump views those affected by the shutdown. But Democrats are the party that tends to be more pro-government, and while I cant prove this, I suspect that congressional Democrats are uncomfortable with shutdowns in general. So I dont know how long they can sustain this shutdown posture. clare.malone: If this shutdown continues, Im curious about whether the plight of low-wage federal workers will become a real headline and perhaps a motivating facet of public opinion. That might not happen, but for some people who have low-paying government jobs, this is a devastating few weeks. nrakich: Apparently there has been a spike in TSA workers (who are about to miss a paycheck) calling in sick. If theres a perception that airport security is compromised, or if we start to see serious delays at airports because of understaffing, that could end this thing quick. clare.malone: Blue flu perry: How the shutdown could end: 1) Trump folds, and a bill passes with more border security money but no wall funding. 2) Trump declares a national emergency, which he uses for wall funding, and a government funding bill passes without any wall funding. 3) McConnell figures out some kind of compromise bill, it passes the Senate and both Pelosi and Trump accept. Im assuming Nos. 2 and 3 are more likely than No. I think Trump would want to declare a national emergency more than hed want McConnell to figure out a compromise. Its the option with more boom to it. perry: That seems right to me and not facile at all. clare.malone: Boom. Boom. (Shout-out to Nate Silvers college band.) perry: Liberal groups will say an emergency declaration is a breach of power. Trump keeps losing in court and I think he might lose here, too, although courts do often give deference to a president citing national security as a rationale for his actions. Remember, the Supreme Court upheld the administrations travel ban. clare.malone: Yeaahhhh. Conservative judges do seem aware of preserving executive powers in real ways. But I have no legal expertise to say whether an emergency declaration would be a bridge too far, even for the executive power people. sarahf: To Perrys point on how this government shutdown might end Im not sure how something like option No. 3, in which the parties reach a compromise, pans out. I dont see a clear path for either party to negotiate, and Im not sure how this will play out in the court of public opinion. Up until this point, the American public has largely blamed Trump for the government shutdown, but I do wonder as it drags on how public opinion will shift. nrakich: More Americans are coming to see the shutdown as a very serious problem, according to HuffPost polling. But I still agree with what was said above: that the shutdowns effect on public opinion will wear off eventually, as has happened with past shutdowns. perry: I dont think public opinion will shift at all. Most people will blame Trump, but that will be Democrats and independents. Republican voters overall will remain committed to the wall. Thats the interesting thing here: Republicans in Congress dont really care about the wall if they did, I think they would have pushed really hard to pass it when they had control of Congress in 2017 and 2018. But I think they do care about preserving their relationship with Trump. sarahf: Itll be interesting to see how it plays out, as I dont think the issue of immigration is going anywhere anytime soon. | https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/how-will-the-shutdown-end/ |
Are plasma TVs being banned in the UK? | No. No they are not. TV consumer groups have been quick to scupper a number of recent reports in the UK's national press that plasma TVs are going to be banned in the UK. It comes after a rather alarmist report in the Independent newspaper earlier this month, which reads: "Energy-guzzling" flatscreen plasma televisions are set to be banned "as part of the battle against climate change... Giant plasma televisions dubbed "the 4x4s of the living room" can consume four times as much energy as traditional TVs that used cathode ray tubes (CRTs)." Defra issues statement The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said in a statement: "In the past five years we have seen the main television in a household change from typically being a 24in to 32in CRT television to being a much larger flatscreen television, with screen sizes of between 32 and 42 inches becoming more and more common. Not surprisingly, this has seen the energy used by the main television in the house increase." New mandatory EU labelling will, according to Defra, "make it easier for consumers to identify the most and least energy-efficient televisions available." EICTA clears up rumours Following the slew of sensationalist 'TVs banned' reports, electronics industry body EICTA responded with a press release to confirm that any claims of a ban were "factually incorrect", and that, "according to the pertinent EU directive, a technology such as plasma cannot be banned from the market as long as the TV sets (using this technology) comply with the energy efficiency requirements". So there is no plasma TV ban then. That's that cleared up Just don't leave your TV on stand-by. And try to have at least a basic understanding of how to stop sucking up energy from our fast-dying planet... | https://www.techradar.com/uk/news/television/are-plasma-tvs-being-banned-in-the-uk-509598 |
Why Do We Care How Long It Takes Artists to Make Their Work? | Greene mentioned that the artists speed has long fascinated collectors and the press. But thats not the full story of her worksit can take multiple attempts for the artist to achieve her intentions for any one canvas. Instead of a single day, you could say that a painting took three years to make, because [Yiadom-Boakye] made it over and over again, and discarded or changed it, Greene said. While Yiadom-Boakyes all-in-one-sitting process has certainly contributed to her mystique, shes hardly the only artist to complete works within 24 hours. Examining other instances of swift artmaking reveals more about our obsessions with time than anything else. Were all racing against the clock to complete our own projects and live the lives we envision for ourselves. Artworks made in a single day can serve as symbols of such striving. Viewers preoccupations with how long it takes to make a paintingand their frequent skepticism at a brief processalso betrays how much we buy into the myth of artistic struggle: Its easier to value intensive physical labor over conceptual rigor when an artists thought process can feel so intangible and impossible to grasp. In truth, most cultural experiences deal with time. It might take you a week to read a novel. A play or film lasts around two hours. A song plays on the radio for about three minutes. Its more difficult, however, to bracket the process of looking at a work of visual art. Unlike filmmakers or writers, painters and sculptors have little control over their audiences attention spans. A sense of time isnt embedded in their media, which offers visual artists a unique provocation or challenge. | https://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-care-long-takes-artists-work |
What kind of snow event is most likely in South Jersey this weekend? | Thank you for Reading. Please purchase a subscription to continue reading. A subscription is required to continue reading. Thank you for reading PressofAtlanticCity.com. If you are a current subscriber you are granted an all-access pass to the website and digital newspaper replica. Please click Sign Up or Login to activate your digital access. If not, please click Sign Up to subscribe and continue to enjoy valuable local news and information, or you can come back at the end of your 30-day period for another 10 free articles. Thank you for reading PressofAtlanticCity.com. Please click Get Started. If you are a current subscriber you are granted an all-access pass to the website and digital newspaper replica. If not, we ask that you purchase a subscription and continue to enjoy valuable local news and information, or you can come back at the end of your 30-day period for another 10 free articles. | https://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/what-kind-of-snow-event-is-most-likely-in-south/article_e27b7e57-d096-56b9-bf9a-ad3ca6feaba4.html |
How will the South East vote? | This question would have been redundant if the South East were a settled region. But the question is germane and compelling owing to the fluidity of the politics of the region. The South East is something of a babel. It is a land, an enclave, where everyone is lord unto himself. Everybody has an opinion and a say on everything. And each feels sanctimonious about his position or point of view. This disposition, more often than not, leads to fractiousness. The region hardly moves in a predetermined, predictable direction. But somehow, the people of the region differed radically from this famed or infamous disposition of theirs in 2015. Since the beginning of post-Civil War politics, the Igbo have never stood in one accord over their voting pattern. But they achieved near unanimity in this during the 2015 presidential election. President Goodluck Jonathan was the beneficiary of that turnaround. The reverberations that were to follow showed that many outside the region were anything but comfortable about the development. In fact, it was an issue that the Igbo voted the way they did. But it was considered normal for other regions to vote as a bloc because they have always done so. Many were curious about what may have led to the resurgence that underlined the Igbo voting pattern at that time. Since then, the issue has remained on the front burner. President Muhammadu Buhari trivialised it when he chose to dish out appointments based, ostensibly, on the percentage of votes cast for him region to region. Whereas he frets over his rejection by the South East, he is not making an issue over the fact that the South South did not vote for him either. This goes to reinforce the point earlier made that what Nigerians found curious was that the Igbo, for the first time since 1979, voted in a predictable manner as against their individualistic and cavalier attitude to power struggle. That is the focus of attention now. Since the 2015 general election was won and lost, very serious efforts have been made and are still being made to balkanise and truncate the political cohesion that the South East achieved four years ago. The powers that be do not want a repeat of that ensure that the Igbo return to their fractious and unpredictable voting pattern, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has stopped at nothing to break into the region. Even Buhari, the President that excluded the region from the commanding heights of his government, is pretending to be at one with them. He wants their votes in his effort to actualise his return bid. | https://www.sunnewsonline.com/how-will-the-south-east-vote/ |
What Does Government Shutdown Mean? | National Parks and museums are closed, and 800,000 federal workers remain out of work or working without pay. After two weeks of a Government shutdown, President Trump suggests that the shutdown could last for months or even years. A Government shutdown occurs after Congress fails to appropriate funds for the following year, and this time the conflict is a result of the infamous wall. Trump, who was hoping for five billion dollars to be included in the spending bill, threatened a Government shutdown if the Democrats were unwilling to add the money. Instead, the Democrats offered $1.3 billion to continue current border-security. As the Senate was unable to come to a conclusion regarding the bill, the shutdown began. As the two week shutdown continues, many American people do not know how this will affect them personally. Locally, Smithsonian museums remain closed, as well as many of the monuments and even the National Zoo. Parts of Rock Creek National Park are closed as well. Living so close to Washington DC, many students find their parents at home instead of working. In different situations, some government workers continue to work without pay, as the Government is no longer funding. The longest standing shutdown was 21 days in 1995-96, but this year the days continue growing as no progress seems to be made. | http://tattlerextra.org/wordpress1/2019/01/08/what-does-government-shutdown-mean/ |
Will Parents Stand with L.A. Teachers? | Expand UCLA90024 Teachers across Los Angeles are prepared to strike for smaller class sizes, increased support staff, and funding for community schools, among other demands. The 34,000 educators of United Teachers Los Angeles are preparing for a strike in the nations second-largest school district. If it goes forward as planned on January 10, the strike will extend the teacher rebellion started in red states and Puerto Rico in 2018 into one of the most solidly blue states in the nation. Despite being the richest state and led overwhelmingly by Democrats, California languishes at forty-fourth out of fifty states and the District of Columbia in per-pupil education funding. The strikes of 2018s red state revolt drew attention and sympathy to the dramatic underfunding of education. But so far in Los Angeles, the media narrative has suggested that a strike will inconvenience parents and turn the community against the union. The optics of such a strike, in an era when family budgets are stretched to snapping, are not good, Gustavo Arellano wrote in the Los Angeles Times. If UTLA goes out on a protracted strike . . . good luck in presenting your case to frazzled parents and frustrated Angelenos, teachers, because youre going to need it. While a teachers strike will certainly create challenges for parents, this argument condescendingly assumes that parents are only able to think about short-term needs for a place to send their kids during the week. While a teachers strike will certainly create challenges for parents, this argument condescendingly assumes that parents are only able to think about their short-term need for a place to send their kids during the week. In fact, parents are perfectly capable of examining the big picture and assessing whether they support the teachers struggle. If polling is any indication, they do overwhelminglyeven when the only goal of the strike is higher teacher pay. According to a 2018 Phi Delta Kappan poll, 78 percent of public school parents (and 73 percent of the public) say they would support teachers in their own communities if they went on strike for higher pay. And more than two-thirds of Americans believe teacher salaries are too low. In Los Angeles, a teacher pay raise, while important, is not the key focus of the coming strike. In fact, the unions demand for a 6.5 percent retroactive pay raise is the only demand that the Los Angeles Unified School District has moved toward addressing. Teachers are also asking for smaller class sizes, increased support staff (counselors, full-time nurses, psychologists, and librarians), better conditions for Special Education, regulation of charter schools, reduction of standardized testing, and funding for community schools. The district has made virtually no movement on these issues, despite sitting on a record-breaking $1.9 billion reserve fund (approximately 27 percent of the districts budget). It's not only about pay. Teachers are also asking for smaller class sizes, increased support staff, better conditions for Special Education, regulation of charter schools, reduction of standardized testing, and funding for community schools. In addition, the district has refused to address a set of demands made by the union specifically to support communities: green space at every school site; an end to the racist random searches in which students are criminalized by being pulled out of class to be searched for weapons; and the creation of an Immigrant Family Legal Defense Fund to help families fighting deportation. These issues are all of critical importance to parents. Alicia Baltazars son attends Fries Elementary School in the harbor area of Los Angeles. Counselors, nurses, and social workers are badly needed, she said in an interview. When I found out we only have a nurse for two days a week I couldnt believe it. Theres a huge strain on the teachers. Theyre playing nurse, janitor, counselorall these other roles that are missing. Jasmine Garcia is the mom of a kindergarten student at City Terrace Elementary School on the East side. My big three issues are class size, charter schools, and overtesting, she said. Im not going to let my child get overtested. I dont think that a test really correlates to what kind of adult she can become. Thats what really matters. She should be in class learning not spending so many days testing and then feeling a certain way about herself because of her scores. The union has made parent and community outreach a big priority. Teachers have passed out leaflets to parents at every school, held meetings with parents, and developed contact lists of supportive parents who theyll invite to the picket lines. Theyve organized neighborhood walks around their schools, and We Stand with LA Teachers posters can be seen in the windows of homes and small businesses across the city. In the fall, the union held eight regional parent forums, each of which drew hundreds of parents eager to find out how they could help win more school funding. Dozens of the most active parents have become leaders in community organizations allied with the union, like Reclaim Our Schools-LA and Eastside Padres Contra la Privatizacin. These groups have held direct actions to confront some of the powerful interests in the city that are undermining public education. The district, in response, has made efforts to stifle teacher-parent communication, issuing a memo telling principals to stop teachers from talking with parents about the contract campaign on campus (even as the district itself sent personal emails to parents attacking United Teachers Los Angeles). Yet union members have asserted their legal right to speak with parents about issues of public concernand the organizing has continued. The expansion of charter schools has had a dramatic impact in L.A., home to the most charters of any district in the country. While charter schools tend to draw a more high-achieving layer of students out of the public schools, their growth drains $591 million from Los Angeles Unified School District every year. The L.A. School Boards new Superintendent, Austin Beutner, is a millionaire investment banker and former CEO with no experience in education. Beutners background is in downsizing companies, and the report he issued right after taking office argues that Los Angeles teachers are 17 percent overpaid with health benefits that are 44 percent too expensive; that special education class sizes should be increased; and that the District is investing too much in social-emotional supports for students. In a school district that serves 85 percent black and brown students and 80 percent low-income students, its not difficult to view the current struggle in terms of class and race. In a school district that serves 85 percent black and brown students and 80 percent low-income students, its not difficult to view the current struggle in class terms. Writers like Arellano assume that parents will see teachers as the ones who are privileged and greedy. Theyve been telling us for years that theres no money! Anything the District says after that is so hard for them to believe. There is plenty of evidence that the unions efforts to raise awareness is bearing fruit. On December 15th, the union held a March for Public Education that drew over 50,000 people, including a large contingent of high school activists with Students Deserve, which is fighting for community schools and against the random searches. Even union organizers were blown away by a turnout that went so far beyond their own membership. Its sad that a strike has to happen, but its time, said parent Alicia Baltazar. If we dont do it now, its gonna get worse and worse, and Im afraid for the education my child is not going to have. My son and I will be on the picket line, along with all the parent volunteers from our school. | https://progressive.org/public-school-shakedown/will-parents-stand-with-los-angeles-teachers-russom-190109/ |
Is there life after bitcoin? | In late 2017, cryptocurrencies were one of the most-discussed topics at many festive season dinner parties. Tales of visionaries whod racked up fortunes on the back of bitcoins meteoric rise stoked the euphoria. And, they said, there was more easy money to be made. As it turns out, the bubble was already preparing to burst that December. Initially, crypto advocates claimed it was just a "correction", and a chance to buy more. But as 2018 wore on and prices fell further, enthusiasm waned. Bitcoin, the flagship cryptocurrency, has now lost more than three-quarters of its value since its high of R264,825 on local exchange Luno in December 2017. Today, it is trading at R58,452. According to CoinMarketCap.com, the combined market capitalisation of all cryptocurrencies fell from $573bn to $129bn in 2018. There are numerous reasons: panic selling, tighter regulations and several high-profile hacks among them. But either way, those who bought at the top have felt the pain, and those who eschewed the frenzy must be feeling pretty smug. "The bitcoin crash of 2018 has been the biggest economic bubble of our time, surpassing the famous dot-com bubble," says Barry Dumas, market analyst at Purple Groups GT247.com. Even now, Dumas says, "more and more investors are betting against cryptocurrencies" thanks to the introduction of derivative instruments that let them take short positions. "That doesnt necessarily mean that these clients do not hold bitcoin as a long-term investment, but rather that investors are capitalising on the downward momentum in the short term," he says. But FNB Wealth & Investments Wayne McCurrie points out that bitcoin has always been subject to wild price fluctuations, and has plunged more than 50% a number of times. To put things into perspective, the coin is still worth nearly five times what it was two years ago. Bitcoin is likely to stick around, says McCurrie, though many "copycat" cryptocurrencies will fall by the wayside. Nevertheless, he says, "there is really only one rule for investing: diversify". Dumas says the fledgling crypto market faces another uncertain year. "One fundamental challenge is the cost factor of mining and the power usage it takes to mine bitcoin," he adds. Reports say that more than 100,000 cryptocurrency miners (those who verify transactions and add them to the digital ledger) have shut down, and over a million servers have been unplugged since September. In general, bitcoin mining is said to be profitable only when prices are above $4,500. On average, it takes 1,300 days and nearly 40,000kW of electricity to mine one bitcoin, says Dumas. | https://www.businesslive.co.za/fm/money-and-investing/2019-01-10-is-there-life-after-bitcoin/ |
Is Kevin Durant Dating Model Amy Shehab? | Kevin Durants personal life has been a topic of heated discussion lately, with many of his fans wondering who the Golden State Warriors player is dating lately. Its been rumored that Durant broke up with Anderson back in October, although this hasnt been confirmed by either party. Fans have been wondering what was going on between the two since the end of the NBA Finals, when Durant looks like he is hesitant to kiss Anderson, who was waiting to congratulate him on his big win. The interaction was the first time Durant acknowledged that he might be in a relationship with somebody, albeit an awkward, quick, peck-on-the-lips acknowledgement. You can watch the video of the scene below: Following the NBA Finals kiss in June, the two had primarily kept out of the spotlight, and it didnt take long for reports of a split to start making headlines. Its since been reported to that the two have parted ways, although details of the split are sparse. According to an October report by Sports Gossip, a source told the publication: Its been over for Cass and KD, he likes everybody. Random models and singers. Looks like hes playing the field. Although neither Durant nor Anderson have confirmed that they split up, rumors are swirling that Durant may be seeing another woman already, who just so happens to be Instagram model Amy Shehab, Chris Browns former nanny and ex-fling. Its also been reported by Black Sports Online that Durant has been sliding into those DMs, although they provide no proof besides a screenshot of Durant following Shehab on Instagram. According to Sports Gossip, Durant has been liking several of Shehabs photos on Instagram, which has fueled the rumors that Durant and Anderson broke up. Sports Gossip has repeatedly stated that Durant liking Shehabs pictures could be completely innocent, but it his likes spawned the rumors that Durant may have split up with Anderson for the Instagram model. Speculation surrounding Durants personal life arent new. Because the basketball player keeps his private life, well private, there have been rumors flying around about his romantic partners since his split with ex-fiancee and former WNBA player Monica Wright in 2014. After he and Wright called it quits, he has been rumored to be dating a few different people. During the 2017 season, Durant had been linked to former Warriors sideline reporter Rosalyn Gold-Onwude. She denied the two were dating in an interview withBauce Magazine. So, speculation about Durants love life, including whether or not he is trying to start something up with Shehab, is pretty common amongst his fans. Knowing how private Durant is with his personal life, it may be a while before anything is confirmed by the basketball player or his potential new flame. READ NEXT: Russell Westbrook & Nina Earl: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know | https://heavy.com/sports/2019/01/kevin-durant-amy-shehab-dating-girlfriend/ |
Is The Gifted on TV tonight? What time? | The Gifted, Marvel TVs hit drama on Fox, is scheduled to air the newest episode in its second season, entitled meMento, tonight. Due to President Donald Trumps scheduled Presidential Address, which Fox will air at 9pm ET, the show will not be airing at its normal start time. This change also affects shows scheduled to air on ABC, NBC, and CBS. Fox is airing President Trumps address live from the oval office, with the Democratic Response to follow, at 9pm ET. Accounting for this time, Fox updated their primetime schedule to say that The Gifted will air starting at 9:08pm ET. The Xfinity TV Guide, however, anticipates 8 to 30 minutes of air time for the Presidential Address, so be prepared for additional delays. Deadline reiterates that The Gifted will begin following Trumps address and air in its entirety, and suggests that west coast air times (which are three hours after when President Trump is scheduled to make his address) will not be impacted. Foxs Twitter account for the show informed fans Dont miss #TheGifted tonight at an adjusted time of 9:08/8:08c earlier today, confirming that Fox has every intention of airing the new episode. Lauren is a crucial part of this fight. Don't miss #TheGifted tonight at an adjusted time of 9:08/8:08c. pic.twitter.com/x1kpfvAsIN The Gifted (@TheGiftedonFOX) January 8, 2019 The description for tonights new episode reads Reed becomes concerned when Lauren is drawn towards her ancestors violent powers; Lorna rethinks her trust with the Inner Circle upon learning about Reevas new trainees; Clarice is asked to seek information on the Inner Circle from the Morlocks. Next weeks episode 12 description, entitled hoMe, says Evangeline proposes a countrywide meeting to revive the Mutant Underground; Lauren and Andy continue to disagree in their dreams and the Frost sisters attempt to intervene; Lorna tries to secretly investigate Reevas plans for the Inner Circle. The show stars Natalie Alyn Lind, Percy Hynes White, Amy Acker, Stephen Moyer, and Sean Teale. President Donald Trump announced on Twitter Monday afternoon that he would be making the address, following the partial government shutdown that began 18 days ago. He wrote I am pleased to inform you that I will Address the Nation on the Humanitarian and National Security crisis on our Southern Border. Tuesday night at 9:00 P.M. Eastern. According to TV Guide, the television networks Fox, ABC, NBC, and CBS will all air the address live, as well as Fox News, Fox Business, MSNBC, and CNN; they note that networks are not required to grant to a presidents request for airtime. I am pleased to inform you that I will Address the Nation on the Humanitarian and National Security crisis on our Southern Border. Tuesday night at 9:00 P.M. Eastern. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 7, 2019 Following Trumps announcement, and the major networks decision to air it, Senator Chuck Schumer and Speaker Nancy Pelosi released a statement demanding that they also received air time to speak. In their joint statement, they said Now that the television networks have decided to air the Presidents address, which if his past statements are any indication will be full of malice and information, Democrats must immediately be given equal airtime. Now that the television networks have decided to air the Presidents address, which if his past statements are any indication will be full of malice and misinformation, Democrats must immediately be given equal airtime. My statement with @SpeakerPelosi: pic.twitter.com/KIQPrdXEeg Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) January 8, 2019 Watch the Presidential Address live on Fox at 8/7 CT, followed immediately after by a new episode of The Gifted. | https://heavy.com/entertainment/2019/01/is-the-gifted-on-new-time-tonight/ |
When Was the Longest Government Shutdown in History? | The partial federal government shutdown has stretched to 19 days, as of January 9. It has become the second-longest government shutdown in U.S. history and there is no indication that a deal is within reach. President Trump is pushing for more than $5 billion for a border wall and congressional Democrats are not giving in to the demand, citing polls that show a majority of American voters oppose building a wall and would rather see the government reopened. The shutdown is on track to surpass the longest shutdown in U.S. history, which occurred between December 1995 and January 1996. That shutdown lasted 21 days as President Bill Clinton clashed with a Republican House and Senate over a federal spending package. Heres what you need to know. The 1995 Government Shutdown Was About a Federal Spending Bill The shutdown lasted from December 16, 1995, until January 6, 1996. President Bill Clinton faced opposition from a Republican-controlled Congress, led by then-Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich. The Republicans were pushing to decrease federal spending. Lawmakers proposed massive cuts to programs including Medicare and Medicaid, as well as non-defense spending. As explained by the Regional Oral History Office at the University of California at Berkeley, Speaker Gingrich threatened to allow the U.S. government to default on its debt by refusing to take a vote on raising the debt ceiling. This gridlock ultimately led to two shutdowns, the first lasting six days during November of 1995. The government reopened when the White House and Congress reached an agreement to put together a balanced budget. But negotiations stalled again when the president and lawmakers could not agree on where to make cuts and resulted in the 21-day shutdown. The Compromise Included a Balanced Budget Plan, Tax Increases & Some Budget Cuts The federal government finally reopened in January of 1996 after weeks of heated debate. A December 1995 article in the New York Times explained the miscommunication that existed during the negotiations. One example of this came after a two-hour meeting in which both sides had different interpretations about what they had just discussed: Mr. Gingrich said the President had agreed to use the economic assumptions of the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office in the negotiations, a concession that the Republicans had been seeking. Those forecasts are less optimistic than the White House projections and would require deeper cuts to reach a balanced budget. Mr. Gingrich also said that the two sides had pledged to try to conclude a budget agreement by New Years Day. But Vice President Al Gore, who attended the Oval Office session, said that there was a slight misunderstanding and that there had been no pledge to use the Congressional Budget Offices assumptions. He also said no timetable had been set for an agreement. The shutdown came to an end after President Clinton and congressional Republicans came to an agreement on creating the seven-year balanced budget plan. As CNN reported at the time, Some Republicans said the plan contained too much spending and actually increased taxes, but Republicans conceded it would eliminate all deficits over seven years using figures provided by the CBO. Polls Showed a Majority of American Voters Blamed Republicans For The 1995-1996 Shutdown Who's talking right now?! The Cry Baby of the 90's This time like that time you & your boss will not get away #busted #RussianCollusion pic.twitter.com/h2KM0OKhYF ioana (@ioanamartin) June 15, 2017 President Clinton emerged as the more popular figure during this budget crisis. Polls showed that a majority of Americans felt Republicans were responsible for shutting down the government. For example, a CNN/USA Today/Gallup Poll conducted in November 1995, during the six-day shutdown, found that 49 percent of respondents blamed Republican leaders for the shutdown, while 26 percent pointed the finger at President Clinton. 19 percent blamed both sides. House Speaker Newt Gingrichs approval ratings took a dive during the shutdown. An average of several polls, compiled by the Huffington Post, showed that Speaker Gingrich had a 60 percent disapproval rate at the time. The New York Daily News also took aim at Speaker Gingrich during the six-day shutdown. The newspaper ran a cartoon image of Gingrich as a baby, with the headline, Cry Baby: Newts Tantrum: He closed down the government because Clinton made him sit at back of plane. That image is embedded in the tweet above. | https://heavy.com/news/2019/01/longest-government-shutdown-in-history/ |
Who Is in the Photos Behind Trump During His Speech? | President Donald Trump gave a speech to the nation on immigration and the border wall on July 8, 2019, and two black-and-white photos were prominently positioned behind him during the address. The answer: His father, Fred Trump, and his mother, Mary Anne MacLeod Trump. President Donald Trumps father, the son of German immigrants, started the real estate and construction business his son now runs. His mother hailed from Scotland. The photos have been behind Trumps desk for some time; the above photo shows them in 2018. Heres what you need to know: Fred Trump Died in His 90s After Amassing a Fortune Fred Trump, who died in 1999 at the age of 93, was a controversial figure during his life and after his death, noted for his success, but also for his alleged racial discrimination against potential tenants. Donald Trump has said, My legacy has its roots in my fathers legacy, according to the Washington Post. But President Trump has for years called himself a self-made man. In October 2018 The New York Times reported that Donald Trump and his siblings helped their parents dodge taxes and that the president received the equivalent of $413 million from his fathers real estate business. The Times cited a vast trove of confidential tax returns and financial documents in saying President Trump participated in dubious tax schemes and outright fraud. Through his attorney, Trump has denied any wrongdoing and said the $413 million figure is inaccurate. Trump has said he received only a small loan from his father to start his own business. According to The Times, the financial records show that the Trump children set up a fake corporation to help hide millions of dollars in gifts from their parents. Attorney Charles Harder said in a statement, President Trump had virtually no involvement whatsoever with these matters. The affairs were handled by other Trump family members who were not experts themselves and therefore relied entirely upon the aforementioned licensed professionals to ensure full compliance with the law. Trump and his family members cannot be charged in connection with the alleged wrongdoing reported by The Times, but civil penalties could still be brought against them. You can read the full Times report here. Frederick Christ Trump was born on October 11, 1905, in New York, the son of Fredrick Trump and Elizabeth Christ Trump. Donald Trumps grandfather was born in Germany and immigrated to North America in 1885 at the age of 16. He moved to Seattle during the Gold Rush, where he ran restaurants before moving to Canada, where he opened a hotel and restaurant, according to a CBC article. Donald Trumps grandfather died in 1918 when Frede Trump was a teenager. In 1927, Fred Trump, Trumps father, started Elizabeth Trump & Son Co., the real estate company that would become The Trump Organization, according to his New York Times obituary. He began building houses in Queens, New York, and then constructed barracks and apartments for U.S. Navy personnel along the East Coast during World War II. He continued to build the company, constructing low-income apartments and row houses in Brooklyn and Queens. Donald Trump joined the company in 1968, when he was 22. Fred Trump lent his son money and allowed him to go into the real estate business in Manhattan, according to the Times. It was good for me, Donald Trump told the Times. You know, being the son of somebody, it could have been competition to me. This way, I got Manhattan all to myself! According to the October 2018 investigation by The Times, By age 3, (Donald Trump_ was earning $200,000 a year in todays dollars from his fathers empire. He was a millionaire by age 8. In his 40s and 50s, he was receiving more than $5 million a year. The Times also reports that Trumps claim that he received a $1 million loan from his father is false. The newspaper reports, In fact, The Times found, Fred Trump lent his son at least $60.7 million, or $140 million in todays dollars. Much of it was never repaid, records show. Trumps Mother Mary Was a Scottish Immigrant & They Had 5 Children Fred Trump married his wife, a Scottish immigrant named Mary Anne MacLeod, in 1936. She was born on the Scottish island of Lewis in 1912 and met Fred Trump while on a trip to New York. Mary Trump was naturalized in 1942. Together they had five children, including Donald Trump, Maryanne Trump Barry (a federal judge), Frederick Jr., Elizabeth and Robert. Fred Trump Jr. died in 1981/ Fred Trump suffered from Alzheimers disease and became sick with pneumonia in 1999. He died in June of that year. According to his obituary in the New York Times, Fred Trump had a net worth of between $250 to $300 million when he died. He was known as a frugal man, despite his wealth. | https://heavy.com/news/2019/01/who-is-in-photos-behind-trump/ |
Who is the barefoot trumpeter of Southern Cross Station? | He says he plays barefoot because he uses his whole body to create the sound, and I can breathe and stretch my body better if I dont wear shoes''. Its about efficiency and effectiveness: if my bodys not working, it just makes playing the trumpet hard work. (Day says he last year ran the Melbourne Marathon barefoot.) Sure, for some, his presence is a blur as they head for the traffic lights across Spencer Street, on their way to offices in Collins Street, but he says you never know when a piece will move someone. He once played the Mexican love ballad Besame Mucho, and a woman thanked him, with a $5 note and tears in her eyes. Make my day: Trumpeter Phil Day is a familiar sight at Southern Cross station during morning peak hour. Credit:Paul Jeffers She said it was the favourite song of her father, who had died a year ago that day. He gets little notes saying thanks for the music and one admirer left a box of lemons. He knows hundreds of songs by heart, without needing sheet music. Favourites include Ave Maria and Somewhere Over the Rainbow, which ''people have in their history''. If someone throws him a curve-ball request, such as an obscure song from the British mining town movie Brassed Off, he can often bluff well enough so you think I can play it. Day plays Summertime most days, but in different styles depending what the actual weather is. Hell play a Beatles song if someone walks past in a Beatles T-Shirt, or the Star Wars theme if they're sporting that emblem on their clothes. Day, 36, who grew up on a farm in Euroa, has played trumpet since age 10 and has studied jazz in Miami, taught brass music at Edward Said conservatory in Palestine and played in a jazz band in Nicaragua. He busked in 15 countries including Costa Rica, Turkey and Austria, before coming home 14 months ago. He says cavernous Southern Cross station has great acoustics and more Melbourne public spaces such as the underground station plazas and platforms, should be open to buskers. Day plays regular gigs at night, including with a jazz rock fusion band at 303 bar in Northcote, but says busking is good mental and physical exercise; you practise in public and it helps pay the rent. On Wednesday, Serena Tuifeai, 15, of Officer, enjoyed Days jazz version of My Funny Valentine as she sat on a bollard waiting for friends to take her to rehearsal for a hip hop singing gig at the Australian Open on the weekend. Serena said the trumpet music was calming. It makes me feel good. She said if people were feeling anxious, they can listen to the music and de-stress themselves''. Barry Dodd, 72, of Essendon, who was waiting for a train to Bendigo, to spend the day with friends, said he liked to listen as long as he doesnt get in my face when Im shopping". | https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/who-is-the-barefoot-trumpeter-of-southern-cross-station-20190109-p50qf1.html?ref=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss_feed |
Why is Alexander Hernandez betting odds favorite over Cowboy Cerrone for UFC on ESPN+ debut? | Following his armbar submission victory over Mike Perry back in November, Donald Cowboy Cerrone will make his return to the octagon on Jan. 19 when he faces Alexander Hernandez on the UFCs ESPN+ debut card in Brooklyn. Cerrone is moving from welterweight back to lightweight for this matchup and the two will headline the prelims on ESPN. Cerrone had a very respectable run at welterweight over the past couple years but hasnt fought at 155-pounds since his TKO loss to Rafael dos Anjos for the lightweight championship in Dec. 2015. Prior to that title shot loss though, Cerrone had racked up eight straight wins at lightweight and had earned eight performance bonus awards in the division since his UFC debut in 2011. In stark contrast to Cerrones well established history, Hernandez has only had two fights inside the octagon. He scored a performance of the night bonus for his 42-second KO victory over Beneil Dariush at UFC 222 last March. And he most recently earned a unanimous decision over Olivier Aubin-Mercier this past July. Aside from that, Hernandez has never won a major title (He was the Hero FC lightweight champ). And he had a single fight inside the RFA cage in 2016 which he won by submission. Hernandez is 26-years-old, a BJJ brown belt, and has an overall MMA record of 10-1. Theres no doubt Hernandez is talented but neither opponent he has faced so far inside the octagon has the pedigree of Donald Cerrone. Not even close. Oddsmakers currently have the betting odds at: Hernandez -185 vs. Cerrone +160. Some even have Hernandez as high a favorite at -220 and Cerrone as low an underdog as +165. While it is true Cerrone is 2-4 in his last six fights, those fights were at 170 pounds and dont necessarily reflect well on what he had previously accomplished in the 155-pound division. In addition to that, one has to take into account Cerrones lifestyle and fighting nature. Sometimes The Cowboy was out to pasture in the past with his partying and rambling ways, but more often than not still got it done in the cage. However, now with the birth of his son and what seems like a new perspective on things, the odds of Cowboy getting beat by a 2-0 UFC guy just doesnt seem that likely. If we were the betting type, our money would not be against Cowboy on this one. See if you agree though after watching this highlight reel of Alexander Hernandez: | https://prommanow.com/2019/01/09/why-is-alexander-hernandez-betting-odds-favorite-over-cowboy-cerrone-for-ufc-on-espn-debut/ |
What Will 2019 Have In Store For the Chip-making Industry? | The battle for top spot is intensifying in the chip-making space January 9, 2019 3 min read Every year tech giants roll out some of the biggest announcements at the annual Consumer Electronics Show held in Las Vegas in January. The world's largest technology trade show is attended by most of the big names in tech and startup world. This year, several updates from the global chipmakers like Intel, Advance Micro Devices, Qualcomm and Nvidia created quite a buzz around the event. PC and server chip company Intel announced the Intel Nervana Neural Network Processor for Inference, or NNP-I. This new class of chip is for accelerating inference for companies with high workload demands and is expected to go into production this year. Facebook is one of Intels development partners on the NNP-I. In addition, Intel is expected to have a neural network processor for training, code-named spring crest, available later this year. At the CES 2019, Navin Shenoy, Intel executive vice president in the Data Center Group, demonstrated the processor. This is a really big deal for us. It expands our position in AI beyond what weve done with Xeon into a new domain, he said. The new "inference" AI chip would help the social media giant and others deploy machine learning more efficiently and cheaply. Intel began its AI chip development after acquiring Nervana Systems in 2016. Tech Companies Brace Up for Increasing Competition The battle for top spot has intensified in the chip-making space. The Santa Clara-based Nvidia announced GeForce RTX 2060 GPU, a gaming graphics processing unit powered by the Turin architecture, which brings the power of real-time ray tracing and AI to the latest games, and to every gamer. For tens of millions of gamers everywhere, next-gen gaming starts today. Desktop gamers are demanding, and the RTX 2060 sets a new standard an unbeatable price, extraordinary performance and real-time ray tracing that blurs the distinction between movies and games. This is a great moment for gamers and our industry, said NVIDIA founder and chief executive officer Jensen Huang, at the RTX 2060s unveiling at CES 2019. At the event, leading wireless chipmaker Qualcomm also expanded its line of car computing chips and categorized them into the different price range, similar to its range smartphone chips. Qualcomm Technologies integrated car computing platforms are driving leadership and growth across telematics, infotainment and in-car connectivity, with an order pipeline of more than $5.5 billion, which is up from $3 billion in January 2018. The company has secured infotainment and digital cockpit wins with 18 of the 25 global automaker brands. Qualcomm Technologies continues to work with numerous automakers and tier I suppliers to bring next generation technologies to vehicles. Qualcomm will sell three levels of car computing platforms comprising performance, premiere and paramount classes for the entry level, mid-tier and super computing platforms, respectively. | https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/326019 |
What Is Carol Burnett's Net Worth? | Image zoom Bravo/Getty Images Hollywood's filled with red heads these days (see: Amy Adams, Julianne Moore, Emma Stone, Debra Messing, and, at various stages in her career, Rihanna), but Carol Burnett might just be the most iconic. The actress and comedian has been a household name since she first began making TV specials and guest appearances in the '50s and '60s, eventually receiving her own variety program, The Carol Burnett Show, in 1967. Since then, Burnett has starred in a number of films, television shows, Broadway performances, and even authored several books. She's netted numerous awards for her lifetime of work, and, last month, The Hollywood Foreign Press Association announced that Burnett would be the first recipient of a Golden Globes television special achievement award that will be aptly named the Carol Burnett Award, according to Fortune. The honor will serve as a counterpart to the already established film prize, the Cecil B. DeMille Award you know, the one Oprah accepted last year with a powerful speech. Burnett, 85, has, clearly, made some serious strides in Hollywood, but if youre also wondering what her accomplishments have meant in terms of her bank account, then heres everything you need to know about Carol Burnetts net worth. Celebrity Net Worth reports that she is worth an estimated $25 million, a culmination of her work on The Carol Burnett Show, as well as several roles in movies including Annie and Post Grad and on television in shows like Mad About You and The Four Seasons. The Richest confirmed the $25 million number, noting that Burnetts fortune began after she won the Tony Award in 1950. VIDEO: 9 Amy Schumer Quotes to Get You Through the Day According to Biography.com, Burnett made her first television appearance in the early 1950s with a role on The Winchell-Mahoney Show, a children's television program. From there she co-starred with Buddy Hackett on the sitcom Stanley and in 1959 became a regular on the Garry Moore Show. The Carol Burnett Show, of course, came eight years later and consisted of various comedic skits and sketches. The show ran for 11 seasons. In addition to television and movies, Burnett has also worked on Broadway, making her debut in the musical Once Upon a Mattress in 1959, Biography.com reported. Subsequent performances included parts in Moon Over Buffalo and Putting It Together. Burnett has also published a few books, including her autobiography, One More Time, in 1986 and her 2013 memoir Carrie and Me: A Mother-Daughter Love Story about her relationship with her late daughter, who died at 38 from complications of lung cancer. RELATED: The Most Hysterical Inside Amy Schumer Skits of All Time Including the aforementioned Tony, Burnett has been nominated for and won Golden Globes and Emmy awards. She also received the 2006 Presidential Medal of Freedom, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and the prestigious Mark Twain Prize for American Humor at the Kennedy Center. Tina Fey hosted the 2013 ceremony, speaking of how Burnett inspired her own career and noting that her love for the comedian is just shy of creepy, according to Variety. You can spot Burnett as well as many more stars you love during the upcoming 76th Golden Globe Awards on Jan. 6 at 8 p.m. ET. Check out the complete list of nominees in the film and television categories here. | https://www.instyle.com/celebrity/carol-burnett-net-worth |
What Is Chris Harrison's Net Worth? | Image zoom Craig Sjodin/Getty Images The Bachelor and Bachelorette wouldnt be the shows they are today without single women and men looking for love and, of course, Chris Harrison, the host whos been at the helm of the reality television series since it began in 2002. Harrison has been working in television since college, but his career most certainly took off when he became involved in the franchise. And his list of accomplishments has stacked since he first began, which might have some people wondering what is Chris Harrisons net worth? RELATED: The TV Shows Everyone Will Be Talking About in 2019 According to The Richest, Harrisons net worth is about $12 million. in 2015. Double check the number on Biography.com, and youll find Harrisons net worth is $16 million, so its safe to say it falls somewhere in the $12 million to $16 million range. Harrison has also hosted other reality shows, including Hollywood 411 and the HGTV throwback classic, Designer's Challenge. The dad of two is also an author Harrison published The Perfect Letter in 2016. VIDEO: 5 Surprising Celebs Who Love 'The Bachelorette' Season 23 of The Bachelor kicks off on Jan. 7 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC, with former Bachelorette contestant Colton Underwood looking for love. According to the ABC website, Underwood is looking for a teammate who will join him for a life full of adventure, philanthropy and lasting love, and he is confident that he will find her on The Bachelor. And with the help of Chris Harrison, no less. | https://www.instyle.com/celebrity/chris-harrison-net-worth |
What Is Lindsay Lohan's Net Worth? | Image zoom David M. Benett/Getty Images Youll be hard pressed to find a person who doesnt hear the name Lindsay Lohan and immediately think Mean Girls as in the wildly successful film that is the sole reason why on Wednesdays, we wear pink. But back in the day, Lohans moniker was also tied to a string of run-ins with the law, including several arrests for driving under the influence. Still, Lohan has persevered. On Tuesday, she returned to the spotlight with an MTV reality series called Lindsay Lohans Beach Club, which takes place in Mykonos, Greece and features Lohan, 32, as a boss who manages a team of employees. Whether or not the show will take off is yet to be seen, but reviews so far are mixed. While some called the show "entertaining," The Washington Post called the shows premiere deeply sad and The Daily Beast noted that while the show seemed great on paper, it faces a number of insurmountable obstacles that make it almost unwatchable. With all of her ups and downs both in her personal and professional lives it makes sense that Lohans bank account also went up and down. Celebrity Net Worth reports Lohan is worth about $800,000 thanks to her various endeavors, from her modeling career (Lohan signed with Ford models when she was three) to her role as Cady Heron on the 2004 hit film, for which Lohan earned $1 million. She earned $7.5 million for the following years Herbie Fully Loaded. Roles in early aughts teen classics like Freaky Friday (2003) and Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen (2004), as well as her debut music album, Speak, and a short-lived leggings brand also helped Lohan reel in the cash. She earned more than $27 million from her work in movies alone, according to Celebrity Net Worth. RELATED: Lindsay Lohans Meme-Worthy Dance in Mykonos Is a Long Weekend Mood And yet, in 2010 Lohan was allegedly close to bankruptcy, the result of her party girl lifestyle, several rehab stays, and multiple arrests for driving under the influence, as well as violations of her probation. In February 2011, a store clerk reported Lohan for walking out of a jewelry store wearing a necklace worth $2,500; she was ordered to serve a 120-day sentence, according to CNN. However, overcrowding at the Los Angeles County jail meant Lohan had to serve her sentence under house arrest, the publication reported. During this time, Lohan also posed for Playboy, a shoot that earned her a reported $1 million. From there, her legal troubles continued, including a September 2012 incident where she was arrested and charged with leaving the scene of an accident, and a November 2012 arrest after an alleged altercation at a club, according to CNN. Then in December 2012, the IRS seized control of Lohans bank accounts in order to pay back her unpaid federal taxes, Celebrity Net Worth reported. VIDEO: Lindsay Lohan's Changing Looks All of thats to say, Lohans fortune took a nosedive from the years following her Mean Girls success. But in August 2013, she pulled in a reported $2 million to film a series of interviews with Oprah Winfrey. During the sit-down talk, Lohan told Winfrey that she feels whole again, adding: I have such a desire to want to keep this feeling and stay this way, and Im willing to do whatever it takes, according to People. In April, a spokesperson for Lohan told Money that she has a net worth between $5 and $8 million, in part due to a recent partnership with Lawyer.com. No word yet on what Lohan will pull in as a result of Beach Club, but theres a chance it could prove to be a positive in terms of the stars overall net worth. | https://www.instyle.com/celebrity/lindsay-lohan-net-worth |
What would Jefferson think of shutdown? | WASHINGTON It was a perfect post-Christmas day, as I watched tourists move in concentric circles around the Jefferson Memorial at the far edge of the National Mall. Jeffersons famous exhortation about the nature of government, that we might as well require a man to wear still the coat which fitted him when a boy as civilized society to remain ever under the regimen of their barbarous ancestors, still inspires all these centuries later. Then there was this. And Im pretty sure its not something that Jefferson ever said or wrote. AREA CLOSED: Because of a lapse in federal appropriations this national park facility is closed for the safety of visitors and park resources. And if you were a tourist looking to ahh drain the proverbial swamp, the intractability of leaders at both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue meant that you were out of luck. The shuttered restrooms at the Jefferson Memorial are an appropriate, if a tad flawed, metaphor for our current political predicament. The pipes of government are hopelessly clogged. In our national imagination, we like to think that the founders were an 18th Century coffee klatsche, conjuring a new nation out of a bloody revolution, even as they hung out in their powdered wigs and knickerbockers, knocked back a bit of grog, and just generally debated the heck out of stuff. But, in fact, they were just as sharp-elbowed and fractious as our current leadership. Some even hated each other. Theres a reason why Hamilton has a sad ending, after all. Lawson Bowling, who teaches history at Manhattanville College in Purchase, N.Y., (And who was, as a matter of full disclosure, my favorite professor as an undergraduate) offered a dose of perspective. As Bowling points out, America had no immigration laws during Jeffersons day. And T.J. was no fan of a strong, central government. So those obstacles would have been entirely foreign to him. As president, Jefferson cut federal spending, and he might have said that the fact that life is going right on despite the scary-sounding government shutdown underscores that there is far more to america than the national government, Bowling observed. Jefferson also had zero patience for the kind of partisan shenanigans that have colored our current debate. The lanky Virginian opposed a party system and worked, successfully, to destroy the Federalist opposition, so he would not have faced divided government, though before his presidency this was characteristic of the 1790s, Bowling said. Christopher Borick, a political science professor at Muhlenberg College, offered a slightly different take. The Founding Fathers, were they around today, and were actually your dads, would be very disappointed in you. The Founders were visionaries and were able to contemplate so many contingencies could follow in the wake of their work, Borick said. They also were pragmatic: They knew that humans werent angels and that there would be conflict between the branches [of government]. Even so, theyd be disappointed over a stalemate over a chunk of cash thats basically a rounding error in the federal budget. On Friday, Trump wouldnt move off his demand for $5 billion in border wall funding and warned that a shutdown could last months or even years, The Washington Post reported. Thats Grade-A Trumpian bluster, but the Founders, who liked to think of themselves as a consensus-minded bunch, would be disappointed by such pettiness, Borick said. They knew there would be major showdowns, Borick said, but They were visionaries and pragmatists. Theres nothing visionary about this fight. And its something a pragmatist would shake their heads at. He had a point. As I left the Jefferson Memorial, I could have sworn I saw T.J. glowering down the National Mall. * An award-winning political journalist, John Micek is the Opinion Editor and Political Columnist for PennLive/The Patriot-News in Harrisburg, Pa. Contact: [email protected]. | https://www.courier-tribune.com/opinion/20190108/what-would-jefferson-think-of-shutdown |
Why Are We Still Using Keyword Searches Half A Century Later? | One of the most remarkable but forgotten stories of the digital revolution is that for all the incredible change wrought by the digital world and the incredible transformation of the computing world from the early room-sized primitive calculator machines of old to our mobile supercomputers of today, at the end of it all, we still access the world around us through the lowly keyword search. More than half a century after the widespread introduction of keyword search of large textual databases, we are still forced to wrangle our complex questions into strings of simplistic keywords that we repeatedly plug into search engines, find no results, refine, try again and finally either give up or find some links of interest. As I noted in my 2015 NFAIS keynote address, it was just over half a century ago that keyword search as we know it today came into being. The earliest origins of the Dialog system coalesced in 1966, following in the footsteps of Doug Englebarts work at SRI two years prior and related developments at MIT, Harvard, SDC and elsewhere. It was an exciting moment in computing history as the idea of what a computer could be was rapidly transforming into the human-centered metaphors we know today. What makes this story so amazing is that other than better interfaces, faster results and larger indexes, the world of search today is little changed from that of its predecessors half a century prior. After more than 50 years we are still using keywords to interact with the worlds information. After a quarter century of the modern web in which more and more of the worlds information is available online and our past is increasingly being digitized into internet existence, we still access all of this information by keyword. Finding a video on YouTube, a movie on Netflix, a painting on Google Images, a doormat on Amazon, a meme on Twitter, an article on CNN or a page on the web, everything we do revolves around keyword searches. Of course, beneath that venerable keyword lies an array of hidden improvements. Modern search engines can leverage knowledge graphs and language models to reach beyond our exact keywords closer towards what we mean, while search histories, location tracking, the search histories of others and other external knowledge can be brought to bear on a search session to help the machine better understand what were looking for. Yet, despite all this power, machines are little better at understanding us today than they were half a century ago. Beyond the parlor tricks of voice search, templated bots and creative interfaces, machines still operate at the level of words rather than ideas. Synonyms and knowledge graphs can help connect slight word differences and dictionary relations, but even the most powerful AI systems of today are a far cry from systems that can truly understand information in the way we do, abstracting from words to the ideas, events and emotions they convey. Even as our world becomes increasingly visual, we access our newfound riches of imagery, audio and video through the same familiar interface of textual keywords. Amidst a deep learning revolution, we still largely access the non-textual world through the metaphor of text, rendering it into searchable captions, index keywords, tags and metadata. This is also perhaps the area with the greatest potential for improvement from deep learning. Todays algorithms are capable of robust cataloging of visual information into textual topical tags and transcriptions of audio into searchable captioning. Yet, here again deep learning is used merely to automate the process of rendering the visual world into the textual. Instead of searching for cooking images using predefined topics like broccoli and frying pan we could ask for images depicting vegetables being prepared a certain way and let the machine make the leap towards identifying precisely which image is most relevant to our needs for that search, even if it has no topics relating specifically to our query. Even our much-vaunted smart home assistants with their voice interfaces can still only answer the most basic of questions that have been predefined and templated by their creators. Change your question by just a word or two and your formerly loquacious assistant is suddenly stymied. Outside of their handful of built-in answers, even these bleeding edge examples of applied deep learning are still dependent on that historic keyword to find the answer to your question. The idea of unnaturally expressing our informational needs into the keyword language of machines has become so ingrained in society over half a century that it is almost difficult to imagine a world in which we can converse so fluently with machines that the keyword becomes an obsolete relic of the bygone era from whence it came. In the end, it is truly remarkable that half a century after its widespread introduction, we are still using keywords to navigate the digital revolution. Despite incredible deep learning systems capable of making sense of images and audio for the first time, we use these new tools merely to render the audiovisual world back into the familiar world of text so they can be keyword searched. As voice interfaces gradually supplant the keyboard, the keyword itself remains. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/kalevleetaru/2019/01/09/why-are-we-still-using-keyword-searches-half-a-century-later/ |
Does it live up to the health claims? | Coconut oil is being touted as a health-promoting oil. Coconut oil is acclaimed as a health food because it contains medium chain fatty acids (MCTs). These fatty acids are digested quickly and may not cause the same damage to the cardiovascular system that short and long-chain fatty acids do. However, only 10 per cent of the fatty acids in coconut oil are MCTs. The other 90 per cent of fatty acids in coconut oil are saturated fat. Expert seeks basic CPR skills for Nigerians If you werent aware already, saturated fat is the leading cause of high blood cholesterol that is linked to heart disease. Butter, which is usually demonised has much lower saturated fat content (63 per cent) than coconut oil. Besides, while the MCTs in coconut oil may increase HDL (good) cholesterol, they also increase LDL (bad) cholesterol. To date, no scientific research has been able to conclusively show that coconut oil reduces brain damage, lowers cholesterol levels, reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease or even promotes weight loss. Probably not. Coconut oil could be an alternative in recipes that call for lard or sold vegetable oils. But replacing all of the fat in your diet with coconut oil is not a good idea. It will not be of benefit to your waistline, heart or brain. Stick with the recommended guideline of keeping fat intake to no more than 30 per cent of your diet and saturated fat to a maximum of 7 per cent. Oil prices rise to $58.04 amid US-China trade hopes, supply cuts You should only eat small amount of coconut oil occasionally and not every day as certain health gurus will have you believe. | https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/01/coconut-oil-does-it-live-up-to-the-health-claims/ |
Are cops waiting for invitation to arrest notorious criminal? | crime Wanted in two separate cases under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), Abbas Irani celebrates a grand wedding for three days in Kalyan, as police turn a blind eye Abbas Irani alias Abbas Khan and his bride don't look worried at all about getting arrested by the police Abbas Irani alias Abbas Khan is all smiles in his wedding photographs; there's not a frown or worried line on his face to indicate that the wanted fugitive was at all worried about the police showing up to arrest him. Despite the fact that he was wanted in two separate cases under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), the city police had never bothered to arrest him. It was no different at his grand wedding celebrations in Kalyan. The notorious conman and chain-snatcher celebrated for three days and got hitched amid much fanfare at his house in Ambivli. However, there was no sign of the police. It was the same in 2017, when he was released on bail after being arrested by the Delhi police. Neither the Mumbai police nor Thane cops bothered to take his custody upon his release, even though he had been wanted under MCOCA since 2016. Modus operandi While Abbas is notorious for chain-snatchings, his gang's most common modus operandi is to dupe women by posing as policemen. The gang members impersonate CBI or crime branch officers and target elderly or uneducated women. Claiming that a thief is on the loose, they ask the women to hand over their gold ornaments for safe-keeping and then disappear with the valuables. Police records show that there are more than 100 cases registered against Abbas and his gang across the country, but somehow, the police can never seem to catch him. There are cases against him in Mumbai, Thane, Kalyan, Pune, Bangalore, Kolkata, Delhi, Hyderabad and Chennai. As many as 40 cases of theft are registered in Thane alone, and there are more than 30 in Delhi. Sources revealed that the Baroda police are also in pursuit of the crook for stealing a bike just before he headed back to Kalyan for his wedding. Powerful crime family Abbas took up crime following in the footsteps of his father, Amjad Irani alias Amjad Khan, who was arrested in 2015 for similar offences and was booked under MCOCA. Police records show that his uncle Ajij Khan is also wanted under MCOCA. A few years ago, Abbas's wedding was called off after the girl's family learned of his criminal background. On January 8, he finally got married amidst his family and fellow gang members. Sources said that despite the high-profile wedding, Abbas is protected from police action by his family's connections. His gang members Jafar Gulam Hussain, Faisal Ali Yusuf Ali Shaikh, Ali Hasan, Firoj Irani serve as his lookouts. His mother claims she is a member of a powerful political party. The family and gang control a massive network of criminals who have spread out across the country. A senior officer from Mumbai police said only, "It is true, he is wanted in MCOCA cases." 100 Approx no. of cases against Abbas and gang Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates | https://www.mid-day.com/articles/are-mumbai-cops-waiting-for-invitation-to-arrest-notorious-criminal/404493 |
How can it be both caste-free and an upper-caste quota? And why is it so popular? | On Monday, in a Cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Cabinet approved a Constitutional Amendment that would give 10% reservation to the economically poor among those not covered by other reservations, which is being called an upper caste quota. The draft of the amendment only began circulating late that evening. By Tuesday, it had been passed in the Lok Sabha. And on Wednesday, it was passed by the Rajya Sabha. The answer may lie in the enduring political power of the forward castes, because of which only three members of the Lok Sabha voted against the amendment, compared to 323 who voted for. In the upper house, the bill was passed with the support of 165 legislators, with only seven votes against. The term, upper castes or forward castes may be a confusing so it is useful to explain what exactly is meant by that here. The proposed Constitutional Amendment, which will have to be ratified by at least half of the state assemblies after being passed by Parliament, only seeks to give the government power to make provision for the advancement of any economically weaker sections of citizens other than the classes mentioned, with the latter referring to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes. In effect, this means that the amendment and any laws that flow from it will apply to what is known as the general category. The Mandal Commission, which looked into the question of OBC reservation, referred to these groups as socially and educationally advanced. As a shorthand, the media tends to use upper caste, but that term is not limited to Brahmins. It covers all of those in the general category, including those that might not be counted as upper, like Jats, Marathas and Kapus. It is also not religiously defined, so could technically apply to minorities like Muslims as well, if they do not come under existing OBC reservations. Although the Constitutional Amendment itself does not define who counts for the proposed 10% reservation, the government has circulated conditions that are likely to apply. Those who earn less than Rs 8 lakh annually, have agricultural land of less than 5 acres or a residential house smaller than 1,000 square feet will be considered eligible for reservation. Because of how generous those conditions are, it is quite likely that the bulk of those competing for this 10% will be Hindus from the forward castes. Hence, though the government can sell the idea that this is a reservation for the poor without bringing religion into the mater, it will effectively be an upper caste quota, as the media has identified. The Mandal Commission estimated the proportion of Other Backward Classes in India to be about 52% of the overall population. Since Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes account for about 22.5% of the population, as per the Mandal report, that still leaves 26.5% in the remaining general category. Thus, even though their numbers are far smaller than the other sections, the forward-caste population remains significant enough for political parties across the board to rely on, or hope to capture, some of their support. Moreover, forward castes continue to have an outsize influence on Indian society at large. The Lok Sabha, for example, continues to be dominated by upper castes, although it saw a steady decline in their representation since the 1980s. Across other sectors, whether it is the judiciary, the civil services, cricket or the private sector, upper castes continue to have a more prominent presence than their share of the population would suggest. Despite this, many forward-caste communities have not responded well to the growing social capital that reservations and economic progress has afforded other groups that were previously backward, coupled with the lack of job opportunities for all. Over the last few years, communities like the Jats, Marathas and Patels took to the streets demanding a bigger share of the jobs pie, while also agitating against what they see as draconian measures in the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act. This unrest represented a danger to the government, but an opportunity for other parties seeking to bring in more support. While upper castes have been seen as Bharatiya Janata Party supporters for most of the last three decades, the push to increase the partys base with a primarily OBC leadership and an attempt to attract SC voters has led to some alienation. This seemed apparent in Madhya Pradesh, where the Congress also aggressively courted upper caste voters. Other parties, like the Bahujan Samaj Party, though built around a Dalit identity, have often brought in upper-caste voters to come to power. Indeed the BSP had proposed a similar provision earlier. And Indias Communist parties, dominated as they are by forward-caste leaders, can hardly afford to oppose a move that is, on paper, aimed at economically backward sections of society. Most importantly, the government has attempted to bring in this quota through a Constitutional Amendment that does not take away any of the existing reservations for SC/ST or OBC communities. If it had done that, the opposition to the move would have been vociferous, both from within the BJP and from outside. Instead, the government is going into uncharted legal waters, breaching the 50% limit on reservations that the Supreme Court laid down. The new quota, if it passes the judicial test, will take reservations to as much as 60% of the overall pie. This approach meant that, at most, other parties could object to the manner in which the government put forward the legislation with just a day of the Parliamentary Session to go, and with minimal discussion. A few have brought up questions of principle, such as the expectation that reservations are meant to correct historical wrongs, not economic ones. But most have fallen in line in support, while at the same time accusing the government of doing this as a blatant electoral gambit. | https://scroll.in/article/908783/how-can-it-be-both-caste-free-and-an-upper-caste-quota-and-why-is-it-so-popular |
Cant Renew Lease? | Its a question one South Florida woman had for Help Me Howard with Patrick Fraser. If you think you have hurdles and headaches, meet Melissa Hevenor. Melissa Hevenor, trying to renew lease: I was diagnosed with cerebral palsy. This was of course before the cancer. Life has dealt Melissa a few blows, but her outlook on life is as healthy as ever. Melissa Hevenor: Its a beautiful day, and I have a great apartment, and Im meeting new people. I dont like to focus on my cancer or my disability. I like to focus on all the positive things. Her great attitude has helped Melissa earn two masters degrees and lead a busy life. Melissa Hevenor: I traveled, I wrote a book, I had boyfriends, I got engaged I did all that stuff. And then in July, she got very sick, couldnt work, and was hospitalized.. Melissa Hevenor: And I couldnt get the check to the leasing office, but they knew. I was staying in contact with them. Melissa paid Julys rent but was a day late with her August rent, and her apartment complex decided to evict her. Melissa Hevenor: Im not exactly sure why. Im a very quiet tenant. A generous man heard about Melissas problem and offered to pay her rent for the next three months to stop the eviction. Melissa was overwhelmed. Melissa Hevenor: I dont usually get emotional but But when Melissas lease was about to expire in December, her property manager wouldnt talk to her about renewing it, meaning she was facing eviction in a couple of weeks. Not enough time to to find a place that can handle her wheelchair. Melissa Hevenor: Its really hard to find a one bedroom apartment that has a big enough bathroom that I can get into with the wheelchair. Melissa was facing eviction not where she expected to be in 2019. Melissa Hevenor: I have a really good education, and Im trying really hard to do whats right and to stand on my own four wheels. Melissa is trying to stay positive. Howard Finkelstein, 7News legal expert: Unfortunately, no. Many people think they have a right to renew their lease, but unless that option is in your lease, the landlord has all the power, and not only do they not have to renew, they do not even have to tell you why. We contacted the attorney for the apartment complex. He said his client didnt want Melissa to stay and didnt tell us why. We then contacted the owner of the complex, who said she was unaware of Melissas situation. The attorney then said Melissa could stay three more months, which gives her time to find a new place. Stuart Kalb, volunteer to help Melissa: She has no family. She had nobody to turn to. Stuart Kalb told us he would now also pay Melissas rent for the next three months while she looks for a new apartment. Stuart Kalb: I know she didnt have the money. I felt horrible for the woman and the situation. Obviously, I had the ability to do it, and I thought this was one of those situations where you have to help somebody in the community. Melissa needs a little more help because she is back in the hospital with pneumonia. But while she may not feel fantastic, she still has her great outlook on life. Melissa Hevenor: I learned that its OK sometimes to ask for help, and to always be hopeful and keep moving forward. We can all learn from your great attitude, Melissa. If you know of an apartment in Broward that is wheelchair accessible, please let us know. And while she recovers, a GoFundMe page has been set up to pay her other bills. Contact us. We have the right outlook and will look out for you. CONTACT HELP ME HOWARD: Email: [email protected] Reporter: Patrick Fraser at [email protected] Miami-Dade: 305-953-WSVN Broward: 954-761-WSVN Copyright 2018 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. | https://wsvn.com/news/help-me-howard/cant-renew-lease/ |
Could Sierra Wireless Be a Millionaire-Maker Stock? | According to tech research group IDC, global spending on the Internet of Things -- the movement to hook up all sorts of devices to the internet and connected networks -- will reach $745 billion in 2019. That's a 15% increase over 2018, and research forecasts double-digit expansion through 2022, at which point global spending would exceed the $1 trillion mark. That's a huge opportunity that has caught the attention of many investors. Enter Sierra Wireless (NASDAQ: SWIR), a semiconductor and service company focused exclusively on the IoT. The pure-play stock on device connectivity could be part of a strategy to ride the IoT to big investment gains. Rising sales, stagnant profit The rise of the IoT has helped Sierra consistently increase sales the last few years, and the company has been notching new all-time high revenues of late. Management has forecasted that trend to continue for the immediate future. Overall, that has resulted in the stock more than doubling in value over the last decade. SWIR Chart More Data by YCharts. However, bottom-line profits have been more inconsistent, which has kept Wall Street unwilling to push the stock higher. 2018 to-date results are indicative of that fact: great sales momentum but lower overall profits offsetting any optimism on the company. Metric Q1 2018 Q2 2018 Q3 2018 Q4 2018 Estimate Revenue $186.9 million $201.9 million $203.4 million $200 to $208 million YOY change 16% 16% 18% 9% to 13% Adjusted earnings per share $0.09 $0.27 $0.29 $0.22 to $0.30 YOY increase (decrease) -63% -10% 21% (21%) to 7% Data source: Sierra Wireless. YOY = year over year. The good news is that Sierra is on a path to move to a more consistent and profitable business model. CEO Kent Thexton said on the third-quarter earnings call that the company sells 17 million devices a year -- still a small fraction of the global market share -- and while device sales should continue to increase, adding recurring service revenue is also a priority. The company's service sales have more than doubled since 2017, which is a welcome addition as gross profit margins on that business segment were 52% through the first three quarters of 2018, compared to a gross margin of 31% for devices. Product sales are on the rise, but they are nevertheless a variable source of income, so as the IoT gets bigger over time, it could provide more higher-profit service business for Sierra. That alone could be a good reason to buy into the company for the long term. An artist's rendition of the IoT; pictures of common everyday items like appliances, cars, and watches are displayed in honeycomb shaped cells, signifying connection to the internet. More Image source: Getty Images. Part of an IoT motif In spite of Wall Street's underwhelming support of Sierra's sales advance, now could be a good time to buy in. Though the stock has been inconsistent at best for the last few years, shares look like a good value after the most recent pullback. Price to trailing-12-month free cash flow (money left over after operations and capital expenditures are paid for) is currently at 25.9. However, 12-month forward price to earnings is just 11.7, implying that profits will rebound in a big way in the year ahead. | https://news.yahoo.com/could-sierra-wireless-millionaire-maker-032000046.html |
Is Israel stepping up its game by planning to wage secret war before series of wars'? | The decision of withdrawal of US forces in order to drawdown the presence of Americans troops in Syria has hit hard at home. US Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis and theUS Special envoy for global anti-ISIS coalition Brett McGurk have resigned in protest to the decision as it conflicts thepolicy , planning, strategy and approach of American deep state regarding projection of American image in Middle Eastern and global affairs. To add insult to injury, President Trump has talked to Turkish President Erdogan regarding transfer of authourity , who in return has assured Trump that Turkey will pursue and destroy the remnants of ISIS. The Pentagon officials disagree with Trumps assertion that ISIS has been defeated in Syria and suggest that more needs to be done. Nevertheless, The Turkish anti-ISIS initiative was welcomed by President Trump. However, American decision comes at a time when Turkey has amassed its army on Syrian borders in order to penetrate North-Eastern Syria where the PYG Kurdish elements(the American and Israeli allies) are in majority. Since the September 25th(2017) Kurdish National Elections in Iraq, the Pro-Israeli NATO including western and eastern European nations along with America, Canada and India have sent their emissaries to Kurdish regions and territories. The Kurdish Question will become an issue in near future. Bahrain and UAE have decided to reopen their embassies in Syria. It is likely that there will rapprochement between Syria and KSA. In one of his recent tweet, Trump appreciated the role of KSA in providing finance to rebuild Syria. In August 2018, KSA pledged to contribute $100 million for North Eastern Syria for stabilisation projects in areas once held by IS and now controlled by US-backed forces. The North-Eastern Syria is where Kurds reside in majority . It seems that Kurds will be made part of plan and it can be problem for Turkey, Iraq, Syria and also Iran. The probable outcome is the intensification and rapid trail of targeting as well as encircling Iran which is evident as Trump is relying on idea of allowing its allies like KSA, UAE and Egypt to fill in the gap left by US and for them to use their own resources as it pulls out sources of assistance and downscales its military presence based on the pretext of America First policy. As Turkey rises onto the occasion, the Israeli authorities are eyeing the situation in which Iran can have an opening into SyRaq corridor. The Turkish presence in Syria will always be complemented by Iranian presence in Iraq for purpose of safeguarding assets and protecting National interest of respective countries . A similar trend was witnessed in 2016-17 after Russian intervention in Syria proved to be a balancing act. In diplomatic discord, Israeli PM Netanyahu has started to trade barbed words with Turkish FM Mesut Cavosoglu as both accuse of genocide and instability. What is more terrifying for Netanyahu is that his coalition in Israel has failed to retain Government while it seems that Israeli deep state has started considering the options at disposal since Israeli police has rolled out evidence against Israeli PM Netanyahu. Israel is relying on its tactics of militarism through Pro-Israeli NATOs militaristic status quo and this has become seemingly more visible within domestic affairs of Israel as its PM is being blackmailed by State within State and State above State.This is where the game goes deeper. French disapproval of Trumps withdrawal decision is itself self-explanatory regarding in which direction the matters will move ahead. Hence, the NATO understanding has not been compromised but put into desirable action. There is a reason why Israeli leadership is more vocal about Iran and Turkey which is evident through the fact that Israeli PM Netanyahu is directly targeting Turkish President and Iranian leadership. As Gulf countries step up their game, their link with Israel will become prominent and this development will allow the Jewish state the handling of necessary instrument in order to become acceptable to Muslim masses around the globe in bid to disguise its oppression as world witnesses its transformation from regional to Global Military Dictatorship. It seems that Trump is keen on manifesting the Israeli dream through Jerusalem as undivided capital of Jewish homeland. This means Israel will maneuver to make its presence and acceptance felt. Israeli PM Netanyahu recently said that Israel will fill up the US void in Syria. In response, Iran has said that the US presence in Syria was wrong from the start . A possible hidden plan is to activate Israeli designs into the offing and it has a lot of repercussions once the waves come crashing in. This will mean that the recent development of US carrier entering the Persian Gulf in order to switch it up, is about hitting two birds with one stone. The scenario is as follows: As Israel will make its move to prop Arab NATOs goals in line with Pro-Israeli NATO, then both Iran and Turkey will oppose openly and vehemently. This will be met by threat of presence of American troops in nearby regions as well as the presence of Arab NATO (IMAFT?) in SyRaq , which will be perfect recipe for collision of Muslim armies from different nations having their own interests, inclinations, preferences and alliances. For e.g., the void left by Americans in Syria will be filled up by Arab NATO (and in time joined by Pro-Israeli NATO) who will fight with Iranians but the Turks will be limited to do balancing act and avoid confrontation; which is precisely why the deal between Trump and Erdogan has been successful. Hence, both Turks and US Admin have a common goal: to fill in the gap through different means. The goal of Turkey is to protect SyRaq corridor from another militia onslaught while America wants Israel to emerge in the scene but with complete backing and approval of Arab NATO. Trumps move is now being questioned as what was meant to be abrupt US withdrawal has no seen no progress and the initial rate after the Trump decision was abysmal. Assad has authorised Iraqi forces to strike ISIS positions in Syria. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham has said that withdrawal of US troops in Syria could lead to Kurdish deaths. On the other hand, Turkey being the nemesis of Kurdistani elements has revealed positions of French troops in Syria while Germany is gearing up to play greater role in global affairs . Th e confusion sets in when US President Trump stated after 30 days Withdrawal decision that US is no longer going to play the role of Global policeman. While, Russia and Turkey have reached an understanding to play a decisive role in Syria after US pullout move. At this juncture, the Kurdish leaders are looking towards Russia and Assad for support as they have been let down where US Commanders announcement of proposal to let Kurds to keep their weapons hasnt been reciprocated with interest from Kurdish authourities and fighters .Iraqi PM Adel Abdul Mahdi has stated that Bashar Al Assad has agreed to increasingly bigger Iraqi role in fight against ISIS. This development only hints at how Pakistan helped Iraq in defeating ISIS. This depicts that the article the writer got published on Iraq Planaftyer Turkish President Erdogans visit to Pakistan in November 2017 is being re-affirmed to be accurate in content and context where EurAsian dynamics has become a reality. Israel Military Intelligence Chief Major-General Tamir Hayman has stated that Iraq is under influence of covert Iranian foreign operations unit where Tehrans role is considered as great threat which has led to multiple aerial strikes against suspected military deployments and arms deliveries by Iranian forces supporting Damascus regime. Israel wishes to counter and annihilate growing clout of Iranian presence in Iraq where Israeli interests would be harmed. Recently, Netanyahu was in Brazil to attend the inauguration of Brazil's new pro-Israel president, Jair Bolsonaro. Asked if he (Netanyahu) could ever contemplate sitting down with an Iranian leader to talk peace, Netanyahu replied: If Iran remains committed to our destruction the answer is no. The only way, he said, would be if Iran undergoes a total transformation. The point is that Iran isn't going to accept pure sectarianist minded leadership through regime change which can make deals with Israel. Iran didn't take bait but KSA did. So, it seems the next stage is controlling any idea of Khilafah as Israel steps up its game. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday that Arab countries viewed Israel as an indispensable ally fighting Iran and the militant Islamic State group. That evaluation, he told Brazil's GloboTV during a visit to Rio, has caused a revolution in relations with the Arab world. Hence, Iran has been instigated to make a move while Turkey has already followed through smart move to disassociate with taking any side but its own yet it seems that it isnt enough to dissuade likely scenario of another episode of prolonged KSA-Iranian clash. This will mean more destabilization, destruction, disarray and dismemberments as Muslim Middle Eastern nations enter into new heightened phase of conflict , making it possible for Israel to do more work in order to establish its hegemony in the region. Keep in mind, the Trumps initiative has already been successful and it is the reason why Turkey is accepting the offer since Israel has laid its plan and implemented it throughout in order to establish itself as an alternative and in near future, the only choice. Israel has technology. Israel has resources. Israel has money. Israel has connections, power &authourity. Lastly, America is providing space to Israel. The transfer of power process is entering into culmination phase where Israel will more actively pursue its radical agenda. All this fits into a plan for world domination. The ultimate reason for American withdrawal is to provide Israel an opportunity to deal directly with Arabs and Middle Eastern allies and have diplomatic relationship with them. This will certainly ensure Israeli credentials for status of sole decision-maker. This is not in any way acceptable to Turkey and Iran, which is why both are opposing such development at all costs except that Turkey has took bait to an extent but it can be possibly reversed. Israel will work both at front and behind the scenes but make its proper entry at a time when it would seem to the world that all countries have failed to make any difference when Kurds and other entities will arise as a result of those events which are occurring right now i.e., at this point in time . Israe l will soon replace America as the ruling state of the world. The Global establishment relies on mechanisms of system which allows the elements of Millitarism like Pro-Israeli NATOs militaristic status quo to crush any form of dissent. Turkey has opposed militaristic status quo of Pro-Israeli NATO and has rejected any offer from it to adopt their militarism and has responded after Russia intervened. According to an analyst on Syrian situation, the attacks from Israel will increase in next few days. This is due to Kurdistan factor emerging while Syrian army enters Manbij (a major Kurdish city in North Syria which connects with North Eastern Syrian side). Israel means business with Iran in Syria. According to an Iraqi political analyst and expert, there is data available that America is expanding the base in Erbil, Kurdish majority region. Part of the troops will be re-stationed to Ayn al-Asad Airbase the troops near Syrian-Iraqi border in northern areas of Iraq . The surprise visit of US President Trump to Iraq depicts that the Americans are planning a comeback at some point in time and the contours will manifest soon. Meanwhile, world has opposed Israeli airstrikes into Damascus on Christmas eve where civilian planes faced risk as Israeli used them as shields where any mistake by Syria to target the civilian planes wouldve backfired on Assad regime. Russia asked Turkey to hold on the offensive into Syria and allow Syrian Army to take Manbij, a key Kurdish city in North Syria. | https://nation.com.pk/02-Jan-2019/the-secret-wars-enemy-at-the-gates |
Did Netanyahu truly want to confront state witnesses? | Official says PM asked for confrontation with state witnesses but after consulting with his lawyers, did not ask again. An official with knowledge of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahus investigations said on Wednesday that the Prime Minister's statement earlier this week, in which he said he demanded a confrontation with the state witnesses in cases linked to him, was inaccurate. According to Hadashot TV, when Netanyahu first asked for a confrontation, he told his interrogators, I want a confrontation very much, but I have to check with my lawyers, I do not know if they will want to do it. It was also reported that the second time he asked for a confrontation, Netanyahu said, I want to hold a confrontation, but I want to consult with my lawyers again. The senior official close to the investigation said that the interrogators replied to the Prime Minister, If you want, it is possible to hold a confrontation. He added that "since the last interrogation half a month ago, we heard nothing from him, neither from him nor from his lawyers, on this matter. When he or they wanted to talk to us or comment on something, they knew how to find us. We understood exactly the opposite, that he did not want a confrontation because he did not get back to us. To say now, that the investigation has concluded, that he wants a confrontation is only an attempt by him to stop the decision which he understands is expected to be made very soon," continued the official. The Prime Minister's lawyers responded to the officials remarks and said, "The Prime Minister rejects the attempt to pass over to him the failure of not holding a confrontation with the state witnesses." "The Prime Minister initiated and demanded twice to confront the state witnesses and the fact that there was no confrontation is a failure that rests entirely on the shoulder of the police. Even this evening the Prime Minister reiterates his demand for a confrontation," the attorneys said. | http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/257420 |
Was ist die "Big Maple Leaf" fr eine Mnze? | Was fr ein Fall: Diebe schleppen eine 100 Kg-Goldmnze aus dem Bode Museum in Berlin und flchten zunchst unerkannt. Das sorgte auf der ganzen Welt fr Schlagzeilen. Am Donnerstag - knapp zwei Jahre spter - beginnt der Prozess vor dem Langericht Berlin. Angeklagt sind vier Anfang 20-Jhrige. Die Goldmnze heit "Big Maple Leaf". Norbert Hansen aus der Inforadio-Redaktion bringt es auf den Punkt. Eine Maple Leaf ist eine Goldmnze. Seit 1979 wird sie von der Royal Canadian Mint geprgt - vom Kniglich Kanadischen Mnzamt. Neben dem Krgerrand und dem American Eagle gehrt sie zu den bekanntesten Anlagegoldmnzen, die international gehandelt werden. Sie besteht aus fast 100Prozentigem Feingold. Auf der einen Seite ist das Portrt der englischen Knigin Elisabeth der zweiten abgebildet, auf der anderen Seite das kanadische Flaggensymbol, das Blatt des Zuckerahorns, englisch: Maple Leaf. Die Big Maple Leaf ist eine bergroe Goldmnze. 3 Centimeter breit, 53 Centimeter im Durchmesser und 100 Kilogramm schwer. Im Jahr 2007 hat das Royal Canadian Mint die erste dieser Mnzen hergestellt. Als Ausstellungsstck, um eine neue Auflage von Maple Leaf Anlagemnzen zu bewerben. Dieses Original befindet sich im Lager des Mnzamts in Ottawa. Nach einigen Anfragen wurde eine limitierte Auflage von fnf weiteren Mnzen angefertigt und an Privat verkauft. Eine soll im Besitz der englischen Knigin sein, zwei sollen sich in den Verenigten Arabischen Emiraten befinden. Eine aus Privatbesitz war die Leihgabe fr das Bodemuseum. Von ihr fehlt bis heute jede Spur. Ermittler gehen davon aus, dass sie in Einzelteile zertrmmert und verkauft wurde. Die Big Maple Leaf steht im Guinnes Buch der Rekorde und hat je einen Wert von rund 3,8 Millionen Euro. | https://www.inforadio.de/programm/schema/sendungen/auf_den_punkt/201901/10/303035.html |
Why is Canada continuing to fight for fossil fuels? | First nation mood tense following standoff, Jan. 9 We have had plenty of bad news lately, but news that the might of the Canadian state is being brought to bear against these pipeline protesters gave me a sense of despair, and brought tears to my eyes. It is so simple, really. If humanity worldwide produces more carbon dioxide than nature can absorb, we face disaster. And yet we are burning more, not less, fossil fuel. We are already at the point where unstoppable feedback loops are taking over. And yet, the Canadian government seems to want to produce and export as much fossil fuel as we can. For money, most of which will go to people who already have too much. We can use the workers involved to help build our sustainable world. Even the traditional resistance to environmental destruction by Canadas Aboriginal people is beginning to erode, as money is dangled in before their eyes. | https://www.thestar.com/opinion/letters_to_the_editors/2019/01/09/why-is-canada-continuing-to-fight-for-fossil-fuels.html |
Who Needs Sleep? | I do. But Im not getting it right now. We are in the final week leading up to the swearing in of the governor of Georgia and every night something wakes me up. Two nights ago, it was how are we getting something to Ft. Benning for the Military Appreciation Breakfast. Last night, it was how are we going to get the counts up for the Law Enforcement Appreciation event. Tonight, it is how am I going to cover all my other obligations over the next few days. Also, my dog died this week. My beautiful Mollie, the St. Bernard, had congestive heart failure and it got the best of her. She had a good few weeks after the diagnosis, but in the end, she couldnt get to the other side and be better. It was heartbreaking. And class starts on Thursday but I will miss the first class, but Ive talked to the professor and well meet on the Tuesday after. Then next week, Ill get into the rhythm of going to class and starting a new job. It will be fun and Im expecting many sleepless nights. Its going to be great and Ill have much more to say about the process in future blogs. An enlightening experience. | http://marthazoller.com/who-needs-sleep/ |
Was machen Influencer mit all den Voice-Messages? | Mikrofon-Button gedrckt halten, Text einsprechen, loslassen (oder in den Abfallkbel swipen, falls du dich verschluckt hast oder so) schon hat dein Instagram-Gegenber eine Voice-Nachricht von dir in seinen DMs. Das funktioniert wie bei Whatsapp, einfach mit einer Lngenbeschrnkung auf eine Minute. Fast ausschliesslich! Auch. Aber Text und GIFs sind bei mir schon auch noch hoch im Kurs. Nein, das nervt mich. Ich habe erst jetzt erfahren, dass Instagram dieses Feature berhaupt hat. People-Push Wenn du den People-Push abonnierst, verpasst du nichts mehr aus der Welt der Reichen, Schnen und Menschen, bei denen nicht ganz klar ist, warum sie eigentlich berhmt sind. So gehts: Installiere die neuste Version der 20-Minuten-App. Tippe auf dem Startbildschirm rechts oben auf die drei Streifen, dann auf das Zahnrad. Unten bei Themen schiebst du den Riegel bei People nach rechts schon lufts. Auf Wenn du den People-Push abonnierst, verpasst du nichts mehr aus der Welt der Reichen, Schnen und Menschen, bei denen nicht ganz klar ist, warum sie eigentlich berhmt sind.Installiere die neuste Version der 20-Minuten-App. Tippe auf dem Startbildschirm rechts oben auf die drei Streifen, dann auf das Zahnrad. Unten bei Themen schiebst du den Riegel bei People nach rechts schon lufts.Auf Instagram ist das 20-Minuten-People-Team brigens auch unterwegs. Der grosse Unterschied: Im Whatsapp-Telefonbuch befinden sich meist nicht die Nummern unzhliger Influencer auf Instagram sind diese aber meistens fr jeden erreichbar und seit kurzem eben nicht mehr nur via Text, sondern auch per Stimme. Was sich im ersten Moment nach einer Inbox voller creepy Sprachnachrichten anhrt, ist in Wirklichkeit ungemein praktisch zumindest sehen das die Schweizer Influencer Anja Zeidler (25) und Brian Havarie (18) so. Oben in der Bildstrecke erklren sie, wie sie mit den Voice-Messages ihrer Hunderttausenden Follower umgehen. Brian haben wir brigens krzlich zusammen mit Anna-Maria (18) zum BFF-Interview getroffen. (Video: Schimun Krausz) (shy/fim) | https://www.20min.ch/entertainment/story/26804828 |
Could Kingsbury Take Murray with First Pick? | Copyright 2019 Nexstar Broadcasting, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. LUBBOCK, Texas - Kliff Kingsbury said back in October when he was coaching Texas Tech he would take Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray with the top pick in the NFL draft. Kliff Kingsbury with some high praise for OU QB Kyler Murray: "Kyler is a freak.....I would take him with the first pick of the draft if I could." pic.twitter.com/aYYamjMu7o Eric Kelly (@EricKellyTV) October 28, 2018 The new Arizona Cardinals head coach now has the top pick in the upcoming draft and might have the opportunity to do just that. The San Francisco Chronicle reported Wednesday night that the Oakland A's expect Murray to enter the NFL draft. An @sfchronicle exclusive: Oakland A's expect top pick Kyler Murray to enter NFL draft https://t.co/YAeClwywN1 Susan Slusser (@susanslusser) January 10, 2019 Oakland selected Murray ninth-overall in Major League Baseball's amateur draft back in June. The move is unlikely since Arizona selected UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen with the tenth overall pick in last year's draft. | https://www.everythinglubbock.com/sports/red-raider-nation/could-kingsbury-s-cardinals-take-murray-with-top-pick-/1695113738 |
Did everyone notice the changes? | Last week, within minutes after the new Congress was sworn in, many freshman members of the House of Representatives grew fangs and claws. It was like watching the sudden transformation of the Werewolves of Capitol Hill. * Freshman New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez,a socialist, wants to immediately raise taxes on people who create jobs more than 70 percent. * Michigan Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, a liberal, called the President of the United States a disgusting word and laughed about her rant to impeach the president. * Senator Krysten Sinema from Arizona, another Democrat, refused to put her hand on the Bible when she took the traditional oath of office. * And Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi a combination of all three, said one of the first things she wants to see accomplished is more tax money for abortions. Pelosi (D-California) also called the construction of the wall at the southern border of the United States immoral, yet she enjoys one around the comfy confines of her lavish home in San Francisco. To be immoral is the opposite of morality. The definition is to demonstrate distinction between right and wrong; good and bad. To be immoral is to reject morality. Its that simple. Clearly, Pelosi doesnt understand the meaning of the word, or else she leads a party that epitomizes hypocrisy or both. Dont call building the wall immoral when you have a misguided view of the meaning of the word. Or better yet, eliminate the structure around your own mansion. Meanwhile, what is moral and just is the Ohio General Assembly. Two weeks before the New Year, the governor signed into law the Dismemberment Abortion Ban. The vote in the Senate was 24-9. All two dozen Republicans voted to ban the procedure, while all nine Democrats voted no. Outgoing Gov. John Kasich (R-Westerville) signed Senate Bill 145 on Dec. 21, 2018. Ohioans can sleep easier tonight, knowing that the horrendous practice of dismemberment abortions is behind us, said Mike Gonidakis, president of Ohio Right to Life. Pro-Life Ohio will not stop until the Abortion Report reads: Zero. Nothing to report. Similar bans have become law in 10 states and introduced in 17 others states over the past three years. Ohio Right to Life is immensely grateful to our governor and our pro-life legislature for prioritizing this crucial legislation, Gonidakis said. Ill spare you the gruesome details, but a dismemberment abortion, also known as dilation and evacuation (D&E), is a procedure in which the abortionist first dilates the womans cervix and then uses steel instruments to dismember and extract the baby from the uterus. It is literally torn apart and killed inside the mother. Come March of 2019, that immoral method of killing will stop in Ohio. The legislature and government in the Buckeye state are aware of the differences between right and wrong; between good and bad. The past two years I have observed more pride in America. The military has been rebuilt, and no one has messed with the United States. Unemployment rates for minorities are at an all-time low. The economy is booming, and more people are working. Terrorist groups are being defeated, and no other country dares to challenge our power. Finally! Respect after eight long years. The wave that entered the United State Capitol last week is a calculated scheme to disrupt our moral and right way of life. They dont see the progress the nation has made, and now they want to throw their personal agendas into the fray. They want to disrupt and obstruct. They want our nation to be a socialist country. I was taught if its not broke, dont fix it. We dont need higher taxes. That will only lead to fewer jobs. We dont need disgusting language from our leaders. Thats embarrassing. We dont need people who break from tradition and refuse to touch the Bible. We dont need two-faced leaders telling us what is immoral when they enjoy the benefits on a personal level (a wall.) What we need is for both parties to work together for the good of the United States. But I dont see that happening. Ill try to be optimistic, but when I observe the antics of last week, it makes it hard to stay positive. I pray that God still blesses the USA. Del Duduit https://www.portsmouth-dailytimes.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/28/2019/01/web1_Del-Duduit-1.jpg Del Duduit By Del Duduit Del Duduit is an award-winning writer and author who lives in Lucasville, Ohio with his wife, Angie. They attend Rubyville Community Church. Follow his blog at delduduit.com/blog and his Twitter @delduduit. He is represented by Cyle Young of Hartline Literary Agency. His first book BUCKEYE BELIEVER 40 Days of Devotions for The Ohio State Faithful can be purchased on Amazon. Del Duduit is an award-winning writer and author who lives in Lucasville, Ohio with his wife, Angie. They attend Rubyville Community Church. Follow his blog at delduduit.com/blog and his Twitter @delduduit. He is represented by Cyle Young of Hartline Literary Agency. His first book BUCKEYE BELIEVER - 40 Days of Devotions for The Ohio State Faithful can be purchased on Amazon. | https://www.portsmouth-dailytimes.com/opinion/34167/did-everyone-notice-the-changes |
Can a 'high-tech' burger help save the planet? | In one sense, it's just a patty made from plant protein. But the founders of California-based Impossible Foods argue the product can have a big impact by reducing the amount of land needed for beef and other livestock production. Impossible Foods, which began in 2011, chose the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas to launch its "next generation" burger - version 2.0 - which has no gluten, hormones or antibiotics and is kosher- and halal-certified. With a handful of restaurateurs and chefs on hand, the company announced Monday it now has 5,000 restaurants serving its product as it prepares to begin selling in supermarkets. Impossible Foods also brought a food truck to the large tech show to serve more than 12,000 samples of the burger to CES attendees. Chief Executive Pat Brown, a Stanford biochemistry professor and former pediatrician, said the decision to appear at CES was logical because the company is based on technology. "To most consumers the face of the company is a food company but the soul of the company is really R&D (research and development) and technology," Brown told Agence France-Presse (AFP) ahead of a news conference at the Las Vegas tech extravaganza. "What distinguishes us is we are developing a new technology platform that will transform the global food system." The company, which has raised some $400 million, including from Microsoft founder Bill Gates, was launch to develop a plant-based product that simulates the taste and feel of beef. It uses wheat protein, potato protein and coconut oil, and its "special ingredient" called heme which has elements of the hemoglobin in animal protein but is developed from soy. Impossible Foods is among a handful of firms including California rival Beyond Meat developing plant-based or lab-grown meat substitutes that claim to offer products equal to or better than animal products. The Impossible Burger is served in several restaurant chains as well as the fast-food group White Castle, and is eyeing global expansion with restaurants in Hong Kong and Macau. The company plans to launch the new recipe in Singapore within several months, with additional markets to come. "We're doing some early work preparing for global expansion," Brown said. Brown maintained that developing new kinds of protein is crucial for the environment when large areas of land - some estimates suggest 40 percent or more of global land area - are devoted to livestock. Impossible Foods is "barely getting started" and hopes to be able to scale up to produce large quantities. "Apple started with one hand-built computer," he said. "You have to start somewhere." And he added that technology and research will help further improve the product. "Unlike the cow we are going to be getting better every single day," he said. | https://www.dailysabah.com/life/2019/01/10/can-a-high-tech-burger-help-save-the-planet |
Will The Arizona Cardinals Sign Johnny Manziel? | The Arizona Cardinals might be the perfect fit for Johnny Manziel if he returns to the NFL in 2019. Now, I recognize he still has another year of his contract left with the Montreal Alouettes of the CFL, but for the sake of argument, lets safely assume that wont be hard to get out of. Lets also take a look at the recent development with the Cardinals that appears to set up a prime situation for Manziel to return to the NFL. The Cardinals just hired Kliff Kingsbury to be their new head coach. Johnny Manziel. (RELATED: Arizona Cardinals Hire Kliff Kingsbury As Head Coach) The Cardinals new coach was Manziels offensive coordinator during his days at Texas A&M. They have a very successful history with each other. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Johnny Manziel (@jmanziel2) on Mar 9, 2018 at 1:11pm PST Kingsbury and Manziel also share something else in common thats very important in the world of professional football. Erik Burkhardt is both of their agents. Thats right. Burkhardt, who also has a podcast with Manziel, is the man responsible for negotiating Kingsburys deal. Not at all. You might be shocked to learn stuff like that happens in pro sports a lot more than you probably realize. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Johnny Manziel (@jmanziel2) on Feb 12, 2018 at 9:46am PST Plus, the Cardinals only have Josh Rosen and Mike Glennon on the roster right now at the quarterback position. I refuse to believe that Manziel couldnt get the third spot if they decide to carry three QBs or just move on from Glennon being the backup. This almost makes too much sense. Right now, the Cardinals are without a doubt Manziels best shot at getting back into the NFL, and there isnt a close second. | https://dailycaller.com/2019/01/09/arizona-cardinals-johnny-manziel-kliff-kingsbury/ |
Is there more to the non-selection of Matthew Wade than Cricket Australia is saying? | Even the most armchair of experts know that at a time when Australia's middle-order is screaming out for stability, Wade fits the bill in more ways than one. He's made 571 runs at 63.44 to lead all comers in the Sheffield Shield. He's faced the second-most balls this season, second only behind fellow Tasmanian Jordan Silk, and he's done so on the extremely volatile Bellerive wicket. When quizzed on Wade's non-selection yesterday, selector Trevor Hohns said he'd like to see Wade "bat higher up" for Tasmania, rather than at five or six. Wade hasn't only made runs on a swinging green Bellerive deck, he's come to the crease, on average, when his side has been placed at four for 121. Wade has salvaged the Tasmanian innings on multiple occasions this season, scoring five half centuries and a ton along the way. Even if Wade was picked for Australia, he'd be filling a middle-order void, which is precisely what he's been doing for the Tigers. Reasoning doesn't pass sniff test In the wake of David Warner's ban for his part in the ball-tampering scandal, Aaron Finch was promoted to Test opener off the back of one first-class half century batting at three for Victoria. Last season, Finch batted 15 Sheffield Shield innings, shifting between six, five and four. Victorian selectors deemed Travis Dean a better opening partner for Marcus Harris, yet Australian selectors were happy to have Finch open with Harris at Test level against India. That's despite CricViz stats that show Finch averages just 11.5 runs against deliveries moving more than 0.75 degrees off the pitch. In Australia, 32 per cent of all deliveries move that much. It's no surprise Finch made just 97 runs at 16.16 and was eventually dropped. Hohns also stated the team already has a keeper-batsman in Tim Paine. Peter Handscomb is a keeper batsman who was awarded a Test recall following a 70 run stand in the Big Bash. He fields in the slips at national level and numbers wise, while solid, has been inferior to Wade at first-class level this season. Nothing against Finch and Handscomb, but Hohns' reasoning doesn't pass the sniff test. Against the backdrop of the culture review, the Tasmanian's at times aggressive and high-octane approach is suddenly not in vogue. In 2017, it was. When he was called into the side off the back of the disastrous loss to South Africa in Hobart, selector Allan Border said at the time: "I just think the side lacks a little bit of get up and go, a bit of mongrel was my terminology and he certainly brings that to the table." If Wade has been snubbed based on character, it would be at odds with state-level officials who deemed Wade worthy of filling the shoes of the lauded George Bailey as captain of Tasmania, a role he is so far thriving in. He's also been handed the reins of the Hobart Hurricanes who he has guided to a record of five wins and one loss. Against Sri Lanka later this month, Matt Renshaw, Joe Burns and young gun Will Pucovski will get their chances. Renshaw and Burns could join fellow Queenslander Marnus Labuschagne in the top order for the first Test at their home ground, the Gabba, while 20-year-old Pucovski is every chance to make hay on a flat Canberra wicket if he is selected, which would provide Cricket Australia with a desperately needed PR boost and a fresh-faced hero in the lead up to the Ashes. At the conclusion of the Big Bash season, Wade will ease back into Tasmanian colours and ply his trade in front of near non-existent crowds at first-class level. Where he bats will become a point of interest as he fights to make a last gasp case for an Ashes call-up, but at this stage, it appears his papers are well and truly stamped. Topics: cricket, sport, australia, tas, hobart-7000, launceston-7250 First posted | https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-01-10/whats-behind-the-non-selection-of-matthew-wade/10705916 |
Who buys Leica cameras? | The Leica M9 is one of the most expensive cameras you can buy Leica M series cameras have almost legendary status among photographers. Even though they don't necessarily use the most cutting edge technology (just check the specification of the Leica M9 and Leica M Monochrom's LCD screens), their superb build and the excellent optical quality of M-mount lenses means that many photographers see them as the ultimate acquisition. Their price, however, is quite staggering, especially when you consider that they are manual focus only and have none of the high-tech automatic modes designed to make the photographer's life easier. The new M Monochrom, for example, has a suggested retail price of 6,1250 in the UK or $7,950 in the US, while the M9 costs around 4,950 or $6,995 for the body only. The lenses aren't cheap either - the new Summicron-M 50mm f/2, for instance, is set to retail for 5,400, or $7,195. Surprisingly, it's not just city bankers, lottery winners and rock stars (although they do make up a substantial section of the Leica members' club). Leica Akademie tutor Brett says he regularly teaches photographers of more modest means who have saved for years to make their prized purchase, even taking on extra jobs to get the money together. He himself took a warehouse job as a teenager to afford a Leica enlarger, then after joining the Birmingham Post as a photographer at the age of 18, he saved his wages to buy a Leica M2. There are also photographers who have gone without other luxuries for years to buy a Leica camera. It's a question of priorities. These devotees place owning a Leica M camera higher up on the wish list than foreign holidays or a new car, perhaps preferring to catch the bus to work rather than drive a BMW. For others it is their retirement purchase, a reward for a lifetime of work. Then there are the professional photographers who buy a Leica M series model because it suits their style of work. They may want the quiet discretion brought by the mirrorless rangefinder, the depth of field control of the full-frame sensor, or the detail resolution brought by the combination of the sensor and the M-mount lenses. Leica M9 The M-series has proven track-record and history with documentary and reportage photographers who like its small size, discrete style and quiet action, but it also finds favour among some wedding photographers. And there's no doubt if you shoot with a Leica it brings a certain cachet that can be reflected in the fees that you charge. It's these same qualities, plus the history of the Leica brand, along with the second-to-none build quality, that makes the M-series attractive to enthusiast photographers. For some there may also be a little ego massaging involved. The fact that they use a camera that is likely to confuse the average novice and is beyond the reach of many gives them a certain sense of achievement and self-worth. The leveller Speaking of his Leica Akademie courses, Brett (he doesn't use his last name) says: "The camera is a great leveller." Even the rock stars that attend want to be photographers while they are there, and everyone gets on united by the mutual appreciation of the camera and their desire to master it. Leica M Monochrom Of course owning an expensive camera brings its own problems. For example, it can pile on the pressure as the photographer feels the need to perform to justify the expense. As the M-series models enable you to concentrate on the most important elements of photography - the subject, exposure and composition - the photographer's skill is put to the test. A Leica user needs to be prepared for his or her photography to be scrutinised and judged by those who cannot imagine or justify paying such a huge amount for a camera. They also need to be brave enough to take such a valuable and portable object out onto the streets that it is designed to document. So if you have been saving furiously, or you have just won the lottery, and you are contemplating investing in a Leica M9 or M9-P, bear in mind that it takes more than just money to be a Leica photographer. | https://www.techradar.com/uk/news/photography-video-capture/cameras/who-buys-leica-cameras-1081628 |
Have these video clips captured some of the worst driving in Derbyshire? | 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 This collection of bad driving in Derbyshire is enough to make any decent motorist shout at the screen. The clips show an array of terrible antics, from near-misses and bad manoeuvring to driving up the wrong side of the road. They were put together by the YouTube channel Bad Drivers Derbyshire and feature a variety of locations across the county. Derby, Heanor, Ilkeston, Belper, Ripley, Codnor, Little Eaton, Aldercar, Riddings, Leabrooks, Somercotes and Swanwick all make an appearance in the videos, captured late last year. The couple who captured the videos with their dashcam, who wanted to remain anonymous, told Derbyshire Live they upload the dodgy driving clips as a hobby and do not make money out of it. Derbyshire police this week launched a website to accept dashcam evidence of illegal driving. The website, https://snap.derbyshire.police.uk, will investigate footage of road traffic incidents which is less than 10 days old. Related stories: | https://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/news/derby-news/bad-driving-derbyshire-dashcam-2411072 |
Should Grimsby and Scunthorpe unite to form one 'super council'? | Get Daily updates directly to your inbox Subscribe Thank you for subscribing See our privacy notice Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email The year 1996 marked the start of freedom for those on the south bank who could not stand being forced under the umbrella of Humberside. Out of the ashes of Humberside County Council in April that year came the formation of North East Lincolnshire and North Lincolnshire unitary authorities, putting the power bases back into Grimsby and Scunthorpe respectively. But almost 23 years have passed since those councils were made and, with the recent progress of devolution in some parts of England, there has been a call for fresh changes. Areas such as Manchester, Liverpool and Teesside have all benefited from big money plans which have seen Westminster power and money transferred to elected mayors in the region. Lincolnshire had the same style of deal agreed with the government in 2016, only for two councils Lincolnshire County Council and South Kestevan District Council to reject the 10-year 450 million settlement. The all-or-nothing nature of the offer meant the two councils were able to wreck the deal, despite the county's other eight ratifying the terms. Both North East Lincolnshire Council (NELC) and North Lincolnshire Council (NLC) have got on with securing Government funds in other ways since the collapse of the deal and the pair have distanced themselves from any talk of joining a wide-arching Yorkshire and Humber devolution proposal. That has not stopped Martin Vickers , MP for Cleethorpes (a constituency which crosses the two local authority boundaries), from calling for ministers to re-shape the lay of the land in Lincolnshire. He used the final debate in Parliament before the Christmas break to propose creating more unitary councils a move that could see East Lindsey and West Lindsey district councils amalgamated into a "super council" with its NELC and NLC neighbours. Unitary councils (what NELC and NLC are) act as a one-stop shop those living within the council boundaries know there is one organisation to deal with if they need or have issues with a public service, such as bin collections or social care. Residents have one set of local ward councillors. But in the two-tier county council system, it is more complicated. If you live in East Lindsey, for example, housing issues and planning applications will be dealt with by the local district council, but education and transport projects will be dealt with by the county council in Lincoln. Both the district and the county council hold local elections for people to choose their representatives, meaning there are two sets of councillors to work with. (Image: Jon Corken) Mr Vickers, whose constituency also covers the Barton-Upon-Humber area, wants to see an end to the two-tier system. Speaking in Parliament, he said: "I hope some future government will consider imposing unitary authorities across the country, because I think they are far more efficient and would lead to more resources being made available to provide frontline services." There is a case to suggest unitary councils save money. When Northampton County Council and its seven district councils effectively went bust last year, with a budget shortfall of 70 million, it proposed replacing its set-up with two unitary councils to cut costs. As well as saving money on administration by combining back office functions, Mr Vickers said he thought the idea of creating larger unitary authorities could help to attract new Government money cash Lincolnshire missed out on when the devolution deal collapsed two years ago. 0+ VOTES SO FAR Yes, it makes sense No, we would lose our respective identities Go one step further and put Humberside back together The Conservative backbencher discussed the proposition with Communities Secretary James Brokenshire when they met last month. "I said to him that, in my view, we should have three unitary authorities-style councils for all of Lincolnshire but he took the Government line that these things have to come from the bottom up," said Mr Vickers. The secretary of state might not want to be seen to be meddling in local affairs but, according to those who met with him last summer, Mr Brokenshire is said to have suggested that creating a northern Lincolnshire "super council" could be the way to break the devolution deadlock in the region. Mr Brokenshire is understood to have told MPs in July that one way of reviving the Greater Lincolnshire plans would be for NELC and NLC to unite and form a combined authority. Once set up, the pair could then invite district councils in the county to join the new body and grow it from there. It would effectively get around the county council's objection to having a mayor for Lincolnshire one of the principle reasons councillors blocked the devolution move last time. Publically, the idea of combining the respective might of Grimsby and Scunthorpe town halls does not appear to have any takers. Councillor Ray Oxby, Labour leader of North East Lincolnshire Council, said that, following the collapse of the Greater Lincolnshire devolution model, his team had turned its full attention to the regenerating Grimsby town deal. He said: "We supported the original idea for a Greater Lincolnshire body several years ago because we thought it was the best for our area, but other authorities ultimately rejected it and since then have continued to develop relationships with our colleagues on the Humber and beyond, all with the intention of ensuring we get the best of any deals for our residents. "That will remain the case with any proposals, but it would be a bit futile to comment on this any further at this stage when our current priority remains delivering economic and social prosperity for North East Lincolnshire." Grimsby MP Melanie Onn , an opponent of the Greater Lincolnshire deal, has voiced her dissatisfaction at the idea of playing around with council set-ups, labelling the proposals "out of touch". Privately, Labour would also know that a "super council" in the region would also, given the political make-up of northern Lincolnshire, almost certainly be Tory-run. (Image: Peter Craig) The Labour frontbencher said: "The Tory plan to lump Lincolnshire local authorities together was roundly rejected just a couple of years ago. Creating a bigger council would make decision making less accountable and less accessible and give places like Gainsborough a say on what goes on in Great Grimsby. "These calls for unnecessary structural upheaval are out of touch with the real needs of residents of our area. What we urgently need is this Government to reverse the drastic council cuts to make Grimsby safer, cleaner and more prosperous." Councillor Rob Waltham, Conservative leader of North Lincolnshire Council, said the authority's focus was not on remodelling Lincolnshire's political landscape. "Reorganisation in local government is absolutely not on our agenda," said the Brigg and Wolds ward councillor. "We are far too busy delivering on an ambitious job creation plan for North Lincolnshire." Mr Waltham said the council already worked "closely" with other councils in Lincolnshire and those on the other side of the Humber. But the leader did hint at the benefit of having more unitary councils, saying: "It is a well-established fact that the unitary authority model is the most efficient way of delivering local government services." In the proposal mooted by Mr Vickers, both East Lindsey and West Lindsey district councils would be subsumed and see their powers executed by others. Councillor Craig Leyland, leader of East Lindsey District Council, said it was collaboration and not unification that he had been talking to other leaders about. The Tory district council leader said: "All local authorities in Lincolnshire are, and have been for some time, looking at ways to work closer and more collaboratively, in order to achieve greater efficiencies. "A unitary authority is not on the agenda for us at this time. Obviously if it does become an issue that Government want to pursue in the future, then we would review our position." West Lindsey District Council said it had not been privy to any discussions about creating a "super council". A "super council" might not have many advocates currently but the sense is that a change will be needed if the lost offer of devolution is ever to be reinstated. It might not mean something as drastic as merging the power bases of Grimsby and Scunthorpe but, at some point, northern Lincolnshire leaders will have to put their heads together and agree a plan of action or risk being left behind by the rest of the country. Follow or contact Grimsby Live Contact us: Email the reporter who wrote this story. Follow Grimsby Live on Facebook - Like our Facebook page to get the latest news in your feed and join in the lively discussions in the comments. Click here to give it or message us with a comment or story Follow us on Twitter - For breaking news and the latest stories, click here to follow Grimsby Live on Twitter. Follow us on Instagram - On the Grimsby Live Instagram page we like to feature great pictures from our area - and if you tag us in your posts, we could repost your picture on our page! Click here to follow Grimsby Live on Instagram. | https://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/news/grimsby-news/grimsby-scunthorpe-super-council-lincolnshire-2407900 |
Is North Korea a player in the U.S.-China trade war? | Sign up for the Todays WorldView newsletter. Kim Jong Uns visit to Beijing this week was brief. After a 20-hour journey to the Chinese capital aboard his armored green train, the young North Korean leader spent barely a day at his destination. But it was still an important visit and the target audience appears to be President Trump, whos pursuing ambitious foreign-policy goals with both North Korea and China. Kims fourth visit to China in 10 months wasnt quite as spectacular as prior trips: Kim attended a banquet with President Xi Jinping on Tuesday evening, which was also his 35th birthday, The Washington Posts Anna Fifield reported. The following morning, he toured a factory producing traditional Chinese medicines, had lunch with Xi and then headed back home. Speaking to the state-run Global Times newspaper, Chinese analysts said the real focus of the trip was not pharmaceutical but geopolitical. North Korea and the United States are planning for a second meeting between Trump and Kim, a sequel to their historic meeting in Singapore last June. Despite ambitious talk after that event, the first-ever summit between sitting North Korean and American leaders, each side has since accused the other of violating promises that were made. While North Korea has stopped overt testing of missiles and nuclear weapons, it has not denuclearized. Meanwhile, U.S. and U.N. sanctions on Pyongyang remain in place. The hope is that a second summit might make some real progress after months of stalling. But Trumps trade war with China complicates things. While Kim was in Beijing, negotiators from the United States were also in the city working on the next steps toward calming the economic standoff between the two nations. Trump tweeted Tuesday that the talks were going very well! The Wall Street Journals Lingling Wei also reported some positive movement in the dispute after an unscheduled third day of discussions. Other observers, however, looked at the timing of Kims unannounced trip to Beijing and wondered about the effect it might have on U.S.-China trade diplomacy. The problem for Donald Trump is this, he cannot take on #NorthKorea and get them to get rid of their nuclear weapons by taking on #China at the same time in a trade war- our @GrecianFormula talked Kim Jong Uns recent visit to Beijing w/ @CNNSitRoom https://t.co/pWNY1Xdh5f CFTNI (@CFTNI) January 9, 2019 China has obvious reasons at least theoretically to gain from tying nuclear and trade diplomacy together. Xi could potentially use Chinas leverage over North Korea as a valuable concession in trade talks with the United States, trading flexibility from Washington for more support in pressuring Pyongyang. Theres no doubt Beijing has plenty of leverage over North Korea. China is, by far, Pyongyangs largest trading partner accounting for 90 percent of North Koreas international trade volume since 2000, according to a recent report from the Korea Development Institute. One of the most impressive feats of Trumps maximum pressure North Korea policy was persuading China to implement U.N. sanctions against Pyongyang, something it was long hesitant to do. The reality may be somewhat different. It appears that China did expect to get more leeway on the trade issue if it helped push North Korea into talks with the United States last year. Indeed, Trump repeatedly said as much: I explained to the President of China that a trade deal with the U.S. will be far better for them if they solve the North Korean problem! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 11, 2017 That clearly hasnt worked. A little over a year after that tweet, the Trump administration imposed tariffs on China, sparking the trade war that he had seemed to be willing to postpone. But its also worth noting that Trump subtly criticized Xi last June for not sticking to the implementation of sanctions on North Korea. He has really closed up that border, Trump told reporters in Singapore. Maybe a little less the last couple of months. Thats okay. As for North Korea, Kim could play China against the United States, turning to one for relief whenever the pressure from the other got to be too much. Trump continues to talk about his summit with Kim as a key foreign-policy victory, and the promise of further wins will be a potent bargaining chip for Pyongyang. Scott Snyder wrote for the Council on Foreign Relations that Xi and Kim may be bound by both mountains and rivers and by their respective efforts to manage Donald Trump. Despite their proximity and potentially shared interests, though, Xi and Kim can still seem like distant neighbors. Kim didnt visit China for the first five years he was in power; Xi largely ignored the young North Korean leader in that time as well. The two men met face-to-face for the first time only shortly before the Trump-Kim summit last year. The Chinese leader has not made good on his talk of visiting Kim at home. But for now, the two leaders may hope that their democratically elected peer, facing domestic political scandals, economic uncertainty and the start of the 2020 U.S. presidential campaign, may be eager to reach a deal that pleases all parties. Sign up for the Todays WorldView newsletter. | https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2019/01/10/is-north-korea-player-us-china-trade-war/ |
Are women escaping family violence overseas considered refugees? | Saudi teenager Rahaf Mohammed al-Qununs story has travelled around the world this week, highlighting Saudi Arabias repressive treatment of women and that not only those who seek asylum by sea face perilous journeys to safety. For now, al-Qunun remains in Thailand, and its been reported the UNs refugee agency (UNHCR) has deemed her to be a refugee. Australia has said it will consider granting her asylum. Reports say al-Qunun fears, if she is returned to Saudi Arabia, she will be abused and killed by her family for renouncing Islam and asserting her independence. Sadly, al-Qununs fear of being harmed by those closest to her is not unique. Worldwide, an estimated 35% of women have experienced family or domestic violence. In some countries, the figure is closer to 70%. Not all those at risk will be entitled to international refugee protection, however. Only those who meet the definition of a refugee can make a valid claim for asylum. Women fleeing family and domestic violence must deal with a unique range of legal and practical hurdles before the threat of being returned will truly have passed. Refugee protection for gendered violence The international refugee convention of 1951 defines a refugee as a person outside their own country who fears persecution because of their race, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion. Read more: Explainer: how Australia decides who is a genuine refugee This legal definition was devised in Europe in the aftermath of the second world war, primarily with the political refugee in mind. Although the convention isnt limited to those fleeing political persecution, women fleeing gender-based violence must overcome a number of hurdles to show they meet the definitions criteria. The most fundamental requirement for refugee protection is that the applicant be outside her country of origin. This alone precludes most women from accessing international protection. The cost of travel and the danger it entails women and girls face heightened risks of sexual violence, trafficking and exploitation during their journeys make seeking asylum a dangerous endeavour. For women living under repressive regimes such as in Saudi Arabia, where permission to travel is required from a male guardian, leaving the country may be impossible. For those who do leave, trying to prove they are at risk of persecution poses further challenges. WAEL HAMZEH/AAP Beyond obvious physical signs of mistreatment, obtaining evidence of domestic violence is notoriously difficult. In most refugee cases, the primary means of establishing the applicants claim to asylum is her testimony. Lasting effects of trauma, potentially significant cultural and language barriers, and being surrounded by often male interpreters, decision-makers and legal representatives, can make the burden of proof for such women overwhelming. Moreover, the refugee definition itself was not designed with the experiences of women in mind. In cases like al-Qununs, failure to conform to religious expectations will likely play a role. But the tendency of refugee status decision-makers has been to see violence by family members as a private matter, and not attributable to one of the five grounds of persecution: race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group and political opinion. When refugee claims involving family and domestic violence succeed, it is usually on the basis women may constitute a particular social group. Accepting that women in a particular country constitute a particular social group allows refugee status decision-makers to provide protection to women who fear persecution because they are women. The UNHCR states that women are a clear example of a social group defined by innate and immutable characteristics, and who are frequently treated differently than men. 4 essential reads However, the worldwide prevalence of family and domestic violence, coupled with concerns about opening the floodgates to women seeking asylum, have seen this approach to gender-based refugee claims rejected on a regular basis. The universal definition of a refugee has been incorporated into Australias domestic legislation the Migration Act of 1958. In addition, Australias refugee status decision-makers routinely consider the claims of women at risk of family and domestic violence, trafficking, forced marriage and so-called honour killings if returned to their home country. Two recent refugee decisions by the Administrative Appeals Tribunal provide insight into how Australian decision-makers approach such claims. In the first, the Tribunal held the violence experienced by a Turkish woman, who had been twice hospitalised due to injuries inflicted by her husband, was personal in nature. So, it could not be attributed to one of the five grounds of persecution. Nevertheless, her claim was upheld on the basis Turkish authorities failed to protect her from such violence. Because of the countrys lack of enforcement of laws protecting women and widespread social attitudes linking domestic violence with family honour, the applicant was considered a member of a particular social group women. AARON BUNCH/AAP The second case concerned a refugee claim by a mother of five from Papua New Guinea, who had experienced repeated attacks by her husband and his family members for refusing to accept her husbands infidelity. The Tribunal rejected the proposition women from Papua New Guinea constituted a particular social group, due to their diverse ages, backgrounds, religions and economic circumstances. However, it accepted the more narrowly defined groups married women in Papua New Guinea and married women in Papua New Guinea for whom a bride price has been paid as particular social groups and awarded refugee status on this basis. In some countries, such as Ireland and South Africa, sex or gender has been added as a potential ground of persecution in domestic legislation. This removes the need to argue whether women are a particular social group in any given society. Australia has adopted a complementary protection regime, which offers additional protections to people at risk of such harms as torture or inhumane treatment. Australia also has a specific visa for refugee women-at-risk. Read more: Sexual and domestic violence: the hidden reasons why Mexican women flee their homes Individual refugee status decision-makers have also set out alternative paths for protecting women from family and domestic violence. In a notable New Zealand case, the decision-maker held the risk of domestic violence faced by the applicant was for reasons of her political opinion. They described her decision to leave her husband as an act of self-emancipation from the structures of power and inequality that had sanctioned the abusive relationship. Even though the UNHCR has determined al-Qunun is a refugee, her future remains uncertain. Thailand is not a party to the refugee convention and there are doubts as to whether she would receive effective protection there. Resettlement in a country such as Australia is possible, but obtaining the woman-at-risk visa would be at the discretion of the government. The attention on al-Qunun should at least help ensure her claim for protection gets the consideration it requires. Lets hope it generates similar support for the countless other women in urgent need of international protection. This article has been updated in light of the UNHCR finding Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun to be a refugee. | http://theconversation.com/are-women-escaping-family-violence-overseas-considered-refugees-109509 |
Should cyber officials be required to tell victims of cyber crimes theyve been hacked? | In Germany this week, the legal limbo that defines cyberspace around the world was on full display. The countrys Federal Office for IT Safety (BSI for its German initials) had been tracking a cyber attack targeting some of the countrys parliamentarians since early December. It ultimately led to the public release of mobile phone numbers, credit card information and ID card details of hundreds of members of parliament, and other public figures. Only some MPs were informed by BSI about the attacks, while others learned about them only after the details were published in the media. MPs were outraged that BSI had failed to notify them that their personal data was being targeted, despite knowing about elements of the attack for up to four weeks. Read more: New guidelines for responding to cyber attacks don't go far enough A deeper concern, raised by some MPs, was that over the same period, BSI (which is not a law enforcement agency) did not inform the German police that a political crime of this seriousness had possibly been committed. Once engaged, the police quickly found a suspect who reportedly confessed. Hacking, whether or not data is publicly compromised, is a crime in most countries. The crime is constituted simply by the unlawful accessing of data or machines. But few countries have laws that require their cyber agencies that monitor hacking to report the criminal acts either to third party victims or to the police. This legal vacuum needs to be addressed urgently. The challenge for cyber agencies or private sector firms which detect a hack is that these events are very common. Millions take place every day, and complex forensic information needs to be assembled in order to judge which incidents are serious enough to require notification. This sets up a defacto, but ill-defined, distinction between petty crime (most hacks) and serious crime. What this means in reality can be illustrated by the practice in the Australian state of New South Wales. In NSW, there is an obligation under the Crimes Act to report serious crimes. These are defined as those attracting legal penalties of five years or more of imprisonment. But when it comes to cyber hacking, its often not immediately clear whether the extent of a hack would trigger such a penalty threshold. This uncertainty was at play in the German hack, with BSI justifying its failure to notify with the claim it was still trying to analyse it, and did not know the full scale of it. Even after arresting the suspect and knowing the scale of the attack, the head of cyber security at the Federal Police Office (BKA) said it was still unclear whether the hack was a serious crime inspired by political motives. The suspicion that it may have been politically motivated arises from the fact that the only political party whose MPs were not targeted was the extreme right party, AfD. Read more: Russians hack home internet connections here's how to protect yourself What mandatory reporting means in Australia In 2018, after a long public debate, Australia introduced the Notifiable Data Breaches (NDB) scheme as an amendment to the Privacy Act. The NDB requires companies to notify the Office of the Information Commissioner (not the police), as well as any victims, if personal data they hold is compromised in a way that constitutes a serious breach of privacy. This civil code provision is very weak due, in part, to the fact that it allows the firm or agency involved to self-assess the seriousness of the breach over a 30-day period before the obligation to notify kicks in. It is also weak because there is a blanket exemption for law enforcement activities, and for the secrecy needs of the government. Australian cyber agencies, such as the Australian Signals Directorate and the Australian Centre for Cyber Security, appear to have zero obligation to tell either the police or victims that there has been been a hack or a data breach. That means, if Australian cyber agencies learned that a foreign government had hacked an Australian citizen, the victim may never be told. Or if family photos of an unclothed child were hacked from a family computer by a paedophile, the victims family might never know. In many countries, cyber agencies do notify large corporations of certain hack attacks, regardless of the kind or scale. There are several motivations for this mostly voluntary practice. One is to help corporations realise the seriousness of state-sponsored espionage against them. Another is to help the cyber agency itself coordinate an investigation of the hack, and figure out what might have been lost. That is not the same as the police investigating the crime. In most countries, only police agencies are authorised to investigate crimes for the purposes of court prosecution. Few jurisdictions, if any, have formally clarified the ways in which police and courts may rely on information on cyber hacks collected by cyber agencies or security companies. Read more: 30 years ago, the world's first cyberattack set the stage for modern cybersecurity challenges Australia is yet to have a serious debate about cyber crime reporting, and its forensic complexities: who is responsible for what, and where the priorities should lie. Its at least a decade overdue. While recognising that some distinction will need to be made between petty and serious cyber crimes, such a debate should recognise the right of citizens to be informed by our cyber agencies when they have been assaulted in cyber space and, if possible, by whom. | http://theconversation.com/should-cyber-officials-be-required-to-tell-victims-of-cyber-crimes-theyve-been-hacked-109510 |
Subsets and Splits
No saved queries yet
Save your SQL queries to embed, download, and access them later. Queries will appear here once saved.