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How many AFC Championship Games has Tom Brady reached with Patriots? | The Patriots advanced to their eighth-straight AFC championship game on Sunday after defeating the Chargers 41-28 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. New England's streak is unprecedented in NFL history, the longest such run of consecutive conference championship appearances. The Raiders hold the second-longest conference title streak, reaching the AFC championship game in five-straight seasons from 1973-78. Tom Brady has been at the helm of New England's eight-straight conference title appearances. Brady and head coach Bill Belichick are 84 in AFC title games since 2001. Tom Brady has an NFL record 38 playoff games as a starting QB. Peyton Manning is next, with 27 Tom Brady has an NFL record 28 playoff games as a winning QB. Joe Montana is next, with 16 Tom Brady has an NFL record 15 playoff games with 300 yards. Peyton Manning is next, with 9. Michael David Smith (@MichaelDavSmith) January 13, 2019 Brady and Belichick each hold the record for most Super Bowl appearances for a quarterback and coach, respectively. New England is 53 in the Super Bowl in the Brady-Belichick era. The Patriots will travel on the road for the AFC title game. The Chiefs will host New England with kickoff from Arrowhead Stadium slated for 6:45 p.m. ET. | https://www.si.com/nfl/2019/01/13/new-england-patriots-afc-championship-game-tom-brady-eight-straight |
Are Democrats ready for a presidential candidate with a guru? | Representative Gabbard, who just announced her candidacy for president, first grabbed my attention and admiration when she denounced the anti-Catholic religious bigotry demonstrated by Dianne Feinstein, and by implication her Hawaii Democrat colleague, Senator Mazie Hirono and California Senator Kamala Harris. Fifty-nine percent of Democrats polled say they are "excited" about "someone entirely new" as their presidential candidate. Tulsi Gabbard certainly is that. This position makes her stand out in a crowded and growing field of over 30 potential or declared candidates for the Democrats nomination. As Ruth King noted on these pages last week, the 2020 nomination contest could well recapitulate the rise out of nowhere of Barack Obama from obscurity to an eagerly embraced nominee, as someone new and different. Four days later, The Hill has published an opinion piece making the same point, that there's every reason to believe an unknown will emerge and win the Democratic presidential nod. Barack Obama did it in 2008. Bill Clinton in 1992 and Jimmy Carter in 1976 also came from nowhere to win the Democratic presidential nomination. Bernie Sanders didn't even think he had a chance to win when he entered the 2016 race, but he came within a whisker of taking the Democratic nod away from the prohibitive favorite, Hillary Clinton. This view is supported by an interesting USA Today/Suffolk University poll revealing that: Landing at the top of the list of 11 options was "someone entirely new" perhaps a prospect not on the political radar screen yet. Nearly six in 10 of those surveyed 59 percent said they would be "excited" about a candidate like that; only 11 percent said they'd prefer that a new face not run. Someone entirely new describes Rep. Gabbard in a way that I had not realized until today. She was born into a remains a member of a cult (or High Demand, Closed Group, as one former follower called it) based on some Hindu teachings as delivered by its leader, named Chris Butler. I was reluctant to even mention this because I am a First Amendment absolutist, and believe that no religious test for office means exactly what it says. I was politically aware when John F. Kennedy ran for president and was thrilled when a Catholic finally won the nations highest office, not because I am Catholic (I am not), but because I passionately believe in religious freedom and abhor religious exclusion from office. I remember in 1960 that there were people calling JFK a pawn of the pope in Rome (that was a common expression of anti-Catholic bigots back then) unworthy of the presidency on that basis. I also realize that, as an old saying has it, one mans religion is another mans cult, and many large and well-established religions began life being denounced as cults. That said, the values and predispositions of anyone seeking the presidency deserve scrutiny. So, it may be worthwhile to learn more about Chris Butler. Especially since she hired a member of that group as her chief of staff in 2015. Hawaii Free Press reported: So, I am going to be doing my homework, and finding out whatever I can about the influences on her political values and activities that might derive from her being a follower of a guru. The fact that her membership in this group has been well-known to her constituents in Hawaii is proof enough that she deserves every consideration and is entirely legitimate as an office holder. If you are interested, the material I have so far uncovered can be found here, here, here, here, and here. One thing is certain: this election cycle will be very interesting. | https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2019/01/are_democrats_ready_for_a_presidential_candidate_with_a_guru.html |
Is Vanguard Information Technology ETF a Buy? | If you haven't heard yet, 2018 ended on a sour note for the stock market. Many high-growth technology names got hit especially hard, and the Vanguard Information Technology ETF (NYSEMKT: VGT) was a good proxy for that; the fund fell as much as 24% from its autumn high point to finish out the year. In spite of the ugly performance the last few months, though, Vanguard Information Technology still beat the market for full-year 2018 with a 1% gain, versus a 6% decline for the S&P 500 index. That's because technology continues to make inroads into the whole economy, and the Vanguard ETF is a good way to capitalize on its continued growth. A woman with a thought bubble and bag of money illustrated above her head. More Image source: Getty Images. Vanguard Information Technology is an exchange-traded fund, a basket of companies that can be bought and sold like a stock. It carries an internal expense ratio of just 0.10% a year, contains 337 stocks, and currently yields a 1.5% dividend. With over 300 names in it, the Vanguard ETF is an easy way to get broad exposure to the technology industry. However, the fund is market-cap weighted -- the larger the company is, the larger its allocation. As such, the top 10 holdings make up 55% of the fund's total assets, so it's important to make sure these top companies are what you want in your portfolio. Company % Allocation of Vanguard Information Technology ETF Apple 15.7% Microsoft 14.7% Visa 4.3% Intel 4.1% Cisco Systems 4.1% Mastercard 3.4% Oracle 2.6% Adobe 2.2% IBM 2.1% Accenture 1.9% Holdings as of Nov. 30, 2018. Data source: Vanguard. Though the Vanguard offering is a high-growth ETF, the lineup of top holdings doesn't mean investors need to sacrifice quality. The top holdings Microsoft and Apple have been around a long time and are staples to build any investment portfolio around. Vanguard Information Technology is undoubtedly a tech-focused investment, that doesn't mean it isn't diversified. Tech reaches deep into all areas of the economy, with software services and device manufacturing a key part of other sectors -- from the auto industry to healthcare to consumer goods. The ETF is representative of technology's deep roots. Top names like Microsoft, Oracle, and Adobe provide exposure to a wide swath of software services for businesses, including cloud-based computing. The fund also has the leaders in payment processing in the mix, as well as emerging payment tech companies like PayPal. Device manufacturing is also well represented, with semiconductor stocks and consumer product makers like Apple. According to Vanguard, the underlying stocks in Vanguard Information Technology have an average trailing P/E of 22.9. That's a premium over the S&P 500's current P/E of 19.8. However, since the fund's inception in 2004, it has beaten the S&P 500 with dividends reinvested. If technology continues as the fastest-growing industry, that premium could be worth paying over the long term. | https://news.yahoo.com/vanguard-information-technology-etf-buy-221900038.html |
What Lanes Will the 2020 Democratic Candidates Run In? | The national constituencies of senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders surely overlap. Photo: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images Recent Democratic presidential nominating contests have been relatively simple. The 2000 (Gore versus Bradley) and 2016 (Clinton versus Sanders) primary battles were almost entirely two-candidate affairs. 2008 quickly devolved to a two-candidate fight between Obama and Clinton by the end of January. The 2004 competition was all but over after John Kerry won both Iowa and New Hampshire, and among the viable candidates, only John Edwards lasted until March. There were all sorts of interesting fights underneath the surface in all of these contests, but nothing that required three-dimensional chess to understand. In most years, Establishment versus Insurgent was about as deep as you had to get. The 2020 Democratic presidential race, however, is shaping up as a vast and complicated battleground with many viable and even more dark-horse candidates. Inevitably, both campaign operatives and political observers will have to analyze the field in terms of sub-contests between clusters of candidates pursuing particular constituencies. When Republicans had a similar situation in 2016, with 16 serious candidates in the fray, the metaphor of lanes in which such clusters competed for oxygen and viability before the deal went down became nearly ubiquitous. As early as March 2015 before Donald Trump entered the race the Washington Posts Phillip Bump was slicing and dicing the field in terms of five lanes with different candidates competing for supremacy, with some transcending any one lane. Bump had Scott Walker, Ted Cruz and Mike Huckabee as the leaders in the tea party lane; Walker, Huckabee and Jeb Bush as the top three in the evangelical lane; Bush and Chris Christie dominating the moderate/establishment lane; Walker and Bush doing best in the very conservative lane; and Rand Paul pretty much alone in a harder-to-discern libertarian lane. Trump came along and scrambled these lanes and helped croak several candidacies. By February 2016, Morning Consult editor Reid Wilson posited just three lanes: The five remaining candidates in the race are competing for constituencies who might conveniently be characterized as establishment voters, values voters and change voters. Wilson suggested that Marco Rubio was fighting with John Kasich in the establishment lane; Ted Cruz was battling to subdue Ben Carson for supremacy among values voters; and Trump has the newly defined change lane to himself. Eventually, of course, all the establishment candidates vanished and Trumps final battle was with Ted Cruz, who looked like an also-ran in the tea party lane in the early going. And in the end, the candidate who didnt fit into any preexisting lane won the nomination and the presidency, casting doubt on the whole construction. There are several ways to look at it: 1. Ideological lanes: Bernie Sanders will anchor the progressive lane, with potential competition from Elizabeth Warren, Tulsi Gabbard, Jeff Merkley and Sherrod Brown. If theres a moderate lane, Joe Biden will be the pace-setter, with dark-horse House members John Delaney and Seth Moulton, former governor John Hickenlooper, and possibly Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, all following in his wake. Down the road, Amy Klobuchar and Beto ORourke might appeal to moderate voters and opinion-leaders if Biden doesnt run or does poorly. Kirsten Gillibrand, Cory Booker, and Pete Buttigieg are hard to pigeonhole ideologically. They, along with ORourke, Warren, Klobuchar, and multiple dark-horses (including 2004 nominee John Kerry) have potential as party unity candidates a lane that tends to form late in the nomination cycle. 2. Racial/ethnic/gender lanes: The size of the likely 2020 field means multiple candidates from demographic groups that are rarely represented in presidential contests. Theres never been a Democratic primary field with more than one viable woman or African-American. Gabbard, Gillibrand, Klobuchar, and Warren could create a womens lane in theory. Booker and Harris could battle for African-American votes, beginning in the early South Carolina primary. Julin Castro and Garcetti could attract the attention of Latino voters. And although its a sentiment expressed more in private than in public, theres a constituency for the idea that Democrats need a white male to beat Trump especially someone who can appeal to Rust Belt white working-class voters. Joe Biden and Sherrod Brown could wind up competing in a white working-class lane of their own. 3. Generational lanes: Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Mike Bloomberg and John Kerry are all potential Democratic candidates who are (or in Warrens case, will soon be) in their 70s. That makes virtually everyone else a possible youth candidate. Gabbard, Pete Buttigieg, and Calfornia congressman Eric Swalwell are in their thirties; Booker, Castro, Garcetti, and ORourke are in their 40s. If Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez had reached the constitutionally minimum age of 35, she might be a compelling candidate for the hard-to-mobilize, but sizable, millennial constituency. 4. Fame lanes: In a big field like 2020s, less-well-known candidates will inevitably battle with each other for the media attention the celebrity candidates take for granted. In a social media era, fame can arrive quickly (as Ocasio-Cortez has demonstrated). So perhaps one or two of the candidates you have never heard of can strike name-ID gold before things get really serious. 5. The electability lane: Depending on all sorts of factors such as the objective condition of the country and Trumps relative popularity, the Democratic nominating contest could revolve around evidence and impressions about various candidates ability to beat the incumbent. Several proto-candidates, including Biden, Brown and ORourke, have nascent electability arguments that could grow powerful if Democrats begin to worry the 2020 general election will be as close as the last one. General election trial heats testing this or that candidate against Trump could become important, despite the bad experience Democrats had with trusting 2016 polls showing Hillary Clinton handily beating the mogul. Very particular electoral college arguments for electability e.g., Sherrod Browns popularity in Ohio could matter in a close nomination race. 6. Luck lanes: The hardest thing to anticipate and adjust to are the fortuitous events that shake up nomination contests before and just after voters begin voting. If, for example, both Biden and Sanders who lead most early polls decide not to run, everything could change. The millstone Elizabeth Warren is trying to shrug off involving the essentially silly issue of her claimed Native American ancestry is an example of variables that are hard to calculate in advance. Whoever does best in critical moments of the nominating contest could rise to the top of the charts with a bullet. Its impossible to know in advance. And thats the key thing to keep in mind when contemplating efforts to neatly classify the Democratic field. The one thing we should have learned from the 2016 GOP contest is that every rule can be broken. Going into that contest, political scientists had largely concluded that party elites pre-control presidential nominations. Trump blew up that supposition, which is part of the reason so many potential Democratic challengers to him are standing in line for 2020 in what some have labeled the Why Not Me? race. The primaries may surprise us, and theres even a chance no one will have the nomination nailed down before Democrats gather for their convention in July. The lanes surviving candidates would traverse in the first truly deliberative Democratic convention since 1952 are impossible to anticipate. So perhaps we should treat it as a wide-open highway. | http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2019/01/what-lanes-will-the-2020-democratic-candidates-run-in.html?utm_source=flipboard.com&utm_medium=social_acct&utm_campaign=feed-part |
What did Nirvana play at their final gig? | We look back at the legendary grunge band's last performance with Kurt Cobain, just a month before his tragic death. On 1 March 1994, Nirvana played an intimate show in Germany- not knowing it would be their last. Hot off the success of their 1993 In Utero album, Kurt Cobain, Krist Novoselic and Dave Grohl took to the stage at Munich's Terminal Einz (1) to play what was to be their final live appearance. NIrvana live onstage during the In Utero tour. Picture: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic/Getty Images The band kicked off proceedings with a cover of The Cars' My Best Friend's Girl. Watch them perform the track in the video shared from the NirvanaVEVO account above. What followed was some of their most hard-hitting tracks, including Radio Friendly Unit Shifter, Drain You and Breed.See them perform Drain You from their 1991 Nevermind album: However, the 3,000 capacity venue - which doubled as a small airport hanger - was fraught with technical difficulties... Six songs into their set, they were forced to stop playing Come As You Are due to a power outage and start again. According to several reports, it was during this awkward moment that Krist Novoselic used his humour to lighten the mood, shouting "We're on the way out. Grunge is dead. Nirvana's over." Little did he know how prophetic his joke would be. Nirvana's last ever song came in the form of Heart-Shaped Box, the first single to be taken from their final album. Just over a month later, Kurt Cobain tragically died by suicide on 8 April 1994. Perhaps most significantly, the band's setlist didn't feature a performance of Smells Like Teen Spirit- the track that catapulted them to sudden fame and in many ways contributed to Cobain's frustration and depression. See the setlist for Nirvana at Munich's Terminal 1: My Best Friend's Girl (The Cars cover) ("Moving in Stereo" by The Cars was sung by Krist and Kurt as an outro) Radio Friendly Unit Shifter Drain You Breed Serve the Servants Come as You Are (aborted due to power failure and played again) Dumb In Bloom About A Girl Lithium Pennyroyal Tea School Polly (Acoustic) Very Ape Lounge Act Rape Me Territorial Pissings Encore: The Man Who Sold the World (David Bowie cover) All Apologies On a Plain Blew Heart-Shaped Box | https://www.radiox.co.uk/artists/nirvana/what-did-nirvana-play-at-their-final-gig/ |
Who are Dave Grohl's famous friends? | The Foo Fighters frontman is officially the Nicest Man In Rock - so it's no wonder celebs are queuing up to hang out with him... everyone from Elton John to Jack Black! Dave Grohl and Tenacious D Jack Blackl and Kyle Gass are old mates of Dave Grohl - here they are bringing the LOLZ backstage at a Foo Fighters gig in October 2000. Jack Black, Dave Grohl and Kyle Gass during Foo Fighters Concert at Universal Amphitheater at Universal Amphitheater in Los Angeles, California, United States. October 2000. Picture: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic, Inc/Getty Images Dave Grohl and Lemmy Our Hero meets one of his heroes, the Motrhead legend back in 2003. Dave Grohl, Lemmy and Wino at the Hollywood Studio in Hollywood, CA, November 2003. Picture: Annamaria DiSanto/WireImage/Getty Images David Bowie's 50th Birthday Celebration Concert This has to be the greatest photo of all time. Can you spot Dave Grohl, Robert Smith of The Cure, Billy Corgan of Smashing Pumpkins, Black Francis of Pixies, members of Placebo, Sonic Youth and many more at the Starmans 50th birthday in 1997. David Bowie's 50th birthday party with Dave Grohl, Robert Smith and more... 8 January 19971997. Picture: Kevin Mazur Archive/WireImage/Getty Images Dave Grohl and Brian May Queen are a huge influence on Mr Grohl (and his mate Taylor Hawkins), so it's a dream come true when Dave gets to riff with Dr Brian. Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters and Brian May of Queen at the 2006 VH1 Rock Honors. Picture: KMazur/WireImage/Getty Images Dave Grohl with Bruce Springsteen At the Grammys in 2003, Grohl joined The Boss himself, along with Elvis Costello to perform the Clash classic, London Calling. Bruce Springsteen and Dave Grohl rehearse for the The 45th Annual GRAMMY Awards in February 2003. Picture: Photo by KMazur/WireImage/Getty Umages Dave Grohl and Red Hot Chili Peppers Boys will be boys Big Dave joins in some serious shenanigans with Anthony Kiedis and Flea of the Chilis backstage at an MTV show in 93. Dave Grohl with Anthony Kiedis and Flea of Red Hot Chili Peppers at MTV Live and Loud in December 1993. Picture: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic/Getty Images Dave Grohl and Stevie Nicks of Fleetwood Mac The Fleetwood Mac legend was on hand to see the premiere of Big Dave's Sound City film in 2013. Stevie Nicks and Dave Grohl attend the Sound City premiere during the 2013 Sundance Film Festival at The Marc Theatre on January 18, 2013. Picture: Anna Webber/Getty Images Steve Tyler, Jim Carrey, Elton John, Dave Grohl and Randy Jackson Another stellar line-up: Aerosmith frontman, Ace Ventura, Rocket Man, grunge legend and American Idol star all in one place - the 21st Annual Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Awards Viewing Party at West Hollywood Park on February 24, 2013. Steve Tyler, Jim Carrey, Elton John, Dave Grohl and Randy Jackson. Picture: Michael Kovac/Getty Images for EJAF Dave Grohl and Tom Petty The late, great Tom Petty got some DaveTime in 2006. Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters performs with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers at Heineken's AmsterJam 2006 in New York City. Picture: Theo Wargo/WireImage for Manning, Selvage and Lee/Getty Images Dave Grohl and Chester Bennington Dave spotted with the late and legendary Linkin Park singer in November 2006. Dave Grohl and Chester Bennington pose for a photo at the 2006 American Music Awards in Los Angeles, California. Picture: Kevin Winter/AMA/Getty Images for AMA Dave Grohl and Bono The U2 frontman meets the Foo Fighters frontman at the Elton John AIDS Foundation party in 2013. Bono of U2 and Dave Grohl attend the 21st Annual Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Awards Viewing Party at West Hollywood Park on February 24, 2013. Picture: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for EJAF | https://www.radiox.co.uk/artists/foo-fighters/who-are-dave-grohls-famous-friends/ |
Why is Bocuse d'Or the world's most prestigious culinary contest? | The young chef Matthieu Otto will represent France in the Bocuse d'Or, January 30. Picture courtesy of Bocuse d'Or France/Studio Julien Bouvier via AFP PARIS, Jan 14 Every other year, the start of the year brings the Bocuse d'Or final. This culinary competition, seeking out the finest young talent, will see 24 chefs from all around the world go head to head in Lyon, France, January 29 and 30, in a live event with an atmosphere worthy of a soccer stadium. The contest, created in 1987 by Paul Bocuse, has risen to gain prestige status in the world of gastronomy. International contest The Bocuse d'Or has no equivalent on the international level. Moreover, while chefs owe its creation to the famous French chef Paul Bocuse (in 1987), the competition brings together talents from all around the world, across all continents. The Bocuse d'Or generally comes into the spotlight once every two years, at the time of its final. However, the contest is far from dormant between finals, with selections taking place on each continent for 18 months. In total, 67 countries took part in the different selection phases. For Africa, six countries were candidates: Algeria, Burkina Faso, Gabon, Morocco, Senegal and Tunisia. Global talent Echoing its international aura, the Bocuse d'or has shone light on different world cuisines by integrating new nationalities represented by its candidates. This year, for example, Tunisia will participate in the competition. Indeed, the Bocuse d'Or defines itself as an "observatory of the diversity of culinary heritage around the world." Colossal challenge In a supercharged atmosphere of tension and excitement, with a live audience comprising students from hotel management and hospitality schools, the 24 finalists must stay focused for five hours, 35 minutes. Supported by a coach whose role is to keep their chef focused on their objectives, not to help in the kitchen the young chefs must create a dish skillfully presented on a silver platter. Intended to serve 14 people, this part of the final is particularly technical. It includes a hot dish, as well as the preparation of four side dishes three of which are mandatory and sauces, one of free composition. For this 2019 edition, the candidates will pay homage to Paul Bocuse by preparing a suckling veal rack with five prime chops. As if that wasn't enough, the chefs must also work on a second challenge, the plate.' This is a hot dish to serve 16 people. In homage to Jol Robuchon who was the first honorary president of the Bocuse d'Or, as well as the most recent, in 2017 the chefs will be tasked with creating vegetable chartreuse with shellfish. During this imposed test, the jury expects candidates to show off the full extent of their creativity. Finalists will be judged by the 2017 Bocuse d'Or winner, the American chef Mathew Peters, as well as this year's honorary president, chef Christophe Bacqui of the triple-Michelin-starred Htel du Castellet in Provence. AFP-Relaxnews | https://www.malaymail.com/s/1712216/why-is-bocuse-dor-the-worlds-most-prestigious-culinary-contest |
Are we really ready for PMD-sharing? | As more PMDs get on the pavements, there needs to be proper education for all users - pedestrians and PMD users. This is the year of the big PMD push. Call them what you will - personal mobility devices, e-scooters, catalysts for an explosion of pedestrian road rage on the pavements (pave rage?) - we are going to see more of them. At least six companies are vying to get a licence to operate PMD-sharing services, and each could potentially put 500 e-scooters on the streets. That may not seem a lot, but bear in mind that this is the initial phase. More could follow and that is not counting the privately owned devices. When PMD-sharing was first mooted, it was hard not to picture it evolving into the Pixar film Wall-E, where humans had become so used to not having to walk, they lived in floating PMDs, getting increasingly fat. At least with bike-sharing, you still get exercise. If you were to ask if lessons had been learnt from the experiences of bike-sharing, you will probably get answers that relate to the companies' financial stability and due diligence. No down payment needed will help increase popularity with users. And the need to charge e-scooters will reduce incidents of randomly discarded devices. Well, that is the theory, at least. The Land Transport Authority has said also it will heavily fine breaches of licence. Ask anyone who has encountered one of these halogen headlamped, glorified kick scooters zooming along a footpath, and they will tell you e-scooters are not pedestrian-friendly. Right now, it feels like pedestrians will have to "make a way" to accommodate the rise in e-scooter numbers. Not to paint all riders as speed demons who treat pedestrians as irritating obstacles, but these are devices anyone can ride - no prior experience needed. You get on a bicycle only if you know how to ride it. With PMD-sharing, all you need is an app, some (misguided?) self-belief that you can balance and away you go. Which then brings us to speed. Anyone who has had an e-scooter silently skim by knows how annoying a scare it can be. And while the top speed for PMDs on footpaths has been reduced to 10kmh from this year, past accidents have shown the level of harm that can be caused in an e-scooter collision. For pedestrians, it will be time to be more mindful of their immediate surroundings. Just a walk through a busy shopping mall will remind you of how unaware people can be of one another, whether they be phone zombies, shuffling along five abreast, or suddenly stopping in front of others. We are all guilty of it. But, it is one thing to bump into one another on foot. It is entirely another when one party is using a device that can cause harm - you'd better hope the rider's reflexes are up to par. Introducing more PMDs, whose riders think they can weave through gaps between walkers, is a risk. Grab, one of those vying for a licence, says it will educate the public. As an example, take the markings at MRT platforms for people to wait at until others get out of the train - or a lift - before going in. Again, this is not finger-wagging at impoliteness, just an acknowledgement of things that we do without thinking. One hopes that more PMDs come with dedicated PMD lanes. While giving people more options to travel is always welcome, the priority has to be for the safety of those most at risk - in this case, the pedestrians. | https://www.tnp.sg/news/views/are-we-really-ready-pmd-sharing |
Is online fantasy betting legal in Virginia? | Please enable Javascript to watch this video RICHMOND, VA -- With the start of the NFL season now behind us, fantasy football is now in full swing. You have likely seen the commercials advertising online fantasy sites like FanDuel or Draft Kings. "Fantasy football -- I legitimately call it Christmas Time," Dan Mcinerney, a Fanduel user said. "It is my favorite time of year," Mcinerney added. While Mcinerney said he lost $20 bucks on the site last week, he plans on winning it back this weekend. According to legal experts the answer is yes, because it is classified according to law as a "skill-based" site and not a "luck-based" site. In essence it's classified the same way as stock trading. Some disagree. "It is absolutely gambling," Bob Cabaniss, a recovering gambler who now runs Williamsville Wellness Center in Hanover, said. Cabaniss, who said he lost millions over the years, fears that success on Fanduel or Draft Kings will lead to illegal sports gambling -- like visiting bookies. "It is going to lead to more sports gambling without question," Cabaniss said. A representative for FanDuel told WTKR that they do not believe their site creates addictions, as it is a skilled based site. Experts remind players that all winnings are taxable. | https://wtvr.com/2015/09/15/is-online-fantasy-betting-legal-in-virginia/ |
Can Someone Please Direct Me to the Nearest Black Hole? | Subscribe to our free newsletters. Ive spent the weekend watching a little football, catching up on some Netflix, playing frisbee golf, and not really keeping tabs on the news very much. Apparently, while I was failing to pay attention, I was transported through a warp in the space-time continuum where, it turns out: We are no longer talking about whether Donald Trump likes Vladimir Putin a little more than youd expect. We are no longer talking about whether Trumps campaign received dirt on Hillary Clinton from Russian sources. We are no longer talking about whether Trump has obstructed justice during the Mueller probe of Russia. Instead, we are talkingseriously, mind youabout whether the president of the United States is an asset of Russian intelligence. Im not sure. But Id like to get back to my own earth, and Im wondering if anyone can point me to a local nano-black-hole centrifuge or whatever it is you folks use to travel between dimensions. Any help would be much appreciated. | https://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2019/01/can-someone-please-direct-me-to-the-nearest-black-hole/ |
Was taugen rezeptfreie Cannabis-Pillen? | Cannabis ist eine der ltesten Nutz- und Heilpflanzen der Welt. Schwerstkranke knnen in Deutschland seit zwei Jahren Cannabis-Medikamente als Schmerzmittel bekommen. Allerdings nur auf Rezept. Jetzt wurde die nchste Runde eingelutet: Neue Cannabis-Produkte sind freiverkuflich also ohne Rezept erhltlich. BILD erklrt, was in diesen Nahrungsergnzungsmitteln steckt und was sie tatschlich bringen. Die Hauptbestandteile heien CBD (Cannabidiol) und THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol). CBD lst keinen Rausch aus. Es wirkt beruhigend, hemmt Entzndungen und entspannt die Muskeln. Es kann Angst und belkeit lindern, gegen Schmerzen wirkt es nur leicht. THC stillt Schmerzen. Es wirkt auerdem berauschend, sorgt fr eine vernderte Wahrnehmung. Es gilt als stimmungssteigernd, kann aber auch ngste auslsen, sowie den Blutdruck hochjagen. Das Internet ist voll von Geschichten ber Cannabis als Krebsmittel. Doch wissenschaftliche Belege fehlen, Studien gibt es kaum. Vor allem CBD! Der Wirkstoff ist als Nahrungsergnzungsmittel in Apotheken oder Drogerien frei kuflich (z.B. als l oder Kapsel). Aber: Laut Bundesgesundheitsministerium unterliegen Prparate mit CBD der Verschreibungspflicht. Das umgehen die Hersteller, indem sie die Dosierung sehr gering halten. Adrex-Pharma-Chef Mario Eimuth: Wir grenzen uns klar zu Arzneimitteln ab. Unsere Dosierungen liegen weit unter der pharmakologischen Schwelle. Prof. Hartmut Gbel, Chef der Schmerzklinik Kiel: CBD hat eine sehr gute Vertrglichkeit, ist ein sanftes Mittel. Man muss schauen, ob man berhaupt darauf reagiert! Die Schauspielerinnen Gwyneth Paltrow (links) und Jennifer Aniston setzen schon seit einiger Zeit auf die stressreduzierende Wirkung von CBD Foto: KEVIN WINTER / AFP, Nancy Kaszerman / dpa, Photographer's Choice/Getty Imag Gestresste Stars wie Jennifer Aniston (49) und Dakota Johnson (29) schwren jedenfalls auf die Wirkung des CBD. Schauspielerin Gwyneth Paltrow (46) mixt den Wirkstoff sogar in Smoothies und Cocktails. | https://www.bild.de/ratgeber/gesundheit/gesundheit/was-taugen-rezeptfreie-cannabis-pillen-59518272.bild.html |
Could Offsets New Look Signal the End of Rappers in Skinny Jeans? | Offset is ready for Paris Fashion Weekand hes got the new clothes to prove it. The rapper and Migos member just stepped out in Paris today ahead of the citys Fall 2019 menswear collections, and he took the designer-filled event as a chance to experiment with a new look. He put his reliable streetwear-inspired pieces by Prada or Versace to one side, hitting the streets in a brand-new label instead and experimenting with a new proportion, too. For his latest outing, Offset wore a pair of baggy striped trousers by Gunther Paris in gray and black, which appeared to be cut from a thick wool fabric. The style, which also had thick roping at the waist, had a baggier fit that looked especially modern and clean with his crisp, white low-tops. He wore the pants with a black Balenciaga turtleneck and a shearling trucker jacket by Louis Vuitton, designed by Virgil Abloh. He wore blingy diamond necklaces by Eliantte, the New York City-based jeweler who often creates custom pieces for the Migos crew. Got to have that signature drip-drip, after all. | https://www.vogue.com/article/offset-gunther-baggy-pants-paris-fashion-week-style |
Is Beto O'Rourke Running For President Or Brand Ambassador? | Considering that debate season commences in just five months (Democrats are looking at a dozen group encounters in the 2019-2020 cycle, starting in June, as opposed to the mere six that Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders agreed to), its no surprise that presidential candidates are crawling out of the woodwork. Over the weekend, former HUD Secretary Julian Castro entered the sweepstakes. Word out of Hawaii is Rep. Tulsi Gabbard will give it a go. Former Vice President Joe Biden may get in as soon as this week (lets assume Bidens relatives wont vote for Donald Trump, as apparently some did in 2016). In politics, as in economics, free-market competition a good thing. The more Democrats challenging Trump, the merrier. But in whats likely to be the most congested Democratic field in modern times, theres a question of the candidates ability to stand above the crowd. And that should concern us as to just how dignified this years campaign proceedings will be. I say this with one (unannounced but likely) candidate in mind: former Texas Rep. Beto ORourke. Late last week, ORourke decided to mix public policy with a visit to a dentist. In an Instagrammed story featuring a snap of ORourke getting his teeth cleaned, the would-be candidate posted: Im here at the dentist, and were going to continue our series about people who live along the border. My dental hygienist, Diana, is going to tell us about growing up in El Paso. The post prompted plenty of Internet snark i.e., heaven help us come the time ORourke needs a prostate exam or chooses to visit a proctologist. Still, in the Trump-centric politics of 2019, ORourke may be onto something. And it doesnt bode well for the future of how men and women go about earning the highest office in the land. One reason why youre not hearing more about multitude of Democrats seeking the presidency is because talk of what could transpire in Iowa and New Hampshire a year from now is no match for the present-day drama in Washington. As far as compelling television goes, The Donald, Chuck and Nancy Show trumps Bernie, Kamala, Liz and Friends. And it may stay that way even after the impasse ends. Trumps managerial skills are dubious and his policy choices at times questionable. But the mans a genius at clogging the airwaves. Good luck to the Democratic field getting traction as long as Trump periodically, methodically chums the water with harsh tweets and baffling asides. That takes us back to ORourke and whether he can IG his way to the Oval Office. On the one hand, Instagram is a proven winner if the goal is attention-seeking. James Middleton, brother-in-law of the heir to the British throne, took his Instagram account public last week. His fanbase jumped from 4,919 to 85,900 in three days (ORourkes IG count: 762,000 followers). And maybe ORourke noticed the attention Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth received when she cracked open a bottle of Michelob Ultra during an Instagram chat earlier this month. However, Warrens gesture can be dismissed as a politician trying to be more relatable to average folks not unlike a sunglass-clad Hillary Clinton popping unannounced into a Chipotle (in the process, thanks to a grainy security camera that recording the transaction, looking not unlike a bank robber). Statesmen dont do social media from the dentists chair. Try Kim Kardashian West (124 million Instagram followers), who recently posted this photo of her dazzling pearly whites the lower teeth all covered in diamonds, the upper teeth featuring a tiny cross. Beto ORourke doesnt need to post like a Kardashian to prove that hes Insta-cool. Next month, hell be part of an Oprah Winfrey special from Times Square that will put him alongside the likes of Hollywood stalwarts Bradley Cooper and Michael B. Jordan. And he already has Beyonc in his corner (the singer has 122 million Instagram followers; nearly 129 million Americans voted in the last presidential election). What the man does need is heft demonstrating exactly what it is he embodies, in the way of policies and beliefs, other than a unique first name and a Kennedyesque stage presence. Maybe itll lead to easy endorsement money if ORourke is as skilled at product placement as he is campaigning. But the goal is to be leader of the Free World, not an international brand ambassador. In that regard, this Beto test doesnt get a passing grade. I invite you to follow me on Twitter: @hooverwhalen | https://www.forbes.com/sites/billwhalen/2019/01/13/is-beto-orourke-running-for-president-or-brand-ambassador/ |
Has Trump turned his back on Europe? | For generations, American presidents have saved some of their warmest words for their European colleagues. They came to the Berlin Wall and spoke of freedom - and, after it fell, they spoke of a new era of co-operation with a rebuilt Europe. But in the era of Donald Trump, leaders across the continent now know that those days have gone. John F Kennedy's "Ich bin ein Berliner," declaration, Ronald Reagan's 1987 message to Moscow: "Mr Gorbachev tear down this wall," George HW Bush's promises of collaboration after the Cold War and Barack Obama's warm words about binding ties across the Atlantic are all now distant memories. With every visit to Europe and every White House tweet about the cost of Nato or EU tariffs, this president makes it clear that he believes Europe is more often an impediment than an ally. None of his predecessors would have dreamed of calling the EU a "foe", as President Trump did in a recent interview about trade. With Europe embroiled in its Brexit difficulties, which leave so many questions unanswered, its leaders also find themselves scrambling to work out what it might mean if these old ties with the United States continue to unravel. That was what German Chancellor Angela Merkel was contemplating when she said, a few months ago, that it was time for Europe to take its destiny into its own hands. It was instructive to spend a few days in Berlin recently and to hear over and over again a version of these words. As Daniela Schwarzer, from the German Council on Foreign Relations think tank, put it: "The United States, with its 'America first' approach, has put Europe and Germany into the space of a strategic competitor, if not even an enemy." Image copyright Getty Images Many of the journalists who watched Donald Trump's inaugural presidential address two years ago - in which the "America first" phrase became the theme of a nationalist marching song - wondered how far he would go. It seems not. Karen Donfried, who served as President Obama's European adviser, told me: "I would not assume that whoever follows Donald Trump goes back to where we were pre-Trump, because you can't. "Those four or eight years that Donald Trump is president will have changed the relationship and changed the US role in the world, so it will be different." Think of a rolling crisis on Europe's eastern border - between Ukraine and Russia. Since the contentious annexation of Crimea in 2014 - which the Obama administration declared illegal and a reason for sanctions on Russia - there has been a series of clashes that have made it clear Vladimir Putin is not interested in taking the pressure off. Why Ukraine-Russia sea clash is fraught with risk That is likely to be obvious in the run-up to the Ukrainian presidential election in March. But, in Washington, Donald Trump has shown little interest in the concern across Europe - especially in Poland and Germany - about President Putin's expansionist policy. Image copyright Getty Images Instead of promoting a collective approach, he has preferred his characteristic man-to-man style of negotiating, claiming that he rescued his relationship with President Putin in one conversation, a two-hour closed summit in Helsinki in July 2018. Trump-Putin summit: After Helsinki, the fallout at home But in Angela Merkel's office, there was incredulity that the White House didn't consult its allies before that meeting with the Russian president and that it passed on almost nothing afterwards, beyond what emerged via Twitter. Find out more: James Naughtie presents America's Friends on BBC Radio 4 on Monday, 14 January, at 20:00 GMT and Wednesday, 16 January, at 11:00 GMT. Or you can listen again after broadcast via the BBC Radio 4 website or BBC Sounds. "The Americans are our most important ally and we know how much we depend on the American contribution to our defence and security in the EU," said David McAllister, German-born to a Scots father, an MEP for Angela Merkel's CDU party, and one of her closest colleagues. "But it's now about strengthening the European pillar within Nato, because under this president - and perhaps also under the next president - we might see less appetite in Washington to get involved in our immediate neighbourhood if it might be necessary." So, rethinking is needed inside Nato. But that challenge is coming at an awkward moment: Angela Merkel is stepping down in two years, meaning Europe's dominant political figure will be gone. In Berlin, I also spoke to retired American diplomat John Kornblum, who followed the course of the Cold War from the 1960s to the end, and then became the US's German ambassador. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Ronald Reagan's call to Mikhail Gorbachev to tear down the Berlin Wall in June 1987 was one of the most significant acts of his presidency He wrote much of that 1987 Reagan speech, delivered at a time when Western objectives were much clearer than they are today. "Europe is at a crossroads," he told me. "It's now almost 30 years since the end of the Cold War. Europe is in a much weaker, less independent, less stable condition today than it was 30 years ago. And that's an unfortunate thing to say but it's true." It's easier to ask the questions than to find the answers. That's the tenor of these times. What everyone does now know is that Europe and the United States, however much they retain their shared values, have to re-engineer their relationship as together they negotiate a new age of uncertainty. | https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-46798192 |
Could 49ers hire Jim Tomsula or Bryant Young to fill new vacancy? | SANTA CLARA Jeff Zgonina is reportedly out as 49ers defensive line coach, creating a vacancy and excitement over potential replacements. Or, more fascinating, could the 49ers turn back the clock to, (a), Jim Tomsula, their long-time defensive line coach before his 2015 stint as head coach, or, (b) Bryant Young, one of their all-time great players whos spent the past two seasons coaching the Atlanta Falcons defensive linemen. Tomsula, according to 106.7 The Fan, wants out of Washington after two seasons there. He took 2016 off and went silent with most 49ers staffers after going 6-11 as Jim Harbaughs replacement as 49ers coach. Zgonina played 17 seasons in the NFL before joining the coaching ranks with the Houston Texans (2013), the New York Giants (2016) and then the 49ers (2017-18). His departure was first reported Sunday by Alex Marvez of SiriusXM NFL Radio; the 49ers did not immediately confirm the move. A day after the 49ers finished last season with a 4-12 record, Shanahan said he did not plan any substantial changes to his staff. Since then, however, the 49ers have dismissed strength coach Ray Wright and head trainer Jeff Ferguson; secondary coach Jeff Hafley left to join Ohio States staff. Defensive tackle DeForest Buckners path to his first Pro Bowl appearance may have opened up Sunday. Buckner is a Pro Bowl alternate and potentially could sub for Philadelphia Eagles Fletcher Cox, who sustained a foot injury in their playoff game at New Orleans. | https://www.mercurynews.com/2019/01/13/could-49ers-hire-jim-tomsula-or-bryant-young-to-fill-new-vacancy/ |
Who was the Jackson area boys athlete of the week for Jan. 7-12? | CLOSE Action from South Gibson's District 13-AA win over Crockett County in overtime on Jan. 8, 2018. Michael Odom, USA TODAY NETWORK Tennessee Logo (Photo: USA TODAY NETWORK - Tennessee) Refresh this link if the poll results don't appear. Mobile users, you might have to click here for the poll. We are one month away from the start of the basketball postseason, but here are six standout performances from Week 8. MORE: Jackson area prep basketball Week 8 scoreboard MORE: 3 years after starting basketball, South Gibson's Jon Turner is hitting game-winners MORE: Change of scenery has helped Jackson Christian's Malik Richardson Reach Michael Odom at [email protected] or 731-425-9754. Follow him on Twitter @JSWriterMichael. | https://www.jacksonsun.com/story/sports/high-school/2019/01/13/jackson-area-boys-athlete-week-tssaa/2549082002/?from=new-cookie |
Who was the Jackson area girls athlete of the week for Jan. 7-12? | CLOSE A Macey Lee three at the buzzer gave TCA the come-from-behind win over Gibson County in overtime. Joseph Spears, Jackson Sun Logo (Photo: USA TODAY NETWORK - Tennessee) Refresh this link if the poll results don't appear. Mobile users, you might have to click here for the poll. We are one month away from the start of the basketball postseason, but here are six standout performances from Week 8. MORE: Jackson area prep basketball Week 8 scoreboard MORE: Westview's Zanasha Gadlen has taken over at point guard MORE: TCA's Macey Lee is embracing leadership role left by sister Reach Michael Odom at [email protected] or 731-425-9754. Follow him on Twitter @JSWriterMichael. | https://www.jacksonsun.com/story/sports/high-school/2019/01/13/jackson-area-girls-basketball-athlete-week-tssaa/2549213002/?from=new-cookie |
Whos better at admitting theyre wrong conservative or liberal extremists? | A new Gallup poll finds that a record high percentage of Democrats call themselves liberal, and potential 2020 contenders are paying attention First things first: The theme song of the week is the theme song to Saved by the Bell composed by Scott Gayle. What the 2018 blue wave means for 2020 CNN's Chris Cillizza reads the political tea leaves and explains what midterm momentum could mean for Democrats and the party's 2020 hopefuls. De Blasio: 'Moderate voices in the party' did not learn from 2016 New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said Sunday that some moderate Democrats were wrong not to stake out a bolder agenda following the party's national losses in 2016. Elizabeth Warren makes her pitch for radical reform in Washington Sen. Elizabeth Warren in her first visit to New Hampshire in more than two years made the case for radical reform in Washington, telling voters here that the time for "change at the margins" has passed. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, activist groups map out next steps in Green New Deal fight New York Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and allied progressive groups are ramping up their push for a Green New Deal. Trump: Obama took Biden off the 'trash heap' President Donald Trump called Joe Biden "weak" and said he is not worried about a potential challenge from the former vice president in the 2020 presidential race, during a phone interview with Fox News' Jeanine Pirro. In the last three days, former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro formally declared his candidacy, while Rep. Tulsi Gabbard told CNN's Van Jones that she plans [] Politico: Some House Dems upset with Ocasio-Cortez Some House Democrats have been unhappy with progressive Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's resistance to falling in line with her fellow party members, particularly her threats to support primary challenges against incumbents, Politico reported Friday. Trump lashed out at Mulvaney during meeting with Dems President Donald Trump lashed out at acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney during a Situation Room meeting with Democrats, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, earlier this month, a White House official said Sunday. | http://theechotimes.com/whos-better-at-admitting-theyre-wrong-conservative-or-liberal-extremists/ |
Why Malaysia may prefer LCA Tejas over China-Pak's J-17 fighter? | India oi-Vikas SV New Delhi, Jan 14: Malaysia has shown interest in LCA Tejas and reports say that Kuala Lumpur may even prefer it over Sino-Pakistani JF-17 'Thunder'. After years of delay and hiccups in the Tejas project, its a shot in the arm for the HAL that a foreign country has shown interest in procuring it. It is not yet know how will the HAL ramp up its production of Tejas as the PSU has its hands full with IAF's requirements. The Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) is considered far deadlier than the JF-17 Thunder fighter by many experts. The current version of Tejas might be slightly costlier than its Sino-Pakistani counterpart, but the HAL manufactured fighter reportedly offers better performance. [IAF's depleting fleet: The choices India has] Tejas excels JF-17 in the technologies that are utilised in it, including lightweight composite material body, sophisticated quadruplex digital flight control system, microprocessor-based utility controls and the superior American GE-404IN engine among others, said reports. As far as meeting the requirements of the IAF is concerned, HAL has been given green signal to start manufacturing of Tejas Mk1 under Final Operational Clearance (FOC) configuration. The Ministry of Defense (MoD) has ordered 40 Tejas LCA Mark-I with HAL. 20 Tejas LCA in initial operational configuration - 16 fighters and four trainers - have been produced so far. The weaponised version of Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas equipped with capabilities of mid-air refuelling, AESA radar, electronic warfare suites and a variety of other features is likely to be inducted into the Indian Air Force by this year-end. The final operational clearance (FOC) for all these systems is, however, pending. JF-17 Thunder fighter: The JF-17 was primarily developed to meet the Pakistan Air Force requirement for an affordable, modern, multi-role combat aircraft as a replacement for its large fleet of Dassault Mirage III/5 fighters, Nanchang A-5 bombers, and Chengdu F-7 interceptors, with a cost of US$500 million, divided equally between China and Pakistan. The aircraft was also intended to have export potential as a cost-effective and competitive alternative to more expensive Western fighters. | https://www.oneindia.com/india/why-malaysia-may-prefer-lca-tejas-over-china-pak-s-j-17-fighter-2836414.html?utm_source=/rss/news-india-fb.xml&utm_medium=23.50.225.204&utm_campaign=client-rss |
Is Operation Lotus back in Karnataka? | India oi-Oneindia Staff By Smriti Pathak Bengaluru, Jan 14: Karnataka Water Resource minister DK Shivakumar on Sunday said the BJP's 'Operation Lotus' to topple the state's coalition government was for real, alleging that three Congress MLAs were camping in a hotel in Mumbai in the "company of some BJP leaders". "Horse trading is going on in the state. Three of our MLAs are in Mumbai in a hotel with some BJP MLAs and leaders. We are aware of what has transpired there and how much has been offered to them," he said. Also Read | Congress-JD(S) will fight LS polls together: DKS Operation Lotus is a reference to the BJP allegedly luring several opposition MLAs to defect to ensure stability of its then-government headed by BS Yeddyurappa in Karnataka in 2008. Shivakumar, who had earned the reputation of being a "trouble-shooter" in the Congress for bailing out the party from many crises in the past, accused Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy of being "lenient" towards the BJP. "Our chief minister is bit lenient towards the BJP. By 'lenient', I mean he is not exposing the facts he knows. All the MLAs have conveyed to the chief minister about the ongoing conspiracies. They have also told Siddaramaiah about it. "The chief minister is adopting a policy of wait and watch. If I was in his place, I would have exposed it within 24 hours," Shivakumar said. The minister said former chief minister Siddaramaiah and Congress state president Dinesh Gundu Rao were aware of the development. Also Read | Karnataka BJP chief Yeddyurappa meets Shivakumar, sparks alliance speculation Shivakumar, however, exuded confidence that the BJP would not succeed in its attempt. "You have been saying that a 'kranti' (revolution) may happen after Makar Sankranti. Let us see. It is not so easy because there is already anti-defection law in place, but we are aware of what you are hinting at," he said in an apparent reference to the opposition BJP in the state. The water resources minister also wondered why the income tax department and the anti-corruption bureau failed to initiate any action on a complaint by Dinesh Gundu Rao on the matter. "We do not know what progress these two agencies have made so far, but sitting on the complaint by a political party is not good," he said. Many Congress MLAs in the southern state have alleged that they were approached by the BJP leaders to quit their party and join them. The saffron party has trashed the charges, saying the coalition partners were hiding their shortcomings and internal strife by making false accusations at the opposition. | https://www.oneindia.com/india/is-operation-lotus-back-in-karnataka-2836429.html?utm_source=/rss/news-india-fb.xml&utm_medium=23.50.225.204&utm_campaign=client-rss |
Was bedeutet der Besuch bei calan? | Politik Der Kurdenfhrer knnte eine zentrale Rolle bei der Abmachung fr Nordsyrien spielen Von Susanne Gsten Erstmals seit ber zwei Jahren hat der inhaftierte kurdische Rebellenchef Abdullah calan einen Besucher empfangen knnen. Sein Bruder Mehmet sprach mit dem 70-jhrigen Grnder der Terrororganisation PKK auf der trkischen Gefngnisinsel Imrali bei Istanbul, teilte die Kurdenpartei HDP mit. Die Besuchserlaubnis ist innen- wie auenpolitisch wichtig. In der Trkei sind mehr als hundert kurdische Hftlinge im Hungerstreik, um bessere Haftbedingungen fr calan durchzusetzen. In Syrien knnte die Besuchsgenehmigung den Boden fr eine Abmachung zwischen der Trkei und der kurdischen Miliz YPG bereiten, die calan als ihren Chef betrachtet. calan verbt seit fast 20 Jahren eine lebenslange Haftstrafe. Im vergangenen Jahr bescheinigte das Anti-Folter-Komitee des Europarates der Trkei zwar, dass sich die Bedingungen fr calan verbessert haben. Allerdings htten die Hftlinge seit 2013 keinen Besuch mehr von ihren Anwlten bekommen und seit September 2016 auch keinen Verwandtenbesuch. Aus Protest gegen die Isolation von calan ist die inhaftierte HDP-Politikerin Leyla Gven seit November im Hungerstreik. Der Partei zufolge ist sie so entkrftet, dass sie in hchster Lebensgefahr schwebt. Rund 170 kurdische Hftlinge in anderen Gefngnissen haben sich ihrer Aktion angeschlossen. Auch nach dem Besuch bei calan sollen die Hungerstreiks weitergehen, erklrte die PKK am Sonntag. Der Gefngnisbesuch sei ein Trick und sollte nicht falsch interpretiert werden. Ein Sprecher der kurdischen Hftlinge erklrte, die Hungerstreiks wrden erst enden, wenn calan wieder regelmig Besuch empfangen darf. In den YPG-Gebieten im Norden Syriens wurde die Nachricht von dem Besuch bei calan mit Freudenschssen in die Luft gefeiert, wie YPG-nahe Gruppen auf Twitter mitteilten. Die YPG ist der syrische Ableger der PKK und wird von der Trkei als Terrorgruppe betrachtet. Gleichzeitig ist die Kurdenmiliz wichtigster Partner der USA im Kampf gegen den Islamischen Staat. Die krzliche Entscheidung von US-Prsident Trump zum Rckzug der rund 2000 US-Soldaten aus Syrien hatte einen Angriff der Trkei auf die YPG wahrscheinlicher gemacht. Die Forderung Washingtons nach Sicherheitsgarantien der Trkei fr die YPG war von Ankara emprt zurckgewiesen worden. Inzwischen gibt es jedoch offenbar Bewegung. US-Auenminister Michael Pompeo unterstrich mit Blick auf die YPG, die Trkei habe das Recht, sich gegen Terroristen zu verteidigen eine Formulierung, die die Regierung in Ankara mit Genugtuung registrierte. Pompeo zeigte sich zuversichtlich, dass eine Regelung gefunden werden knne, die den Interessen der Trkei Rechnung trage, zugleich aber auch die YPG schtze. Bessere Haftbedingungen fr calan knnten als vertrauensbildende Manahme fr eine solche Vereinbarung dienen. Themen Folgen | https://www.augsburger-allgemeine.de/politik/Was-bedeutet-der-Besuch-bei-Oecalan-id53172646.html |
What Is Jamn Ibrico? | When I see a platter of charcuterie, with all of its rosy glistening meats, I get a little bit of a thrill (not to mention hunger pangs). There is a glorious world of charcuterie to be had, from coppa and culatello to prosciutto and speck, but some of the best cured meat in the entire world is Spain's spectacular jamn ibrico from Andalucia. Its glossy, beautifully marbled and tender, with a nutty, savory flavor thats unsurpassed. I recently sat down with the folks from Cinco Jotas, who produce outstanding jamn. Their prized Ibrico pigs live fairly idyllic (albeit short) lives, wandering freely during their two-year lifespan. Acorns are the cornerstone of an Ibrico pigs diet, as well as grass, roots, berries, mushrooms, and wild herbsall of which contribute to the delicious flavor and marbling that is so coveted. It turns out that marbling of the meat is purely genetic and thats a key factor in deciding which pigs to breed. In fact, Cinco Jotas knows the parents, grandparents and even great-grandparents of every pig they raise. Because they walk so much in search of those acorns (upwards of eight miles every day), the pigs have distinctive skinny legs and feetas well as cute little floppy ears. When the pigs find their acorns, they peel them with their lips and then spit the shell out, then keep roaming for more as they eat several pounds of food each day. While it takes at least five years to produce Cinco Jotass jamn Ibrico, the pigs themselves take two years to reach full development, and the curing process takes a minimum of three years. Well, the rest of the pig is pretty darned tasty too. Select chefs get to buy and serve the additional cuts. Some of the most delicious ones are the secreto (from the chest), the pluma (between the front of the loin and the shoulder), and the presa (shoulder). Eating jamn Ibrico is reserved for special occasions in Spain. No other food is treated the same way. Its said that you can tell the quality of a wedding by the ham they serve: the best weddings in Spain end at 5 a.m. with slices of jamn Ibrico served on crusty bread. A recent study in Spain is aiming to prove that acorn-food Ibrico ham raises your good cholesterol so it can actually be considered a health food. Amen to that. Resources: | https://www.foodandwine.com/meat-poultry/jamon-iberico-info |
Was ist eine IP-Adresse? | Die Internet-Protokoll-Adresse (oder IP-Adresse) ist eine eindeutige Adresse, mit der sich Computergerte wie PCs, Tablets und Smartphones identifizieren und mit anderen Gerten im IP-Netzwerk kommunizieren. Jedes mit dem IP-Netzwerk verbundene Gert muss eine eindeutige IP-Adresse innerhalb des welche ip adresse habe ich Netzwerks haben. Eine IP-Adresse ist analog zu einer Straenadresse oder Telefonnummer, da sie zur eindeutigen Identifizierung einer Einheit verwendet wird. Punktuelle Dezimalstellen Die traditionelle IP-Adresse (bekannt als IPv4) verwendet eine 32-Bit-Nummer, um eine IP-Adresse darzustellen, und definiert sowohl die Netzwerk- als auch die Hostadresse. Eine 32-Bit-Nummer kann etwa 4 Milliarden eindeutige Nummern bereitstellen, so dass IPv4-Adressen ausgehen, wenn mehr Gerte an das IP-Netzwerk angeschlossen sind. Eine neue Version des IP-Protokolls (IPv6) wurde entwickelt, um eine nahezu unbegrenzte Anzahl von eindeutigen Adressen zu ermglichen. Eine IP-Adresse wird in der gestrichelten dezimalen Schreibweise geschrieben, d.h. 4 Ziffernstze, die durch einen Punkt getrennt sind, wobei jeder Satz 8-Bit-Zahlen im Bereich von (0-255) reprsentiert. Ein Beispiel fr eine IPv4-Adresse ist 216.3.128.12, das ist die IP-Adresse, die zuvor iplocation.net zugewiesen wurde. Eine IPv4-Adresse ist in zwei Teile unterteilt: Netzwerk- und Hostadresse. Die Netzwerkadresse bestimmt, wie viele der 32 Bit fr die Netzwerkadresse und die restlichen Bits fr die Hostadresse verwendet werden. Die Hostadresse kann weiter in Subnetz und Hostnummer unterteilt werden. Netzwerke der Klassen A, B, C und CIDR Traditionell wird ein IP-Netzwerk als A-, B- oder C-Netzwerk klassifiziert. Die Computer identifizieren die Klasse durch die ersten 3 Bits (A=000, B=100, C=110), whrend die Menschen die Klasse durch die erste Oktett(8-Bit)-Nummer identifizieren. Aufgrund der Knappheit an IP-Adressen wurde das klassenbasierte System durch Classless Inter-Domain Routing (CIDR) ersetzt, um die Zuweisung von IP-Adressen effizienter zu gestalten. Klasse Netzwerkadresse Anzahl der Hosts Netzmaske CIDR /4 240,435,456 240.0.0.0.0.0 CIDR /5 134.217.728 248.0.0.0.0.0 CIDR /6 67.108.864 252.0.0.0.0.0 CIDR /7 33.554.432 254.0.0.0.0.0 A /8 (1-126) 16,777,216 255.0.0.0 CIDR /9 8.388.608 255.128.0.0.0 CIDR /10 4.194.304 255.192.0.0.0 CIDR /11 2.097.152 255.224.0.0.0 CIDR /12 1.048.576 255.240.0.0.0 CIDR /13 524.288 255.248.0.0.0 CIDR /14 262,144 255.252.0.0.0 CIDR /15 131.072 255.254.0.0.0 B /16 (128-191) 65,534 255.255.0.0 CIDR /17 32.768 255.255.255.128.128.0 CIDR /18 16.384 255.255.255.192.0 CIDR /19 8.192 255.255.255.224.0 CIDR /20 4.096 255.255.255.240.240.0 CIDR /21 2.048 255.255.255.248.0 CIDR /22 1.024 255.255.255.252.0 CIDR /23 512 255.255.255.254.0 C /24 (192-223) 256 255.255.255.0 CIDR /25 128 255.255.255.255.255.255.128 CIDR /26 64 255.255.255.255.255.192 CIDR /27 32 255.255.255.255.255.224 CIDR /28 16 255.255.255.255.255.240 CIDR /29 8 255.255.255.255.255.248 CIDR /30 4 255.255.255.255.255.252 Hinweis: (1) 127 Netzwerkadresse, die fr den Loopback-Test reserviert ist. (2) Die Klassen D (224-247, Multicast) und E (248-255, Experimental) sind nicht fr den ffentlichen Betrieb bestimmt. ffentliche und private IP-Adressen Um die Eindeutigkeit innerhalb des globalen Namensraums zu gewhrleisten, werden die IP-Adressen ffentlich beim Network Information Center (NIC) registriert, um Adresskonflikte zu vermeiden. dDevices, die ffentlich identifiziert werden mssen, wie z.B. Web- oder Mailserver, mssen eine weltweit eindeutige IP-Adresse haben; ihnen wird eine ffentliche IP-Adresse zugewiesen. Den Gerten, die keinen ffentlichen Zugang bentigen, kann eine private IP-Adresse zugewiesen werden, die sie innerhalb eines Unternehmens eindeutig identifizierbar macht. So kann beispielsweise einem Netzwerkdrucker eine private IP-Adresse zugewiesen werden, um zu verhindern, dass der Rest der Welt von ihm aus druckt. Damit Unternehmen private IP-Adressen frei vergeben knnen, hat das NIC bestimmte Adressblcke fr den privaten Gebrauch reserviert. Ein privates Netzwerk ist ein Netzwerk, das den IP-Adressraum von RFC 1918 verwendet. Die folgenden IP-Blcke sind fr private IP-Adressen reserviert. Klasse Start der IP-Adresse Ende der IP-Adresse Ende der IP-Adresse A 10.0.0.0 10.255.255.255 B 172.16.0.0 172.31.255.255 C 192.168.0.0 192.168.255.255 Zustzlich zu den oben genannten klassifizierten privaten Adressen sind 169.254.0.0.0 bis 169.254.255.255.255 Adressen fr Zeroconf (oder APIPA, Automatic Private IP Addressing) reserviert, um das nutzbare IP-Netzwerk ohne Konfiguration automatisch zu erstellen. Die Loopback-IP-Adresse ist die Adresse, mit der auf sich selbst zugegriffen wird. Die IPv4 bezeichnete 127.0.0.0.1 als Loopback-Adresse mit der 255.0.0.0.0.0 Subnetzmaske. Eine Loopback-Schnittstelle wird auch als virtuelle IP bezeichnet, die nicht mit der Hardware-Schnittstelle verbunden ist. Auf Linux-Systemen wird die Loopback-Schnittstelle allgemein als lo oder lo0 bezeichnet. Der entsprechende Hostname fr diese Schnittstelle heit localhost. Die Loopback-Adresse wird verwendet, um Netzwerksoftware zu testen, ohne eine Netzwerkschnittstellenkarte (NIC) physisch zu installieren und ohne die Maschine physisch mit einem TCP/IP-Netzwerk verbinden zu mssen. Ein gutes Beispiel dafr ist der Zugriff auf den an sich laufenden Webserver ber http://127.0.0.1 oder http://localhost. | http://www.hudsongazette.com/was-ist-eine-ip-adresse/ |
Has Wales got the world's steepest street? | Residents of a Welsh community say they have the world's steepest street - steep enough to beat the current record-holder in New Zealand. Baldwin Street in Dunedin, on New Zealand's south island, has a confirmed gradient of 35% at its steepest but residents of Harlech say their challenger, Ffordd Pen Llech, is steeper at 36%. But it isn't just about the gradient - a street must also have houses, be a public thoroughfare and be paved to be eligible for the title. Having passed those tests, however, Harlech residents have sent measurements to Guinness World Records to see if they can claim the title. Image: The current record-holder is Baldwin Street in the New Zealand city of Dunedin The Kiwis aren't impressed at the idea they could lose their world record. Mayor of Dunedin Dave Cull told Sky News: "If the Welsh street which might have steeper bits and not so steeper bits, if it turns out to be ultimately steeper, then we will call on the gods of earthquake and tilt our street a little more and regain the title." Freya Bentham, councillor and cafe manager in Harlech, said: "The kiwis can say what they want but the measurements will speak the truth. "Whatever happens, this has been brilliant for Harlech and we're proud of our little lane." | https://news.sky.com/story/has-wales-got-the-worlds-steepest-street-11606925 |
What does Mark Lamping's recent comments on Jags' aging stadium mean? | As of today, the Jacksonville Jaguars have the ninth oldest stadium in the NFL and concerns are beginning to grow from within the organization about the aging TIAA Bank Field, per team president Mark Lamping. And while he did admit the stadium has aged well Monday, he also added that a stadium solution needs to be considered for the long-term as the current lease runs through 2030. Theres no question that TIAA Bank Field has aged well, Lamping said recently at a meeting held by The Downtown Dwellers group. But at some point in time, theres going to have to be a stadium solution. [] If we dont start thinking about it, well wake up one day and have a stadium thats not meeting the needs of the fans or the community. Lampings comments arent surprising as stadium discussions are always a big topic of discussion in the NFL. Simply put, with many fans being fine with watching games from the comfort of their own homes, the league has turned into an industry that is all about making the personal fan experience just as attractive. Add in the fact that the Jags have been closely tied to London, and it appears stadium talks wont be going anywhere for a while when it comes to the franchise. TIAA Bank Field first opened 23 years ago in 1995 when the team kicked off its inaugural season, and has gone through several renovations since. The most recent occured in 2016-17, when the Jacksonville City Council approved a plan to finance what were the largest scoreboards in the world for $43 million, with Shad Khan contributing $20 million. Afterward, the city of Jacksonville announced theyd be financing $45 million more (with the Jaguars matching that) for stadium improvements, which included improvements to the teams club seating and the construction of Dailys Place amphitheater and an indoor practice facility. When asked about the options the organization could be weighing, Lamping hinted that a new stadium probably wasnt plausible for the Jacksonville market, and that renovations probably would be easier. He was likely referring to expensive high-end renovations along the price of what the New Orleans Saints ($400 million) are eyeing and the Miami Dolphins ($500 million) currently have. Some of the amenities included in the Dolphins renovations were new suite construction and an open air canopy to shade their fans from the sweltering Florida heat, both of which seemed to be a point of emphasis for Lamping in last Mondays interview. Personally, I think its highly unlikely that the city of Jacksonville would be willing to foot that kind of bill with taxpayer money and rightfully so when looking at how much owners of the league make. However, weve also seen those owners relocate their teams when they dont get what they want, so we could see why a lot of fans would be fine with the bill, too. It seems for some odd reason that renovations lead to owners asking for more improvement years later as weve witnessed with the Jags. All that said, Shad Khan recently tried to buy Wembley Stadium for nearly $800 million, but eventually backed out of the deal. If taxpayers had to get involved with stadium renovations (and again, its fair to say they should or shouldnt) that would cost $400-$500 million, it would be unquestionably fair to ask him to match the same amount, or more. An investment of that price would also give the city an opportunity to test Khans loyalty to the market, which seems to be in question often. For a new stadium, it would certainly take very unique circumstances for Jacksonville to even consider it, but at the same time, it would speak volumes for the city keeping the team for the long-term future. Before we even get to that point, however, some key elements will be needed like the franchise becoming a consistent winner and Khans development downtown. Per Lamping, that may be coming soon as an economic development agreement for their development in Lot J of TIAA Bank Field is expected to be available before the summer. Thats not the only good news for the development of downtown, but it appears the city is also doing their part to make the downtown area a Mecca. The area was recently approved to receive $25 million in federal funding for key downtown improvements that will reinvigorate Bay Street, which ultimately helps Khans shipyard plans. The area is also veering towards a hotel boom which ultimately helps TIAA Bank to host more national events and perhaps acquire the draft. Hopefully, by the time the Jags current lease ends (2030), downtown will be on the rise while the team begins to establish itself as a consistent winner. Both elements could ultimately help the longevity of the Jags and their stadium situation as Khan has said he wants to make them the center of the cities development. | https://jaguarswire.usatoday.com/2019/01/13/what-does-mark-lampings-recent-comments-on-jags-aging-stadium-mean/ |
Who is Miss Tourism World Intercontinental Francesca Taruc? | Here are a few things about the new titleholder from the Philippines Published 9:44 AM, January 14, 2019 MANILA, Philippines Following the win of Catriona Gray in Miss Universe, the Philippines opened the New Year with even more good news last week, with Francesca Taruc winning the Miss Tourism World Intercontinental pageant in Nanjing, China last January 8. Prior to winning the title, Francesca, who is from Pampanga, held the title of Miss Freedom of the World Philippines 2018. Let's get to know more about Francesca with these 5 following facts: 1. She is a descendant of a Hukbalahap leader. According to a report from GMA News, Francesca is the grandfaughter of Luis Taruc, a leader of the Hukbong Bayan Laban sa mga Hapon (Hukbalahap), which fought during World War II. 2. Francesca is into vlogging. Francesca is also a video blogger and has posted some of her videos on YouTube, including a makeup tutorial. 3. She finished her studies even before competing in pageants. In an Instagram post, Francesca shared how she finally finished school and fulfill her dream to be a beauty queen. She also said that when she was made to choose, her late father reminded her to finish her studies. Dahil meron akong international pageant pero kasabay siya ng pagaaral ko. Inadvice sakin ng dad ko, "DIPLOMA MUNA ANAK" Sinundan ko siya, araw ng laban ko Oct 21-28. I had an international pageant and was also studying at the same time, and my dad told me 'get a diploma first.' I followed his advice and my pageant was from October 21 to 28.) "At sumakabilang buhay ang daddy ko ng Oct 23, buti nalang sinundan ko siya na wag muna ako lumaban sa international, kung nasa ibang bansa ako ng araw na yun, hindi ko maabutan ang tatay ko. Daddy, sana proud na proud ka sakin. Alam ko andiyan kalang at gumagabay. Alam ko pinagmamalaki mo ako diyan sa Heaven!" (My dad passed away on October 23. It's a good thing that I followed his advice not to enter an international pageant first because I would be in a different country that day. I would not have been able to say goodbye. Daddy, I hope you're proud of me. I know you're watching over me. I know you're proud of me there from heaven.) 4. She's competed in other pageants. Before doing Miss Tourism World Intercontinental and Miss Freedom of the World Philippines, she already competed in 2017 when she won Mutya ng Angeles Youth Ambassadress. 5. She won a special award during the preliminary competition. Aside from winning the main title, Francesca also took home a special award she was given the Best Body prize. Congratulations Francesca and enjoy your reign! Rappler.com | https://www.rappler.com/life-and-style/specials/220869-things-to-know-about-francesca-taruc?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rappler+%28Rappler%29 |
What are the Implications for Climate of Recent North Magnetic Pole Activity? | Guest Opinion: Dr. Tim Ball The headline says, Scientists warn Earths magnetic North Pole has begun moving erratically at speeds so fast they are having to issue an emergency update to maps used by electronic navigation systems It is another story that implies a normal event is abnormal. The magnetic pole is always moving, and this rapid movement is not new; recent but not new. Look at the diagram (Figure 1) included in the report. Notice that it moved more between 2000 and 2010 than is estimated for 2010 to 2020. (Some joke here about fleeing increasingly socialist Canada for increasingly capitalist Siberia.) Figure 1 I gathered practical knowledge about the North Magnetic Pole and the Earths magnetism when flying Search and Rescue in the Canadian Arctic. There was a line on our maps with a caption that read, Compasses unreliable beyond this line. The reason is that a compass needle, balances on a point, and moves around to align itself with the Earths magnetic lines of force. As you approach the pole the lines dip until they go straight down, known as the dip angle. Accurate readings become increasingly difficult and therefore unreliable. My next involvement came from teaching. The concept of continental drift was new and controversial. People could not imagine continents moving around, and there was no empirical evidence. That changed in 1963 when Vine and Matthews published their work on magnetic stripes on each side of a ridge where the plates were separating (Figure 2). Figure 2 This led to a plethora of papers and research, which tested the hypothesis using the proper scientific method. It is now widely accepted. One piece of research used the alignment of the lines of magnetic force to determine the position of the pole. Some minerals, such as magnetite, are more sensitive to magnetism than others. As the magma reaches the surface along the ridge and becomes lava, it begins to cool. Before cooling the minerals align themselves with the magnetic field. This is locked in at a critical temperature in the cooling process known as the Curie Point. The plots of the direction of changing magnetic lines appeared to show the pole moving. The phenomenon was called polar wandering because people could not imagine that the pole stayed approximately in the same place and the continents moved around it. From the knowledge that the continent moved, these lines allowed reconstruction of plate movement. Do not confuse this with the current magnetic pole movement. People have known for hundreds of years that the Earth has a magnetic field with a north and south pole. The Chinese used the magnetic properties of rocks like Lodestone, which is actually magnetite, to determine the direction and thus become the first compasses. Another phase of my involvement with magnetism came through climate research. I used the Hudsons Bay Company journals to reconstruct an extensive historical climate record. I also worked with Sam Bawlf providing climate reconstructions for his book The Secret Voyage of Sir Francis Drake. All of this involved and extended my Air Force learning and interest in navigation. The Elizabethans knew an amazing amount about magnetism. One of the greatest but least known scientific treatises is William Gilberts 1600 AD masterpiece De Magnete. The ongoing struggle would not exist if the North Magnetic Pole and the True Pole were coincident, but they are not. If you are determining direction using a compass and using maps drawn geometrically to the True Pole, you must constantly correct for the variation between the two. That is difficult enough, but the fact the Magnetic Pole is constantly moving complicates it. This is the challenge of todays reported movement and adjustment of navigation devices. Besides all of this movement of the Poles, there is another change that appears imminent. People are always amazed to learn that periodically the Earths magnetic field reverses. The current situation is called Normal, and opposite polarity is called Reverse. These changes were recorded in the lava as it cooled and identified two situations, a brief reversal called an Event and a prolonged period called an Epoch in which the Normal or Reverse condition dominates (Figure 3). Before the discovery of reversals, people thought the Earth was a giant rotating dynamo. The problem with that is a reversal would require the rotation stop and start up in the opposite direction. There is no evidence for that proposition. The more likely explanation is that each of the Earths inner shells, from the Solid Inner Core to the Liquid Outer Core, through the Mantle, rotate at different speeds and each induces a magnetic field (Figure 4). The net interaction of the fields causes the pattern of reversals. Figure 4 It is not known how long it takes because of crude recording of the reversal, and different measurements give different results. The National Science Foundation says it takes 7000 years. I hope this is true because in an appearance before the Canadian Parliamentary Committee on Ozone I used the threat of a reversal as an example of how science works. Initially, I turned down the invitation because I was not an expert on ozone. Besides from previous experiences I knew they did not want to learn, they only wanted information to confirm their prejudices. They told me it was a legal order, so I went. I broke the rules because it was clear they knew nothing about the scientific method. They didnt even know that a presenter in my group was using computer model generated ozone data for Toronto when there was no real data. I told them that the so-called hole-in-the-ozone was itself an untested hypothesis. I explained that any scientist could take a few facts and generate a hypothesis. The scientific method requires other scientists, acting as skeptics, to challenge the hypothesis, normally by disproving one or more of the basic assumptions. I pointed out that I could generate dozens of life-threatening hypotheses. For example, the Earth is slowing down in its speed of rotation, the Earths magnetic field has weakened for the last 1500 years (Figure 5), and this appears to indicate a magnetic reversal is imminent, and some scientists claim that during previous reversals extensive extinction of species occurs. I wanted to know what my government is planning to do about it. I pointed out that their challenge is an inability to deal with all these threats, complicated by an inability to understand the science and prioritize them appropriately. Exploitation of environmentalism and emotionalism for a political agenda complicates it further. Figure 5 The recent more rapid movement of the Magnetic Pole coupled with the weakening of the Field suggests significant changes that might presage a reversal. Regardless, it also raises the question about the impact of the magnetic field on weather and climate. My prejudice is based on the use of the aurora by indigenous people to predict weather patterns across northern an Arctic Canada. We know that the aurora activity correlates with sunspot numbers. Further evidence of a relationship was the appearance of cracks in the magnetic field with no sunspots, although, again it is only a correlation. Sir Edmund Halley (1656-1742) was sent to Scotland by the Royal Society to investigate reports of the reappearance of the aurora. He knew about these phenomena, but in an interesting twist of history, his life spanned most of the Maunder Minimum and the Little Ice Age. In his report to the Society, he gave thanks for living long enough to witness their return. Of course, correlation is not cause and effect, but we now know the aurora are the result of interaction between the solar wind and gases, especially oxygen and nitrogen in the upper atmosphere. We now know the aurora are a direct result of electrons interacting with the magnetic field. I hope we will see some enterprising open-minded research done on these manifestations of change to determine the mechanisms. I previously hypothesized that changes in upper-level circulation, especially the subtropical easterlies and the mid-latitude westerlies are due to changes in pressure on the magnetic field and all underlying atmospheric layers by the solar wind. We know the solar wind compresses the magnetic field on the up-Sun side (Figure 6), so it is logical that variation in the solar wind causes variation in the amount of compression creating a bellows-like effect. Figure 6 Exploitation of the normal as abnormal by the mainstream media triggered this article. It is speculative and designed to stimulate a wider debate that does not occur because of specialization. The Magnetic Pole event allows me to identify the facts and correlations known to disparate sections of science. Because of the tunnel-vision of the IPCC, it is time to take a large portion of the money the Democrats will direct to proving IPCC claims, and identify other major mechanisms that far exceed any possible influence of human CO2 on climate change. Advertisements Share this: Print Email Twitter Facebook Pinterest LinkedIn Reddit Google | https://wattsupwiththat.com/2019/01/13/what-are-the-implications-for-climate-of-recent-north-magnetic-pole-activity/ |
Will NY Dems deliver on ethics? | Monday will see the Democrats who now completely control New York state government make a huge show of campaign and election reform. After all, the state has seen a lot more corruption scandals than it has electoral injustices including the convictions of Assembly ex-Speaker Sheldon Speaker, former Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos and other legislative leaders, as well as some of Gov. Cuomos closest associates. To be fair, the Dems whove just taken over the state Senate are talking about action on ethics. On the other hand, the only change theyve actually made is to give themselves a majority of the seats on the Senate Ethics Committee, which has traditionally been split evenly between the two parties. Then again, the bipartisan committee did nothing under those rules: It last met in 2017 for the first time in eight years. And this change is supposed to be part of the panel becoming far more active with Sen. Alessandra Biaggi (D-Bronx/Westchester) in the chair. Its supposed to not just meet, but hold hearings, conduct investigations and mark up bills. Biaggi says the more robust ethics panel sends a signal not only to the Legislature but to the public that this is a committee thats taking seriously its responsibilities. Maybe so, though at least one senior Senate Democrat is looking in the other direction: The Albany Times Union reports that Sen. Kevin Parker (D-Brooklyn), the new Energy Committee chairman, recently incorporated a private consulting business, Praxis Paradigms. Of course, new rules are supposed to (eventually) limit lawmakers outside income. But many Democrats in the Legislature want to kill that restriction, as well as the reform restricting the bonuses known as lulus. And leading the charge to roll back those rules is Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie whose opening-of-session remarks didnt list ethics reform as a priority. Recall that back in 2016, Heasties chief ethics officer, Jane Feldman, quit in frustration after 18 months. And Heastie (like Silver before him) has ignored the sweeping ethics reforms offered by Assembly Republicans. Bottom line: For all the talk of change in Albany, business looks primed to continue as corruptly as ever. | https://nypost.com/2019/01/13/will-ny-dems-deliver-on-ethics/ |
Is 90 Day Fiance Star Larissa Facing Deportation? | An immigration lawyer provides clarity on the situation to Us Weekly. After it was confirmed that 90 Day Fiance couple Colt Johnson and Larissa Dos Santos Lima were in the process of getting a divorce, many fans were left wondering whether Lima would be allowed to stay in the United States or be forced to return to her home country of Brazil. In an attempt to gain a bit of clarification on the matter, Us Weekly reached out to an immigration lawyer, Edward Schulman of The Schulman Law Group. Johnson and Limas relationship has been a bit rocky since the beginning. During Season 6 of the show, Lima arrived in the United States and was immediately disappointed by the fact that her beau didnt greet her at the airport with flowers. That disappointment only grew after she realized that Johnsons car did not have a working air conditioner and her relationship with Johnsons mother, Debbie, wasnt progressing in the way everyone hoped. The couple engaged in several public disagreements on social media and Lima has been arrested multiple times on domestic battery charges. Most recently, the couple got into their biggest public dispute and it was later revealed that Johnson had filed for divorce, as previously reported by the Inquisitr. Lima came to the United States on a K-1 visa, which required her to marry Johnson within a 90-day period in order to remain in the country. So, now that the couples relationship has crumbled and Lima has several arrests under her belt, Schulman is explaining whether or not she could be forced to leave the country. It depends on what the persons status is, he said. He went on to say that if Johnson decides to no longer sponsor his estranged wife for a green card, her only option would be to say she was abused during their marriage (she has previously posted photos of herself with a bloodied face after a fight with Johnson) and self-petition herself as an abused spouse. Johnson also sustained injuries after the couples recent brawl. After Lima was released from jail, an offer with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department told Us Weekly that Johnson had a swollen lip, and his gums and teeth were bloodied. The couple was allegedly fighting over emails Lima found on Johnsons phone, which showed that he purchased several pornographic videos. Lima has also accused her estranged husband of cheating on numerous occasions, as previously reported by the Inquisitr. Finally, Schulman explained that if the Brazilian woman does end up facing deportation, the process could take anywhere from six months to several years depending on whether or not she is detained. There are currently no details on Limas status in the United States. The second half of the 90 Day Fiance reunion show will air tonight, Sunday, January 13. | https://www.inquisitr.com/5248498/is-90-day-fiance-star-larissa-facing-deportation/ |
How Are Smartphones Transforming Online Gaming? | India oi-Oneindia Staff By Smriti Pathak Mobile gaming is growing bigger and faster than any other gaming platform. The fact that mobile games had the biggest share in the global gaming revenues in 2018 testifies to the growing supremacy of smartphones as the most popular gaming platform. Also, with smartphone technology witnessing innovation and advancement at an unprecedented pace, the days ahead will undoubtedly witness an even greater dominance of smartphones as a gaming platform over other gaming devices such as PCs and consoles. Smartphones have greatly influenced the growth of the online gaming industry in multiple ways, which include attracting many more gamers and changing gamer demographics, and fuelling game development. Here are some reasons for the fast growth of mobile gaming: Advanced Smartphone Technology Unlike their predecessors, which were limited to phone functionality, new-generation smartphones have been game changers in the true sense. The touchscreen feature of smartphones, coupled with their easy interface, scores a big win for smartphones against other gaming devices. The capability of smartphones to enable gamers to play skill games such as the rummy card game on the go has redefined the way people perceive and play games in modern times. Mobile gaming has an edge over console gaming as the latter restricts people's movement despite having advanced technological features such as gesture detection and motion sensing. Technologies such as virtual reality (VR) and cloud storage have bridged the gap between mobile phones and consoles in terms of the processing power, image resolution and storage capacity. Easy Distribution of Games Earlier the rigmarole of distributing games physically in the form of CDs, etc. cost game publishers much higher than in current times. The advent of smartphones has been a boon to the gaming industry. Today games can be easily downloaded onto smartphones using a mobile internet connection. The ease of distribution of games has contributed to the reduction in their production costs, which encourages game developers and allows them to spend more on developing more games and innovation in gaming technology. In fact, it is one of the main reasons that have spurred the growth of the mobile game industry and encouraged funding initiatives for innovation in gaming. From simple 2D games to augmented reality (AR) games, smartphones today are capable of supporting all feature-rich games and enable you to play games such as rummy online enjoying an enhanced gaming environment. Immersive Multiplayer Gaming The concept of playing rummy with only your family, neighbours or friends is pass. Smartphone technology has made it possible to play the rummy game using the Rummy app and with any players from across the world. You can enjoy playing the rummy card game with any seasoned or new players online. And, it is also possible to share, invite and enjoy rummy games with friends and family across geographical boundaries. The immersive design of mobile games has the capability to virtually transform any place into a casino or gaming arena and take the gaming experience to an altogether new level. Technology has made very fast progress in the recent past creating huge waves of changes across industries, and gaming, which was considered a personal pastime until a decade ago, has become one of the fastest-growing industries with the advancement of smartphone technology and an incredibly quick adoption of smartphones. The future of the mobile gaming industry is definitely bright. | https://www.oneindia.com/india/how-are-smartphones-transforming-online-gaming-2836165.html |
Is our solar train the solution to climate change? | A Climate Council report says solar-powered transport, such as Byron Bay's solar train, could drastically slash emissions if more widely adopted. A Climate Council report says solar-powered transport, such as Byron Bay's solar train, could drastically slash emissions if more widely adopted. A CLIMATE control analyst said Byron Bay's solar train could be the answer to slashing transport emissions in Australia. According to the latest report from the Climate Council's Cities Power Partnership, Byron Bay's world-leading solar train is spearheading a new wave of renewable-powered public transport that can help to slam the brakes on climate change. The report, Waiting for the Green Light: Sustainable Transport Solutions for Local Government, shows that renewable-powered transport can help to reduce Australia's worsening transport pollution problem, which saw vehicle greenhouse gas emissions rise by 3.4 per cent during 2017. Climate Council energy analyst Petra Stock said the Byron Bay solar train, an iconic "red rattler" train refurbished to have 6kW rooftop solar panels and 77kWh of battery storage units, is an Australian-first, that if adopted wider could slash transport emissions in Australian cities and towns. "Australia needs to act quickly to reduce transport pollution, and Byron Bay is leading the way with the first fully-solar powered train," she said. "Renewable-powered public transport is the future of travel, and it's no surprise that Byron Shire, one of Australia's most sustainable communities, is steaming ahead." The solar train, which made its first emissions free 6km round trip journey between Byron Bay station and North Beach in December 2017, is able to make between 12 and 15 trips on one full charge. Byron Shire Mayor Simon Richardson said that the solar train, which runs along a popular tourist route, is part of the area's low-carbon transport network, which includes plans for an electric vehicle fast-charging network as well as an extensive array of cycling and walking tracks. "Byron Shire is well on its way to becoming a zero-emissions community, and we're committed to driving down local transport pollution and ensuring that our town centre and beaches remain clean, quiet and accessible by supporting sustainable transport options," he said. Petra Stock also highlights the council's investment in walking and cycling infrastructure, and calls for more councils to prioritise slamming the brakes on Australia's worsening transport pollution problem. "Australia has a heavy dependence on cars, with almost 9 out of 10 people commuting to work, school or university by car. That's causing daily, polluting congestion on the roads, costing the economy more than $16 billion nationwide in lost productivity - and it's set to get worse as our cities grow," she said. "Council's can steer their towns and cities away from fossil-fuel driven car culture, and help to make Australia's urban areas cleaner, more productive places to live and work." | https://www.northernstar.com.au/news/our-solar-train-the-answer-to-climate-change/3621868/ |
What Is Ivanka Trumps Role in the White House? | We were originally led to believe that this heightened, unbreakable bond would pay dividends, that her White House office stood as a flag planted in the ground of reason and sanity. If he proposed something loathsome, she would steal down the plushly carpeted hallway on little cat feet and steer him around to something more reasonable. But this seems not to be the case. More often, apparently, she ends up back in her office, patting her tears dry and accepting thatas everher dad will go his own way. There was also the notion that Ivanka would be able to conduct back-channel meetings with problematic peoplefor example, Cecile Richards, the former head of Planned Parenthoodwhom she would charm with B-school solutions to common problems. But when Richards later said that the Trump White House was the worst for women that Ive seen in my lifetime, that hope also died. In July 2017, in Hamburg, Trump stepped away from a meeting of the Group of 20. Ivanka. But she did not serve a grateful nation. There was a buzz of distaste, even of anger, in the media ether, and the family had to go down the ladder from Ivanka to Don Jr. to stop it. Oddly, given her insistence on being a thoroughly modern woman, she wants greater power for her husband, who is Trumps very opposite: personally disciplined, loath to speak in public, willowy, deeply committed to making his one marriage last. In the end, Ivanka stands alone among the daughters of the modern presidency. She is not Margaret Truman, forever remembered for her earnest piano playing; shes not Tricia Nixon, stunned and silent when her dad got in trouble, or Julie Nixon, roaring out of her corner, gloves up, when it happened; nor is she Chelsea Clinton, holding on to her parents hands in an attempt to hold their marriage together on that long walk across the White House lawn. She is not, in other words, a supporting player; shes some kind of principal, but beyond that, we dont know much. Ivanka is a mystery, less powerful than she seemed at first, but still firmly wedged in there at the very center of whatever is going on in our strange, unpredictable, and increasingly dangerous White House. | https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2019/01/what-is-ivanka-trumps-role-in-the-white-house/580045/?utm_source=feed |
Is there any future for the desktop PC? | A 19-inch flat CRT. DVD decoding. And hardware-accelerated 3D graphics. That was my brand new PC circa 2000 and to this day it remains the single most exciting computer I ever owned. It was a revelation. Somehow I knew in bones this is what desktop computing was suppsed to be like. Since then, not that much has changed. Yes, really. That old Pentium III-powered MESH PC introduced me to large, high resolution displays, quality video playback and happened to coincide with the web transitioning from niche curiosity to a basic human right. OK, one or two other important waypoints have punctuated my computing journey. I can remember very clearly the first time I saw 3D graphics rendered with blended textures (Tomb Raider on a TNT 2, if you're asking). The transition to LCD and from hard drives to SSDs were major epiphanies, too. Likewise, my first vaguely thin and light laptop (Dell Inspiron 4000, what a peach that was!) holds fond memories, as does my first smartphone with a capacitive screen. An iPhone 3G may seem predictable. But after the humanitarian disaster that was the resistive (quite literally) LG Viewty, you can hardly blame me for playing it safe. Generation game Somehow, though, none of those can compete in my consciousness with that old MESH desktop and its Diamondtron CRT tube. Part of that, I'm happy to admit is generational. Had I been born earlier or later, I'd no doubt have a different view. But there's more to it than that. Little of true gravity has changed in my day-to-day computing experience, at least if we're talking tethered PCs. Among office-bound Brits, which is an awful lot of us, things have been pretty incremental over the past decade. All of which has me pondering two things. Firstly, it would be great to hear what were your most memorable computing epiphanies. Obvious candidates are ultra mobile computing, touch and cloud computing, the latter including social networking. They're all biggies. But the first two have yet to usurp my MESH PC for serious content creation. And the last, you could argue, is just a subset of what was already happening in 2000, ie the rapid rise of the internet. As I sit here with my traditional keyboard and mouse, I can't quite grasp what will replace ye olde rodent and pecking stick. They remain by far the most efficient tools for mainstream content creation. Out of touch I don't buy into touch for desktop computing, so maybe some kind of context-aware interface augmentation is the next step. The result might be a machine that works with you much more symbiotically and makes a mouse feel clunky. Sheesh. Then there's the internet and social networking. That it's having a dramatic effect on the way people live already is beyond obvious. But for early adopters who used apps like instant message clients back in the late 90s, even Facebook with bells and whistles might be seen as a question of scale rather than a new paradigm. After all, IM clients were effectively broadcasting status updates to a social network before the term even gained traction in venture capital prospectuses. Then again, maybe scale or quality is what actually matters. In which case, the tipping point for a slightly younger generation might be the transition of Facebook from a closed shop for students to a truly global organism and the realisation that social networking isn't just for fun, it's for life. The bigger picture Let's be honest, this is a huge and diffuse subject I'm grappling with here. But if the context is the PC, my central point is how remarkably resilient the conventional PC is proving, especially if you allow traditional laptops as part of the mix. I'm happy to do that since many people use laptops much as they did desktops of old. They're often just smaller, more discrete desktops that rarely if ever leave the home. Sure, the PC is essentially flatlining as an industry. In the western world, refreshing the installed base rather than actual sales growth is where we're at. But that's very different from saying PCs are about to disappear. So, here's my plan. If I'm still ticking in this business when another decade has passed, I'm going to dredge up this time capsule. When that happens, I think there will still be something recognisable as the PC on sale and in broad use. And there's a good chance I'll pen that piece on it. | https://www.techradar.com/uk/news/computing/pc/is-there-any-future-for-the-desktop-pc-1091087 |
Are forced bank mergers an emerging risk for investors? | The bigger worry is that RBIs policies on shareholding have caused such damage, who knows what lies in store in the future. Photo: Bloomberg Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. Three times is enemy action. The anti-hero Goldfingers retort in Ian Flemings popular series on a British spy is a fitting description of the recent spate of mergers and acquisitions in Indias banking industry. What is arguably a route to build a stronger enterprise and reward shareholders is emerging as a tool of desperation and even force. It is no longer restricted to public sector banks. Even as the government is forcing able banks like Bank of Baroda to rescue weaklings like Dena Bank through mergers, private sector lenders are looking for marriages that would help them meet regulatory norms. Since 2015, marriages in the financial sector have the look of being forced either by the government in the case of PSU banks or by regulatory circumstances as is the case in private sector, says Ashwin Parekh, an independent banking expert. In the past, such deals were motivated by commercial considerations. Parekh was involved as an adviser in many mergers during his stint at EY. In all this, shareholders interests are being overlooked. Exhibit A is microlender-turned-universal bank Bandhan Bank Ltd. The match between the lender and affordable housing financier Gruh Finance Ltd was made out of desperation. The bank paid a stiff price for it and also got punished by shareholders for choosing the arduous route of merger to fulfil a regulatory rule which it didnt even end up being successful in meeting. Bandhan Banks promoters still have to bring down their stake from 61% to 40% before the regulator lets go of the leash it put on branch expansion. The third recent bank merger involving IDFC Bank Ltd and Capital First Ltd, however, was driven by commercial consideration. Shares of the two firms have rallied as a result. Another promoter, Uday Kotak, is still struggling with his stake dilution. Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd has missed the deadline to meet the shareholding norm after a decade-long rope from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) reached its end in December. Kotak took to suing the regulator after the banks issue of perpetual non-cumulative preference shares was shot down as a valid method of stake dilution. Perhaps the merger route proved too onerous for Kotak, having gone through that experience already just five years ago with ING Vysya Bank. It took more than eight quarters for Kotak Mahindra Bank to align ING Vysyas balance sheet, processes and people to that of itself. The struggle was sweet because the merger was willingly entered into. Nevertheless, the initial quarters were marked by a slowdown in lending and an increase in bad loan ratios. But unlike that deal, the next one would be driven by the compulsion to meet the promoter stake threshold. That is if the court throws out the banks petition against RBI on 17 January when it hears the case. There arent many easy pickings for Kotak in the market for a merger without pain. Hence, a question begs to be asked. Beyond the Kotak and Bandhan cases, there doesnt seem to be any immediate such risk for other private sector banks, although government banks will almost always face this risk. Small finance banks could also face this risk, although the deadline for meeting shareholding norms in their case is quite some time away. The bigger worry is that the central banks policies on shareholding have caused such damage, who knows what lies in store in the future. To be sure, what started out of despair can be rewarding in the long run. Analysts believe the Bandhan Bank-Gruh Finance merger has long-term benefits. Of course it does not negate the fact that they paid a high price for it, said Gautam Chhugani, director of India financials at Bernstein. In Chhuganis view, Indian banks need scale and a merger is the best way to get it. Its difficult to argue with that, except when a deal is forced. | https://www.livemint.com/Money/2DqLRdvc9BWkXtllodnnaL/Are-forced-bank-mergers-an-emerging-risk-for-investors.html |
Could we have record low for snow this winter? | Richard P., Valparaiso Dear Richard, Absolutely not. If the city did not receive another flake of snow for the rest of the winter, this seasons nearly 17-inch total to date would far exceed the citys least snowy winter of 1920-21, with 9.8 inches. Buoyed by our very snowy November, with 12.7 inches, and the recent January storm, the current 16.8-inch seasonal snowfall would rank as only the citys fifth least snowy season. Dating to the winter of 1884-85, Chicago has logged just 10 cold seasons with fewer than 20 inches of snow, most recently the 2011-12 winter, with 19.8 inches. Despite our December and early January snow drought, Chicagos 2018-19 snow season is actually running nearly 3 inches above the season-to-date normal of 13.9 inches. | https://wgntv.com/2019/01/13/could-we-have-record-low-for-snow-this-winter/ |
What Should Eagles Do with Nick Foles? | Butch Dill/Associated Press There are just four teams still alive in the quest for the Lombardi Trophy. And after squandering a 14-0 lead in New Orleans, the defending Super Bowl champions aren't one of them. Life comes at you fast in the NFL, though. There's no time to cry over spilt milk or to lick wounds. From the moment the final gun sounds on a season, teams have to switch gears. What was no longer matters. What will be becomes the focus. And as the Philadelphia Eagles prepare to turn the page from 2018 to 2019, one question is going to loom above all others. One query is going to dominate the discussion online and on sports talk radio. For the second straight season, Foles wound up taking over for an injured Carson Wentz at quarterback. Last year, after Wentz tore his ACL, Foles had a magical run that resulted in a world title and Super Bowl MVP award. In 2018, after Wentz suffered a stress fracture in his back, Foles led a late surge that got the Eagles into the postseason and past the third-seeded Bears in Chicago. Butch Dill/Associated Press For a moment, it looked like this year's run was going to be every bit as improbable as the one in 2017. The Eagles raced out to a 14-0 lead in New Orleans, and had Foles engineered an upset of the NFC's top seed and gotten the team to a second straight NFC title game, the Foles conundrum would have become all the more compelling and confusing. But the Eagles couldn't hold the lead, in part because Foles went cold after the first quarter, However, despite just 201 passing yards, two costly interceptions and a 61.4 passer rating, head coach Doug Pederson insisted after the game that he thought Foles played pretty well. "There's always throws you'd like to have back in every game," Pederson told reporters in the postgame presser televised on the NFL Network. "But I thought the way he hung in there and battled and gave our offense a chance to go down and possibly win this football game. I thought overall he played pretty well." That's being rather...diplomatic. After completing eight of his first nine passes for 113 yards and a score, Foles didn't play a good game against the Saintsthere were far too many off-target throws or passes chucked up for grabs. To be honest, Foles didn't play a great game the week before in Chicago either. Yes, the 29-year-old led the late drive that helped the Eagles stun the Bears at Soldier Field. But Foles also threw two bad interceptions and finished the game with a pedestrian 77.7 passer rating. If there's a silver lining to those performances, it's that they all but certainly put the rest the notion that the Eagles might consider keeping Foles over Wentza notion that had picked up steam over this year's run to the playoffs. Stop it. There isn't a single statistical category in which Foles is markedly better than Wentz, either this year or last. In more categories than not it's the other way aroundnever mind that Wentz was the front-runner to be named the NFL's MVP in 2017 before he blew out his knee. Or that Wentz is three years younger and cheaperat least in the short term. Foles had a great run last year. And a good one in 2018. But he's not as good as Carson Wentz. There is all of one potential scenario in which dealing Wentz and keeping Foles makes senseif you are absolutely certain that Wentz is damaged goods. That these injuries are a pattern that's going to keep repeating in the future. Otherwise, Wentz is the guyand the Eagles face a very expensive potential fork in the road. Foles has a $20.6 million mutual option with the Eagles for 2019. In other words, both the player and team have to agree for the option to kick in. If Foles wants to test the open market, all he has to do is return a $2 million signing bonus (per Zach Rosenblatt of NJ.com) and he's a free man. If the Eagles don't want to sink $20 million into a backup quarterback (a huge sum for a team with the least cap space in the NFL, according to Over The Cap), then Foles gets a handshake and maybe a gold watch and then he'll hit the open market. In news that should surprise no one, the most likely scenario (by a country mile) is that one or both parties will decline the option. Keeping Foles would put a substantial strain on an already tenuous cap situation in Philadelphia, and there are any number of teams who will be willing to give Foles a chance to startand pay him accordingly. Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images The Jacksonville Jaguars have cap issues of their own, but quarterback is easily the team's most pressing need in 2019. The Miami Dolphins, Oakland Raiders and Denver Broncos could be looking to move on from their present signal-callers. And two teams in the NFC East, New York and Washington, could have openings under center this year. If Blake Bortles and Case Keenum can land multiyear deals that average $18 million a season, it's not hard to imagine a quarterback in his prime with a Super Bowl MVP award to his credit doing the same. And while Foles likes playing in Philly, it's unlikely he likes it so much that he's willing to pass on both a chance to start and tens of millions of smackeroos. Given this reality, it's no surprise that the "Thank You Nick" tweets started coming in as soon as Sunday's game ended. It's possible that the Eagles could attempt to engineer a sign-and-trade that would net the team some compensation for Foles. Or that the Eagles could attempt to convince Foles to return for one more year if the team's worries about Wentz's back are substantial. But it's hard to see where the upside lies in either for the player. Letting the Eagles control where Foles lands will affect his chances to win on his next contract. With Wentz heading into the fourth year of his rookie deal, the Eagles have a decision to make that's no decision at all regarding his fifth-year option. It's going to be picked up. It would also be guaranteed for injury. Wentzisn'tgoinganywhere. And so we're back to goodbye. After the game, Foles said he was focused more on the flight back to Philly with his teammates than he was on his uncertain future. "I'm not really going to worry about it now," Foles told reporters, via NFL Primetime on ESPN. "I'm just going to do what I can to enjoy this flight back with my teammates and we'll see what happens." Foles may not be worried about it, but he's thinking about it. He's human. Pederson and Eagles vice president Howie Roseman are thinking about it too. So are fans of the team who will always hold a special place in their hearts for the quarterback that won the franchise's first Super Bowl. Frank Franklin II/Associated Press But after the sting of Sunday's loss subsides and emotions cool, all those folks, from player to coach to GM to fans, are going to come to an unfortunate realization. The best course of action for both Foles and the Eaglesrealistically the only course of actionis to decline the option. The Eagles will move on with Wentz under center. Foles will move on to another team and the next chapter in his career. Fans will tell the story of that magical day in Minneapolis to anyone who will listen. It's time for the Eagles and Nick Foles to hug it out and part ways. Because like I saidin the NFL, life comes at you fast. | https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2815545-what-should-eagles-do-with-nick-foles |
When is Roger Federer's next Australian Open match? | Roger Federer is back in Melbourne defending for the Australian Open and is playing Denis Istomin in the first round. Federer had another good season in 2018, winning a second consecutive Australian Open, and he's going into the 2019 tournament as the third seed. He sits behind only Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal, with the three players sharing the four grand slams last year. Here's everything you need to know about Roger Federer's Australian Open campaign. Roger Federer will kick off his Australian Open campaign against Uzbek Denis Istomin on Rod Laver Arena. Their round one match will be the second match in the night session on Monday, 14 January on the biggest stadium at Melbourne Park. Roger Federer vs Denis Istomin Istomin is the 101st ranked player in the world. The 32-year-old turned pro in 2004 and reached a career-high ranking of 33 in the world. Istomin has won two singles titles, at Chengdu in 2017 and Nottingham in 2015. Federer has won all six of the matches he's played against Istomin, but the most recent was back in 2014 in Basel. Federer earned a 6-2 6-3 6-2 win over Istomin in the first round of the 2006 Australian Open. If he beats Istomin, Federer will play either Tatsuma Ito or Dan Evans in the second round. A third round match-up against either Gael Monfils, Damir Dzumhur, Cam Norrie or Taylor Fritz will follow. Looking ahead to the second week of the tournament, Federer faces potential showdowns with Marin Cilic, Fernando Verdasco, Roberto Bautista Agut or even Aussie John Millman. Millman caused a huge boilover at last year's US Open, with the four-set fourth round win at Flushing Meadows. Novak Djokovic completed one the great comebacks to again rise to the top rankings in 2018. The Serbian won Wimbledon and the US Open after two years of being plagued by injury. Check out how Djokovic returned to top spot. Roger Federers career results With 99 singles titles to his name, Federer is within touching distance of the ton. Only Connors (109) has more singles titles. | https://www.sportingnews.com/au/tennis/news/when-is-roger-federer-playing-australian-open-draw-results/uso8z2jw1llz1mkgbjyihmsoq |
Why does Dave Grohl always chew gum when he sings? | Dave Grohl of Foo Fighters. Picture: Robert Knight Archive/Redferns/Getty Images Heres the real reason why the Foo Fighters frontman is a big fan of chewing throughout his epic live shows. If you've ever been to a Foo Fighters gig or watched footage of the band playing live, you'll know Dave Grohl constantly has gum in his mouth. Come rain or shine, whether he's belting out a banger like The Pretender, serenading the crowd with the likes of Walk, nine times out of ten the Foos frontman can be caught masticating in-between. While fan forums have credited everything from keeping the cigarettes at bay to a straight up addiction to the sticky white stuff, the answer is actually a lot simpler. : Musics Most Enduring Mysteries, Myths, and Rumors Revealed, Grohl is quoted as saying: "Its just to keep my throat and mouth lubricated." Plus, apparently it ensures he doesn't "choke and vomit" when he screams. Apparently he's fond of Dentyne Ice. Chew on Dave. Chew on! via GIPHY Not content to keep his wise habit to himself, Grohl even taught Bille Joe Armstrong how to sing and chew gum. It was Dave Grohl. Green Day bassist Mike Dirnt added, It gets stuck in his moustache. Watch Dave Grohl's best bits here: | https://www.radiox.co.uk/artists/foo-fighters/why-does-dave-grohl-always-chew-gum-when-he-sings/ |
Can Japan do better than muddle through? | Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (C) reacts as he studies documents with officials ahead of a Asia Europe Meeting (ASEM) at the European Council in Brussels on October 19, 2018. Source: John Thys/AFP SHINZO ABE is into his sixth year as Japans prime minister and is poised to become the longest serving in Japans history if he serves out his term to 2021. His leadership has brought a stability to Japanese politics that was absent prior to 2012 with a revolving door of political leaders, including a disastrous one-year term for Abe from 2006. His economic leadership, at least in rhetoric, has been the difference this time around. The Abenomics reform package on which Prime Minister Abe campaigned was the right one to lift Japan out of two decades of anemic growth. But he hasnt really committed the political capital needed to take on the vested interests for the reforms that matter most. He continues to do just enough on the economic front to keep the Japanese economy on a stable course but his main political aim is the normalisation of Japans military. SEE ALSO: How Japan plans to make life easier for foreign workers The mandate that Abe gave Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda checked Japans deflation but it hasnt lifted prices to the target 2 percent a year. Much of recorded economic growth has come from crude Keynesianism fiscal and monetary expansion instead of structural reforms to lift Japans growth potential. Two big structural challenges still loom over the Japanese economy. The first is the ageing and shrinking population and the other is the unprecedented gross government debt that is running at 240 percent of GDP. As Masahiko Takeda explains in an essay for East Asia Forum, Japans economic conditions continue to be neither too hot nor too cold. But nor are they in Goldilocks territory quite just right. The consumption tax will be raised in September, from 8 to 10 percent, and the Abe government has formally opened up Japan to immigration for the first time. Both measures involve significant compromise. The consumption tax rate will remain at 8 percent for some food products, introducing a serious distortion in consumption, and distorting subsidies will also be introduced. The same food will be taxed differently depending on where it is eaten. Its administratively messy and poor policy. The more serious risk is the rushing through of the changes to the immigration law. The opening up of Japan to foreign labour that de facto can stay indefinitely has rightly been hailed as a watershed for Japan a Japan whose total refugee intake in 2017 amounted to only 20 people but there will need to be much more change if Japanese social cohesion is to withstand the shock. SEE ALSO: Only 28 refugees got into Japan last year, out of nearly 11,000 applicants Foreign labour will be able to enter Japan on a five-year guest worker visa with family, and extend that visa indefinitely. But, as with any successful immigration programme, its whats done behind the border that matters most. For foreign-born workers to succeed in Japan, and for Japan to be able to attract the best talent from abroad, immigrants must be accorded equal rights, equal access to services and the chance to succeed in society. The risk is that a new foreign-born population in Japan, eventually with Japanese born children, will be marginalised and discriminated against in society. It is widely recognised that third generation Koreans, or Zainichi, do not get equal treatment in Japan today. Immigration reform done right would require more preparation for Japanese businesses and the community to accept an influx of foreign talent. Japan is prosperous, safe and an attractive destination for migrants but cant expect to attract the best automatically without providing language and other support for assimilation and the chance of success in Japanese society. The change in Japanese migration policy is most welcome but its opportunistic and slapdash implementation could cruel otherwise good reform. Externally, Takeda reminds us that the US-China trade tensions could also cause strong headwinds for the Japanese economy. The US approach to dealing with trade problems with China is holding the WTO trade regime hostage to having its way with China and threatens Japanese prosperity and global trade. SEE ALSO: World economy braces for global trade slowdown in 2019 It may appear that Japan is helpless in the external challenge of a US-China trade war but Japan is president of the G20 at this key moment. The G20 communique in Argentina late last year opened up the opportunity of reforming the WTO. Japan has assets to deploy in finding ways to resolve the China-US tensions in a multilateral setting. In a region where leaders are coming and going or challenging the global status quo, Abe and Japan have provided stable leadership that led to the conclusion of the TPP without the United States, and has seen a breakthrough in improving the difficult China-Japan relationship. Abes never been shy about his long-cherished aim of revising the Article 9 peace clause of the Japanese Constitution to allow for a more normal military. But his legacy will be more likely determined by how Japan manages its new immigration programme and its G20 presidency. Muddling through on immigration reform and the G20 presidency in full view of the world will hardly be enough. This article is republished from East Asia Forum under a Creative Commons license. | https://asiancorrespondent.com/2019/01/can-japan-do-better-than-muddle-through/ |
Can Macy's Survive The Muddle In The Middle? | The results of the holiday 2018 retail sales are in, and its a mixed bag for sure. In a nutshell discount retailers Target and Costco reported strong sales while Macys and other mall-based retailers continue to lose share. None of this should be surprising to retail watchers. Both Target and Costco have winning formulas which they continue to adjust and improve. Meanwhile, for all the noise around Macys tactical adjustments, they remain stuck in a format that is radically out of phase with current trending. I applaud Macys for some of their highly publicized initiatives such as The Market @ Macys displaying both up-and-coming as well as established brands. But I believe they are only nibbling around the edges, when a complete reimagining is necessary. Having visited both Target and Macys over the holidays, there was a stark contrast in the two experiences. In fact, they were the opposite of what one might expect, when comparing a discounter with a department store. Shoppers used to expect a certain level of product presentation, visual merchandising and customer service at the department store. When in fact the Macys store was overstocked, cluttered, difficult to maneuver, and generally unpleasant. While Target on the other hand was accessible, nicely merchandised, and a pleasure to shop. This is the unfortunate result of Macys and Federated Department Stores race to buy nearly every regional department store in sight, at the turn of the millennium. This led to a systematic spreadsheet buying approach and a homogenized look and feel. The initiative negated each individual stores unique DNA, resulting in a soulless retail soup. They not only lost the once great regional private labels, and the value-added services, but the loyalty that many of regional department stores founders worked a lifetime to build. Cost-cutting and perpetual discounting followed, which forced many of their prized upscale brands to flee the scene. I would argue, however that the historic department store formula is not a thing of the past. But whether the Macys can both embrace what used to be and maneuver their way back, remains a major question. One of the few remaining independents left, Von Maur Department Store, is a case study in what still works in the category. The 145-year-old group, based in Davenport, Iowa, has maintained a very consistent and customer-centric formula throughout its history. Von Maur, with its 33 stores in fifteen states, is considered to be the Nordstrom of the Midwest. It combines a highly curated collection of popular brands, with great visual merchandising, and superior customer service. They offer free shipping and gift-wrapping, pay above market wages and offer their associates great benefits and a path to advancement. That creates the kinds of incentives that builds real customer loyalty. Ironically, what Von Maur offers today, was not uncommon in many of the regional department stores, that Federated/Macys Hoovered-up. In my home of Minneapolis/St. Paul, Daytons (initially the parent company of Target, Inc) was a just such a regional institution, and was talked about like a beloved family member. Targets meteoric growth forced the company to divest itself of the department store business and sold to May Company in 2004. The stores were rebranded as Marshall Fields, only to be taken over by Federated Department Stores shortly thereafter, and rebranded as Macys. Twin Citians have yet to get over the shock of the ordeal. I personally believe there is, but it will be painful and expensive. It starts with the understanding that the great middle-market is no longer viable turf. Its been overtaken by the internet, Amazon, Target, Walmart, JCPenney and Kohls. So, whats logical for a Macys it to go up-market and position themselves closer to the Nordstrom/Von Maur market segment. It also means trading scale for ultimate profitability. This will be challenging, because it requires a strategic and tactical reboot. They will have to create a unique, omnichannel shopping experience, offering a carefully curated selection of brands, both national and private label. It also means offering an extensive mix of events, services, and unexpected surprises, worthy getting off the couch to experience. Further, it means committing to a completely different personnel training and compensation model. Many store closures will need to take place, as will the liquidation of assets; it maybe even require 'going private'. Ultimately, this could give Macy's the the time and space necessary to reposition the brand into a sustainable model of the New Retail. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/sanfordstein/2019/01/13/can-macys-survive-the-muddle-in-the-middle/ |
Will A Policy Rollback Swell The School To Prison Pipeline? | By RJ Vogt | Late last month, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos rolled back a federal policy guidance on school discipline policies, citing school safety concerns. The move has advocates concerned about efforts to fight the school to prison pipeline. Photo: AP Paved with suspensions and expulsions, theres a route from education to incarceration known as the school to prison pipeline that disproportionately affects students of color, those with disabilities and other minority groups across the country.A 2014 policy guidance issued by civil rights divisions in the U.S. Department of Justice and Department of Education cited data that found African-American students are more than three times as likely as their white peers to be expelled or suspended, and more than half of those involved in school-related arrests are Hispanic or African-American.Advising schools to use expulsions and suspensions as a last resort, the letter reminded them that the federal government may hold schools accountable for discriminatory actions if their discipline policies had a statistically disproportionate effect on students of a particular race.Last month, Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos rescinded the document. In a statement, she said shed heard from numerous teachers and advocates that the previous administrations discipline guidance often led to school environments where discipline decisions were based on a students race and where statistics became more important than the safety of students and teachers.But the rollback has concerned advocates such as Joel Ferber from Legal Services of Eastern Missouri. The legal aid groups Education Justice Program works to disrupt the path from classrooms to jail cells by helping keep kids in school; Ferber said his organization fears Devos change will have an adverse impact on efforts to combat the school-to-prison pipeline.Our experience and the data show that school discipline policies and practices are applied in a discriminatory manner, disproportionately affecting children of color negatively, he added.DeVos Dec. 21 decision came on the heels of recommendations by the Federal Commission on School Safety, which President Donald Trump established a month after a school shooting in Parkland, Florida, left 17 people dead.The Commission, chaired by DeVos, found that the Obama-era guidelines had a chilling effect on the use of exclusionary discipline by school leaders who feared retaliatory civil rights investigations leading to dangerous situations in class. The report quoted comments from a survey by the School Superintendents Association that said there is a feeling that by keeping some students in school, we are risking the safety of students.Jonathan Butcher, a Heritage Foundation education policy analyst who was quoted in the report, told Law360 that the Parkland shooting was an example of how efforts to increase tolerance allowed a mass murderer to rampage.This student was referred to Broward Countys version of this whole reduction in exclusionary discipline, he said, noting that the suspected shooter, Nikolas Cruz, had been written up for nearly 70 different infractions between middle and high school but never developed a juvenile criminal record.Cruzs lack of a record was partly due to a 2013 agreement between the local school district and law enforcement that aimed to reduce school-based arrests over nonviolent offenses like profanity or minor vandalism.In a 2014 interview, the districts superintendent Robert Runcie said his staff had joked that the Obama administration might have taken our policies and framework and developed them into national guidelines.According to Butcher, the district and the Obama DOEs focus on stemming the school to prison pipeline jeopardized school safety.There was this mindset in the school district of law enforcement not creating juvenile records, he said. [Cruz] didnt have one, and that was partly why he was not stopped from getting a firearm.But while groups like the Heritage Foundation encouraged DeVos decision to rescind the Obama-era guidance, juvenile justice advocates across the country advised against it.The advocacy group Americas Promise Alliance, which published a report in June 2018 citing research that found more than 75 percent of black boys suspended for 10 days or more will be arrested by their late 20s, urged DeVos not to roll back the document.The National Association of State Boards of Education also opposed the change because the guidelines were important guardrails ... for helping school districts identify, avoid and remedy discriminatory discipline. "The Virginia-based Legal Aid Justice Center went so far as to argue the rollback will make schools less safe.LAJCs JustChildren Program legal director Rachael Deane told Law360 that although civil rights laws protecting against discrimination remain on the books, the guidance was in place to try to stop many of the practices that cause the school to prison pipeline to happen.As an example, she pointed to a complaint her organization and the American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia filed at the DOE over Richmond City Public Schools discipline policies. They found the district authorizes out-of-school suspension for all grade levels, including pre-kindergarten, for minor offenses such as cutting class, tardiness and cell phone possession.Exclusionary discipline over such conduct is applied unevenly; Virginia DOE data shows that African-American students who make up less than 75 percent of the student population represent nearly 95 percent of students who were long-term suspended. Students with disabilities, a 17.7 percent slice of the population, account for more than 37 percent of long-term suspensions.As a result, both groups end up disproportionately referred to law enforcement black students at a rate 4.69 times higher than white peers and students with disabilities at a rate 1.54 times higher than those without disabilities.The LAJC and ACLUs complaint cited the now-rescinded 2014 federal guidance, which stated that suspended students are more likely to be suspended again, repeat a grade, drop out of school, and become involved in the juvenile justice system.Deane said eliminating that official position is an attempt to stop some of the progress thats been made at the federal and state level on common sense school discipline reform.But according to DeVos supporters, existing civil rights laws will help protect against discrimination. Butcher said rolling back a guidance that had caused schools to prioritize avoiding legal jeopardy over school safety is a way for government to encourage school-specific, targeted responses.If Washington sets up a blanket policy about how a school is supposed to handle the issues of suspension and expulsion, its just not possible for those policies to be able to fit, you know, 50 million public school kids across the country, Butcher said. Reach us at [email protected]. | https://www.law360.com/articles/1118007/will-a-policy-rollback-swell-the-school-to-prison-pipeline- |
Are we now a sanctuary county? | The Review-Journals Tuesday article regarding how Clark County commissioners plan on spending our tax money should send off the alarm bell (Kirkpatrick to chair county board). Newly elected Tick Segerblom and other commissioners want to spend $500,000, along with $100,000 in grant money over the next two years, on UNLVs Immigration Clinic. This will allow the clinic to provide legal aid to people who have entered this country illegally and to help them fight deportation. This is absurd and possibly illegal. So they are using our money to fight the federal government, which is prosecuting people who entered the country illegally. In essence, this makes Clark County a sanctuary county. | https://www.reviewjournal.com/opinion/letters/are-we-now-a-sanctuary-county-1573008/ |
Can Australia finally break two-year ODI series drought? | In two days of action, Australia's cricketers could achieve a feat which has eluded them for two years. Not since January 2017 have the Australians triumphed in a one-day international series. Victory on Tuesday against India in game two of the three-match series will snap a six-series losing streak in ODIs for Australia. "It would mean a lot - it has been a while,'" Australia's vice-captain Alex Carey told reporters on Monday. "As a cricket lover, I want to see Australia winning. And being a part of it, it means so much to us every game we play. Camera Icon Jason Behrendorff celebrates a wicket during Australias victory over India in Sydney on Saturday. Picture: Getty Images "So the series win would be a great result and a really big confidence booster." Not since a 4-1 thumping of Pakistan in January 2017 has Australia collected an ODI series trophy. Since then, the Australians have won just four of 26 ODIs - a stretch featuring 19 losses and three no-results. But Carey said Australia's collective eyes weren't on the prize of a series win against the Indians but rather the "process" ahead of a World Cup captain starting in late May. "To continue to get better every game is probably our biggest process at the moment leading into that World Cup," he said. "Not thinking too far ahead, bringing it back to tomorrow night, but if we're playing the cricket we know we're good enough to play, the results will probably look after themselves." | https://thewest.com.au/sport/cricket/can-australia-finally-break-two-year-odi-series-drought-ng-b881073477z |
Whos the Killer on True Detective? | Photo: Warrick Page/Courtesy of HBO True Detective has returned for a belated third season with two episodes that suggested the series is attempting to get back to its roots: strange killings in a rural setting investigated by moody, philosophizing men. The series has never been just about unraveling its central mystery, but its not not about that either. And so far the mystery of the Purcell kids the murdered Will and the maybe-not-murdered Julie has been pretty intriguing. Not really! But lets plunge on recklessly anyway by laying some odds. Tom Purcell (Scoot McNairy): 10 to 1 Photo: Warrick Page/Courtesy of HBO The odds seem long on Tom, both for emotional and logistical reasons. We first see the doomed Purcell kids, Will and Julie, saying good-bye to their father, who sends them off with firm instructions to return by sundown. When they dont, he seems crushed. Whats more, we never see him leave the house until he grows concerned theyve gone missing but we do see multiple shots of the kids riding by other potential killers, including Brett Woodard and some teenage no-goodniks (both discussed below). To make him the killer would requite some unfair play. The closest relative would seem to be the most likely suspect in a case like this. Except hes probably not. Besides, look at Scoot McNairys sweet, mustachioed face. Lets move on. Lucy Purcell (Mamie Gummer): 4 to 1 Photo: Warrick Page/Courtesy of HBO Lucy is drunk and angry when she shows up at the Purcell house, but she doesnt seem especially shocked or sad. Plus, she hasnt been around much lately and who knows what shes gotten up to. Then, theres that whole thing with creepy Cousin Dan staying at the house (more below). Something here seems off. Furthermore, Lucy is a woman and this is True Detective, thus shes automatically suspicious. Cousin Dan OBrien (Michael Graziadei): 2 to 1 Oh man, if Cousin Dan isnt guilty of killing and kidnapping Lucy and Toms kids, hes definitely guilty of something. We know he stashed Playboys in Wills room not a crime, but pretty gross and it looks like he might have drilled a peephole so he could spy into Lucys room, which goes way beyond gross. He does have an alibi, however: He went to a bar then went home and watched CHiPs. But theres a problem: CHiPs aired on Sunday nights in 1980 and the crime took place on a Tuesday. True, he might have been watching a rerun in syndication, and not that weeks new episode, but it still seems a little weak. Hmm) Brett Woodard (Michael Greyeyes): 12 to 1 Photo: Warrick Page/Courtesy of HBO A Native American veteran who drives around in a go-kart and scavenges trash for a living after driving his wife and kids away, Brett Trash Man Woodard would seem like a solid suspect. But Waynes gut tells him thats not the case after the two bond over their experiences in Vietnam. Woodard has troubles, sure, but not those kind of troubles. Besides, hes the second most obvious suspect, and theres no way Nic Pizzolatto is going to offer up a mystery that simple. Freddy Burns (Rhys Wakefield) and the Purple VW Beetle Toughs: 8 to 1 Photo: Warrick Page/Courtesy of HBO As for the first most obvious suspects, that would be local teens Freddy Burns and his friends who drive around in a garish purple VW Beetle listening to X and hang around the ranger tower listening to the Stooges. (Say what you will, the kids have good taste in music.) Roland seems more suspicious of them than Wayne, and he really doesnt like the looks of the Black Sabbath shirt one of them wears. Then theres Wills bike, which we see one of them manhandling. None of that looks good but, again, this is all a little too obvious. It also echoes the West Memphis Three case, in which a bunch of metalheads were convicted of killing three boys as part of a satanic ritual. We likely havent seen the last of Freddy and the others, but it would also be surprising if they turned out to the bad guys Ted Lagrange, a.k.a. Robert or Something, a.k.a. The Folksinger Pedophile Guy (Shawn-Caulin Young): 75 to 1 An awful person, but unless Wayne and Roland missed something, hes not our guy. Wayne Hays (Mahershala Ali), Roland West (Stephen Dorff), Amelia Reardon (Carmen Ejogo): 1,000 to 1 Our central characters are probably not responsible for the crimes, but we cant rule out some crazy twist. The Junkyard Fox: 5,000 to 1 Foxes are predatory vermin, son! Roland tells Wayne after he stops him from shooting a fox during one of their Lets hang out at the dump and shoot rats outings. He might have been onto something, but this crime seems too complex for even a fox to pull off. Someone We Havent Seen Yet: 2 to 1 True Detectives third season is slated to run for eight episodes. Thats not a superlong season, but it seems possible we havent even met the killer, or killers, yet. Theres a lot we dont know yet, and creeps we almost certainly have yet to meet. Eliminated: True Criminal producer Elisa Montgomery (Sarah Gadon): Shes too interested in the intersectionality of marginalized groups within authoritarian and systemic racist structures to commit that kind of crime. And she probably wasnt born yet. Henry Hays (Ray Fisher): Waynes son. Also not born yet. Steve McQueen: Dead. | https://www.vulture.com/2019/01/true-detective-killer-identity-theories.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+nymag%2Fvulture+%28Vulture+-+nymag.com%27s+Entertainment+and+Culture+Blog%29 |
What if the Texans took Michael Thomas instead of Will Fuller in 2016 NFL Draft? | Receiver Michael Thomas hauled 12 catches for 171 yard and a touchdown for the New Orleans Saints in their 20-14 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles Sunday in the NFC divisional round at Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The Texans were going for a receiver in the draft; take a look at the fact they took Fuller in the first round and later picked another in the third round with receiver Braxton Miller, Thomas teammate at Ohio State. In terms of Pro Bowl selections, for sure since 2011, there have been 17 first-rounders who made the Pro Bowl picked between 20th and 30th overall compared to seven picked between 40th and 50th oerall in the same span. However, in terms of starters, the 30-40 crowd has just one extra starter over the 40-50 pack with 66 starters compared to 65. Its easy to play the numbers game and look at the stats. Yes, Thomas has 321 catches for 3,787 yards and 23 touchdowns compared to Fullers 107 for 1,561 yards and 13 scores. However, that isnt really where Thomas would have helped the Texans more so than Fuller. Over the past three seasons, Thomas has proven better than Fuller at the biggest ability of all: Availability. Thomas has missed one game since entering the NFL while Fuller has missed a total of 17 games, more than a full seasons complement. To be fair, there was no way the Texans could have predicted this type of missed playing time from Fuller. The former Notre Dame wideout played two full seasons prior to coming out for the draft at the end of 2015. Furthermore, he did play in 14 games his rookie season while Thomas played just one more. At that point in their careers, it is safe to argue they were both equally durable. However, injuries have cost Fuller playing time, and have more significantly cost quarterback Deshaun Watson a quality receiving threat to pair with All-Pro receiver DeAndre Hopkins. There was a disconnect in the philosophy of personnel acquisition between the front office and coaching staff during that particular stretch. Perhaps talent acquisition felt they would have been drafting Hopkins; Thomas is 6-3, 210 pounds, and Hopkins is 6-1, 215 pounds. Still, they took a receiver of similar build in Miller in the third-round, who was 6-1, 210 pounds, even though his function was more so a gadget player, returner, and presumptive slot receiver. Whatever the case, Thomas and the Saints will be in the NFC championship game on Jan. 20 while the Texans continue to assess how to qualify for their first such conference title game in franchise history. | https://texanswire.usatoday.com/2019/01/13/texans-drafted-michael-thomas-instead-will-fuller/ |
Who wore it better? | By Jessica Wedemeyer In Hollywood, there are few sins worse than donning designer duds already worn by another celeb on the red carpet. Keep clicking to see which stars were found guilty of this major fashion travesty -- from Khloe Kardashian and Jessica Alba to Anne Hathaway and Miley Cyrus -- and cast your vote for the starlet who you think wore the look best. RELATED: Most expensive celeb engagement rings Jennifer Aniston and Allison Williams both sported this Christian Dior tuxedo-inspired look at red carpet premieres. The "Friends" alum wore a cropped version paired with shorts at the premiere of Lifetime's "Call Me Crazy: A Five Film" on April 16, 2013, but more than a month earlier, the "Girls" star wore it as a cocktail dress to the premiere of "Girl Rising." | https://www.wonderwall.com/style/who-wore-it-better-for-may-30-2013-25128.gallery |
What Did Donald Trump's Tweet About H-1B Visas Mean? | On January 11, 2019, Donald Trump surprised the business and policy community by announcing via Twitter that positive changes are coming soon for H-1B visa holders. H-1B holders in the United States can rest assured that changes are soon coming which will bring both simplicity and certainty to your stay, including a potential path to citizenship, tweeted Trump. We want to encourage talented and highly skilled people to pursue career options in the U.S. Attorneys were quick to point out legal problems with the tweet. It is unclear what the presidents reference to a path to citizenship means; H-1B visa holders are already eligible to adjust status to permanent residency (and thereafter apply for citizenship) under existing law and regulation, explained Berry Appleman & Leiden (BAL) in a short analysis. DHS has not indicated in its regulatory agendas or in any public forum that it is considering changes to the current path to permanent residence and citizenship for H-1B visa holders. Some believe Trump may have been recently briefed on the proposed regulation to change the order of the H-1B lottery, which would have no effect on green cards for H-1B visa holders. He may also be responding, at least rhetorically, to entreaties from business leaders concerned about the direction of U.S. immigration policy under his administration. Based on currently available information, the BAL analysis seems reasonable: There is no evidence that the Trump administration is altering the course of its H-1B policy of the past two years, which has been generally to restrict access for foreign skilled workers. Stephen Yale-Loehr, a Cornell Law School professor and an advisor to the National Foundation for American Policy, told me in an interview that sometimes people can read too much into Donald Trump's tweets and statements. He advised people to focus instead on concrete policy actions. This tweet runs counter to what the administration has actually done against H-1B workers, he noted. Ever since the President issued his Buy American and Hire American executive order in April 2017, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has made it harder for employers to hire H-1B workers and to keep them. Yale-Loehr pointed to the National Foundation for American Policy report that showed a 41% increase in the denials of H-1B petitions in the 4th quarter of FY 2017. Just last week, a company sued USCIS in federal court after the agency denied a companys extension request for an H-1B employee, even though the agency had approved four H-1B petitions before for the same person in the same job, he noted. In effect, the President has built an invisible wall against H-1B workers. Given all that, why should we believe this apparent about-face? The green card process is governed by laws, not regulatory actions solely within the authority of the executive branch. Even if President Trump is serious about making it easier for H-1B workers to stay permanently in the United States, his administration cannot do that unilaterally, explains Yale-Loehr. Congress would have to pass a law. He points out Congress is divided on immigration issues, making this type of reform, particularly in isolation, difficult to picture in the current environment. Even though it may be unlikely given the policies over the past two years, if the Trump administration were interested in enacting a more welcoming agenda, then here are steps it could take on high-skilled immigration. Reverse the USCIS policy of refusing to honor earlier approvals of H-1B petitions and other high-skilled visas when professionals try to extend their visas. This policy has resulted in denials of people who have worked for years in the U.S., which has forced them to leave the country despite working for years and waiting legally for their green card. Companies have noted many denials are based on USCIS claiming a job is not in a specialty occupation or does not meet a USCIS definition of an employer-employee relationship. Support legislation to eliminate the per-country limit for employment-based immigrants, which would significantly shorten the wait time for many Indian professionals waiting potentially decades for permanent residence. Support immigration reforms to increase the number of employment-based green cards, but without the (divisive) demand that family-based categories be reduced or eliminated. Combined with eliminating the per-country limit, more H-1B visas and improved policies on international students, that would fulfill the pledge in Donald Trumps tweet to encourage talented and highly skilled people to pursue career options in the U.S. Stop the regulatory action to eliminate the ability of the spouses of H-1B visa holders to work in the United States. Investors and entrepreneurs would welcome the administration halting its action to rescind the International Entrepreneur Rule. Refrain from implementing measures to make it more difficult for international students to stay in the United States and to work after graduation. This would mean not ending the current policy that allows international students to remain in America for the duration of their studies. It would also mean expanding, not restricting or eliminating, Optional Practical Training (OPT) for international students in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields. If Donald Trump and his administration wish to help rather than hinder the ability of U.S. employers to hire and retain high-skilled foreign nationals, then the steps enumerated above would be a good place to start. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/stuartanderson/2019/01/14/what-did-donald-trumps-tweet-about-h-1b-visas-mean/ |
Can Indonesians Help Moderate Islam In Europe? | The mass migration of Muslims into Europe with little selection has brought with it many problems. No influential Muslim groups have emerged that regularly speak out against the misbehavior of extremists of their faith. In the past there was the hope that in the course of time, a European Islam integrated in democracy would emerge. The prominent Muslim academic Bassam Tibi, originally from Syria, has promoted the idea of a European Islam for a quarter-century. In 2016 he gave up on this. He explained the reasons in an article in German whose title translates as Why I capitulate. Few European politicians know that the worlds largest Muslim organization is a moderate one. The Indonesian Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) has more than 45 million members and tens of millions of additional sympathizers. Its secretary-general, Kyai Haji Yahya Cholil Staquf, in a 2017 interview with the German daily Frankfurter Algemeine Zeitung, he said Western politicians should stop saying extremism and terrorism have nothing to do with orthodox Islam. Staquf added that Islam and Islamism are the same. He heavily criticized ignorant Western journalists who claim that Islam is peaceful. He remarked that by analyzing Muslim scholarship, one understands that Muslims who in Western media are called Islamists and terrorists are the elite of political Islam. These so called Islamists know Islam much better than the majority of Muslims. They do exactly what the Koran and Muhammad ask from believers: Clean the world of unbelievers so that Islam rules worldwide. Staquf furthermore observed that many of these people receive blessings in mosques by an imam before they murder unbelievers. A martyr is the highest status a Muslim can receive. The murders carried out under ISISs leadership are directly modeled on Muhammads example. The West, Staquf added, should also stop claiming that discussing these issues is Islamophobia. He remarked: I am a Muslim scholar. Does anyone want to call me Islamophobe? Staquf contrasted the moderate majority of Indonesian Muslims with the violent, but legitimate, currents of Islam the Western world is increasingly confronted with. He said moderate Indonesian Muslims are of the opinion that certain traditions from the Middle Ages have to be seen in the context of the time in which they originated, not as operational instructions for our times, and that national laws take precedence over Islamic laws. Had all this been said by a Muslim scholar in Europe, it would not have had much relevance. This, however, is a leader who represents an organization with far more members than there are Muslims in the European Union. Staquf, an adviser to Indonesian President Yoko Widodo, affirmed his comments in a lengthy dinner conversation during a visit to Jerusalem more than half a year ago. Several european governments recognize the extreme need for influential Muslim organizations that will stand up against religious extremists in their countries. One idea was that courses to train imams at European universities should be established. In this way, it was thought, a new type of moderate imam would emerge. This poses not only a problem of legitimacy in European Muslim circles, but there is also the threat of such imams being intimidated by fanatics. It would have been logical for Western governments to have looked for contacts with major moderate Muslim organizations abroad and incentivize them to set up representations in their countries. A recent visitor to Germany who met with senior officials in ministries told me, however, that ministry officials knew nothing or next to nothing about the NU. Trying to promote and support a representation of NU in Germany should have been a priority, as it has a consolidated view of what moderate contemporary Islam should be. Such an NU presence could be vocal and provide courses and literature, provided its security is assured. Even if the NU only served as a powerful focal point for Muslim moderates in the country, that would be a great gain. This is not without challenges, because Muslims have traditionally looked for new concepts primarily in the Middle East and, to some extent, in Pakistan. With sufficient government support, this handicap could probably be overcome. In todays German reality, after its misconceived immigration policy in recent years, the authorities have nothing to lose. Such an approach could also help to improve relations between Muslims and Jews. The only Indonesian president who visited Israel and did so a number of times was Kyai Haji Abdurrahman Wahid, chairman of the NU executive board from 1984 to 1999 and president of Indonesia from 1999 to 2001. American businessman C. Holland Taylor, a friend of both President Wahid and Staquf, mentions that Wahid cosponsored the 2007 Bali Holocaust Conference with the Simon Wiesenthal Center. He studied Kabbalah when he worked with an Iraqi Jew in Baghdad during the 1960s. During his first week in office as president, Wahid publicly called for establishing diplomatic relations with Israel. Taylor quotes him as saying, Indonesia has diplomatic relations with China, a communist and thus atheist country, why shouldnt we have normal relations with Israel, whose people and government believe in God as we do? Taylor remarks that today, a large part of the NU and its related political party PKB accept Wahids attitude toward Israel. Establishing NU representation in Europe, particularly in Germany, could make a significant contribution to counteracting the ongoing excesses of Muslim extremists in the public domain. | https://www.citizendaily.news/can-indonesians-help-moderate-islam-in-europe/ |
What's in store for the weather across the Gladstone region? | The Gladstone region will be immune to pending heatwave conditions. The Gladstone region will be immune to pending heatwave conditions. MarianVejcik THE GLADSTONE region is in for a warm and sunny week with no rain in the forecast for some time. The Bureau of Meteorology is predicting mostly sunny conditions and maximum temperatures in the low-30s for all of this week. Meteorologist Michael Knepp said a high pressure system in the Tasman Sea is the cause for the weather. "[The trough] is extending along the east coast of Queensland," Mr Knepp said. "The high pressure will stay relatively stationary in the Tasman Sea, so not much change in the weather pattern and that's leading to mostly fine conditions, if not all fine conditions, during the next week." He also said the Gladstone region will not be affected by predicted heatwave for the rest of the state. "Temperatures on the coast will be moderated by an on-shore flow," Mr Knepp said. "So it'll remain warm but not excessively hot." | https://www.gladstoneobserver.com.au/news/the-weather-forecast-for-the-gladstone-region/3621866/ |
What Causes Childhood Cancer in Community Perspective? | Font : A- A+ In an attempt to throw light on the primarily misconceived subject, scientists have studied the community beliefs about what causes cancer in children. According to the researchers, this is the area which highly remains understudied. "Few childhood cancers are attributed to genetics or environmental factors, so when children are diagnosed with cancer, families often wonder 'why me/why us'?" said lead author Janine Vetsch, postdoctoral research candidate from UNSW Sydney in Australia. Many cancer survivors and survivors' parents perceive a misconception that cancer is caused by bad luck and they could do nothing to prevent it. For the study, the team examined the beliefs of more than 600 participants -- parents and childhood cancer survivors -- about the causes of childhood cancer, and compared them with beliefs of 510 members of the general population. Findings, published in Acta Oncologica, revealed that more than seven out of 10 childhood cancer survivors and survivors' parents believed that chance or bad luck caused the cancer. This led to most parents and survivors seem to understand that there is nothing they could have done to prevent the cancer, according to Vetsch. However, around one in five families did believe that environmental factors and genetics played a role, despite only limited available scientific evidence, results further showed. "It looks like healthcare professionals are successfully helping most families arrive at that view," said Vetsch. Such views could lead to stigma. Hence, it is important to increase community knowledge of childhood cancer causes in general. There is a need to encourage doctors to talk about the causes with affected families to address unhelpful misconceptions," Vetsch suggested. Source: IANS "Few childhood cancers are attributed to genetics or environmental factors, so when children are diagnosed with cancer, families often wonder 'why me/why us'?" said lead author Janine Vetsch, postdoctoral research candidate from UNSW Sydney in Australia.For the study, the team examined the beliefs of more than 600 participants -- parents and childhood cancer survivors -- about the causes of childhood cancer, and compared them with beliefs of 510 members of the general population.Findings, published in, revealed that more than seven out of 10 childhood cancer survivors and survivors' parents believed that chance or bad luck caused the cancer.This led to most parents and survivors seem to understand that there is nothing they could have done to prevent the cancer, according to Vetsch.However, around one in five families did believe that environmental factors and genetics played a role, despite only limited available scientific evidence, results further showed. "It looks like healthcare professionals are successfully helping most families arrive at that view," said Vetsch.Such views could lead to stigma. Hence, it is important to increase community knowledge of childhood cancer causes in general.There is a need to encourage doctors to talk about the causes with affected families to address unhelpful misconceptions," Vetsch suggested.Source: IANS Post a Comment Comments should be on the topic and should not be abusive. The editorial team reserves the right to review and moderate the comments posted on the site. Notify me when reply is posted I agree to the I agree to the terms and conditions Post Comment Please keep your comments brief and relevant.This section may also have questions seeking help. If you have the information you are welcome to respond, but please ensure that the information so provided is genuine and not misleading. Your comments are automatically posted once they are submitted. All comments are however constantly reviewed for spam and irrelevant material (such as product or personal advertisements, email addresses, telephone numbers and website address). Such insertions do not conform to our policy and 'Terms of Use' and are either deleted or edited and republished.Please keep your comments brief and relevant.This section may also have questions seeking help. If you have the information you are welcome to respond, but please ensure that the information so provided is genuine and not misleading. Advertisement More News on: by Mohamed Fathima S on January 14, 2019 at 10:29 AM Child Health News | https://www.medindia.net/news/what-causes-childhood-cancer-in-community-perspective-185117-1.htm |
Are gangs in Preston out of control? | It is no secret that serious and organised crime poses a risk to our security. In November the Government revealed it costs the UK economy 37billion a year, with gang activity killing or affecting more UK citizens than all other national security threats terrorism, war and natural disasters combined. Preston's gang culture exposed There are around 4,600 serious and organised crime groups in the UK, according to the latest assessment from the National Crime Agency. And a string of violent and public order incidents in Preston in the last few weeks, seemingly linked to gang activity, has no doubt caused further concern to Lancashires communities. On January 4 a firearm, suspected to be a handgun, was discharged at the porch window of a house on Garstang Road, Preston. Two days earlier, a 15-year-old boy had his head stamped on at Preston Bus Station after he was set upon by a gang of youths who identified him as being from Tanny. The youths set upon him as he waited his a bus, kicking him and stamping on his head. The incident ended only after a passer-by intervened. The boys father, who wanted to remain anonymous, said: My lads not a fighter or involved in any gangs, he just plays his football, minds his own business and gets on with his life. Im gobsmacked sometimes when I wander through Preston city centre at how large these gangs are. There can be between 30 and 40 of them Im nearly six and a half feet tall and Id find that intimidating. The furious father says his son has been left terrified, but escaped with only bumps and bruises. Meanwhile, the man who intervened to help the stricken teenager says he did what anybody would have done and now just wants those responsible caught Brendan Nicholas had already witnessed a gang of youths at the bus station and overheard them planning to chase another bus to Tanterton. You see it all the time in Preston and when there are five or more of them, they have no fear, Brendan said. After he helped the teenager to escape, Brendan kept hold of the bike of one of the gang. But he feared he, too, would be attacked, until he met up with a friend. There were more than 10 in total and they were yelling at me. Later, I saw them having a go at another adult, Brendan added. Late last year a much-publicised fracas involving youths in which one stood on the roof of a car containing a mother and child and halted traffic upset residents in Ashton, Preston. It attracted hundreds of comments, with some residents saying trouble between gangs from Tanterton and the Savick and Larches estates was a problem. Ashton resident Michael Balshaw says: I think its very common for people, or at least those involved with gangs, to be attacked for coming into someone elses neighbourhood. We need to do more work in schools and fight back against the ever increasing American culture where you cant go into different areas we dont want it to ever get like that so we need to nip it in the bud now. Its a real and important issue. Other neighbourhoods have also had their share of trouble. Mobile phone footage circulated online appears to show a group of boys fighting and assaulting another boy in a park in Longton on November 24 . On December 17, a teenager was stabbed during a mass brawl on Kent Street, Deepdale, as two groups of men, understood to be from rival gangs, had an armed street fight. And a month earlier on November 17, two men, aged 17 and 18, were arrested after they attacked each other with samurai swords in Romford Road. Resident Robin Maudsley who is involved with a local community group, said: It has been going on for years, it used to be disputes between Fishwick gangs coming into Deepdale or vice versa its like every town, where one group plays against another. It happened in Broadgate and Kingfold. None of the residents at the PACT meetings have really mentioned gangs as a major issue, but I think residents are worried because we dont see as many police officers on the beat to tackle it when it does happen. While such crimes are undoubtedly frightening for residents, they do not appear to be on the scale of the gang issues that blighted Preston a decade ago. In the late 2000s the city was rocked by a string of serious crimes involving rivalry between gangs in Callon and Deepdale. While the situation does not seem quite as dramatic in comparison at the moment, there are concerns that inevitably budget cuts could affect public safety. Detective Chief Insp Richard McCutcheon, of Lancashire Police, said: Since September 2018 there have been nine separate incidents reported to police in Preston relating to serious crime. These matters are of obvious concern to the community and in response we have established a dedicated team of detectives, increased high visibility patrols in the areas where these incidents have taken place and used uniformed and plain clothes officers to target those individuals involved. These incidents have involved fights between groups of local males and appear to be targeted attacks using weapons and damaging property. The last reported attack was on December 26. We continue to work with local communities and partners to tackle this problem. We have acted on community intelligence and a number of arrests have been made and various weapons recovered. We would encourage residents to continue providing this information. As part of this operation we are still trying to locate Miguel Di Palma Jnr, 21, in connection with an offence of violent disorder in the Plungington area of Preston on December 23. I would ask that if members of the public know where he is they contact the police on 101 or via Crimestoppers on anonymously on 0800 555111 or online at crimestoppers-uk.org. The force launched Operation Chihuahua in 2016 following an increase in incidents where serious violence had been used. As a result a criminal gang was jailed for a total of almost 50 years for supply of Class A drugs in Preston. The force also runs Operation Nemesis, a response to gang-related violence. | https://www.lep.co.uk/news/crime/are-gangs-in-preston-out-of-control-1-9534798 |
Will Alfonso Cuaron join Steven Spielberg and Martin Scorsese's elite club? | The 24th Critics Choice awards are here and the historical comedy-drama, "The Favourite" seems to be the favourite to bag the best film again. But, all the attention is not in the film category. Alfonso Cuaron is slowly making all the right noises and is on his way to join the elite club of winning the critics' choice award, two times. This has happened to only two other directors, Steven Spielberg and Martin Scorsese. While Spielberg won for 'Saving Private Ryan' (1998) and for two other films 'Catch me if you can' and 'Minority report', both in the same year (2002). Martin Scorsese won it for 'The Aviator' and 'The Departed'. If Cuaron wins this Sunday, then he will join two of the most popular directors of our time. In Golderby's predicted Winner's vote, Cuaron has turned out to be the director with the most votes, at 1561 votes, to win this year's critics' choice award. At, 1561 total votes, no one could come close to Cuaron. Bradley Cooper who made his directorial debut with "A Star Is Born" enjoys a total of 111 votes. Of course, it will ultimately be up to The Broadcast Film Critics Association and The Broadcast Television Journalists Association to decide who will take home the trophy. This year, Taye Diggs will host the award show. Kristen Bell, Viola Davis, Awkwafina, Jim Parsons, Kaley Cuoco, Nicole Kidman, Ben Stiller, Mandy Moore and Cole Sprouse will present the awards | http://www.ibtimes.sg/will-alfonso-cuaron-join-steven-spielberg-martin-scorseses-elite-club-28940 |
Why Are the Media So Eager To Declare Trumps Syria Withdrawal Dead? | Virtually from the moment Donald Trump announced that he would be removing U.S. troops from Syria, corporate media have converged around a narrative that the president has been forced to walk back his decision. But while a withdrawal will undoubtedly prove more challenging than the president originally anticipated, this verdict simply does not reflect the facts on the ground. When John Bolton spoke in Jerusalem earlier this month, leading news outlets reported that Trumps national security adviser had declared that withdrawal would not be completed unless and until specific conditions had been met or objectives achieved. The New York Times announced that Bolton Puts Conditions on Syria Withdrawal, Suggesting a Delay of Months or Years, claiming that he told reporters that American forces would remain in Syria until the last remnants of the Islamic State were defeated and Turkey provided guarantees that it would not strike Kurdish forces allied with the United States. The Associated Press story, which was picked up by The Washington Post, proved similarly categorical. US troops will not leave northeastern Syria until Islamic State militants are defeated and American-allied Kurdish fighters are protected, a top White House aide is quoted as saying. The article also notes that Bolton was signaling a pause to a withdrawal abruptly announced last month and initially expected to be completed within weeks. Those stories were written on the assumption that Bolton was enunciating yet another policy on Syria withdrawal. There is now good reason to believe that no such new policy decision has been made. The Wall Street Journal has quoted a defense official as saying, Nothing has changed. We dont take orders from Bolton. The Times and AP failed to provide the actual text of Boltons statement, much less any analysis of it in context of his statements. Boltons statement was extraordinarily indirect and didnt necessarily mean what it appeared to mean at first glance. As quoted in The Wall Street Journal, one of the few places where the text could be found, Bolton said, Timetables or the timing of the withdrawal occurs as a result of the fulfillment of the conditions and the establishment of the circumstances that we want to see. Its not the establishment of an arbitrary point for the withdrawal to take place as President Obama did in the Afghan situation the timetable flows from the policy decisions that we need to implement. On closer examination, it seems more likely that Bolton was attempting to differentiate Trumps withdrawal policy from that of President Obama. Such an interpretation is reinforced by a statement from an unidentified senior official traveling with Bolton, who has indicated that the administration believes that the remaining pockets of ISIS control can be neutralized within a matter of weeks. This, in turn, suggests that the Trump administration is planning to define the defeat of ISIS in conventional military terms not as the elimination either of its presence in Syria or the possibility of its future revival in the region, both of which Secretary of Defense James Mattis had sought unsuccessfully. The Pompeo Interview the Media Ignored That leaves the question of how Trumps plan will deal with other policy objectives, including the protection of our Kurdish allies and the United States demands for the withdrawal of Iranian and Iran-backed forces from Syria. But there is evidence the administration plans to pursue these objectives both during and after the withdrawal. Our troops are coming out, Secretary of State Pompeo told Newsmax more than a week ago. The President also made it clear that we need to continue the counter-ISIS campaign, and we needed to continue to create stability throughout the Middle East. The counter-Iran campaign continues. Well do all these things. Pompeo also indicated the presidents recommendation on Syria includes not only the withdrawal but all the other elements that the President laid out: the importance of ensuring the Turks dont slaughter the Kurds; the protection of religious minorities in Syria. All those things are still part of the American mission set. Pompeo thus gave away the premise that Bolton managed to obscure: We will simply do it at a time when the American forces have departed Syria. Had the secretary of state intended to describe a conditions-based withdrawal policy a term used consistently by the US military in both Iraq and Afghanistan he could very easily have made that clear. Instead, he said the actions required to advance the administrations policy objectives would be taken when the American forces have departed Syria. In other words, they would have to continue well beyond the withdrawal. The Danger of a Bolton-Israeli Scheme Even though there is reason to believe that Trump still plans to remove all troops from Syria in a matter of months rather than years, there are certainly potential pitfalls ahead. One of them is Boltons greater involvement in the withdrawal process. After all, it was Bolton who declared last September that the Trump administration policy was to keep troops in Syria until all Iranian troops had gone home. What authority Bolton had obtained to make such a pronouncement remains unclear, but Trump rejected that position decisively in December. Because the president has a well-known aversion to detailed policy papers, and because Bolton has successfully limited Trumps exposure to them, the national security adviser has gained unusual latitude in representing administration policy. And Bolton is well known to be a master at bureaucratic maneuvering to advance an agenda that doesnt necessarily reflect that of the president hes serving. To date, however, there is no indication that Bolton aims to undercut Trumps plan to withdraw the 2,000 or more US troops working in conjunction with Kurdish forces in northeast Syria. But the base at Al-Tanf in the south near the Syrian border with both Jordan and Iraq is another story. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would like the US to keep its few hundred Special Forces at Al-Tanf, and Bolton may be hoping to exempt it from the withdrawal. That base, which sits astride the main highway between Baghdad and Damascus, has long been touted by those seeking to justify US and Israeli military intervention in the region as a key to blocking successful transport from Iran through Iraq and Syria to Lebanon. Israel has argued that it needs to prevent Hezbollah from obtaining modern, highly accurate weaponry via that route, but Hezbollah had already secured such weapons long before the US established its base in 2016. The Israelis ultimately recognize that those several hundred US troops serve no real tactical purpose. Instead, they believe their presence could be used to justify further intervention in the future. So during Boltons visit to Jerusalem, a senior administration official in his party told reporters that Bolton planned to discuss with Israeli officials possible continued stationing of some US forces at Al-Tanf for an indeterminate period. The same official said the US would decide how important the base is and whether it would have to stay in its current location after talks with the Israelis and Jordanians. The official in question, who was almost certainly Bolton himself, may have been merely stating a theoretical possibility for the sake of completing the necessary consultations with Israel and Turkey in connection with the withdrawal. But Bolton is also capable of scheming with the Israelis to create a new excuse for keeping US troops at that location. The Trump administration is still committed to the aim of getting all Iranian personnel out of Syria, and it should not be forgotten that during the George W. Bush administration Bolton worked closely with the Israelis on creating the political preconditions for the US use of force against Iran. By comparison, a scheme hatched jointly with the Israelis for reducing Trumps freedom of action on that issue would be relatively easy for Bolton. Gareth Porter, an investigative historian and journalist specializing in US national security policy, received the UK-based Gellhorn Prize for journalism for 2011 for articles on the U.S. war in Afghanistan. His new book is Manufactured Crisis: the Untold Story of the Iran Nuclear Scare. He can be contacted at [email protected]. Reprinted from TruthDig with the authors permission. Read more by Gareth Porter | https://original.antiwar.com/porter/2019/01/13/why-are-the-media-so-eager-to-declare-trumps-syria-withdrawal-dead/ |
Why are Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in Birkenhead? | 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 Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are set to visit Birkenhead on Monday, with hundreds of people expected to come out to catch a glimpse of the royal couple. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were invited to the town by MP Frank Field and will visit local projects and organisations that support and empower groups within the community. Their Royal Highnesses will start their tour of the Wirral town at Hamilton Square. Harry and Meghan will view a new sculpture erected in November to mark the 100th anniversary of Wilfred Owens death. The statue, which is named after one of the Birkenhead war poets poems, Futility, is cast in bronze and represents an exhausted World War One solider. The Duke and Duchess will unveil a plaque to mark the visit, before meeting local veterans and members of the Birkenhead Institute Old Boys, of which Wilfred Owen belonged to. Their Royal Highnesses will then have the opportunity to meet members of the public gathered in Hamilton Square. The couple will then move on to visit Tomorrows Women Wirral, an organisation that supports women in vulnerable circumstances, based on Beckwith St East. Tomorrows Women Wirral offers an extensive range of training courses and workshops for more than 6000 local women, including support groups around mental health issues, domestic abuse, and addiction. (Image: Chris Jackson - Pool/Getty Images) The Duke and Duchess will hear directly from the women about their experiences, before visiting the onsite charity shop, caf, and Inspiration Hall. Their third engagement will take place at the Hive Wirral Youth Zone on Bright Street. The Duke and Duchess will meet young members as they take part in a number of activities and workshops throughout the centre, before unveiling a plaque to mark the visit. MP Frank Field said he hoped the couple will come back to Birkenhead in the future adding: "They won't be coming to visit the same projects again, but I hope they will come back to the area as they continue to increase their workload. "These are four good stories for Birkenhead and it's rather nice the nation will be able to hear them. "Each of the projects are very dependent on private donations and I hope this visit will encourage further donations in the hope of securing their futures." (Image: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images) Meghan previously visited our shores back in June with the Queen - to open the Mersey Gateway. And now she's back with her husband and baby bump in tow. Meghan is expected to give birth in March or April, but some bookies are predicting the new arrival may make an appearance as soon as February | https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/prince-harry-meghan-markle-birkenhead-15668261 |
What's the point of reference checks? | Article Tools Font size + Share This Dear J.T. It seems so pointless to me. Obviously, Im only going to give them the names of people who will rave about me. Id never let them talk to people who I thought would give me a bad reference. Thus, it seems like a waste of time. JAREN J.T. : Sadly, some people blatantly lie in interviews as a way to cover up a checkered past, and asking for references can help weed out the liars. Also, if you have a nice long list of people who want to do nothing but say great things about you, that means youre more likely to be a good hire. Further, its a good reminder for job seekers of how important it is to keep up their professional reputations. DALE: All true, but lets not forget that the people doing the reference checking have brains, too. During the reference check they can ask questions like, What would you say is Jarens biggest weakness? or What kind of people did he have trouble working with? In other words, they offer the opportunity to do some critical analysis. Thats why you need to make your references into allies. You start by asking their permission to name them as references, and then you offer regular updates on your search. Warn them each time they might get an inquiry, and alert them if there are aspects of your career to emphasize. Help them help you, and it becomes a good use of everyones time. Dear J.T. & Dale: My husband thinks Im crazy, but Im convinced my co-workers are having an affair. I have zero proof other than they used to hate each other and now they are really nice to each other. Theres a strict no dating policy at our company. I dont want them to get in trouble, so I feel like I should tell them its noticeable. CORINE DALE: I wouldnt be so quick to reach a conclusion. I know that what youre describing is the standard plot of rom-com movies. (Two people meet cute but cant stand each other. Meanwhile, we in the audience soon realize that they are destined to be together, and how we love that we know theyre falling in love before they do.) While it seems to work in movies, Ive never known it to work that way in real life. An alternative theory: One of them offered rapprochement, and they agreed to a fresh start in their business relationship. J.T. : The answer is NO, its not OK to ask. Its none of your business. If they arent hurting the company, then its not yours to address. If they are dating and they get caught, its on them. Better for you to stay blissfully unaware to keep the peace and your reputation intact. JEANINE J.T. TANNER ODONNELL is a career coach and the founder of the leading career site www.workitdaily.com. DALE DAUTEN is founder of The Innovators Lab. Visit them at jtanddale.com, where you can send questions via email, or write to them in care of King Features Syndicate, 300 W. 57th St, 15th Fl, New York, 628 Virginia Dr., Orlando, FL 32803. | https://www.thetimes-tribune.com/news/business/what-s-the-point-of-reference-checks-1.2432654 |
Why should I care about Feds elections? | by Richard Wu Just off the top of your head, list five people who you think could create positive change on this campus if given the opportunity. I really do hope you included yourself onto that list, because I truly believe that the only thing required to generate meaningful change at Waterloo is a desire to better the undergraduate experiences of you and your peers. Perhaps meaningful change sounds far too daunting, but on campuses like ours, even the tiniest of changes can go a long way. If you told me in my first year that I would eventually have the honour of serving over 30,000 undergraduates as an Executive with the Federation of Students, I probably would have chuckled, brushed it off, and walked away I honestly didnt think I was right for the job, that I would be qualified, or that I would ever have ideas that were good enough. As a Waterloo undergrad, you are already qualified. Whether its something small like advocating for the official Waterloo goose mascot, or something big like implementing bystander intervention training, one of the most important things in making all of these things happen, Ive discovered, is passion and I know theres some in everyone. I challenge you to tap into some of that passion you already have and explore how you can make change on our campus this year. Luckily, a perfect opportunity is right around the corner: Feds Elections. You can choose the level of involvement that youre comfortable with whether you sign yourself up to run for one of many levels of student government, or research your candidates and vote for the one that represents your interests, the important part is getting involved. Keep local to your faculty and run for Students Council, where you can shed light on the needs and challenges specific to your peers. Consider running to be one of the undergraduate representatives on the University Senate. Or, perhaps youve got some (#)innovative ideas of your own and want to run for an Executive position to start your own projects, and to voice student concerns to decision-makers at the University, Queens Park, and Parliament Hill. Nominations are open now at vote.feds.ca until January 17 at 4 p.m. And whether or not you decide to throw caution to the wind and nominate yourself for a position on Students Council, the University Senate, or as an Executive, speaking up, participating during the debates, and voting for the representative of your choice can have a huge impact. Simply voting (or declining your ballot) is an incredibly powerful tool to have your voice heard, and as weve seen in the news, several votes either way can make quite a difference. Ask the tough questions, get to know your candidates any involvement is good involvement. Feds Elections voting opens February 5 to 7. Two of the most valuable things you bring to the table are your unique experiences as an undergraduate student and the desire to help your peers get the most out of their Waterloo experience. You dont need to have an internship with Google or a start-up on your resume to prove your worth on this campus. You simply need your passion, experience at Waterloo, and a sprinkle of confidence to help give a voice to students. If you have any burning questions on how you can get involved in this process, or even if you just want to chat, email me at [email protected]. I hope to see you all at the (virtual) polls (vote.feds.ca!) on February 5 to 7! | http://uwimprint.ca/article/why-should-i-care-about-feds-elections/ |
Is it OK to artificially alter a babies genetics? | by Carla Leal Last week He Jiankui revealed the birth of the first babies to have ever been genetically edited. The announcement has spurred a lot of debate regarding the accuracy of his claims since he has not provided the babies real names or any peer reviewed data. This story will probably leave a mark in the history of genetic editing for no other reason than the sheer controversy that it has sparked. What I find troublesome is that the most prevalent topic of discussion regarding his experiment is the ethical requirements that he bypassed during his pursuit. Ideally, we would be discussing the genetic editing itself rather than the creditability of the scientist attempting it. For example, how leveled will the playing field really be when some humans have been genetically programmed to have the optimum chances at success. Of course, then I start going in circles because to properly analyze his experiment and all of its implications, we need legitimate data and accurate conclusions. If we want to have meaningful conversations about advancements in the scientific community, distractions must be stripped away. A prime example was the cloning of Dolly, the sheep. When it was revealed that she was cloned from an adult somatic cell, a world-wide debate ensued before anyone really knew what was and wasnt possible with cloning technology. Its clear from what He Jiankui did that scientists can find ways to pursue projects without going through the usual ethical scrutiny. If we want to encourage scientists to satisfy both their intellectual curiosity and the ethical standards in place, we should understand what could prevent them from wanting to do so. We must ask ourselves what beliefs scientists hold regarding the impact of ethical processes on their work. As important as it is to create processes that support innovations impact on society, they should also support the scientists pursuit. For example, a paper released by Paul Root Wolpe detailed several beliefs scientists often hold that make them feel challenged by ethics. Many of us feel frustrated with how Juankui conducted his study because of our desire to have meaningful discussions about the technology that he leveraged. His resistance to ethical scrutiny may have allowed him to pursue his endeavours quicker than usual but now its too difficult to take them seriously. | http://uwimprint.ca/article/is-it-ok-to-artificially-alter-a-babies-genetics/ |
Will Tejashwi lobby for Congress? | Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav is scheduled to meet Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav today (January 14), days after the alliance between SP and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) was announced in Uttar Pradesh ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha election. Referring to the SP-BSP alliance, Tejashwi said that the alliance was first envisaged by his father Lalu Prasad Yadav, after the regional parties in Bihar and UP had suffered electoral setback in 2014 polls. Tejashwi Yadav, who is the leader of opposition in the Bihar Legislative Assembly and the youngest opposition leader in the country, is expected to announce RJD's support to the BSP-SP alliance in UP. Tejashwi Yadav also met Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati on Sunday regarding the alliance. After the meeting, Tejashwi said that the Bharatiya Janata Party would be "whitewashed" in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. | https://www.indiatoday.in/india/video/will-tejashwi-lobby-for-congress-1430304-2019-01-14 |
When does a meringue become a pavlova? | Im serving pavlova for dessert, announced the host of a recent supper gathering I attended. With no disrespect to my gracious and charming host, her version of meringue was closer to another marvellous meringue dessert, the Eton Mess. Tradition points to a foundation of a meringue-based cake topped with a layer of whipped cream decorated carefully with slices of strawberries, kiwis and passionfruit. The proof is in the pudding, however, and the crucial difference is in the construction of the meringue for the cake base. Regular meringues, the sort you might crush up for an Eton Mess for example, are a simple combination of egg whites and sugar. The pavlova meringue base, however, builds on this simple recipe by adding vinegar and cornflour to the mix. This is what enables a baker to achieve that particular pavlova perfection; a light and airy interior with a crunchy meringue crust. Irish Times Food&Drink Club Join now The origins of this dessert are linked with the famous Russian prima ballerina, Anna Pavlova. In 1926, the famous dancer toured both New Zealand and Australia. She returned to Australia in 1929 before she died in 1931. Its widely believed that the dessert was created at some point after these tours in her honour but, to this day, there is contention over the origins of the dessert and whether the Aussies or the Kiwis can really claim ownership of it. In her 2008 book, The Pavlova Story: A Slice of New Zealands Culinary History, the New Zealand food writer Helen Leach traces the evolution of three pavlova types and notes the difficulties in pinpointing the original. In an interview with Radio New Zealand, Leach talks about the parallel evolutions of meringue cakes in Australia and New Zealand. They are simply meringue cakes, and the meringue cakes were around [before they were known as pavlovas]... its just that I dont think meringue cake is a very attractive name and everyone was so excited about Pavlovas visit that I can see why they want to rename other dishes pavlovas. Dr Andrew Paul Wood, a New Zealander, and Annabelle Utrecht, an Australian, took a deeper dive into the origins of the pavlova cake and published their research in 2015. They found that todays pavlova has its roots in a German torte which became popular in the United States, finding recipes for around 150 pavlova-like meringue cakes served with fruit and cream before 1926, the date Pavlova visited the Antipodes. Like most great recipes, the pavlova cake appears to be the product of culinary evolution, and an exception to the rule that too many cooks can spoil the broth or in this case, the cake. | https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/food-and-drink/when-does-a-meringue-become-a-pavlova-1.3745989?localLinksEnabled=false |
What is Zoe Ball's first song on BBC Radio 2 Breakfast show? | Zoe has kicked off her first BBC Radio 2 show (Picture: Getty Images) This morning saw Zoe Ball take over the coveted Radio 2 Breakfast show and she started things by earning a little respect, if we do say so ourselves. Chris Evans stepped down from the most-listened-to-in-the-UK radio slot last year to take up a post on Virgin Radio, with Zoe taking his mic among great buzz. And after what has felt like years of chatter, shes finally kicked things off, taking to the studio for her first show at 6.30am after arriving in a flurry of waves and thumbs up an hour earlier. 48-year-old Zoe said in her opener it was time to Relax after the build upthe big day is finally here. Zoe had her bag packed as she gave the signal on the way into the BBC this morning (Picture: Rex Features) Im ready, she continued. Whats it gonna be? Advertisement Advertisement With that, the opening beats of Aretha Franklins Respect blared into the speakers, and we have to say it was quite an apt tune to herald her arrival to Radio 2 Breakfast. So Zoe Balls first song is Respect by Aretha Franklin. Absolute class! Chris Quilietti (@ChrisQ_1) January 14, 2019 #zoeball first track brought tears to my eye. Woman doing breakfast on radio 2 and euretha playing! #Womenonradio #radio2 Liz Laing (@lizthestitch) January 14, 2019 She said on her return: Oh first record, I hope you approve. Had to be a dame on this occasion. As she welcomed us to the first Zoe Ball Breakfast Show, she added: Good morning super heroes. Ive been so excited about saying that. Her breakfast show will run from 6:30am-9:30am Monday to Friday, with Tina Daheley reading the news, Mike Williams on sport and Richie Anderson doing travel. Speaking about her plans, Zoe previously said she wanted to bring lots of music, lots of energy, not too much chat but enough as she added she wants people to have learned something by the end of the show. So far, Zoe is right on the money! Yesterday she admitted she was having anxiety dreams about her first show. I absolutely didnt worry at all about work as I am so excited but that hasnt stopped the anxiety dreams. I saw Lauren Laverne in Wogan House last week, and we compared [our anxiety dreams], so it makes me feel that Im not on my own, she said. Advertisement Advertisement We are piloting the show, its always good to practise, and its going really well. I love the team, but on Monday morning my hands are going to be shaking a lot so Im worried about working the faders. The Zoe Ball Breakfast Show airs 6.30am on BBC Radio 2. If you've got a story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk Entertainment team by emailing us [email protected], calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page - we'd love to hear from you. MORE: Zoe Ball having anxiety dreams ahead of first day on BBC Radio 2 MORE: Sara Cox knew she wasnt going to get Radio 2 Breakfast as she addresses Zo Ball feud | https://metro.co.uk/2019/01/14/zoe-ball-everyones-respect-kicks-off-first-bbc-radio-2-breakfast-show-legend-8341616/ |
Will Priya Prakash Varrier be seen in Takht with Ranveer Singh and Vicky Kaushal? | bollywood Priya Prakash Varrier was seen posing with Ranveer Singh and Vicky Kaushal and gossip mongers have started their usual best! [L] Priya Prakash Varrier with Ranveer Singh and [R] Vicky Kaushal. Picture Courtesy: Instagram and Yogen Shah. On Saturday evening, the makers of Vicky Kaushal and Yami Gautam's film, Uri: The Surgical Strike held a special screening of their film in Juhu. Present at the screening to support Uri were 'Simmba-dynamites', Ranveer Singh and Rohit Shetty, Varun Dhawan and Katrina Kaif and the wink-girl, Priya Prakash Varrier. It was surreal to see the massive popularity Priya earned through her song. The Internet had gone crazy on a viral Malayalam song, Manikya Malaraya Poovi from the film Oru Ardaar Love. The song featured a teenage boy and a girl, who express their love for each other through their eyes. The winks and their eyebrow-conversation is something that the social media couldn't stop gushing about. Netizens went crazy behind Priya's smile and created dozens of memes on it. Coming back to the screening, Varrier clicked pictures with Ranveer Singh and Vicky Kaushal. While it was just a selfie with Singh, Priya went on to recreate her wink scene with Kaushal, and the video is going insanely viral on social media. View this post on Instagram @priya.p.varrier @vickykaushal09 #vickykaushal #priyavarrier #uri A post shared by Vicky Kaushal (@vickykaushal09_) onJan 12, 2019 at 1:26am PST Well, there's a catch to the fact that Priya clicked a picture with both Takht stars Ranveer and Vicky. There were also rumours that Karan Johar had approached her for a film. Well, time will tell. As of now, apart from Ranveer Singh and Vicky Kaushal, Takht also features Kareena Kapoor Khan, Alia Bhatt, Bhumi Pednekar, Janhvi Kapoor and Anil Kapoor. Talking about Uri, the film opened on a huge number at the box office with Rs. 8.20 crore and 12.43 crores on day 2, thus taking its two-day collection's grand total to Rs. 20.63 crores. Now, that's a great opening for Vicky Kaushal! Also Read: Vicky Kaushal on Uri movie: Feels really great when Army men appreciate your film Catch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates | https://www.mid-day.com/articles/will-priya-prakash-varrier-be-seen-in-takht-with-ranveer-singh-and-vicky-kaushal/20242198 |
Have we overpaid stamp duty because the house has an annexe? | Q Ive received three letters from a company claiming to be specialists in reclaiming stamp duty advising us that we may have overpaid 6,208 in stamp duty when we bought our house because it has an annexe. They have offered to make a claim on our behalf on a no-win, no-fee basis (Im not sure what the fee would be but assume it would be a percentage of the successful claim). We purchased our house in September 2018 and it does indeed have a separate annexe, which has two units with a bedroom and a bathroom each (one also has a lounge) the previous owners used this as accommodation for their sons and then more recently as a B&B. I just wondered if this stamp duty claim was worth pursuing and what the potential pitfalls might be Im very much of the view: If it seems to be good to be true it probably is. However, having looked at the reviews on the company website and trustpilot.com, I do wonder if there might be something in this. My main concern is that if we successfully make a claim but it is later found to be incorrect then we may have to repay the stamp duty including the commission for the claims company plus potentially additional late payment charges. JM A It is true that you may have paid too much stamp duty land tax (SDLT) because your house has an annexe. When the rules for higher rates of SDLT for additional properties were first introduced, properties with a self-contained annexe or so-called granny flat were treated as two dwellings and so were liable for the higher rates. However, the rules were updated in 2018 so that a property with a self-contained annexe is treated as a single dwelling, provided the main part of the house is worth at least two-thirds of the value of the whole property and the annexe is within the main property or in the grounds of the main property. So if those conditions apply to your property, it could be that whoever dealt with your conveyancing was unaware of the change in the rules and paid the higher rate of SDLT on your behalf. So you need to go back to your conveyancer and check what rate of SDLT you paid on the purchase. If it turns out that you did pay the higher rate of SDLT, I suggest that you get the conveyancer to resubmit your SDLT return with the correct amount of SDLT. Alternatively, you can claim a refund yourself using the HM Revenue & Customs online SDLT guidance on amending a return. You do not need to pay a chunk of any refund to an SDLT reclaim company. | https://www.theguardian.com/money/2019/jan/14/have-we-overpaid-our-stamp-duty-because-house-has-an-annexe |
Why Is Japan so Bitter About The Unstoppable Rise of China? | There used to be a pair of beautiful swings for children, not far from an old rural temple in Mie Prefecture, where I used to frequently powerwalk, when searching for inspiration for my novels. Two years ago, I noticed that the swings had gotten rusty, abandoned, and unkempt. Yesterday, I spotted a yellow ribbon, encircling and therefore closing the structure down. It appears that the decision had already been made to get rid of the playground, irreversibly. One day earlier, I observed an old homeless man sleeping right under a big sign which was advertising a cluster of luxury eateries at the lavish Nagoya train station. And in the city of Yokkaichi, which counts some 350,000 inhabitants, almost all but very few bus lines had disappeared. What had also disappeared was an elegant and unique, shining zodiac, which used to be engraved into the marble promenade right in front of the Kintetsu Line train station, the very center of the city. The fast ferry across the bay, connecting Yokkaichi with Centrair International Airport that serves Nagoya and in fact almost the entire area of Central Japan, stopped operating, as the municipal subsidies dried up. Now people have to drive some seventy kilometers, all around the bay, burning fuel and paying exuberant highway tolls and airport parking fees, to make it to their flight. What used to constitute public spaces, or even just rice fields, is rapidly being converted into depressing parking lots. It is happening in Central Japan, but also as far southwest as the city of Nagasaki, and as north as Nemuro. Homeless man at Nagoya station Homeless people are everywhere. Cars (Japan now has more cars per capita than the United States) are rotting in the middle of rice fields and at the edges of once pristine forests, as they lose value rapidly, and it costs a lot of money to get rid of them properly. Entire rural villages are being depopulated, in fact turning into ghost towns. There is rust, bad planning and an acute lack of anything public, all over the country. Japan is in decay. For many years, it was possible, with half-closed eyes, to ignore it, as the country was due to inertia hanging on to the top spot of the richest nations on Earth. But not anymore: the deterioration is now just too visible. The decay is not as drastic as one can observe in some parts of France, the United States, or the UK. But decay it is. The optimistic, heady days of nation-building are over. The Automobile industry and other corporations are literally cannibalizing the country, dictating its lifestyle. In smaller cities, motorists do not yield on pedestrian crossings anymore. Cars are prioritized by urban planners, and some urban planners are paid, bribery by the car industry. Many areas can now only be reached by cars. There are hardly any public exercise machines, and almost no new parks. Japan, which prides itself on producing some of the most refined food, is now fully overwhelmed by several chains of convenience stores, which are full of unhealthy foodstuff. For generations, people were sacrificing their lives in order to build a prosperous, powerful and socially balanced Japan. Now, there is no doubt that the citizens are there mainly to support powerful corporations or in short: big business. Japanese used to have its own and distinct model, but now the lifestyle is not too different from one that could be observed in North America or Europe. For the second time in its history, Japan has been forced to open to the world (read: to Western interests and to the global capitalist economy), and to accept the concepts that used to be thoroughly alien to the Asian culture. The consequences were quick to arrive, and in summary, they have been thoroughly disastrous. * After WWII, Japan had to accept occupation. The Constitution was written by the US. Defeated but determined to rebuild and join the ranks of the richest countries on earth, Japan began collaborating with the West, first supporting the brutal invasion to Korea (the so-called Korean War). It totally gave up on its independence, fully surrendering its foreign policy, which gradually became indistinct from that of the United States in particular, and the West in general. The mass media has been, since the end of the war to now, controlled and censored by the regime in Tokyo. Major Japanese newspapers, as well as the Japanese national broadcaster NHK, would never dare to broadcast or publish any important international news, unless at least one major US or British mainstream media outlet had set the tone and example of how the story should be covered by the mass media in the client states. In this respect, the Japanese media is not different from its counterparts in countries such as Indonesia or Kenya. Japan is also definitely not a democracy, if democracy simply means the rule of the people. Traditionally, Japanese people used to live mainly in order to serve the nation, which was perhaps not such a bad concept. It used to work, at least for the majority. However, now, they are expected to sacrifice their lives solely for the profits of corporations. People in Japan do not rebel, even when they are robbed by their rulers. They are shockingly submissive. Japan is not only in decay. It tries to spread its failure like an epidemy. It is actually spreading, and glorifying its submissive, subservient foreign and domestic policies. Through scholarships, it is continuously indoctrinating, and effectively intellectually castrating tens of thousands of willing students from the poor Southeast Asian nations, and other parts of the world. * In the meantime, China, which is literally next door, is leading in scientific research, in urban planning, and in social policies. With Ecological Civilization now part of its Constitution, it is way ahead of Japan in developing alternative sources of energy, public transportation, as well as organic food production. By 2020, there will be no more pockets of extreme poverty on the entire huge territory of China. And in China, it is all done under the red Communist banners, which the Japanese public has been taught to despise and reject. Tremendous Chinese determination, zeal, genius and socialist spirit are evidently superior, compared to the sclerotic, conservative and revanchist spirit of modern Japan and of its handlers in the West.The contrast is truly shocking and very clearly detectable even with unarmed eyes. And on the international stage: while Japanese corporations are plundering entire countries, and corrupting governments, China is helping to put entire continents back on their feet, using good old Communist internationalist ideals. The West does its best to smear China and its great efforts, and Japan is doing the same, even inventing new insults, but the truth is more and more difficult to hide. One speaks to Africans, and he or she finds out quickly what goes on. One travels to China, and everything becomes even clearer. Unless one is paid very well not to see. * Instead of learning and deciding to totally change its economic and social system, Japan is turning into a sore loser. It hates China for succeeding under its independent policies, and under its Communist placards. It hates China for building new and beautiful cities designed for the people. It hates China even for doing its best to save the environment, as well as the countryside. And it hates China for being fully independent, politically and socially, even academically. China tried playing footsies with the Western academia, but the game almost turned deadly, leading to ideological infiltration and the near collapse of Chinas intellectual independence. But at least the danger was identified, and the Western subversion was quickly stopped, just 5 minutes to Midnight so to speak; before it was too late. In Japan, submission and collaboration with the Western global imperialist regime is worn as some code of honor. Japanese graduates of various US and UK universities frame their university diplomas and hang them on the wall, as if theyd symbolize great proof of their success, instead of collaboration with the system which is ruining almost entire planet. * I remember, some fifteen years ago, Chinese tourists would stand on the bullet train platforms all over Japan, with their cameras ready, dreaming. When train would pass, theyd sigh. Now, China has the most extensive and the fastest bullet train network in the world. Their trains are also more comfortable and incomparably cheaper than the Japanese or French ones; priced so everyone can afford to travel. Chinese women used to eye, sadly, the offerings of Japanese department stores. iPhones were what the middle class was dreaming of possessing. Now Chinese visitors to Japan are dressed as elegantly as the locals, iPhones are not considered a luxury, and actually, Huawei and other Chinese manufacturers are now producing better phones than Apple. I also remember how impressed Chinese tourists to Japan were with the modern architecture, international concert halls, and elegant cafes and boutiques. Now, the cultural life of Beijing and Shanghai is incomparably richer than that of Tokyo or Osaka. Modern architecture in China is much more impressive, and there are innovations in both the urban and rural life of China, that are still far from being implemented in Japan. While public playgrounds in Japan are being abandoned or converted into parking lots, China is building new parks, huge and small, recovering river and lake areas, turning them into public spaces. Abandoned houses South Mie Instead of omnipresent Japanese advertisements, China is placing witty and educative cartoons speaking about socialist virtues, solidarity, compassion and equality, at many arteries, even at the metro trains. Ecological civilization is advertised basically everywhere. Japanese people are increasingly gloomy, but in China, confident smiles are seen at each and every step. China is rising. It is unstoppable. Not because its economic growth (government is actually not interested in it, too much, anymore), but because the quality of life of the Chinese citizens is going steadily up. We can clearly improve the life of people under a tolerant, modern Communist system. As long as people smile, as long they are educated, healthy and happy, we are clearly winning! * Some individuals are still chasing those magic images of pristine Japanese forests and lakes. Yes, they are still there, if you search very hard. Tea rooms and trees, lovely creeks. But you have to work very hard, you have to edit and search for the perfect shots, as Japanese cities and countryside are dotted with rotten cars and weird metal beams, with unkempt public spaces, with ugly electric wires hanging everywhere. As long as money can be saved, as long as there is profit, anything goes. No more public spaces, just parking lots Japanese people find it hard to formulate their feelings on the subject. But in summary: they feel frustrated that the country they used to occupy and torture, is doing much better than their own. To Japanese imperialists, the Chinese were simply sub-humans. It is never pronounced, but Japan has only been respecting Western culture and Western power. And now, the Chinese sub-humans are exploring the bottoms of the oceans, building airplanes, running the fastest trains on earth, and making wonderful art films. And they are set on liberating the oppressed world, through its Belt and Road Initiative, and through other incredible ideas. Selfies and video games, idiotic meaningless nihilist cartoons, brainless social media, an enormous avalanche of uninventive pornography, of decorative arts, pop music and mass-produced cars. Its people are depressed. I have three decades of history with Japan, I know it intimately, still love it; love many things about it, but I also clearly see that it is changing, in fact collapsing. And it is refusing to admit it, and to change. I work with China, because I love where it is going. I like its modern Communist model (I was never a great supporter of the Gang of Fourand their cult and glorification of poverty) let all Chinese people be rich soon, and let the entire oppressed world be wealthy as well! But that is not what Japan wants. For some time, it felt unique. It was the only rich Asian country. The only Asian country allowed to be rich, by the West. During apartheid, in South Africa, the Japanese people were defined as honorary whites. It is because they had embraced Western culture. Because they opted to plunder the world, together with the Europeans and North Americans, instead of helping the subjugated nations. In many ways, it was a form of political and moral prostitution, but it paid well; extremely well, so its morality was simply not discussed. Now China is getting ahead simply because of its courage, hard work, the genius of its people, and all this, under the wise leadership of the Communist Party and its central planning. Precisely under things that the Japanese people were brainwashed into hating. This is frustrating. It is scary. In the end, it is China, it is Communism which will win, and which will be doing the greatest service to humanity. Yes, Japan is frustrated. These days, polls speak of some 80% of the Japanese disliking the Chinese. As I interact with people from all corners of Japan, I am getting convinced that the Japanese public subconsciously feels that, for decades, it has been betting on the wrong horse. It is too proud to verbalize it. It is too scared to fully reflect on it. But life in Japan, at least for many, is clearly becoming meaningless, gloomy and depressing. And there is no revolution on the horizon, as the country was successfully de-politicized. China is building, inventing, struggling and marching forward, confidently, surrounded by friends, but independently. Japan is tied up and restrained. It cannot move. It doesnt even know how to move, how to resist, anymore. And that is why Japan hates China! * Note to readers: please click the share buttons above. Forward this article to your email lists. Crosspost on your blog site, internet forums. etc. This article was originally published on New Eastern Outlook Andre Vltchek is a philosopher, novelist, filmmaker and investigative journalist. He has covered wars and conflicts in dozens of countries. Three of his latest books are Revolutionary Optimism, Western Nihilism , a revolutionary novel Aurora and a bestselling work of political non-fiction: Exposing Lies Of The Empire. View his other books here. Watch Rwanda Gambit, his groundbreaking documentary about Rwanda and DRCongo and his film/dialogue with Noam Chomsky On Western Terrorism. Vltchek presently resides in East Asia and the Middle East, and continues to work around the world. He can be reached through his website and his Twitter. All images in this article are from the author | https://counterinformation.wordpress.com/2019/01/13/why-is-japan-so-bitter-about-the-unstoppable-rise-of-china/ |
Is Political Third Force A Mirage? | Nseobong Okon-Ekong and Ojo Maduekwe write that so long as political parties wont unite to challenge the All Progressives Congress and Peoples Democratic Party dominance, the emergence of a viable political third force may remain a fantasy Nigeria has 91 political parties. Of this number, 23 are new, recently registered by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in August 2018. Most of these parties are only operational on paper, yet boasts of popularity that can only be imagined. During interviews they claim to be the third or fourth most popular party after the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), yet majority of them have never won elective positions into any of the three tiers of government. Some of the parties even go to the length of self-deceit and thinking they can stand shoulders high with the likes of PDP and APC in a political contest, even when the reality is that they dont have the needed political structure and finances to win major elections. At the heat of the controversy generated by the Nigeria Elections Debate Group (NEDG) to invite only five political parties to debate ahead of the 2019 general election, the presidential candidate of the Abundant Nigeria Renewal Party (ANRP), Tope Fasua, said the ANRP was one of the top four political parties Nigerians wanted at the debates. Also peeved by the debate organisers for not inviting its candidate, the African Action Congress (AAC) in a statement by Malcolm Fabiyi, Director-General of the TakeItBack Movement / Sowore 2019 Campaign, claimed it was one of the three largest parties in Nigeria. Then the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) also, in a statement by its National Director of Publicity, Ifeanacho Oguejiofor, said it was the third largest political party in Nigeria, with a serving governor and numerous members in the state and national legislative assemblies. However, information gleaned from an Independent National Electoral, INEC, publication signed by Mrs. O. O. Babalola, a director has revealed that the Peoples Trust (PT) political party, which is fielding Mr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim as its presidential candidate, has emerged top amongst the recently registered political parties fielding candidates for the presidential and national assembly elections. From the Summary of Submission of Form CF002 for Presidential and National Assembly Elections issued by INEC, the PT is presenting 194 candidates. The breakdown shows that the party has one presidential candidate and one candidate for the office of the vice president. There are 52 senatorial candidates and 140 aspirants for the House of Representatives respectively running on its platform. Following the PT closely are the Justice Must Prevail Party (JMPP), 182, Mega Party of Nigeria (MPN) 176, the Action Democratic Party (ADP), 136, the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), 115 and the Advanced Congress of Democrats (ACD), 106. Nigerias senate is populated by 109 members, comprising equal representation of three senators from the 36 states of the federation and one senator representing the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), while the House of Representatives has 360 members. At the bottom of the ladder are the New Generation Party (NGP) and the Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM) that both have one contender each for the House of Representatives. The Modern Democratic Party (MDP) and the Youth Party (YP) have two nominees each for the House of Representatives. Four of the 89 political parties vying for various offices only have candidates for the position of president and vice president. They are the Peoples Coalition Party (PCP), We The Peoples of Nigeria (WTPN), AUN and the Reform and Advance Party (RAP). Other parties whose total number of candidates for the 2019 presidential and national assembly elections in are in the single digit bracket are the Save Nigeria Congress (SNC) which is fielding five candidates, the Change Nigeria Party (CNP) with seven contenders and the Liberation Movement (LM), presenting nine runners. A total of 6,510 contestants have thus far being registered for the elections, comprising 4496 for the house of representatives, 1856 for senate and 79 apiece for president and vice presidential positions. Dr. Abiodun Adeniyi, Senior Lecturer, Mass Communication at the Baze University, Abuja believes the issue of a political third force in this dispensation is very fluid and should be addressed in categories, though, according to him, the PT appears to have an edge over all other newly registered political parties. He said there cannot be an absolute understanding of what constitutes a political third force. Nevertheless, it underlines the factor of political character. It also depends on the time of our history you are referring to and what your yardstick is. Because it could well be argued that, there was a third force in the first and second republics. In those republics, the processes were natural, but could not unfortunately grow. In the botched Third Republic, it was decreed by the military that a third force should not be in place. Perhaps, the story would have been different. In our present circumstance as well, we may not absolutely deny the forces represented by candidates like Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, Kingsley Moghalu, Oby Ezekwesili, Omoyele Sowore, amongst others. Olawepo-Hashim has particularly being celebrated as the Third Force candidate. These features cannot be undermined on the altar of a nebulous construction of a two-party system. According to Adeniyi, the emerging forces can be represented from two perspectives. The first is the trend of the youthful and somewhat much more urbane, contemporary candidatures of Olawepo-Hashim, Ezekwesili, Moghalu, Sowore, and Fela Durotoye, and some others. These ones are relatively young, vibrant, and forward looking, besides fact that they represent the growing trend of youth leadership that is gaining grounds in sections of the world. Their coming out is sending a message to the older, traditional and more entrenched club of leaders that the future is going to change. The second trend, I can see are the equally educated, informed and futuristic set of leaders. They are older, and obviously belong to a former generation, given their past exposures. I will put Profs. Jerry Gana and Yemi Osibajo in this class. Then add some former governors like Donald Duke and Orji Uzor Kalu and you will not be wrong. We can therefore look at the emerging political trends from the angle of the individuals or from the trend they represent. Painting a picture of what a true political third force should look like, Dr. Asukwo Mendie Archibong, Presidential Candidate of the Nigeria for Democracy political party (NFD) said, the people who comprise such a political group must have the interest of the nation at heart. He gave further criteria, they must be willing to sacrifice for the nation. They must be intrinsically honest. They type of people who do not see politics as a do-or-die affair. Previously a self-effacing individual, the NFD presidential candidate argued that more educated Nigerians need to come out of their comfort zone to take an interest in the political process and governance to enable the emergence of a true third force. He said members of the NFD have a genuine desire to effect changes in the country. Again, as the February 16 date for the presidential election draws closer, Nigerians, like it happened in 2015, are torn between making the choice of what has been termed two evils: the APCs candidate and incumbent president, Muhammadu Buhari and PDPs Atiku Abubakar. For a time it was thought that a third choice would be thrown in the mix to neutralise this dominance by both Buhari and Atiku. In the first quarter of 2018 the idea of having a third force party that would stand up to the status quo was thrown around by notable political figures and headed by former President Olusegun Obasanjo. As it was conceived by Obasanjo, the third force proponents converged under the banner of the Coalition for Nigeria Movement (CNM), and were made up of a loose membership of people interested in the development of Nigeria. They planned on transforming into a political party. The idea behind the CNM, as laid down by Obasanjo, was to have a political party grounded in the grassroots, with the youths who make up more than 65 percent of Nigerias population retaining a 30 percent stake in all its organs, while women would have 30 percent stake as well. Many of the recently registered political parties with young presidential candidates gunning for the number one seat were inspired by this idea of replacing the old guards in politics with young minds and fresh ideas but failed to live by Obasanjos most important condition: Unite. This factor was emphasised by Adeniyi. He noted that a third force envisages the possibility of another group or groups challenging the dominance of the notable two. The third force is the alternate force separate from the well-known forces. Call it a C force and you would be right, but note that the C force can also grow to be an A or a B force, just as the B force became an A force in 2015. In the thinking of Idumonza Isidahomen, a senatorial candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Edo State, his party has already emerged as the political third force. His position also favours an amalgamation of these political parties, Structurally, an overwhelming percentage of these parties would be classified in the lower-middle tiers on the Nigerian political echelon. Regardless, a summation of these tributaries into a centralised political movement would be the most efficient definition of a Third Force. The possibility of a political harmonization is exciting to the imagination and may, perhaps, throw open the challenge at the federal epicenter and subsequently squeeze Nigeria out of this prevailing sociopolitical quagmire that has been promoted by the respective governments of the PDP and APC. However, Nigeria is still a distrusting society with an avalanche of vested interest in the power play. Designing a blueprint that underscores a common denominator and still factors individual interests of these political parties in the food chain, maybe the apparent impediment in the emergence of a Third Force. The former president said that the third force cannot do it alone and would have to join others to defeat the APC and PDP. From the selfish manner the remaining parties have conducted their affairs, it appears their only interest is in seeing their party logo on the ballot paper. When one traces the history of the proliferation of political parties in Nigeria, the idea of doing it solo wont come as a surprise. Until about eight years ago, the federal government was still paying subventions to registered parties. This easy money meant that aside seeing their logos on ballot papers, most of the registered political parties were seasonal parties, appearing every four years. A policy that was introduced at the start of the current democratic dispensation in 1998 and was intended to assist the parties function optimally and increase political parties amongst the citizens began to be abused by leadership of the different political parties. It became a trend for political jobbers to register a political party, then wait for election to receive subvention from the government. Once that was done, they take the money and make no efforts to win. Political parties, for these people, was purely a platform for making easy money. Not much has changed though. Presently, some parties organise online and offline fundraisers, while others are alleged to endorse bigger candidates of the APC and PDP in exchange for money. Often bigger parties like APC and PDP induce smaller parties to work with them, according to the Akwa Ibom Governorship Candidate of the ANRP, Mr. Iboro Otu. Otu believes the third force should not be seen as a one party, arguing that The Third Force can only be possible through inter-party coalition; political parties and ideas coming together because of a shared purpose the space is too crowded; no single party will be strong enough to dislodge PDP or APC without a broad-based coalition. Presidential candidate of the Nigeria for Democracy (NFD), Dr. Mendie Archibong, sees nothing wrong with the proliferation of parties. According to him, We are witnessing the growth and strengthening of the democratic institution in Nigeria. The number of political parties should not be the main concern, rather, lets be concerned about the ideology of the political parties and the quality of the persons in these parties. Archibong believes that for democracy to thrive, political participation by all viable and duly registered political parties was important. Eventually some of the less than viable parties will fall off and the viable and strong oneswill be left occupying the appropriate political space. The primary reason why several observers were receptive of a third force was because it was envisioned to serve as a unifier, giving every Nigerian irrespective of ethnicity and religion a sense of belonging. Members of the third force were expected to put country before tribe and religion. Why this was important is because political party formation and voting patterns in Nigeria before the renewed clamour for a third force majorly assume the colouration of tribe and religion. Observers believe that this divisive characterisation of parties into the tribe and religion of its majority membership is why its imperative to have a uniting third force. A third force was supposed to be inclusive of everyone and ideas, and also assimilate diverse party, individual and societal interests. On the contrary, the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Senatorial Candidate for Edo Central, Mr. Isidahomhen Idumonza, is of the opinion that among the elite class, party formation was not influenced by ethnicity or religion, but rather a selfish drive to accumulate wealth. At the top of the food chain, there are never changing cartels that are holding Nigeria plain and bear The structure that bind the cartel together is relatively detribalised Those who influence political leadership at the party level and even beyond are rather doubling down on protecting personal interests and expanding their optical empire. Otu shares this assertion with Idumonza. According to him, The major problem of leadership in Nigeria has always been the sharing formula of our resources between godfathers and gladiators. If theres anything that has destroyed Nigerian politics and leadership, nothing has done it quicker than the politics of godfatherism and personal interest. He believes that this can be solved by the newer and smaller political parties. The newer parties have an edge in mitigating this by drafting constitutions that would make godfatherism difficult. Senior Lecturer in Mass Communication at the Baze University in Abuja, Dr. Abiodun Adeniyi, also shares same opinion as Otu that the smaller and newer political parties have an advantage over the APC and PDP. Tracing the history of two-party system in Nigeria to the military regime of Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida, when we had the National Republican Convention (NRC) and the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Adeniyi said he believes the APC and PDP can go the way of NRC and SDP. That system partly collapsed because it was not organic, besides the fact that the midwife was not sincere. What we seem to be having now is an unconscious variant, which might also mutate at some point into something else. I do not also believe the present arrangement can be cast in stone, because one of the so-called behemoths is a merger, which sends an instruction on the possibilities of other mergers that could dislodge the seemingly dominant two, Adeniyi postulates. At the moment it appears the idea of a third force capable of upstaging the ruling APC and main opposition PDP is a work in progress. Not everyone think the third force would emerge as a singular party like the APC did prior to the 2015 general election that brought them to power. Otu believes that In order for the new thinking to do away with the old and for the Third Force idea to take hold, there has to be a kind of broad based coalition amongst smaller parties in every state in Nigeria, and this means different parties will emerge as Third Force in different states. He also believes that For a third force to emerge, our electoral institutions and processes have to be fair and simplified. Next would be on the youth population especially first time voters to look beyond party and vote in competent individuals. It remains to see if this can this happen this year. QUICK FACTS: * Nigeria has 91 political parties. Of this number, 23 are new, recently registered by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in August 2018 * Most of these parties are only operational on paper, yet boasts of popularity that can only be imagined. Majority of them have never won elective positions into any of the three tiers of government *The two dominant political parties in the current dispensation remain the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the main opposition, Peoples Democratic Party *Information gleaned from an Independent National Electoral, INEC, publication signed by Mrs. O. O. Babalola, a director revealed that the Peoples Trust (PT) political party, which is fielding Mr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim as its presidential candidate, has emerged top amongst the recently registered political parties fielding candidates for the presidential and national assembly elections *In our present circumstance as well, we may not absolutely deny the forces represented by candidates like Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, Kingsley Moghalu, Oby Ezekwesili, Omoyele Sowore, amongst others. Olawepo-Hashim has particularly being celebrated as the Third Force candidate *The emerging forces can be represented from two perspectives. The first is the trend of the youthful and somewhat much more urbane, contemporary candidatures of Olawepo-Hashim, Ezekwesili, Moghalu, Sowore, and Fela Durotoye, and some others. The second trend is the equally educated, informed and futuristic set of leaders. They are older, and obviously belong to a former generation, given their past exposures. They include the likes of Profs. Jerry Gana and Yemi Osibajo. Then add some former governors like Donald Duke and Orji Uzor Kalu * In the first quarter of 2018, the idea of having a third force party that would stand up to the status quo was thrown around by notable political figures and headed by former President Olusegun Obasanjo * The third force proponents converged under the banner of the Coalition for Nigeria Movement (CNM), and were made up of a loose membership of people interested in the development of Nigeria. They planned on transforming into a political party * Many of the recently registered political parties with young presidential candidates gunning for the number one seat were inspired by this idea of replacing the old guards in politics with young minds and fresh ideas but failed to live by Obasanjos most important condition: Unite A policy that was introduced at the start of the current democratic dispensation in 1998 and was intended to assist the parties function optimally and increase political parties amongst the citizens began to be abused by leadership of the different political parties *Until about eight years ago, the federal government was still paying subventions to registered parties. This easy money meant that aside seeing their logos on ballot papers, most of the registered political parties were seasonal parties, appearing every four years * It became a trend for political jobbers to register a political party, then wait for election to receive subvention from the government. Once that was done, they take the money and make no efforts to win. Political parties, for these people, was purely a platform for making easy money | https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2019/01/14/is-political-third-force-a-mirage/ |
How is oxygen sucked out of our waterways? | A million fish have died in the Murray Darling basin, as oxygen levels plummet due to major algal blooms. Experts have warned we could see more mass deaths this week. Read more: Explainer: what causes algal blooms, and how we can stop them Fingers have been pointed at poor water management after a long period of drought. However, mass fish deaths can also be caused by floods, and even raw sewage. The phenomenon is very well known to water quality engineers; we call it biochemical oxygen demand. To understand it, we need to talk about a little bit of biology and a little bit of chemistry. When oxygen meets water Oxygen molecules are soluble in water in the same way that sugar is soluble in water. Once its dissolved, you cant see it (and, unlike sugar, oxygen is tasteless). The maximum amount of oxygen that you can dissolve in water depends on a number of factors, including the water temperature, ambient air pressure, and salinity. But roughly speaking, the maximum amount of dissolvable oxygen, known as the saturation concentration is typically around 7-10 milligrams of oxygen per litre of water (7-10 mg/L). This dissolved oxygen is what fish use to breathe. Fish take water in through their mouths and force it through their gill passages. Gills, like our lungs, are full of blood vessels. As water passes over the thin walls of the gills, dissolved oxygen is transferred into the blood and then transported to the fishs cells. The higher the oxygen concentration in the water, the easier it is for this transfer to occur. Once in the cells, the oxygen molecules play a key role in the process of aerobic respiration. The oxygen reacts with energy-rich organic substances, such as sugars, carbohydrates and fats to break them down and release energy for the cells. The main waste product from this process is carbon dioxide (CO). This is why we all need to breathe in oxygen and we breathe out carbon dioxide. Fish do that too. Just like fish and people, many bacteria gain energy from processes of aerobic respiration, according to the simplified chemical reaction shown above. Therefore, if there are organic substances in a waterway, the bacteria that live in that waterway can consume them. This is an important process of biodegradation and is the reason our planet is not littered by the carcasses of animals that have died over many thousands of years. But this form of biodegradation also consumes oxygen, which comes from dissolved oxygen in the waterway. Rivers can replenish their oxygen from contact with the air. However this is a relatively slow process, especially if the water is stagnant (flowing creates turbulence and mixes in more oxygen). So if there is a lot of organic matter present and bacteria are feasting on it, oxygen concentrations in the river can suddenly drop. Obviously, organic substances can include many different things, such as sugars, fats and proteins. Some molecules contain more energy than others, and some are easier for the bacteria to biodegrade. So the amount of aerobic respiration that will occur depends on the exact chemical nature of the organic substances, as well as their concentration. Therefore, instead of referring to the concentration of organic substances, we more commonly refer to the thing that really matters: how much aerobic respiration the organic substances can trigger and how much oxygen this will cause to be consumed. This is what we call the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and we usually express it as a concentration in terms of milligrams of oxygen per litre of water (mg/L). Like us, bacteria dont consume all of the food which is available to them instantly they graze on it over time. Biodegradation therefore can take days, or longer. So when we measure the BOD of a contaminated water sample, we need to assess how much oxygen is consumed (per litre of water) over a specified period of time. The standard period of time is usually five days and we refer to this value as the BOD5 (mg/L). As I mentioned earlier, clean water might only have a concentration of dissolved oxygen of up to around 7-10 mg/L. So if we add organic material in a concentration which has a higher BOD5 than this, we can expect it to deplete the ambient dissolved oxygen concentration during the next five days. Read more: More of us are drinking recycled sewage water than most people realise This phenomena is the main reason for which biological sewage treatment was invented. Raw (untreated) municipal sewage can have a BOD5 of 300-500 mg/L. If this were discharged to a clean waterway, the typical base-level of 7-10 mg/L of oxygen would be consumed, leaving none available for fish or other aquatic organisms. So the purpose of biological sewage treatment is to grow lots of bacteria in large tanks of sewage and provide them with plentiful oxygen for aerobic respiration. To do this, air can be bubbled through the sewage, or sometimes surface aerators are used to churn up the sewage. By supplying lots of oxygen, we ensure the BOD5 is effectively consumed while the sewage is still in the tanks, before its released to the environment. Well treated sewage can have a BOD5 as low as 5 mg/L, which can then be further diluted as its discharged to the environment. In the case of the Darling river, the high BOD load was created by algae, which died when temperatures dropped. This provided a feast for bacteria, lowering oxygen, which in turn killed hundreds of thousands of fish. Now, unless we clean the river, those rotting fish could become fodder for another round of bacteria, triggering a second de-oxygenation event. | http://theconversation.com/how-is-oxygen-sucked-out-of-our-waterways-109795 |
Can Indonesia take on other disasters after year of tragedy? | Medan, Indonesia - When a fatal tsunami last month battered the coastlines of the Indonesian islands of Java and Sumatra during a long holiday weekend days before Christmas, many on the shore could do little more than try to flee the surging waves on foot. "What struck me was how exposed people were," Rosemarie North, Asia Pacific communications manager at the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), told Al Jazeera. "They live close to the sea along the coastline, which no doubt had been a beautiful and relaxing place for locals and tourists alike. When the tsunami came, they ran, if they could." North visited Java's Banten province as part of the IFRC's response to the humanitarian crisis caused by metres-high waves smashing into coastal settlements and popular resorts along Indonesia's Sunda Strait on the evening of December 22. The tsunami is thought to have been caused by an eruption and subsequent landslide of the nearby volcanic island of Anak Krakatoa. 181228091331076 The wall of water that surged towards the shore killed more than 430 people and displaced some 30,000 others. It was one of the most destructive disasters to hit Indonesia in 2018 - but it was hardly the first, or the worst, of its kind. Just last year, 2,564 disasters killed thousands of people and displaced more than 10 million others across the country, a vast archipelago that sits of the Pacific Ring of Fire and is prone to earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, landslides and widespread flooding. "In 2010, Indonesia had 84 active fault lines. But in 2017, a team of geologists found 295 active fault lines in the region," Medi Herlianto, director of emergency facilities at Indonesia's Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), told Al Jazeera. Government response Responding to one of the deadliest years on record, the Indonesian government announced in early January that it is doubling its disaster relief budget for 2019 to 15 trillion rupiahs ($1.06bn). Nufransa Wira Sakti, a spokesperson for the finance ministry, said that five trillion rupiahs would be used for post-disaster reconstruction and rehabilitation, with another 10 trillion rupiahs earmarked for pre-disaster response. 181226141337627 The move was welcomed by some as a positive step, but others warned that more is needed to address the root cause of many of the problems faced by the country in dealing with an ongoing spate of natural disasters. "We need to mitigate disasters, not just respond to them once they have happened," said Herlianto. "For every $1 we invest on disaster mitigation, we need to spend around $40 on response." As such, he said, it would be much cheaper and safer for Indonesia to implement infrastructure such as early warning systems and evacuation plans, rather than just distributing aid once a disaster has devastated a local community. North agreed. "The government put an early warning system in place after the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004, covering tsunami, flood, high tides, typhoon, and other hazards," she said, referring to one of modern history's worst natural disasters that killed more than 220,000 people, the vast majority of whom were in Indonesia. "The system still needs significant improvement - this has been recently highlighted by the president of Indonesia - given the fact that the installed equipment is not proportional to a large number of critical points that need to be monitored in the country." Last week, at the first cabinet meeting for 2019, Indonesian President Joko Widodo addressed concerns about the country's ability to respond to a crisis. "Given our disaster-prone geographic conditions, we must be prepared, responsive, alert and resilient in facing any natural disaster," he said. For Herlianto, a major issue is responsibility for disaster management at a district and city level lies with local authorities and not with the central government. He said that "480 districts and cities around Indonesia have a local disaster management agency, but only 10 of these have a comprehensive disaster management plan in place", adding that BNPB has been providing training nationwide but local disaster management agencies often fail to implement disaster preparedness plans properly. Impact on tourism There are also concerns that if Indonesia cannot demonstrate a comprehensive response to disasters, its vital tourism sector could take a hit. 181225022158260 In recent years, the government has rolled out its "10 New Balis" scheme in an attempt to boost tourist numbers by encouraging visitors to venture to other parts of the country - other than the popular resort island. Stuart McDonald, cofounder of Travelfish.org, an independent travel guide to Southeast Asia, argued that there is an essential paradox between Indonesia's tourism marketing and its disaster response. "Indonesia uses its volcano-dotted position on the Ring of Fire heavily in its tourism promotions. But when it comes to doing the hard yards investing in safety to make these activities actually relatively safe, for both domestic and foreign tourists, Indonesia is found badly wanting," he told Al Jazeera. "It seems nobody has as much practice at responding to disasters as Indonesia, which makes the sometimes haphazard response all the more frustrating. Often post-disaster changes which could reduce the chance of future issues are not followed through." Financial and emotional toll Against all this, local residents continue to live in fear. "We can't think about the future," Andi Karim, a 32-year-old resident of Rajabasa village in Sumatra who saw his house partially destroyed when the tsunami hit, told Al Jazeera. 181229081508335 "We've no money and we're traumatised. And we're scared to be here on the coast at night. In the dark, we can't see if another wave is coming." He is not alone in feeling this way. During her time in Banten, North visited a local mosque on a hillside in Kampung Sirih which was being used as a shelter for around 300 tsunami-hit women and children, many of whom had experienced natural disasters before. "I met a woman who'd had to take off about four years ago too, when a twister came through the coast and destroyed her shop. She and her three children are safe again this year, but the experience left her quite nervous," said North. "She had a sense another disaster would befall her." | https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/01/year-tragedy-ready-indonesia-disasters-190114044025162.html |
What happens when bombs explode? | Engineers at the University of Sheffield are getting to the heart of what happens inside an explosion, in a new project aimed at improving the design of bomb protection systems. The team will be measuring explosions up close, gathering detailed information from inside the fireball of different types of blast and different environmental conditions, ranging from a land mine to a bomb exploding close to a building. As global threats from terrorist attacks or from armed conflict increase each year, effective materials, buildings and other structures that can withstand a blast are vital to increase public safety. Despite this, little data has been gathered from actual bomb blasts, so engineers have to rely on computer modelling when designing protection systems. Just like earthquakes and hurricanes, real world explosions are unpredictable, explains lead investigator, Professor Andy Tyas, an expert in blast and impact engineering in the Universitys Department of Civil and Structural Engineering. Seismic and wind engineers have designed tests to predict how buildings and other structures will respond to these natural disasters, but its much harder to do this for explosions. Although blast engineers do test structures and materials to assess their protection capability, theres a lot of debate about the reliability of these tests and a heavy reliance on computer modelling of explosions. Thats because we dont really know whats going on inside the blast, so we cant tell for sure how repeatable the tests are. These insights will help us design better systems to protect people around the world from explosive attacks. PROFESSOR ANDY TYAS, EXPERT IN BLAST AND IMPACT ENGINEERING The 1.2M project, funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) will be carried out at the Universitys research facilities, in Buxton. The first step will be to improve and adapt the CoBL (Characterisation of Blast Loading) testing equipment, previously used by Professor Tyas and his team to measure the output from shallow buried landmines. New technologies will enable the apparatus to carry out direct measurements of the blast load, in both space and time, to provide detailed data on the aggressive environment after an explosive is detonated very close to a target. Blast loading research carried out during the middle of the last century led to a very good understanding of the effects of large blasts over long distances for example from atomic weapons. But these insights are less useful when looking at modern day blast threats, which are frequently from smaller, close-range explosions, says Professor Tyas. Only by understanding the complex physics and fundamental chemical reactions at play inside the explosion fireball, can we allow our engineers a better understanding of blast loading. These insights will help us design better systems to protect people around the world from explosive attacks." Additional Information The University of Sheffield With almost 29,000 of the brightest students from over 140 countries, learning alongside over 1,200 of the best academics from across the globe, the University of Sheffield is one of the worlds leading universities. A member of the UKs prestigious Russell Group of leading research-led institutions, Sheffield offers world-class teaching and research excellence across a wide range of disciplines. Unified by the power of discovery and understanding, staff and students at the university are committed to finding new ways to transform the world we live in. Sheffield is the only university to feature in The Sunday Times 100 Best Not-For-Profit Organisations to Work For 2018 and for the last eight years has been ranked in the top five UK universities for Student Satisfaction by Times Higher Education. Sheffield has six Nobel Prize winners among former staff and students and its alumni go on to hold positions of great responsibility and influence all over the world, making significant contributions in their chosen fields. Global research partners and clients include Boeing, Rolls-Royce, Unilever, AstraZeneca, Glaxo SmithKline, Siemens and Airbus, as well as many UK and overseas government agencies and charitable foundations. EPSRC The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) is part of UK Research and Innovation, a non-departmental public body funded by a grant-in-aid from the UK government. For more information visit https://epsrc.ukri.org. EPSRC is the main funding body for engineering and physical sciences research in the UK. By investing in research and postgraduate training, we are building the knowledge and skills base needed to address the scientific and technological challenges facing the nation. Our portfolio covers a vast range of fields from healthcare technologies to structural engineering, manufacturing to mathematics, advanced materials to chemistry. The research we fund has impact across all sectors. It provides a platform for future UK prosperity by contributing to a healthy, connected, resilient, productive nation. | https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/news/nr/bombs-explode-1.824754 |
Why is Malaysia struggling to go cashless? | GOING cashless has many benefits for a nation, and Malaysias government is keen on creating the infrastructure to help its residents and businesses make that transition. And although businesses in the country have made significant progress towards cashless payments, residents are struggling to make the leap. According to a new Nielsen study, 67 percent of consumers in the country have used some form of cashless payment, with debit cards and online banking being the most preferred non-cash channels. However, a very small percentage prefer to use cashless payments to pay for meals, groceries, and other everyday expenses. To be precise, while 63 percent percent of Malaysians have a debit card, 93 percent prefer cash when they dine out, 90 percent use cash when they buy groceries, 89 percent use cash for public transport, 81 percent for petrol, and 81 percent for taxis. Despite the challenges to digital payments, the study revealed that Malaysians prefer to make recurring expenses such as phone and internet bills (53 percent), utility bills (47 percent), car loan installments (38 percent) and rent (37 percent) via online banking because of the sheer convenience it offers. The growing opportunity for mobile wallets in Malaysia Only 8 percent of Malaysians use mobile wallets but Nielsen believes it represents a great opportunity for banking and fintech businesses in this space. Malaysias younger, more tech-savvy population, which may not have sufficient credit history to qualify for a card, could be more open to using e-wallets for everyday expenses due to the convenience factor, said Nielsen Malaysia Consumer Insights Executive Director Anil Antony. Given the high smartphone penetration and mobile data usage in Malaysia, mobile wallets have relatively fewer hurdles to cross before they hit critical mass in the market. Consumer awareness is also quite high in the country, measuring up at 88 percent. The number is much higher compared to other markets such as Thailand and the Philippines, meaning convincing customers to try out mobile wallets is going to be easier for companies in Malaysia. Nielsen found that existing mobile wallet users cite convenience as the biggest driver of usage, and believe that adoption will continue to rise driven by the increasing popularity of app-based online shops, ride-hailing services, online gaming, and cinema ticket bookings. However, in order to make the most of the opportunity in this space, banking and fintech companies need to overcome the following challenges: 1. Confidence According to Nielsen, security is a top barrier to e-wallet adoption among non-users. Fifty percent of those not already using a mobile wallet are concerned about security/fraud related to digital money. If the 92 percent of the countrys population not already using mobile wallets have to be convinced to give the technology a shot, banking and fintech companies must work on ensuring security concerns are alleviated. SEE ALSO: Helping Asias unbanked population join a cashless society 2. Control Thirty-four percent of the respondents told Nielsen that concerns about overspending prevented them from moving away from physical cash to mobile wallets. In order to overcome this challenge, mobile wallet providers must provide more control to their users by way of in-app and online checks and balances that help analyse and control expenditures without diminishing the overall experience of using mobile wallets. 3. Convenience Mobile wallets are only useful if a majority of the merchants in the country accept it as a form of payment. At the moment, retail businesses in Malaysia are in the early stages of mobile payment adoption. Its something that movie theaters, grocery and convenience stores, and some petrol stations accept but not many malls and taxi drivers welcome mobile wallet payments. That needs to change. According to Nielsen, 27 percent of non-users cite low merchant acceptance as the reason for staying away from mobile wallets. Although this represents a massive opportunity for companies, it means that banking and fintech companies that want to succeed in the market need to work on getting more merchants onboard. This article originally appeared on our sister site Tech Wire Asia. | https://asiancorrespondent.com/2019/01/why-is-malaysia-struggling-to-go-cashless/ |
What Happens When Elizabeth Warren Sells Out to Powerful Interests? | Elizabeth Warren Photo: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg via Getty Images Last September, I wrote about Elizabeth Warrens smart platform, which has harnessed the most politically attractive elements of the populist agenda while avoiding the most politically vulnerable parts. The concerns I have about Warren as a policymaker are not the issues she talks about, but the issues she doesnt. Here are two issues where I believe Warren has done the wrong thing. There is a common theme here: They challenge and complicate her populist appeal. The medical device tax. When Democrats wrote the Affordable Care Act, they paid for it in part by cutting back payments to medical providers. The logic was that, since the government was going to create tens of millions of new paying customers, the industry that would profit from serving those customers could contribute some of its windfall to financing their care and still come out even. Doctors, hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, and insurers all accepted this bargain, but the one sector that refused was the medical device industry. So rather than let the medical device industry get away with being the one sector that enjoyed the profit from a coverage expansion without bearing any of the cost, lawmakers imposed a 2.3 percent tax on medical devices. The industry has relentlessly lobbied to repeal the tax. Massachusetts contains a major hub of medical device manufacturing, and Warren has relentlessly championed her home state interest. She has co-sponsored legislation to repeal the medical device tax, written an op-ed advocating the tax repeal for the industrys own newsletter, and proposed a bill that would penalize manufacturers of pharmaceuticals (but, crucially, not the medical device industry) for misappropriating funds intended for scientific research. Education reform. There may be no state in America that can more clearly showcase the clear success of charter schools than Warrens home state of Massachusetts. Professors Sarah Cohodes and Susan Dynarski conducted a study proving the massive gains produced by charter school students in the Bay State. Because Massachusetts has a cap on the number of students allowed to attend charters, it students have to enter a lottery to apply. This allowed Cohodes and Dynarski to compare the performance of students who won the lottery with those who lost, a perfectly randomized sample, across a broad suite of metrics. The students who won the lottery and attended a charter outperformed the lottery losers in every way: state test scores, SAT scores, number of advanced placement classes and test scores in those classes, and college attendance. (Three-fifths of the lottery winners went on to attend a four-year college, as against only two-fifths of the lottery losers.) The gains were equally large or larger for low-income students, students who entered school with low test scores, special-education students, and English-language learners. The charter sector would like to admit more students in Massachusetts, but the state has a cap preventing more students from enrolling. A state referendum in 2016 proposed to increase the cap so that more low-income urban students can enroll in a charter school. The states teacher unions fiercely opposed the measure, and spent millions of dollars to defeat it. Unions oppose charters in large part because charters have largely nonunionized contracts, which allows them to fire ineffective teachers, something that is extremely difficult to do in a traditional public school with a union contract. Warren opposed Question 2, which was defeated in November in a vote that crushed the chance for thousands of low-income urban students in Massachusetts to have a chance at a great education and a future in college. Given this position, it is fair to infer that she would support the teacher unions on any position, however harmful it might be to the well-being of low-income students. *** Neither of these positions is likely to harm Warrens chances of becoming president. Just the opposite: They are relatively low-profile issues where a well-organized interest group cares a lot about the outcome, and most people dont know anything about the issue at all. My concern, rather, is what these issues tell us about Warren as a policymaker. She has done an effective job of mobilizing public opinion against the finance industry, which has had a nefarious impact on public policy. But presidents have to deal with all the issues, and many of them have organized lobbyists defending terrible policies that fly under the radar. Theres no such thing as a perfectly pure politician, of course. But from my standpoint, medical-device-tax repeal and the Massachusetts charter cap are especially unjustifiable policies, which makes her stances on these issues especially discouraging. And then there is the question of Warrens political profile. For better and for worse, she is a moralist. This allows her to communicate sometimes complex issues in simple and clear terms, and thus to bring public pressure to bear on issues that are usually confined to smoke-filled rooms. But it also leaves her lacking in a language to explain the issues where she doesnt have a clear people-versus-the-powerful frame. And on a presidential campaign, you lose the ability to pick and choose the issue you talk about. You have to talk about whatever issues come up. Some of them will be issues where the merits of Warrens stance are morally ambiguous, or worse. Her great advantage, and the quality that I think makes her a formidable contender, is that she has built a brand based on moral clarity. The campaign will test what happens when she is faced with situations that tarnish it. | http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2019/01/elizabeth-warren-sells-out-campaign-charter-schools-medical-device-tax.html?utm_source=flipboard.com&utm_medium=social_acct&utm_campaign=feed-part |
Can smart weights replace a dumb personal trainer? | There are some things in life that are supposed to be smart: teachers, phones, me at weddings. And, proving that life is a wonderful balance, there are some things that shouldnt be: hairbrushes, me the day after a wedding, sharks. So when I was told about these smart dumbbells, I didnt know which camp they should go into. Lifting weights is simple, and Ive never felt a hankering to chuck a load of tech in there. But these Bowflex SelectTech 560 weights promised something more: the ability to count my reps for me and at the same time connect to an app to show me what I should be doing. If that wasnt enough, they offer adjustable weight with very little space taken up in my tiny flat, so thats a real win too. Instead of loads of weights on racks, a quick spin of the wrist selects the weight you need in a tiny package. I was on board. As a runner, I often neglect strength training, but I love technology so much that this was enough to convince me it was time to dust off my weight-lifting gloves and give straining with heavy bits of metal another go, thus improving my running ability due to my soon-to-be lean and lumpy body. Theres nothing like a set of weights being delivered to your house to tell you that you really need them. The strappingly-stronger-than-me man brought the two boxes in, dumped them in my lounge, and was away. Then I stupidly moved house, having to lug these weights up and down stairs in tiny pieces because I was too feeble to lift them all at once. And I was still sweating profusely. But eventually, they were in and I was ready to get going. The smart element of the Bowflex SelectTech 560 weights was a sensor attached to one of the weights, with a little LCD display and a large play button. This contained an accelerometer and Bluetooth connection, which would link with a smartphone or tablet. That meant that I only had one smartbell (as I found myself calling it) and one normal dumbbell. I downloaded the app, nailing the first part of my tech knowledge. Anyway, I solved that and was served a video that got me excited once more about the smart abilities of these dumbbells. The premise was simple: youre told to start the workout, then the dumbbell calibrates a fitness envelope - the path it will take while youre doing a repetition of the exercise (rep), thus meaning youll have to do every single one correctly to achieve a correct rep. With loads of weight choices on offer, the app being able to know which weight youre doing when, and smart recording of whatever youre doing, this was perfect! No more needing to write down how much I lifted in a small notebook with pencil, desperately trying to work out what Id scribbled with shaking arms. 1.5?) It would all be recorded, my calorie count registered, my progress digitally undeniable. I began to quietly decide which t-shirts would no longer fit my soon-to-be-hulking frame. I've got to want it I cranked open the app, choosing what to do. I could get involved with a six week program, just get lifting, or try single workouts. I went for the latter as I couldn't fulfil the full six week program before my deadline (plus I was really tired from moving these weights up loads of stairs). The first step made sense - I got shown the way to hold the weights to calibrate them, heard three beeps and I was off. This was cool - every lift gave me a little beep, a robotic acknowledgement that I was about to become incredibly beautiful. But quickly things started to get confusing: the beep to signify the weight was at the right point and the rep completed was changing randomly sometimes at the start, sometimes in the middle, sometimes at the right point at the top of the lift. And then random reps were being added in as a result, meaning the exercise was done too quickly. I was torn between being happy that the effort was over (because I had stupidly decided to use more weight than I could handle) and not having actually done what the app had required of me. I struggled through the rest of the sets, but it was much the same. The exercises where it was a simple up-and-down motion were far more accurate, but anything with crossing over the weights just didnt want to know about, with random reps being counted for no reason. (Side note: I've spoken to Nautilus, the brand behind Bowflex, and they think the sensor might be faulty, so I'm going to investigate this. However, the fact it was right some of the time makes me think it's more just the way they work). Sadly, this followed for the next two days worth of efforts - with some more complex exercises just stopping on the app halfway through, presumably exasperated at my sheer inability to lift weights correctly and deciding that it was likely Id died and these were death throes, not attempts to put on muscle. That was one of the biggest problems with the app: it didnt really tell me what to do. There were beautifully fit people showing the rep in a little video, but only from one angle and with no direction on how to lift I resorted to searching YouTube for a guide. (I now have multiple search queries in my history along the lines of: What is a deadlift?, How to deadlift, How to stop backpain from deadlifts and best tips for great baths) As a fairly novice weightlifter, I felt like this set-up wasnt for me. I needed direction strong warm ups, great tips on how to stretch after to stop the crippling pain and how to decide which weight I should use for each set of reps would be ideal here. I continued through the week - moving from biceps to shoulders to abs to legs and back again. In terms of creating your own workouts there are so many to choose from, and thats a real credit. However, some require extra equipment like a bench, and I kept realising only once Id started that I couldnt do that one. It's all me Heres the thing: after a week of using these weights I realised that the idea was excellent. This sensor could provide a perfect record of what youre doing, offer achievements when you do better, show graphs of progress, suggest weight levels to pick it could be a digital trainer so easily. Thats just what I need - something that tells me what to do. Im a lifting moron, but I want to get better without having to listen to the muscle-bound Petra screaming in my ear about how little I can lift, while paying a huge amount for it. But with the SelectTech 560 weights, there was just so much wrong. Things like being told Id burned 2700 calories after 10 minutes of pathetic weight lifting was probably wrong. Phantom reps showing up didnt give me confidence that I was doing the motion correctly. My soreness after each day meant I was lifting too much and not cooling down well enough. So I surmised that these weights werent for me, the spaghetti-armed runner. They were clearly for an experienced lifter, or someone less lazy who would do more research on how to lift, and cool down, when you'll obviously need a bench and how to make a proper protein shake. I was happy with that idea until I checked out the price. 599 in the UK , $469 in the US (and seemingly not available in Australia) is an eye-watering price. And when you consider non-smart versions of these variable weights are half the price a seasoned weightlifter would surely just go for them and be happy with a pencil and paper. So yeah, Im dumb and these are smart but not smart enough. Bowflex needs to go back to the drawing board and make an app worthy of the worlds first smart dumbbells - theyre just too filled with bugs and lacking in features to be worth the price but theres a nugget of an idea here Im all over. (Silver lining: Ive had three lovely baths this week. Im still in pain, but smell great). | https://www.techradar.com/news/can-smart-weights-replace-a-dumb-personal-trainer |
Has the government shutdown impacted the environment? | Peter Nicholson, via e-mail No one is happy about the recent partial shutdown of the federal government in the U.S. as President Trump plays hardball with Congress on allocating funds for his border wall. While essential government services typically remain open in any government shutdown, its up to individual agencies and their administrators to decide how much of a presence to maintain during a shutdown and whether or not to furlough some or all staff. For its part, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) curtailed the vast majority of its work once federal funding dried up on December 28, with only national security and emergency staff staying on. Some 13,000+ EPA employees have been furloughed with more than 100 agency offices across the country now closed until further notice. Until the border wall impasse is broken, the EPA has no staff to continue hazardous waste clean-up work at Superfund sites, inspect power plants to ensure compliance with air quality standards, review toxic substances and pesticides nor respond to Freedom of Information requests. According to the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), the environmental protections we otherwise take for granted grind to a halt during a shutdown: Chemical facilities are not inspected. Agricultural technical assistance projects are shut down. The protection of species stops. Research is also disrupted, which can lead to gaps in data or entire lost field seasons (and huge wastes of taxpayer dollars). As for national parks, about two-thirds remain open but have limited services, so visitors shouldnt expect the same level of sanitation or monitoring that is customary. While there is no one to collect entrance fees, likewise there is no one to pump out toilets, empty trash or intervene in case of interpersonal disputes or wildlife encounters. All National Parks Service (NPS) personnel (except firefighters monitoring active burns or watch areas and essential leadership at headquarters) have been furloughed. The Department of Interior has authorized individual parks to dip into their entrance and recreation fees to help pay for essential/emergency services during the shutdown, although the use of these funds will likely slow down maintenance projects by months or years as a result. While this closure of national parks is an annoyance to Americans planning a visit, its also an economic problem. The non-profit National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) reports that NPS has lost upwards of $5 million in entrance fee revenue since the shutdown began, while local businesses and concession operators dependent upon servicing park visitors are also losing out on much-needed income. Despite closures at the EPA, the NPS and other agencies related to the environment, the federal push to open up more land and offshore waters to fossil fuel extraction continues unabated. According to The Guardian, the Interior Department hasnt slowed down efforts to issue permits for oil drilling on federal land and in the Gulf of Mexico and Alaskas Arctic. While hes closed the government to the American people, Trump has hung up an open for business sign for corporate polluters, reports Melinda Pierce, legislative director at the non-profit Sierra Club. CONTACTS: EPA, www.epa.gov; UCS, www.ucsusa.org; NPS, www.nps.gov; NPCA, www.npca.org; Sierra Club, www.sierraclub.org. EarthTalk is produced by Roddy Scheer & Doug Moss for the 501(c)3 nonprofit EarthTalk. To donate, visit www.earthtalk.org. Send questions to: [email protected]. Related Subscribe Augusta Free Press content is available for free, as it has been since 2002, save for a disastrous one-month experiment at putting some content behind a pay wall back in 2009. (We wont ever try that again. Almost killed us!) That said, its free to read, but it still costs us money to produce. The site is updated several times a day, every day, 365 days a year, 366 days on the leap year. (Stuff still happens on Christmas Day, is what were saying there.) From time to time, readers ask us how they can support us, and we usually say, keep reading. Now were saying, you can drop us a few bucks, if youre so inclined. Click here! News From Around the Web Shop Google | https://augustafreepress.com/has-the-government-shutdown-impacted-the-environment/ |
How will sports betting perform in West Virginia in 2019? | Twitter Facebook Google+ WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Email Despite having no teams within the major four leagues in the USA, West Virginia became the fifth state to legalize sports betting back in August, and opened its very first online sportsbook just a few weeks ago. The state joins the likes of New Jersey and Nevada who have already benefited hugely from online sports betting and could prove to be a real revelation throughout 2019. Adults within the state can now bet on the likes of football, college football, baseball, basketball and more, and many of the teams within West Virginia could potentially benefit. Sports betting is already bringing huge streams of revenue into those already operating sportsbooks with New Jersey seeing $238million worth of wagers coming via mobile or online. While West Virginia wont hit those numbers, it is expected that the public purse will be boosted significantly by online sports betting, with $2.45million of sports betting coming from tax in New Jersey. That naturally could boost public services across Augusta and the state, while sports clubs themselves could also see improved finances via sponsorship. There are huge opportunities for clubs and sports outside the four major leagues to emerge from the crowd, with it already making millions upon millions of dollars for teams across Europe in terms of shirt sponsorship. Thats already spreading into US sports with the NBA having agreed multiple betting partners and the NFL very open to the idea. Which will only boost betting experiences for the fans. Itll be easier than ever before in West Virginia to place a bet over the next year with football betting apps , basketball betting tips and baseball betting promotions all set to be a real hit in 2019. Once the big leagues are involved, its undoubted that bookmakers will show interest in the lowers, just as they have in the likes of England and Italy. In fact, in soccers second division in England, 17 of 24 teams have a shirt sponsor that is a sports betting company. Thats on top of the billboards and official betting partners many also have. What that does is make these deals incredibly lucrative, and that could help the likes of college football dramatically, if they morally accept to do so. Which of course is the issue. While sports betting is now legal in West Virginia, itll be interesting to see how its adopted over the next year. In terms of punters thatll no doubt increase dramatically and become a huge success. For teams looking to earn through partnerships, just as the New Jersey Devils have done, it could be a slow burner as online gambling becomes to be more accepted. However, once it starts it could see leagues and teams become more popular than ever before. Two more sportsbooks have recently emerged in West Virginia. That number will continue to rise and you can be sure to see revenue in the tens of millions, at least, come this time next year. Related Subscribe Augusta Free Press content is available for free, as it has been since 2002, save for a disastrous one-month experiment at putting some content behind a pay wall back in 2009. (We wont ever try that again. Almost killed us!) That said, its free to read, but it still costs us money to produce. The site is updated several times a day, every day, 365 days a year, 366 days on the leap year. (Stuff still happens on Christmas Day, is what were saying there.) From time to time, readers ask us how they can support us, and we usually say, keep reading. Now were saying, you can drop us a few bucks, if youre so inclined. Click here! News From Around the Web Shop Google | https://augustafreepress.com/how-will-sports-betting-perform-in-west-virginia-in-2019/ |
What are the major applications of the blockchain revolution? | The technology behind cryptocurrencies can transform a wide range of industries for the better, from food and medicine to shipping and even attack social ills such as child trafficking The cryptocurrency boom has faded for now, but blockchain, the technology underpinning bitcoin, has many possible applications and could soon save millions of lives, pave the way for a new global business boom and help combat crime for years to come. Indeed, while cryptos may have taken the limelight, the real story goes far beyond them. Blockchain is a database technology that works on the principle of a distributed ledger a record shared by multiple owners so that when changes are made by one person, all other copies of the ledger adapt accordingly. In theory, when designed correctly, these ledgers could help eradicate fraud and accounting errors, and make even the smallest entry into a database (such as which farm a piece of fruit came from) easy to track far down the line. Consider the E. coli concerns surrounding romaine lettuce in the US last year; with a more robust supply chain to check, blockchain software could increase the quality and safety of the food we eat, even down to ensuring, for instance, that vegetables have not been warmed then rechilled on their way from farm to table. American retail giant Walmart is already using the technology to keep track of green vegetables, with more than 100 of its supplier farms able to input detailed information about their produce into a blockchain database designed by IBM. Similarly, blockchains could be the key to making medicines safer by making it easier to track where drugs are from. The technology could help save the lives of the million people who die every year from taking fake medicines, or even help combat human trafficking. Once you start digging into possible blockchain applications, it soons becomes clear that the technology is bigger than bitcoin. Free shipping from paperwork Blockchain could also free shipping from the endless paperwork that currently strangles the global economy, leading to a rise of up to 5pc in global GDP, according to research from IBM. The digital giant is planning a joint blockchain venture with the world's largest container shipping company Maersk, with the expectation that simplifying the supply chain could unlock an additional 15pc in global trade volume. In shipping, blockchain could be revolutionary: there are 17 million shipping containers on Earth, of which five to six million are in movement at any time. Up to 20pc of the cost of shipping a container is simply the paperwork needed to keep track of it. Professional services firm Accenture tested blockchain software with a shipping consortium, including AB InBev, and believes paperwork can be eliminated altogether. The savings could amount to hundreds of millions, says Graham Richter, Accentures managing director for UK and Ireland. Blockchain allows partners to trust their transactions even if they cannot trust the other parties, he says. It has a huge role to play in supply chains. Kill bad medicine In sectors such as pharmaceuticals, the reliability of blockchain could save lives. A PwC report estimates that every year up to a million deaths are attributed to counterfeit drugs globally, 450,000 of which are attributed to medicines for malaria alone*. Mr Richter says that Accenture has worked with delivery giant DHL to create a prototype that tracked drugs through the supply chain, and adds that reliable tracking cuts costs, saves time and improves accuracy, and could also save lives. Preserve the real deal Fakes are a constant menace for businesses operating in the luxury sector, and blockchains ability to track a product from its origin to its destination will provide buyers with reassurance that they are getting what they have paid for, says James Robbins, chief information officer of delivery company Arrow XL. If a products journey is recorded in blockchain, from documenting the serial number at the factory to confirming the consumers credit agreement and receipt of goods as its own block, there is an irreversible sequence of information that provides absolute certainty, he says. This can be used to provide proof of ownership for high-value items, whether for someone looking to buy a classic car or a work of art. Protecting the vulnerable Last June 2018, Reuters reported that blockchains are increasingly being tested for social causes, citing Coca-Colas creation of a workers registry to fight forced labour, tracking supply chains for minerals mined through exploitation, and even the Moldovan governments trial to log citizens digital identities to combat child trafficking. The last idea, which won a UN competition, is the brainchild of the US blockchain firm ConsenSys, and links the identities of Moldovan children to other family members to ensure that youngsters attempting to cross the border cannot do so without their guardians full consent. While blockchain technology is still in its infancy, with analyst Capgemini estimating that 87pc of current projects are still at the proof-of-concept stage, and just 3pc being used at scale, its widespread applications are undoubtedly appealing to many sectors beyond the world of finance. Business logistics expert Prof Edward Sweeney, of Aston University, says blockchain is just one of myriad potentially disruptive technological developments. The key for all firms is to stay as well apprised as possible in relation to developments so that informed technology investment decisions can be made. He cites other technologies, such as internet-of-things sensors in shipping containers, as part of an evolving technology ecosystem that should inform how companies invest in ways to future-proof their businesses. Even so, its capacity to provide clarity and accountability in an instant, and to minimise the influence and costs of middlemen in so many applications, must put it on the agenda of every board. | https://www.telegraph.co.uk/connect/better-business/business-solutions/blockchain-applications/ |
When is Roxanne Pallett on Celebrity Coach Trip as the new series begins? | Roxanne Pallett will appear later in the series with George Sampson (Picture: Channel 4) Roxanne Pallett caused one of the TV scandals of 2018 after her appearance on Celebrity Big Brother led her to quit showbusiness. The former Emmerdale star was at the centre of one of CBBs biggest ever media storms, after she falsely accused Ryan Thomas of deliberately punching her in the ribs and called for him to be removed from the house. Since then shes stepped away from the limelight but shell be back on our screens very soon, appearing in the new series of Celebrity Coach Trip. The actress caused a media storm after she falsely accused Ryan Thomas of punching her while they were in the house (Picture: Rex Shutterstock) While the series may begin this week, with the show taking its celebrity charges from Barcelona to Benidorm. Advertisement Advertisement However Roxanne will not be appearing in the show until episode eight, which airs on Wednesday January 23. She will join the coach along with Britains Got Talent turned Waterloo Road star George Sampson. News of Roxannes appearance on the show surfaced in the wake of the Celebrity Big Brother scandal. An insider told OK! Online in September: Roxanne Pallett will be in Celebrity Coach Trip. It was filmed earlier this summer. Five pairs of celebrity tourists will join Brendan Sheerin on the coach (Picture: Channel 4) The line-up also includes James and Ola Jordan, as well as Charlotte Crosby and Joshua Ritchie. Made In Chelseas Sam Thompson and James Dunmore are also taking part in the series along with Towies Bobby Norris, teaming up with former Celebs Go Dating star Nadia Essex. Sugababes singer Mutya Buena and So Solid Crews Lisa Maffia complete the line-up with the pairs aiming to avoid scoring yellow cards from their fellow travellers and keep their place on the coach. If you've got a story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk Entertainment team by emailing us [email protected], calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page - we'd love to hear from you. | https://metro.co.uk/2019/01/14/roxanne-pallett-celebrity-coach-trip-new-series-begins-8341836/ |
Should parent and child parking bays be available for pregnant women? | 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 Parking at a busy supermarket or shopping centre can be a nightmare at the best of times. It can often take some serious flexibility to get out of the vehicle, when it's crammed into a tight space. But for pregnant women, who can struggle to move around as it is, it can be even harder. It's led to some people asking whether prospective mums should be allowed to use parent and child spaces. The Manchester Evening News had a look at the law, and what stores say about the issue. David Connor, a director at WHN Solicitors , said it's not clear cut. He said: Its a very woolly area of law as pregnant women are with child, but not in the technical sense. "Heavily pregnant women need extra space in the same way a parent with a small child would need extra room to load shopping and children into the car. 0+ VOTES SO FAR Yes, of course No, there's not enough as it is Youll see designated priority spaces close to entrances on trains and buses - so public transport recognises this need - but theres no law extending this to private car parks, meaning its at the land owners discretion. Some areas of law such as personal injury cover en ventre sa mere meaning a child in a mothers womb but this currently doesnt extend to contract law which governs car parking. By entering a private car park, youre effectively entering into a contract with the parking company, with the sign disclaimers creating the agreement. "Closely monitor this signage as some do state the child must be with you to warrant parking in the parent and child spaces, while some dont. Ikea is a step ahead of many retailers by offering specific 'expectant mum' spaces. Sadly, this in only in America and there are no current plans to introduce them over here. A spokesman said it would be down to individual stores as to whether a pregnant woman could park in one of their parent and child bays. He said: "Our main aim is to make the shopping experience as smooth as possible for each customer and many stores offer extra assistance for those who need it." At Sainsbury's pregnant women can use the parent and child bays, but need to clear it with the individual store first. A spokeswoman said: "Use of the bays must be arranged with the store. They have to be aware so they can give the registration to the parking attendants monitoring the bays, in case it's not immediately clear that the customer is pregnant." Asda's policy is similar and pregnant customers would need to mention the fact they are using one of the bays to staff. Neither Tesco or Morrisons responded to our request for a comment. | https://www.nottinghampost.com/news/uk-world-news/should-parent-child-parking-bays-2425482 |
Was macht eigentlich ein Product Director? | Bas Grasmayer bringt in seiner Arbeit als Product Director beim Streamingdienst Idagio Musik und Technik zusammen. Dafr muss er breit aufgestellt sein: Er interessiert sich nicht nur fr digitale Technologien, sondern auch fr Psychologie, Wirtschaft, Design und natrlich Musik. Ich bin Product Director bei Idagio, einem Streamingdienst fr klassische Musik. Gemeinsam mit einem Team, zu dem vier Designer, drei Produktmanager und rund 20 Ingenieure zhlen, optimiere ich kontinuierlich unser Produkt und entwickle es weiter. Ich verantworte die permanente Weiterentwicklung der Features und Anwendungsfunktionen. Das ist natrlich mit vielen Abstimmungen verbunden nicht nur mit unserem Entwicklerteam, sondern auch mit anderen Funktionen wie Marketing, Label Relations, der Rechtsabteilung, Communications und natrlich mit unserem Management. Bereits whrend meines Studiums habe ich mich intensiv mit digitalen Geschftsmodellen in der Musikindustrie beschftigt. Ein russischer Musik-Streaming-Anbieter wurde auf mich aufmerksam, fr den ich dann einige Jahre in Moskau als Product Lead ttig war. Als die Grnder von Idagio auf mich zukamen, fing ich schnell Feuer: Es ist hchst spannend, mit einer innovativen Metadatenstruktur klassische Musik in ber 130 Lndern fr ein breites Publikum verfgbar zu machen. Innerhalb eines Monats nach dem ersten Gesprch mit den Idagio-Grndern plante ich bereits den Umzug von Amsterdam nach Berlin. Ich bin sehr breit aufgestellt: Mich interessieren nicht nur digitale Technologien, sondern auch Psychologie, Wirtschaft, Design und natrlich Musik. Das hilft mir, mich in die Menschen hineinzuversetzen, mit denen ich tglich in meinem Job zu tun habe. Die Tatsache, dass ich tglich mit den unterschiedlichsten Persnlichkeiten zusammenarbeite und eben auch vielfltig interessiert bin, gibt mir ein gutes Gespr fr Trends und fr die Hrgewohnheiten unserer Kunden. Schildere mglichst anschaulich ein Projekt, das dich besonders begeistert hat Die Einfhrung von Idagio-Geschenkgutscheinen war ein Projekt, das mich total begeistert hat. Initiiert wurde das Projekt von unserem Customer Support Manager, basierend auf dem Feedback und den Wnschen unserer Kunden. Gemeinsam mit einem unserer Designer entwickelte er eine Methode, um den Kauf von Geschenkgutscheinen auf einfache Art und Weise zu ermglichen. Die Nachfrage auf Kundenseite ist inzwischen enorm. Das Beispiel demonstriert, wie sehr ein Unternehmen davon profitiert, wenn es der Kreativitt aller Mitarbeiter unabhngig von der Position gengend Raum gibt und Ideen direkt und teambergreifend umgesetzt werden. Mich fasziniert und motiviert enorm, klassische Musik durch Innovationen weiter voranzubringen und damit gewissermaen auch in der Tradition der groen Komponisten und Produzenten zu stehen. Richard Wagner hatte die Idee eines vllig neuartigen Opernhauses, das zum musikalischen Zentrum wurde und Bayreuth weltweit bekannt machte. Im 20. Jahrhundert haben die innovativen Aufnahmetechnologien und Plattenfirmen den Stellenwert von klassischer Musik entscheidend mitgeprgt. Heute haben wir die einmalige Mglichkeit, die Vielfalt der klassischen Musik durch neue Technologie ins digitale Zeitalter zu fhren und so auch neue Zielgruppen dafr zu begeistern. An dieser Entwicklung als Teil eines Teams mitzuwirken, ist fantastisch und ungemein sinnstiftend fr mich. Zudem macht die Interaktion mit den unterschiedlichsten Menschen sehr viel Spa. Mein Job ist unverzichtbar, weil er die Voraussetzung fr die Entwicklung von erfolgreichen Produkten ist. Dafr braucht es jemanden, der sich in unterschiedlichen Bereichen auskennt. In meinem Job muss ich zahlreiche Sprachen beherrschen die der Ingenieure, Designer oder Projektmanager und nicht zuletzt den Businesstalk. Frher hat mir das mitunter Sorgen bereitet. Nach dem Motto: Ich bin auf zu vielen Hochzeiten unterwegs. Als ich dann jedoch das erste Mal als Product Director ttig war, habe ich schnell gemerkt: Genau diese Vielseitigkeit ist der entscheidende Skill! Ich wrde mich wahrscheinlich verstrkt meinem Projekt Music x Tech x Future widmen. Dabei handelt es sich um ein Modell aus Beratung, Newsletter und Blog fr Initiativen im Musik- und Innovationsbereich, das aufgrund meiner jetzigen Ttigkeit bei Idagio zurzeit auf Eis liegt. Ich wrde also nahe an dem bleiben, was ich gerade mache: mittels nachhaltiger Geschftsmodelle Musikern und Komponisten den Weg zu ihren potenziellen Zuhrern ebnen. Ich liebe einfach die Verbindung zwischen Musik und Technologie. Dieser Artikel wurde verfasst von Lead Redaktion | https://www.focus.de/digital/internet/was-macht-eigentlich-ein-product-director_id_10179615.html |
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Does forgiveness have a place in the #MeToo movement? | Whether we like it or not, as the list of wrongdoers grows, questions of forgiveness will begin to outnumber questions of punishment. The thing is, questions of forgiveness are never entirely easy. Much Christian doctrine, and especially Catholicism, emphasizes the value of confession, forgiveness and redemption. Thus it is not hard to convince many Americans that sinners should be given a second chance. This impulse occasionally finds its way into policy; just last month, a prison-reform bill became law, reflecting notions that criminals can indeed be rehabilitated. In her book The Up Side of Down, Washington Post columnist Megan McArdle stresses how many features of American life, including bankruptcy law and startup culture, depend on second, third or even more chances. And indeed second chances are being doled out. Very recently, Louis C.K. has started doing stand-up comedy again. Conductor Charles Dutoit is back on the podium. The more delicate truth is that, in the context of the #MeToo movement, forgiveness carries great dangers. I am not referring to those asking for it; rather, I am talking about those in a position to offer it. The survivors of such abuse often feel shame, guilt and a loss of confidence and self-esteem. It is very costly, both psychologically and practically, for such individuals to step forward and levy charges. An emphasis on forgiveness could reinforce victims tendencies to bury the crimes and wrongdoings. Even now, #MeToo victims are unlikely to do or say anything in response to their troubles. They are already looking for reasons to move on. They may forgive prematurely, before taking appropriate action, either at the personal or public level. Forgiveness cannot be complete if it does not come from those who have been wronged. Yet forgiveness is not entirely up to them, either. The result is a set of conflicting and probably irreconcilable values. America believes in equal treatment before the law. But Americas increasingly powerful system of social pressures and sanctions does not provide for equal treatment. Some of the accused have received second chances, but not all: Former Sen. Al Franken probably will not be welcomed back to Congress, and Washington-based restaurateur Mike Isabella saw his empire crash and does not seem on the verge of rehabilitation. It is unsettling how much judgments of harassment, and of when redemption or at least tolerance will be offered, depend on context. There is relatively little outrage at John Lennon, for example, even though he was a confessed woman-beater and wrote the Beatles song Run for Your Life, which coldly presents violence against women and perhaps glorifies it. The song is still played regularly on satellite radio, even though it is not a particularly distinguished piece of music. Yet Baby Its Cold Outside became a national controversy. Maybe it is easier to attack a stodgy song from the 1940s. Or maybe its that Lennon and the Beatles have long had massive street cred with the American left. Spotify stopped promoting the music of R. Kelly, but plenty of misogynistic and violent songs remain in rap music and other genres. Racial slurs, not always used ironically, are common. It is difficult to outline a coherent principle for differentiating what is targeted for boycott or reprobation and what is not. Morgan Freeman is returning to his television work with National Geographic (though not his Visa commercials), even after CNN reported #MeToo accusations from eight women. (Freeman denies the allegations.) Louis C.K.s return to comedy has occasioned controversy, in part because his new routine made fun of people with intellectual disabilities and more generally did not show exquisite sensitivity. But the crude and rude have long been a staple of comedy shows, including his (dare we forget, he used a racial slur on HBO in 2011). In standard law and economics theory, the argument goes like this: When offenders are hard to catch, it is both efficient and in the public interest to make punishments especially harsh, so as to deter appropriately. In the current environment, private social pressures are producing some effective and overdue punishments. Yet there is still a place for forgiveness, a need to be humane and, sometimes, a case for rehabilitation, even (or especially?) for those who have helped to make the world a richer place (Picasso anyone?). Realistically, of course, these second chances will be applied selectively. This muddled mix may very well be the best that we can do. Tyler Cowen is a Bloomberg columnist and a professor of economics at George Mason University. His books include The Complacent Class: The Self-Defeating Quest for the American Dream. | https://www.japantimes.co.jp/?post_type=opinion&p=1693547&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+japantimes+%28The+Japan+Times%3A+All+Stories%29 |
Can pregnant women park in parent and baby spaces? | 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 Getting back to a parked car when you're laden down with heavy shopping can often be a difficult task for many of us. If you're squeezed into a tight space it can be hard to manoeuvre yourself back inside. But it's even harder for pregnant women, who can often struggle to move around as it is. It's led to some people asking whether prospective mums should be allowed to use parent and child spaces. The Manchester Evening News had a look at the law, and what stores say about the issue. David Connor, a director at WHN Solicitors , said it's not clear cut. He said: Its a very woolly area of law as pregnant women are with child, but not in the technical sense. "Heavily pregnant women need extra space in the same way a parent with a small child would need extra room to load shopping and children into the car. 0+ VOTES SO FAR Yes, of course No, there's not enough as it is Youll see designated priority spaces close to entrances on trains and buses - so public transport recognises this need - but theres no law extending this to private car parks, meaning its at the land owners discretion. "Some areas of law such as personal injury cover en ventre sa mere meaning a child in a mothers womb but this currently doesnt extend to contract law which governs car parking. By entering a private car park, youre effectively entering into a contract with the parking company, with the sign disclaimers creating the agreement. "Closely monitor this signage as some do state the child must be with you to warrant parking in the parent and child spaces, while some dont. (Image: Getty) Ikea is a step ahead of many retailers by offering specific 'expectant mum' spaces. Sadly, this in only in America and there are no current plans to introduce them over here. A spokesman said it would be down to individual stores as to whether a pregnant woman could park in one of their parent and child bays. He said: "Our main aim is to make the shopping experience as smooth as possible for each customer and many stores offer extra assistance for those who need it." At Sainsbury's pregnant women can use the parent and child bays, but need to clear it with the individual store first. A spokeswoman said: "Use of the bays must be arranged with the store. They have to be aware so they can give the registration to the parking attendants monitoring the bays, in case it's not immediately clear that the customer is pregnant." Asda's policy is similar and pregnant customers would need to mention the fact they are using one of the bays to staff. Neither Tesco or Morrisons responded to their request for a comment. | https://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/can-pregnant-women-park-parent-2425521 |
Was bedeutet das Wetter fr die Wildtiere? | 14.01.2019, 10:38 Uhr | dpa, dpa-AFX, t-online.de, sth Schnee, Regen und Eis darber meckert der Mensch gerne. Doch whrend er in der warmen Stube sitzt, kmpfen sich Wildtiere durch den verschneiten Wald. Trotzdem haben Fuchs, Hirsch und Co. relativ gute Chancen, den Winter zu berleben. Whrend in Bayern und sterreich immer mehr Schnee fllt, geraten manche Wildtiere in schwierige Situationen. Sie haben zwar berlebensstrategien fr hartes Winterwetter, doch manchmal reichen die nicht aus. Wie der Mensch dabei helfen kann, erfahren Sie in den folgenden Antworten. Lebensbedrohlich wird es fr Wildtiere im Winter, wenn der Schnee lngere Zeit liegen bleibt und sie wegen der hohen Schneedecke keine Nahrung finden. Darum knnten hohe Schneemassen wie derzeit im Sden Bayerns die Tiere in lebensbedrohliche Situationen bringen, schrieb der Bayerische Jagdverband. Bei Schneehhen von bis zu drei Metern knnten sich die Tiere kaum fortbewegen. Die Futterlager seien komplett eingeschneit. Um den Tieren zu helfen, will der Verband mit Hubschraubern Futter wie etwa Heuballen ber stark verschneiten Gebieten abwerfen. Dies sei zwar ein ungewhnlicher Einsatz, aber "Extremsituationen erfordern auch extreme Manahmen", sagte der Sprecher Thomas Schreder. Klassische Winterschlfer wie Murmeltier, Siebenschlfer, Haselmaus und Fledermaus verschlafen die Schneemassen in ihrer Erd- oder Baumhhle. Dagegen verharren Dachs und Eichhrnchen in ihren Bauten und gehen erst wieder auf Futtersuche, wenn das Wetter es erlaubt. Der Rothirsch fhrt ebenfalls seinen Stoffwechsel herunter, verharrt oft regungslos und bentigt dadurch weniger Nahrung. "Auerdem trgt der Hirsch wie viele andere Tiere seine eigene Thermokleidung", sagte Eva Goris von der Deutschen Wildtier Stiftung in Hamburg. Sein Fell besteht aus dicker Unterwolle, lngerem Deckhaar und schliet Luft ein, die isoliert. Die Gams sucht sonnenbestrahlte und vom Wind schneefrei gewehte Hnge auf. Alpenschneehhner lassen sich sogar bewusst einschneien. "Sie bauen kleine Iglus; in ihrer Schneehhle ist es wrmer als drauen im eisigen Wind", sagte Wildbiologe Andreas Kinser. Meist berleben nur die gesunden und robusten Tiere einen harten Winter, sagte Kinser weiter. Wie lange Rehe und Hirsche ohne Futter auskommen, hngt von ihrer krperlichen Kondition ab. "Wer sich das Jahr ber etwas angefressen hat, kommt wesentlich besser durch den Winter als ihre kranken oder schwachen Artgenossen", erklrte Goris von der Deutschen Wildtier Stiftung. Von den toten Tieren profitierten aber Aasfresser wie Fchse und Bussarde: Wenn es taut, strken sie sich an den verendeten Tieren. Amsel im Apfelbaum: Obst hilft manchen Vogelarten durch einen langen Winter. Rehe und Hirsche sollte der Laie nach Angaben der Deutschen Wildtier Stiftung nicht fttern. Vgel, fr die es schwer sei, Futter zu finden, sollte man aber helfen. "Das hat gleich den doppelten Effekt, dass man den Tieren durch eine schwere Zeit hilft und lernt, wer alles ans Futterhaus kommt", sagte Goris. Dort trifft man Krnerfresser wie Spatzen und Meisen an. Fr Weichfresser wie Amseln sollte man auch aufgeschnittene pfel und Rosinen hinzulegen. Anders sieht es im Norden aus: Hier sollte der Mensch eher nicht eingreifen. Rehe und Rothirsche im Norden Deutschlands genieen das recht milde Winterwetter. Bei Sonnenschein knne es sogar passieren, dass bei den Feldhasen "Frhlingsgefhle" ausbrechen und sie mit der Paarung beginnen, sagte Wildbiologe Kinser. Auch den Wildschweinen gefallen die Temperaturen, denn von Januar bis Mrz ist bei den Schwarzkitteln die Hauptzeit der Geburten. "Wenn es warm ist, hat ein kleiner Frischling grere berlebenschancen als bei frostigem Wetter", so Kinser. Laut Peter Maske, Prsident des Deutschen Imkerbunds, besteht keine Gefahr fr Bienen: "Die halten sich im Winter ohnehin in einer Wintertraube im Inneren der Bienenstcke auf." Fr die Wintertraube rcken die Bienen ganz eng zusammen und wrmen sich so gegenseitig. Der Schnee habe auf die Bienen sogar eine positive Auswirkung. "Das ist die Gewhr dafr, dass die Knigin nicht ins Brutgeschehen geht und stattdessen eine schne lange Winterruhe hat." Fr den Imker bedeutet das zudem, dass er die Varroamilbe gut bekmpfen kann. "Das geht nur dann, wenn keine Brut vorhanden ist." | https://www.t-online.de/nachrichten/panorama/tiere/id_85080546/was-bedeutet-das-wetter-fuer-die-wildtiere-.html |
What is the value of being in the EPP for Kyriakos Mitsotakis? | Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Google+ Share on LinkedIn + Its a serious question for Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who has seen the press in Greece go into frenzy every time an EPP official takes a line against the official position of New Democracy in Greece. Mitsotakis and his political party strongly oppose the deal that Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has come to with the government in Skopje, but they are up against political forces internationally who would like to see the deal go through to ensure the stability of the region. Last week, a comment was made by EPP European Commission President candidate, Manfred Weber, during an on-background press briefing meaning that no statements made were for attribution. News website Euractiv went rogue and published his statement in contradiction to journalistic practices, sending the Greek national press machine into overdrive. The news website justified its actions by saying, In our view, politicians should be able to take responsibility for what they say and not hide behind the form of their appearances: on-the-record, background, off-the-record, deep background and what have you. We published what Weber said about Macedonia also because we like his statement (emphasis in original). It remains to be seen if the journalists involved will be sanctioned, though dont expect anything major at worst they wont be invited to the next EPP event though someone else from Euractiv likely will. Historically, being a member of the EPP has meant being part of the most influential political family in Europe. You had regular opportunities to exchange views with some of the most power heads of state of Europe to make your case, and to have their backing when things got tough. But the Macedonia name issue has left New Democracy scratching their heads. It is one of the only big-ticket items Mitsotakis had on the agenda that depended on the EPP for their support to. Were talking about an issue that no one in Europe cared about until twelve months ago, except for the parties involved. An issue seen as a bilateral issue between Greece and now North Macedonia, that was the major blockage point for any advancement in the political advancement of the later. Largely, the reason no one cared is because the powerful New Democracy influence in national politics allowed them to impose this to the European stage through the EPP. But with New Democracys fall from grace, so too did their influence dwindle. And as soon as Tsipras made headway with an actual deal, the dominos begun to fall. Regardless of what the EPPs position on the issue is, with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Greece last week to pressure Tsipras further to achieve this deal, the benefits of being an EPP member have been lost. The biggest political power in the political family has turned against a member party, over an issue that was once considered a bilateral nuisance. Once upon a time, it would have been enough for the New Democracy strongman at the helm to call the Chancellor and explain that this is the position they expect the EPP member allies to follow. Instead, Merkel has a political position about a country far away from her own, that trumps the position of the EPP member party directly involved. The reality is there is also another EPP power player who got involved with skin in the game. The Social democrat party in Macedonia wants to join EU and NATO, the Greek far left wants its neighbour Macedonia to join the EU and NATO, but our sister parties in Macedonia and Greece dont want it. I want to ask a simple question. Is there discipline in the EPP or not? It seems that the importance of the issue has outgrown its national dimension. The membership of North Macedonia into NATO will bring much desired stability to the region. Lets not forget, Mitsotakis is a centrist within the party, and many have expressed their closeness with the political narrative of soon to be ALDE spiritual guru, Emmanuel Macron. New Democracies long history in the EPP is certainly holding things in place. But as elections come closer, both in Greece in Europe, everything could change under the right (or wrong) conditions. Ultimately, Borissov is right. There is no discipline in the EPP. | https://www.neweurope.eu/article/what-is-the-value-of-being-in-the-epp-for-kyriakos-mitsotakis/ |
What could happen after the Brexit vote? | Theresa Mays Brexit plans are due to be put to the Commons this week following a five-day debate in Westminster. The vote had been scheduled to take place in December but was called off at the 11th hour with Government victory looking unlikely. The moment Theresa May delayed the vote on her Brexit deal MPs continue to be divided on the plans, with a number of pro-Remainers calling for Mrs Mays deal to be voted down, and some ardent Leavers pushing for the same result to ensure a no-deal Brexit. Heres a look at what could happen following Tuesdays vote. The Government wins the vote The simplest outcome to plot comes if the Government wins the vote on the Withdrawal Agreement. In this instance, the UK would leave the European Union on March 29 under the terms of Theresa May's Brexit deal. However if MPs reject May's deal, a whole host of scenarios could play out. Second referendum Credit: PA Three former prime ministers, a number of former ministers and a sizable number of opposition MPs have called for a so-called People's Vote to break the impasse. Theresa May is strongly against the idea, and campaigners for a second referendum are not yet agreed on what the question would be. No deal Should the EU not agree to a postponing of Brexit then the UK would leave the EU without a deal on March 29. This is the preferred option of a number of Tory Brexiter MPs, which would see the UK leave the EU under World Trade Organisation terms - and with no broad agreement in place with the EU. Downing Street has dismissed this option, arguing the EU has made it clear that it will not discuss no-deal deals until the UK has actually left the EU. Extension to Article 50 The Government could also ask for an extension to Article 50 which would have to be agreed by the remaining 27 members of the bloc. The big unknown is if the EU agrees to an extension of Article 50 and there is the potential for negotiations to be reopened. This Plan B could include discussion about a free trade agreement, customs union, membership of the single market and even a second referendum on the deal. General election The prospect of Labour putting forward a vote of no confidence in Mrs May has been mooted and a general election could take place should the Government lose. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has called for a general election. Credit: PA | https://www.itv.com/news/2019-01-14/after-the-brexit-vote-what-happens-next/ |
Do we expect Mbeki to explain his lack of interest in Zuma? | If there is anyone who dominated the news headlines over the weekend, it must be former president Jacob Zuma. He was the talk of the town in Durban where the ANC was hosting its annual January 8th birthday celebrations. Truth be told, it is difficult for Mandela's nation to let go of Jacob Zuma. The former president loves every inch of attention he gets so much that he even joined Twitter. It seems the trolls just give him a sense of purpose since he is no longer president. He thrives on being talked about. There are two types of people in South Africa. There are those who love Zuma unconditionally. Those are the people who believe that state capture is a fairy tale told to those who blindly believe whatever comes from the media. Then there is the group that believes that he is responsible for everything wrong in this country. Those are the people who wouldn't get caught anywhere near the man because they believe they will most likely catch the corruption virus that is believed to have invaded Jacob Zuma as a willing host. It is almost impossible to find people who are just not interested in Zuma. If you raise your hand in a debate and say you have no interest in him, you will be compelled to justify why. You will end up being drawn into a conversation anyway. In this picture, I wonder to which group former president Thabo Mbeki belongs. One thing I am certain about is that he does not admire Zuma. However, that does not mean he hates the man so much that he would not share a platform with him. It was reported over the weekend that Mbeki is "stalling" the establishment of the council of elders, proposed by President Cyril Ramaphosa, simply because Zuma is said to be involved. The story is that Mbeki is backtracking from joining the said council after learning that Zuma will also be contributing his tried and tested wisdom to the same council. It's a mystery to me how Zuma will find time to serve on the council while tweeting, going to court, attending ANC NEC meetings religiously, recording a CD, playing soccer with kids, campaigning for ANC in KZN and spending time with his family. That's a story for another day. Another question I will interrogate some other day is why Ramaphosa insists on forming a new task team on a weekly basis. He will soon run out of people and retired judges to serve in those task teams. Mbeki probably realises that the task teams are just too many to be meaningful, or he is intimidated by Zuma's incredible intellectual grasp of all matters policy. Whatever the reasons might be behind Mbeki's alleged stalling of the council, the reality is that the former president is now expected to explain why he won't serve with Zuma. It could be that Mbeki does not hate Zuma, nor does he admire him. If you have no interest in someone, hating them is also a demanding task of having to justify why. What further fuels speculations that Mbeki can't stand Zuma is the fact that the former also did not attend the ANC conference because of other commitments. In relation to this matter, there are those who believe Mbeki needs to explain himself, and perhaps even disclose what he was up to on the day the ANC was having its 107 years celebration. The problem with this issue is not about Mbeki snubbing the ANC; it is rather about those who decided to form a council of elders that involves Zuma. This has created a situation where those who might have lost any interest in Zuma are being pushed to renew their interest in the man. Mbeki has a right not to be interested in things or activities, including a council on which Zuma or the pope serves. Even more important, he does not owe anyone an explanation as to why he is not interested. The fact that Zuma has the energy to serve in all structures in the country, does not mean that Mbeki should develop similar interests. When I'm not interested in something, that also means that I have a right not to explain my lack of interest because explaining myself in this regard will draw me into an uninteresting conversation simply because others are interested. The only thing worse than compelling Mbeki to sit around a table with Zuma is to insist on him explaining why he isn't interested in that. That's the road to serfdom. - Ralph Mathekga is a senior researcher at UWC's Centre for Humanities Research, and author of When Zuma Goes and Ramaphosa's Turn. Disclaimer: News24 encourages freedom of speech and the expression of diverse views. The views of columnists published on News24 are therefore their own and do not necessarily represent the views of News24. | https://www.news24.com/Columnists/Ralph_Mathekga/do-we-expect-mbeki-to-explain-his-lack-of-interest-in-zuma-20190114 |
Why don't doctors make house calls anymore? | File picture Cape Town - There was a time when doctors would make house calls, but with the increase in population and decrease in health practitioners, house visits have became impossible. Now there has been a renewed call for house visits to return. A healthcare platform has recently been established to help with facilitating and booking home health care. But the question is whether the country can afford it and whether it has enough health practitioners to do house visits. Founder of Chariot Health, Cameron Bruce, said: I really support this call because its my work and I enjoy what I do. I enjoy taking care of people and bringing care into peoples homes. Bruce said he believed house visits had a place in the country. Patients should be assisted to live the type of life they want. Instead of going to hospital, they could choose to live and be treated at home and be allowed to make choices between things they still want to do in their lives and where and how they should be treated, he said. Chariot Health has six doctors and six nurses and does about 20 house visits a day. It operates in various parts of Cape Town. Chariot Healths aim is to create a seamless information and communication portal between all players who are or could become involved with a patient - extending from his or her bedside - from caregivers to emergency services to hospitals, Bruce said. But medical consultants were concerned. They said there were not enough health practitioners to do health visits. Unfortunately we do not have enough resources for doctors to do house calls. A doctor doing house calls can see maybe 8 to 10 patients a day, but they can see 30 to 40 in their private practice rooms. Health consultant Johann Serfontein said: It is not efficient. The proposal in National Health Insurance is for low-level health workers to do home visits. That makes sense because they can identify the presence of illness and refer patients to doctors or nurses. It is difficult for private GPs to make a living from home visits because medical-aid schemes are not willing to pay them enough to do so. They would need to earn the same hourly rate they would get in their rooms because the overheads in your rooms continue while you are out doing home visits. T They could do it at a lower rate if they dont have rooms at all and therefore have lower overhead costs, but there are not many doctors in such a position, he said. Chairperson of the South African Medical Association, Angelique Coetzee, said: What we have to realise is that we dont have enough medical doctors to do house visits and you have to consider the costs involved because at the end who will carry those costs. She said it could also be dangerous for doctors to go to the homes of patients because of crime. [email protected] | https://www.iol.co.za/capeargus/news/why-dont-doctors-make-house-calls-anymore-18808760 |
Why isn't the ethnicity pay gap taken seriously in Britain? | We all know about the gender pay gap. In recent years, it has become the subject of political speeches, Government reports and media headlines. Currently at 9.8 per cent in the UK, there has been a growing effort from MPs and employers to try and make sure that figure decreases, and the gap keeps on closing. But theres one pay gap that people just arent talking about: the ethnicity pay gap. Here in the UK, the ethnicity pay gap can reach as high as 17 per cent for some minorities. There isnt enough research on it to have more detailed figures, but last month a report from think tank The Resolution Foundation found that black and ethnic-minority employees are losing out on 3.2bn a year in... | https://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/work/isnt-ethnicity-pay-gap-taken-seriously-britain/ |
Why is Andy Murray going to retire from tennis? | Andy Murray speaks during a press conference ahead of the 2019 Australian Open at Melbourne Park (Photo by Scott Barbour/Getty Images) Andy Murray is currently playing in 2019 Australian Open in what could be his final grand slam match. Maria Sharapova takes swipe at male tennis players in response to Andy Murray retiring Roberto Bautista Agut is currently leading the tie 6-4,6-4, 6-7, but Andy Murray still has a chance to progress to the next round of the tournament. Murray has enjoyed three grand slam wins in his career, starting with a win at the 2012 US Open. This was then followed by wins at Wimbledon in 2013 and then in 2016, and it was his second Wimbledon victory that lead to him reaching the number 1 rank in tennis later that year. Ahead of this years tournament in Australia Andy Murray announced that he plans to retire from tennis this year, but hopes to stay active long enough that he can end his career at Wimbledon. Advertisement Advertisement At a press conference on 11 January Andy Murray announced that he would be retiring this year because of his hip injury. The former number 1 had surgery on his hip at the start of last year, but he revealed that he is still suffering pain on a daily basis. It has lead to him struggling to carry out daily tasks and therefore making it difficult for him to make it through a competitive tennis match. Andy Murray has said, I can still play to a level, not a level Im happy playing at. The pain is too much really, its not something I want to continue playing that way. He confirmed that he would appear in the Australian Open, but wasnt sure if it would be his last tournament appearance. During the press conference Murray expressed his hope that he would be able play his final game at Wimbledon. As Andy hasnt been able to compete at the highest level for the last couple of years it has meant that his world ranking has taken a big drop. In March 2018 he had lost his British number one ranking after being sidelined with a hip injury, and Kyle Edmund took his spot. Later in the year he dropped to 839th in the ATP rankings, but despite his difficulties in recent months he has managed to climb up to a current rank of 230. Advertisement Advertisement MORE: Andy Murray to be honoured with statue at Wimbledon MORE: Records and despair: Tennis old guard set for drama-filled Australian Open | https://metro.co.uk/2019/01/14/andy-murray-going-retire-tennis-8342022/ |
Who left Dancing On Ice last night as the first celebrity exited the series? | Dancing On Ice lost its first celebrity skater on Sunday night (Picture: Rex Shutterstock) Dancing On Ice 2019 has bid farewell to its first celebrity as the series reached its second week. With the first six couples performing on last Sundays show, the bottom two from each of the first two shows went head to head in their bid to stay in the competition. Well, it was former Neighbours star Mark Little who skated his last, with pro partner Brianne Delcourt. The pair lost out to cricketer Ryan Sidebottom and his skating partner Brandee Malto in the skate-off, with the judges unanimously voting to save them following their skate to Taylor Swifts Shake It Off. Watching that, its amazing to see that one of you actually upped your game from the main show skate, it was a better skate, Jason Gardiner said, so the couple that I am going to save is Ryan and Brandee. Advertisement Advertisement Ashley Banjo agreed saying: I think both of you have got a lot to do in terms of the wider competition but just basing it on the skate-off, I think it was quite clear that I should save Ryan and Brandee. Mark Little vowed to keep up the skating (Picture: Rex Shutterstock) I never imagined Id do any of that so Im really really happy, Mark said afterwards, as Brianne a former pro champion on the show told him: Youve learned a new skill you can teach your grandchildren. The actor added he would definitely keep up the skating as he revealed: Skating is definitely my new pastime, its a gorgeous thing to do. Next week will see all of the 11 remaining couples take to the ice in a musicals-themed edition of the show. Dancing On Ice continues next Sunday night on ITV at 6pm. If you've got a story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk Entertainment team by emailing us [email protected], calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page - we'd love to hear from you. | https://metro.co.uk/2019/01/14/left-dancing-ice-last-night-first-celebrity-exited-series-8341963/ |
Is Joeys Burgers Guy from Critics Choice Awards the new Fiji Water Girl? | Hey mate (Picture: CW) Seems 2019 is the year of the awards show meme, if the past week is anything to go by. Last week we saw Fiji Water Girl rise through the ranks to achieve internet fame after she crashed the red carpet of the Golden Globes in a big way with a tray full of water that enraged anti-single-use plastic campaigners and Jamie Lee Curtis. Still, Kelleth Cuthbert became the worlds darling after she nuzzled her way into the world of celebrity by posing with bottles of sweet, sweet h20 behind the likes of Richard Madden, Kaley Cuoco, Idris Elba et al. Her crown may have been snatched, though, after the Critics Choice Awards provided us with the gold that is the Joeys Burgers Guy last night. He certainly has a snazzy outfit. Advertisement Advertisement Were sceptical he can win call it the biggest battle since The Mountain exploded the head of the Red Viper on Game Of Thrones but the internet was a little more positive as they had a lol on social media, after the lad was caught on camera behind host Taye Diggs toting a pizza box through the ceremony. And looking mighty happy as he did so. Now salivating for a Margherita, viewers took to Twitter to show their appreciation for our new potential lord. #joeysburgers EileenTK (@tierneysRus) January 14, 2019 Joeys burgers over there advertising. Im screaming. Amy. (@AmAdvms) January 14, 2019 While Joeys Burgers began trending (and, we can assume, taking in the dough with a record number of orders), others felt Fiji Water Girl still deserved to hold the crown for now. Fiji Water themselves joined in on the action, as they got behind their girl. Kelleth had her moment in the spotlight at the awards show, and she certainly made the most of it, serving looks in countless celeb photos. It didnt take long for her to become an internet sensation, as everyone was majorly intrigued by the mysterious figure in blue. Advertisement Advertisement Luckily, she was ready to spill all. This is something I would go viral for, the actress and model joked to Glamour. I feel like Ive been photobombing people since I was a kid. She added: I definitely think Im ready for [the fame], but such is the nature of the Internet that these things just go by in a flash, she says. If you've got a story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk Entertainment team by emailing us [email protected], calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page - we'd love to hear from you. MORE: The Bodyguards Richard Madden splits with girlfriend Ellie Bamber after 18-month relationship MORE: Fiji Water Girl isnt loved by everyone as Jamie Lee Curtis rages over viral PR stunt | https://metro.co.uk/2019/01/14/joeys-burgers-guy-critics-choice-awards-new-fiji-water-girl-8342148/ |
What happened when India last faced Bahrain in the AFC Asian Cup? | India face Bahrain later tonight in what can potentially be the Group A decider. With UAE already sealing their place in the next round of the 2019 AFC Asian Cup, it comes down to Thailand, India, and Bahrain to occupy the remaining two positions. However, if the Blue Tigers hope to qualify for the knockout stages, they must overcome a familiar opposition. For the first time ever, India have an opportunity to qualify for the knockout stages of the AFC Asian Cup on merit. The Blue Tigers put themselves in a good position early on in the competition, when they thrashed Thailand 4-1. However, a defeat in their second match against UAE complicated things. As a result, India go into the third round of group stage fixtures knowing what is required of them. However, to create history, they must first face Bahrain. And as it happens, it is not the first time the two will meet. Road to Doha India had qualified for the 2011 AFC Asian Cup after a Twenty Seven-year wait. A young Sunil Chhetri had helped them beat the likes of Myanmar and Tajikistan in the 2008 AFC Challenge Cup, earning the South Asian side a direct entry in the 2011 edition of the competition. However, the euphoria of qualification was short-lived, as India were drawn in the group of death alongside the likes of Austalia, South Korea, and Bahrain. The Blue Tigers faced Australia first, and went down by four goals to nil, with a certain Tim Cahill netting twice. Nevertheless, qualification to the next round was still not out of the question. All India needed to do was defeat Bahrain and hope that Australia get the better of South Korea. Within eight minutes, Indias qualification hopes dwindled, as Bahrain opened the scoring courtesy of a penalty goal by Faouzi Aaish. However, the Blue Tigers werent behind for long, as Gourmangi Singh popped up at the other end of the pitch to score following a set-piece. After a quick start, the match started to settle down a bit, albeit not for long. Just eight minutes after Indias equalizer, Bahrains Ismail Abdullatif capitalized on a Subrata Pal error, putting his side back in front. From then on, it was the Ismail show, as he scored a first-half hattrick, and added a fourth in the second half. Sunil Chhetri pulled one back for India, but it mattered little as Bahrain ran out 5-2 winners, dumping the 2008 AFC Challenge Cup winners out of the competition. Eight years have gone since. Eight years during which the footballing scene in both the countries has completely changed. On this occasion, India hold Bahrains fate in their hands. A win or a draw would be enough to help the Blue Tigers into one of the qualifying spots of Group A of the AFC Asian Cup. A loss, meanwhile, would see Bahrain leapfrog India and quite possibly deliver the final knockout blow; just like they did eight years ago. | https://www.foxsportsasia.com/football/asian-football/afc-asian-cup/1019021/what-happened-when-india-last-faced-bahrain-in-the-afc-asian-cup-sunil-chhetri/ |
What if cities are no longer the land of opportunity for low-skilled workers? | By Emily Badger and Quoctrung Bui Advertising For decades, workers migrated to big cities in America that promised abundant jobs and decent wages in clerical offices in New York, at shipbuilding yards in Oakland, California, on auto assembly lines around Detroit. Big, dense cities offered not just better pay for lower-skilled workers; cities offered them better kinds of jobs. This is much less true today, as workers hurt by the decline in manufacturing know. Because of this, cities no longer offer low-skilled workers the economic advantages they once did, according to new analysis by Massachusetts Institute of Technology economist David Autor. Advertising Workers, whether with a college degree or not, could long count on earning more in denser urban areas than in rural ones. Today, that pattern holds for highly educated workers and has in fact grown much stronger. For workers without any college education, the added wage benefits of dense cities have mostly disappeared in Autors data. Whats startling about that conclusion is that many economists and policymakers have suggested that workers migrate to prosperous metros to find opportunity. We dont have many proven strategies for how to revive communities battered by changes in the economy. But we have decades of history that show that Americans have been able to lift themselves up by leaving struggling places for thriving cities. People have lamented, Well, all these areas that lost manufacturing, why dont those workers just get up and go somewhere else? said Autor, who looked at wage data from the census and American Community Survey and recently presented the findings at the annual meeting of the American Economic Association. Its just not at all obvious what that place is. Its less obvious to me now than it was a month ago. Autor attributes the declining urban wage premium to the disappearance of middle-skill jobs in production but also in clerical, administrative and sales work. Many of these jobs have gone overseas. Others have been automated out of existence. This kind of work, he argues, was historically clustered in cities (meaning the entire labor market around cities, within commuting zones). And because of that, workers with limited skills could find better opportunities by moving there. Now, the urban jobs available to people with no college education as servers, cleaners, security guards, home health aides are basically the same kind as those available in smaller towns and rural communities. The flip side of all of this is that moving to the densest urban areas remains a good bet for college-educated workers. Cities offer them very different kinds of jobs than small towns do. They can enjoy much higher wages for their skills there (in addition to all the amenities big cities provide). Other research Autor is conducting with Juliette Fournier, an MIT doctoral student, suggests that the densest urban counties have become so appealing to prime-age workers that theyre now less likely to move away at life stages when previous generations have retreated to the suburbs, like when children arrive. Policymakers have suggested that low-skilled workers head to the same places where college-educated workers are growing wealthy, like New York and the Bay Area (although many have argued that high housing costs and strict land-use regulation in these places block lower-income workers from opportunity). Harvard economist Ed Glaeser, whose work has long championed the benefits of cities, argues that they could still offer advantages to low-skilled workers because of high unemployment in many rural communities. Perhaps the kinds of low-skilled jobs that major metros offer are the same as those in smaller towns but such jobs are a lot easier to find in big cities. Low-skilled workers may also find opportunities in cities that dont come in the form of higher wages. They could come from the availability of nonprofits and social services, or of training programs, or from better access to health care and public transit. And there are other ways to measure opportunity in a community, like whether it enables poor children to get ahead. The wage pattern Autor describes looks startling to many economists in part because he has taken a well-recognized divergence in the labour market between the boom in highly paid jobs for college graduates and the growth of low-paid service-sector work and mapped it onto the country, by population density. But other scholars have been studying pieces of this picture for some time. Sociologist William Julius Wilson has documented the disappearance of precisely the kinds of urban jobs Autor describes. Wilson said in an email that he was not surprised by the pattern in Autors analysis, adding that these middle-skilled jobs once offered not just higher wages but also union benefits, retirement, paid vacation and some sense of stability. Low-skilled jobs in the service industry and retail that have replaced that work seldom offer those benefits. Today, as housing has grown much more expensive in many of the cities that once held out the hope of higher wages for them, low-skilled workers face both low incomes and steep costs. Autor cant say how much of the small urban wage premium that remains in his data today is eaten up by these higher housing costs. Advertising But it is clear to him, he said, that the urban advantage that once existed for low-skilled workers is vanishing. | https://indianexpress.com/article/world/what-if-cities-are-no-longer-the-land-of-opportunity-for-low-skilled-workers-5537672/ |
Should schools be able to control what snacks pupils eat? | Evening News feature pic, biscuits, snacks, tea break. Share Email this article to a friend To send a link to this page you must be logged in. This educational intervention into childrens diets could be the latest development in the battle to improve childrens eating habits and reduce levels of childhood obesity. And wed like to know whether you think schools should have a (proverbial) hand in what goes into childrens packed lunches. Let us know by taking part in our poll and leaving your comments below. The push for healthier childrens snacks, which began in the early 2000s, has led many parents to swap crisps and chocolate bars in their childrens lunch boxes for healthier alternatives, while a seismic change in school dinners spearheaded by Jamie Oliver has brought more fresh produce and homemade meals into school kitchens. A healthy school lunch. Picture: Getty Images/iStockphoto/Milkos A healthy school lunch. Picture: Getty Images/iStockphoto/Milkos In April 2018 the governments controversial sugar tax came into effect, which saw an extra tax levied on sugary soft drinks. Many manufacturers combatted the levy by reducing the amount of sugar in their products a move which will benefit consumers as well as the companies themselves but some, including Coca-Cola, chose to swallow the tax rather than change their recipes. Now Suffolk County Council has stepped up to the plate with a recent decision to plough 20,000 into projects to help reduce childrens sugar intake. One school in Ipswich, Morland Church of England Primary, has taken matters into its own hands with a controversial ban, stopping children from bringing in any snacks except fruit or vegetables. School dinners have already been through changes to bring in healthier, fresher produce. Picture: Getty Images/iStockphoto School dinners have already been through changes to bring in healthier, fresher produce. Picture: Getty Images/iStockphoto The school said it felt change was needed in pupils snacking habits after noticing that children have not been having healthy snacks at playtimes. The move was agreed by the school council, comprising pupils from different year groups who discuss school issues with staff but it is likely to divide the crowd. Email [email protected]. | https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/education/schools-pupils-healthy-snacks-east-anglia-1-5850376 |
What is to be Blamed for Childhood Cancer? | A team of researchers has thrown light on the community beliefs about what causes cancer in children, an area which remains understudied, finds a latest research. "Few childhood cancers are attributed to genetics or environmental factors, so when children are diagnosed with cancer, families often wonder why me/why us'?" said lead author Janine Vetsch, postdoctoral research candidate from UNSW Sydney in Australia.For the study, the team examined the beliefs of more than 600 participants parents and childhood cancer survivors about the causes of childhood cancer, and compared them with beliefs of 510 members of the general population.Findings, published in Acta Oncologica, revealed that more than seven out of 10 childhood cancer survivors and survivors' parents believed that chance or bad luck caused the cancer.This led to most parents and survivors seem to understand that there is nothing they could have done to prevent the cancer, according to Vetsch.However, around one in five families did believe that environmental factors and genetics played a role, despite only limited available scientific evidence, results further showed. "It looks like healthcare professionals are successfully helping most families arrive at that view," said Vetsch.Such views could lead to stigma. Hence, it is important to increase community knowledge of childhood cancer causes in general.There is a need to encourage doctors to talk about the causes with affected families to address unhelpful misconceptions," Vetsch suggested. | https://www.news18.com/news/lifestyle/what-is-to-be-blamed-for-childhood-cancer-2001393.html |
Who really owns Miss U PH now? | 1 SHARES Share Tweet TALKS about former Ilocos Sur governor Luis Chavit Singson acquiring the Miss Universe Philippines franchise is yet to die down with a recent report on Philippine Star quoting him as saying it is already with him. This is contrary to earlier reports quoting Binibining Pilipinas Charities, Incorporated (BPCI) chair, Stella Araneta, as saying, Its still with us. She even added, We saw people saying something else, let them talk about it. The same Philippine Star report added Singson will make a formal announcement of the acquisition when Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray returns to the country for her homecoming celebration later this January. The report also quoted Singson as saying Noon pa binibigay sa akin yan, because Ive been helping them since 2016. But a separate report on Inquirer.Net said Singson was offered the Miss Universe Philippine franchise but he did not accept it yet. Miss Universe offered it to me before the event in Thailand last year but did not accept it yet because it might be an additional work load for my company, Singson said as quoted on the Inquirer.net report. BPCI has been choosing the countrys representative for Miss Universe through the Binibining Pilipinas pageant since 1964. The Miss Universe Organization (MUO) is yet to comment on the issue. (NEIL RAMOS) Related comments | http://tempo.com.ph/2019/01/14/who-really-owns-miss-u-ph-now/ |
Which games will Lincoln City red card duo miss and who will replace them? | The video will start in 8 Cancel Get Daily updates directly to your inbox Subscribe Thank you for subscribing See our privacy notice Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email Lincoln City pair Bruno Andrade and Jason Shackell will be hit with immediate suspensions following their red cards in Saturdays 2-2 draw at Swindon. Andrade was shown a straight red card for stamping on Kyle Knoyle off the ball in the first half, while Shackell was dismissed after picking up a second yellow card in the aftermath of Swindons first goal. As Andrades actions were regarded as violent conduct, he will serve a three-match suspension and will miss Saturdays Lincolnshire derby against Grimsby Town, the midweek trip to Yeovil Town on January 22 and the top-of-the-table clash at Bury on January 26. Meanwhile, Shackell will serve a one-match ban and will sit out the game against Grimsby. Danny Cowleys squad was already down to 19 players one of the smallest in League Two and the looming bans for Andrade and Shackell will stretch his options even further. As it stands, Tom Pett, who impressed on the left flank during Andrades injury-induced spell out of the side, would be the prime candidate to come in. However, Cowley is looking to strengthen his options in wide areas during the January transfer window, so we could see a new face on the left flank before Andrade is available again. (Image: CameraSport - Andrew Vaughan) The prime candidate to replace Shackell is Scott Wharton, who came on against Swindon. Like Shackell, Wharton is a left-sided central defender, so it would be a like-for-like replacement. While Wharton is on a season-long loan deal, parent club Blackburn are weighing up whether to recall him this month due to his lack of game time this season. Another option is James Wilson, although he seems to be some way down the pecking order at present. Central defence is another area Cowley could strengthen in this month. | https://www.lincolnshirelive.co.uk/sport/games-lincoln-city-red-card-2425859 |
Is Apple's Problem In China The Economy Or Simply A Loss Of Market Share? | At the end of the first day of trading in the New Year, Apple announced that it was cutting its revenue guidance. Tim Cook, Apples CEO, blamed a slowing Chinese economy and the impact of the trade war between the U.S. and China for the reduced guidance. In a letter to investors, Cook said: While we anticipated some challenges in key emerging markets, we did not foresee the magnitude of the economic deceleration, particularly in Greater China Chinas economy began to slow in the second half of 2018. The government-reported GDP growth during the September quarter was the second lowest in the last 25 years. While China is Apples third-largest market by sales, there are growing signs that the companys market share has slipped badly in recent years. Both were early leaders in mobile phones, not only in China, but also globally. Neither company exists today. The remnants of Motorola were purchased by Lenovo in 2014, and Nokia was purchased by Microsoft in 2013. Even big, successful companies can and do fail. It happens all of the time, particularly when strong market forces are at work like those in China today. With respect to Chinas economy, it is true that GDP growth is slowing, but the magnitude of the economic deceleration is not nearly as large as Cook suggests. In the final quarter of 2017 and the first quarter of 2018, Chinas economy grew by 6.8%. From there, it fell to 6.7% in the second quarter, and 6.5% in the third quarter, which happens to be Chinas official, published growth target for the entire year. For 2019, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has predicted that Chinas economy would grow by 6.2%, down from an earlier forecast of 6.4%, citing the negative effect of recent tariff actions. While tariffs may take 0.2 percentage points off of Chinas growth rate in 2019, the impact of the trade war in 2018 has been more psychological in nature. Due to negative investor sentiment caused by trade tensions, the yuan, Chinas currency, is lower by about 8% against the U.S. dollar, and the Shanghai Stock Exchange closed the year 25% lower, its worst performance in 10 years. Meanwhile, in the real economy, exports to the U.S. have increased by 8% through October, the latest month for which data is available. Also, Chinas overall export growth accelerated from 9.8% in August to 14.5% in September, with analysts predicting that exports will have expanded by 8.7% for all of 2018. Rather than the trade war dragging down Chinas economy in 2018 as Cook suggests, the deleveraging campaign that China began implementing in late 2017 is the major cause of the slowdown. In order to de-risk its financial sector, China has been restricting the overall growth in credit. This, in turn, has led to fewer loans available for corporations; the collapse of many online lending platforms; a greatly reduced level of margin debt; and a dramatic decline in shadow lending. Its quite simple: more and more local competitors have come on the scene, and every year they, as a group, are producing more and better smartphones that are more affordable and that Chinese consumers want to buy. As in most industries these days, the China smartphone market is one of the largest in the world. In 2017, there were approximately 660 million smartphone users in China, about one-third of the two billion users worldwide. In that year, there were 454.4 million smartphones shipped in the country, which means that Chinese users are replacing their smartphones about every 18 months. Therefore, having new models and features is important. Of the smartphones shipped in China in 2017, Huawei was the clear leader, shipping 102 million units, followed by OPPO and Vivo, with shipments of 77.6 million and 72.2 million units, respectively. Apple was fourth with shipments of 51.1 million units, followed closely by Xiaomi with 50.1 million units. The top five companies accounted for 78% of the China market. In 2015, a large number of new smartphone companies and models came onto the market, and consumers responded to the greater number of choices available by dramatically increasing phone purchases. With more competition and an expanded market, Apples market share declined from its peak of 13.6% in 2015 to 9.6% in 2016. In both 2016 and 2017, smartphone shipments by Huawei, OPPO and Vivo increased dramatically and their market shares expanded. Xiaomis market share slipped in 2016, but increased significantly in 2017. Meanwhile, Apples shipments have been relatively flat during this period, causing its market share to drift lower to 9.3% by the end of 2017. In the third quarter of 2018, Huawei, OPPO and Vivo all increased unit sales over the second quarter Vivo by 14%, OPPO by 7.5% and Huawei by 6.6%. Xiaomis unit sales slipped by 4%, while Apple registered a 10% decrease. Chinese consumers are still buying smartphones they just arent buying Apples! One of Apples problems is that its smartphones are at the high end of the market in terms of price, and this is especially challenging in China where consumers have a fundamentally different and lower cost perspective than consumers in the U.S. Counterpoint, a technology research firm, has estimated that Apple has 79% of the global market for phones priced at over $800. In China, Apple had 65% of the $600 and above segment, but only 11% of the market for handsets priced from $400 to $600. With Chinese consumers emphasis on affordability, and with smartphone users trading in their phones every 18 months, the market for lower priced phones is clearly growing much faster than the premium segment. Chinas lower cost perspective, in combination with the way in which the country has developed, has created two markets in the country a purely local market that is characterized by domestic manufacturers with lower priced phones with fewer features, and a higher priced segment that has both foreign and local brands offering phones with more features and better technology. Two key characteristics of Chinas purely local market is that first, it keeps growing, and that secondly, the local companies dont just stand still. Many improve their quality and technology. Apple has clearly been focused on the foreign/local market where it is at a comparable price point with Samsung. Meanwhile, the companies competing in the purely local market for smartphones have been growing their sales and developing their products. Just like in appliances, passenger cars and almost every other product being made in China today, local companies are making better products that are also more affordable than those made by their international competitors. Among the local companies, for example, Huawei is leading the way in the development of 5G technology, an area where Apple has lagged. The ultimate challenge for Apple will occur when the Chinese smartphone makers take their more affordable products and begin to compete in Apples markets outside China. In summary, Apples problem in China is not simply a slowing Chinese economy as Cook suggests. Smartphone shipments in China have been falling for at least six quarters. With an already high smartphone penetration rate, the market is saturated, and Chinese consumers have been watching and waiting for the development of new features like 5G. With respect to Apple itself, the companys products are too high priced for the bulk of the China market where the competition is only getting stronger. Finally, in a market, where users are constantly upgrading their phones, Apple has not done a particularly good job as far as introducing new products and innovations. The net result has been a significant loss of market share in the worlds largest market for smartphones. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/jackperkowski/2019/01/14/is-apples-problem-in-china-the-economy-or-simply-a-loss-of-market-share/ |
Is Anti-Trump Hysteria America's Most Ridiculous Moment? | Sure, they'll probably be replaced by a new crop of young, left-wing idealists at some point down the road, but like the generation of hippies before them who later ushered in Reagan-era conservatism, the modern SJW may simply wake up one day and realize that there are far scarier things in this world than President Trump. I don't have a crystal ball, but you don't need one to know that, ten or twenty years hence, President Trump will not be remembered as " literally Hitler ." The now-coming-of-age SJWs who quake in fear at night over Trump's rhetoric will get older and will eventually redirect their energies into more productive activities like a career and family. That's what anti-Trump hysteria is: our most ridiculous moment as a nation. These puppets at the end of the strings just don't know it yet. To pretend all of these theatrics are happening because Donald Trump is actually some right-wing radical should be laughable. Consider the facts. First, there's the border security issue. The hottest-selling snake oil peddled by Democrats is that Trump is a racist for wanting to take measures to strengthen border security and enforce federal laws. But until recently, nearly all Democrats advocated the same thing. Despite his executive orders to undermine federal immigration laws during his presidency, Barack Obama said in 2006 that "we cannot allow people to pour into the U.S. undetected, undocumented, and unchecked. Americans are right to demand better border security." It was reasonable then, as was Nancy Pelosi's and Chuck Schumer's support for a border "fence" in 2006, and no activists felt to urge to scream at the sky over it. But when Trump says the same thing, these SJWs lose their minds. They, you see, know far better than these victim groups they speak for just how dangerous Trump is, and how much minorities really fear this kind of rhetoric. But here are some fun facts when it comes to Trump's campaign and presidency. A greater percentage of the Hispanic, black, and Asian racial demographics voted for Trump than Mitt Romney, meaning that Trump is actually more attractive to minority voters than the more traditional Republicans who'd run before him. And where the data exist, they show that minority support is increasing with his presidency. Trump offered a better economy, fueled by reduced regulation and lower taxes, which would allow more individuals within all communities to thrive. Broadly, he offered a promise that he would seek to cauterize the massive influx of illegal alien trespassers who compete for wages in unskilled labor markets, who, additionally, take advantage of taxpayer-funded education, or social programs like welfare which are designed to uniquely benefit American citizens, not non-citizens. "What do you have to lose?" Trump asked the black community. He then won an 8% share of the black vote in 2016. That's not much, but it's about 33% higher than Mitt Romney enjoyed in 2012. Since, his approval rating among blacks has leapt higher. Perhaps due to a black unemployment rate that is lower than ever since it began being tracked by the Department of Labor in 1972, or due to support from Kanye West and rising conservative stars like Candace Owens, Trump now enjoys, as of two months ago, polling data showing support as high as 40% (Rasmussen). As Victor Davis Hanson writes in the Washington Post, even "20 percent African-American support for Mr. Trump would all but dismantle Democratic Party hopes for 2020." Media talking heads tell us so, but the data say otherwise. Twenty-nine percent of Latinos voted for Trump in 2016, two points more than Romney, and they, too, are warming up to President Trump. As of October, he enjoyed approval ratings of up to 41% versus "Barack Obama's 49% approval rating among the same demographic at roughly the same time in his presidency," laments Leon Krauze at Slate. Well, he held this same position in the campaign, and nearly three times as many Muslims voted for Trump than Romney. Not to put too fine a point on this, but it wasn't Trump's being a right-wing radical that won him the election. It was lower-income, moderate Democrats who ultimately secured his presidency in 2016, not the wealthy or the right-wing fringe, as so many leftists believe. Consider this. Romney won 54% of the $100K-plus income demographic in 2012, while getting just 38% of the greater than $50K-earners. Trump, on the other hand, won only 47% of the $100K-plus-earners, but 41% of the greater than $50K-earners (hint: there are a lot more of the latter). Perhaps most importantly, his campaign rhetoric was attractive to Democrat voters in Blue Wall states like Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Indiana, and Michigan because he campaigned on a desire to protect industry, via tariffs, in these highly unionized states (Trump won 4% more support from union members in 2016 than Romney in 2012 and perhaps even did better than Reagan in courting unions). Entitlement reform, it should be noted, was not on his to-do list. He was adamant that America needs more, not less, spending on infrastructure. These are traditionally Democrat positions, which he employed to win their votes. In other words, Trump was so balanced a candidate that he not only spoke to much of the traditionally Republican base, but caused a political defection from many moderate Democrats. And not only did he win a greater share of votes among the coveted minority demographics whom Democrats had believed to be perennial Democrat voters for decades to come, but his support among those demographics is increasing. With all of that in mind, it's understandable that young, crazily idealistic SJWs are frustrated by the fact that the rest of America doesn't tilt at their windmills. Their response is to childishly scream at the sky and crawl into their safe spaces, emerging occasionally to assert that Trump is a Nazi. There's evidence that they've already begun to do so. Over the last two years, support for Democrats among Millennials has plunged by nearly ten points. Perhaps an Investor's Business Daily editorial sums up the reason for this best: [A] funny thing happened over the last two years. The millennial generation started growing up. Here's hoping they continue on that path. William Sullivan blogs at Political Palaver and can be followed on Twitter. | https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2019/01/is_antitrump_hysteria_americas_most_ridiculous_moment.html |
Can President Cyril Ramaphosa save South Africa? | Cheryl Hendricks, Human Sciences Research Council As South Africa heads for the polls in a few months time in its sixth democratic election, political party electioneering has begun in earnest. President Cyril Ramaphosa kick started the governing African National Congresss (ANCs) election campaign in his January 8th Statement celebrating 107 years since the birth of the liberation movement. This campaign continued with the launch of the ANCs manifesto at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in KwaZulu-Natal on January 12. An estimated 80 000 ANC members and supporters attended the launch. The ANC declared 2019 the year for united action to grow South Africa. This year sees a continuation of the dominant themes of unity, hope and renewal, for both the troubled ANC and South Africa, which Ramaphosa has reiterated since he assumed the presidency in February 2018. Ramaphosa noted that he was presenting a plan: that we have forged together to respond to the challenges of unemployment, inequality and poverty. South Africas political parties 285 are contesting the elections will soon be providing the country with their priorities and plans. The key question will be which plan is robust enough to turn the country around from the trajectory of despair that overwhelmed it under former president Jacob Zuma. The same applies to the ANC. It wont be easy. The roar of support for Zuma as he left the stadium is a telling sign of the deep divisions within the ANC, despite the shows of solidarity. Its still an open question as to whether its change in leadership is enough to ensure that the party and the country doesnt make a u-turn and head back towards the path of despair. For now, all the right noises are being made to, as Ramaphosa put it, restore our democratic institutions and return our country to a path of transformation, growth and development. But the ANC still needs to develop the toolbox for mobilisation and implementation to get this done. The vision articulated by Ramaphosa has the seeds for galvanising South Africans to get back on the right path. It urgently needs a plan to make it happen. The commitments The Rainbow nation seems to have revealed all its ugly stripes over the past few years: a rise in incidents of racism, tribalism, xenophobia, factionalism and continued high levels of gender-based violence. This has necessitated the emphasis on unity, non-racialism, equality and managed migration that echo in Ramaphosas statements. Its bold of him to want to put the country back on the principled path of non-racialism amid a rising race-based populism. But calling on South Africans to abide by the principle isnt enough. Making this long standing principle a lived reality, when race still largely defines where South Africans live and work and their lifes chances, is a big task. As Ramaphosa notes the promise of freedom is yet to be realised for so many of our people. The core of the ANCs plan revolves around the building of a developmental state that will create inclusive growth, stimulate investment, create jobs and drive infrastructure development. It also seeks to provide for skills development, progressive free higher education and access to health care. Its also promising to facilitate redistribution through land expropriation and compensation. And its committing itself to strengthening governance and service delivery through reclaiming state enterprises and government institutions. There is nothing really new here. The ANC has been making these promises since it came to power 25 years ago. This may indeed be the glue the country needs for citizens to all begin to work together to achieve these laudable goals. But, again, proclaiming it will not make it happen. The country needs to have many local dialogues in all its nine provinces that can develop a new charter for South Africans to live by. A plan that emanates from the people, for the people. I am encouraged by the strong stance against gender-based violence in Ramaphosas manifesto statement. But the ANC now needs to figure out how it is going to make sure that the pledge to stop the scourge will go further than the show of solidarity at the stadium. Every man and woman in South Africa should make a monthly pledge to uphold the human rights and safety of all citizens and prevent gender based violence. Citizens need to hold one another to account for its implementation. Only when the scourge of this violence has been eradicated will South Africans be able to meaningfully begin to speak of equality and dignity for all. This is not something the ANC can do on its own, it needs the whole of society. If globally and across the continent South Africa wants to champion the transformation of multilateral institutions, silence the guns and achieve womens security, it needs a plan that can provide it with the national credibility and legitimacy to do so. The elephant in the room is whether or not the ANC can overcome its divisions to deliver effectively. Cheryl Hendricks, Executive director, Africa Institute of South Africa, Human Sciences Research Council This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. | https://www.thesouthafrican.com/can-president-cyril-ramaphosa-save-south-africa/ |
How NHS in Northumberland is dealing with winter pressures so far? | Northumberlands emergency hospital has hit its performance target for A&E waiting times so far this winter for the first time in three years. In quarter three of this year, from October to December, Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust met the mark for 95 per cent of emergency-department patients being seen within four hours. This followed decent, above-target performances in quarters one and two this year, meaning an overall trend of improvement compared to 2017-18 and 2016-17. The monthly figures have fluctuated, with December missing the 95 per cent mark, but this is against a backdrop of having seen 10,000 extra patients so far in 2018-19 a rise of 7.4 per cent. Northumberland County Councils health and wellbeing committee meeting last Tuesday (January 8) also heard during a winter planning update how reset days in December had worked well for the areas hospitals. December 12 and 13 saw staff only focus on clinical work that would add value, resulting in bed occupancy dropping to 73 per cent; nationally, a target of under 85 per cent has been set this winter to try to help NHS trusts cope with additional winter pressures. A fortnight of reset days this month are not likely to have as much of an impact though, as all of the patients who can go home have already done so, councillors were told. However, despite the good news, Northumbria Healthcares chief operating officer, Helen Ray, recognised that this winter has not been very severe yet and the worst could still be to come. Plus, several risks remain, including staff shortages, home-care provision and patient transfer, with work ongoing to mitigate them. Nursing gaps remain a concern, with North Tyneside described as a hotspot, although staffing has always been at a level which is safe, while the length of stay at Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital, in Cramlington, is drifting. Ambulance flows remains an issue too, with up to 130 a day visiting the Northumbria. Yesterday (Monday, January 7), we had some extremely long and unacceptable waits, Mrs Ray said. In the primary-care sector, NHS Northumberland CCG arranged for 1,000 extra extended-hours GP appointments to be made available in December, with around 700 being taken up. However, none of the additional appointments were used on Sunday, December 23 or 30. Ben O'Connell, Local Democracy Reporting Service | https://www.morpethherald.co.uk/news/how-nhs-in-northumberland-is-dealing-with-winter-pressures-so-far-1-9531802 |
Should I really delete Facebook? | Thanks to a combination of self-owns as well as a management structure focused around the decisions of a single man, Facebook has not had a good few years. Faced with a whirlwind of issues from the propagation of fake news, suicides and murders on Facebook Live, abuse of its advertising system to data leaks and reports of social media use affecting mental health each response has been deficient, tone deaf and weak. It took a very long time for Facebook to even admit that its actions as a platform were part of the problem, and Zuckerbergs grossly nave, plainly faux puppy face that he just wants to connect the world doesnt really solve any of the large and growing issues that Facebook is experiencing. The fact of the matter is, when your social network is used by a third of the entire world, several things are going to happen. People will take advantage of the severe lack of knowledge most users will have around privacy and access to their data, others will treat the user base as the most accessible targets of scamming in history, and what used to be small insular pockets of the world with contained regional conflicts will now be much more easily exploited. Humans have carefully attempted to craft a world order after centuries of enormous death and suffering on a global scale, and while not perfect, several countries have been able to build systems that allow a basic level of coexistence. Everything in one place What makes Facebook so untenable is that it has proven an inability to control or manage its insane growth. In the past ten years it has gone from millions of users to billions of users, from a simple website to apps, ads, messaging, shopping, publishing, donating and VR. The site and apps are changed and updated daily, with hundreds of algorithms rapidly developing and changing what information is shown to where, and to who. Never has a single company had such incredible control over the content shown to billions of people daily, without any oversight, regulation or active moderation. Consider the drama and fines when a single breast was shown on national television in the US during the super bowl a few years back, and yet Facebook escaped blameless when a spate of suicides and murders were shown on Facebook Live. Its this lack of control that causes almost every major issue the Cambridge Analytica data leak, election tampering, advertising manipulation with traditional tech fixes, such as more algorithms, easily subverted by real people with much more creative methods to subvert these safeguards. There is just too much information flooding onto Facebook every second, too many unmoderated groups, public and private, too many easy methods to create authentic spoof accounts to fleece people out of their money. Thousands if not millions of jobs, small businesses and large companies rely on Facebook for communication. Local governments with little money can now reach vast numbers of constituents. Information that was once extortionately expensive to market is now significantly cheaper, interactive and shareable. Everyone has a story about how they rekindled old relationships, created new ones or managed to keep up with overseas relatives easily via Facebook. The network itself, at its core, is not evil. But its structure is far too large to avoid being subject to subversion, its operating team too arrogant and selfish to admit that it has no idea how to deal with whats happening right now. The answer depends wholly on what you use it for. At the very least, it's worth logging into your settings on mobile and desktop and checking your privacy Facebook offers a simple wizard that checks the most obvious ones (who can see your wall, pictures, email etc), as well as how easy you are to find on the site. The other ones involve looking at your app preferences holding down the icon on Android and going into App Settings on iOS will show you what the apps can access. Outside of the Camera, Microphone and Storage (for uploading photos/videos to Facebook) almost everything else can be turned off. This also applies to Messenger, especially if you do not want Facebook storing your phone and texting metadata (HINT: you dont). Its also worth going into the Apps section in Facebook settings and removing access for any games or quizzes or apps you dont use anymore. After Cambridge Analytica, Facebook has heavily restricted developer app access to data so you might find soon that many of them will likely disappear anyway. You can also download what data Facebook stores on you here and if youre a bit paranoid you can remove photos and videos from your profile. I found that deleted information was not stored in my archive, which is a plus, after reading some rumours that it was. But in all honesty, if you were going to delete Facebook you likely would have by now anyway. I still find many of its functions useful, including Events and Messenger which I use regularly, but I am a lot pickier about logging in via Facebook to sites, preferring to use email or my Google account as significantly less information is passed on in the process. Ive also found myself providing much less information that isnt necessary, such as my education or my hobbies, since this is usually just farmed for advertising or phishing anyway. My advice use your common sense. Run an audit on your Facebook tighten privacy, remove data you dont want to know, reduce its access to your information flows and think twice about adding content you dont want to share. | https://www.techradar.com/au/news/should-i-really-delete-facebook |
Did Lilian Muli Swindle Ex Husband Jared Ombongi Out Of Sh10 Million For High End Joint In Kilimani? | Citizen TVs Lilian Muli is single again after publicly dumping Shabana FC chairman Jared Ombongi on social media. In a lengthy Instagram post, Muli said Mr Ombongi was a serial cheater and was no longer interested in being associated with him. In fact she said, her babys father is a community husband. Mr Ombongi fathered Mulis second born son, Liam Francis, born in July 2018. Kahawa Tungu has now learnt that while Muli has been in the Media industry for a while and is a woman of means, she asked her now estranged husband for Sh10 million. The money, Citizen Weekly reports was meant to set up a high end social joint complete with a spa and gymnasium. It was going to be located in Nairobis posh area of Kilimani. But things quickly went south when Jerry, as Muli liked to call him, started asking questions pertaining to the deal that was costing him millions of shillings. The weekly publication reports that the Shabana FC patron later found out that the alleged business deal which was supposed to be Mulis retirement plan was dubious. It was apparently her way of swindling him. It is then that she kicked him to curb with the cheating allegations. Mr Ombongi has kept mum about the issue but admits to talking to Muli about his past experiences with women. He has been married thrice to American women. In 1993 he was married to Heather Mae Rice and a year later to Layle Marie Kobow, while still married to Rice. Read: Lilian Mulis Community Husband Jared Had Three American Wives But in 1997 and 2001 the marriages with Kobow and Rice were dissolved respectively. Still trying to acquire the US citizenship, Ombongi married a woman identified as Morris. After Muli made the cheating allegations, he claimed that she was involved with multiple men as well and was always going through his phone. She was always on my phone. Wanted to know everything. She was just simply jealous and that couldnt work between us. Am happy that it has ended. She could add nothing to the table other than walking naked in our house. She also had multiple boyfriends, the reason I could not continue being in the relationship, he said. Muli has been married before to a businessman, Moses Kanene but filed for divorce in 2016 citing adultery, cruelty and desertion. The two were blessed with a son, Joshua Munene. Email your news TIPS to [email protected] Also WhatsApp 0708677607 with your news tips Like this: Like Loading... | https://www.kahawatungu.com/2019/01/14/lilian-muli-swindle-jared-ombongi/ |
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