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Fruit flies 'think' before they act, a study by researchers from the University of Oxford's Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour suggests. The neuroscientists showed that fruit flies take longer to make more difficult decisions.
In experiments asking fruit flies to distinguish between ever closer concentrations of an odor, the researchers found that the flies don't act instinctively or impulsively. Instead they appear to accumulate information before committing to a choice.
Gathering information before making a decision has been considered a sign of higher intelligence, like that shown by primates and humans.
'Freedom of action from automatic impulses is considered a hallmark of cognition or intelligence,' says Professor Gero Miesenböck, in whose laboratory the new research was performed. 'What our findings show is that fruit flies have a surprising mental capacity that has previously been unrecognised.'
The researchers also showed that the gene FoxP, active in a small set of around 200 neurons, is involved in the decision-making process in the fruit fly brain.
The team reports its findings in the journal Science. The group was funded by the Wellcome Trust, the Gatsby Charitable Foundation, the US National Institutes of Health and the Oxford Martin School.
The researchers observed Drosophila fruit flies make a choice between two concentrations of an odor presented to them from opposite ends of a narrow chamber, having been trained to avoid one concentration.
When the odor concentrations were very different and easy to tell apart, the flies made quick decisions and almost always moved to the correct end of the chamber.
When the odor concentrations were very close and difficult to distinguish, the flies took much longer to make a decision, and they made more mistakes.
The researchers found that mathematical models developed to describe the mechanisms of decision making in humans and primates also matched the behaviour of the fruit flies.
The scientists discovered that fruit flies with mutations in a gene called FoxP took longer than normal flies to make decisions when odors were difficult to distinguish -- they became indecisive.
The researchers tracked down the activity of the FoxP gene to a small cluster of around 200 neurons out of the 200,000 neurons in the brain of a fruit fly. This implicates these neurons in the evidence-accumulation process the flies use before committing to a decision.
Dr Shamik DasGupta, the lead author of the study, explains: 'Before a decision is made, brain circuits collect information like a bucket collects water. Once the accumulated information has risen to a certain level, the decision is triggered. When FoxP is defective, either the flow of information into the bucket is reduced to a trickle, or the bucket has sprung a leak.'
Fruit flies have one FoxP gene, while humans have four related FoxP genes. Human FoxP1 and FoxP2 have previously been associated with language and cognitive development. The genes have also been linked to the ability to learn fine movement sequences, such as playing the piano.
'We don't know why this gene pops up in such diverse mental processes as language, decision-making and motor learning,' says Professor Miesenböck. However, he speculates: 'One feature common to all of these processes is that they unfold over time. FoxP may be important for wiring the capacity to produce and process temporal sequences in the brain.'
Professor Miesenböck adds: 'FoxP is not a "language gene," a "decision-making gene," even a "temporal-processing" or "intelligence gene." Any such description would in all likelihood be wrong. What FoxP does give us is a tool to understand the brain circuits involved in these processes. It has already led us to a site in the brain that is important in decision-making.' |
CLOSE Russia's prime minister hasn't shied away from being outspoken about the country's disagreements with Western bodies. Video provided by Newsy Newslook
Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev gestures during his speech on the podium at the Security Conference in Munich, on Feb. 13. (Photo11: AP)
MUNICH, Germany — Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev told a security conference here Saturday that the world was in a new Cold War and that the West was to blame.
"NATO's attitude toward Russia remains unfriendly and opaque, and one could go so far as to say we have slid back to a new Cold War," Medvedev said.
"Sometimes I wonder if it is the year 2016 or 1962," he said.
Medvedev made the comments during an appearance at the Munich Security Conference, a high-level event attended by dozens of world leaders and senior diplomats. This year's participants include U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, French Prime Minister Manuel Valls, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, and many others.
Medvedev said the sanctions imposed on Russia by the West after Moscow's annexation of Crimea and new military moves by the NATO alliance were aggravating tensions. At the same conference in 2007, Russian President Vladimir Putin said the West’s building of a missile defense system risked restarting the Cold War.
“The picture is more grim" than in 2007, Medvedev said.
A man installs art of Russian President Vladimir Putin during an outdoor exhibition entitled "Crimea: Return to Home Port" in Moscow. (Photo11: Yuri Kochetkov, European Pressphoto Agency)
His remarks came after NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg used an address to defend NATO’s move to strengthen its defenses, including moving more troops and equipment to countries bordering Russia. Stoltenberg said he expected a summer NATO summit in Warsaw would be used “to decide to further strengthen the alliance’s defense and deterrence.”
“Russia’s rhetoric, posture and exercises of its nuclear forces are aimed at intimidating its neighbors, undermining trust and stability in Europe,” he said.
In a separate panel, Poroshenko made an emotional appeal for continued support for his country amid its conflict with Russia in eastern Ukraine. A 1-year-old peace deal — the Minsk agreement — has not been fully implemented.
Both sides accuse each other for that failure.
"I am a president of a country that is in a state of war, and I want to give you one important fact: You can run my country only if you are an optimist. If you are a pessimist you will lose, and lose the country," he said. "We strongly put our trust in European unity, in transatlantic unity, and in solidarity in Ukraine."
"Exactly two years ago hundreds of Ukrainians gave their lives because of their dreams to live in Europe," he said.
February 22 marks the two-year anniversary of former Ukraine President Viktor Yanukovych's ousting, in part because he failed to sign a deal with the European Union that would lead to closer cooperation. Yanukovych fled to Russia.
Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Germany's foreign minister, said he was “counting on it being clear to all those in positions of responsibility in Kiev and Moscow that we no longer have forever to implement what was agreed in Minsk."
Kerry used his speech to praise European nations for holding firm on Ukraine-related sanctions against Russia. Following Friday's deal that might lead to a cease-fire in Syria, he said it was time for Moscow to act in good faith in forging a truce.
Referring to the ongoing conflict in Syria, Medvedev denied that his country is killing civilians as its military conducts airstrikes in support of Syrian President Bashar Assad. "Everyone is accusing us of this. It's not true," Medvedev said.
Read or Share this story: http://usat.ly/1Thz6ke |
Crash is back on June 30! Play the classic platforming series on PS4, lovingly crafted with gorgeous new visuals.
Ladies, gentlemen, bandicoots: a legend of the platforming genre makes his triumphant return to PlayStation next week, courtesy of the team at Vicarious Visions. Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy launches June 30 on PS4!
Play fully remastered versions of the original Crash Bandicoot, Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back, and Crash Bandicoot: Warped. Spin, jump, and dance through tons of classic challenges — and play as Coco Bandicoot, too!
It’s a tremendous week for PlayStation games, so read on for the full list. And enjoy The Drop!
New Releases: Week of 6/27/2017
PS4 — Digital (Out 6/30)
AereA is an Action RPG in which music is both your best friend and your worst enemy. As a disciple of the Great Maestro Guido, you have to unravel the mysteries of Aezir. Find out what happened to the world and return the nine primordial instruments to restore balance and bring peace to the world.
PS4 — Digital
This free military game focuses on small unit tactical maneuvers and puts you to the test in a wide variety of new, and classic, America’s Army maps.
PS VR — Digital
Ancient Amuletor is an action tower defense game that throws you into an ancient world to battle magical creatures, monsters, and other legendary foes.
PS VR — Digital
Arizona Sunshine puts you in the midst of a zombie apocalypse, exclusively in VR. Handle weapons with real-life movements, freely explore a post-apocalyptic world, and put your survival skills to the test with PS VR.
Brawlhalla
PS4 — Digital (Out 6/26)
PS4, PS VR — Digital
With no memory of where you are and no idea how you got there, you do know one thing: you have to escape. Fly through the maze-like caverns and fight through the automated defense systems while searching for a way out.
PS4 — Digital (Out 6/30)
Your favorite marsupial, Crash Bandicoot, is back! He’s enhanced, entranced, ready-to-dance with the N. Sane Trilogy game collection. Spin, jump, wump and repeat as you take on the epic challenges and adventures through the three games that started it all.
PS4 — Digital
Cryptark is a 2D sci-fi shooter where you take on the role of a heavily armed privateer seeking to earn government contracts by boarding deadly alien space-hulks. It’s up to you to strategize a plan of attack, pick an equipment loadout, and destroy the central core to be victorious.
PS4 — Digital, Retail
Beyond hope lies absolute despair. Komaru Naegi and Toko Fukawa make for unlikely heroes as they try to escape Towa City, a town caught in a war between adults and children.
PS4 — Digital
Find the missing woman lost in a mysterious Carnival of Horrors. Investigate two worlds: the one you know and an alternate plane existing behind the Hall of Mirrors. Discover the secret of an ancient being known as the Evil One. Reveal the story of star-crossed lovers and stop the Evil One from invading our world.
PS4 — Digital
Rise as one of humanity’s last defenders — crusader, barbarian, witch doctor, demon hunter, monk, or wizard — and collect legendary loot while mastering devastating new powers and abilities.
PS4 — Digital, Retail
Elite Dangerous is the definitive massively multiplayer space epic, bringing gaming’s original open world adventure to the modern generation with a connected galaxy, evolving narrative, and the entirety of the Milky Way re-created at its full galactic proportions.
PS4 — Digital, Retail
Rise to fame and fortune in the largest, most dynamic golf game ever created. Assemble and join online Societies with friends, compete in tournaments, and earn money to climb the ranks in golf’s largest gaming community.
PS4 — Digital (Out 6/28)
Simply put, you’re a t-rex with rocket boots trying to save earth from an incoming asteroid. Do you have what it takes to stop it?
PS4 — Digital
Defend your ancestral castle — show the invader who the master is! Build towers, save money, train your spells, and your enemy will be vanquished.
PS4 — Digital, Retail (Out 6/30)
The legend is back! Micro Machines World Series combines the thrilling madness of racing micro vehicles with epic team battle strategies, set against the extraordinary interactive backdrops of the everyday home!
PS4 — Digital
Set around a city being consumed from within by a disease, Plague Road tells a story of a lone doctor who once left home and now returns in search of those who have survived.
PS4 — Digital
PS4 — Digital
The Tenth Line is a console-style RPG featuring a colorful cast of characters, unique battle and level-up systems, quick 2D platforming action, and an original, fantastical story about friendship, faith, and finding your place in the world.
PS Vita — Digital, Retail (Out 6/30)
Tokyo Xanadu a massive action RPG! When high school student Kou Tokisaka encounters the nightmare realm known as the Eclipse, his world is forever changed. Reality distorts as monsters threaten the safety of Morimiya City. Kou must transform his soul into a powerful weapon to defeat the vile Eclipse once and for all!
PS4, PS Vita — Digital (PS4 at Retail)
Band together to defeat the evil empire and death itself — the Valkyria! As Vanargand’s commander, take control of your elite squad to unleash powerful ragnite spells and utilize mana weaponry on the front lines.
PS4 — Digital
Nubla is an adventure that begins in the halls of the Thyssen museum, where we find a character that exists inside the pictures. Following him, we begin a journey that will take us to discover the wonderful world of Nubla, full of puzzles and forgotten places.
Street Outlaws: New Orleans- June 26 at 8/7c (Discovery)
Jay Leno’s Garage- June 28 at 9/8c (CNBC)
Broadchurch- June 28 at 10/9c (BBC America) |
Research shows vegetarians tend to be slimmer but experts say it is unrealistic to expect people to completely cut out meat Rex Features
Cutting down on meat through a “flexitarian” diet almost halves the risk of obesity, researchers have found.
Following the lead of vegetarians by eating more meat-free meals and extra fruit and vegetables each week is enough to keep weight off, according to a study of 16,000 people.
While previous research has found that vegetarians tend to be slimmer, experts said it was unrealistic to expect people to shun meat entirely, arguing that a flexitarian approach offered many of the benefits.
“It’s not a radical shift to a vegetarian diet, it’s more a gentle approximation,” said Maira Bes-Rastrollo of the University of Navarra, who led the latest study. “It’s not strict.”
Meat is thought to cause weight gain because it contains more fat and is denser… |
Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996 (a common name for Title V of the Telecommunications Act of 1996) is a landmark piece of Internet legislation in the United States, codified at 47 U.S.C. § 230. Section 230(c)(1) provides immunity from liability for providers and users of an "interactive computer service" who publish information provided by third-party users:
No provider or user of an interactive computer service shall be treated as the publisher or speaker of any information provided by another information content provider.
In analyzing the availability of the immunity offered by this provision, courts generally apply a three-prong test. A defendant must satisfy each of the three prongs to gain the benefit of the immunity:
The defendant must be a "provider or user" of an "interactive computer service." The cause of action asserted by the plaintiff must treat the defendant as the "publisher or speaker" of the harmful information at issue. The information must be "provided by another information content provider," i.e., the defendant must not be the "information content provider" of the harmful information at issue.
History [ edit ]
Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act was not part of the original Senate legislation, but was added in conference with the House of Representatives, where it had been separately introduced by Representatives Christopher Cox (R-CA) and Ron Wyden (D-OR) as the Internet Freedom and Family Empowerment Act and passed by a near-unanimous vote on the floor.[1] Unlike the more controversial anti-indecency provisions which were later ruled unconstitutional,[2] this portion of the Act remains in force and allows ISPs and other service providers to restrict customers' actions without fear of being found legally liable for the actions that are allowed. The act was passed in part in reaction to the 1995 New York state court decision Stratton Oakmont, Inc. v. Prodigy Services Co.,[3] which suggested that service providers who assumed an editorial role with regard to customer content, thus became publishers, and legally responsible for libel and other torts committed by customers. This act was passed to specifically enhance service providers' ability to delete or otherwise monitor content without themselves becoming publishers. In Zeran v. America Online, Inc., a federal appeals court noted that "Congress enacted § 230 to remove the disincentives to self-regulation created by the Stratton Oakmont decision.[4] Under that court's holding, computer service providers who regulated the dissemination of offensive material on their services risked subjecting themselves to liability, because such regulation cast the service provider in the role of a publisher. Fearing that the specter of liability would therefore deter service providers from blocking and screening offensive material, Congress enacted § 230's broad immunity "to remove disincentives for the development and utilization of blocking and filtering technologies that empower parents to restrict their children's access to objectionable or inappropriate online material."[4] In addition, Zeran notes "the amount of information communicated via interactive computer services is . . . staggering. The specter of tort liability in an area of such prolific speech would have an obviously chilling effect. It would be impossible for service providers to screen each of their millions of postings for possible problems. Faced with potential liability for each message republished by their services, interactive computer service providers might choose to severely restrict the number and type of messages posted. Congress considered the weight of the speech interests implicated and chose to immunize service providers to avoid any such restrictive effect."[4]
Limits [ edit ]
Section 230 immunity is not unlimited. The statute specifically excepts federal criminal liability and intellectual property claims.[5] However, state criminal laws have been held preempted in cases such as Backpage.com, LLC v. McKenna[6] and Voicenet Commc'ns, Inc. v. Corbett[7] (agreeing "[T]he plain language of the CDA provides ... immunity from inconsistent state criminal laws.").
As of mid-2016, courts have issued conflicting decisions regarding the scope of the intellectual property exclusion set forth in 47 U.S.C. § 230(e)(2). For example, in Perfect 10, Inc. v. CCBill, LLC,[8] the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the exception for intellectual property law applies only to federal intellectual property claims such as copyright infringement, trademark infringement, and patents, reversing a district court ruling that the exception applies to state-law right of publicity claims.[9] The 9th Circuit's decision in Perfect 10 conflicts with conclusions from other courts including Doe v. Friendfinder. The Friendfinder court specifically discussed and rejected the lower court's reading of "intellectual property law" in CCBill and held that the immunity does not reach state right of publicity claims.[10]
Controversy [ edit ]
Section 230 has been controversial because several courts have interpreted it as providing complete immunity for ISPs with regard to the torts committed by their users over their systems. Zeran v. AOL, a 1997 4th Circuit decision, which held that Section 230 "creates a federal immunity to any cause of action that would make service providers liable for information originating with a third-party user of the service." This rule effectively protects online entities, including user-generated content websites, that qualify as a "provider or user" of an "interactive computer service."[citation needed]
Section 230 has recently been applied to dismiss a lawsuit that was filed by victims of sex-trafficking against Backpage for allowing advertisements with sex-trafficking content to remain on the website. The First Circuit affirmed a lower court decision that granted Backpage's motion to dismiss under Section 230 immunity.[11] In August 2017, Congress proposed a bill called the Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act to amend Section 230.[12]
Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act - Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act (FOSTA-SESTA) [ edit ]
Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act (FOSTA) is a bill introduced in the U.S. House of Representative by Ann Wagner in April 2017. Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act (SESTA) is a similar U.S. Senate bill introduced by Rob Portman in August 2017. The combined FOSTA-SESTA package passed the House on February 27, 2018 with a vote of 388-25[13] and the Senate on March 21, 2018 with a vote of 97-2.[14] The bill was signed into law by President Donald Trump on April 11, 2018.[15][16]
The bill clarifies the country's sex trafficking law to make it illegal to knowingly assist, facilitate, or support sex trafficking, and amends the Section 230 safe harbors of the Communications Decency Act (which make online services immune from civil liability for the actions of their users) to exclude enforcement of federal or state sex trafficking laws from its immunity. The intent is to provide serious, legal consequences for websites that profit from sex trafficking and give prosecutors tools they need to protect their communities and give victims a pathway to justice.[17]
The bills were criticized by pro-free speech and pro-Internet groups as a "disguised internet censorship bill" that weakens the section 230 safe harbors, places unnecessary burdens on internet companies and intermediaries that handle user-generated content or communications with service providers required to proactively take action against sex trafficking activities, and requiring a "team of lawyers" to evaluate all possible scenarios under state and federal law (which may be financially unfeasible for smaller companies).[18][19][20][21][22] Online sex workers argued that the bill would harm their safety, as the platforms they utilize for offering and discussing sexual services (as an alternative to street prostitution) had begun to reduce their services or shut down entirely due to the threat of liability under the bill.[23][24]
Case law [ edit ]
Defamatory information [ edit ]
Immunity was upheld against claims that AOL unreasonably delayed in removing defamatory messages posted by third party, failed to post retractions, and failed to screen for similar postings.
Blumenthal v. Drudge, 992 F. Supp. 44, 49-53 (D.D.C. 1998).[26]
The court upheld AOL's immunity from liability for defamation. AOL's agreement with the contractor allowing AOL to modify or remove such content did not make AOL the "information content provider" because the content was created by an independent contractor. The Court noted that Congress made a policy choice by "providing immunity even where the interactive service provider has an active, even aggressive role in making available content prepared by others."
The court upheld immunity for an Internet dating service provider from liability stemming from third party's submission of a false profile. The plaintiff, Carafano, claimed the false profile defamed her, but because the content was created by a third party, the website was immune, even though it had provided multiple choice selections to aid profile creation.
Batzel v. Smith, 333 F.3d 1018 (9th Cir. 2003).[28]
Immunity was upheld for a website operator for distributing an email to a listserv where the plaintiff claimed the email was defamatory. Though there was a question as to whether the information provider intended to send the email to the listserv, the Court decided that for determining the liability of the service provider, "the focus should be not on the information provider's intentions or knowledge when transmitting content but, instead, on the service provider's or user's reasonable perception of those intentions or knowledge." The Court found immunity proper "under circumstances in which a reasonable person in the position of the service provider or user would conclude that the information was provided for publication on the Internet or other 'interactive computer service'."
Green v. AOL, 318 F.3d 465 (3rd Cir. 2003).[29]
The court upheld immunity for AOL against allegations of negligence. Green claimed AOL failed to adequately police its services and allowed third parties to defame him and inflict intentional emotional distress. The court rejected these arguments because holding AOL negligent in promulgating harmful content would be equivalent to holding AOL "liable for decisions relating to the monitoring, screening, and deletion of content from its network -- actions quintessentially related to a publisher's role."
Immunity was upheld for an individual internet user from liability for republication of defamatory statement on a listserv. The court found the defendant to be a "user of interactive computer services" and thus immune from liability for posting information passed to her by the author.
MCW, Inc. v. badbusinessbureau.com(RipOff Report/Ed Magedson/XCENTRIC Ventures LLC) 2004 WL 833595, No. Civ.A.3:02-CV-2727-G, (N.D. Tex. April 19, 2004).[31]
The court rejected the defendant's motion to dismiss on the grounds of Section 230 immunity, ruling that the plaintiff's allegations that the defendants wrote disparaging report titles and headings, and themselves wrote disparaging editorial messages about the plaintiff, rendered them information content providers. The Web site, www.badbusinessbureau.com, allows users to upload "reports" containing complaints about businesses they have dealt with.
Hy Cite Corp. v. badbusinessbureau.com (RipOff Report/Ed Magedson/XCENTRIC Ventures LLC), 418 F. Supp. 2d 1142 (D. Ariz. 2005).[32]
The court rejected immunity and found the defendant was an "information content provider" under Section 230 using much of the same reasoning as the MCW case.
False information [ edit ]
Gentry v. eBay, Inc., 99 Cal. App. 4th 816, 830 (2002).[33]
eBay's immunity was upheld for claims based on forged autograph sports items purchased on the auction site.
Ben Ezra, Weinstein & Co. v. America Online, 206 F.3d 980, 984-985 (10th Cir. 2000), cert. denied, 531 U.S. 824 (2000).[34]
Immunity for AOL was upheld against liability for a user's posting of incorrect stock information.
Immunity upheld against claims of fraud and money laundering. Google was not responsible for misleading advertising created by third parties who bought space on Google's pages. The court found the creative pleading of money laundering did not cause the case to fall into the crime exception to Section 230 immunity.
Immunity for Orbitz and CheapTickets was upheld for claims based on fraudulent ticket listings entered by third parties on ticket resale marketplaces.
Sexually explicit content and minors [ edit ]
Doe v. America Online, 783 So. 2d 1010, 1013-1017 (Fl. 2001),[37] cert. denied, 122 S.Ct. 208 (2000)
The court upheld immunity against state claims of negligence based on "chat room marketing" of obscene photographs of minor by a third party.
Kathleen R. v. City of Livermore, 87 Cal. App. 4th 684, 692 (2001).[38]
The California Court of Appeal upheld the immunity of a city from claims of waste of public funds, nuisance, premises liability, and denial of substantive due process. The plaintiff's child downloaded pornography from a public library's computers which did not restrict access to minors. The court found the library was not responsible for the content of the internet and explicitly found that section 230(c)(1) immunity covers governmental entities and taxpayer causes of action.
The court upheld immunity for a social networking site from negligence and gross negligence liability for failing to institute safety measures to protect minors and failure to institute policies relating to age verification. The Does' daughter had lied about her age and communicated over MySpace with a man who later sexually assaulted her. In the court's view, the Does' allegations, were "merely another way of claiming that MySpace was liable for publishing the communications."
The court upheld immunity for Craigslist against a county sheriff's claims that its "erotic services" section constituted a public nuisance because it caused or induced prostitution.
Backpage.com v. McKenna, et al., CASE NO. C12-954-RSM [41]
CASE NO. C12-954-RSM Backpage.com LLC v Cooper , Case #: 12-cv-00654[SS1] [42]
, Case #: 12-cv-00654[SS1] Backpage.com LLC v Hoffman et al., Civil Action No. 13-cv-03952 (DMC) (JAD)[43]
The court upheld immunity for Backpage in contesting a state of Washington law (SB6251)[44] that would have made providers of third-party content online liable for any crimes related to a minor in Washington State.[45] The states of Tennessee and New Jersey later passed similar legislation. Backpage argued that the laws violated Section 230, the Commerce Clause of the United States Constitution, and the First and Fifth Amendments.[44] In all three cases the courts granted Backpage permanent injunctive relief and awarded them attorney's fees.[42][46][47][48][49]
The court ruled in favor of Backpage after Sheriff Tom Dart of Cook County IL, a frequent critic of Backpage and its adult postings section, sent a letter on his official stationary to Visa and MasterCard demanding that these firms "immediately cease and desist..." allowing the use of their credit cards to purchase ads on Backpage. Within two days both companies withdrew their services from Backpage.[51] Backpage filed a lawsuit asking for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction against Dart granting Backpage relief and return to the status quo prior to Dart sending the letter. Backpage alleged that Dart's actions were unconstitutional violating the First and Fourteenth amendments to the US Constitution as well as Section 230 of the CDA. Backpage asked for Dart to retract his "cease and desist" letters.[52] After initially being denied the injunctive relief by a lower court,[53][54] the Seventh Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals reversed that decision and directed that a permanent injunction be issued enjoining Dart and his office from taking any actions "…to coerce or threaten credit card companies…with sanctions intended to ban credit card or other financial services from being provided to Backpage.com."[55] The court cited section 230 as part of its decision.
Discriminatory housing ads [ edit ]
The court upheld immunity for Craigslist against Fair Housing Act claims based on discriminatory statements in postings on the classifieds website by third party users.
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals rejected immunity for the Roommates.com roommate matching service for claims brought under the federal Fair Housing Act[58] and California housing discrimination laws.[59] The court concluded that the manner in which the service elicited information from users concerning their roommate preferences (by having dropdowns specifying gender, presence of children, and sexual orientation), and the manner in which it utilized that information in generating roommate matches (by eliminating profiles that did not match user specifications), the matching service created or developed the information claimed to violate the FHA, and thus was responsible for it as an "information content provider." The court upheld immunity for the descriptions posted by users in the "Additional Comments" section because these were entirely created by users.
Threats [ edit ]
Delfino v. Agilent Technologies, 145 Cal. App. 4th 790 (2006), cert denied, 128 S. Ct. 98 (2007).
A California Appellate Court unanimously upheld immunity from state tort claims arising from an employee's use of the employer's e-mail system to send threatening messages. The court concluded that an employer that provides Internet access to its employees qualifies as a "provider . . . of an interactive service."
Failure to warn [ edit ]
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals rejected immunity for claims of negligence under California law. Doe filed a complaint against Internet Brands which alleged a "failure to warn" her of a known rape scheme, despite her relationship to them as a ModelMayhem.com member. They also had requisite knowledge to avoid future victimization of ModelMayhem.com users by warning users of online sexual predators. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals concluded that the Communications Decency Act did not bar the claim and remanded the case to the district court for further proceedings.
In February 2015, the Ninth Circuit panel set aside its 2014 opinion and set the case for reargument. In May 2016, the panel again held that Doe's case could proceed.[60][61]
Similar legislation in other countries [ edit ]
European Union [ edit ]
Directive 2000/31/EC[62] establishes a safe haven regime for hosting providers:
Article 14 establishes that hosting providers are not responsible for the content they host as long as (1) the acts in question are neutral intermediary acts of a mere technical, automatic and passive capacity; (2) they are not informed of its illegal character, and (3) they act promptly to remove or disable access to the material when informed of it.
Article 15 precludes member states from imposing general obligations to monitor hosted content for potential illegal activities.
Australia [ edit ]
In Dow Jones & Company Inc v Gutnick,[63] the High Court of Australia treated defamatory material on a server outside Australia as having been published in Australia when it is downloaded or read by someone in Australia.
Gorton v Australian Broadcasting Commission & Anor (1973) 1 ACTR 6
Under the Defamation Act 2005 (NSW),[64] s 32, a defence to defamation is that the defendant neither knew, nor ought reasonably to have known of the defamation, and the lack of knowledge was not due to the defendant's negligence.
New Zealand [ edit ]
Failing to investigate the material or to make inquiries of the user concerned may amount to negligence in this context: Jensen v Clark [1982] 2 NZLR 268.
France [ edit ]
Directive 2000/31/CE was transposed into the LCEN law. Article 6 of the law establishes safe haven for hosting provider as long as they follow certain rules.
In LICRA vs. Yahoo!, the High Court ordered Yahoo! to take affirmative steps to filter out Nazi memorabilia from its auction site. Yahoo!, Inc. and its then president Timothy Koogle were also criminally charged, but acquitted.
Germany [ edit ]
In 1997, Felix Somm, the former managing director for CompuServe Germany, was charged with violating German child pornography laws because of the material CompuServe's network was carrying into Germany. He was convicted and sentenced to two years probation on May 28, 1998.[65][66] He was cleared on appeal on November 17, 1999.[67][68]
The Oberlandesgericht (OLG) Cologne, an appellate court, found that an online auctioneer does not have an active duty to check for counterfeit goods (Az 6 U 12/01).[69]
In one example, the first-instance district court of Hamburg issued a temporary restraining order requiring message board operator Universal Boards to review all comments before they can be posted to prevent the publication of messages inciting others to download harmful files. The court reasoned that "the publishing house must be held liable for spreading such material in the forum, regardless of whether it was aware of the content."[70]
United Kingdom [ edit ]
Also see: Defamation Act 2013.
The laws of libel and defamation will treat a disseminator of information as having "published" material posted by a user, and the onus will then be on a defendant to prove that it did not know the publication was defamatory and was not negligent in failing to know: Goldsmith v Sperrings Ltd (1977) 2 All ER 566; Vizetelly v Mudie's Select Library Ltd (1900) 2 QB 170; Emmens v Pottle & Ors (1885) 16 QBD 354.
In an action against a website operator, on a statement posted on the website, it is a defence to show that it was not the operator who posted the statement on the website. The defence is defeated if it was not possible for the claimant to identify the person who posted the statement, or the claimant gave the operator a notice of complaint and the operator failed to respond in accordance with regulations. |
On Saturday, the adult actress, writer, and model Stoya accused her former scene partner/boyfriend James Deen, who’s been labeled porn’s “boy next door,” of rape, first tweeting, “That thing where you log in to the internet for a second and see people idolizing the guy who raped you as a feminist. That thing sucks.” Then she added, “James Deen held me down and fucked me while I said no, stop, used my safeword. I just can’t nod and smile when people bring him up anymore.” Stoya’s allegation led other current and former adult industry performers to speak out against Deen, including industry veteran Joanna Angel, and the Twitter hashtag #SolidarityWithStoya trended worldwide.
This is Tori Lux’s story.
My name is Tori Lux, and I’m a former adult performer. In June of 2011, while shooting at a major porn studio, I was assaulted by James Deen.
While James wasn’t performing with me that day, he was present on set—and almost immediately after I’d finished my scene he began to antagonize me. I hadn’t even had time to dress myself when he said, with a smirk on his face, “Tori Lux, would you like to sniff my testicles?” “Nope,” I replied in a neutral tone. “I’ll repeat myself: Tori Lux, would you like to sniff my testicles?” he asked, more aggressively this time. I replied with a firm “No,” in order to establish my boundary—which James then disregarded by grabbing me by the throat and shoving me down onto a mattress on the floor.
He proceeded to straddle my chest, pinning down my arms with his knees. Then, he raised his hand high above his head, swinging it down and hitting me in the face and head with an open palm. He did this five or six times—hard—before finally getting off of me.
Disoriented and nursing a sore jaw, I stood up—but before I could collect myself, he grabbed me by my hair and shoved me to my knees, forcing my face into his crotch several times before shoving me to the floor. I was completely stunned, having no idea how to react. I felt pressured to maintain a professional demeanor as this was a major porn set, with other people present and failing to intervene.
A few people with whom I’ve shared this story over the years have asked me why I didn’t call the police as soon as it happened, or publicly speak up about it shortly thereafter. The reason for that is because people—including the police—tend to believe that sex workers have placed themselves in harm’s way, and therefore can’t be assaulted. Of course, this claim couldn’t be further from the truth, as being involved in sex work does not equate to being harmed. Despite porn being a legal form of sex work, and it occurring in a controlled environment such as a porn set, this blame-the-victim mentality is still inherent in much of society. In turn, sex workers are silenced and our negative experiences are swept under the rug as we try to protect ourselves from the judgment of others—or worse, a variety of problems ranging from further physical attacks to professional issues such as slander and/or blacklisting.
Simply put: I was afraid.
We are forced to smile and pretend we’re always in control and in love with our jobs, when in reality, there’s a multitude of experiences one can have on any given day of shooting—good, bad, and neutral—just like every other job. It’s not as black-and-white as people like to assume. My goal in writing this is not to paint the industry as a whole as oppressive or dangerous, but to shed some light on one fucked up personal experience of mine, in which James Deen ruthlessly attacked and degraded me, leaving me with mental wounds that took years to heal.
I hope to encourage you, the reader, to open your mind to the bigger picture regarding stigma and safety within the sex industry. Being silenced is what keeps sex workers in danger, and the stigma is what keeps sex workers silent when they’re attacked. It’s a vicious cycle, and I hope we can work together toward humanizing one another and preventing instances like this from continuing to happen. |
The Texas Rangers and Los Angeles Dodgers have emerged over the weekend as the likely favorites to trade for Philadelphia Phillies ace Cole Hamels, multiple sources said.
The Phillies also continue to discuss Hamels with at least four other teams -- the Chicago Cubs, New York Yankees, San Francisco Giants and Boston Red Sox, a source said. However, those teams are said to have had more trouble matching up on a potential deal than the Dodgers or Rangers.
Sources say they would be surprised if a trade was completed before Tuesday, even in the wake of Hamels' no-hitter Saturday against the Cubs.
"I doubt it happens quick," said an official of one team that has spoken with the Phillies.
The Rangers and Dodgers both had scouts in attendance at Hamels' no-hitter, as did the Yankees, Giants, Houston Astros, Toronto Blue Jays and several other clubs. But other than Texas and Los Angeles, those teams were described as doing their "due diligence" in monitoring the market for the 31-year-old left-hander.
Both the Rangers and Dodgers view Hamels as an attractive alternative to this winter's deep class of free-agent aces, because he is under contract for three more years after this season and has a team or vesting option for a fourth season. The guaranteed portion of his contract runs through only his age-34 season -- whereas a group of free agents in or approaching their 30s, such as David Price, Johnny Cueto and Zack Greinke (assuming he opts out), will be looking for deals that take them into their late 30s.
The Phillies have been positioning themselves for months to take the Hamels talk to the brink of Friday's 4 p.m. ET deadline, in the hope that some team would be more willing to overpay as the deadline pressure mounts. So clubs speaking with Philadelphia continue to report they wouldn't be surprised if a Hamels deal goes right down to the deadline.
Hamels is 6-7 with a 3.64 ERA in 20 starts this season. But his win-loss record is skewed by lack of run support -- which ranks 85th among 94 qualifying MLB starters -- and by the two starts immediately preceding his no-hitter, in which he allowed 14 earned runs in 6⅓ innings. His ERA in his 18 other starts this season is 2.80.
One scout who watched Hamels' no-hitter Saturday told ESPN.com: "After watching that, there's no doubt in my mind he's still one of the best pitchers in baseball. He's a difference-maker for somebody." |
Scientists have made a genetic breakthrough they say could block infection from the HIV virus, offering a promising new avenue for a potential vaccine.
A team at Scripps Research Institute in Florida announced Wednesday in the journal Nature they had altered the DNA of monkeys to create a molecule that prevents the virus from invading immune cells and turning them into HIV factories.
The researchers said the drug provided protection against all types of HIV and at very high doses.
"Our compound is the broadest and most potent entry inhibitor described so far," said Michael Farzan, professor of infectious diseases at Scripps.
Researchers have been on a 30-year quest to find a vaccine and cure for HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. Dr. Louis Picker of Oregon Heath & Science University has developed a vaccine that was successful in rhesus monkeys. He's also working on a cure for the virus, which has posed an enormous challenge because it keeps on changing.
Most research into a vaccine is based on firing up the immune system to battle the virus. But Farzan's study used gene therapy to introduce new DNA inside muscle cells, creating molecules that mimic the immune cells that are invaded by HIV. The decoys, outfitted with two key receptors, effectively deactivate the virus, making it incapable of infecting other cells.
This approach is more effective than relying on the body's antibodies to fight off HIV, Farzan said. But it could present risks. It's not known how the body would react to the decoys.
In an email to The Oregonian/OregonLive, Picker called Farzan's announcement "a very significant advance that will generate much interest in the field." But he said more extensive work is needed to back up the finding.
Farzan only tested the compound on four rhesus macaques. It could be years before tests on humans could be carried out.
The research was based on work by a long list of scientists from Harvard, Princeton, Rockefeller University, the University of Southern California and the University of Pennsylvania and other institutions.
-- Lynne Terry
[email protected]
503-221-8503
@LynnePDX |
PRINCETON — Imagine taking a leisurely 13.1 mile Autumn Sunday drive through Princeton.
One would see such sights as the home and workplace of Albert Einstein, along with the homes of two U.S. presidents, world-renowned scientists and the Revolutionary War's Princeton Battlefield, not to mention views of one of the world's most acclaimed campuses, featuring award-winning architectural buildings, from historic to modern.
Now imagine leaving the car home and not walking, but running the route.
That's what 1,233 runners signed up for to take part in the 2015 Princeton Half Marathon on Sunday.
Participants, mostly from New Jersey, but some coming from as far as Hong Kong, braved the cool temperatures and dampness to line up on Paul Robeson Place for the 7 a.m. start.
RELATED: 2014 Princeton Half Marathon
Zach Rivers, of Brooklyn, N.Y., finished first, setting a new course record crossing the finish line at 01:12:10, besting last year's winner Laurent White of Flemington by more than 6 minutes. White finished fifth this year.
Princeton resident Brian Rosener finished second and Natalie Rathjen, also of Princeton, was the first female finisher.
The event was organized by HiTOPS, a registered 501c3 nonprofit dedicated to adolescent health.
Michael Mancuso may be reached at [email protected]. Find NJ.com on Facebook. |
By US Daily Review Staff.
He has been gone for a few years now, but Stone Phillips, former Dateline NBC and ABC News 20/20 reporter, returns to the field with “Hard Hits, Hard Numbers: The First Study of Head Impacts in Youth Football.” This exclusive story released on StonePhillipsReports.com reveals the findings of a groundbreaking Virginia Tech study, which placed instrumented helmets on 7- and 8-year-old football players. Data was collected on more than 750 hits to the head over the course of a season. With some impacts reaching magnitudes considered high even for college players, the findings provide the first quantitative assessment of the acceleration that young brains are exposed to in youth football.
Lead researcher Stefan Duma, who has been gathering data on head impacts among college players at Virginia Tech for nine seasons, describes the results of the youth study as “surprising.” “The highest impact we measured was 100g, which puts you right in the middle average of a concussion,” Duma tells Phillips.
Dr. Gunnar Brolinson, head of Virginia Tech’s Sports Medicine Department, remarks, “With the kids, when you start seeing 50, 60, 70, 80g blows, you’re just going ‘Wow!’ That is really impressive in terms of the load that’s occurring. And again, you’ve got a young athlete and a developing brain subject to those kinds of loads. So it’s concerning.”
Significantly, 29 of the top 38 hits and all impacts over 80gs occurred during practices. “This shows how important our research is. Without the sensors, we would never have known this. We can change the practices like we’ve done at college and dramatically minimize risk,” says Professor Duma.
The study, expected to be published this spring, was funded through a grant from NHTSA and conducted through the Virginia Tech-Wake Forest Center for Injury Biomechanics.
“Hard Hits, Hard Numbers” features interviews with Stefan Duma, Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Gunnar Brolinson, team doctor and head of Virginia Tech Sports Medicine, John Clark, coach of the participating youth football team, and team parents.
Stone Phillips, who suffered two sports-related concussions during his high school and college years, says, “We all know how fierce the hitting is in professional, college and even high school football. For the first time, this study gives hard, sobering numbers on head impacts among the youngest players.”
Stone Phillips will appear on ABC’s The View on Monday, January 30th, to discuss this important story. The story can be viewed in its entirety on StonePhillipsReports.com. |
The penthouse at One57, which offers panoramic views from 1,000 feet above 57th Street, recently sold for a record-setting $100.5 million.
But it is not the price that has grabbed the attention of housing advocates, policy analysts, developers and city officials. Rather, it is one of peculiarities of New York real estate: a billionaire’s lair that comes with an incentive that cuts this year’s property tax bill by 95 percent, or an estimated $360,000.
That has turned the six-bedroom, 11,000-square-foot duplex into a prime example for an intensifying debate over the future of a housing program known as 421-a. It offers generous property tax abatements for as long as 25 years to encourage construction, or in some cases, to generate apartments affordable to poor and moderate-income tenants.
At a City Council hearing last week, critics derided the 421-a program as an expensive boondoggle, a giveaway to developers building luxury housing in a city where the poor and the middle class often find themselves priced out of the market. |
The Canadian Press
MONTREAL -- The Liberal government's plan to move ahead on marijuana legalization is up in smoke, NDP leadership candidates suggested during Sunday's leadership debate in Montreal while they also addressed a range of issues affecting youth including student debt and precarious work.
B.C. MP Peter Julian, one of four contenders in the race to replace Tom Mulcair as NDP leader, said the federal government has failed to keep its 2015 campaign pledge to legalize and regulate pot for recreational purposes.
For its part, the government says it is working on crafting legislation on marijuana legalization set to be introduced this spring -- a move that follows the work of a task force assigned to study the issue.
"I believe in legalization," Julian said during the NDP's second leadership debate. "I do not believe Justin Trudeau is going to bring in the legalization of marijuana and as proof that ... we are still seeing, particularly young Canadians, being criminalized by simple possession of marijuana."
Many young people opted to support the Liberals in the last election due to this promise, Manitoba MP Niki Ashton said.
The Liberals ran a cynical campaign in 2015, added Ontario MP Charlie Angus, suggesting the Liberals ticked all the right boxes, including on pot, with no intention of pursuing them.
Sunday's debate in Montreal -- another instalment in the party's lengthy leadership race -- also featured discussion of skyrocketing student debt and the need to address tuition fees.
Young people struggle to purchase homes and participate in the economy, Caron said Sunday, noting his proposal for a basic income would help address this issue.
Caron, an economist, has called for a taxable supplement that would help those Canadians whose income levels fall below a standard minimum threshold, determined in part by the size of their family and the city they live in.
The pitch is designed to complement existing provincial and federal social programs, not replace them, Caron says, noting 70 per cent of those people who are living in poverty are considered working poor: they have jobs but they don't earn enough to get by.
University graduates can no longer rely on long-term jobs over the course of their careers, Ashton said, noting Canada faces an "emerging crisis" as a result.
Many young people voted in record numbers in the last federal election for a Liberal message of change, she added, noting millennials have had enough of politics that fail them.
"I look out at a number of young people here today, some of whom I had the chance to hear from about what they are facing in terms of precarious work," she said. "We are a generation, and I am part of that generation as well, that risks living a life worse off than their parents."
Scrapping tuition fees would help students pursue post-secondary education without concerns of crushing student debt, Julian added.
Angus is calling for a reinstatement of a $15 federal minimum wage, adding young Canadians are being forced into precarious work and many earn less than a living wage.
"It is our job in this renewal to reach out to people who feel they have been written off the political map of this nation to give them hope but also certainty that when we form government we are going to do more," he said.
The NDP will name its next leader in October. |
By TANYA ANN FLETCHER / Contributing Writer
Finally, after a very long wait, a super short SHARKNADO trailer has finally made its debut.
Syfy has released their officially commercial spot for the trailer for the epic new disaster/shark film (check it out below) starring Tara Reid, Ian Ziering, John Heard and Cassie Scerbo which will make its debut on the network on Thursday, July 11 (check local listings for times).
The story follows a ragtag group of people banding together to save themselves (and Los Angeles) from an impending tornado full of sharks. Expect the City of Angels to be destroyed in wonderfully glorious ways.
Here’s how Syfy describes it in their press release …
In the movie, regulars of a beachside bar including owner Fin (Ian Ziering, BEVERLY HILLS 90210), bartender Nova (Casie Scerbo, MAKE IT OR BREAK IT) and local drunk George (John Heard, HOME ALONE) team up with Fin’s ex-wife April (Tara Reid, SCRUBS) to investigate the ecological nightmare that has sharks swimming through the streets of Los Angeles and falling from the skies.
SHARKNADO is directed by Anthony C. Ferrante and written by Thunder Levin
Related: Brand New Syfy SHARKNADO destruction clip is here.
Related: Brand New photos from the Syfy Original Movie SHARKNADO
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China’s largest oil producer PetroChina has surpassed Exxon Mobil on Thursday to become the biggest energy company by market value for the first time since 2010, Bloomberg reports.
As the Bloomberg chart below shows, Exxon’s capitalization was $352.6 billion through Wednesday, versus PetroChina’s $352.8 billion as of 1:36 p.m. on Thursday in Shanghai.
PetroChina’s A shares have surged about 61 percent over the past year, versus Exxon’s 14 percent fall.
PetroChina was larger by value most recently at the close of trading on June 25, 2010, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.
The Shanghai Composite Index closed at its highest level in seven years on Thursday as the index has surged about 88 percent over the past year, and is the best performing major index tracked by Bloomberg, amid speculation that the central bank will continue to cut borrowing costs and on increased use of leverage to purchase stocks.
“PetroChina has multiple positives at the moment: it’s got a reform story, it’s also listed in Hong Kong, and China has more freedom for mainland fund managers in the works,” said Mark Matthews, head of Asia research and a managing director of Bank Julius Baer & Co. in Singapore. “China is also planning to transfer stakes in state-owned enterprises away from their regulator, which will on the whole be positive for SOEs.”
Global oil companies have faced difficult times since crude prices started plunging last summer. Exxon Mobil’s adjusted net income of $6.3 billion in the fourth quarter was the lowest since a loss in the final three months of 2009, according to Bloomberg data. PetroChina’s net profit was $1.8 billion in the same period.
PetroChina is the listed arm of state-owned China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), with nearly all of its operating profit coming from the exploration and production sector along with a small contribution from its natural gas and pipeline unit. |
PARIS (Reuters) - Facebook gave the French tech scene a vote of confidence on Tuesday by picking Paris as the location for its first start-ups incubator, a boost for the city as European capitals compete to attract firms post-Brexit.
Miniature Facebook banners are seen on snacks prepared for the visit by Facebook's Chief Operating Officer in Paris, France, January 17, 2017. REUTERS/Philippe Wojazer
The U.S. social media group said it would set up the scheme at the Station F site on the Left Bank - an ambitious project backed by French billionaire Xavier Niel and set to become the world’s largest start-up campus when it opens in April.
“Paris has always been a city of new ideas where people come together to break new ground, to do new things,” Facebook’s Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg told reporters at the vast, listed former railway depot still under renovation.
The 34,000-square metre site, a stone’s throw away from the river Seine, plans to house 1,000 start-ups under its 1920s glass arcades, as well as 3-D printing labs and bars and restaurants open 24 hours a day.
Niel, who founded France’s Iliad telecom company, invested 250 million euros ($268 million) in the project and expects to break even within three years.
Facebook’s own project, dubbed a “startup garage”, will provide 80 desk and working spaces for up to 15 start-ups working on data mining, which will be coached by Facebook specialists for periods of six months.
It is Facebook’s second major investment in Paris after it opened its only European artificial intelligence research lab in the city in 2015.
A vibrant French technology scene - with emerging global champions such as BlaBlaCar and Sigfox - is one of the ruling Socialist government’s rare success stories on the economic front.
A generous research and development tax credit, an active public investment bank and a large pool of engineers have helped boost the French tech sector, keeping Paris hot on the heels of other major European tech hubs such as London and Berlin.
French start-ups, however, have so far struggled to reach a critical size or remain independent.
Some such as online advertising firm Criteo have decided to list in the United States while others were snapped up by large multinationals, connected objects maker Withings’s acquisition by Nokia being the latest example.
($1 = 0.9348 euros) |
Back to Al's Text Humor Page How The Internet Is Like A Vagina The more people use it, the bigger it gets. If you play with it too much, you can go blind. You wouldn't believe the stuff people put in there! Some people think they know how to move around in it, but they really can't interface. In the long-distant past, its only purpose was to receive information vital to the survival of the species. Today, some still think that's all it should be used for, but most use it for fun. It has no conscience and no memory. It provides an excellent way to interact with other people. Without appropriate protection, it can spread viruses. It has no brain of its own, it uses yours. If you use it too much, it becomes more difficult to think coherently. Some people would just play with it all day if they didn't have work to do. You may think you're just playing around, but then you’re involved in something that takes nine months to finish. The part you can see is merely the front end of a very complicated system. If you're not careful what you do with it, it can get you in big trouble. It has its own agenda. Somehow, no matter how good your intentions, it will warp your behavior. Later you may ask yourself, "why on Earth did I do that?" Some folks have it, some don't. Those who have it, think that those who don't have it are somehow inferior. Those who don't have it may agree that it's a nifty toy, but not worth the fuss made about it. Those who don't have it spend all their time trying to access it. Once you've started playing with it, it's hard to stop. Some people believe in security and avoiding penetration; others believe it should be open to all comers. |
Place in Lakes, South Sudan
Ramciel, also spelled Ramchiel or Ramshiel,[1] is a location in Lakes, a state in South Sudan, that will serve as the site of the future national capital. It is considered the geographic center of the country[2] and borders Jonglei state to the west. It is very close to the point at which the borders of Central Equatoria, Jonglei, and Lakes, and thus the historical provinces of Equatoria, Greater Upper Nile, and Bahr el Ghazal, touch.[1] John Garang, the first president of Southern Sudan, allegedly wanted to place the national capital in Ramciel during his administration, but he died before South Sudan achieved independence and its largest city of Juba became the capital instead.
Geography [ edit ]
Ramciel is about 250 kilometres (155.343 mi) north of Juba and located on the western side of the White Nile. There is currently no tarmacked road between Juba and Ramciel, but it is estimated that it will take under two hours to travel on a tarmacked road to Juba. Under ideal conditions, it would also probably take about 30 minutes to travel to Rumbek and up to three hours to Wau from Ramciel.
The largest grass swamp in the world, the Sudd, lies in the middle of Greater Bahr el Ghazal and Greater Upper Nile, thus making direct road communications between towns located at the opposite four corners of the Sudd practically impossible; thus the need to go around the swamp, which currently makes both Malakal and Bentiu inaccessible by road from the south and west in the wet season from June to November.[3]
Inhabitants [ edit ]
The area is inhabited by the Ciec community at large who are natives of the area. The land is used for grazing and cultivation during the dry season and in the Nile marshes during the wet season. There are conflicting reports over its suitability for large-scale construction, with some characterising the area as sunken and swampy, and others contending that the rocky highlands can support a major city if one were to be built there. The area is located on the west bank of the River Nile in South Sudan. On 22 January 2018, flag for Ramciel county locally known as Malek county in eastern lakes state was raised.
National capital proposal [ edit ]
In early February 2011, what was then the Autonomous Government of Southern Sudan adopted a resolution to find a new capital for South Sudan.[2] Ramciel was one of the two proposed locations for the site. Lakes Governor Chol Tong Mayay visited Ramciel later in the month to raise attention for its bid to be the site of the new capital. "The late Dr John Garang promised to build Ramciel as the capital of South Sudan and having it here will be a dream come true."[4] Just prior to South Sudanese independence in July 2011, a government spokesman confirmed the federal government of the country was still considering building a new capital at Ramciel.[5] On 2 September, the federal cabinet voted to designate Ramciel as the site for a planned city, to be demarcated from Lakes state. Information Minister Barnaba Marial Benjamin said the move would likely take three to five years to complete and would be conducted in stages.[6]
Vice President Riek Machar said in mid-December 2011 that the government of South Sudan is planning to build a major international airport in a free trade zone to be established in Tali, just outside Ramciel. Machar suggested that this airport could handle traffic from large cargo planes for which other regional airports are not designed, an asset that would be vital to realizing Machar's vision for South Sudan to become a trade hub in the center of the African continent.[7]
A contract was awarded in 2012 to conduct a survey and feasibility study of the site.[8] The proposed area has been visited multiple times by then-vice president Riek Machar[9] and in 2012 by high-ranking government officials.[10]
See also [ edit ] |
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A while back, I wrote about how the US Environmental Protection Agency has been conducting a slow-motion reassessment of a widely used class of insecticides, even as evidence mounts that it’s harming key ecosystem players from pollinating bees to birds. Since then, another federal entity with an interest in the environment, the US Geological Survey, has released a pretty damning study of the pesticide class, known as neonicitinoids.
Neonics showed up in all of the water bodies tested, and proved to be “both mobile and persistent in the environment.”
For the paper (press release; abstract) published last week in the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Pollution, USGS researchers took 79 water samples in nine rivers and streams over the 2013 growing season in Iowa, a state whose vast acreage of farmland is largely devoted to neonic-treated corn and soybeans. Neonics showed up in all of the sites, and proved to be “both mobile and persistent in the environment.”
Levels varied over the course of the season, spiking after spring planting, the authors report. At their peak, the neonic traces in Iowa streams reached levels well above those considered toxic for aquatic organisms. And the chemicals proved to linger—the researchers found them at reduced levels before planting, “which indicates that they can persist from applications in prior years,” USGS scientist Michelle Hladik, the report’s lead author, said in the press release. And they showed up “more frequently and in higher concentrations” than the insecticides they replaced, the authors note.
Other studies have shown similar results. Neonics have shown up at significant levels in wetlands near treated farm fields in parts of the High Plains and in Canada, as wells as in rivers in ag-heavy areas of Georgia and California.
These findings directly contradict industry talking points. Older insecticides were typically sprayed onto crops in the field, while neonics are applied directly to seeds, and then taken up by the stalks, leaves, pollen, and nectar of the resulting plants. “Due to its precise application directly to the seed, which is then planted below the soil surface, seed treatment reduces potential off-target exposure to plants and animals,” Croplife America, the pesticide industry’s main lobbying outfit, declared in a 2014 report.
Yet the USGS researchers report that older pesticides that once rained down on the corn/soy belt, like chlorpyrifos and carbofuran, turned up at “substantially” lower rates in water—typically, in less than 20 percent of samples, compared to the 100 percent of samples found in the current neonic study. Apparently, pesticides that are taken up by plants through seed treatments don’t stay in the plants; and neonics, the USGS authors say, are highly water soluble and break down in water more slowly than the pesticides they’ve replaced.
In another document, Croplife claims that neonicotinoids “have been used in the United States for many years without significant effects on populations of honey bees.” But the paper shows that neonic use didn’t start in the heart of corn/soy belt until 2004, and then quickly ramped up. The below graphic, lifted from the paper, shows usage data on the three major neonic chemicals, with the chart on the bottom right depicting total use. According to the USDA, colony collapse disorder started in 2006. Correlation doesn’t prove causation, but the industry’s “many years without significant effects” claim doesn’t hold up to scrutiny.
In leaching from farm fields, neonics follow a pattern established by spray-applied herbicides like atrazine, the authors note, which undergo a similar “spring flush” into waterways. That means that each spring in Iowa, critters like frogs and fish find themselves immersed in a cocktail of damaging chemicals.
Meanwhile, the use of seed treatments is surging—it tripled over the past decade. And not just neonics. Fungicides—chemicals that kill fungal pests—are also being applied to seeds at record rates. According to Croplife, “today’s seed treatment market offers pre-mixture products containing combinations of three, four or more fungicides.” It also boasts: “The global fungicide seed treatment market is growing at a compound annual growth rate of 9.2 percent and is expected to reach $1.4 billion by 2018.”
And these chemicals, too, are emerging as a threat to honeybees. They also may be fouling up water. In 2012, the USGS released a research review on fungicides and their effect on waterways. The report noted plenty of “data gaps”—i.e. a dearth of research—but also evidence of “significant sublethal effects of fungicides on fish, aquatic invertebrates, and ecosystems, including zooplankton and fish reproduction, fish immune function, zooplankton community composition, metabolic enzymes, and ecosystem processes, such as leaf decomposition in streams, among other biological effects.” |
1000 different people, the same words
What hiring language from 25,000 recent job descriptions tells us about corporate cultural norms
Kieran Snyder Blocked Unblock Follow Following Dec 13, 2017
Let’s say that you collected 1,000 people together and gave them simple instructions: In one minute, everyone start singing your favorite song.
It’s easy to imagine the resulting chaos. 1,000 different voices bursting into different music, lots of them out of tune and none of it coordinated.
That’s what it’s like when you ask 1,000 hiring managers at your company each to write a job description for a role on their team. 1,000 different voices saying different things, lots of it poorly constructed and none of it coordinated.
Now imagine that, in response to those “sing your favorite song” instructions, those 1,000 singers all started singing “We Will Rock You” in unison. You might think it was an eerie coincidence. But more likely, you’d start looking for a logical explanation. Was everyone singing along to the radio? Were they all part of the same choir? What led them all to choose the same song without discussing it ahead of time?
The patterns that show up across your company’s jobs show what you truly value
In the same way, you might find it striking if, despite having very different roles and hiring needs, those 1,000 hiring managers all used the exact same language in their job posts. In large organizations, you don’t end up with thousands of people using the same words by accident. The patterns that show up across your company’s jobs show what you truly value. |
K Street looks like a winner if healthcare reform reaches President Barack Obama Barack Hussein ObamaWith low birth rate, America needs future migrants 4 ways Hillary looms over the 2020 race Obama goes viral after sporting black bomber jacket with '44' on sleeve at basketball game MORE’s desk.
Even though more than one lobbyist described healthcare reform as once-in-a-generation legislation, lobbyists speaking on background predicted a busy 2010 and beyond.
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“Every bill we’ve passed in the last 10 years we call ‘The Lobbyist Full-Employment Act,’ ” one lobbyist quipped. “Healthcare’s never going away.”
If healthcare reform passes, lobbyists for healthcare industries will be plenty busy trying to influence the implementation of the bill, both in Congress and in the Obama administration.
Sectors targeted for cuts in the bill will immediately begin trying to claw back the money they stand to lose. And lobbyists representing smaller interests will try to band together to get their perennial issues handled.
“If we were to pass this bad boy, we’re going to be working on this thing for 10 years solid,” a healthcare lobbyist said. “There’s going to be one mother of a fix-it bill before 2013.
“Good God, think about the business that would be generated by this thing,” the lobbyist said.
This year’s effort to overhaul the entire U.S. healthcare system has generated an enormous amount of lobbying from every player in the sector, the predictable result being a probable record year for healthcare lobbying revenue.
Through the end of July, interest groups had spent $263.6 million lobbying on healthcare, compared to the record $485.4 million from all of last year, according to data from the Center for Responsive Politics. The 2009 figure will balloon during the second half of 2009 as legislative activity reaches a fever pitch.
To be sure, even the most optimistic lobbyists do not expect anything to match the magnitude of this year’s healthcare reform battle. “Nothing could be this intense,” another lobbyist remarked.
“It will diminish somewhat because this is a once-in-a-generation bill. It won’t be as intense next year, but there won’t be a dearth of legislative activity,” the K Streeter said. “If nothing else, there’ll be all these guys doing stuff on rules and regulation.”
History suggests that lobbyists who expect the cash to keep flowing are on to something.
Over the past decade or so, Congress has passed a handful of major healthcare bills. Each led to follow-up legislation that may not have attracted the public interest but definitely attracted lobbyists to Capitol Hill.
In 1997, Congress slashed Medicare spending as part of the Balanced Budget Act. But much of those cuts never took place as lobbyists for healthcare interests persuaded Congress it had gone too far. The results were bills passed in 1999 and 2000 to give some of that money back.
“Givebacks” were part of the Medicare Modernization Act that created the Part D prescription drug benefit and expanded the private Medicare Advantage program in 2003 as well. In turn, the launch of Part D and the growth of Medicare Advantage produced a flurry of lobbying once they were implemented.
When Democrats took control of Congress in 2007, healthcare lobbyists turned to defending favored programs from cuts and working to inflate or defend their slice of the federal pie through bills such as this year’s expansion of the Children’s Health Insurance Program
That pattern can only repeat itself when it comes to the budget cuts that make up a big part of healthcare reform, one lobbyist predicted. “All these supposed savings in this bill — a lot of those are going to be deferred.” And because 2010 is an election year, this lobbyist remarked, lawmakers will be attentive to influential, moneyed special interests in their districts and states.
The current debate on preventing cuts to physicians who treat Medicare patients also underscores how healthcare seems to provide nearly limitless opportunities for healthcare lobbyists.
Congress has been unable or unwilling to find ways to cover the ever-increasing cost of fixing this problem — now pegged at $247 billion over 10 years — so lawmakers enacted a series of short-term fixes.
The physician lobby has had little choice but to make the annual “doc fix” its No. 1 priority. Next year, doctors would get a 21 percent cut without Congress’s help.
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But it’s not just physician groups that have to work hard when Medicare legislation looms.
Representatives of hospitals and other providers must lobby hard to protect their own payments from lawmakers hungry for budgetary offsets. In addition, lower-profile issues always need addressing, such as extending special payments for rural hospitals or preventing unwanted cuts in physical therapy benefits.
Without a big legislative vehicle like healthcare reform, the Medicare prescription drug benefit or the Balanced Budget Act, healthcare lobbyists will have to get more creative. “When there’s not some sort of overarching, key issue,” a lobbyist explained, “all these provisions end up being a large kind of Medicare bill unto themselves. |
Started this when i was bored one night (Although thats pretty much every night) Wasnt gonna finish but i got alot of Messages about it so here she Is!
Hey there, thanks for using my XNALara Clemy port to make this, this is really awesome that Clemy is now spread across the games, like T-Virus in Raccoon City xD
Thanks for Making that!no one else was so i was super happy when i came across it
Hey there, thanks for using my XNALara Clemy port to make this, this is really awesome that Clemy is now spread across the games, like T-Virus in Raccoon City xD
No problem, and yes i'm also planned to make her in all clothes left (Jacket and Flashback Jacket), and also other ANF characters the next on my list is David then javi and e.t.c. And it'll be good if you can port them to Resident Evil as soon as i released them (also could you port her to RE4 not only 5)P:S Also one thing i noticed and i think you really need to fix it, her shoulders, they looks very weird, other than that everything is awesome!
Thanks for Making that!no one else was so i was super happy when i came across it
Hey there, thanks for using my XNALara Clemy port to make this, this is really awesome that Clemy is now spread across the games, like T-Virus in Raccoon City xD |
DETROIT - It's a family squabble of monumental proportion.
The Karmanos family, businessman Peter Karmanos and his three elder sons, are fighting over more than $100 million.
The case is now in Oakland County Circuit Court. The dispute centers on Karmanos's will, which stands to give substantial amounts of money to his sons. The problem? Pete Karmanos borrowed millions of dollars from trusts, made up of Compuware stock, promised to his three sons, Peter the third, Nick and Jason.
The trusts are valued at over $100 million, but over the years, Pete Sr. borrowed against the account to fund his beloved Carolina Hurricanes hockey team. He wrote a loan contract for more than $100 million, agreeing to pay interest using installments until June 29, 2022, or one year after his death.
A lawsuit filed last Thursday says "on or about April 21, Peter the third ... sent his father a notice of default of balance of principal and interest on the June 2013 note."
[Click here to read lawsuit]
The sons claim their father "failed to timely cure such defaults and accordingly, on or about May 25, 2016 the entire balance of the June 2013 note ... more than $105 million ... would become immediately due and payable."
Probate litigator Robert Zawideh of Kemp Klein says the case leaves you wondering about the Karmanos fortune's fortunes.
"Well certainly the biggest indicator of money problems is when you're getting sued over nonpayment of money, the lawuit certainly suggests that but there could be other reasons as well," he said.
Normally this kind of case winds up in probate court, but the Karmanos sons isntead filed a civil case in circuit court saying this is a contract dispute.
Local 4 reached out to both parties in the case today. The sons had no comment. Pete Sr. did not return phone calls.
Copyright 2016 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved. |
Publisher’s note: Normally, as unaffiliated supporters of CAFE, we publish their announcements in the news or bulletin areas of this site. Today I am posting this as a featured article because circumstances around this event demand a higher profile and more discussion, as well as the effort to have more people attend the lecture by journalist Cathy Young.
In recent days some sort of threats were allegedly made against women generally, feminists generally and specifically against the gender studies department at the University of Toronto. There is currently no information available on who allegedly made these threats and I have been informed by reliable sources that the Toronto Police have looked into the matter and have concluded that any concerns about the matter are baseless. In short, they investigated the matter and found nothing to take seriously.
My personal impression is that if the Toronto Police Department does not find cause for concern in supposed threats that were aimed at young university women, then they likely have very good reason for that position.
The facts here are still very concerning, though not about personal risks to women. Nothing about these threats were of concern to authorities. No one knows the source of said threads. It cannot even be demonstrated that they did not come from opponents to the event as a false flag. Still, there are people already at work trying to convert this mole hill into a mountain of reasons why Cathy Young should not speak; why CAFE is a “misogynist” group and why men’s advocates should have no place on college campuses in Canada.
For all this I urge people to remember that despite the great amount of progress we have made in raising awareness on men’s issues, there are still many people in positions of great influence who are determined to silence those trying to help men and boys.
If you can attend the lecture by Cathy Young, please do. Also, for those who can, please donate to CAFE for the incredible work they are doing on behalf of men and boys.
As always, if you attend, please bring the same invaluable tools you have always brought to events like this; your intellect, your knowledge and your peaceful, thoughtful reactions to those who would demonize you and cast you as a threat. Thank you. PE
♦♦♦
MEDIA ADVISORY – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Men’s Issues Group CAFE Condemns Threats Targeting Feminists and Women
Calls on U of T to Host Townhall Event Before Prominent Journalist Cathy Young Addresses “The Politics of Gender” next week
TORONTO, ONTARIO — (September 15, 2015) The Canadian Association for Equality (CAFE) and the U of T Men’s Issues Awareness Society (UTMIAS) condemn in the strongest possible language threats of violence targeting feminists and women at the University of Toronto.
“We stand shoulder to shoulder with those who have been threatened,” said CAFE Executive Director Justin Trottier. “It has been our long-stated belief that intimidation against those who hold opinions with which you disagree is an attack against all of us. Each person must feel safe to express themself without fear of intimidation or harassment.”
Cathy Young, the well known journalist and “equity feminist,” will speak at the University of Toronto on Thursday, September 24th and in Ottawa on Friday, September 25th, at the event “The Politics of Gender and Victimhood,” planned weeks ago by the UTMIAS and sponsored by CAFE.
“Our events discuss suicide, fatherhood, men’s health and the need for inclusive public policies to support all victims of violence,” said Trottier. “We cannot allow intimidation to close down debate on critical gender issues. But it is the responsibility of those hosting dialogue to work to ensure the safety of all participants.”
Given recent threats, as well as the harassment by those protesting previous CAFE-sponsored event, there may be legitimate safety concerns on all sides. A safe walk service for any guest requesting it will be provided at the Cathy Young talks to and from the event to vehicles or the TTC.
CAFE has also contacted the University of Toronto administration and those groups targeted by online threats to recommend a public dialogue to discuss how we can confront intimidation that affects us all. “It is time for all those who put the well-being of people ahead of our commitment to ideology to come together and resolve this situation.”
CONTACT
Justin Trottier
Executive Director, Canadian Association for Equality
416-402-8856
[email protected]
♦♦♦
Contact info for the event.
And a follow up annoncement from CAFE regarding the alleged threats.
MEDIA ADVISORY – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Men’s Issues Group CAFE Condemns Threats Targeting Feminists and Women
Calls on U of T to Host Townhall Event Before Prominent Journalist Cathy Young Addresses “The Politics of Gender” next week
TORONTO, ONTARIO — (September 15, 2015) The Canadian Association for Equality (CAFE) and the U of T Men’s Issues Awareness Society (UTMIAS) condemn in the strongest possible language threats of violence targeting feminists and women at the University of Toronto.
“We stand shoulder to shoulder with those who have been threatened,” said CAFE Executive Director Justin Trottier. “It has been our long-stated belief that intimidation against those who hold opinions with which you disagree is an attack against all of us. Each person must feel safe to express themself without fear of intimidation or harassment.”
Cathy Young, the well known journalist and “equity feminist,” will speak at the University of Toronto on Thursday, September 24th and in Ottawa on Friday, September 25th, at the event “The Politics of Gender and Victimhood,” planned weeks ago by the UTMIAS and sponsored by CAFE.
“Our events discuss suicide, fatherhood, men’s health and the need for inclusive public policies to support all victims of violence,” said Trottier. “We cannot allow intimidation to close down debate on critical gender issues. But it is the responsibility of those hosting dialogue to work to ensure the safety of all participants.”
Given recent threats, as well as the harassment by those protesting previous CAFE-sponsored event, there may be legitimate safety concerns on all sides. A safe walk service for any guest requesting it will be provided at the Cathy Young talks to and from the event to vehicles or the TTC.
CAFE has also contacted the University of Toronto administration and those groups targeted by online threats to recommend a public dialogue to discuss how we can confront intimidation that affects us all. “It is time for all those who put the well-being of people ahead of ideology to come together and resolve this situation.” |
Alan Kertz, the lead core gameplay designer at DICE for Battlefield 4, has revealed that the PS4 version of the game will "likely" use the L2 and R2 buttons for aiming and shooting as they are "so much improved" over the PS3's triggers.
Shooters on PS3 usually default aiming and shooting to the L1 and R1 bumper buttons on the DUALSHOCK 3 due to the fact that many players feel their fingers slip off the controller's triggers although players can often change the control options if they wish – it's not clear if gamers will be able to alter the controller configuration in Battlefield 4.
However, it appears that Sony has taken complaints about their controller seriously and have made significant improvements.
Other changes made for the DUALSHOCK 4 include moving L3 and R3, the sticks, further apart to prevent people's thumbs hitting off each other and of course the sensor light bar which will have different functions based on each game. As part of the changes the Select and Start buttons have been replaced by Share and Options.
The DUALSHOCK 4 will also include an inbuilt speaker.
Battlefield 4 is set to be launched on PS3, PS4, PC, Xbox 360 and Xbox One later this year with the first DLC for the game being a timed exclusive for Xbox One.
The PS4 is also due for release this holiday season and you can have a closer look at DUALSHOCK 4's design and inputs in this developer video.
Source: Twitter, via Reddit. |
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Arnold Schwarzenegger’s dad beat him with a belt when he was a boy – because he thought he was gay.
The love-cheat revealed on US TV: “He ran after me with a belt and beat me.”
And the Terminator star said his mum asked a doctor for help because she was worried there was “something off”.
Arnie, who admit-ted he betrayed wife Maria Shriver, 56, with a string of other women, said: “I don’t know if mum thought I was gay, or if she just thought there was something off. And ‘let’s catch it early’.
“She asked the doctor, ‘Can you help me? I don’t know if there’s something wrong with my son because his wall is full of naked men.
"All of Arnold’s friends have pictures of girls above their bed. And Arnold has no girls.’”
The superstar, 65, also revealed that he paid tens of thousands of dollars to his housekeeper Mildred “Patty” Baena, 51, when he learned she was the mother of his love child Joseph, now 15 – but denied that he gave her hush-money.
Arnie, who was promoting his memoirs Total Recall on 60 Minutes, was asked if his flings with Baena and Hollywood star Brigitte Nielsen, 49, were his only slip-ups during his marriage.
The Predator star confessed: “No, I had others. I did feel bad about it. They were mistakes. This is my failure. My screw-ups. It’s something that’s between Maria and me. She knew. I’m not perfect.”
(Image: X17)
Arnie kept Joseph secret from Maria when he was California governor, but came clean during marriage counselling last spring.
He claimed he only discovered Joseph was his son when he was seven.
The star said: “He started looking like me and I kind of got it. I put the things together.”
Related video - Arnold Schwarzenegger's own SON relives his dad's classic scene from The Terminator |
Chinchero, Peru (photo credit: Natalie Deuschle)
The rainbow was born in the town of Chinchero, Peru, according to Incan mythology. Today, when the weavers of the area gather to dye wool in vats of boiling water, myth seems to become reality. The women wear bright red jackets as they tend to the vats, samples of already dyed wool are laid out -- from blue to saffron to purple -- and a weaver stirs a pot of deep moss-green wool with a long wooden pole.
Chinchero is situated in the central Andes, a short distance from Cusco, on the way to the Inca Trail and Machu Picchu. It has developed into a tourist hub, although the community remains seemingly untouched by time. Quechua, the language of the Inca people, is spoken by many of the inhabitants, and the town still commands the vistas that long ago earned the region the moniker "the cloud kingdom of the Incas."
Peru hosted the 20th annual Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change late last year, and was the backdrop for far-reaching negotiations among more than 190 countries about the impact of climate change. And Peru is also home to the small-scale but powerful work being done by artisans like weavers in Chinchero, especially in terms of how their work supports and preserves the biodiversity of the region.
Today a dyeing workshop run by the Center for Traditional Textiles of Cusco (CTTC), a group that supports and promotes traditional weaving and spinning, has drawn more than 100 people to the area to master the centuries-old traditional technique of making naturally dyed wool. Participants tend the vats of boiling water and work with the dyestuff, which includes chillca flowers from the nearby mountains, used to produce the color green; shapy, a vine that makes the color pink, collected from the jungle beyond the neighboring community of Accha Alta; and the insect cochineal, which feeds on cactus and is ground to make the color red.
"They have been there since 4:30 in the morning," explains Peggy Clark, director of the Alliance for Artisan Enterprise, a group that supports the global handicraft market, including the weavers of this region. "It is physically difficult, labor-intensive work, a community effort -- but really peaceful. Time slows down over this whole day. It's an all-hands-on-deck kind of thing."
Sallac Village, Peru (photo credit: Natalie Deuschle)
Until recently, many of the ancient weaving customs of Chinchero, which are rooted in the stunning biodiversity of the area -- from natural dyeing to harvesting alpaca wool -- had all but disappeared for decades, during which chemical dyes and machine weaving pushed out the old techniques.
Now, however, natural dyeing and traditional weaving methods can take some of the credit for having brought an economic, environmental, and social renewal to the region. The textiles produced in Chinchero are sold globally and are on display in museums around the world, and that's partly thanks to one woman, Nilda Callañaupa.
Traditions Lost
Forty years ago, Chinchero was home to a young girl, whose job it was to tend sheep as they grazed. As the many hours of the day passed on the hillside, she spun wool as she watched her animal charges, as girls her age were expected to do, producing usable skeins of wool. The wool was used to make the textiles that were an important part of the community -- as blankets, clothing, in farming, and in sacred rituals. And as the girl spun, she became entranced with the act -- so much so that she found herself dreaming of spinning as she slept each night.
"I am proud that I learned skills and knowledge from my Chincero grandmothers and their ability to lay out and weave complex designs, carrying on ideas passed from their mothers and grandmothers," says Callañaupa, now 54 and founder director of the CTTC. " ... I saw how my grandmothers took strength from their Inca rituals and ceremonies, especially those connected with weaving and spinning."
As that girl spinning on the mountainside grew older and her interest in weaving became a passion, she noticed that the traditional methods of dyeing wool and weaving were disappearing from Chinchero. The techniques, handed down orally over the years, were not recorded in writing, and the younger generations showed greater interest in leaving Chinchero for the cities of Peru than in learning from their elders. Textiles were still important to the community, but cheap chemical dyes, acrylic yarn, and machines were being used more widely by the weavers.
"The textile process was poorly managed," says Callañaupa. "The younger generation was not working with the same attention to quality as the elders." The growing tourist market had created a demand for simple, quickly produced designs and products of lesser quality: belts, bags, friendship bracelets from exotic, "foreign" lands. Commercially produced synthetic dyes were bright, cheap, and easy to use (natural dyeing is a much longer, more expensive process), and the weavers in Chincero were rapidly abandoning the traditional methods.
Beyond the degradation of quality that such developments implied, Callañaupa saw the loss of the connection between nature and culture looming. The ecosystem management systems that went along with the old methods (sustainable use of plants, animals, water, and land), developed over thousands of years, were becoming lost -- and the ecosystem was suffering.
It's a phenomenon that occurs far beyond Chinchero, in fact. As Greenpeace reported, the textile industry's impact on the environment in terms of water and land use, energy efficiency, waste production, chemical use, and greenhouse-gas emissions is alarming. Groups like SlowColor are trying to tackle this problem, as their website explains. "SlowColor rejuvenates centuries-old fabric dyeing techniques and handlooming traditions, protects the environment and creates fabrics that are healthy for life. SlowColor connects artisan to audience, tradition to global market." And in the highlands of Peru, these are precisely the methods advocated by Callañaupa and the CTTC.
Returning Home
As a teenager, Callañaupa became close friends with an older woman of the community, who taught her how to weave in the traditional ways. Callañaupa's love of learning led her to become the first in her community to go to university, then on to study in the United States at Berkeley -- and she took her spindle with her.
Callañaupa easily could have made a life for herself away from Chinchero. But after earning graduate degrees, she returned to the lush valley of her youth, with a commitment to researching and revitalizing the ancient weaving and dyeing techniques of her elders.
It was a calling that led Callañaupa to establish the CTTC in 1996. In addition to holding periodic dyeing workshops for weavers in the region, the Center runs programs for youth and elders. "Not only do I hope that young people will continue their traditions but I would like to see Inca children today experiencing the joy, sense of identity and accomplishment that spinning and weaving can bring to their lives," says Callañaupa.
In a relatively short span of time, this community, in which it seemed that the ancient ways would be lost forever, has reclaimed its roots -- and the change has gone beyond the weaving.
When you walk through Chinchero, perhaps through the Sunday market where many textiles are sold, many of the townspeople are dressed in traditional garb; as recently as 10 years ago, this wasn't the case. It was Callañaupa and others in her community who encouraged the community to begin dressing as their ancestors had, as a way of strengthening their connection to the old ways -- to strong criticism at first.
It seemed, Callañaupa explains her book Textile Traditions of Chincero, "that what I was doing seemed to be going backwards in our history because traditional clothes were used by women without education, and educated people should change. Many women and girls received strong criticism, but we have already overcome that complex phase of unwarranted embarrassment."
It has been, in fact, by "going backwards" that Chinchero has not only survived but thrived. The old weaving techniques, once scorned, now have great value. More young people are staying in Chincero and making a living from weaving, as opposed to going to the cities and facing an uncertain and potentially dangerous future. Women are now economically empowered, which has a net positive effect on their families and the community as a whole.
"We Are Helping the Land"
Although preservation of their ecosystem is not the main objective of the Center, their work has had a positive impact on the land in any case. "By giving opportunity to the weavers," Callañaupa says, "that creates income for families, so they don't need to overwork the land for income [from agriculture] ... we like alpaca wool, so we are raising more. When they graze in the open air, they fertilize the land. In some small scale, we are helping the land."
Water use is an important part of the picture, too. Any dyeing process -- whether it's with synthetic or natural dyes -- uses large amounts of water, so to be environmentally responsible, there has to be some awareness of where the water comes from. The region of the CTTC is part of an innovative watershed services project that is protecting Lake Piuray, a major source of water for Cusco and Chinchero. This project is backed by the national water regulator, SUNASS, and executed with the funds of water users, via the Cusco water company (SEDACUSCO). Such a collaboration is unique, and has generated enthusiasm among the various actors and the desire to replicate these kinds of win-win projects throughout Peru.
And after the dyeing process, there is the matter of the waste water. As SlowColor's Tricia O'Keefe says about chemical dye use, "What happens to the after you're done dyeing? Where are those chemicals going? That is a huge issue ... the thing about the natural dyes is that you could completely recycle that water." In using natural dyes over synthetic, Callañaupa and her weavers are ensuring that toxic chemicals are not released into the environment via the run-off water.
The use of natural dyes over chemical dyes, the preservation and promotion of biodiversity in the indigenous plant and animal species that are vital to the weaving, in the bigger picture of recovering centuries-old environmentally friendly methods of weaving, has made the Center a model for climate change mitigation.
Callañaupa's work -- which preserves and respects the ecosystem in which it exists -- means that the ancient ways can work; in fact, they may do the best job at strengthening communities and improving livelihoods. This is vital, says O'Keefe. There is a trend of "migration from rural to urban, and then into urban poverty, because what skills do they really have once they get [to the cities]? ... What's happening to the land they're abandoning?"
Opportunities offered by the CTTC offer a positive scenario both the region's people and the land. "It's great in Peru that this is happening," says O'Keefe. "It gives people at least a choice ... If you want to stay in your rural village where you grew up, you actually have something sustainable to do that. If you want to go study computers in the city, you can do that. There are choices."
As the Alliance for Artisan Enterprise's Peggy Clark describes the reasoning behind her group's support of Callañaupa, "One of the things that people think is that environment is separate from economy, so there's not enough support and investment to move the needle and make a difference. The only way to do that is to broaden the tent.
"Not only does [the work of the CTTC] make sense at a policy level or an investment level, it makes sense at an individual level. Like with Nilda and her family: they are preserving the natural environment as well as finding ways to create products from their environment for their livelihoods. They can send their kids to school, they can support their families."
Later this year, world leaders will gather in Paris for the next COP to find solutions for dealing with climate change. They will come by airplane and limousine, and they will fill the finest hotels. While they negotiate and debate, in a "cloud kingdom" across the world, a group of weavers, led by one woman, will be doing what their ancestors did for centuries, weaving stories of sustainability and solution, using the astonishing biodiversity of the region responsibly and with great success. As Callañaupa says, "It is becoming clear that the survival of diversity contributes to the valuable storehouse of world resources."
"Artisans are often the stewards of the natural world," says Clark. "Often in traditional ways ... they are working in their communities with products that are from their environment, be it fibers from leaves, bark from trees, or natural dyes from difference sources. So they are invested in ensuring that those resources will always be there."
In the introduction to one of Callañaupa's books, Weaving in the Peruvian Highlands, anthropologist, ethnobotanist, author, and photographer Wade Davis writes: "These textiles are sacred cloth, woven from the threads of memory by Andean hands that are at last firmly in control of their destiny. Each tells a story, and each story is a prayer for the well-being of the people, the land, and the community."
Callañaupa's work means that we can produce goods that have global value in a way that doesn't ruin the soil or deplete the water table or poison the air. We can engage the youth in our communities in healthy, life-affirming activity, and we can reward their efforts with a sustainable livelihood.
And while the leaders convene at COP, Callañaupa and her weavers will be creating art -- each piece a "story" -- that preserves and promotes the biodiversity that sustains us all, one thread at a time. |
David Tennant and Billie Piper reunite for three new Big Finish Doctor Who productions...
David Tennant and Billie Piper are reprising their roles of the Tenth Doctor and his companion Rose Tyler in three new Doctor Who audio dramas from Big Finish Productions in arrangement with BBC Worldwide:
David Tennant’s Doctor, portrayed on screen from December 2005 until December 2009, returned in the 50th Anniversary special The Day of the Doctor, with Matt Smith and Sir John Hurt in 2013, and on audio for Big Finish with Catherine Tate in 2016.
Billie Piper portrayed the Doctor’s much-loved companion Rose in 2005 and 2006, returning for a number of stories in 2008. She also appeared as The Moment – which had taken Rose’s form – in The Day of the Doctor. These new stories will be Billie’s eagerly-awaited debut for Big Finish.
Executive producer Jason Haigh-Ellery says: "Getting David and Billie back together was definitely on my bucket list – two wonderful actors who created an era of Doctor Who which is so fondly remembered and brought a different aspect of the relationship between the Doctor and his companion to the fore – love, both platonic and unrequited. It’s great to have the Tenth Doctor and Rose back again!"
Doctor Who: The Tenth Doctor Adventures – Volume 2, to be released in November 2017, is comprised of three thrilling hour-long full-cast audio adventures.
The set opens with Infamy of the Zaross by John Dorney, in which an alien invasion of Earth isn’t quite what it appears to be – Camille Coduri guest stars as Jackie Tyler.
In the second adventure, Sword of the Chevalier by Guy Adams, the Doctor and Rose arrive in Slough in 1791 and encounter Chevalier D’Eon, an enigmatic ex-spy who has lived their life as a woman. Together they must fend off alien slavers, who have come to Earth to abduct valuable humans.
Finally, in Cold Vengeance by Matt Fitton, the TARDIS arrives on Coldstar, a vast frozen food asteroid in deep space. But there is something sinister defrosting in the network of storage units… the Doctor’s old enemies the Ice Warriors! Nicholas Briggs plays Ice Lord Hasskor and Warrior Slaan.
"It was such a special time for me, working with Billie and David on the TV show," says Nicholas Briggs, who is the Voice of the Daleks on TV and for Big Finish, "and it is such an honour to revisit it with them on audio."
Doctor Who: The Tenth Doctor Adventures – Volume 2 is produced by David Richardson, script edited by Matt Fitton and John Dorney, and directed by Nicholas Briggs. Executive producers are Jason Haigh-Ellery and Nicholas Briggs.
"We were thrilled by the response to the first volume,’ says David Richardson. "David Tennant and Catherine Tate were on fantastic form, and it’s so exciting to reunite David with Billie Piper, playing the Doctor and Rose together again after nine years! Their time in the series transformed Doctor Who into a prime-time and international hit, and we’ve worked very hard to live up to the incredible standards of Russell T Davies."
Doctor Who - The Tenth Doctor Adventures Volume 2 (Limited Edition) is available now for pre-order on Download and CD. This five-disc collector's edition - limited to 5,000 copies - is available on CD in deluxe bookset packaging for a pre-release price of £35, with a download version for £25.
The three stories - Doctor Who - Infamy of the Zaross, Doctor Who - Sword of the Chevalier and Doctor Who - Cold Vengeance - can be bought individually for £8.99 on Download or £10.99 on Download. These are also bundled together for £22 and £25 respectively.
+ + + 24 Hour Special Offer + + +
While our Doctor Who - The Tenth Doctor Adventures Volume 1 Limited Edition has now sold out on CD, our Doctor Who - The Tenth Doctor Adventures Volume 1 set, collecting together the three individual disc releases (each available for £8.99 and £10.99) - is available for the next 24 hours at a 50% discount - just £12.50 or £15 for Download or CD!
Check out our entire Doctor Who - The New Series range for a wealth of exciting titles! |
The government reported today on the supply of crude oil, gasoline and distillates. Quick Vote This summer, I plan to� Take a vacation
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NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Oil prices touched another record Wednesday, spiking after an initial decline on a government report that said crude and gasoline supplies were stronger than expected last week.
Light sweet crude for June delivery settled at a record high of $123.53 a barrel, up $1.69 from the previous record of $121.84 a barrel set Tuesday.
The contract reached a record trading high of $123.80 at one point during the session.
Just before the Energy Information Administration released its report, oil was up 21 cents at $122.05, then retreated as low as $120.54 before rebounding.
Crude prices for the June contract dropped off as investors reacted to the positive supply report. However, they spiked back up again as the "market realized that the numbers are not as bullish as people thought and they bought back really quickly," said Stephen Schork, publisher of the industry newsletter The Schork Report.
After any event or report, the markets need at least 20 minutes to digest the information, according to Schork.
The numbers
Crude oil inventories climbed by 5.7 million barrels from the week ended May 2. Analysts forecast a gain of 1.5 million barrels, according to a survey from Platts, an energy research firm.
At 325.6 million barrels, U.S. crude oil inventories are in the middle of the average range for this time of year.
Total motor gasoline inventories rose by 800,000 barrels last week, and are in the upper half of the average range. Gasoline inventories were expected to fall 500,000 barrels.
Distillate fuel - used to make heating oil and diesel fuel - dropped by 100,000 barrels last week, and are in the lower half of the average range for this time of year. The research firm reported that distillates were expected to rise by 1.3 million barrels.
Refineries functioned at 85% of their operational capacity in the week ended May 2, a slight decline from the previous week. This is less than the usual 90% capacity for this time of year.
Crude oil so high, there is no incentive to make gas
Crude oil prices have been running up on supply disruptions in Nigeria, a key supplier of oil for the United States. Royal Dutch Shell PLC (RDS.A) said militants struck a facility owned by one of the company's joint ventures in Nigeria.
Another reason that crude oil prices have been so high is the volatile weather in the Gulf of Mexico.
"We have had a very odd season with the Gulf of Mexico, and we have had off-and-on-again shipping," said Schork.
He said oil supply levels are dependent on imports reaching their destination, and that has been hampered by thick fog in the Gulf of Mexico.
The weakening dollar has also been pushing up the price of oil. As the value of the dollar falls, oil becomes more expensive because it is traded in U.S. dollars all over the world.
According to auto group AAA's Web site Wednesday, the average price for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline rose Wednesday to $3.618, up eight-tenths of a cent from the previous day. It is just a half-cent below the record high of $3.623 set May 1.
Even though retail gas prices are at close to record levels, the tremendously high price of crude oil has given refineries little motivation to make gasoline out of crude oil.
With wholesale gasoline prices at about $128 a barrel, that is $8 or $9 a barrel premium after paying for crude at recent prices, according to Schork. He compared that yield to the same time last year, when crude was roughly $65 a barrel and gas was $100 a barrel, yielding a $35 premium.
"That is a very small yield," said Schork. "The incentive is not there."
Gas is not profitable, and the machines that refine crude oil into retail gasoline are fatiguing, said Schork. Even if a refiner had economic incentive to make gasoline, refineries simply can't maximize output.
Looking forward
On Tuesday, the Energy Information Administration - in its monthly short-term energy outlook - said it expects higher crude prices, which will lead to higher prices for gasoline and diesel fuel.
The report said "the oil supply system continues to operate at near capacity and remains vulnerable to both actual and perceived supply disruptions."
The EIA also indicated that while world oil consumption is projected to grow in 2008, U.S. consumption will decline "as a result of the economic slowdown and high petroleum prices." |
NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- Gold futures closed with gains after soaring to a new record high of $958.40 an ounce Thursday, boosted by weakness in the U.S. dollar and the metal's appeal as a hedge against inflation.
Gold for April delivery rose $11.40 to end at $949.20 an ounce on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Earlier in the session, gold surged to a new record high of $958.40 an ounce.
April platinum futures also hit a record, climbing as high as $2,194.80 an ounce. Platinum finished up $49.40 at $2,188.20 an ounce.
"Gold has surged on increasing inflation concerns with yesterday's stronger-than-expected and sharply higher U.S. CPI report," said Mark O'Byrne, executive director at Gold & Silver Investments Ltd., in a note.
With the commodities complex continuing to surge, "inflation will continue to increase significantly in the U.S. and internationally," he said.
Gold, typically regarded as an inflation hedge, gained Wednesday after the Labor Department reported that U.S. consumer prices rose a seasonally adjusted 0.4% in January. Inflation was stoked by large increases in energy and food prices but also showed increases in a host of underlying core prices. See related story.
The European Commission, the executive branch of the European Union, on Thursday hiked its inflation estimate for the euro zone in 2008 to 2.6%, up from the previous estimate of 2.1%, according to media reports. The Commission also expects economic growth in the EU to be 2% this year, down from its previous estimate of 2.4%.
Earlier this week, Chinese officials said their country's inflation rate climbed to its highest level in more than 11 years in January. The nation's consumer price index climbed 7.1% in January from a year earlier, accelerating from a 6.5% rise in December.
"This type of inflation environment is one in which commodities thrive in -- at least until growth rates start to falter," said Edward Meir, an analyst at MF Global, in a research note.
"In this respect, however, although the American and European economies are slowing markedly, we are not seeing signs of a synchronized global slowdown just yet in the Asian economies," Meir said. "What's more, and somewhat abruptly, there has been a supply squeeze coming through in some of the metals."
Dollar sinks
Gold also received a boost from weakness in the U.S. dollar. The dollar index, which tracks the performance of the greenback against a basket of currencies, fell 0.7% to 75.56. See Currencies.
The greenback was pressured by worse-than-expected manufacturing in the Philadelphia region as reported by the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia. Read more.
Adding to bad economic news, the Conference Board said Thursday that the index of leading U.S. economic indicators dipped by 0.1% in January, as weaker stock prices and housing data drove the gauge to a fourth consecutive monthly decline. See Economic Report.
Crude-oil futures dropped Thursday, after rallying to a new record high in the previous session, as government data showed U.S. crude inventories rose more than expected in the latest week. See Futures Movers.
Platinum futures soared to a new record high of $2,194.80 an ounce Thursday, surpassing their previous record of $2,174 set on Tuesday. The platinum rally has been propelled by concerns about declining output from South Africa, the world's biggest platinum producer.
South Africa has been saddled with severe power shortages since mid-January, forcing many major mining companies to operate below capacity and revise their production forecasts accordingly.
Wednesday's correction in platinum "reflects the metal's high volatility and extremely overbought conditions," said James Moore, an analyst at TheBullionDesk.com, in a note.
"However, the dip again served as a bargain-hunting opportunity, as ongoing supply woes in South Africa look set to see the metal move into a much deeper deficit this year and could potentially see price extend to $3,000 an ounce," Moore said.
Also on Nymex, March palladium surged $21.30 to end at $515.50 an ounce.
March silver gained 19 cents to finish at $17.95 an ounce and March copper rose 10 cents at $3.81 a pound.
The Amex Gold Bugs Index HUI, -0.36% edged down 0.1% to 465.80 points.
As for the sector's exchange-traded funds, the StreetTracks Gold Trust ETF GLD, +0.17% was flat at $93.25, the iShares Silver Trust ETF SLV, +0.27% edged down 0.02% to $176.96 and the Market Vectors-Gold Miners ETF GDX, -0.18% dropped 0.3% to $50.79.
Gold warehouse inventories were unchanged at 7.6 million troy ounces as of late Wednesday, according to Nymex data. Silver stockpiles were also unchanged at 133.9 million troy ounces, while copper supplies stood at 13,978 short tons, unchanged. |
When looking at the damage from a multiple-vehicle collision near Old Town, witnesses said it’s amazing anyone made it out alive.
The crash involving two vehicles and a tractor trailer happened at 7:30 a.m. at Washington Street and Pacific Highway near the Middletown trolley stop.
According to the North County Transit District, the accident occurred on the tracks and a Coaster train was stopped at the scene of the crash but it was not clear if the Coaster was involved.
A truck driver was stuck in traffic behind multiple cars when the light turned green and the train bells sounded.
Truck Crash Injures 3 Near Old Town
NBC 7's Brandi Powell spoke with drivers who witnessed a shocking accident near the Middletown trolley station at Washington Street and Pacific Highway. (Published Friday, Aug. 31, 2012)
There was no room to move forward, no room to go in reverse. The drivers near the intersection literally had nowhere to go according to witnesses.
"It was a green light, but there was too much traffic right there," said truck driver Rafael Navarrete.
Authorities told NBC 7 San Diego the tractor trailer was eight feet too far over the railroad track.
Semi Truck Crashes With 2 Cars
When the collision occurred, the truck almost flattened a small, black car with a man, a woman and two children inside.
Witnesses say everyone was bloody. One girl was on the ground seemingly in convulsions they said.
A medical doctor happened to be in one of the cars that received minor damage and helped administer first aid before emergency crews arrived.
One witness heard a woman yelling "my baby, my baby," referring to her 14-year-old daughter.
“As I went to go to the back seat the young daughter came out and she was, she was bloody also,” said Thomas V Brown Jr.
San Diego police say the three female victims were taken to hospitals with moderate injuries. No one suffered any life-threatening injuries.
It was pretty apparent that those drivers who witnessed the accident were still unsettled hours later.
Ron Harvey was driving a car on the other side of the street. If the truck hadn't crashed into the two vehicles, it would have been pushed directly into his car.
"I was shaking like a leaf, all nervous, shook up, I'm trying to calm down, you know, but other than that, that was it, you know, I thought for sure when that thing started coming at me I thought oh man," he said.
Police are reminding drivers to take extra care, in areas with heavy traffic near train tracks.
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Chinese satellites have spotted a new object in the southern Indian Ocean that could be wreckage from a missing Malaysian airliner carrying 239 people, and ships are on their way to investigate, China and Malaysia said on Saturday.
The object, around 75 feet long and 40 feet wide, was spotted early on March 18 some 75 miles from a location where possible debris was sighted by another satellite on March 16 in the remote ocean off western Australia, China's State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense (SASTIND) said on its website.
The Chinese sighting was first revealed by Malaysia's Defense Minister and acting Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein, who was handed a note with details during a news conference in Kuala Lumpur.
"Chinese ships have been dispatched to the area," Hishammuddin said.
China said an image of the object had been captured by its high-definition earth observation satellite "Gaofen-1". The location was south by west of the possible debris announced by Australia on Thursday, SASTIND said.
The latest possible lead in the hunt for the jetliner comes two weeks after it disappeared from civilian radar screens less than an hour after taking off from the Malaysian capital on a scheduled flight to Beijing.
Searches by more than two dozen countries have so far turned up little but frustration and fresh questions about Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370.
Remote seas
The international search for the plane has in recent days focused on the southern Indian Ocean far off Australia's western coast, after satellite images captured floating objects that investigators believed could be parts of an aircraft.
Six aircraft and two merchant ships have been scouring the area, but there were no reports of any wreckage being found.
Australia, which announced the first satellite image and is coordinating the rescue, has cautioned the objects might be a lost shipping container or other debris and may have since sunk.
"Even though this is not a definite lead, it is probably more solid than any other lead around the world and that is why so much effort and interest is being put into this search," Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss told reporters, before latest Chinese report.
According to several people familiar with the matter, India has told Malaysian investigators that it had found no evidence the plane flew through its airspace, making the satellite debris lead more solid.
It was the first formal notification that India had come up empty-handed after checking its radar records, the sources said.
China, Japan and India were sending more planes and Australian and Chinese navy vessels were also steaming towards the southern zone, more than 2,000 km (1,200 miles) southwest of Perth.
Weather conditions were good, with 10 km (6 miles) of visibility, according to officials – a crucial boost for a search that is relying more on human eyes than the technical wizardry of the most advanced aircraft in the world.
'I am not going to give up'
Aircraft and ships have also renewed the search in the Andaman Sea between India and Thailand, going over areas in the northern corridor that have already been exhaustively swept to find some clue to unlock one of the biggest mysteries in modern aviation.
The Pentagon said it was considering a request from Malaysia for sonar equipment. The P-8 and P-3 spy planes, which the United States is already deploying in the search, also carry "sonobuoys" that are dropped into the sea and use sonar signals to search the waters below.
Investigators suspect the Boeing 777 was deliberately diverted thousands of miles from its scheduled path. They say they are focusing on hijacking or sabotage but have not ruled out technical problems.
The search itself has strained ties between China and Malaysia, with Beijing repeatedly leaning on the Southeast Asian nation to step up its hunt and do a better job at looking after the relatives of the Chinese passengers.
For families of the passengers, the process has proved to be an emotionally wrenching battle to elicit information.
In a statement on Saturday, relatives in Beijing lambasted a Malaysian delegation for "concealing the truth" and "making fools" out of the families after they said they left a meeting without answering all their questions.
"This kind of conduct neglects the lives of all the passengers, shows contempt for all their families, and even more, tramples on the dignity of Chinese people and the Chinese government," they said.
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Some experts have argued that the reluctance to share sensitive radar data and capabilities in a region fraught with suspicion amid China's military rise and territorial disputes may have hampered the search.
Additional reporting by Ruairidh Villar, Tim Hepher, Niki Koswanage, A. Ananthalakshmi and Siva Govindasamy in Kuala Kumpur, Lincoln Feast in Sydney and Jason Lee in Beijing. Editing by Michael Perry and Nick Macfie. |
Multimedia company founded by The Beatles
Not to be confused with Apple Inc.
For other companies named Apple, see Apple (disambiguation)
Apple Corps Ltd (informally known as Apple) is a multi-armed multimedia corporation founded in London in January 1968 by the members of the Beatles to replace their earlier company (Beatles Ltd) and to form a conglomerate. Its name (pronounced "apple core") is a pun. Its chief division is Apple Records, which was launched in the same year. Other divisions included Apple Electronics, Apple Films, Apple Publishing and Apple Retail, whose most notable venture was the short-lived Apple Boutique, on the corner of Baker Street and Paddington Street in central London. Apple's headquarters in the late 1960s was at the upper floors of 94 Baker Street, after that at 95 Wigmore Street, and subsequently at 3 Savile Row. The latter address was also known as the Apple Building, which was home to the Apple Studio.
From 1970 to 2007, Apple's chief executive was former Beatles road manager Neil Aspinall, although he did not officially bear that title until Allen Klein had left the company. The current CEO is Jeff Jones. In 2010, Apple Corps ranked number 2 on the Fast Company magazine's list of the world's most innovative companies in the music industry, thanks to the release of The Beatles: Rock Band video game and the remastering of the Beatles' catalogue.[1]
History [ edit ]
The Beatles' accountants had informed the group that they had two million pounds that they could either invest in a business venture or else lose to the Inland Revenue, because corporate/business taxes were lower than their individual tax bills. According to Peter Brown, personal assistant to Beatles' manager Brian Epstein, activities to find tax shelters for the income that the Beatles generated began as early as 1963–64, when Dr Walter Strach[3] was put in charge of such operations. First steps into that direction were the foundation of Beatles Ltd and, in early 1967, Beatles and Co.
The Beatles' publicist, Derek Taylor, remembered that Paul McCartney had the name for the new company when he visited Taylor's company flat in London: "We're starting a brand new form of business. So, what is the first thing that a child is taught when he begins to grow up? A is for Apple". McCartney then suggested the addition of Apple Core, but they could not register the name, so they used "Corps" (having the same pronunciation). McCartney later revealed that he had been inspired by René Magritte's painting, Le Jeu de Mourre, featuring an apple with the words "Au revoir" painted on it. Harriet Vyner’s 1999 book about the late lamented charismatic London art dealer Robert Fraser, "Groovy Bob", contains this anecdote by McCartney about the first time he laid eyes on the painting that would inspire the company logo in 1967:[6]
In my garden at Cavendish Avenue, which was a 100-year-old house I’d bought, Robert was a frequent visitor. One day he got hold of a Magritte he thought I’d love. Being Robert, he would just get it and bring it. I was out in the garden with some friends. I think I was filming Mary Hopkin with a film crew, just getting her to sing live in the garden, with bees and flies buzzing around, high summer. We were in the long grass, very beautiful, very country-like. We were out in the garden and Robert didn’t want to interrupt, so when we went back in the big door from the garden to the living room, there on the table he’d just propped up this little Magritte. It was of a green apple. That became the basis of the Apple logo. Across the painting Magritte had written in that beautiful handwriting of his ‘Au revoir’. And Robert had split. I thought that was the coolest thing anyone’s ever done with me".
Formation [ edit ]
On the founding of Apple John Lennon commented: "Our accountant came up and said 'We got this amount of money. Do you want to give it to the government or do something with it?' So we decided to play businessmen for a bit because we've got to run our own affairs now. So we've got this thing called 'Apple' which is going to be records, films, and electronics – which all tie up".[7]
Stefan Granados wrote in Those Were the Days: An Unofficial History of the "Beatles" Apple Organization 1967–2001, on the various processes that led to the formation of Apple Corps:
The first step towards creating this new business structure was to form a new partnership called Beatles and Co. in April 1967. To all intents and purposes, Beatles and Co. was an updated version on the Beatles' original partnership, Beatles Ltd. Under the new arrangement, however, each Beatle would own 5% of Beatles and Co. and a new corporation owned collectively by all four Beatles [which would soon be known as Apple] would be given control of the remaining 80% of Beatles and Co. With the exception of individual songwriting royalties, which would still be paid directly to the writer or writers of a particular song, all of the money earned by the Beatles as a group would go directly to Beatles and Co. and would thus be taxed at a far lower corporate tax rate".[9]
Now that a new business structure was found with a lower tax rate, Epstein mused what to do with it to justify it to the authorities, and originally thought of it mostly as a merchandising company, as according to Lennon's first wife, Cynthia: "The idea Brian came up with was a company called Apple. His idea was to plough their money into a chain of shops not unlike Woolworth's in concept: Apple boutiques, Apple posters, Apple records. Brian needed an outlet for his boundless energy". Personal assistant to Epstein, Alistair Taylor remembered:[11]
We set up an 'Executive Board' of Apple before Brian died, including Brian, the accountant, a solicitor, Neil Aspinall, myself, and then sat down to work out ways of spending the money. One big idea was to set up a chain of shops designed only to sell cards: birthday cards, Christmas cards, anniversary cards. When the boys heard about that they all condemned the scheme as the most boring yet. Sure that they could come up with much better brainwaves, they began to get involved themselves".
In the middle of setting up the new company, manager Epstein died unexpectedly in what seemed an accidental sleeping pills overdose on 27 August 1967, which pressed the Beatles to accelerate their plans to gain control of their own financial affairs. In addition to providing an umbrella to cover the Beatles' own financial and business affairs, Apple was intended to provide a means of financial support to anyone in the wider world struggling to get 'worthwhile' artistic projects off the ground. According to Granados, this idea probably originated with Paul McCartney as the Beatle most engaged in London's local avant-garde scene, "McCartney was among the best-known exponents of swinging London".[13] Ringo Starr was quoted as saying of the venture:[14]
We tried to form Apple with [Brian's brother] Clive Epstein, but he wouldn't have it... He didn't believe in us I suppose... He didn't think we could do it. He thought we were four wild men and we were going to spend all his money and make him broke. But that was the original idea of Apple – to form it with NEMS... We thought now Brian's gone let's really amalgamate and get this thing going, let's make records and get people on our label and things like that. So we formed Apple and they formed NEMS, which is exactly the same thing as we are doing. It was a family tie and we thought it would be a good idea to keep it in".
McCartney at first had obviously intended to use Epstein's music publishing company NEMS Enterprises for these plans, but after Epstein's death it was learned that Australian Robert Stigwood was trying to get hold of NEMS. All four Beatles were not in favour of such an outcome, as McCartney had previously told Epstein in 1967:[16]
We said, 'In fact, if you do, if you somehow manage to pull this off, we can promise you one thing. We will record God Save the Queen for every single record we make from now on and we'll sing it out of tune. That's a promise. So if this guy buys us, that's what he's buying'".
They hurried to set up Apple instead, and seeing that the Beatles would not be part of the NEMS package, Stigwood went to form his own company, RSO Records. The Apple logo was designed by Gene Mahon, with illustrator Alan Aldridge transcribing the copyright notice to appear on record releases. In January 1968, Beatles Ltd. officially changed its name to Apple Corps. Ltd. and registered the Apple trademark in forty-seven countries[17] In February the company also registered Apple Electronics, Apple Films Ltd., Apple Management, Apple Music Publishing, Apple Overseas, Apple Publicity, Apple Records, Apple Retail, and Apple Tailoring Civil and Theatrical with the intent on focusing on five divisions: records, electronics, film, publishing and retailing.
Lennon and McCartney introduced their new business concept on a press conference held on 14 May 1968 in New York City, with McCartney saying it would be, "A beautiful place where you can buy beautiful things… a controlled weirdness… a kind of Western communism".[19] Lennon said, "It's a company we're setting up, involving records, films, and electronics, and – as a sideline – manufacturing or whatever. We want to set up a system where people who just want to make a film about anything, don't have to go on their knees in somebody's office, probably yours".[20] McCartney also said: "It's just trying to mix business with enjoyment. We're in the happy position of not needing any more money. So for the first time, the bosses aren't in it for profit. We've already bought all our dreams. We want to share that possibility with others".[20]
Early administration [ edit ]
For the first few months of Apple's existence, it did not even have an office. Most of the company's business was conducted from the NEMS building. It was not until the autumn of 1967 that Apple finally opened a London office. Since the Beatles already owned a four-story building at 94 Baker Street that had been purchased as an investment property by their accountants, they decided that Baker Street was as good a location as any for Apple. In September they set up an office for Apple Publishing in the Baker Street building. With Epstein's death, there was nobody in the Beatles' inner circle with business acumen who could manage the company, and, as with their band affairs, the Beatles decided that they would manage it themselves.
Alistair Taylor in the "one-man band advertisement"
In December 1967, shortly after Epstein's death, Lennon asked Alistair Taylor to work as General Manager for Apple. It was during this period that Taylor appeared in the famous advertisement to promote Apple asking for new artists. Designed by McCartney, it showed him disguised as a one-man band, claiming: "This man has talent..." The publication in the New Musical Express and Rolling Stone brought an avalanche of applicants. The mail room, telephone switchboard, and conference rooms became jammed at all hours with "artists" begging the Beatles to give them money. George Harrison would later lament that "We had every freak in the world coming in there". Many of these supplicants received the investments they sought and were never heard from again.
Even though Apple was declared the most successful new record company of the year for 1968 before long the band members' ignorance of finance and administration combined with their naive, utopian mission of funding struggling, unknown artists left Apple Corps with no solid business plan.
The Beatles' naivete and inability to keep track of their own accounts was also eagerly exploited by the employees of Apple, who purchased drugs and alcoholic beverages, company lunches at expensive London restaurants, and international calls made regularly on office telephones, all of which would be treated as business expenses. Writers Alan Clayson and Spencer Leigh described the owners' hopelessness in managing their own creation:
Out of his depth, a Beatle might commandeer a room at Savile Row, stick to conventional office hours and play company director until the novelty wore off. Initially, he'd look away from the disgusting realities of the half-eaten steak sandwich in a litter bin; the employee rolling a spliff of best Afghan hash; the typist who span out a single letter (in the house style, with no exclamation marks!) all morning before 'popping out' and not returning until the next day. A great light dawned. 'We had, like, a thousand people that weren't needed,' snarled Ringo, 'but they all enjoyed it. They were all getting paid for sitting around. We had a guy there just to read the tarot cards, the I Ching. It was craziness".
Aspinall finally agreed to direct the company on a temporary basis, simply so that someone would finally be in charge. When, in 1969, the Beatles engaged Klein as their manager, he also inherited the chairmanship of Apple Corps, which led to an immediate streamlining of company affairs: "Overnight, glib lack of concern deferred to pointed questions," wrote Clayson & Leigh. "Which typist rings Canberra every afternoon? Why has so-and-so given himself a raise of 60 pounds a week? Why is he seen only on payday? Suddenly, lunch meant beans-on-toast in the office kitchen instead of Beluga caviar from Fortnum & Mason".
Beatles break-up and beyond [ edit ]
The first two years of the company's existence also coincided with a marked worsening of the Beatles' relationships with each other, ultimately leading to the break-up of the band in April, 1970. Apple quickly slid into financial chaos, which was resolved only after many years of litigation. When the Beatles' partnership was dissolved in 1975, dissolution of Apple Corps was also considered, but it was decided to keep it operating, while effectively retiring or mothballing all its divisions. The company is currently headquartered at 27 Ovington Square, in London's prestigious Knightsbridge district. Ownership and control of the company remains with McCartney, Starr and the estates of Lennon and Harrison.
Apple Corps has had a long history of trademark disputes with Apple Computer (now Apple Inc.). The dispute was finally resolved in 2007, with Apple Corps transferring ownership of the "Apple" name and all associated trademarks to Apple Inc., and Apple Inc. exclusively licensing these back to the Beatles' company. In April 2007, Apple also settled a long running dispute with EMI and announced the retirement of chief executive Aspinall.[23][24] Aspinall was replaced by Jeff Jones.[25]
Subsidiaries [ edit ]
Apple Corps operated in various fields, mostly related to the music business and other media, through a number of subsidiaries.
Apple Electronics [ edit ]
Apple Electronics was the electronics division of Apple Corps, founded as Fiftyshapes Ltd., at 34 Boston Place, Westminster, London. It was headed by Beatles' associate Yanni Alexis Mardas, whom Lennon had nicknamed Magic Alex. Intending to revolutionise the consumer electronics market, largely through products based on Mardas' unique and, as it turned out, commercially impractical, designs, the electronics division did not make any breakthroughs. After the dismissal of Mardas in 1969, during Klein's 'house-cleaning' of Apple Corps, Apple Electronics fell victim to the same forces that troubled the company as a whole, including the impending Beatles' break-up. It was later estimated that Mardas' ideas and projects had cost the Beatles at least £300,000 (approximately three million 2007 British pounds).[27][28]
Apple Films [ edit ]
Born to Boogie. The Apple Films logo, from the DVD release of
Apple Films is the film-making division of Apple Corps. Its first production was The Beatles' 1967 TV movie Magical Mystery Tour. The Beatles' films Yellow Submarine and Let it Be were also produced under Apple Films. Other notable releases included Raga (a 1971 documentary on Ravi Shankar), The Concert for Bangladesh (1972) and Little Malcolm (1974). The latter, produced by George Harrison, included the song "Lonely Man" by Dark Horse Records band Splinter. Apple Films was also responsible for producing Apple Corps' televised promotions.
The following is a list of releases from Apple Films, usually in the role of production company.[29]
Apple Publishing [ edit ]
Apple's music publishing arm predated even the record company. In September 1967, the first artistes to be signed by Apple Publishing were two songwriters from Liverpool. Paul Tennant and David Rhodes were offered a contract after meeting McCartney in Hyde Park. They were advised to form a band by Epstein after he and Lennon heard their demos, calling the group Focal Point. Epstein was to have managed the band but died before he could become involved. Terry Doran MD of Apple Publishing became their manager and they were signed by Deram Records. Apple published the group's self-penned songs from early 1968. Another early band on its publishing roster was the group Grapefruit.
Apple Publishing Ltd. was also used as a publishing stop-gap by Harrison and Starr, as they sought to shift control of their own songs away from Northern Songs, in which their status was little more than paid writers. (Harrison later started Harrisongs, and Starr created Startling Music). Apple's greatest publishing successes were the Badfinger hits "No Matter What", "Day After Day" and "Baby Blue", all written by group member Pete Ham, and Badfinger's "Without You", a song penned by Ham and Badfinger band mate Tom Evans. "Without You" became a worldwide No. 1 chart hit for Harry Nilsson in 1972 and Mariah Carey in 1993. In 2005, however, Apple lost the US publishing rights for the work of Ham and Evans. Those rights were transferred to Bug Music, now a branch of BMG Rights Management.
Apple also undertook publishing duties, at various times, for other Apple artists, including Yoko Ono, Billy Preston and the Radha Krsna Temple. Apple received a large number of demo tapes; some songs were published, some were issued on other labels and only Benny Gallagher & Lyle were retained as in-house writers before going on to co-found McGuinness Flint. Many of these demos have been collected on a series of CDs released by Cherry Red Records. They are entitled 94 Baker Street,[38] An Apple for the Day,[39] Treacle Toffee World,[40] Lovers from the Sky: Pop Psych from the Apple Era 1968-1971 and 94 Baker Street Revisited: Poptastic Sounds from the Apple Era 1967-1968.
Apple Books was largely inactive and had very few releases. One notable release was the book that accompanied the initial pressing of the Let It Be album entitled "The Beatles Get Back" containing photographs by Ethan Russell and text by Rolling Stone writers Jonathan Cott and David Dalton. Although the book was credited to Apple Publishing, all of the work on the project was actually done by freelancers.[41][42][43][44][45]
Apple Records and Zapple Records [ edit ]
From 1968 onwards, new releases by the Beatles were issued by Apple Records, although the copyright remained with EMI, and Parlophone/Capitol catalogue numbers continued to be used. Apple releases of recordings by artists other than the Beatles, however, used a new set of numbers, and the copyrights were held mostly by Apple Corps Ltd. More than a "vanity label", Apple Records developed an eclectic roster of their own, releasing records by artists as diverse as Indian sitar guru Ravi Shankar, Welsh easy listening songstress Mary Hopkin, the power-pop band Badfinger, classical music composer John Tavener, soul singer Billy Preston, folk singer James Taylor, R&B singer Doris Troy, New York underground rock band Elephant's Memory, original bad girl of rock and roll Ronnie Spector, rock singer Jackie Lomax, the Modern Jazz Quartet, and even London's Radha Krsna Temple.
Since Apple's inception, McCartney and Lennon had been very interested in launching a budget-line label to issue what would essentially be known three decades later as "audio books". In October 1968, Apple hired Barry Miles, who co-owned the Indica bookshop with John Dunbar and Peter Asher, to manage the proposed spoken-word label. The initial idea of Zapple Records was that it would release avant-garde and spoken word records at a reduced price that would be comparable to that of a paperback novel. While the idea looked good on paper, the reality was that when the few records actually put out by Zapple finally made it into the shops, they were priced like any other full-priced music album.[46] Zapple Records was started on 3 February 1969, but after Klein was brought in to run Apple Corps' affairs, it was closed down after just two releases: Lennon and Ono's Unfinished Music No. 2: Life with the Lions, and Harrison's Electronic Sound.
Apple Retail [ edit ]
The Apple Boutique was a retail store, located at 94 Baker Street in London, England, and was one of the first business ventures by the fledgling Apple Corps. Lennon's schoolfriend Pete Shotton was hired as manager, and the Dutch design collective The Fool were brought in to design the store and much of the merchandise. The store opened to much fanfare on 7 December 1967, with Lennon and Harrison attending (Starr was filming, and McCartney was on holiday). The boutique was, however, never profitable, largely due to shoplifting, by customers and its own staff. After Shotton resigned, John Lyndon took over but even his management skills could not save the enterprise. The store's remaining stock was liquidated by giving it away, but not before the individual Beatles took whatever they liked the night before its closure. The boutique closed its doors for the last time on 31 July 1968.
Apple Studio [ edit ]
Apple Studios in 1971
Apple Studio was a recording studio, located in the basement of the Apple Corps headquarters at 3 Savile Row. The facility was renamed Apple Studios after its expansion in 1971.
Originally designed by Alex Mardas, of Apple Electronics, the initial installation proved to be unworkable − with almost no standard studio features such as a patch bay, or a talkback system between the studio and the control room, let alone Mardas' promised innovations − and had to be scrapped. Nevertheless, the Beatles recorded and filmed portions of their album Let It Be in the Apple Studio, with equipment borrowed from EMI; during takes they had to shut down the building's central heating, also located in the basement, because the lack of soundproofing allowed the heating system to be heard in the studio.
The redesign and rebuilding of the basement to accommodate proper recording facilities was overseen by former EMI engineer Geoff Emerick, and took eighteen months at an estimated cost of $1.5 million. Beatles' technical engineer Claude Harper aided on the project, as well.[51] The studio reopened on 30 September 1971 and now included its own natural echo chamber, a wide range of recording and mastering facilities, and could turn out mono, stereo and quadrophonic master tapes and discs. In 1971, it would have cost £37 an hour (equivalent to £500 in 2019)[52] to record to 16-track, £29 an hour (equivalent to £400 in 2019)[52] to mix to stereo, and £12 (equivalent to £200 in 2019)[52] to cut a 12" master. George Harrison attended the launch party, along with Pete Ham of Badfinger and Klaus Voormann.[53]
The studio became a second home for Apple Records artists, although they also used Abbey Road and other studios in London, including Trident Studios, AIR Studios, Morgan Studios and Olympic Studios or elsewhere. The only Beatle solo release to use Apple Studio for a significant portion of its production was Harrison's Living in the Material World album of 1973, yet most of the recording is thought to have taken place at his impressive Friar Park studio.[54]
The first projects to be carried out there after the re-opening were the recording of Lon & Derrek Van Eaton's Brother album,[51] and overdubbing and mixing on Badfinger's Straight Up.[55] Other artists such as Harry Nilsson, Nicky Hopkins, Wishbone Ash, Viv Stanshall, Stealers Wheel, Lou Reizner, Clodagh Rodgers and Marc Bolan (as shown in the movie Born To Boogie) also worked there. The existence of acetates by numerous performers is evidence that the studio was widely used. Apple Studio was closed down for good on 16 May 1975.
Legal battles [ edit ]
Apple Corps v. Apple Computer [ edit ]
In 1978, Apple Records filed suit against Apple Computer (now Apple Inc.) for trademark infringement. The suit was settled in 1981 with the payment of $80,000 to Apple Corps. As a condition of the settlement, Apple Computer agreed to stay out of the music business. A dispute subsequently arose in 1989 when Apple Corps sued, alleging that Apple Computer's machines' ability to play back MIDI music was a violation of the 1981 settlement agreement. In 1991 another settlement, of around $26.5 million, was reached.[56][57] In September 2003, Apple Computer was again sued by Apple Corps, this time for introducing the iTunes Music Store and the iPod, which Apple Corps asserted was a violation of Apple's agreement not to distribute music. The trial opened on 29 March 2006 in the UK,[58] and in a judgement issued on 8 May 2006, Apple Corps lost the case.[57][59]
On 5 February 2007, Apple Inc. and Apple Corps announced a settlement of their trademark dispute under which Apple Inc. took ownership of all of the trademarks related to "Apple" (including all designs of the famed "Granny Smith" Apple Corps Ltd. logos),[60] and will license certain of those trademarks back to Apple Corps for their continued use. The settlement ends the ongoing trademark lawsuit between the companies, with each party bearing its own legal costs, and Apple Inc. will continue using its name and logos on iTunes. The settlement includes terms that are confidential.[61][62]
The website for Harmonix's The Beatles: Rock Band video game is notable as the first evidence of the Apple, Inc./Apple Corps Ltd. settlement: "Apple Corps" is prominently referred to throughout, and the "Granny Smith" Apple logo appears but the text beneath the logo now reads "Apple Corps" rather than the previous "Apple". The website's acknowledgements specifically state that "'Apple' and the 'Apple logo' are exclusively licensed to Apple Corps Ltd".
On 16 November 2010, Apple Inc. launched an extensive advertising campaign that announced the availability of the Beatles' entire catalogue on iTunes.
Apple versus EMI [ edit ]
The Beatles alleged in a 1979 lawsuit that EMI and Capitol had underpaid the band by more than £10.5 million. A settlement was reached in that case in 1989, which granted the band an increased royalty rate and required EMI and Capitol to follow more stringent auditing requirements.[63] Apple, on behalf of the surviving Beatles and relatives of the band's late members, again sued EMI for unpaid royalties, in a case beginning in 2005.[63][64] The case was settled in April 2007 with a "mutually acceptable" conclusion, which remained confidential.[24]
Apple versus Nike/EMI [ edit ]
In July 1987 Apple Corps sued Nike Inc, Wieden+Kennedy (Nike's advertisement agency), EMI and Capitol Records for the use of the song "Revolution" in a 1987 Nike commercial. Apple claimed that it was not informed of the use of the song and was not paid for continued use and therefore sued the four companies for $15 million.[65] EMI countered stating that the case was "groundless" to their claim they had the "active support and encouragement of Yoko Ono Lennon", who owns 25% of Apple Corps through Lennon's estate, and was quoted as saying: "[The commercial] is making John’s music accessible to a new generation". Apple's lawyer responded by stating that Apple cannot take action unless all four shares are in agreement, meaning that Ono must have supported the idea to take legal action at the moment when the decision was made. Harrison had the following to say about the unauthorised use of Beatles songs for advertisement as well as the importance of this particular case:
[E]very Beatles song ever recorded is going to be advertising women’s underwear and sausages. We’ve got to put a stop to it in order to set a precedent. Otherwise it’s going to be a free-for-all. It’s one thing when you’re dead, but we’re still around! They don’t have any respect for the fact that we wrote and recorded those songs, and it was our lives.
On 9 November 1989, the lawsuit was settled out of court. As with previous cases between Apple and EMI, a condition of the settlement was that terms of the agreement would be kept secret. It was suggested, however, by a spokesman of Ono that in the end of a very "confusing myriad of issues" there was a large exchange of money. Nike had also ceased to use the song for advertisement in March 1988.[66]
Notes [ edit ] |
TAIPEI (Reuters) - Taiwan’s China-friendly ruling party lost a slew of traditional strongholds in local elections on Saturday, triggering the resignation of the island’s premier and the cabinet.
Supporters wave flags after Taipei mayoral candidate Ko Wen-je won the local elections, in Taipei November 29, 2014. REUTERS/Pichi Chuang
The worse-than-expected showing underlined the growing unpopularity of the government of President Ma Ying-jeou, which has been trying to forge closer ties with China.
China is Taiwan’s largest trading partner, but Beijing has never renounced the use of force to take back what it deems a breakaway province.
The ruling Kuomintang (KMT) shed seats across the island, including in the capital Taipei, where a candidate backed by the pro-independence opposition party was elected as the next mayor, ending the ruling party’s 16-year hold on the city.
The local elections, held less than two years ahead of a presidential poll, were the first chance for voters to make their views felt since thousands of young people occupied parliament in March in an unprecedented demonstration against a planned trade pact calling for closer ties with Beijing.
The departure of premier Jiang Yi-huah just hours after polls closed left President Ma, who is also KMT chairman, to rebuild a government.
The cabinet also steps down, as is customary when the premier resigns. A new premier is expected to be announced soon, followed by new ministerial appointments.
In Taipei, independent candidate Ko Wen-je, a 55-year-old surgeon backed by the opposition, pro-independence party, defeated the KMT’s Sean Lien, the son of a wealthy and politically connected family.
Every Taiwan president has been a former mayor of Taipei since the island introduced direct presidential elections in
1996.
A crowd of several thousand Ko supporters filled the wide city street outside of his campaign headquarters, with rock music blaring out of loud speakers.
Kuo Hsin-tai, a 40-year-old photocopy shop owner and supporter of Ko, said he had grown disillusioned with the Kuomintang.
“They’re making Taiwan far too dependent on the mainland. Their policy-making muscle is far too focused on cross-strait ties and not nearly enough on raising the standard of living of the average Taiwanese person.”
Ko told supporters his win symbolized the “desire for progress” among Taipei residents and that the anti-China protests in March that blocked ratification of a pact with China also highlighted the power of “people movements”.
A record 11,130 seats were up for grabs in Saturday’s election in municipalities, counties, townships and villages nationwide.
The KMT also lost Taichung, in central Taiwan, another of the ruling party’s former strongholds.
Slideshow (4 Images)
China’s Taiwan Affairs Office, which is in charge of Taiwan matters for Beijing, said in a statement following the vote that it hoped “cross-strait compatriots” would jointly safeguard the peaceful development of cross-strait relations.
President Ma said the KMT had suffered a serious setback and he apologized to the party. But party spokesman Charles Chen said Ma had no plans to resign as Kuomintang chairman.
Government employee Wang Ling-li, 28, said: “I think Taiwanese people have lost their faith in the KMT in recent years. They’ve been in power for so long, but the economy is still stagnant. Their dealings with China should take on a much more open form than they have.” |
One of my great passions in life is ice cream, followed closely by cheese and milky breakfast tea. I lived for a long time in a happy, dairy-filled bubble, until recently, when I started hearing reports that eating dairy every day was very probably killing me. If you ever venture onto the internet (and you’re reading this, so I know you do), and you go looking for health advice, you may have heard that milk is dooming the human race to everything from chronic acne, constant bloating, and obesity to poor bone health, hormonal imbalances, and cancer. Yikes.
And here I’d been thinking milk was a great source of nutrition. I reached out to a bunch of doctors, dieticians, and naturopaths to find out how dairy really affects the human body, but I came away more confused than ever. Everyone seemed to have wildly different opinions about how much dairy is appropriate to eat, whether it should be skim or full-fat, and how it impacts the body.
Related: 6 Weight Loss “Rules” You Can Forget About
Some, like Rebecca Lewis, a registered dietician with HelloFresh had great things to say for mighty milk, like that it’s chock full of calcium, protein, and brain-boosting vitamin B12. On the other hand, naturopath Gabrielle Francis, author of The Rockstar Remedy, says that cow’s milk is not great for nutrition or digestion thanks to the pasteurization and homogenization process. She adds that even if you’re not fully lactose intolerant, many people still have sensitivities to the milk protein casein, which can manifest in a range of symptoms that include congestion, headaches, fatigue, bloating, gas, and systemic inflammation, including acne.
And then I heard from Nitin Kumar, a gastroentonologist who told me the scientific literature is very mixed when it comes to dairy. He notes that there are some recent high-quality studies that show full-fat dairy is associated with lower incidence of diabetes and weight gain than low-fat, though there’s still a lot we don’t know about how dairy affects our bodies overall.
Since I’ve been eating a high-dairy diet for pretty much my whole life, I was interested to find out if I’d feel any different if I gave it up. Plus, I figured I could probably do with fewer ice cream cones in my life. Resolute, I bought my first-ever carton of almond milk and firmly told my boyfriend that we couldn’t go out for ice cream until this was over. Here’s what happened.
Related: From 365 Pounds to Running App Developer
At First, I Felt Like a Clean-Eating Goddess.
On my first dairy-free day I ordered a vegan rice bowl with tofu from my office cafeteria and felt extremely virtuous. It was surprisingly filling and tasty, and I found myself thinking, “I should make this at home!” I followed it up by packing salads in my lunch for the next few days and was immensely pleased with myself for sticking to the straight and narrow.
But Then I Was Sad.
My feelings of righteousness were short-lived. Every time I ate a salad or sandwich, I’d catch myself wistfully thinking, “This would be so much better with cheese.” And then I’d feel sorry for myself that I wasn’t allowed to have any thanks to this silly rule I’d imposed on myself. I soon got tired of salad every day, but instead of experimenting with new lunch options like the glorious rice bowl, I defaulted to peanut butter and jelly and wallowed in my misery.
I Discovered I Have Zero Self-control.
Knowing I couldn’t have dairy just made me want it all the more. So I have to admit that I cheated a bunch of times. (Whoops!) I mean, I couldn’t not have a cheeseburger and milkshake when I went to the local fair—it’s a necessary rite! And I wasn’t about to pass up cake and ice cream at my grandfather’s 90th birthday party, not when I needed it to distract me from a little too much family time. And then there was an employee potluck where someone made an amazing tomato and mozzarella salad...you get the picture. I am WEAK.
I Felt and Looked Exactly the Same as Before.
Despite my repeated lapses in self-discipline, I did eat far less dairy in these three weeks than probably at any other point in my life. Not using cow’s milk on my daily bowl of cereal is what really put a dent in my dairy consumption. All told, I had eleven completely dairy-free days, five where I only ate one dairy item, and five where I just caved completely. That has to count for something, right? But I didn’t notice anything different about my body or my energy levels day-to-day. My weight stayed consistent, as did my acne, and I didn’t feel any more or less bloated, even on the days when I had no dairy. Granted, I’m sure some experts would say that all my cheating ruined my whole experiment, but I thought it would make at least some difference in my skin or belly fat.
Related: 4 Reasons To Drink More (Organic) Milk
I Became Increasingly Skeptical.
I’m not sure what I really expected when I went dairy-free—to feel lighter and thinner and more energized, I suppose. But none of that happened, and the longer I continued my (semi) dairy purge, the more convinced I became that there was zero benefit in totally depriving myself of something that makes me so happy. I don’t have a dairy allergy, my weight is healthy, and I rarely get sick, so how could it be hurting me?
I did some more research and found an article by David Katz, president of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine and a professor of public health at Yale University School of Medicine. He delves into the huge controversy surrounding dairy and nutrition and comes to the very benign conclusion that there’s no good reason to suppose dairy is a necessary part of a healthy diet—but there’s equally no reason to suppose it can’t be.
Most interesting to me is his explanation of why some cultures have a tradition of consuming animal milk, while others do not. It has to do with our evolutionary history as humans. Somewhere along the line, ethnic groups with a history of pastoralism evolved to be able to digest milk beyond childhood—these societies gained lactose tolerance because it presented an evolutionary advantage in their way of living. In other societies where there wasn’t a tradition of pastoralism, people remained—and their descendents still remain—lactose intolerant. I myself come from a long line of cheese-eating Germans, and so I say: Pass the cheese, please!
SHOP RUNNER’S WORLD: Emile Henry Fondue Set
When the 3 Weeks Were Up, I Ate 3 Ice Cream Cones in One Weekend.
It was glorious.
The article 6 Things That Happened When I Gave Up Dairy For 3 Weeks originally appeared in Rodale’s Organic Life |
For those of you who have been following along with the site for some time, a Chromebook with the codename of ‘Cave’ shouldn’t be unfamiliar. Likely, though, there will be many of you who have never been here, so we’ll talk about what has been found today and talk a bit about what has been found up until now, and try to put together the pieces.
Thanks to our friends over at Notebook Italiana, and followed up by Chrome Story we received news of this device breaking cover early this morning. According to the FCC filings and a few early listings here and here, ASUS is set to launch a new convertible device with some really sweet confirmed specs. Here’s what we’re seeing so far:
Skylake m3-6Y30
8GB RAM
32GB Internal Storage
12.5″ Screen IPS
360-degree hinge
Aluminum Build
2 USB Type-C ports
Micro SD slot
Backlit Keyboard (we’ll talk about this below)
Some of those things (ports, build, hinge) come from the FCC filing. Those parts are pretty certain from photos. Keep in mind, the FCC is only concerned with antennas and such, so things like memory, storage, and screen are secondary. The details on processor, screen, storage, etc. are all coming from listings that have this device for sale already.
We’re Still Uncertain On Some Things
First, we’re pretty sure this is ‘Cave’ based on all we’ve found over the past months. You can read more here. ‘Cave’ has been in development since June and the timeline fits. We’ve been tracking it a bit longer than ‘Kevin’ (or as most know it, the Samsung Chromebook Pro). Almost everything we know about ‘Cave’ all fits here, so we are pretty confident.
One issue we have: one of the listings above show the device to have a FHD 1080p screen. It certainly looks like a 16:9 screen (for those who love that layout, this is welcome news), but the resolution doesn’t line up with what we’ve seen in development. We broke back in September that ‘Cave’ will have a High-Res screen. 1080p has been deemed ‘standard’ by the Chromium developers at this point, so the clear sign that ‘Cave’ will be High-Res means one of two things: we’ll see this device as a High-Res version (like the HP Chromebook 13 G1) or it is not ‘Cave’. We are leaning towards the former, assuming ASUS may have some variations on offer here.
Another unconfirmed but likely spec is a backlit keyboard. In the commits for ‘Cave’ we see reference to this feature. Though not specified in what we have before us today, the color of the keys makes us quite certain we’ll see a backlit keyboard. The silver on silver look usually is applied when backlighting is present. For reference, just take a look at the Microsoft Surface Book.
Another interesting, unconfirmed piece of news is the release. The first retailer listed above shows the device as ‘in-stock’ on November 1st. If that is to be believed, we’ll know everything about this device very, very soon.
Exciting times! We’ve included a little gallery of the FCC pics below. |
Thelma the snake confused then astounded her keepers.
This 6m long (20 ft) python had spent four years alone in Louisville zoo in the US, without ever having met a male of her species. But, somehow, she laid over 61 eggs, producing six healthy babies.
Perhaps she’d managed to secretively mate with a male many years before, and store his sperm all this time?
Genetic tests soon revealed the answer.
Thelma had become the first reticulated python in the world known to have had a real-life virgin birth.
She’d made eggs that contained all the genetic information required to make a daughter; without the need for a father, his sperm or DNA. She’d done it fusing her eggs with a by-product of her dividing cells, called a polar body. This object played the same role as sperm would normally, triggering the egg to develop into an embryo. Each of her offspring contained two copies of half her chromosomes. They were half-clones of Thelma.
Extreme reproduction?
Though special, we now know that Thelma and her daughters are far from unique.
Scientists are discovering that virgin births occur in many different species; amphibians, reptiles, cartilaginous and bony fish and birds and it happens for reasons we don't quite understand.
Initially, a virgin birth, also known as parthenogenesis, was thought to be triggered by extreme situations; it was only documented among captive animals, for example, perhaps by the stress, or isolation. A way to continue the bloodline when all other options had gone, when there was no other choice.
Not necessarily. It now appears that some virgin females produce offspring even in the presence of males.
What’s more, they do so in the wild, and may have been doing it for hundreds of millions of years. It may carry advantages, even more so in a modern world where populations of many species are rapidly dwindling, but it raises fundamental questions about the importance of sex.
And other uncertainties remain. Why among vertebrates, can fish, reptiles and birds have virgin births, but mammals, including humans, seemingly cannot? Even here, things aren’t straightforward…
Virgin turkeys
Perhaps the best understood ‘virgin’ vertebrate is the common domesticated turkey. In the 1800s, reports started appearing of virgin births among chickens. Then researchers started studying similar events among turkeys, finding that these large fowl could lay unfertilised eggs that produced live young.
The baby turkeys were always male, however, which was put down to a quirk of bird genetics in which male sex chromosomes are dominant. Soon a parthenogenetic strain of the domestic turkey was developed in which most males appeared normal and reproduced successfully.
The turkeys were considered nothing more than a curiosity; an artificial creation kept in artificial conditions.
But then, in the past 15 years, reports started coming in of a series of weird and wonderful virgin births occurring in captive fish, snakes and lizards.
It seems to be something a wide variety of sharks can do
On the 14 December 2001, for example, one of three captive adult female bonnethead sharks gave birth to a healthy female pup. Each of the prospective mothers had been caught as immature fish from the wild waters of the Florida Keys, US.
None had met a male shark, and all were virgins.
Yet one of them had clearly given birth, reported a team led by Demian Chapman of Stony Brook University, in New York state, US.
Later genetic tests confirmed that no males had been involved, and since then the same has been discovered in four other shark species. "It seems to be something a wide variety of sharks can do," Chapman told BBC Earth.
Giant lizards
In 2006, scientists reported that two different Komodo dragons, the world’s largest type of lizard, had also had virgin births. Both were captive, kept at separate institutions, one at Chester Zoo and one at London Zoo, in the UK.
At the time, researchers speculated that the giant lizard was capable of switching between sexual and asexual reproduction, essentially finding ways to clone itself in extreme circumstances when no males are around.
Then in recent years, scientists have also documented different snake species, including boas and pythons such as Thelma, giving birth in the absence of males.
The question is why would they bother?
A life without males
One possible answer may lie with a wild counterpart, the whiptail lizard. In fact, there are numerous species of whiptail lizard, with many being specially conceived, a result of two species hybridising to form a third.
These unique hybrid species are all female; males have been completely cut out of the reproductive process. Each female produces asexually, creating new generations of females, and so on.
Creating such an exclusive club has its evolutionary benefits; if any of these lizards were left stranded, they could continue to reproduce. Other whiptails that rely on males would see their lineage die out. This is a particular type of parthenogenesis that only occurs in the absence of males, and this may have been the trigger for these lizards. Female whiptails that become stranded on islands may have somehow switched their biology to reproduce alone.
Thelma the snake was thought to have had a virgin birth for similar reasons; without any males around she had no choice but to go it alone. And being well fed, and housed in a large enclosure at an optimal temperature, she had the optimal conditions to make the biological leap into solo parenthood, says Bill McMahon, a scientist who helped care for her.
Perhaps the same was true of the sharks, komodo dragons and snakes?
It's amazing that we do all of this work on reproductive biology and we're still learning something new about the reproductive modes about the animals around us
There is a problem with that idea. Generally, asexual reproduction is thought to come with costs. Essentially it’s the ultimate form of inbreeding – there is no way to create genetic diversity. So animals that clone themselves leave their lineages vulnerable to disease and other threats, which they lack the genetic variety to counter.
For that reason, after the virgin birth of the Komodo dragons, scientists recommended that the species, which is endangered, not be kept in isolation. They feared the genetic diversity of the species might diminish if it started cloning itself.
But in extremis, when there are no males to mate with, it makes some sense.
Wild virgins
Then came another shock: wild vertebrates, as well as captive ones, are capable of virgin births.
In 2012, scientists discovered that another type of snake, the pit-viper, commonly has virgin births in the wild.
Warren Booth from the University of Tulsa and colleagues captured 59 litters from two species of pit viper snake and analysed their "DNA fingerprint", a sort of paternity test. He found that two litters had come about through virgin births, via a process called facultative parthenogenesis.
So the stress of captivity may not be what triggers such an extreme mode of reproduction. What’s more, wild male pit-viper snakes are plentiful. So the females don’t have virgin births simply because they have no other choice.
"We used to call facultative parthenogenesis an evolutionary novelty but it's not as novel as people think,” Booth told BBC Earth. “I've got a box of shed skin from snakes that's overflowing with examples.”
"It's amazing that we do all of this work on reproductive biology and we're still learning something new about the reproductive modes about the animals around us," he says.
Ancient reproduction
Booth suspects that virgin births may actually be an ancient mode of vertebrate reproduction.
Those species that do it best, the boas and pythons among snakes for example, are also some of the oldest. More recently evolved species, such as cobras, fare less well, producing only one or two babies via a virgin birth, which then often die.
Perhaps when these ancient snakes lived, millions of millions of years ago, either so few existed, or it was so hard to find a sexual partner, that they didn’t bother, and cloned themselves instead. The fossil record can’t tell us.
It may also be extremely difficult to discover how many wild species actually reproduce this way. It would be almost impossible to know whether wild fish have had virgin births or not. The only way to prove it would be to harvest DNA from a female shark and her babies, to determine their parentage. So many species are endangered that the approach would not be ethical, says Booth.
So the conundrum remains; why reproduce alone, when asexual reproduction has so many down sides. Especially in the wild, where males are plentiful? And even if virgin births are an ancient, evolutionary hangover, why still do it in the modern age?
Healthy babies
One answer may actually lie within those questions.
If asexual reproduction is disadvantageous, then it wouldn’t have survived for so long, points out James Hanken, an evolutionary biologist at Harvard University, Massachusetts, US. So while genetic diversity is important, it can't be the be-all. That’s supported by evidence from the 'miracle' babies, or parthenogenetic offspring, themselves.
Baby sharks born to virgin mothers are less genetically diverse than those born to two parents. But they appear just as healthy, having been "purged of all the deleterious recessive genes", says Chapman.
Females may also decide to reproduce alone because the act of sexual reproduction can be costly, according to one of Booth's close collaborators, Gordon Schuett of Georgia State University in the US, the first scientist to document facultative parthenogenesis in snakes. Females have to put up with males competing and fighting over them, and it can be hard to find the ideal male partner.
It's fascinating that nature has evolved a way of making this possible
One other idea is that something other than evolution is at work. Perhaps virgin births are triggered by some outside factor; a hormone, or hormonal imbalance? Or even a pathogen, such as a virus, or parasite. There is a species of wasp, for example, that starts reproducing asexually when infected with a certain bacteria.
Booth suspects so. "What we find is that across birds, snakes and sharks, they do the same thing. It appears they evolved it independently, and therefore there's something else driving it."
Schuett is less sure, finding it difficult to accept that a single cause could trigger the same outcome in so many diverse species. But Booth is keen to investigate, testing the genetics of the various tissue samples taken from Komodo dragons, boas, pythons and many more he has stored in his lab. He’ll be looking for a tell-tale genetic signature that reveals the presence of a common virus or some other stimulus.
If no such trigger is found, it could be that the ability to have virgin births is retained in species as some kind of back-up mechanism, to be utilised when sexual reproduction is too unlikely or costly.
One of the big downsides of sexual reproduction is it requires two individuals to be in the same place at the same time
If true, that suggests we may see more if it, as populations of many wild species dwindle, according to Peter Baumann of the University of Kansas Medical Center in the US.
Already scientists are waiting to discover if the anaconda, the world’s heaviest snake species, will join the list of those vertebrates capable of virgin births.
"It's fascinating that nature has evolved a way of making this possible. From an adaptation point of view it does enhance a species' ability to survive long term if it can use this back-up pathway.
"One of the big downsides of sexual reproduction is it requires two individuals to be in the same place at the same time, that becomes an issue when population density is low," says Bauman.
From an evolutionary point of view, sexual reproduction remains the more dominant and successful method at this point of time, but he adds that "there's clear advantages to both mechanisms".
And mammals?
But one final enigma remains. If parthenogenesis is more widespread than scientists first thought, then why can’t mammals do it, including primates, the group that includes humans?
Perhaps they can.
There is no known example of a mammal having a natural virgin birth, either in captivity or the wild.
But in the 1930’s at Harvard University, Massachusetts, US, a scientist called Gregory Pincus started investigating the reproductive systems of mammals. His work later led to him co-inventing the human contraceptive pill.
At the time he controversially claimed to have triggered parthenogenesis in rabbits, a feat that other scientists failed to replicate.
Decades later, in 2004, scientists reported they had genetically engineered a mouse to have a virgin birth. The offspring not only survived, they were capable of having offspring of their own.
Researchers today say that it remains highly unlikely, and perhaps even impossible, for a virgin mammal to naturally produce viable offspring, due to some fundamental aspects of their biology.
But perhaps, someday, somewhere, somehow, a mammal will surprise us all.
Just as Thelma the snake, and all the chickens, turkeys and sharks have done, she will lay down and have a 'miracle' birth, one that will challenge our fundamental ideas about reproduction. |
F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone says teams must be able to stand on their own two feet financially
Bernie Ecclestone insists there will be no further help for three Formula 1 teams seeking more financial support.
Lotus, Force India and Sauber have said that revenues are split inequitably in favour of the top teams.
F1 boss Ecclestone described talks on the subject at this weekend's Brazilian Grand Prix as "a complete and utter waste of time".
"The way forward is very easy - don't spend as much," he added. "We already give these teams collectively $900m."
The recent collapse of the Marussia and Caterham teams led to claims that F1 is in crisis.
Senior insiders had suggested that the prize money allocated for those teams - a combined total of £36.5m ($68m) - could be bolstered by commercial rights holders CVC Capital Partners and the cash split between the three teams and Williams as a one-off payment.
Media playback is not supported on this device In-depth: Bernie Ecclestone on F1 finances
But Ecclestone said the struggling teams should "start running the business as a business".
Marussia folded on Friday and Caterham remain in administration after missing the US and Brazilian Grands Prix.
Caterham's administrator has launched a crowd-funding project aimed at raising the £2.35m the team say is needed to compete at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix later this month.
There have been reports that Red Bull and Ferrari could run a third car next season if Caterham do not survive and if a new team does not arise out of Marussia.
But Ecclestone said: "At the moment there has been no agreement for third cars."
And a Red Bull spokeswoman said: "Despite reports to the contrary, Red Bull has not yet been requested to run a third car next season. Our preference would be a full grid of two-car teams."
The demise of Marussia and Caterham has reduced the grid to nine teams and 18 cars.
Asked if there would still be nine teams in 2015, Ecclestone said: "Maybe ten, it depends what we decide to do." |
EXCLUSIVE UPDATED: Drop Dead Diva lives! A month and a half after Lifetime cancelled the dramedy series, I’ve learned that the cable network has inked a deal with producer Sony Pictures TV to bring the show back for a fifth season. At the time of the cancellation, Lifetime insiders noted that that they were open to reconsidering the decision if Sony TV came up with a new financial model. After weeks of talks, I hear the two sides found a framework that made continuing Drop Dead Diva feasible for both of them.
The fifth-season pickup comes almost six months after Drop Dead Diva‘s fourth season wrapped its run on Lifetime. The dramedy, starring Brooke Elliott as a dead aspiring model trapped in the body of an intelligent, curvy lawyer, was one of two scripted series Nancy Dubuc inherited when she took over Lifetime in 2010, along with veteran drama Army Wives, which is underwent casting and creative changes heading into its seventh season. There had been speculation that Lifetime brass felt Drop Dead Diva did not quite fit into the network’s shift toward edgier fare with shows like The Client List, but ratings-wise Drop Dead Diva has been a solid performer since its July 2009 premiere, which drew 2.8 million viewers. Its most recent season averaged consistently over 2 million viewers in Live+Same Day. Additionally, Drop Dead Diva has developed a loyal fan base, which has been rallying in support of the show following its cancellation.
Drop Dead Diva, executive produced by creator Josh Berman, Neil Meron and Craig Zadan, is the latest series to be resurrected after being cancelled in the last couple of years. Sony TV has done it three times before with CBS’ Unforgettable and FX’s Damages, Fox’s Breaking In, and Fox TV Studios accomplished it recently with AMC’s The Killing. Coming up on the network are the seventh season of Army Wives and second cycle of Client List, which premiere this month, and new dramedy Devious Maids, which will launch later this year. |
CARSON, Calif. (Sunday, May 31, 2015) – LA Galaxy forward Gyasi Zardes has been named to a 22-player roster by U.S. Men’s National Team head coach Jurgen Klinsmann for friendlies in Europe against two of the top three finishers at the 2014 FIFA World Cup. The U.S. meets No. 6-ranked Netherlands on June 5 in Amsterdam (11:30 a.m. PT - ESPN, WatchESPN, UniMas, UDN) before facing the 2014 FIFA World Cup champion Germany on June 10 in Cologne (11:45 a.m. PT – Fox Sports 1, UniMas, UDN).
Zardes will depart for Europe following the team’s game on the road against New England Revolution this afternoon and be unavailable for selection when the Galaxy host Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Saturday, June 6 at StubHub Center at 7:30 p.m. PT (Time Warner Cable SportsNet and Time Warner Cable Deportes). He will return to the Galaxy following the U.S. matchup against Germany June 10.
The call up for Zardes is the fourth time he has been named to a USMNT roster by Klinsmann this year. His first-ever international appearance for the U.S. came January 28 as second-half substitution in a friendly against Chile in South America. On Feb. 8, he earned his first start when the U.S. took on Panama at StubHub Center, putting in a man-of-the-match performance after recording an assist. After starting in the USMNT’s friendlies against Denmark and Switzerland, Zardes played the full 90 minutes in a 2-0 win over rival Mexico at the Alamodome in San Antonio.
With the matches against Netherlands and Germany, the U.S. will have faced five teams in 2015 ranked in the top 20 in the world (Chile, Mexico, Switzerland are the other three), with four of those contests on away soil.
“Our time since the World Cup has been a transition period which now winds down before the Gold Cup,” said Klinsmann. “Playing against top teams like Germany and the Netherlands provides valuable experience, especially for the younger players here. More and more they must understand we come to meet these opponents eye to eye. Obviously it’s a bit tricky when we are without some of our core players, but that creates a huge opportunity for the guys here to benchmark themselves against some of the best players in the world. ”
U.S. ROSTER BY POSITION
GOALKEEPERS (3): Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake), William Yarbrough (Club Leon)
DEFENDERS (7): Ventura Alvarado (Club America), John Brooks (Hertha Berlin), Timmy Chandler (Eintracht Frankfurt), Brad Evans (Seattle Sounders FC), Michael Orozco (Puebla), Brek Shea (Orlando City SC), DeAndre Yedlin (Tottenham Hotspur)
MIDFIELDERS (8): Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Michael Bradley (Toronto FC), Mix Diskerud (New York City FC), Miguel Ibarra (Minnesota United FC), Fabian Johnson (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Jermaine Jones (New England Revolution), Alfredo Morales (Ingolstadt), Danny Williams (Reading)
FORWARDS (4): Juan Agudelo (New England Revolution), Aron Johannsson (AZ Alkmaar), Bobby Wood (1860 Munich), Gyasi Zardes (LA Galaxy |
Washington: The White House is considering applying sanctions against companies and individuals in China it believes have benefited from Chinese hacking of US trade secrets, the Washington Post reported on Sunday.
The newspaper, citing several unidentified Obama administration officials, said a final determination on whether to issue the sanctions was expected soon, possibly as early as the next two weeks.
Suspicions that Chinese hackers were behind a series of data breaches in the United States have been an irritant in relations between the world`s two largest economies as President Xi Jinping prepares to make his first visit to the United States next month.
Obama administration officials have said China is the top suspect in the massive hacking of a U.S. government agency that compromised the personnel records of at least 4.2 million current and former government workers. China has denied involvement.
U.S. government officials and cyber analysts say Chinese hackers are using high-tech tactics to build massive databases that could be used for traditional espionage, such as recruiting spies or gaining access to secure data on other networks.
A White House official had no immediate comment on the report. The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
A senior administration official said in reply to a Reuters query that President Barack Obama noted when he signed an executive order earlier this year enabling the use of economic sanctions against cyber hackers that the administration "is pursuing a comprehensive strategy to confront such actors."
"That strategy includes diplomatic engagement, trade policy tools, law enforcement mechanisms, and imposing sanctions on individuals or entities that engage in certain significant, malicious cyber-enabled activities," the official said.
"We are assessing all of our options to respond to these threats in a manner and time frame of our choosing," the official added.
The Post quoted an administration official as saying the possible sanctions move “sends a signal to Beijing that the administration is going to start fighting back on economic espionage, and it sends a signal to the private sector that we’re on your team. It tells China, enough is enough.”
The newspaper said the sanctions would not be imposed as retaliation for the suspected hacking of the U.S. government personnel records, as they were deemed to have been carried out for intelligence reasons rather than to benefit Chinese industry. |
Ben Safiniuk is seven years old, and he knows how to write computer code – sort of.
“Well, I have made a stickman. He’s like, ‘Hello’ and then he got sucked up into a ship,” said Ben.
He’s a student in the Pembina Trails School Division in Winnipeg who can make a blue dog dance across a stage or build a game with disappearing red blocks. And he’s not the only one.
The school division is diving head-first into uncharted territory in Canada – teaching coding to young kids.
Previous Next “As I get to travel around our 33 schools, I’m now noticing I’m being asked more and more from younger and younger grades, ‘Can you teach me Java?’” said David Wall, Pembina Trails’ educational technology consultant.”
The only problem? Many teachers don’t have any idea how to teach kids code. And it isn’t a failing on their part – there’s no curriculum or framework in Canada for how to teach kids from Kindergarten to Grade 8 how to code.
“Quite a few times I get emails and calls like, ‘Okay, these kids are talking in language I don’t understand. PHP, HTML, what does that mean?’” said Wall.
So instead of waiting for one, the division is making their own. In education speak, it’s called a “continuum,” but it’s essentially a guide for teachers who don’t know Java from… java.
“Our goal was to write a continuum as a resource for our teachers so they would have something to go to no matter what age the child came to them and said, [for example] ‘I’m in Grade 5, I want to learn coding,’” said Wall. “Traditionally, coding has just been in a computer science option course in high school.”
They aren’t sure when the continuum will be done, but when it is, Wall hopes it’ll help other divisions across the country develop their own frameworks.
In the meantime, they’re getting as much coding as possible into the classroom.
Last week, 13,000 students in the division got a taste of what’s to come. The entire division participated in the international Hour of Code event – where 57,000 classrooms around the world spend some time coding.
But Wall said students aren’t waiting for teachers and curriculum to catch up. They’re doing the learning on their own.
13-year-old students make money coding online
“I got into it when I was 11. I was just doing math in my school’s computer lab and then I went to the computer science page and I tried it out,” said Grade 8 Linden Meadows student Zach Lowden. “Then my friend got into it too and so we ended up having a contest to see who could get farther and do more coding. It kind of went from there.”
Zach Lowden, age 13, teaches students in his class how to code in Java. Zach makes money in his spare time writing code for Minecraft. (Teghan Beaudette/CBC) Lowden is now 13 and makes money at home by building code for Minecraft. His specialty is Java.
“You can write plugins using Java and then people will hire you to write custom-made ones and then they’ll buy them off you,” he said.
Lowden set up his own PayPal account to get paid but said he does it mainly for fun and doesn’t make much cash.
When Lowden crossed paths with Wall one day at school he told him about what he was doing in his spare time. Soon, Lowden was leading a lunch-hour “coding club” at his school – creating lessons and teaching other kids how to code.
Two years later, and he has lesson plans from the simple – teaching strings, creating variables and logging it to the console – to the complex.
“Now, they’re ahead of me in certain things. There’s a coding language called HTML, which is what people use to write websites. I don’t really know much HTML, but one of the kids I was teaching is really talented at HTML now,” said Lowden.
Lowden’s principal said he was a quiet, shy kid who didn’t talk much in class or the hallways before he started coding club. Once he was leading kids in lessons, though, it was a different story.
‘I didn’t expect that level of engagement’
Grade 2 teacher Dana Jordan is seeing the same types of transformations in her classroom.
“A few of them had already been doing it at home which was amazing. The rest of them, I mean, daily they pick up an iPad and an iPod, and to sit down and learn how a computer thinks – they just did it,” she said.
Jordan and a handful of other teachers have been given some training in how to guide kids through learning-to-code programs. Her husband is a computer coder, but she never took an interest until she got the training.
“I’ve seen the papers at home with all his jargon -- had no idea what it was all about. Then when we sat down at the computer it wasn’t too difficult. It was just learning how a computer thinks,” she said.
Seven-year-old Ben is still ahead on some fronts though. He came to class with an idea for a better program to learn code on – called Scratch, an MIT-developed kids coding program.
“I guess what I didn’t expect was the level of engagement. Especially at this time of year – it’s the holidays coming. The kids were engaged and they were pumped and they could’ve taken two hours of code,” she said. “Ben … said I need to teach the kids all about Scratch, so guess what we’re doing after the holidays? We’re going to be ‘scratching.’”
‘The stereotype of the coder is the geek’
The division is paying close attention to getting girls involved, too.
Grade 2 teacher Dana Jordan said what shocked her about teaching seven-year-old kids code was how engaged they were immediately. She's already planned more coding lessons for next term. (Teghan Beaudette/CBC) The gender imbalance in the industry is huge, and the division is trying to address that.
“The stereotype of the coder is the geek. So the geeky boy sitting in his basement, he’s kind of pale, glasses – maybe broken at one time but that’s changing rapidly because of the kind of tools that are available,” said Wall. “There are groups of girls at our schools who run their own coding clubs so it’s really growing exponentially.”
12-year-old Nia Gutierrez isn’t in a club, but she uses Coding Academy at home to teach herself how it works.
“It’s like a puzzle. I love puzzles. Every code, it’s like a piece of a puzzle and slowly you try to put the whole picture together. It’s like a game,” she said. “It’s really interesting.”
Gutierrez says the prevalence of men in the industry doesn’t faze her, and she wants to make websites once she’s had a bit more training.
More screen time?
Almost all the kids have goals tied to coding.
Ben wants to build a video game with disappearing red blocks, Zach wants to build more ambitious plug-ins and others want to figure out how to build apps.
Selling coding to parents can be difficult – more screen time comes with concern for many, but Jordan said many parents are grateful that the kids are focusing on something meaningful at home and school.
“As a 21st Century learner, this is what it’s all about,” said Jordan. “This is what kids need to know. We teach them how to read. We teach them all about math and I strongly believe they also need to learn about computers.”
Wall said coding helps with problem-solving and process-oriented thinking, and beyond that, it’s a language we live in every day.
“If you look around from your home to your vehicle to what we have in our hands to the camera you’re using, there’s code embedded inside them. It’s a part of our everyday,” he said. |
Arthur’s leafblowing business has struggled without high-speed rural internet. Green Aperture, via Thinkstock
Government-built infrastructure, we’re told, only ends up hampering free market competition.
That’s one of the reasons that opponents of public broadband support state pre-emption laws to restrict cities and towns from building their own fiber networks.
They say things like, “It’s government entry … that brings unfair competition to the market,” and, “Government entry into the broadband market drives out competition and puts taxpayers at financial risk,” and, “The asymmetric subsidized entry of a municipal system is … anticompetitive in nature.”
That’s why the “Private Industry Safeguards Act,” a model policy of the American Legislative Exchange Council, or ALEC, which purports to advance free-market priorities in the statehouses, has been recommended to the organization’s enormous body of state-level lawmakers from across the country since 2002. More than 20 states have prohibitions on municipal broadband on the books.
All this may sound pretty rich at a time when internet providers have effective monopolies in many regions and rates rise faster than download speeds. But to critics, publicly owned broadband could well be the thin end of the socialist wedge.
The Federal Communications Commission disagrees. Last year, in response to a petition from Chattanooga, Tennessee, and Wilson, North Carolina, the FCC decided to pre-empt portions of those states’ laws that restricted the build-out of those cities’ broadband networks. With FCC protection, the cities would have been able to expand their super-fast fiber service into adjoining municipalities and rural areas.
Here’s how the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals summarized the FCC argument that the rollout of fiber internet by Chattanooga’s Electric Power Board fostered competition: “In response to the EPB’s constructing its fiber network, Comcast stopped raising its rates—which had risen sharply for years—and subsequently reduced them. Both of the private providers in the EPB’s electric service area, Comcast and AT&T, have vastly improved their Internet download speeds since the EPB’s entry. This demonstrates the benefits of increased broadband competition and how a possible expansion for the EPB could promote such competition.” An independent analysis estimated Chattanooga’s network had produced at least 2,800 jobs and $865 million in benefits for the city.
The states sued the FCC, and early last month, they won: The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the FCC had overstepped its bounds. The court found that the Telecommunications Act of 1996 didn’t offer the commission clear authority to pre-empt state law.
It was a legal defeat, but a limited one. While the court ruled against the FCC, it didn’t see any faults with their reason for acting: “We do not question the public benefits that the FCC identifies in permitting municipalities to expand Gigabit Internet coverage,” the decision reads.
It’s another notch for the consensus that municipal broadband introduces competition to an industry too often lacking it. “If the private sector were solving this problem, cities wouldn’t be doing this,” says Deb Socia, the executive chairman of Next Century Cities, a coalition of cities that advocates for municipal broadband as a local option, among other issues.*
Barring an act of Congress to modify FCC powers (don’t hold your breath), the battle returns to the statehouses. But it won’t be as hopeless there as many local control issues are. In most cases, pre-emption disputes pit rural Republican state legislators against progressive urban policies like the minimum wage or a fracking ban. In Tennessee and North Carolina, there’s a twist: Chattanooga and Wilson already have high-speed internet, both public and private. It’s their rural neighbors that suffer from telecom companies’ reluctance to expand good service into low-density areas.
In Tennessee, for example, municipal broadband remains legal—but expanding it beyond the provider’s existing coverage area is not allowed. Chattanoogans are allowed to keep their lightning-fast internet; it’s residents outside the EPB’s coverage area that suffer. “For several years we’ve been fielding requests from neighboring communities who have hardly had access, asking: ‘Would you guys bring services to us?’ ” explains Danna Bailey, vice president of communications at EPB. “And we’ve said: ‘We’d love to, but Tennessee state law prohibits it.’”
That turns the traditional political calculus of state-vs.-city pre-emption bills on its head. In Tennessee, a state law to loosen the regulation of public broadband is being sponsored by a pair of Republicans: Sen. Janice Bowling and Rep. Kevin Brooks. And it was a Republican state senator, Todd Gardenhire of Chattanooga, who said earlier this year, “AT&T is the villain here.”
Proponents of public broadband see a parallel to the rollout of the electrical grid, which ignored rural areas in favor of population clusters where electricity provision was more profitable. “We see broadband in the 21st century as electricity was in the 20th,” said. Bailey. “To participate in this economy you’ve got to have access. Consumers are really starting to demand it, so legislators are hearing from their constituents: ‘I’ve got to have broadband. I have to drag my kid five miles down the street to McDonald’s to do her homework.’ ”
*Correction, September 1, 2016: This post originally implied that Next Century Cities advocates only for municipal broadband capacity; the group works on other issues too. |
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Darren McKie remains in custody after discovery of Leanne McKie’s remains in Poynton Lake, Cheshire
A police officer has been charged with the murder of his detective wife, whose body was found in a lake in Cheshire on Friday.
Sgt Darren McKie, 43, will appear at South and East Cheshire magistrates court on Tuesday after the discovery of the remains of Leanne McKie, 39, in Poynton Park near Stockport.
The couple, from Wilmslow in Cheshire, were serving officers with Greater Manchester police. Leanne McKie had three children and worked in the serious sexual offences unit.
A spokeswoman for Cheshire police said: “Darren McKie, from … Wilmslow, was arrested in the early hours of Friday 29 September after the body of Leanne McKie was found. He was subsequently charged with murder today.”
Police said he was assisting officers with their inquiries and would remain in custody.
On Monday evening police were still appealing for information and were particularly interested in speaking to a group of four people who were walking past Poynton Lake in the early hours of Friday.
“The group were seen walking along A523, London Road North, towards Stockport at approximately 12.15am,” DI Adam Waller said.
Officers would also like to speak to anyone who saw Leanne McKie’s red Mini between Thursday afternoon and the early hours of Friday morning.
Ian Hopkins, the chief constable of Greater Manchester police, said: “I would like to offer my most sincere condolences to Leanne’s family and friends at this devastating time. My heart particularly goes out to her three young children, who she adored.”
Cheshire police urge anyone with information about the case to call 101 quoting 93 of 29/9/2017. Information can also be reported anonymously, via Crimestoppers, on 0800 555 111. |
Good health is not the result of medical procedures
Profit is the motivation
(NaturalNews) Our medical system is a "criminal enterprise" and the "vaccine establishment has become a protection racket," according to Jon Rappoport, in a recent opinion piece contributed toRappoport accuses mainstream medicine of perpetuating thethat vaccines are needed to create healthy children, and of suppressing evidence to the contrary.He wrote:In other words, Rappoport argues, healthy children are the product of many factors, and building a healthy immune system naturally is far better than relying on vaccines.History has shown that vaccines can actually trigger an epidemic - and this has been known for more than a century.From an 1898 book titled "A Century of Vaccination":Other sources have shown that the overall decrease in mortality in children from diseases like scarlet fever, diphtheria and measles since the 19th century has been due to improvements - in sanitation and particularly in diet - and not because of antibiotics and immunization, which were introduced later.Rappoport says that the "dud" epidemics that we are frightened with every few years are nothing more than the medical establishment's brainwashing efforts to convince us that we need constant medical care - and that there is no such thing as natural health.He points out the lack of research conducted on healthy children: "How many studies in peer reviewed journals examine large groups of healthy unvaccinated children?" he asks.In fact, there have been studies suggesting that children who grow up on farms, for example, have asimply because they were exposed to more germs at an early age, therefore strengthening their immune systems.This "hygiene hypothesis" offers support for the idea that building resistance naturally is better than trying to boost immunity through injecting dangerous toxins into children's bodies or protecting them from all contact with germs.Good health is not the result of medical techniques, but Big Pharma would cease to exist if natural health practices became the standard approach.That's why the vaccine industry, with the assistance of a sold-out government, is forcing vaccinations on children while doing its best to persecute and criminalize alternative health practitioners.That's why children are being injected with deadly poisons by force, while natural treatments such as cannabis are still illegal at the federal level.The medical establishment is built on lies - and those lies are killing people rather than curing them.Medical errors are the third-leading cause of death in the U.S. according to a recent Johns Hopkins University study, and that doesn't even take into account all the deaths caused - directly and indirectly - by standard procedures in doctor's offices, clinics and hospitals.Pharmaceutical-based medicine doesn't provide real cures, and usually - as in the case of vaccines and, for example - the supposed "cure" is worse than the disease itself.Big Pharma can't generate profits by actually making people healthy, so they are actually in the business of making people sick - and keeping them that way... |
Clinton says she'll 'look into' releasing paid speech transcripts
CLOSE For the first time, presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders faced off with just each other during a Democratic debate. USA TODAY
Wall Street, who is close to it, and who will do the most to limit its excesses dominated much of the early part of the Democratic presidential debate Thursday night in New Hampshire.
Part and parcel of that was a question about speaking fees Hillary Clinton received after leaving the State Department in 2013.
Clinton was asked by MSNBC moderator Chuck Todd whether she'd agree to release transcripts of all the paid speeches she's given.
"I will look into it," she said, adding that she wasn't sure of "the status" of such a request.
She added that she'd spoken "to a lot of different groups" about "world affairs," such as when she counseled President Obama about the decision to raid Osama bin Laden's Pakistani compound in 2011. She also said that she and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders both agreed on the need to rein in Wall Street, but she cautioned against focusing too intently on just "one street" of the economy.
"Madam Secretary, it is not one street," Sanders countered, saying it was the source of enormous power in the American economy.
"The business model of Wall Street is fraud," he said.
The exchanged came a day after Clinton stirred some controversy during a CNN town hall in New Hampshire with her answer to a question about why she'd accepted $675,000 in speaking fees from Goldman Sachs.
"I don't know. That's what they offered," she said.
Read or Share this story: http://usat.ly/1X73WeI |
The mind is a terrible thing to use.
At least in games.
And one guy who wholeheartedly agrees is Knicks rookie Frank Ntilikina, who more and more is adhering to the advice of teammates and coaches and playing more on instinct rather than thinking everything through as if the NBA were advanced calculus. Jarrett Jack, veteran guard and mentor to the rookie, has seen the difference.
“He’s way more sure of himself and it’s showing in his play,” Jack said. “His game is maturing and right around this time, Christmas, the top of the year that’s when [rookie] guys start to get a handle on the task ahead of them and he’s done a tremendous job.”
Ntilikina has seen the difference, too. His growth is impressing all sides. In the Knicks’ 111-104 win over the Nets on Thursday at Barclays Center, Ntilikina again played the entire fourth quarter when he scored all seven of his points and passed for two of his eight assists. Ntilikina finished a plus-14, the best mark of any player in the game.
And a lot had to do with being instinctive.
“I understand what he [Jack] says,” said Ntilikina, who hit a 3-pointer at 3:09 that put the Knicks up six — and that came well after a steal and layup early in the fourth when the Knicks led by seven.
“He’s done that several times this year, hit big shots. He’s probably ‘sneaky quick.’ He knows angles. He made a great crossover and got to the middle of the free-throw line for an easy jump shot,” coach Jeff Hornacek said.
By just doing.
“Sometimes, I have a tendency to hesitate on my shot,” Ntilikina said. “Now I feel more comfortable while getting a lot of reps. Hitting shots in the real game gives me confidence.”
Yeah, those phony games rarely help.
“I just need to keep working, keep getting reps, keep taking those shots,” he said.
And keep avoiding all that thinking. |
Last weekend I was playing around with a way to represent null-terminated UTF8 strings in Rust. Rather than just toying with it forever, I decided to clean up a minimal version and publish it to crates.io. Creating the crate went smoothly, exactly the same as the 11 prior crates I’ve published. I closed up my laptop and called it a day.
Well, everything only seemed the same until an hour later when I got this tweet:
@sheldonut Hi Steven, Rust team here :) We’re having some technical difficulties with the name of one of your crates… feel free to DM — Oh, It’s Ben (@bstrie) April 30, 2017
The impact
The crate I had just published was named nul , after the null terminator character which is abbreviated as NUL . I hopped onto Rust’s IRC channel to figure out what I had done, and the friendly Rust devs informed me that they were going to delete nul from crates.io.
While trying to catch up at this point, I saw that there was an issue filed on my repo. And an issue filed on cargo. And a reddit thread. Whoops.
Whenever any users on Windows attempted to download new crates or update their dependencies, they were greeted with this error:
Updating registry https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index error: [20/-1] Cannot checkout to invalid path '3/n/nul'
As kmc described the status of cargo on Windows:
But why?
Turns out that “NUL” (including “nul”) is a reserved filename on Windows. NUL is the Windows equivalent of Unix’s /dev/null , but instead of existing at a specific directory you can write to NUL in any directory, and even with any extension!
That might sound surprising, but Raymond Chen has an illuminating explanation:
Because DOS 1.0 didn’t have subdirectories. There was only one directory, which today we would call the root directory…
And so, since these DOS 1.0 days, tons of batch files exist on Windows redirecting with >NUL , and the reserved filenames remain.
The aftermath
Once my nul crate was deleted, Windows users were back in business. The Rust team quickly moved to prevent this issue from happening again by adding “NUL” and Windows’ 21 other reserved filenames to the list of reserved crate names. Guess I won’t get to publish that aux crate now 😉
Apologies to Carol Nichols and any other Rust devs whose weekends I interrupted, thanks for your quick action!
Although, I mean, like withoutboats said: |
Oyster is selling ebooks now. But is it targeting Amazon? by Alex Shephard
Since launching in the fall of 2013, the ebook subscription app Oyster has set out to create a f”comprehensive e-reading environment.” The company has grown significantly in its eighteen month existence, launching with titles from HarperCollins (and Melville House, among many other small presses), before quickly adding Macmillan and Simon & Schuster as partners—its grown from offering over 100,000 titles to offering over half-a-million in that period.) Last fall, the company added an editorial component—the consistently superb Oyster Review—and a social one—lists curated by users and various literary superstars.
Yesterday, the company announced it would be opening an ebookstore, featuring titles from existing clients and the two Big 5 holdouts, Hachette and Penguin Random House. The ebook subscription—which earned the company the moniker ‘The Netflix for Books”—remains the company’s core identity, but the store is a major development, especially because it’s open to non-subscribers. (Melville House books are available for purchase because—final full disclosure—we are distributed by PRH.)
While the “ebookstore” (which is a bad word, by the way) element of this story has gotten the most play in the media—more on this in a moment—I think the fact that Oyster is selling books is less important than whose books it’s selling. Scribd, Oyster’s main subscription competitor, already has a bookstore, but it doesn’t have a comprehensive one. In the domain of the digital subscription, only Oyster can claim to offer a comprehensive selection of books—even if those books aren’t necessarily available to its subscribers. Penguin Random House’s market share cannot be underestimated—Hachette is also powerful, but c’mon—and pretty much every potential user scanning Oyster’s wares will now see everything that they could ever want because Oyster will now offer titles from pretty much everyone—the Big 5 dominate the publishing industry and Oyster is the only subscription app that can boast all five.
This should give the company a boost with consumers—at the very least, it should make it sexier than Scribd, whose ebookstore doesn’t feature books from Penguin Random House, America’s biggest publisher by a country mile, or Hachette, which is, well, big, but not Penguin Random House big. Ironically, the best metaphor for Oyster at the moment may not be the “Netflix for Books” but the “Amazon Instant Video for books”—unlike Netflix, Oyster is adopting a hybrid strategy where users can subscribe, buy, or both (though, unlike Amazon, Oyster doesn’t have a “rent” function, so maybe my metaphor isn’t as good as I thought).
This move strikes me as being about three things. First, Oyster’s creativity and ambition: the company has shown it has a hell of a lot of both and that it’s interested in making big splashes in interesting ways. Both PRH and Hachette have been pretty open about their disinterest in subscription—and Penguin Random House, at least, is big enough to do whatever it pleases—and if big publishers are being open about something, you can only imagine how vociferous they are in private. (If you need that spelled out, it’s because big publishers hate stating things publicly because they are extraordinarily risk-averse.) But Oyster went ahead and got Hachette and Penguin Random House anyway, and they did it by working with them, rather than against them—more on this in a moment.
Second, it’s about Scribd. Oyster and Scribd are the two most visible and attractive subscription apps and Oyster just made a major move to make itself more visible and attractive than its competitors to its customers. (Nate Hoffelder is also very good on this point.)
And third, it’s about the return to agency pricing in the wake of U.S. v. Apple. Oyster’s CEO Eric Stromberg had this to say about agency in an interview with Digital Book World: “As large publishers move toward an agency model, in general in the marketplace it’s harder to compete just on discounting or on undercutting price.” That movement is too big a subject to get into in detail here, but it’s worth reading the DBW piece in full, if that’s something that interests you. (Harper, by the way, announced a return to agency yesterday.)
But most media outlets didn’t read it that way. Here are a few sample headlines:
There are a lot more like those! Nearly all of the coverage of the coverage of this story read it in the context of Amazon; chances are, if you read about Oyster yesterday, the story you read was also at least sort of about Amazon, if not mostly about Amazon.
Some of these are technically right—Oyster is, I guess, invading Amazon’s turf because it’s selling ebooks and Amazon dominates ebook sales (like, controls over half the market, at least—I’ve talked with other publishers who put that number at over 75%). But if this is an invasion, it’s one by a guerrilla army (at best!); instead, I see it as another retail channel opening up for publishers—that may become more significant over time, but at the moment, it’s just that. As Nate points out in his piece, this is all about customer retention and acquisition, not trying to eat Amazon’s lunch.
But some of that coverage was still fascinating and, I think, instructive about the ebook market today, and, perhaps, the difference between Amazon and Oyster. Here’s Slate‘s Alison Griswold, taking a look at David’s prospects against Goliath:
[Oyster co-founder Willem] Van Lancker didn’t want to talk about how much Oyster’s users had been clamoring for new titles, but he did volunteer that about 80 percent of books read by subscribers are found through Oyster’s discovery features (think Netflix-style algorithmic recommendations). Numbers like that would suggest the two-pronged subscription and retail strategy has a lot of potential, especially if Oyster’s algorithms start recommending e-books in its store to the most dedicated readers. Then again, Oyster’s book prices—which Van Lancker described as “competitive”—from a cursory search aren’t all that great. The Girl on the Train is selling for $12.99 on Oyster versus $6.99 on Amazon. Gone Girl on Oyster is $9.99; on Amazon it’s $4.20. Other Oyster-Amazon price comparisons that I searched at random: The Lowland ($11.99 vs. $9.65), The Big Short ($11.99 vs. $9.73), Gods Without Men ($11.99 vs. $9.99). Anyway, you get the idea. Amazon has long maintained that e-books are highly price elastic—i.e., something that consumers will buy a lot more of as the price drops. Where publishers have asked to set higher prices, Amazon has insisted that keeping the cost low will actually make more money for everyone involved because “the pie is simply bigger.” For now, it looks like Oyster wants to test that proposition.
Here, Griswold is simply reading Oyster’s announcement with Amazon’s logic: lower prices sell more books and selling more low-priced books means that everyone makes more money. It’s a logic that discounts quite a lot—labor, in particular, but also publisher’s opinions of what their books are worth. Amazon’s idea of elasticity has never made a lot of sense to me, not only because books (and ebooks!) require a lot of expensive, labor-intensive, back-end work to become market-ready, but also because most are phenomenally different. (Seriously, look at your bookshelf and tell me everything on one shelf should be priced the same way.) They may have the same binding—I suppose they mostly contain the same words, just in a different order—but if you spend a month working in publishing you realize pretty quickly that they’re all pretty different, and that some take more labor and capital (sorry) to produce than others. Books aren’t putters, in other words.
This gets at what I think is the biggest distinction between Amazon and Oyster at this point—and why I don’t really think it makes a ton of sense to compare the two. Amazon has made its name as being “consumer-oriented”—by providing low cost products with exceptional customer service—but it’s done so by squeezing its partners. The quality of the product itself is secondary to the cost—one reason why Amazon detests publishers is that a lot of work goes into making books quality products, and Amazon sees that work as being unnecessary.
Oyster, on the other hand, has made strides in balancing being “consumer-oriented” and “supplier-oriented.” Subscription may never interest a corporation like Penguin Random House. Presented with a similar landscape, Amazon would likely throw its weight around to try to get the outcome it desires; Oyster, instead, tailored its business model to make room for Penguin Random House’s demands.
Of course, that doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re being magnanimous—another way of reading this story is that it shows Penguin Random House’s incredible power in the marketplace. Oyster wanted PRH for subscription and didn’t get it, so it changed its business so they could be partners. That decision ultimately benefits everyone involved—it’s good to have Oyster as a retailer. I don’t doubt that this was one of their ambitions all along, but I’m not sure that this would have happened as quickly as it did if Penguin Random House was interested in subscription. (As Peter Ginna wrote on Twitter yesterday in response to my typical, somewhat embarrassing PRH badgering, that kind of power is an argument for future mergers.)
Nevertheless, Oyster’s decision to work with publishers, rather than against them, to reach a common goal is important. In many ways, the company is trying to carve a third way in the bookselling world—one that’s consumer-oriented, digital, and disruptive—but not too disruptive. It’s not as conservative as many big publishers would like, but it isn’t committed to devastating suppliers to create the kinds of libertarian market conditions it would like to see.
Perhaps most importantly, it’s actually created a meaningful, multi-faceted series of recommendation engines, from its algorithms to lists to the Oyster Review. That’s incredibly important, especially when you remember that “discoverability” has been the Afghanistan of digital bookselling for a long time. Amazon also excelled at this at one point—in its less-egregious days (before embracing the algorithm above all else), James Marcus, who remains one of the best writers and critics in America, reviewed and recommended books for the company and it backed the consistently pretty solid Omniveracious—but Oyster has never seen books as only being products, unlike its competitor.
There are really two narratives here. One is that this move is all about Scribd and all about acquiring valuable, powerful clients like Penguin Random House before anyone else does. The other is that Oyster has shown a surprising willingness to work with and around publishers’ interests and concerns and has created a product that, in my opinion at least, works for consumers and suppliers. I don’t think Amazon was the dominant concern when Oyster set out to create an ebookstore, but it’s undeniable that Amazon has a part to play in this story— it’s certainly not a well-kept or even dirty little secret that every narrative about bookselling in the 21st century is about Amazon to some extent.
Everything digital is a “for now.” Amazon was a bookseller before it became the “Everything Store.” Now, it’s even more than just that—it’s not a retailer, it’s that most frightening of ambiguous definitions, a “tech company.” There’s no telling what Oyster will be 18 months from now, let alone in five years. But for now, it’s not quite an Amazon competitor—it’s a bookseller, and a pretty good one at that. |
This gets a double check mark because it’s huge. Track patching has been vastly simplified and improved. It’s much more like Final Cut Pro 7, only more customizable.
This was my explanation of the problem in previous versions:
If you’ve switched to Premiere from Final Cut Pro, you know what I’m talking about, and you’re pissed. The source track/target track/selected track system at the head of the Timeline and at the heart of Premiere’s basic editing operations is remarkably overcomplicated and inconsistent. Since it’s clear that Adobe has been listening, there must be some licensing issue, some esoteric use, or some bizarre nostalgic embrace of this craziness by John Adobe himself that has allowed this mess to continue to exist.
In order to target a track to insert or overwrite a clip (V, A1, A2, etc.), you also have to separately select it at the front of the Timeline (Video 1, Video 2, Audio 1, Audio 2, etc.). In many cases, you also have to individually unselect every other track that you don’t want to target, because Premiere will just pick the top selected track as the target regardless of the one you have targeted.
I’ll try to break it down with an example, but there are so many permutations, it’s difficult to be concise.
So you have a clip open in the source viewer and you want to perform an overwrite edit. Being accustomed to FCP, you slide the clip over the Program viewer and drop. Simple enough. It will land in the Timeline in whichever track is the lowest of those that are selected. Okay, weird, but no biggie, and yes, you can select multiple video tracks, although only one will be used. (The selected tracks are the ones in the wider of those 2 columns at the head of the Timeline.) Just ignore the source track indicators (the V, A1, etc.). I know what you’re thinking. It would be easier just to slide those into place, rather than all the clicking it takes to select your target track and unselect the others, but the source track target makes no difference in this operation.
Of course, you’re a pro. So you want to learn the keyboard commands as quickly as possible. Try the same exact thing, only this time, press the period key. That’s the overwrite shortcut. At this point, any number of surprising things can occur. One possibility is that nothing will happen. That’s because you have to slide the source track indicator to your target track AND make sure the track is selected in the next column. Forget the whole lowest selected track thing. That no longer applies.
It used to be even worse. Try repeating those same steps in CS5.5 using the Insert button instead of the associated keyboard shortcut, and you’ll get a third set of entirely distinct behaviors.
Thinking this was still too simple, Adobe threw in “sync lock” for good measure. It’s kind of like a reverse track lock, which is a nice idea. The supposed function is to push all sync locked tracks down the Timeline after an insert edit and keep the others in place, but turn it off for a track and you’ll find it makes no difference — unless you also deselect the track. Be sure to select at least one of the tracks that is supposed to move as well.
I won’t even get into more insert edit nonsense.
Finally, just as a final fuck you, it’s actually possible to click on the source track indicators (as opposed to sliding them) and select or deselect them, much like the target tracks. What this abominable combination of unselected, yet kind of selected, source track and selected and/or unselected target tracks can accomplish, I don’t know. Frankly, I don’t want to know.
The “slideable” V and A1, etc. markers should set the target tracks both in function and name. Personally, I would get rid of the track selection altogether (We never missed it in FCP.), but at the very least, those selections shouldn’t have any impact on standard insert and overwrite edits, regardless of whether an editor prefers keyboard shortcuts, mouse clicks, or telepathy.
Even if the behaviors were consistent, what’s with all the track selection/deselection? You can assign keyboard shortcuts to some of these behaviors (e.g. to select all tracks), but why make such a fundamental element — no, the fundamental element — of editing so convoluted?
Lastly, the two columns of Source and Target or whatever, take up more space than necessary. There’s nothing I hate more than a waste of perfectly good pixels! |
US House to vote on Iran nuclear bill
The US House is poised to overwhelmingly approve a bill that would allow Congress to review and potentially reject a nuclear deal with Iran that’s still being negotiated by the US and its partners.
If approved and signed by President Barack Obama, the legislation would give Congress a say on what could be a significant international accord aimed at getting Iran to curb its nuclear program in exchange for relief from economic sanctions.
Obama initially threatened to veto the bill, but then said he’d sign it if it was not changed from the bipartisan version that the Senate backed 98-1.
The legislation would bar Obama from waiving congressional sanctions for at least 30 days while lawmakers examine any final deal. The bill would stipulate that if senators disapprove of the deal, Obama would lose his current power to waive certain economic penalties Congress has imposed on Iran.
The bill would require Congress to pass a resolution of disapproval to reject the deal, an action that Obama almost certainly would veto. Congress then would have to muster votes from two-thirds of each chamber to override the veto.
— AP |
Alexis Sanchez signed for Arsenal for £35m
Premier League transfer spending this summer has risen by £60m from the same point last year.
The increase, to £360m from £300m in July 2013, means this transfer window is likely to surpass the record of £630m set last year, according to Deloitte's Sports Business Group.
"This summer transfer window has so far seen a higher level of spending than in any previous summer window," said Deloitte's consultant Alex Thorpe.
"It may well be a new record summer."
Premier League: biggest spenders this summer Club Total spend Number of signings Biggest buy All figures are approximate and may be based on reported fees. Chelsea £80m Four Diego Costa (£32m) Liverpool £59m Four Adam Lallana (£25m) Manchester United £56m Three Ander Herrera (£29m) Arsenal £47m Two Alexis Sanchez (£35m) Newcastle United £30.5m Six Remy Cabella (£12m) Manchester City £18m Two Fernando (£12m)
The transfer window, which officially begins at midnight on the final day of the season, has now been open for two months. It closes on 1 September.
This year's outlay so far also dwarfs the figures from other previous years. In 2012, spending stood at £190m at this point, while in 2012, it was £150m.
Last year Premier League clubs went on to spend £630m over the summer transfer window as a whole.
England international Adam Lallana moved from Southampton to Liverpool for £25m
That figure includes the transfer deadline day signings of Marouane Fellaini to Manchester United for £27.5m and Mesut Ozil to Arsenal from Real Madrid for £42.4m.
British clubs have already completed seven £20m-plus deals this summer. Chelsea are the biggest spenders, having spent £80m on the signings of Cesc Fabregas,Diego Costa and Filipe Luis.
New boys Burnley have been the busiest Premier League side, making seven signings so far, but the majority of those have been free transfers.
Premier League clubs have been bolstered by the record television deal with BT and BSkyB between 2013-14 and 2015-16, worth a total of £3.018bn.
"One of the main drivers of Premier League spending continues to be the increased resources clubs now have as a result of improved broadcast deals," said Thorpe.
"Last season the average Premier League club received around £25m more in central broadcast distributions than they did in 2012-13, which helped fuel the record transfer window last summer."
The top clubs are set to receive even more money when BT's £897m deal to broadcast Champions League games takes effect from 2015.
Biggest signings by British clubs this summer Player From To Fee Alexis Sanchez Barcelona Arsenal £35m Diego Costa Atletico Madrid Chelsea £32m Cesc Fabregas Barcelona Chelsea £30m Ander Herrera Athletic Bilbao Manchester United £29m Luke Shaw Southampton Manchester United £27m Adam Lallana Southampton Liverpool £25m Lazar Markovic Benfica Liverpool £20m Filipe Luis Atletico Madrid Chelsea £15.8m Enner Valencia Pachuca West Ham £12m Fernando Porto Manchester City £12m
The transfer window so far has been dominated by big-money signings from foreign leagues. International signings have accounted for over 60% of incoming cash transfers, with eight of the 10 biggest transfers involving a player from a overseas club.
Manchester United's £27m deal for Luke Shaw and Liverpool's £25m purchase of Adam Lallana are the biggest domestic deals.
Gordon Taylor, chief executive of the Professional Footballers' Association, told BBC Sport he was troubled by the growing trend in international signings.
"What concerns us is that young English players aren't getting the chance to break through any more," he said. "The pattern is only going one way.
"It's no use Uefa having quotas for home-grown players in the squad - it needs to apply to the starting line-up. Otherwise I can't see the situation changing."
Despite the international emphasis of the summer's buys, the World Cup appears to have had only a moderate impact on spending, with just 12 of the 62 players signed so far on show in Brazil.
Ecuador's Enner Valencia, who completed a £12m move to West Ham, and the Netherlands' Daryl Janmaat, who joined Newcastle, were among the less-heralded names who impressed with their displays at the tournament. |
SALT LAKE CITY — The half brother of Governor Gary Herbert was arrested Tuesday for allegedly enticing a minor online, according to police.
Paul Gordon Peters, 56, was attempting to meet what he believed was a 13-year-old girl, according to Sgt. Spencer Cannon of the Utah County Sheriff’s Office. Cannon said Peters was chatting with a police detective posing as a 13-year-old girl.
During the internet chats, Peters claimed he had engaged in sex acts with other underage girls and suggested that the "girl" should "hook him up" with her mother so he could spend more time with her, a police affidavit filed in 4th District Court states. He also allegedly sent photos of male genitalia to the person he thought was a teenage girl.
According to Cannon, Peters arranged to meet the girl in Provo. When Peters arrived to the location, he was taken into custody.
Peters was booked into the Utah County Jail Wednesday for investigation of enticing, soliciting, seducing or luring a minor by internet or text, and three counts of dealing in materials harmful to a minor.
Peters' bail is set at $25,000, Cannon said.
A statement from Herbert’s spokesperson, John Cox, reads, “Regardless of who is being accused, the governor finds these charges to be horrific. The governor’s parents divorced at a young age and the two were raised in different households.”
No criminal charges have been filed against Peters.
Contributing: Marjorie Cortez
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Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski had his boss’s permission to wrestle, and said he’s planning on being a full participant when the bell rings on the offseason program.
Before his Wrestlemania appearance last night, Gronkowski told ESPN he was recovered from back surgery and ready to get back to work.
“I’m feeling great. I’m good to go,” Gronkowski said. “It’s been about four months now [since surgery]. Just been back with the team a lot during the week, doing my rehab with the trainers there. I’m feeling good. I’ll be ready to roll when [the] offseason program starts. Super excited to get back on the field.”
Of course, last night’s (scripted) action amounted to getting into a three-point stance and running into a wrestler, and he apparently came through it well.
But after having three back surgeries since 2009 and missing nine games last year, it’s still a surprise the Patriots were fine with it.
They open their offseason program in two weeks, and OTAs begin May 22. |
Lately we’ve seen a variety of new tools that help you make sense of your logs. Open-source projects such as Scribe and LogStash, on-premise tools like Splunk, and hosted services such as SumoLogic and PaperTrail. These all help you reduce mass amounts of log data into something more meaningful.
But there’s one thing none of them can help you with. They’re all dependent on the data you actually put into the log. The task of getting that quality and quantity of the data right falls on to you. So when the chips are down and you need to debug your code with partial or missing log data, you may want to cancel that dinner reservation.
To reduce the chances of that happening I wanted to share 5 things you should be constantly mindful of when logging in production:
1. Hello my (Thread) name is
Just like Ringo, the Thread name property is one of Java’s most undervalued methods. The reason is that it’s mainly descriptive. So what? so are our names, and we put some meaning into them.
The place where thread names play the biggest part is in multi-threaded logging. Most logging frameworks will log the current thread name from which a call was made. Sadly enough, this would mostly look something like “http-nio-8080-exec-3″, a name assigned to it by the thread-pool or container.
For some reason, there’s a misconception I’ve heard more than once that thread names are immutable. They’re not. The thread name is prime real-estate in your log, and you want to make sure you use it right. This would most likely mean assigning it with detailed context such as the name of the Servlet or task its fulfilling right now, and some dynamic context such as a user or message ID.
As such, an entry point into your code should look something like this:
Thread.currentThread().setName(ProcessTask.class.getName() + “: “+ message.getID);
A more advanced version would be to load a thread local variable into the current thread, and configure a log appender that will automatically add it to every log entry.
This is extremely useful when multiple threads are writing to the server log and you need to focus on a single thread. If you’re running in a distributed / SOA environment, this has an added advantaged which we’ll see in a moment.
2. Distributed identifiers
In an SOA or message driven architecture, the execution of a specific task will most likely span across multiple machines. When processing of one such fails, connecting the dots between the machines involved and their state will be key to understanding what happened. Most log analyzers will group those log messages for you, assuming you provided them with a unique ID by which they can do that as part of the actual log message.
From a design perspective this means that every inbound operation going into your system should have a unique ID which will travel with it until it’s completed. Note that a persistent identifier such as user ID may not be a good vessel for this, as one user may have multiple operations happening for him in the course of a log file, which will make isolating a specific flow much harder. UUIDs can be a good choice here. The value can be loaded into the actual thread name or as a TLS – thread local storage.
3. Dont text + drive. Don’t log + loop
Often times you’ll see a piece of code that’s running in a tight loop and performs a log operation. The underlying assumption is that the code will run a limited number of times.
That may very well be the case when things are working well. But when the code gets unexpected input the loop may not break. In that case you’re not just dealing with an infinite loop (which is bad enough), you’re dealing with code that’s writing infinite amounts of data to disk or network.
Left to its own devices this can take a server down, or in a distributed scenario, an entire cluster. So when possible, do not log within tight loops. This is especially true when catching errors.
Let’s look at an example, where we log an exception inside a while loop:
If readData throws, and hasNext returns true, we end up with infinite logging. One way to solve this is to make sure we won’t log everything:
Another approach is to remove the logging from the loop altogether and save the first/last exception object to log it elsewhere.
4. Uncaught handlers
Westeros has the Wall as its last line of defense. You have Thread.uncaughtExceptionHandler. So make sure you use them. If you don’t install one of these handlers, you run the risk of throwing exceptions into the wild with very little context, and very little control of if and where they end up being logged.
Finding out that your code has been encountering massive errors without them being logged, or with them being logged with little to no state data is an epic fail.
Notice that even within an uncaught exception handler, which on the surface of things has no access to any variable within that thread (which has already terminated) you still get a reference to the actual Thread object. If you adhered to step #1, you’ll still get a meaningful thread.getName() value which you can log.
5. Catch external calls
Whenever you make an external API call which leaves the JVM, chances of an exception increase dramatically. This includes Web service, HTTP, DB, File system, OS and any other JNI calls. Treat each call as it will explode (it most likely will at some point).
For the most part, the reasons for external API failures have to do with unexpected input provided to them. Having those inputs readily available for you in the log is a key part in fixing the code.
You may choose not to log an error at this point, but have the exception thrown, which is fine. In that case, simply collect as many of the relevant arguments passed to that call and parse them into the exception error message.
Just make sure that exception is caught and logged at a higher level within the call stack.
Have any other logging best practices you’ve learned the hard way, or completely disagree with the above? Hit me in the comments section.
Compiling Lambda Expressions: Scala vs. Java 8 – read more |
This Sci-Fi adventure game is 100% designed for Virtual Reality ONLY. You will randomly travel throughout the memories of a man who crossed the universe to retrieve the quintessence, an unknown energy source, in order to save his father.
The game fulfills all of the needs of Virtual Reality: it is designed for the forthcoming Oculus Rift™ headset (but it is also playable on a standard monitor) and motion-based controllers like the Sixense STEM™ (or Razer Hydra™) and the YEI Technology PRIOVR™ to simulate your hands movements.
You will naturally interact with the world: pick-up objects, open them or use them just like you would in real life.
You will hear the hero's thoughts. You will control his body through your own. You will live his life while the story unravels itself around your actions and choices.
Loading Human will be released for Windows and Mac OS as soon as the consumer versions of the Oculus Rift will be mass marketed (we expect Q1 2015).
For a deeper explanation about Loading Human's game experience, check the video below:
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25 August 2185.
Prometheus has just arrived at his father's base to begin his intensive training for a deep space mission. In a few years, he will have to guide the spaceship "Origin" toward an energy source located in the Eagle Nebula. But many things will happen to him before take off...
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During the game you will travel into Prometheus's mind, randomly reliving fragments of his memories in a non-linear way (think of Quantum Leap: you will "zap" from one memory to another). The action will start at the North Pole, in your father's base, where you'll have to train in order to complete your mission: retrieve the quintessence - a dark-energy source found in the Eagle Nebula (M16) - and bring it back to your father, who needs it in order to survive. But during the training period you'll meet Alice, a woman you'll fall in love with... and leaving for the mission will be harder than ever: your father won't accept it…
We really don't want to spoil the story, all we can say is that while you will travel from one memory fragment to another, you will soon discover a whole new reality in-between...
Loading Human's story is deeply connected with the gameplay. You will play a story that will evolve around you and your actions. It is quite a unique type of game, that merges virtual reality, point 'n click adventure design and motion-controlled interactions to give you the most immersive narrative experience you've ever lived.
This will be the first act of a 3-chapter saga. The approximate gameplay experience of this chapter will be about three to four hours minimum (experience could double if played at a slow pace speed) and the first chapter encompassing the following locations: scientific base (4 quarters: gym, kitchen, open space and bedroom), the North Pole around the base, a spaceship, an underwater lab and the Greenhouse. You will play in those environments and go back in them more than once, and every time they will be different: daytime, nighttime, sunset, different lightning, and because you will travel within memories, you will actually travel through time, so even the geometry of the location will be different (the furnitures, the way the space is organized etc etc..)
"In virtual reality, what matters is the perceived freedom of interaction with the world."
In Loading Human, you will use your hands and sight to interact with the world and proceed in the story. This means that each object is takeable and has its unique interactive script: you can pick-up a vinyl, take it out of its box, use it on a gramophone and voilà! You'll be hearing the song you chose. We scripted the entire world in order to give you as much authenticity as possible, so even when you'll be eager to proceed in the story you will enjoy the places, the objects and the freedom that we'll have designed to support your journey.
Motion controllers are the future of VR games.
When you wear an Oculus Rift™ (or a Project Morpheus™ headset) you cannot see the controller you're using, that's why you need a direct visual feedback of your controls INSIDE the virtual world.
In order to enjoy the freedom of action without being detached from the experience, you need to BE the controller and only the motion controllers can mimic your movements in this new virtual dimension: the Sixense STEM™, the YEI PRIOVR™, and the Razer Hydra™ are with no doubt the best choices available at the moment to make this experience truly next-gen.
We will try to adopt any new motion controller and headset that will come out in the next year and apply it in the final release.
Not only we are developing a new type of game, but we are supporting it with the best Next-gen engine available: UNREAL 4.
We started our proof of concept with Unity4, and it received so many positive feedbacks from the press and the users that we suddenly realized the true potential behind Loading Human. It was now clear that in order to release this potential, we had to go for Next-Gen graphics and Physics. That is why we chose to transfer all our assets, codes and shaders from Unity4 to the new Unreal4 engine.
Check the transition of Loading Human from Unity 4 to Unreal 4 and see what we'll deliver in the final release.
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And finally, our project concept was approved for release on PS4™ and Project Morpheus™. This means that with your help we can now develop Loading Human for the upcoming Project Morpheus.
Get ready to have your mind blown on PS4 too!
Untold Games represents the union between two solid realities: Foofa Studios and Flavio Parenti.
Flavio Parenti is a renowned international actor and Director and Foofa Studios is a 5 members Italian dev team with a 6 years-old experience in Stereoscopic 3d simulation and mobile gaming.
Virtual reality made a whole world of new possibilities arise right in front of our eyes (pun intended). We decided to be part of it, so we joined together and we have combined our knowledge to create "Loading human."
Those smiling faces below? That's all the people who worked on Loading Human :)
Yup, we do have a superhero as a Programmer.
Now, why should you believe in us? Check the video below for the answer:
You'll need an HTML5 capable browser to see this content. Play Replay with sound Play with
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Kickstarter has become the home of the virtual reality revolution. The Oculus Rift was born here and so was the Stem. It was natural to try Kickstarter: the community is already Virtual Reality-friendly and we represent an opportunity to raise the bar even higher: we could deliver the first VR-ONLY adventure. Make no mistake, this is not a commercial FPS or RTS, it is a deep story-driven experience, and we are a small team with a lot of passion but not so much money, so only with your help we'll be able to prove that virtual reality is a major paradigm shift in the gaming industry.
We have prepared many rewards on many levels for every pocket. Some of them are truly unique, we hope you will find the one best suited for you.
*Each tier includes all previous rewards.
Some of us want physical rewards, so we tried our best to deliver quality stuff that looks good and is unique. Here they are (designs are not final):
And finally, if we exceed the initial funding goal we have exciting ideas. |
Comic-Con has probably created lots of news but, until this morning, the only information that had lodged in my brain was the announcement of some sort of Superman vs Batman film. I haven’t seen Man of Steel because my brain tries to run away from Zack Snyder films, leaving it shuddering and heaving against the back of my skull if one of those films happens to be in front of me. Actually, I quite liked his Dawn of the Dead and didn’t suffer any nosebleeds at all when I saw it. Forget about me being snidey about Snyder though – more news from Comic-Con! This time about The Walking Dead Season Two. If you don’t want any spoilers at all, don’t look below.
Game Informer are the chaps in the know and bring confirmation that Clementine will be returning, although whether she’ll be a main character or not isn’t clear. Enigmatically, they also report that Kenny’s fate will be revealed. I thought he got angry, then sad, then eaten but clearly I am missing some nuance. Maybe he’ll show up as a walker and Clem will have to stab him to second-death with the sharp end of a cornflake.
Telltale also advise everyone to keep their saved game files, including the one from mini-episode 400 Days. Considering the game lost my save file between episode one and two, I’m not entirely hopeful that transferring information between seasons will go without a hitch. I haven’t played 400 Days yet but Telltale reckons that at least some of the decisions made there will have an impact on season two. Sounds to me like some of the characters in those standalone storylines might make an appearance. |
Dear New Frugal You,
We've been trying to seriously reduce our expenses for the last year or so. I've looked at just about every bill to see how we could make it smaller. But, it occurs to me that sometimes spending less might not be such a good idea. So my question is: Where should I be looking for savings? And where should I be a little freer with my money? Where do you look to spend less? -- Looking for Savings
Dear Looking,
You're absolutely right. It's pretty hard to cut spending on every single purchase. In fact, it might even be bad to reduce expenses in some areas. So let's look at some areas where I really try to save and some where I'm a little more willing to part with a buck.
I admit that there are some areas where I'm downright cheap. There are things I really hate to spend money on.
Disposables are an excellent example. With rare exceptions, quality isn't an issue. You're going to use it once or twice and then throw it away. So my theory is, don't dispose of any more money than necessary.
Some food items also fall into that category. There's very little or no quality difference in instant oatmeal or various canned veggies. So why not buy the generic and save a few cents?
Clothing for hanging around the house is also unimportant to me. I'm not going to impress myself with designer shorts. Any old pair of cotton gym shorts will do -- the cheaper the better. If they get torn or stained, I don't mind replacing them.
I hate spending money on utility bills. Don't get me wrong. I'm grateful for water, electricity and trash pickup. But it bugs me to see lights burning in an empty room. I get no value from the extra wattage used (and paid for).
Designer stuff is another pet peeve. Yes, sometimes a brand name will denote good quality, but only rarely do designer clothing prices have anything to do with quality. Typically, they're higher because the designer is famous. The designer may be a household name, but I'd prefer to not help them get rich. Plus, I don't want anyone to think more of me because of the clothes I'm wearing.
On the other hand, there are some areas where I'm willing to part with a few more dollars -- places where I think that spending a little more makes frugal sense.
I admit to being a car guy ever since I was a little boy. I just love them. That doesn't mean that I have to buy or lease a new car every three years. But, it does mean that I'm willing to buy a new car, even though a gently used car is a slightly better value. I figure I'll drive it eight years or longer, so the extra expense isn't that great. Plus, I know exactly how the car was driven and maintained.
Education seems like a good expense to me, whether it's college or continuing education, formal or informal learning. Yes, you can spend too much, but in many cases, education pays for itself. One thing that I am very cautious about is borrowing money for education. I prefer to pay for it out of earnings or savings.
I'm willing to spend a little more on dress or work clothing. I don't have to wear a suit or jacket often. But good quality and tailoring doesn't go out of style quickly (the opposite of designer clothing). So spending a little more now is a good investment.
For most of us, work clothes are a necessity, whether that means suits, uniforms or jeans. I'm willing to spend more to buy quality clothes that will last longer. It saves me money in the long run.
It's the same thing for tools, especially those that I use at work or often at home. Poor quality tools are hard to work with and tend to break at the worst possible times. Now, that's not to say that you need to buy top-end tools if you're a weekend DIYer. You probably don't want to buy the cheapest tool available, but you don't need top-of-the-line, either.
And, don't think of tools in the narrowest sense. For some of you a cell phone or computer could be essential to your work. That makes it a tool.
One other area that that tends to open my wallet is memories. Underneath this frugal exterior, I'm a little sentimental. Things that remind me of good times have a special value to me, so they're worth spending a few dollars.
Your list will be different. Just remember that ultimately being frugal isn't about being cheap. It's about getting good value for your money.
See related: Tips for finding fun while staying frugal |
I just spent four days at two of the most important conferences in the emerging blockchain/crypto-currency space.
One was Consensus. The other Token Summit.
I had about 100 conversations with people who are at the epicenter of the blockchain wave, including one of the approximately 35 people in the world who make up the Bitcoin Core team that’s responsible for the protocol’s upkeep.
It’s going to take a few weeks or months to totally get my head around all this, but here are a few important themes I observed:
Bitcoin hits escape velocity
There was a unspoken sense that this thing we call Bitcoin or “Decentralization” is pretty much going to happen in a big way.
While the events were going on, Bitcoin itself was having a remarkable run-up. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if part of the reason for the surge was that people on the fringe of the Bitcoin world before these events drank a ton of “Koolaid’ (either by being at the events or following them online) and decided they were feeling more confident about it.
Whatever the reason, there was a sense at the events that the scaling debate had pretty much resolved itself, and people were feeling like, “Okay, if Bitcoin is going to go to $1,000,000 as Wences Casares suggests, then I should get in there.”
As my friend Brandon Thomas said, we’ve hit “escape velocity.”
Ethereum still has questions to answer
Ethereum was also having a run-up during the events, and people are still bullish on it. I get the sense, though, that much of the enthusiasm around Ethereum is the fact that so many people are launching ICOs (initial coin offerings) on the platform in the hopes of making a ton of money quickly, and many of the projects they’re launching may not have a lot of potential.
So Ethereum gets props for the way it has such a bold vision, but at the same time, there are legitimate concerns about whether it can function securely and at scale. I had a long talk with Dr. Muneeb Ali from Blockstack about this. It made me wonder if Ethereum will ultimately be the dominant app platform or not.
Guess who’s investing
In this market of people putting their Ethereum tokens into ICOs for decentralized startups, the funding sources are not your typical suited-up investors. Sure, some VCs are in there now, but this is truly crowdsourced (except that, by owning a token, you are member of the network versus just entitled to a product or whatever as on Kickstarter).
Here’s what surprised me about that: Based on some rough, back-of-the-envelope calculations, there are nearly 1,500 computer science students in North America at top-tier schools like MIT, CMU, and Berkeley who are likely sitting on $30-40 million worth of crypto-currency.
And, 75 percent of it is in Ether versus 25 percent Bitcoin.
These guys (18-25 ish and 98 percent male) were too late for Bitcoin but got in on the Ethereum ground floor.
There are probably another 1,000 people globally fitting this profile.
Either way, tell me: When else in human history have people in that age group had that type of investable capital available to them?
To me, that’s a seismic shift in thinking about not just HOW you get your money as a startup (ICO vs. regular funding), but also from WHOM (angels or VCs w/experience compared to college kids drinking Red Bull in their dorms).
There’s a whole opportunity here to map this network and identify its influencer trigger points. Don’t worry, I’m already working on it.
Granted, that’s only a small (but influential) fraction of the investor market. I learned that the rough size of the hard-core cryptographic community that has a lot of pull in technical debates is probably 24,000 globally at all age groups. I don’t have a full grasp of that yet — still investigating.
Optimism and speed
Almost universally, people at these events were saying just how FAST things seemed to be progressing. The rate of innovation in various blockchains and solutions was mindboggling.
I had a long talk with the people like Zooko Wilcox and Jack Gavigan of zCash (which went up by 100 percent on the day I met them due to the Chase announcement, Ed Eykholt from RChain, Wayne Vaughan of Tierion, Max Kordek of Lisk (which was fun because I had the chance to practice German), Jim Yang from Cosmos, Shawn Owen and Caleb Sale from SALT, the OpenBazaar team, and the Fermat team, including Dan Jeffries, and John Quinn from Storj.
All of them felt that this “blockchain thing” was picking up steam.
The attendance at these events seemed to support that view.
1. The Consensus Summit was spread across eight floors of the Marriott Marquis in Times Square. You don’t do that for small things.
2. The Token Summit was totally overbooked and oversold. More than 600 people. I didn’t even get to hear any panels because they wouldn’t let people in (fire hazard, I suppose). Of course, that’s a testament to the fact that William Mougayar and Nick Tomaino both get the Zeitgeist of the ICO world.
3. The Coin Center dinner was packed to the gills. (Coin Center is a non-profit research group focused on blockchain and cryptocurrencies.) Coin Center execs Neeraj Agrawak and Jerry Brito told me they had to turn away a bunch of people.
I came away with several other takeaways that I’m still processing and plan to write about over the coming weeks, including, I hope:
How to assess “value” in blockchain startups
Growing use cases and the increase in pilot programs
The industrialization of data
Finally, I’ve mentally committed to making a pilgrimage to Crypto Valley this summer in Switzerland. I’ll be going for 25 meetings over three days. I met some good folks like Guido Buigheroni from the Department of Economic Affairs in Zug who offered to assist.
Bottom line
I had to pay for these events, so you better believe I was going to get my ROI. I feel like I did.
For me, it was about getting as broad and deep a picture of this emerging market as I possibly could and, though it’s even more complex than I can imagine at this moment, I definitely have a slightly clearer view.
Jeremy Epstein is CEO of Never Stop Marketing and currently works with startups in the blockchain and decentralization space, including OB1/OpenBazaar, Internet of People, and Storj. He advises F2000 organizations on the implications of blockchain technology. Previously, he was VP of marketing at Sprinklr from Series A to “unicorn” status. |
'White man tried to tussle with me so I shot him': First picture of boy, 16, charged with murdering newlywed Nathan Trapuzzano after 'confessing to friend'
For an updated version of this story with an interview with Nathan's widow, click here
Officials announced Tuesday afternoon that Simeon Adams, of Indianapolis, will be tried as an adult in the April 1 killing
The teen is facing charges of murder, attempted robbery, and carrying a handgun without a license
Trapuzzano, a 24-year-old software engineer expecting his first child, was fatally shot in the 3500 block of West 16th St while on a morning walk
Court papers reveal Adams, known as 'Red', allegedly confessed to friend that he killed the devout Catholic newlywed
Adams is alleged to have shot him when Nathan reached for his shoes when Adams and his accomplice, known as 'Duh-Duh', made him strip
Police revealed Adams is recovering from a gunshot wound he received the same day Trapuzzano was killed, police said
He had shot a man for bumping into him outside a steak house two nights before, court papers claim
A 16-year-old was today arrested and charged over the murder of Nathan Trapuzzano, the newlywed who was shot dead as he took a morning walk.
Simeon Adams, known by the nickname 'Red', is alleged to have confessed to a friend that he shot Nathan once in the stomach - after the newlywed, who was expecting his first child, reached down to his shoes as Adams made him strip during the robbery.
Adams' friend Marvell Robinson told detectives he was woken up by the alleged shooter on the morning of April 1 at his home in Indianapolis. Adams told him: 'Man the police is out here and they are looking for me.'
Robinson told detectives Adams made Nathan strip, according to the court papers. 'When he told Nathan to take his pants off the victim started reaching for his shoes and Simeon asked him (Nathan) "Why you reaching for your shoes?". Simeon said the "white man tried to tussle with me so I shot him"'.
Nathan, a 24-year-old software engineer had been out for a morning walk at around 5am, when Adams and accomplice Martez 'Duh-Duh' McGraw allegedly targeted him.
Scroll down for video
'Red': Simeon Adams, 16, was arrested and charged today for the brutal murder of Nathan Trapuzzano
Tragedy: Nathan Trapuzzano (left) was killed April 1 while taking his morning walk in Indianapolis, Indiana. He leaves behind new wife Jennifer and their unborn daughter Cecilia
It was also revealed today that Adams is accused of shooting a man outside Baba's Steak and Lemonade eatery two nights before. Erick Douglas was there with his brother when he bumped into 'Red' as he got out of his car.
They exchanged words and Adams is alleged to have fired three shots into Douglas. Two hit him - one in the groin and one in the left leg.
Douglas said he tried to fire back but thought his gun jammed, according to court records.
Then Adams was himself shot in the neck and was taken to hospital in a serious condition at 11.30pm on the day he is alleged to have murdered Nathan.
Adams has been charged with murder, attempted robbery and carrying a handgun without a license in relation to Nathan's death.
He has been charged with attempted murder, aggravated battery and carrying a handgun without a license following the earlier shooting of Douglas.
Attack: Security camera footage shows Trapuzzano, right, and one of the suspects, left, following him. A friend of the alleged killer said he told Nathan as he made him strip: 'Why you reaching for your shoes' and then shot him
Confrontation: Trapuzzano, left, appears to be holding his hands up as the two suspected attackers move closer to him
THREE DAYS OF MAYHEM AND MURDER Court documents provide a chilling account of the danger Adams inflicted on the community over a three-day period:
March 30: Simeon 'Red' Adams and Martez 'Duh-Duh' McGraw confront Erick Douglas and his brother outside steak house after Douglas 'bumped into' Adams. Adams shoots him three times - hitting him once in the groin and once in the left leg April 1, 5.50am: Adams and McGraw spot Nathan out for morning stroll. They ambush him and make his strip. As he goes to take off his pants and reaches for his shoes, he is shot once in the abdomen. Surveillance footage shows Nathan pleading for help. He dies later. April 1, morning: Adams allegedly confesses to friend that he shot Nathan because 'white man tried to tussle with me'. April 1, 11.30pm: Adams is shot in the neck and taken to hospital April 8: Adams is arrested and charged.
Despite locals initially stating that they thought Nathan's killing was a gang initiation, police now believe it to be an attempted robbery.
Officials announced Tuesday afternoon that Adams, who lives with his aunt, uncle and cousins, will be tried as an adult over the killing.
Indianapolis police said Adams' clothes match up with the clothing the shooter was wearing in video footage from the night of the murder.
An acquaintance of Adams told detectives that he believes the alleged killer stole the gun during a raid on a firearms store in Clermont, Indiana.
Detectives believe they have a preliminary match with the gun used to kill Nathan and that used to shoot Douglas. According to court papers Douglas picked out Adams, who has previously been arrested for handgun violations, marijuana possession, theft, auto theft, burglary and resisting arrest, as his assailant from mugshots.
Tuesday night at Adams' family home, his uncle Al carter said he did not believe his nephew was capable of such a horrific crime.
The alleged killer's mother died when he was around one-year-old and although he knows his father he has never lived with him.
His family also revealed he has been sent to juvenile detention centre on a number of occasions and he had recently been arrested after police found a gun in a car he was travelling in. Mr Carter said the gun wasn’t his.
Mr Carter – who helped raise Adams after his mother died – said: ‘He used to get in trouble, but I didn’t think he was capable of this. I used to try to tell him not to hang with the wrong people and to stay on the right path. He listened to me. I would try to keep him in line and make him do his chores. If I told him to do something he would do it.
‘When his friends came over and sat on the porch I would speak to his friends and tell them that if they didn’t get themselves together they would end up dead or in jail. I told them they needed to change the way they were living and think on it. They would always agree with me.
‘I can’t believe he would get involved in something like this. I saw him in the hospital after he got shot and he didn’t say anything about it.
‘I’m not going to lie, he has been to juvy, his record is there for everyone to see, but never for anything violent. I didn’t ever hear about anything like that. He used to be a good footballer, but he stopped playing about two years ago. He was just a normal teenager.
‘I’m just feeling messed up by this whole scenario.’
Trapuzzano, a 24-year-old software engineer expecting his first child, was fatally shot in the 3500 block of West 16th Street just before 6am.
Trapuzzano was shot while he was out on his regular, early morning stroll just a few hundred yards from the home where he lived with his pregnant wife Jennifer - who is due to give birth to a baby girl next month.
Indianapolis police have released chilling security footage that they claim shows 'Red' and 'Duh-Duh' following the beloved 24-year-old, before one of them ushers him off camera into a parking lot while the other stands in the street acting as a lookout.
Moments later Nathan – who always clutched his rosary beads in his hand during his dawn walks and used the time as an opportunity to pray - was shot in his side and his attackers fled.
His killers allegedly stripped him of his sweater and t-shirt before he reached down to his shoes when Adams shot him.
A community in mourning: Hundreds attended Trapuzzano's funeral over the weekend. Above, family and friends gather as he is laid to rest at Our Lady of Peace Cemetery in Indianapolis on April 5
The body of Nathan Trapuzzano, 24, arrives in a hearse at Our Lady of Peace Cemetery on April 5
'I CAN'T BELIEVE HE WOULD GET INVOLVED IN SOMETHING LIKE THIS': SIMEON ADAMS' FAMILY SPEAKS OUT IN SUPPORT OF THE ACCUSED KILLER
Simeon Adams' uncle Al carter said he did not believe his nephew was capable of such a horrific crime.
The alleged killer's mother died when he was around one-year-old and although he knows his father he has never lived with him.
His family also revealed he has been sent to juvenile detention centre on a number of occasions and he had recently been arrested after police found a gun in a car he was travelling in. Mr Carter said the gun wasn’t his.
Mr Carter – who helped raise Adams after his mother died – said: ‘He used to get in trouble, but I didn’t think he was capable of this. I used to try to tell him not to hang with the wrong people and to stay on the right path. He listened to me. I would try to keep him in line and make him do his chores. If I told him to do something he would do it.
‘When his friends came over and sat on the porch I would speak to his friends and tell them that if they didn’t get themselves together they would end up dead or in jail. I told them they needed to change the way they were living and think on it. They would always agree with me.
‘I can’t believe he would get involved in something like this. I saw him in the hospital after he got shot and he didn’t say anything about it.
‘I’m not going to lie, he has been to juvy, his record is there for everyone to see, but never for anything violent. I didn’t ever hear about anything like that. He used to be a good footballer, but he stopped playing about two years ago. He was just a normal teenager.
‘I’m just feeling messed up by this whole scenario.’
A Good Samaritan who revealed her desperate attempts to help Nathan in his last moments was alerted to the attack when she heard a gunshot at around 5.50am, looked out of her window and saw Nathan stagger from the parking lot desperately screaming, 'help, help, help' before collapsing face first.
She called the police and paramedics immediately then rushed out with a towel to see if she could stop the bleeding and save the dedicated pro-life campaigner.
Describing the heart-wrenching scene the woman – who wants to remain anonymous for fear of reprisals – told MailOnline: 'I heard a shot, but at first I didn't pay too much attention because there are shots all the time round here.
'But then I heard someone yelling, 'help, help' help!' so I looked out of the window and saw him stumbling around. He was shouting very loud because he was fighting for his life and trying his hardest to save himself.
'I got on the phone to the ambulance, but then I saw him collapse and I didn't know what to do. The operator said I could go over to him if I wanted to. I was scared, but I wanted to do something, so I took a towel in case I needed to apply pressure to the wound.
'I got over there and he had been stripped of his shirt and his shoes. He was just wearing jogging bottoms. It was really strange, because there wasn't much blood. He was conscious, but I think he was in shock, because he was struggling for breath.
'It was just a small bullet wound. He was lying on his side and at first I couldn't see it. I didn't want to move him. The paramedics arrived in five-and-a-half minutes.
'When I was running over I saw him drop something in the parking lot. I told the police and they got it, but I don't know what it was. It might have been clothing.
Expecting: Family and friends set up a Go Fund Me page to help his wife Jennifer who is due to give birth to a baby girl next month Taken care of: So far the online campaign has raised over $140,000 Gift of education: Trapuzzano's school has set up a two-year scholarship for his unborn daughter
Faithful: The couple were active in the Roman Catholic church. Pictured above on the day Trapuzzano proposed outside a church
'I talked to his mom a couple of days ago, she called me and said the most he would ever have with him on his walks in an old MP3 player and some headphones. She also asked me if he had his rosary beads, but I didn't see them. '
Paramedics battled to save Nathan at the scene on the west side of Indianapolis for around five minutes, before taking him to hospital. He was rushed in for emergency surgery immediately, but could not be saved and died a few hours later.
The chilling images of Nathan's last moments were shot from a local tire shop. Manager Jesse Jesusgarcia explained that police have only released the first part of the tape.
The second half shows Nathan stumble in front of the store, waving for help in an attempt to flag down passing motorists. He then collapses face first banging his head on the floor.
Scene of the crime: Trapuzzano was killed near Tron's Tire Shop on the west side of Indianapolis
Mr Jesusgarcia, said the pictures sent a shiver down his spine. He told MailOnline: 'You see him come from behind the store, stumbling and waving, then he falls over. The next thing you see is the girl running over to him. Then the paramedics turned up. It is all there on camera.
'When I saw it I had goosebumps all over. It is horrible. He had no shirt on, because they stripped him. I don't know if they were doing it to see if he had any money hidden away.
'I used to see him everyday. He was a nice man who kept himself to himself. He didn't ever really carry anything with him. Sometimes he had a bag, but I didn't even ever see him with headphones on.
'The thing that upset me is that when he was waving, nobody stopped to help him. In this neighborhood we should all look out for each other.
'Some of his friends have put up a little shrine outside my shop. I just want to help in anyway I can.'
Hundreds of mourners attended his Roman Catholic funeral last Saturday, where his priest Rev Christopher Roberts told the tearful congregation that they should forgive Nathan's killers, adding: 'I have no doubt that Nathan forgave his murderers. That was the type of man that I knew him to be.' In an earlier statement the priest said the murderers had taken 'the life of one of the best young men I have ever known'.
The idea that Nathan would have found it in his heart to forgive was backed up by his sister Shayne who told TV station WTHR: 'There's a lot of anger, but I can tell you, Nate wouldn't be angry.'
But despite that sentiment, his devastated widow Jennifer, 25, was inconsolable and wailed in agony at several points during the two hour service. The pair married less than a year ago and had already named their unborn baby Cecilia. Nathan's maternal uncle Arthur Barnes described how Jennifer was so distraught on Friday night during visitation of the body that she stayed for an extra hour just stroking her late husband's hair.
Torn apart: An inconsolable Jennifer spent an extra hour visiting her husband's body Friday night
Speaking to MailOnline from the scene of the crime, which was visited by several family members following Saturday's funeral, he said: 'She is devastated. When I arrived at the funeral home last night I was already late because I had driven from Michigan, but Jenn was still sitting there at the head of the coffin, just stroking his hair. They couldn't get her away, she just kept crying.
'Nathan is my sister's son and they were incredibly close. They always went to church together.
'He had two brothers, one older and one younger, but they both looked up to him. They gave toasts at his wedding last year and Matthew his elder brother said, 'you may be younger than me, but I look up to you'.'
'On the video you can see him raise his hands, I'm sure he would have told them, 'I don't have anything'.
'He only moved here from Pennsylvania recently and I think the house they were living in belonged to his father-in-law. It is all such a tragedy.'
Since the slaying, some of software-designer Nathan's friends have set up a Go Fund Me page to help pay for funeral costs and contribute to his unborn daughter's upbringing.
Shrine: Trapuzzano's family released a statement on Wednesday saying his loss is a 'shock' to everyone
So far more than $140,000 has been raised. His former school has also said it will grant a full two-year scholarship to little Cecilia in Nathan's honor. He had studied Classics at university, but taught himself his computer skills.
'The Ivy Tech Community College family is shocked and saddened by the sudden loss of one of our own, Nathan Trapuzzano, a young and bright software engineer at the college,' a statement read.
His traumatized family released their own statement on Wednesday, saying: '[Nathan] was so in love with his wife Jennifer, and unborn baby daughter, Cecelia. He was so excited about being a new Daddy. |
When we look at the university fee issue I'm seeing people who I might otherwise respect sounding like Daily Mail headlines. I hear 'spoiled', I hear 'mollycoddled', I hear that old chestnut of 'scroungers'. Here's a tip, if what you're saying sounds like it's coming out of the mouth of Nigel Farrage or Jan Moir, you're a cunt.
If you've enjoyed a subsidised or grant-based higher education, and you're taking the side of the government or the filth, you're a cunt.
If you don't understand why this feels like such a betrayal by the Lib Dems and think they shouldn't have taken a stand on this, you're a cunt.
If you've got kids and you're taking the side of the government or the filth, you're a cunt.
If you don't understand that police provocation plays a major part in the misrepresentation of protesters here, or what the police have to gain by doing such when their own budget is under fire, you're a cunt.
If you don't understand that beating children and dragging people out of wheelchairs is unacceptable or that not letting people complete their protest is unacceptable or that kettling in the freezing cold without food or toilets causes an adverse reaction, you're a cunt.
If you think 'The Big Society' is going to work, you're a cunt who needs to read more Charles Dickens.
(Pic from Twitter and Boston.com, source of modded picture has long since scrolled into obscurity but I'll give credit if someone can tell me who to give it to)
You know when you got drunk that time? Yeah? Embarrassed yourself and everyone around you and they all did that very British thing and acted like it wasn't happening and let you continue to make an arse of yourself? Today I'm the guy who gently reminded you not to shit in the sink.You might be my friends, many of you, or at least passing acquaintances but - nonetheless - I find it shocking that pretty much any of my generation - Thatcher's Children - are remotely conservative. We lived through the wholesale dismantling of our birthrights from public ownership of essential infrastructure to milk for kids, which many of us were at the time. Maybe I'm immune to some peculiar ageing process that turns stand up, regular people into Norman Tebbit and makes them lose sympathy for other human beings or long term vision, but I find that especially fucking peculiar in the context of the current situation.Will Wheaton says don't be a dick but I'm fucking British and we use swearing like punctu-fucking-ation and I'm telling you not to be a cunt.You might not be a total cunt, you might be a lovable cunt, you might be a cunt in the sense of 'Can I get you cunts a drink?' but you're still a disappointing cunt, even if I like you otherwise.Are you going to continue to be a cunt as they paint the disabled as scroungers and malingerers? What about the unemployed? How long are you going to sit and take it without protest as important public services get scrapped and corporations and banks continue to be let off or bailed out? There might be a necessity to a lot of these bail outs but it's starting to take the fucking piss. What's more important, one millionaire or a million people in poverty?I know in my social circle there's a lot of people with a variety of physical and mental issues, typically ones that are hard to confirm such as ME, fibro, chronic fatigue, manic depression and others that are amongst the ones most likely to get their money cut off or reduced with no better prospects of work than they had before. Are you going to be a cunt to them too? Are they mollycoddled, spoiled, over-entitled scroungers as well? With housing benefit being cut as well what are they supposed to do? Sell matches? Cater to the small disabled-fetish prostitution market?What really fucking gets me is that some of you are complaining out one side of your mouth about the sense of entitlement and privilege these students apparently have and at the same time you're condemning the assault on the car of a glorified Toby Jug and Rod Hull impersonator who are two of the most coddled, protected and over-entitled fuckwits in the entire country. Is consistency too much to ask for here?May I point out, as well, that these are not 'professional' protesters. They're not used to dealing with the police in this sort of context or being treated like this. Little wonder that most of them react as they do. May I also point out, before you start banging on about the student's selfishness or wanting a free ride at other people's expense, that most of them aren't protesting for their own sake but for that of coming generations. YOUR kids you ungrateful cunts.Money isn't the only gauge of value in the world, we shouldn't commodify art or knowledge and yes, there's even cultural value to be had in a degree in fucking Klingon. Not everything is about money, not everything is about business and depriving people of higher education not only sabotages our knowledge base but also our cultural basis for the future.Stop being cunts.That goes for Wikileaks as well you fucking douchebag. They're trying to prosecute journalism as espionage. Does nobody see the dangerous precedent there? Freedom of speech and the press is vital to a democratic society, stop making excuses for the cunts who've been exposed as cunts......you cunt. |
Police Assisted Addiction and Recovery Initiative (P.A.A.R.I.) Press Release
GLOUCESTER, Mass. — John Rosenthal, co-founder and chairman, and Allie Hunter McDade, executive director of the Police Assisted Addiction and Recovery Initiative (P.A.A.R.I.), are pleased to announce that P.A.A.R.I. will receive a three-year grant from the Massachusetts Service Alliance that will place 25 AmeriCorps members into service at law enforcement agencies throughout the commonwealth, assisting in police-led addiction recovery programs.
Through AmeriCorps, P.A.A.R.I. will place 20 part-time recovery coaches and five full-time program coordinators with police departments in Massachusetts, enabling those agencies to dramatically enhance their capacity to reach individuals in need and better support them as they work to access treatment and recovery programs and services. The program is set to launch in October 2017.
P.A.A.R.I. will receive a federal grant of $207,000 per year for three years to carry out this project. As per the grant guidelines, P.A.A.R.I. is also responsible for generating matching funds to cover project costs and welcomes the contributions of individuals and organizations that wish to support its efforts to help those working to overcome addiction.
Full story: P.A.A.R.I. To Partner With AmeriCorps To Build Capacity of Law Enforcement Partners |
The 2012 Summer Olympics are right around the corner and zzzzzzzzz HUH! WHAT! Oh, sorry, we dozed off talking about the zzzz...OK. OK. Focus here. Let's sell this. Bring it home.
The 2012 Summer Olympics. The majesty! The spectacle! The hot women in bikinis jumping around, in and out of the water! The female divers are probably the lone reason to watch the summer games, except for the female gymnasts, but we can't talk about those girls since they are underage and the fuzz might or might not be checking on our computers. For the movie downloads! You pervs.
Anyway, female divers are hot, even when making some less than gorgeous faces in the heat of competition. Check out the hot female divers of the 2012 Summer Olympics in executing some "less than flattering" facial routines. |
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With the impending arrival of twins, George and Amal Clooney are taking no chances - splashing out £12.5 on improvements to their home.
Hollywood star George, 55, and lawyer Amal, 39, have transformed their nine-bedroom mansion in Berkshire into the perfect place to bring up kids, complete with its own nanny's quarters.
The pair are expecting the new arrivals in June, it was announced this week.
The couple have reportedly spent £12.5million renovating their nine-bedroom mansion in Berkshire, with additions including a nanny's quarters
Now The Sun reports that the Clooneys have now installed a fence around the outside of their four-acre island in the Thames to prevent the children getting into the water.
They purchased Aberlash House for £7.5million in 2014.
Other improvements include the addition of 18 CCTV cameras, two pools and a film editing suite, so George can work from home rather than have to travel to the US.
The Hollywood star plans to be a 'hands-on-dad' The Sun reports.
George's longtime friend and frequent co-star Matt Damon, 46, was thrilled for the couple.
'I'm thrilled for him. She's amazing. He hit the jackpot. Just on every level. She is a remarkable woman. They're gonna be great. They're gonna be awesome parents. Those kids are lucky,' Matt told ET Canada.
Expectant parents: Amal Clooney is pregnant with twins, who are due in June this year, it was confirmed this week
A source told InTouch in January that Amal, who is of Lebanese-British descent, 'is pregnant with twins: a boy and a girl.'
The couple 'feel like they’ve hit the family jackpot' in light of the big news, the source told the magazine.
'When George and Amal found out it was twins they were surprised,' the source said, 'but also a little scared because they both had said that one was enough.
'But the news that it was a boy and a girl made them both really happy ... they can’t believe in just a few months, they’re going to have two babies.'
The news was announced by Julie Chen, a host of US chat show The Talk, who is said to be very connected in Hollywood.
The couple, who married in 2014, have reportedly splashed out £12.5million having their home renovated and secured
Amal has been showing off a baby bump in recent weeks and appeared to be glowing and in good spirits when she was spotted at Barcelona airport last week with the Ocean’s Eleven star.
Amal enjoyed a couple of days in the city with George and his parents Nick and Nina as she celebrated her 39th birthday.
The notoriously private couple kept tight-lipped about pregnancy rumors when they first arose last month.
When work started on improving the home in 2015, a resident said: ‘I used to be able to enjoy a short walk along the river and through the village twice a day. Now I am reluctant to take my dog out because I have no idea what I will be faced with.
‘I have lived here for 20 years and never seen anything like this – there is a total lack of respect and disregard for us other residents and there is a really bad negative impact on our village.’ |
Local activists are expressing concern about the arrest of an African-American man at Fourth Street Live in October, believing it continues a long pattern of racial profiling at the business district operated by Baltimore-based Cordish Cos.
In a letter sent to Jefferson County Attorney Mike O’Connell on Dec. 23, activists from Louisville Showing Up for Racial Justice describe the arrest of Shelton McElroy on Oct. 26 outside of Sully’s nightclub at Fourth Street Live, alleging that their dress code was selectively enforced on McElroy, but not on other white customers.
“McElroy, who is African American, had paid his entry fee and been admitted to the venue,” the letter reads. “After a few minutes was told he was out of dress code and needed to leave. Meanwhile several white patrons were dancing in various states of undress on the bar. McElroy requested a refund from the manager and his request was refused. Police were called, escorted him out, and arrested him after he laid on the ground in nonviolent protest of his treatment.”
The LSURJ letter notes the history of racial profiling surrounding the dress code at Fourth Street Live businesses, saying McElory’s case “shows how far we have yet to go to make Fourth Street Live! welcoming of all people, including our African American sisters and brothers. It is morally repugnant, and a sad state of affairs that we continue to have this kind of situation happening in our community.”
According to the police report, McElroy was asked by management to leave Sully’s that night “due to another issue” but refused to leave. It then says that officers told McElroy he needed to step out onto the street or he would go to jail, after which he “proned himself out on the ground causing general alarm and disturbing the patrons of 4th Street Live Sully’s.” McElroy was charged with second-degree disorderly conduct and criminal trespassing, and is scheduled to have a pretrial conference in Jefferson County District Court next week, where his trial date will be set in the event that his charges are not dismissed.
McElroy’s attorney, Elizabeth Jones, says she and her client have no official comment at this time. Cordish Cos. has not returned a message from Insider Louisville, and Sully’s management has not been able to be reached.
Accusations of racial profiling have plagued Cordish and Fourth Street Live businesses for years, largely surrounding their dress code, which critics have described as a veiled way to discourage African-Americans from entering their venues. There have been numerous lawsuits and controversial arrests stemming from African-Americans being denied entry and ejected from their premises, and Maker’s Mark Bourbon House has been called racist as well.
In 2013, Cordish pledged to address the concerns of Louisvillians who consider its dress code racist, and the company has faced similar accusations and lawsuits in other cities, as well. State Rep. Darryl Owens has stated that African-Americans should boycott Fourth Street Live businesses due to the lack of progress.
Michael Aldridge, the executive director of the ACLU of Kentucky, tells Insider Louisville that Cordish officials have met with them and other coalition members on a quarterly basis over the past two years, which has resulted in a number of positive changes to their dress code and security policies. Aldridge says at their last meeting the coalition brought up the arrest of McElroy — whom he called a community leader and friend of the organization — which highlights unfinished business at Fourth Street Live.
“While Cordish has made all the changes they promised to make, there is a gap between their policies and the policies of some of their tenants,” says Aldridge. “This is a gap that we flagged early in our conversations with Cordish. For example, while some Fourth Street Live tenants share the same dress code as the venue, other tenants have different dress codes. While Cordish has a clear protocol on how denials of entry should be handled, the way various tenants handle them is not entirely clear to us. The ACLU has asked, and will continue to encourage Cordish to flex their muscle as the lease holder to make sure their tenants policies and procedures are not discriminatory. “ |
Newly out today are the latest main range Doctor Who releases, Daleks Among Us and 1963: Fanfare for the Common Men.
Written by Alan Barnes, Doctor Who: Daleks Among Us concludes the latest Seventh Doctor trilogy in fine style, with Klein (Tracey Childs) making some key discoveries about who she is and a fight for control of the Persuasion device, hotly contested by the Daleks and their creator, Davros - taking on the Seventh Doctor on audio for the first time! Sylvester McCoy returns as the Doctor (who he played on TV from 1987-1989 and in 1996), with Terry Molloy back as Davros and Nicholas Briggs once more providing Dalek voices.
Also now available is our first release celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of Doctor Who: 1963: Fanfare for the Common Men. When the Fifth Doctor takes Nyssa to see The Beatles, he discovers that they've vanished from history, replaced in everything but name by The Common Men. Who are this trio, and can the Doctor put history back on its proper path? Peter Davison (1981-1984 on TV) returns as the Fifth Doctor, joined by Sarah Sutton as TV companion Nyssa, and the guest cast includes Radio 4 The Now Show star Mitch Benn alongside David Dobson and Andrew Knott as The Common Men, and Plebs/Up the Women/New Who star Ryan Sampson as Lenny.
Both titles are available for download now, and CDs will be sent out today. |
There are many smartphone designs out there and one that catches the eye like an eye with a twinkle from the stars is the Nokia Lumia 1000. There is a new way of thinking when it comes to this handset and one designer pushing the boat out is none other than Mohammad Mahdi Azimi.
We would love to take concept away from the Nokia Lumia 1000 because this is frightfully beautiful; this is a device where the design and specs engages visionary bliss.
The design above really pulls you in, please believe us when we say that this what not taken from a Nokia Patent, it is pure concept. We believe Nokia should look into this a little more because it gives them firm base of where to start if they were to think about a Lumia 1000 model.
Can you image a new Nokia Lumia breed featuring some awesome specs? Think about this for one minute, sit back and take these specs ideas in and then contemplate if the Nokia Lumia 1000 is for you.
On the camera side of this a 41-megapixel lens would be great for great photography, adding Windows Phone and Pureview to boot is a nice beginning. The designer has not put any specs online so we will do the honours and list a few, we would like to see a 41MP cam on the rear and a 12MP on the front, processing power would come via the quad core Snapdragon S4 Pro or even the Snapdragon 600 would do.
The design of the Nokia Lumia 1000 is a little dated and something we have all seen before but we like the word retro, in the music world musicians cover old-school tracks and enhance them with more boom, classic cars are still the best to look at, do I need go on with the hypothetical’s?
Windows Phone 9 (Got to happen sooner or later), be nice to see Windows Tiles running smoother than ever, other specs like Kinetic energy charging, get rid of the cables and wireless mats etc, just shake or use motion to charge.
Do you like the look of the Nokia Lumia 1000?
Source – Concept Phones |
The Braves have young players or prospects competing against veterans for several spots on the major league roster, and president of baseball operations John Hart said the kids could have an advantage if a race is close.
“We’re going to try to put the best club out there,” Hart said, “but if you look at it and you’re not sure, we would certainly want to err on the side of the young player, to get them involved this year. If it’s close. If it’s not close, shoot, we’ll go with the veteran guy and let the younger players continue to develop and mature. I’m Ok with that as well.
“But an honest answer is, we would prefer to take a guy that we think has a chance to be a big player in our future, that has a lot of talent, a lot of ability. And at some point you’ve got to break these guys in. At some point you’ve got to give them that opportunity to go to the next step in their career.”
That statement will cause some to speculate that second baseman Jose Peraza, the Braves’ top-rated prospect, could have an edge over a veteran such as Alberto Callaspo on the opening-day roster. But that still seems unlikely, given Peraza’s age (20) and the fact that he only 195 plate appearances above Single A.
Without giving specific names, Hart indicated he was referring more toward competitions such as a left-field platoon job — rookies Zoilo Almonte and Eury Perez are candidates along with veterans including Eric Young Jr. for the spot opposite right-handed hitting Jonny Gomes. There are also rookies competing against veterans for spots on the pitching staff, and rookie Jace Peterson, acquired from the Padres in the Justin Upton trade, is competing for a utility infield job.
Manager Fredi Gonzalez has said he might use platoons at several positions this season, unlike the Braves of recent years.
“I think there could be some growing pains with some (young) guys,” Hart said. “But again, I think that Fredi having a little more maneuverability in his roster can allow him to develop a guy up here. There’s a lot of ways to develop young players, you don’t have to run them out there in 158 games. You can spot them, you can look at matchup.
“Look at the body language of guys. Are they getting a little rundown, is the game getting a little fast for them? And we tried to provide some players out there that have a chance to help us win, but they may not do it every day. They may be a part of (a platoon).” |
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An object which looked suspiciously like a sex toy was thrown onto the pitch during last night’s Wrexham vs Tranmere game.
Rovers goalkeeper Scott Davies had to pick up the pink object and remove it from the field of play.
It is believed the object was thrown from the Tranmere end.
North Wales Police said a man was arrested on suspicion of throwing a “missile” on the pitch but refused to comment on the object.
A spokesman said: “We are unable to comment on what type of article was thrown, as it will form part of the evidence still to be put to the accused and/or used as part of a prosecution case.”
Another man was arrested on suspicion of making racist comments and assault.
Inspector Paul Wycherley was tweeting during the game.
He said one man was arrested for assaulting a steward and a police officer and on suspicion of making racist comments.
The derby at the Racecourse finished 2-2 with minor crowd trouble reported.
Both arrested men are still in custody, but police refused to confirm if they were Wrexham or Tranmere fans.
The heated derby saw at least two flares set off by supporters in the crowd, one by Wrexham fans and one by the supporters in the visiting section. |
Image caption The 27 member states pay a fixed contribution to the EU budget
The European Commission has put forward proposals for direct EU taxes on member states, including a possible EU-wide value-added tax (VAT).
The proposals are part of a package of options for finding new sources of revenue for the European Union budget.
EU Budget Commissioner Janusz Lewandowski first said in August that he wanted member states to consider allowing the EU to levy direct taxes.
The UK, Germany and France have all rejected the idea of direct EU taxes.
Historically, national governments levy taxes in the EU.
The 27 EU member states pay a fixed contribution to the EU budget, based on their gross domestic product and a percentage of their VAT.
In its budget review, the commission put forward "the option of reducing member states' contributions by abolishing the VAT-based own resource and progressively introducing one or several new own resources as a replacement".
It said: "Possible candidates for new own resources could be a share of a financial transaction or financial activities tax, auctioning of greenhouse gas emission allowances, an EU charge related to air transport, a separate EU VAT rate, a share of an EU energy tax or of an EU corporate income tax." |
A Vancouver community group called Friends of Hong Kong (FHK) is calling on municipal and provincial governments to stop dismissing complaints about the effect of foreign buying on Vancouver's sizzling real estate.
Governments should track buying patterns and find solutions to stabilize the market, said organizers of a Friday morning panel discussion titled 'The Elephant in the Room,' which examined the impact of foreign capital on the Vancouver housing market.
FHK is a small local group of Chinese-Canadian residents primarily interested in Vancouver's relationship with Hong Kong, a city which also struggles with the issue of foreign real estate investment. In 2012, Hong Kong imposed a heavy stamp tax on non-resident purchasers to cool the housing market there.
Yet organizers say that both the fear of racism and racism itself hinder effective dialogue in Vancouver.
“Instead of being able to talk about (foreign buyers) openly, now you are being muzzled just by, ‘There’s no data to prove what you’re saying,’” said Ivy Li, a core member of the neighbourhood association.
“By doing all that, it’s particularly making the Chinese community even more vulnerable, because they now become the target of people’s anger," Li said. Those raising the issue of foreign investment are exposed to accusations of racism, while "the problems are not being solved."
"It's very convenient to brush this issue aside"
Academics and activists for the local Chinese-Canadian community said lack of foreign ownership data has given elected officials a way out of dealing with critical Vancouver housing issues, including affordability and vacancy rates.
“It’s very convenient for them to brush this issue aside,” explained FHK convenor Fenella Sung. “Data is key to get to the next step, but it’s not our role as citizens to get the data.”
The B.C. government has recently come under fire for its lack of data on foreign investment in Canadian homes, an issue that disproportionately affects Chinese-Canadians in Vancouver, says the group.
Those comments were echoed by other panelists, including city councillor Adriane Carr, affordable housing activist Eveline Xia, the Vancouver Observer's editor-in-chief Sandy Garossino and UBC geography professor David Ley.
They demanded not only foreign investment data from the government, but accountability for how data is used.
Governments should base housing policy on census and survey information, said Ley, not statistics from the B.C. Real Estate Association, whose analysis recently informed Premier Christy Clark in her decision to reject the idea of a tax on luxury housing.
"If informed people tell you the same story a hundred times, that's more than anecdotal"
“If informed people tell you the same story a hundred times, that’s more than anecdotal,” said Ley. “How naive are we supposed to be? We need an objective, arm’s-length assessment of these issues, not by those whose interest and economic success depends on the nature of the data.”
Xia agreed, and said the housing crisis will never be solved without this kind of data, and encouraged the public to attend a "Give Us Data" rally at the Vancouver Central Library on June 24.
“I think what is important is that we continue putting pressure on our leaders,” she said. “Every once in a while the needs of the people will be put above profit and we will come closer to a more fair and equitable society.” |
Warning! There are spoilers ahead!
Akame ga Kill! ends its epic 24 episode Toonami run on Saturday, February 20, 2016. With only one month left to enjoy the ride, we decided to take a look at the important lessons this mature anime series has taught us about real life.
Lesson #1: You Don’t Have to Know Someone for Very Long for Them to Touch Your Heart
The running joke is that Akame ga Kill! is like a spinning wheel of death, and the critics say that the show kills off characters before you have the chance to get to know them. However, character longevity isn’t the only factor in “getting to know” them.
Caring Sheele and charismatic Bulat had a lasting impact on Tatsumi and the rest of the cast. The importance of that impact is a prevailing theme, all the way to end of the show. In real life, it’s not always how long you’ve known an individual that matters, it’s how much their brief presence influenced the course of your life.
Lesson #2: Don’t Settle for Just Any Job
Wave and Tatsumi are two sides of the same coin: country boys who ended up in the capital looking for work. While Tatsumi was “lucky” enough to be rejected by the military, Wave was able to ascend to a job working personally with the capital’s most elite fighting force. In the end, both young men eased into jobs designed to purposefully take life. Not all occupations are created equally, in life and in anime.
Lesson #3: You Can’t Accurately Judge Everyone Based on Your First Impression of Them
Whether they’re a bright eyed rich girl with a hidden murderous streak, an arsonist with a heart of gold, or a self-proclaimed sadist looking for true love, characters are never really what they appear to be in this series. Like life, the characters in Akame ga Kill! perfectly capture the duality of human nature: the beauty of contrast, and the horror of having your expectations slashed to pieces.
Lesson #4: Enjoy Every Minute With Your Friends. You Never Know When They’ll be Gone
Akame ga Kill! would be an absolute macabre cluster of death and despair if it weren’t for the moments of sheer joy and laughter you get on the rare occasions Night Raid gets to relax. Whether you’re laughing at Lubbock’s adorable attempts to get glimpses of the girls, wondering about Akame’s voracious appetite, or simply giggling as the group enjoys bantering together, it’s a gentle reminder that friendships can be fleeting, so enjoy every second of the small moments.
Lesson #5: Bad Things Happen When Justice is Blind
General Esdeath’s personal unit, the Jaegers, is technically upholding the law by fighting the resistance, albeit with some fairly brutal and bloody tactics. One of Night Raid’s greatest assets is their hyperawareness that their work, even though delivered with justice in mind, is still murder. The Jaegers, Seryu in particular, lack the awareness that true “justice” is more than just upholding the law of the land.
What Will YOU Remember the Most About Akame Ga Kill!?
This show is going down in Sentai Filmworks history for multiple reasons, but its value as a story alone is immeasurable. With memorable characters, and equally memorable life lessons, which parts of Akame ga Kill! will YOU remember the most? Let us know on Google+, Twitter, Facebook, and Tumblr! |
With a 6-1 drubbing of Russia this afternoon in the World Hockey Championships, Canada secured their first gold medal at the tournament since 2007. For captain Sidney Crosby, though, the victory is even more special. With the win, Crosby joins the Triple Gold Club – hockey’s most prestigious list.
Sidney Crosby Joins the Triple Gold Club
The “club” is comprised of players who have won gold at both the Olympics and World Championships, as well as the Stanley Cup. Twenty-five players (Crosby is the 26th) and just one coach – sought-after free agent Mike Babcock – can call themselves members. Crosby is also the ninth Canadian player to win all three titles, and, impressively, the first player to win each of the championships as captain of his team.
The Pittsburgh Penguins centre won the Stanley Cup in 2009 over the Detroit Red Wings, after losing it to the same team the year before. He played a huge role in both of his Olympic gold medals – scoring the “golden goal” in overtime to lift Canada over the United States at the 2010 Vancouver games, and captaining the even more dominant Canadian team at the 2014 games in Sochi. And, today, he joined the exclusive club, scoring 11 points in 9 games, including a goal and an assist in the final.
So, many Canadians are thanking their lucky stars that the Penguins were knocked out of the playoffs early by the New York Rangers, allowing Crosby to join the team in the Czech Republic, for his first appearance at the World Championships. There’s little question that Sidney Crosby is now deserving of the title of “Captain Canada”.
Main Photo: Forward Sidney Crosby of Canada controls the puck during the semi final match Canada vs Czech Republic at the 2015 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championships on May 16, 2015 at the O2 Arena in Prague. AFP PHOTO / JONATHAN NACKSTRAND |
Probably the greatest significance of Norm Macdonald’s new Netflix standup special Hitler’s Dog comes with the sparklingly succinct way Macdonald answers the industry’s political correctness controversies, at least from a comedian’s perspective, by situating some of the most repugnant and inflammatory remarks possible in the mouth of a made-up character, the titular dictator’s canine. Of course onstage it’s just Macdonald, in a suit humbly paired with dad sneakers, speaking the corrosive words. So, silly though they sound, with the wrong edit you might mistake them for Macdonald’s own views. “This is why we ask that you don’t use recording devices,” Macdonald says as a bumper to the bit.
Macdonald seems to be suggesting comedy comes from the same pocket of theatrical what-if as fiction or song, a hypothetical place, and shouldn’t be confused for advocacy—or anything to be argued with. You can find a song or a movie’s content objectionable, no doubt, but don’t treat it like it’s really real; that Macdonald manages to communicate this without either polemic or defiance is an achievement of restraint.
Macdonald has worked in similar material before, like on Dennis Miller’s radio show when he toyed with the idea of a Holocaust-denying ventriloquist’s dummy, but here Macdonald folds the routine in with further explorations into the nature of reality, honesty, or the difference between immediate experience and imagination—so that the playing with masks gains in this case an added dimension in quite philosophical terrain.
For example, early in the special Macdonald muses on the existential horror of compulsive honesty, prompted by George Washington’s boyhood myth of the cherry tree. Later he revisits the struggle to tell the truth with a novel approach: “I thought of a way of not lying and I’ll share it with you if you like,” Macdonald says. “You can tell the truth, word for word absolutely true, but when you do it you use a sarcastic accent.” It becomes a gag about identity theft and heinous crimes all concealed by such a facetious “confession”—but again and again, between bits about autoerotic asphyxiation or the Six Million Dollar Man’s hearing aid, Macdonald returns to the subject of how arrangements of language and this interplay between literal and deceptive truths shape our minds’ interpretation of the world.
Though reliably sharp-witted, Macdonald makes his reputation as a coarse anti-intellectual. In this set, when you expect his next word will be “intelligence” or “information,” Macdonald goes instead for the untutored-sounding “smartness.” He insists that at gatherings he steers toward anyone he can find to “talk about Jughead comics for a couple hours” and indeed Macdonald claims before winding up the show, “Nothing I’ve said really is of substance.”
However, this carefully projected obtuseness hides another Macdonald who is indeed an avid reader, especially of classic literature. His parents were teachers, and Macdonald frequently cites Tolstoy as his favorite author. Last year he casually dropped his abridged rendition of Nikolai Gogol’s “The Overcoat” into a text message exchange with an interviewer. Writing in The Week, Lili Loofbourow described Macdonald’s own book Based on a True Story as a story “pretending hard” not to be ambitious but called it an “experiment in hyperliterary comedy” filled with “difficult beauty” and “waves of lyricism,” comparing the faux-memoir to both Vladimir Nabokov’s Speak, Memory and Pale Fire.
Likewise in Hitler’s Dog, Macdonald tangles with Friedrich Nietzsche (“That which does not kill you makes you weaker, and will probably kill you the next time it shows up”) and Albert Camus (“Imagine if you woke up and you realized you were wrong about everything”) and enters at one point into a treatise on figurative language, claiming to distrust metaphors because of their lack of reciprocal correspondence between dual real-world and imaginary meanings: “I like the ones where the metaphor part is true and the literal part is true.” In so doing he sounds a lot like George Lakoff and Mark Johnson in the 1980 critical theory classic Metaphors We Live By: “Conventional metaphor … pervades our conceptual system and is a primary mechanism for understanding—put[s] us at odds with the contemporary views of language, meaning, truth, and understanding.”
Elsewhere, Macdonald’s linguistic games and clever use of opposites remind me of cognitive philosopher Douglas Hofstadter’s meditations on the Austrian mathematician Kurt Gödel’s incompleteness theorem—how language allows living minds, unlike formal systems of logic, to contain self-contradictory statements and access self-reference, for example. Macdonald demonstrates this absurd capability with his final series of sentences, first announcing what he is not going to do to close the show and then saying the opposite sarcastically. Because of the difference in tone, both statements have the same apparent meaning even though their words directly contradict one another—and both surface interpretations turn out to be wrong.
Of course, such indirection is the basis of comedy—the factor of just kidding. But few performers manage to be so transparent about their technique without resorting to metahumor. As with the segment on metaphors, Macdonald exposes how the same combinations of words may or may not be true according to different sets of conditions. His jokes seem to show how standup itself works, like Marshall McLuhan’s famous dictum that “the medium is the message”—even as Macdonald turns both medium and message inside-out with self-contradiction. “In all great deceivers,” Nietzsche says in Human, All Too Human, “one thing is noteworthy … they are overcome by their belief in themselves.”
“Most of my act is just gossip and trickery,” Macdonald declaims during the act, providing the program its subtitle, but it seems rather a lot longer on trickery than gossip. When Macdonald is in the middle of a routine about the virtues and vices of “magic phones,” he describes resorting to Wikipedia on the device to impress a party guest with his art-historical knowledge of the impressionist Claude Monet, declaring: “You know what I liked about him was his paintings? I liked the way he painted. He was a painter and I loved how he used the paint to make paintings.”
It’s Norm pretending to be dim again, unable to go beyond the surface of things, but at once using a penetrating linguistic trick to unite like McLuhan or Nietzsche the substance of art with the act and material and identity all at once. Later Macdonald recounts the difference between instant digital photography and the old days of delayed photo processing and the feeling of wonder at re-encountering images you don’t even remember taking: “You needed that time for that picture to make any sense or have any resonance. Nowadays you go, ‘Would you like to see a picture of you standing right where you are one second ago?’” In pointing out how the reproduced immediacy separates reality from the act of forming memory, Macdonald joins Neil deGrasse Tyson in saying how true meaning emerges in the gap between a record of what something literally is and how our mind grows to interpret it, rather than faithfulness between the two.
Macdonald’s tricky performance then shows the lie in his preference for perfect symmetry of literal truth and metaphorical truth. It’s the difference between a transcript of a comedy show and the living experience, and few recordings have ever been a better advertisement for the real thing.
Lars Russell lives in the middle ground between magic markers and permanent ones. He has written for SB Nation, SPIN, The Stranger, Loser City, The Onion, Outside and The Huffington Post and tweets about football and new African music at @beat_valley. |
Headless male flies engineered to get horny in the heat: Studying mating behavior, even in an organism as simple as a fruit fly, can be challenging, since it depends on a complex set of interactions between two individuals that may not share the researchers' interest in seeing mating take place. So, some researchers (including one I went to grad school with) decided to take a shortcut. They engineered flies so that male-specific neurons would express a construct that activated the neurons when they were shifted to higher temperatures. It worked, perhaps a bit too well: "Almost all steps of courtship, from courtship song to ejaculation, can be induced at very high levels through [its] activation in solitary males." In other words, heat the male flies up, and they'll just ejaculate, even if they're on their own (although they'll do a mating dance for nobody first). In fact, it even worked if the males' heads were chopped off, driven by the activity in their nerve cord.
About the only thing the males still cared about was what species they were going after, as they courted members of their own species more intensely than any other flies placed in the same vial.
Excuse me, your gland is glowing: And that is a good thing. The thyroid and parathyroid are hormone-producing glands that reside at the base of the neck. They may be physically close and share a similar name, but they do very different things, and problems with one usually doesn't mean that there's anything wrong with the other. Which creates a problem, since removing one while leaving the other intact is a serious challenge for surgeons. Fortunately, a team of surgeons and engineers have found a way to figure out which tissue is which: the parathyroid glows. You need to illuminate it with light just on the infrared side of the visible spectrum, and the glow is also in the near infrared, but the parathyroid is much brighter than any other tissue in the neck if you look at it with the right equipment. That should increase the chances that surgeons can remove one without damaging the other.
A scientific rationale for rocking a baby to sleep: Or, how you can justify getting that hammock you've always wanted. Researchers in Switzerland figured that, since the association of rocking with sleep has persisted across cultures and generations, there was probably something to it, so they put subjects on a slowly rocking bed. Those subjects fell asleep more easily and experienced a longer stretch of a key phase of non-REM sleep. The authors propose that "sensory stimulation associated with a swinging motion exerts a synchronizing action in the brain that reinforces endogenous sleep rhythms."
Cycling through males, steady with lesbians: There are lots of studies out there that indicate women subtly change their sexual behavior in response to their menstrual cycles. According to a study from a group in Canada, one of these changes involves their ability to figure out who is a viable mate. The researchers tracked their ability to identify heterosexual males across the menstrual cycle; accuracy peaked at ovulation. A control situation, identifying lesbians in a group of women, didn't change at all in response to the cycle. The enhanced gaydar was actually a secondary effect of an enhanced interest in sex; simply priming the women with subtle romantic images was sufficient to produce the same effect.
Your dishwasher may be trying to kill you; no word on your other appliances: Researchers have now sampled the microbial communities in 189 dishwashers, located on every continent except Antarctica. Half of them contained species of fungi that cause respiratory problems in humans. The authors suggest that there's some overlap between the humid dishwasher environment and the sorts of places human pathogens prefer, which creates a bit of a health risk.
Your spit makes you look old: How's this for a depressing start to a paper: "From the moment of conception, we begin to age." Still, it's worth lifting yourself out of the pits of despair to read beyond that, because the results are a bit surprising. We've known that many areas of DNA pick up a chemical modification called methylation as organisms develop. But the researchers tested 34 pairs of identical twins, and discovered that there are areas of the genome where methylation increases with age, including three sites where it shows a linear increase for spans of over 50 years. Testing as few as two individual sites was sufficient to predict age with an average accuracy of 5.2 years.
The authors point out that there's usually sufficient DNA in environmental samples to do these sorts of tests, which could prove very useful for police, who could add age to the profile they build from forensic evidence.
Listing image by Photo illustration by Aurich Lawson based on a photograph by Gustavo Durán |
The ongoing conflicts in Gaza and Ferguson may be more than 6,400 miles apart, but the photos from both cities tell, at times, very similar stories.
In Ferguson, Mo., police have been forced to don full riot gear and parade through the streets with rifles, as thousands of people protest each night over the shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown on Aug. 9 by a Ferguson police officer.
Police have also contended with looters who have destroyed storefronts and decimated Ferguson’s business community, St. Louis’s News 4 KMOV reported early Saturday morning.
“When will it stop?” a volunteer outside a looted business told News 4 KMOV. “When will the negative stop?”
The militarization of police has inundated Twitter and other social channels with photos and videos of police using tear gas and rubber bullets to manage crowds.
The federal programs that turned police in #Ferguson into an occupying army http://t.co/sxDWWFVatq pic.twitter.com/g12S05V4CE — Talking Points Memo (@TPM) August 14, 2014
Only in a #policestate would police shoot at people at a protest against police shooting people. #Ferguson pic.twitter.com/3MYfEzdur4 — Occupy Congress (@OCongress) August 14, 2014
RT @elonjames: Someone tell me how this is a reasonable response to protests over police brutality? #Ferguson pic.twitter.com/cndCR6vUqt — Tony Karon (@TonyKaron) August 14, 2014
News organizations like Slate have provided historical accounts of police militarization in the States and its detrimental effects.
The photos from Ferguson particularly gripped comic artist and illustrator Shane Pangburn, who grew up near St. Louis in southern Illinois. In order to help understand what exactly is happening in Ferguson, Pangburn and I combed through dozens of photos to create a profile of the average militarized Ferguson police officer.
Using the websites securityprousa.com, policesupplyonline.com, and chiefsupply.com, Pangburn and I also estimated the cost of each piece of equipment these officers are wearing, including their helmets, utility belts, and shin guards.
In total, and at retail cost, it can cost upward of $1,400 to retrofit one officer in riot gear.
“Since 2006, according to an analysis by the New York Times, police departments have acquired 435 armored vehicles, 533 planes, 93,763 machine guns, and 432 mine-resistant armored trucks,” Slate reported. “Overall, since Congress established its program to transfer military hardware, local and state police departments have received $4.3 billion worth of equipment.”
These armored trucks have also been used in Ferguson to transport police and blockade roads. The trucks carry supplies like rubber bullets.
Amidst the pictures of police, one of a man tossing a canister of tear gas while holding a bag of potato chips has become the most iconic photo from Ferguson. The man goes by @eyeFLOODpanties on Twitter, and has inspired the creation of T-shirts, memes, and illustrations, Mashable reported.
MT @manofsteele Wow…A man picks up burning tear gas can and throws it back at police. #ferguson pic by @kodacohen pic.twitter.com/dsE5KjHXds — Ryan Parker (@TheRyanParker) August 14, 2014
Here’s roughly how much it cost for @eyeFLOODpanties to piece together his unforgettable attire.
Illustrations by Shane Pangburn |
Must Read The potato salad Kickstarter is better than your crowdfunding campaign
Appropriately enough for the July 4 holiday weekend, a crowdfunded campaign to make a batch of tasty potato salad is more than 180 times over its goal and, with 27 days left in the fund drive, is already one of the most successful projects in Kickstarter history.
Potato Salad, to be developed by Zack Danger Brown of Columbus, Ohio, surpassed its $10 funding target within hours of being listed on Kickstarter on Friday, and as of publication time has gathered $1,803 from more than 350 backers.
Potato Salad has also broken all named stretch goals, meaning Brown will now use better mayonnaise, call a chef "to get a better recipe," and livestream its creation. More stretch goals are being considered.
There is no word yet about plans for a public beta of Potato Salad, or if Brown intends to release Potato Salad on Steam Early Access.
In whole dollars, Potato Salad is nowhere near the top of the list of Kickstarter projects. Yet compared to its original funding goal, Potato Salad's support is greater than that shown for projects such as Star Citizen, Wasteland 2, Pillars of Eternity, Elite: Dangerous, Broken Age and the Ouya console.
Potato Salad will launch in December 2014. At room temperature, it spoils within hours.
Update: As of noon, July 7, this Kickstarter has passed $8,500 in funding with 25 days to go. |
James Thompson IV recorded his third straight double-double and Raven Lee returned to the floor following a six game suspension to help lead Eastern Michigan to an 80-73 victory over the University of Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks on Tuesday night in Omaha, Neb.
Thompson scored 16 points and 15 rebounds while Lee scored 17 points off of the bench.
“Ray makes things a lot easier,” said EMU coach Rob Murphy. “Especially on the offensive end.”
For the Mavericks, Tre’Shaun Thurman led the way with 25 points and 11 rebounds and Jake White had 14 points and 12 rebounds.
For the Eagles, Tim Bond and Jodan Price were both able to score in double-digits, putting up 13 and 10 respectively.
“Throughout the game, we had guys step up and make big plays for us,” said Murphy.
Both Willie Mangum and Ty Toney struggled from the field shooting a combined 4-21.
Thompson avoided fouling out and was able to stay on the floor playing 33 minutes.
"You just can't be aggressive all the time. Sometimes you have to take it back some so you can stay in and I learned that from the first few games.
“We feel like we really can win the MAC this year,” Thompson said after the game to WEMU. “Shock the world this year.”
Up next, the Eagles travel to Happy Valley to take on Penn State University on Saturday. The game is scheduled for a 12 p.m. tip-off.
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If there’s one thing that rankles about The Force Awakens, it’s that a lot of its world-building is left to the array of tie-in media that launched with the movie on December 18th. It’s a bummer that there are so many questions left unanswered, but we’ve combed through all these books for all the most important details about this new look at the Star Wars galaxy.
Naturally, there are going to be major spoilers for the entirety of Star Wars: The Force Awakens below.
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Much of the information sourced for this article comes from the Star Wars: The Force Awakens Visual Dictionary, a guidebook released by DK to coincide with the film’s release. Like several other tie-ins such as Alan Dean Foster’s novelization or The Art of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, it gives some fascinating insight into the world behind the movie, and it’s all straight from Lucasfilm’s story group, ensuring that everything sits right in Disney’s still fledgling reboot of the Star Wars canon.
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Who the Hell Is Lor San Tekka?
Max Von Sydow’s mysterious character Lor San Tekka is barely in the film; he’s the old man who gives Poe Dameron the missing piece of the map to Luke Skywalker at the beginning of the film, and shortly thereafter he gets cut down by Kylo Ren in a fit of rage. Some of his dialogue (including some pointed remarks about Ren’s heritage that act as teasers for the eventual reveal of his real name) hints that Tekka was meant to be a big mystery, perhaps a connection to Star Wars’ past—many rumors pegged him as an elderly Boba Fett, or even a character from the prequels!—but the real answer is rather simple.
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Since the fall of the Empire, Lor San Tekka has been a galactic traveler who eventually worked with the New Republic (and later the Resistance) mapping the remote fringe of the galaxy, before retiring to Jakku. Additionally, Tekka is also a religious man. He and most of the villagers he lives with are followers of the “Church of the Force,” a faith that gathered people who were not sensitive to the Force, but worshippers of Jedi codes and practices. The church operated in secret during the time of the Empire, but apparently flourished after Palpatine’s death.
Throughout his mapping expeditions, Tekka became intimate with the history of the Jedi and Sith orders, making him a prominent figure in the Church and giving him a reputation as a source for galactic secrets the Empire had clamped down on for decades.
The Resistance Is Much Smaller Than You Think It Is...
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The Rebel Alliance was always meant to be seen as a plucky upstart group striking out at the big evil force, but by the time of Return of the Jedi, they’re massive: they’ve got capital ships, wings of fighter squadrons, the whole shebang. On the other hand, the Resistance is tiny.
Although the novelization emphasized Leia’s distaste for the New Republic, in The Visual Dictionary it’s pretty much acknowledged that the Resistance is an independent, private force “tolerated” by the New Republic, but not officially condoned or supported, due to a fear of conflict with the First Order.
This makes the Resistance’s actual military might incredibly small. In terms of ships, the organization has no capital vessels to call on, and its Starfighter corps is woefully light—two squadrons, Blue and Red, and Poe in the lead with his Black X-Wing. That’s it. On the ground, it fares slightly better, but there is apparently an emphasis on droid support, charged and used constantly to support what little the Resistance has in terms of ground crew, while the biological members often pull double duty as support and frontline staff.
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...And the First Order Is Much Bigger
The First Order, on the other hand, is far bigger than the New Republic hopes it is. Hiding in a section of space called the Unknown Regions, the First Order has been building itself out of a group of dissident Imperial Admirals and Moffs who openly defied the signing of a peace treaty (dubbed “the Galactic Concordance”) after the Battle of Jakku 30 years ago, taking what soldiers and ships they could to the fringe of the galaxy to rebuild the Empire.
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And rebuild they did. Despite officially being defanged militarily and forced to pay huge reparations to the Republic, the Empire secretly pumped what money it could into building new fleets of ships, and invaded fringe worlds to establish itself as a dominant power again. The Finalizer, Kylo Ren’s Star Destroyer seen in The Force Awakens, is massive—twice the size of the Empire’s old Destroyers—and this isn’t a solitary vessel, but the flagship of a massive fleet of similar capital ships.
With the New Republic fleet largely wiped out during Starkiller Base’s attack in The Force Awakens, it seems like there’s a really grim fight ahead for the Resistance.
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The Mystical Secrets of Maz Kanata
Maz Kanata is one of The Force Awakens’ biggest mysteries. We know some of her scenes were cut from the film too, leaving her even more mysterious.
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While the film does heavily hint that Maz can use the Force, the Visual Dictionary confirms that she is indeed Force Sensitive—Maz is familiar with the Jedi and had many Jedi acquaintances before the Empire, but “never went down that path,” according to the book. Instead, she quietly used her Force abilities to keep her alive during her hundreds of years of adventures as a pirate.
When Maz retired to Takodana in the wake of Palpatine’s death, she began using her abilities openly—tracking force-strong relics and collecting them as a safeguard... which led to her sensing Luke Skywalker’s lightsaber, lost in the bowels of Bespin after the end of The Empire Strikes Back, and eventually retrieving it for her collection.
The Force Really Did Awaken
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A minor thing, but the book also does briefly mention why Force-strong people like Rey and Kylo Ren have started emerging again around the time the movie begins—apparently the Force went dormant after Ben Solo and the Knights of Ren slaughtered Luke’s fledgling Jedi order:
Since the disappearance of Luke Skywalker and the shattering of his fledgling Jedi following, the cosmic Force has lain dormant, seemingly quieted to those able to sense its presence. The adventures of Rey and Finn on Jakku coincide with a turbulence in the cosmic Force, a sudden ripple indicating the awakening of newfound ability. With the Jedi and their records vanished, few—other than Kylo Ren and his mysterious master—are able to appreciate the occurrence.
The Force Experiences Turbulence was probably seen as being nowhere near as catchy as The Force Awakens.
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Why the Starkiller Base Didn’t Blow Up Coruscant
When The Force Awakens first came out, there was a lot of incorrect information that the planet destroyed by Starkiller Base as the seat of the Republic Senate was Coruscant, the capital world of the Republic shown in the prequels. Later it was confirmed to be Hosnian Prime, a previously unheard of planet.
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So why didn’t the Republic use the former Capital after it signed its treaty with the Empire? Apparently, to convince New Republic worlds that this government was different. Just as Chancellors served terms, the Senate also regularly voted to move itself to a different member world, to reflect that all worlds in the Republic had an equal say in the shaping of Galactic politics. Hosnian Prime was just the unfortunate current host.
Kylo Ren’s Lightsaber Has Important Links to the Old Expanded Universe
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There are still many fans left sore at the ejection of the old Star Wars expanded universe in favor of Disney’s own canon material, and some of the sorest are fans of the “Old Republic” era, a setting thousands of years before the events of the films popularized by the hit Knights of the Old Republic video games. Although Disney have remained quiet about whether that era still remains part of the new canon, The Visual Dictionary does throw KotoR fans a bone in a description of Kylo Ren’s unorthodox lightsaber design.
As well as revealing that the saber housed a cracked crystal (hence its volatile beam and the need for crossguards to vent the energy), the description describes Kylo’s saber hilt as “an ancient design, dating back thousands of years to the Great Scourge of Malachor.” Malachor, or more specifically, Malachor V, played a huge role in Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords, and was a major planet in the Sith Empire and had powerful links to the Dark Side of the Force. Not exactly confirmation that Knights of the Old Republic is canon, but interesting insight into how deep Kylo Ren and Supreme Leader Snoke are plunging into Sith history.
Insight Into Deleted Scenes
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First Order snowtroopers board the crashed Millennium Falcon on Starkiller Base. Source: Visual Dictionary, via /Film.
Perhaps one of the most interesting things about The Visual Dictionary is that it’s packed with pictures of scenes that didn’t make it into the film’s final cut. Snowtroopers actually make up most of the new images, from a shot of them inspecting the downed Millennium Falcon after Han crashes it on Starkiller Base, to scenes of a snowspeeder chase featuring Finn and Rey.
Also included are several shots of Maisie Richardson-Sellers’ cut character, Korr Sella. Sella, a diplomatic aide to Leia, would have been sent to Hosnian Prime to petition the New Republic for the Resistance, with Starkiller Base as proof that the First Order broke the peace treaty—only to die when the planet was destroyed. J.J. Abrams has stated that there’s probably only around 20 minutes of cut scenes from the film, but so far this is our only official look at some of the filmed moments that didn’t make it into the movie. |
Gun sales have jumped 350 per cent in Austria amid 'unease' over increasing numbers of migrants following the Paris terror attacks, firearm dealers have claimed.
The final months of 2015 showed increases in gun permit applications, while dealers reported huge demand for self defence weapons such as tasers, pepper spray and blank firing-guns.
It comes just months after shotguns were reported to have sold out across the country as residents became increasingly paranoid about refugee numbers.
Hundreds of migrants who arrived at the Hungarian-Austria border by train make their way into Austria. Many residents have been purchasing weapons amid increased fears of break-ins and crime
Hundreds of migrants wait at the Slovenian-Croatian border crossing of Sredisce ob Dravi, Slovenia
An spokesperson for the arms industry told broadcaster ORF that it was 'clear that people's general sense of unease has increased', The Local reported.
In Styria, which borders Slovenia, the number of permits issued has drastically increased since thousands of refugees began streaming across its borders every day.
Styrian police said: 'Most people said they wanted a weapon because they didn't feel safe'.
And in Leibnitz and Sudoststeiermark, the number of permits also quadrupled last year, the website reported.
In October, shotguns were reported to have almost sold out across the entire country.
'Virtually all shotguns are currently sold out, because you need no permit for them', said Thomas Ortner, spokesman for an arms dealer in Upper Austria.
Broadcasters and local media say the numbers of refugees - coupled with a fear of break-ins as a result - is fuelling the arms race.
'Because of the social change, people want to protect themselves,' one arms dealer told the broadcaster oe.24. He said 'many women' were among his customers.
Czech Independent TV has also reported on an arms upsurge. A few months ago it was revealed most rifles in the country were out of stock.
Migrants scuffle as they wait to cross the border from Slovenia into Austria after they were routed through the country when Hungary closed its border with Croatia
A central weapon register was introduced in June 2014 to record all legal firearm sales and this year more than 14,000 new weapons were purchased.
Dealers reported that women are also driving up sales of pepper spray because of their fears for personal security in the midst of the great migration of refugees heading to Germany.
'We cannot complain about a lack of demand,' said Stephan Mayer, a gun merchant. 'People want to protect themselves. |
In this Aug. 11, 2017, photo U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agents pursue a group of immigrants who are suspected of crossing into the United States illegally, along the Rio Grande near Granjeno, Texas. The election of President Donald Trump contributed to a dramatic downturn in migration, causing the number of arrests at the border to hit an all-time low in April and helping the U.S. end the 2017 fiscal year at a 45-year low. But since bottoming out in April, the number of immigrants caught at the southern border has been increasing monthly. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) The Associated Press
By NOMAAN MERCHANT, Associated Press
MISSION, Texas (AP) — Felicita Villagran Villeda and her 15-year-old son sat on a dirt road next to the Rio Grande passing a plastic water jug back and forth, trying to catch their breath as the Texas sun bore down on them overhead. Border Patrol agents in green uniforms stood nearby, waiting to take them in.
Agents patrolling the river forming the U.S.-Mexico border in Texas say they're starting to see more people like the Guatemalan mother and son who had fled their native country two weeks earlier.
The election of President Donald Trump contributed to a dramatic downturn in migration, causing the number of arrests at the border to hit an all-time low in April and helping the U.S. end the 2017 fiscal year at a 45-year low for Border Patrol arrests.
But since bottoming out in April, the number of immigrants caught at the southern border increased monthly, driven in large part by the arrival of new Central American families such as the Villagrans.
Border Patrol agents interviewed by The Associated Press say they expect the numbers to keep rising, which they see as a sign that families in Central America are testing the Trump administration. Experts who closely follow migration patterns say any drop-off was bound to be temporary as long as the countries most people are fleeing — El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras — remain ravaged by shootings and gang violence.
Sitting next to the Rio Grande, Villagran said her decision to migrate had nothing to do with politics or who is in the White House, but her own personal situation. She was deported from the U.S. four years earlier, and after returning to Guatemala, she said she had been kidnapped and released.
"Now they ask me for money again," she said. "I don't have even a dollar."
The Border Patrol said Tuesday that it made 22,537 apprehensions at the southwest border in September, nearly double the 11,127 detained in April. September is the latest month for which the Border Patrol has published its figures.
Border apprehensions have long ebbed and flowed based on U.S. immigration policy as well as political and economic conditions in Latin America. Border crossings surged last year, especially in November and December, only to fall when Trump took office in January. In December, the Border Patrol reported more than 43,000 arrests; two months later, that number was 18,800.
Some called the drop the "Trump effect," particularly as the new administration pursued a border wall, ramped up immigration-related arrests, and signaled it would open investigations of families that had paid human smugglers — or "coyotes" — known to be tied to violent drug cartels. Reports spread that some smugglers were using the threat of a wall and tighter security at the border to charge higher prices to migrants.
But the underlying problems in Central America have remained the same. Officials at migrant shelters in the U.S. and Mexico say they've heard of people staying in Mexico longer than they otherwise would or trying to find refuge within their home countries, but that the U.S. remains the ultimate destination for most of them.
A survey published earlier this year found that 30 percent of adults had considered migrating in the last year due to the effect of crime in El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, which have a total population of about 30 million people. The survey was conducted by the Latin American Public Opinion Project at Vanderbilt University.
"As long as they continue without looking to the origin countries and the causes of migration, we will continue within the same parameters," said Ramon Marquez, director of La 72, a shelter located near the Mexico-Guatemala border. La 72 has started to see its monthly numbers of people served rise again after a decline that mirrored the U.S. figures.
Advocates for tougher immigration laws take the opposite view of the increase: that the U.S. government needs to follow through with its promises to toughen border security. Even though prototypes of a border wall are under construction, the administration's proposal to start building the wall has stalled in Congress.
The Border Patrol's biggest union endorsed Trump in last year's presidential election, and several agents interviewed by the AP said his proposed wall is necessary to turn migrants away.
"They are trying to see what it all means, what does the rhetoric of the administration mean, and how serious are we about removing people," said Ryan Landrum, the patrol agent in charge of the agency station in Rio Grande City.
Ronald Vitiello, the acting deputy commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, said Tuesday that the government was "very concerned" by the numbers of families and unaccompanied children still showing up at the border. Vitiello said his agency wanted changes to a 2008 law that protects children from quickly being deported if they aren't from Mexico or Canada, to discourage parents in Central America who believe their children will find refuge in the U.S.
Border apprehensions are, by their nature, an incomplete measure of who's crossing the border, because they don't account for people who elude Border Patrol agents by foot or are smuggled in trucks and tractor-trailers past highway checkpoints. Authorities along the border have made several major discoveries this year of commercial trucks packed with immigrants entering illegally.
Ten people died in July after being packed into a tractor-trailer with a broken cooling system that was discovered outside a San Antonio Walmart. The people on board were struggling to breathe, and one told authorities that many people were pounding on the walls trying to get the driver to stop. Some of the 29 survivors told authorities that dozens of other passengers fled before police arrived.
"The number of people that were in that compartment, in that trailer in San Antonio, showed us that many people are trying to do that," said Guadalupe Correa-Cabrera, a researcher at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.
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Associated Press writer Christopher Sherman in Mexico City contributed to this report.
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Follow Nomaan Merchant on Twitter at @nomaanmerchant
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CHICAGO, Jan 26, 2015 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Hyatt Hotels Corporation H, -1.04% today announced that a Hyatt affiliate has entered into a management contract with Claridge Homes for an Andaz hotel in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. When Andaz Ottawa Byward Market opens in mid-2016, it will become the first Andaz-branded hotel in Canada as well as the city’s first hotel under Hyatt’s brand portfolio. Andaz Ottawa Byward Market will join Andaz hotels currently located in world-class cities including London, New York, Los Angeles, Shanghai, and Tokyo.
The 200-room Andaz Ottawa Byward Market will be located at 325 Dalhousie Street in Ottawa’s famed Byward Market neighborhood. The neighborhood is surrounded by more than two dozen embassies and consulates and is located immediately east of Ottawa’s commercial office core, a short walk from Parliament Hill, and just north of the University of Ottawa campus. The area has become the center of Ottawa’s nightlife and is surrounded by residential towers, restaurants and bars.
Guests at Andaz Ottawa Byward Market will experience the personal style, comfort and sophistication for which the brand is known in the hotel’s 200 guestrooms, including four two-bay Hyatt suites, two three-bay Junior suites, and a four-bay Executive Suite with a fireplace and large 560 square foot terrace. The hotel will also feature a destination restaurant and a rooftop bar and lounge including an outdoor terrace offering panoramic views of the city. Meeting facilities will feature six Andaz Studios as well as the prefunction and lounge area with an open kitchen totaling approximately 4,500 square feet.
“We are pleased to expand our brand presence in Canada. Andaz was a natural fit for Ottawa’s Byward Market neighborhood,” said David Tarr, Senior Vice President of Development – Americas for Hyatt. “Andaz Ottawa Byward Market will bring to life the brand’s mission of creating inspiring, indigenous experiences and immersing guests into the destination’s local culture. We believe Andaz Ottawa Byward Market will convey the vibrant, international spirit of Canada’s capital city.”
“We are delighted to bring the first Andaz hotel to Ottawa and Canada. We believe it will become the new center of social connections in the Byward Market as well as in Ottawa. The Andaz brand’s creativity and refined, yet casual atmosphere will elevate the neighborhood and will connect guests to the best of the local community,” said Neil Malhotra, Vice President of Claridge Homes. “Our capital city is host to a diverse group of business and leisure visitors, making it an international hub for Canada. Andaz Ottawa Byward Market will not only appeal to the local community, but will serve a broad group of Canadian and global travelers.”
“I am thrilled that Hyatt and Claridge Homes are working together to bring Andaz to Ottawa and to Canada,” said Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson. “The Byward Market is one of the most vibrant parts of our City and Andaz Ottawa Byward Market will be perfectly situated within steps of many shops, restaurants, tourist attractions, and of course the historic Byward Market itself. With several LRT stops within walking distance, Andaz Ottawa Byward Market will be well-served by the coming LRT system and perfectly situated for guests to enjoy the celebrations for Canada’s 150th birthday that will take place throughout 2017.”
Andaz Ottawa Byward Market will collaborate with local artists, musicians, designers, and other cultural influencers to deliver events and programs on themes unique to its location in Ottawa. The Andaz Salon, the brand’s signature cultural program, features interactive, on-property and virtual events conceived to support and nurture each hotel’s community of emerging talent. The distinctive spaces at Andaz Ottawa Byward Market will stage creative Andaz Salon events, ranging from talks to exhibitions to live performances. These events can also be experienced through the Andaz Salon website at www.andazsalon.com, where unique content is shared by Cultural Insiders.
The term “Hyatt” is used in this release for convenience to refer to Hyatt Hotels Corporation and/or one or more of its affiliates.
About Claridge Homes
Claridge Homes is the leading real estate developer in the City of Ottawa. Growing steadily for more than 30 years, Claridge Homes and its affiliated companies have had remarkable success with residential and mixed use developments in communities across the region - to date, having built over 12,000 homes in the National Capital Region, including nearly 40 high rise developments.
Claridge Homes was founded by Bill Malhotra and continues to be privately owned by the Malhotra Family.
About Andaz
Global in scale while local in perspective, Andaz hotels deliver an innovative hospitality experience and attentive, uncomplicated service designed to accommodate guests’ personal preferences. Hotels in this collection reflect the unique cultural scenes and spirit of the surrounding neighborhood and are dedicated to creating natural and vibrant living spaces where travelers can indulge their own personal sense of comfort and style. Twelve Andaz hotels are currently open: Andaz 5th Avenue and Andaz Wall Street in New York, Andaz San Diego, Andaz West Hollywood, Andaz Napa, Andaz Savannah, Andaz Maui at Wailea, Andaz Peninsula Papagayo in Costa Rica, Andaz Liverpool Street in London, Andaz Amsterdam Prinsengracht, Andaz Xintiandi, Shanghai and Andaz Tokyo Toranomon Hills. For more information, please visit www.andaz.com.
About Hyatt Hotels Corporation
Hyatt Hotels Corporation, headquartered in Chicago, is a leading global hospitality company with a proud heritage of making guests feel more than welcome. Thousands of members of the Hyatt family strive to make a difference in the lives of the guests they encounter every day by providing authentic hospitality. The Company’s subsidiaries develop, own, operate, manage, franchise, license or provide services to hotels, resorts, branded residences and vacation ownership properties, including under the Hyatt®, Park Hyatt®, Andaz®, Grand Hyatt®, Hyatt Regency®, Hyatt Place®, Hyatt House®, Hyatt Zilara™, Hyatt Ziva™, Hyatt Residences® and Hyatt Residence Club® brand names and have locations on six continents. As of September 30, 2014, the Company's worldwide portfolio consisted of 573 properties in 48 countries. For more information, please visit www.hyatt.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
Forward-Looking Statements in this press release, which are not historical facts, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.Our actual results, performance or achievements may differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by the use of words such as “may,” “could,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “seek,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “potential,” “continue,” “likely,” “will,” “would” and variations of these terms and similar expressions, or the negative of these terms or similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by us and our management, are inherently uncertain. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, among others, the rate and pace of economic recovery following economic downturns; levels of spending in business and leisure segments as well as consumer confidence; declines in occupancy and average daily rate; if our third-party owners, franchisees or development partners are unable to access the capital necessary to fund current operations or implement our plans for growth; changes in the competitive environment in our industry and the markets where we operate; our ability to access the capital markets; and other risks discussed in the Company's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K, which filings are available from the SEC. We caution you not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which are made as of the date of this press release. We undertake no obligation to update publicly any of these forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, new information or future events, changes in assumptions or changes in other factors affecting forward-looking statements, except to the extent required by applicable laws. If we update one or more forward-looking statements, no inference should be drawn that we will make additional updates with respect to those or other forward-looking statements.
Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/multimedia/home/20150126006447/en/
SOURCE: Hyatt Hotels Corporation
Hyatt Hotels Corporation
Aurelia Vasquez
+1 312 780 5873
[email protected]
Copyright Business Wire 2015 |
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Image: I was up on a mountaintop in North Carolina, sent to meet a man named Robert Warren to evaluate his soil so he could build a house.
THE FIRST TIME I felt pulled to the priesthood was in high school. I grew up in Tennessee, where there aren't many Catholics, let alone priests, sisters, or brothers. But I attended Knoxville Catholic High School and got invited to be on the retreat team. That kind of surprised me because I wasn't a particularly pious young man; in fact I got into quite a bit of trouble in those days. Yet I found myself at this high school retreat listening to a priest give a talk on his life and vocation. For a brief moment I remember thinking that being a priest seemed interesting.
But the thought didn't last because I had a beautiful girlfriend to distract thoughts of entering a college seminary program. I went on to attend the University of Tennessee and became moderately involved with the Newman Club. This was the 1980s when people were reporting seeing the Virgin Mary in Medjugorie, Yugoslavia. Some friends of mine went to Medjugorie and were moved by the whole experience. They kept pestering me about it and encouraging me to pray the rosary. Well, being a good ol' boy from Tennessee, I was more interested in fishing than praying the rosary all the time, but they kept after me, and I became involved in the Marian movement. I prayed the rosary, began attending Mass every day, and got involved in retreat ministry again.
I found myself thinking once more about the priesthood. My one big worry was celibacy. I thought a lot about having a family and found that it was difficult to imagine a life without a wife and kids. I decided to talk to a priest about it. He pointed out that I was just about to graduate with a degree in agronomy. I should go out into the world and work as a soil scientist. If God were calling me, I would know it, this priest advised.
On that mountaintop
Following his advice was the best thing I ever did, although you wouldn't know it at first. I ended up working as a soil scientist for the state of North Carolina. I loved the beauty of the mountains and the work I was doing, but I missed my friends in Tennessee and found it difficult to get involved in a church community. I had practically stopped praying. I still thought about being a priest, but it was on the back burner, way back there.
One day, while on the job, I had a life-changing experience. I was up on a mountaintop, sent to meet a man named Robert Warren to evaluate his soil so he could build a house. When I arrived I saw him slumped over in his truck. I went over to him, and he told me he was having a spell. He grabbed my hand and said, "Would you pray with me?"
I hadn't prayed in ages, but I took his hand and my heart just burst open in prayer as we said one Our Father after another. He asked me to pray for him and his family, and as we prayed, I felt the Holy Spirit in a powerful way. Robert Warren died in my arms of a massive heart attack, right there on that mountaintop.
I continue to pray for him to this day, and I offer up my vocation to Robert Warren because he woke me up to something deep in my heart. I believe God moves gently in most people's hearts, but with me he needed a hammer.
Details, details
After that, my desire for Jesus Christ grew. I got really involved in the church. I found a parish, and I began to attend daily Mass. I became involved in the Marian Movement of Priests, consecrating my heart to the Immaculate Virgin Mary. I signed up for Eucharistic adoration several hours a week, my heart soaring with excitement at waiting for the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. Those hours before the Blessed Sacrament settled me down and focused me on my journey toward the priesthood.
I knew I wanted the support of a community if I were to be a priest, so I wrote to a dozen religious communities and began visiting them. The vocation director of the Carmelite Order of priests came all the way to see me in my home in North Carolina, and that impressed me. He invited me to a vocation retreat, an experience that helped me a lot.
My worst fears allayed
I had a lot of fears about religious life. How could I live in poverty, or without women and with other guys who weren't like me at all? But on that retreat, I saw that these were simply men of all types struggling to be the best human beings they could be.
I realized then--and I've been reminded throughout my time with the Carmelites--that we gain our salvation by being human, not by being angels and having our heads in the clouds but by walking on rough ground and being faithful to the way of Jesus.
The vocation director also told me during the Carmelite retreat that just because we walked through the door, we didn't have to stay for life. My first years with the Carmelites--just like with any religious community--would be a time to pray and reflect on whether this was the life for me. Final vows would come later. So I narrowed down my choice to two communities, eventually settling on the Carmelites because they are a Marian order with 800 years of tradition.
My formation (or preparation) years have been extremely active and fulfilling. I've studied for a Master of Divinity degree, worked with street people and in a parish, and learned how to live and pray with a community. The past seven years have certainly challenged me, but I can say with confidence that God is wonderful. Each day God leads me closer and closer to freedom. |
SINGAPORE - Twenty fighter jets cut through the Marina South skyline in the shape of the numeral "50" on Thursday (Sept 7), capping off one of the highlights of the golden jubilee celebrations between Singapore and Indonesia.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Indonesia President Joko Widodo were at Marina Bay Cruise Centre to witness the fly-past, which was conducted by the air forces from each side to mark 50 years of diplomatic relations between the two neighbours.
Building on the strong defence ties, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen announced a new exercise on Thursday between the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) and Indonesia’s Armed Forces (TNI).
Called the SAF-TNI Counter-Terrorism Table Top Exercise, it will take place from Nov 27 to 30.
In a Facebook post, the minister also said that the combined celebrations “reflect the strong defence ties forged through years of engagement and cooperation against common challenges”.
The combined fly-past was the largest and most complex one that the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) has conducted with any foreign air force to date, and is "a strong testament to the interoperability and mutual understanding between the two air forces", said a Mindef statement on Thursday.
The leaders were attending the Indonesia-Singapore Leaders' Retreat. President Joko was accompanied by First Lady Iriana and a high-level delegation.
Also present on the Singapore side were Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean, Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen, Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Chan Chun Sing, and Minister for National Development Lawrence Wong.
Related Story About 1,800 turn up to meet President Jokowi at Indonesian embassy in Singapore
Related Story RISING50: Celebrating 50 years of bilateral relations between Indonesia and Singapore
Ten F-16 aircraft each from the RSAF and Indonesian Air Force (TNI-AU) assembled in the south-west of Singapore before flying past twice, once in arrowhead formations and another forming the numeral "50".
Five RSAF F-15SGs then did a bomb burst manoeuvre to complete the fly-past.
In the 20 minutes between the two formations, the SAF Central Band and the TNI Academy Drum Band put up both separate and combined performances.
The RSAF's Colonel Ho Kum Luen, 38, who is the co-chairman of the joint working group organising the fly-past, said that one of the many challenges involved in the six-month preparation was manoeuvring the whole formation of aircraft.
"Because it's such a big formation, it's very difficult to manoeuvre the whole formation... We had to get everything right down to the second."
Following the fly-past, four of the participating RSAF F-16s landed in Roesmin Nurjadin Air Force Base in Pekanbaru, Indonesia, for a celebration involving the chiefs of air forces, senior officers, members of the organising committee and other fly-past participants.
RSAF Chief of Air Force Major-General (MG) Mervyn Tan, who was on board one of the RSAF aircraft in the fly-past, said: “I think the fly-past is really a testament of the skill as well as the professionalism of the pilots of our air forces.
“More importantly, I think it underscored the trust and mutual understanding between the personnel of both our air forces.”
MG Tan’s counterpart, Chief of Staff of the TNI-AU Air Chief Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto, who was also on board one of the Indonesian F-16s, said: “I believe the military cooperation between TNI-AU and the RSAF will be everlasting and we will always support each other.”
The RSAF and TNI-AU first started having exercises together in 1980. Since then, the two sides have engaged in a wide range of exercises and activities such as visits, professional exchanges and cross-attendance of courses.
Lieutenant-Colonel Tan Hwee Roy, 40, the mission lead for the fly-past who shared the cockpit with MG Mervyn Tan, said: “Today was an extraordinary experience... I hope everybody down on the ground enjoyed the show, because we certainly enjoyed flying together.”
TNI-AU mission lead Lieutenant-Colonel Yoga Ambara, 39, said he was “very happy” because it was the first time the two countries were doing a formation together.
“This is a new history for Singapore and Indonesia, we worked together and accomplished the mission very well,” he added. |
"You can't take the AI to school at this point," Harebrained Schemes' co-founder Mitch Gitelman tells me when I ask how Battletech's AI has evolved throughout its beta phase. "Now the AI takes you to school."
Two minutes later and one woefully misjudged siege sees me not only blowing my chance of taking down a hostile Panther PNT-9R, but also has me stranded and outnumbered behind enemy lines. Two minutes after that and my Shadow Hawk, piloted by my interminably reckless and renegade soldier Kraken, has its left arm torn off.
In response, I unleash a volley of close-range rockets and missiles that deal some pretty hefty damage to my aggressor's torso. But, as the setting sun envelopes the sandswept Mars-like 'Red City' battlefield in a fiery orange glow, the enemy's formidable Awesome AWS-8T mech steps in and swats me aside. I'm down and Gitelman is right: I've been schooled.
Battletech, for those uninitiated, is a 33-year-old military strategy tabletop board game that's since been treated to several videogame interpretations in the intervening period. Most of the latter have fallen under MechWarrior's canopy which, despite taking place within the overarching Battletech universe, have historically tended towards action in the face of their source material's turn-based strategy.
Battletech as we know it here pays closer deference to the original tabletop. It was successfully crowdfunded to the tune of $2,785,537 in 2015, having asked for just $250,000.
Gitelman's allusions to educating yourself by way of defeat in Battletech are important. During my brief foray into its single player Skirmish mode, I admittedly leaned on luck as much as I did considered strategy—yet there was always something to be gleaned from failure.
Perhaps I hadn't paid enough attention to my odds of landing a ranged attack, or maybe I hadn't considered pulling out wide so as to take advantage of peripheral cover. Was it the case that sprinting further into the fight would've improved my chances of maintaining line of sight—or should I have hung back and let the enemy come to me? Hindsight is a wonderful thing, and in Battletech understanding where you go wrong, and you will go wrong, is key to improving.
Despite the bout of ill-conceived misadventure outlined above, Gitelman encourages me to throw caution to the wind in Skirmish mode, as this is the safest place to crash and burn, away from the game's less-forgiving multiplayer forums. The margin for error is just as slim here, granted, however losing a pilot, or worse, a mech within the relatively consequence-less confines of single player is far preferable than falling to anonymous fighters online. Gitelman tells me that repairs and pilot reassignment cost money in the game's multiplayer, so I'm relieved to be off the hook scot-free in this instance.
During my second run, I discover that individual positions in my staggered four-slotted attack can be held back so as to leverage certain mechs back-to-back. I find this allows my lighter machine to flank and draw out heavier offenders, in turn leaving them exposed to my harder-hitters. I then charge down the central thoroughfare with flamethrowers, rockets and rail guns as I proceed to throw just about everything I have at my foes. The drawback to my most powerful offence, though, is limited ammo. It's at this point that Gitelman mentions 'Death From Above'.
As Fraser outlined in his impressions earlier this year, Battletech allows players to pit mechs against one another with their fists in close proximity—however, Death From Above lets you leap into the air before crashing down upon nearby enemies below. Beyond the overwhelming damage this causes your adversaries, watching a mech propel itself skyward by virtue of its boosters jets before executing such an overwhelming maneuver is a sight to behold.
The trade off for doing so sees you destabilised and overheated—the latter of which temporarily paralises your mech. Lingering too long in the former status is even more threatening, however, as you then run the risk of being toppled. This in turn allows enemies to "call a shot" on you, which is as devastating in practice as it sounds. Gitelman moreover stresses that Death From Above might be best suited as a last resort, given the fact it damages the internal structure of your mech's legs in the process.
With this, and from what we've seen from its backer beta, Battletech is in great shape. It's come on leaps and bounds since what Fraser reported on in May, and has seen its interface frequently tweaked and adjusted to help players understand the layout of the battlefield along the way. It's also added breathtaking attacks such as Death From Above.
Battletech is still without a hard release date, having been recently delayed into 2018. That said, I'm nevertheless confident Gitelman and his Hairbrained team know what they're doing. With new planets, new weapons, and new mechs planned down the line, fans and newcomers to the series alike have got plenty to look forward to. |
The 36-year-old former 250cc champion will oversee the Idemitsu-backed squad that was formed in 2013 as part of a push to promote Asian talent in grand prix racing.
MotoGP-bound Takaaki Nakagami scored two wins for the team over the past two years, and will be replaced by fellow Japanese rider Tetsuta Nagashima for the 2018 campaign.
Former Moto3 race winner Khairul Idham Pawi will stay on board for a second year after a tough rookie season in the intermediate class that yielded a best finish of eighth.
“I’m grateful to Honda Team Asia for giving me the opportunity to contribute as team nanager," said Aoyama, who deputised for the injured Jack Miller in this year's Motegi MotoGP race.
"I’m looking forward to sharing my experiences, the good and the bad, over 10 years as a rider, with Nagashima and Pawi, two riders who will be leaders in the next generation.
"I will give them all of my support so they can succeed in Moto2, and like Nakagami, move to the MotoGP class.”
Takahashi replaces Luthi for test
Elsewhere in the Honda stable, it's been announced that All-Japan Superbike champion Takumi Takahashi will deputised for the injured Thomas Luthi at Marc VDS in this week's post-season Valencia test.
With Tech 3 Yamaha not fielding a replacement for the unwell Jonas Folger, it means a total of 24 riders will take part in the test, including Ducati's Michele Pirro on a third works GP17. |
A half-million dollars worth of chocolate, liquor, auto parts and concrete garden fountains don’t just fall off a truck.
But this morning about 9:45 a.m., Chicago police and other investigators served a warrant at a Brighton Park neighborhood warehouse in the 2600 block of West 35th Street where about $500,000 in such stolen merchandise—and several stolen trucks and a stolen van—were hidden, said Chicago Police News Affairs Officer John Mirabelli.
Police are still searching for those responsible for the thefts, but have been able to determine the goods found at the warehouse were stolen.
At the warehouse, organized crime and gang investigations officers, along with Illinois State Police and members of a three-county theft task force found 52 pallets of Ghirardelli chocolate. Investigators also found numerous pallets of alcohol, including beer, rum, vodka and wine, worth about $175,000, belonging to the Wirtz Beverage Group, he said.
Among the other items found were a pallet of BMW auto parts, and two pallets of concrete water fountains, Mirabelli said.
Investigators, who are still seeking those responsible for the thefts, believe that the items were stolen and intended to be fenced. The investigation is continuing.
[email protected] |
Drawing is ancient; it is the only childhood cognitive behavior for which there is any direct evidence from the Upper Paleolithic. Do genes influence individual differences in this species-typical behavior, and is drawing related to intelligence ( g ) in modern children? We report on the first genetically informative study of children’s figure drawing. In a study of 7,752 pairs of twins, we found that genetic differences exert a greater influence on children’s figure drawing at age 4 than do between-family environmental differences. Figure drawing was as heritable as g at age 4 (heritability of .29 for both). Drawing scores at age 4 correlated significantly with g at age 4 ( r = .33, p < .001, n = 14,050) and with g at age 14 ( r = .20, p < .001, n = 4,622). The genetic correlation between drawing at age 4 and g at age 14 was .52, 95% confidence interval = [.31, .75]. Individual differences in this widespread behavior have an important genetic component and a significant genetic link with g .
In 1926, a young woman struggled to come up with a reliable way to measure the intelligence of young children. Florence Goodenough (1886–1959) conceived the idea of asking the children to draw a human figure. Her ability test was remarkable: It took 10 min or fewer to administer; it used cheap, familiar, and widely available materials; children enjoyed the task; and the test could be scored easily and reliably (Brill, 1935; Goodenough, 1926; Oakland & Dowling, 1983). Crucially, it worked: Performance on the Goodenough Draw-a-Man Test correlated moderately with scores on time-consuming comprehensive IQ tests, and the test was both reliable and valid (Abell, Wood, & Liebman, 2001; Naglieri & Maxwell, 1981). Goodenough’s genius was to take a common childhood product and see its potential as an indicator of cognitive ability (Abell et al., 2001; Chambers, 1983; Chappell & Steitz, 1993; Jones & Rich, 1957; Krohn & Traxler, 1979; Plubrukarn & Theeramanoparp, 2003). The test was validated in several populations and used widely until its popularity declined in the 1970s, perhaps because it was considered by some researchers to be one of several projective techniques, including the Rorschach Test, that were not empirically well supported (Lilienfeld, Wood, & Garb, 2000) for screening psychopathology (Chapman & Chapman, 1967), which was not its original purpose. The test has not previously been analyzed in genetically informative samples, so the etiology of individual differences in children’s figure drawing is unsettled.
Behavioral genetic designs, such as the twin design comparing resemblance between identical (monozygotic, or MZ) twins and fraternal (dizygotic, or DZ) twins, are especially interesting to apply to differences in children’s drawings of human figures because such drawings seem so likely to be sensitive to family background, such as parental guidance and encouragement. It also seems intuitive that any relationship between early figure drawing and later intelligence would be caused by familial influences held in common between the two traits. It seems that children with ready access to pencils, paper, picture books, and so on would have better drawing skills than children brought up without those advantages. These credible scenarios can be tested empirically with a twin study (Plomin, DeFries, Knopik, & Neiderhiser, 2013).
Another reason to examine drawing is that it is ancient and widespread; cave decorations have been dated to 40,000 years ago (Pike et al., 2012; Valladas et al., 1992). Humans’ adult ancestors sculpted clay models of the human figure and then fired the figurines in ash pits 14,000 years before making “useful” artifacts such as pots. Evidence that figurative drawing and sculpture were valued comes from the number of hours spent in creating them, and from the places within cave sites where the objects were stored (Cook, 2013, p. 35). Behavior rarely fossilizes, yet it has been preserved, marvelously, in fresh and beautiful drawings (and sculptures) in places like the caves of Chauvet and Lascaux (Bataille, 1955; Chalmin et al., 2004; Chauvet, Brunel, & Hillaire, 1995, p. 114), and no doubt many as-yet-undiscovered sites, given the paucity of the record (Cook, 2013).
Here we report our findings from the first genetically informative study of individual differences in children’s figure drawings and their relation to intelligence measured a decade later. We aimed to discover (a) the extent to which (if any) genes influence individual differences in children’s drawings of human figures, (b) the extent to which the accuracy of such drawings is predictive of later intelligence, and (c) the extent to which genes that contribute to drawing at age 4 also contribute to intelligence up to a decade later.
Discussion Section: Choose Top of page Abstract Method Results Discussion << References CITING ARTICLES We found that drawings done by MZ twins were significantly more similar than were drawings done by DZ twins. Finding that a behavior is heritable is no longer news; yet if the data had shown that any siblings’ drawing scores were alike, irrespective of zygosity, we would not have been surprised because it seems so plausible that young same-age siblings would emulate each other’s drawings or be guided by parents (irrespective of zygosity). For that reason, we were intrigued to find that scores for a single drawing were as heritable as was g estimated from several different indicators (verbal and nonverbal tests). The high interrater reliability of the drawing test suggests that rater unreliability is unlikely to be the source of the individual-specific environmental influence on drawing at age 4 (E). In this large sample, a single picture of a 4-year-old child, drawn in around 5 min, had a significant positive phenotypic association with g measured a decade later, and this correlation was as high as the correlation between g at age 4 and g at age 14. This phenotypic association was caused partly by a genetic correlation between drawing at age 4 and g at age 14. Our data show that the capacity to realize on paper the salient features of a person, in a schema, is an intelligent behavior at age 4. Performance of this drawing task relies on various cognitive, motoric, perceptual, attentional, and motivational capacities. Our estimated positive phenotypic correlation between drawing and contemporaneous intelligence is consistent with estimates from 40 small studies in which the correlations (rs) ranged from .24 to .83 (Scott, 1981; see Willcock, Imuta, & Hayne, 2011). The correlation we observed is also consistent with a large phenotypic study of 7-year-olds that found, perhaps surprisingly, that figure-drawing scores correlated with arithmetic performance (r = .33, n = 14,522) to about the same extent as they correlated with pattern copying (r = .37, n = 14,545; Shepherd, 2012, p. 21). We do not know whether those children who scored higher on the drawing task at age 4 will be more likely to develop a sustained interest in art. This study does not explain artistic talent; the scores only quantify accuracy of attributes, such as the number of limbs, in the drawings. But our results do show that whatever conflicting theories adults have about the value of verisimilitude in early figure drawing, children who express it to a greater extent are somewhat brighter than those who do not. This study had great statistical power, but any sample has some restrictions. For example, people at the extreme ends of various distributions (including social and economic distributions) are underrepresented in almost all studies. Also, our analyses were subject to the usual assumptions of the twin method, which have been explored elsewhere (see Plomin et al., 2013). There is some evidence in the archaeological record that figurative art is more recent than geometric patterning (Pike et al., 2012). If this is correct, then figurative art may track, to some extent, increasing cognitive ability in the human species. Drawing is an ancient human capacity; 32,000 years before the children in our study sat down to draw, unknown people made surviving drawings of great skill and beauty. These images (see Bradshaw Foundation, 2011, for photographs) are among the oldest examples of a human behavior that continues in the same form today. This long history endows the drawing test with ecological validity and relevance to an extent that is unusual in psychometrics. Drawing marks called finger flutings, made by dragging fingers across wet clay or on soft cave walls, are the oldest known direct evidence of children’s behavior, aside from footprints. Archaeologists have dated these marks to the Upper Paleolithic and ascribed them to young children on the basis of detailed measurements of the groove widths (Sharpe & Van Gelder, 2006). The longevity of children’s drawing behavior indicates that drawing is a natural part of the human species-typical repertoire. Given that drawing enhances the fine-motor skills that children use in writing (Saida & Miyashita, 1979), it may have contributed to the development of pictograms, and eventually writing. The finding that greater accuracy in children’s figure drawing is associated genetically with higher g a decade later is thought provoking and demonstrates that the study of art and the study of science have much to offer each other. Evolutionary selection on drawing ability may have been an important precursor to writing, which transformed humans’ capacity to store information externally, and promoted the capacity to build a civilization.
Acknowledgements We thank the families in the Twins Early Development Study, who have consistently been generous in their contribution to scientific research.
Declaration of Conflicting Interests
The authors declared that they had no conflicts of interest with respect to their authorship or the publication of this article. Funding
The Twins Early Development Study is supported by a program grant to R. Plomin from the United Kingdom Medical Research Council (Grant G0901245, and previously Grant G0500079), with additional support from the U.S. National Institutes of Health (Grants HD044454 and HD059215). R. Plomin is supported by a United Kingdom Medical Research Council Research Professorship award (G19/2) and a European Research Council Advanced Investigator award (295366). Supplemental Material
Additional supporting information can be found at http://pss.sagepub.com/content/by/supplemental-data
Notes 1.
In each twin pair, one twin was assigned to be Twin 1 and the other to be Twin 2. We refer to Twins 1 and Twins 2 as twin groups. |
In responding to a post of mine criticizing our liberal culture for its hostility toward the traditional family, a commenter wrote: “I do not know a single liberal who…does not value (and participate in) both traditional and non-traditional families.” I think it is important to examine this liberal response to conservative criticism, not because the issue can be “settled,” but because it can tell us why liberals and conservatives so often seem to be talking past one another when it comes to social issues.
Conservatives (like me) often are accused of being unfairly censorious in accusing liberals of undermining primary institutions like the family. After all, the argument goes, we talk about “attacks” on relationships liberals genuinely value. And there is a way in which this is true—a way that shows why the “culture wars” are not likely to end any time soon.
When someone tells you that he and his liberals friends “value (and participate in) both traditional and non-traditional families” that person expects a fight about just what a “non-traditional family” might be. Most liberals, in my experience, are loaded for bear on this question. “What, you mean just because both parents are not present, or both happen to be male, or female, or the family is a mixed one, having been through one or more divorces, or there is no marriage certificate, that it somehow is not ‘real’? Well how intolerant and narrow-minded is that?”
If true, this charge would be a serious one. But it is not. Tragedies occur, as they always have. Children are left to be raised by a single parent—neither death nor abandonment is new. Children are raised by maiden aunts, struggling uncles, and other relatives or adoptive parents. Broken families seek to reform in the wake of one or more tragedies. And common law marriage grew up to recognize the rights of children and spouses in situations where marriages are difficult to obtain or one spouse (or both) persists in refusing to solemnize the relationship.
The real issue is not what exact form of family we value, but what it means to “value” this fundamental institution of social life. The difference between the traditional and liberal position, here, is summed up in the term “broken family.” The term is considered rude, today, because it is seen as indicating that there is something wrong with single parent and other “non-traditional” families. In reality, it is a recognition that something tragic has occurred when spouses die, abuse, walk away, or never marry, leaving children to be raised by fewer or more distant relations. Countless children have overcome the struggles caused by such a tragedy, and we have a duty to help them in that endeavor. But pretending that nothing bad has happened is something we do for our own benefit (so that we will not “feel guilty”) not for theirs.
The issue, then, is not the particular shape of a particular family, but rather the understanding of what purpose a family is by nature intended to serve. Perhaps it is best, here, to go a bit deeper into the charge against conservatives: not only are we narrow-minded for denying the status of “family” to “non-traditional” relationships, we are, in effect, denying the validity of the feelings of those who live in intimate relationships that do not fit our definition of “family.” That is, we are accused of somehow claiming that the feelings of homosexual couples, or non-married co-habitants, or persons in other relationships, are false.
The source of this charge is the belief that those feelings are what really matters in any family. As I have been told more than once, the real issue in the same-sex marriage debate is love. By denying the full status of married people to various groups, conservatives, on this view, are standing against love.
No one should deny the reality of love (after all, God Himself is love). Nor should we deny that love is an important good (after all, again, God Himself is love). The question, however, is not one of love, or even of commitment to and support for a particular person, but of what purpose a family serves. For example, the fundamental issue in the same-sex marriage debate is not whether homosexual couples should be allowed to love and support one another, but whether that love should be recognized as familial.
Americans increasingly fail to recognize the importance of this distinction because they increasing fail to recognize the natural purpose of the family, which is to raise children. Marriage, in the proper (non-“broken”) sense means giving oneself wholly to another person and the natural outgrowth of that relationship. So now I have “narrowed” the definition of family still further? Only a couple with their own biological children is a “real” family? Again, tragedies, including the inability to have children and the death of a child, occur. But the millions of couples struggling to have or adopt children are evidence that such facts are, in fact, tragic, because they obstruct us from achieving the full good of family life.
Not to come off as too harsh, but love does not make a family. I am reminded of the ending to that old Robin Williams movie, “Mrs. Doubtfire.” Having been divorced by his wife, mostly for not paying attention to her or his children, Williams’ character gets decked out in drag to play nanny to the kids so that he can spend time with them. It cannot last, of course. But in the end, back in drag, the title character tells us that “some families” are not like in story books, spending all their time together; some may not even see one another very often, but they still are families, so long as there is “love.”
My question at the time remains my question now: “how does the occasional ‘I love you’ delivered over the phone or on a weekend visit make a family?” Such expressions are natural and good, but constitute, at best, recognition of meaningful ties and yearning for familial connections that are no longer fully there.
The family is by nature a lifelong joining of two people, and their families, for the purpose of bringing new life into the world and raising children to be virtuous members of that family and, through it, of society. This is a demanding vision. And it does, in fact, entail the view that a whole slew of behaviors that are common today are in an important sense wrong—because they prevent the formation and flourishing of real, full families and, through them, of full lives. What really upsets people, of course, is the notion that they sin when they engage in these behaviors. But then adultery, abortion, non-marital sexual intercourse, contraception, and abandonment of one’s family (not to mention spousal or child abuse) do not cease to be sins just because we fail to recognize them as such. And “sin” is not a word coined so that Church Ladies can feel superior to people who live on the edge. Sin is a fact of life, something in which we all share in many, many ways. Pride, sloth, gluttony, greed—sins are everywhere and we all engage in some of them. The point is not to pretend that we are better than one another, but to recognize and work on our failings so that we all can be better people. And families provide the natural and by far the best institution in which to do that.
Families are not relationships, they are institutions that are rooted in relationships. If we only value our families because of the good feelings we get from them, they will become disposable extensions of ourselves, and they will die. Obviously, this does not mean that all natural families fulfill their purpose of nurturing children and raising them to be virtuous adults. Many children, sadly, grow up in “traditional” families that inculcate violence, hatred, or simple indifference. But that is a commentary on the failure by one or more members of that family to live up to their duties, not of the family itself.
The family is the basis of any decent society because only in it do children learn how to be decent adults. They are taught virtue in families, or nowhere, because it is only in the home that the kind of intensive, round-the-clock nurturing and acculturation necessary for character formation can occur. And, while it may be nice to talk about how common emotions and dedication to abstract ideals like justice or tolerance or love are what really matter, those emotions and ideals only become real when they are shaped by traditions handed down from parent to child over generations and reinforced through broader institutions of family, church, and local association.
Books on the topic of this essay may be found in The Imaginative Conservative Bookstore. |
Rajrani Jain, 70, was assaulted by her daughter-in-law Sangeeta, who has been arrested
In CCTV footage from a home in Uttar Pradesh, an elderly woman is seen cowering in her bed as she is slapped, kicked, choked and beaten with a stone. Her attacker is her own daughter-in-law.Sangeeta Jain was arrested this morning for attempted murder after the video of her vicious assault on her 70-year-old mother-in-law Rajrani Jain went viral on social media. The camera had been secretly installed by her husband.She claims the video is fake. "They made this fake video to ruin me. They beat me so many times...there is no video of that," she said.The disturbing visuals are from January 5, when the two women were at their home in Bijnore.Sangeeta is seen mercilessly beating the older woman, trying to strangle her with a cloth, dragging her by her hair and slapping her repeatedly. She pauses only to get a heavy stone and then starts raining fresh blows, jumping on the bed. Throughout the assault, her mother-in-law clings to her quilt for dear life."She came out of the kitchen and started slapping me. She also started to beat me with bricks...I do not know why she does it," said a badly wounded Rajrani Jain, her head wrapped in bandages.Her son Sandeep has been married for seven years to Sangeeta, and faces a dowry harassment case."She was always like this. She used to attack us all - my parents, me..." Sandeep Jain told reporters. He couldn't explain why he waited this long to go to the police."I waited for a year and then thought of installing a CCTV camera to expose her," he said. Speaking about the video, senior police officer Daljit Chowdhury said: "It is a pity that she behaved like this. There is a lot of fighting in the family, it is a family dispute, but now we have the footage. We will definitely take action." |
Navy Seal military working dog Remco who died in a rescue mission for Bowe Bergdahl (Pictured 2008)
A former Navy SEAL cried Wednesday as he testified about a military dog killed on a mission with him to find Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, who walked away from his post in Afghanistan and was held by the Taliban for five years.
The Navy SEAL, who suffered a career-ending injury during that mission, testified at Bergdahl's sentencing hearing.
Bergdahl pleaded guilty last week to desertion and endangering his comrades. He faces up to life in prison.
As the hearing got underway, an Army judge said he was still considering a motion by the defense to dismiss the case.
The defense has argued that President Trump's comments about Bergdahl prevent him from having a fair sentencing hearing.
The wounded SEAL, retired Navy Senior Chief Petty Officer James Hatch, entered the courtroom with a limp and a service dog named Mina. He was largely stoic and spoke in measured tones except for several times when he talked about the slain military dog.
Hatch said the dog helped protect his team by locating enemy fighters after the SEALs lost sight of them in a chaotic situation.
U.S. Army Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl arrives at the courthouse Wednesday for the second day of sentencing proceedings in his court martial at Fort Bragg
Fomer Navy Seal Petty Officer James Hatch, left, to give testimony against U.S. Army Sgt. Robert Bowdrie "Bowe" Bergdahl, on Wednesday
'His name was Remco,' Hatch said as his voice cracked.
'Take your time,' said the prosecutor, Army Maj. Justin Oshana.
Hatch said his team's helicopters came under fire as they landed in an area near the Pakistan border where they had information on Bergdahl's possible whereabouts. He said the mission was hastily planned, and their only objective was the Bergdahl search.
Remco was leading them through a field when the dog located two enemy fighters that the team had seen at a distance. Hatch said the fighters sprayed AK-47 bullets at them, killing the dog. He was hit in the leg.
'I screamed a lot. It hurt really bad ... I thought I was dead,' he said.
Hatch said he believes he would have died if a comrade hadn't quickly applied a tourniquet. Hatch has subsequently had 18 surgeries.
Former Navy SEAL James Hatch (Pictured) in Norfolk, Va was wounded from enemy fire while searching for Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl (June 2015)
He now runs a nonprofit dedicated to the care and support of military and law enforcement dogs.
Prosecutors are expected to call more witnesses in the afternoon to discuss the search missions and resulting wounds to multiple soldiers.
The judge, Army Col. Jeffery Nance, ruled those injuries would not have happened had Bergdahl, 31, not endangered his comrades in 2009 by walking away from his post.
Nance said Monday that he would be fair and hasn't been influenced by Mr. Trump, but that he does have concerns that the president's comments are affecting public perceptions.
While campaigning for president, Mr. Trump repeatedly called Bergdahl a traitor and suggested that he be shot or thrown from a plane without a parachute.
Nance ruled in February that those comments didn't constitute unlawful command influence, noting that Mr. Trump was a civilian candidate for president at the time.
The defense argued that Mr. Trump revived his campaign comments the day of Bergdahl's plea hearing, by saying at a news conference that he thinks people are aware of what he said before.
Prosecutors made no deal to cap Bergdahl's punishment, so the judge has wide leeway to decide his sentence. Several more days of testimony are expected.
Bergdahl, from Hailey, Idaho, has said he was caged, kept in darkness and beaten, and tried to escape more than a dozen times before President Barack Obama brought Bergdahl home in 2014 in a swap for five Taliban prisoners at Guantanamo Bay. |
Autoplay next video
The neighbors' dog will not stop barking.
He is barking the same high, rhythmic bark
that he barks every time they leave the house.
They must switch him on on their way out.
The neighbors' dog will not stop barking.
I close all the windows in the house
and put on a Beethoven symphony full blast
but I can still hear him muffled under the music,
barking, barking, barking,
and now I can see him sitting in the orchestra,
his head raised confidently as if Beethoven
had included a part for barking dog.
When the record finally ends he is still barking,
sitting there in the oboe section barking,
his eyes fixed on the conductor who is
entreating him with his baton
while the other musicians listen in respectful
silence to the famous barking dog solo,
that endless coda that first established
Beethoven as an innovative genius. |
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The first time I interviewed Gordon Brown it was on the understanding that he’d let me know if he was gay.
Back in 1996 he was a relatively unknown quantity, a very private man perceived as a dour Scot whose only reported spare-time pursuits involved sitting in libraries swotting up on post neo-classical endogenous growth theory.
Which led to rumours about his sexuality that Sue Lawley put to him on Desert Island Discs.
I was merely giving him a platform to show that far from being a gay Gordon he was a passionate womaniser, as well as a fanatical football fan who loved blokeish banter and a drink. A bit of a lad. The Loaded Shadow Chancellor.
The following week I interviewed Labour’s other heavyweight, Robin Cook, who’d been ordered to wear “autumnal-coloured” shirts and ties, and trim his beard, to prove he wasn’t a red garden gnome but, in a decent light, a bit of a hunk.
I was being spun, of course. But this was the mid-1990s, when spinning came easier than breathing in New Labour circles and perception, not reality, was what mattered.
Publicly, Brown stayed spun right up to the moment he walked out of Downing Street a beaten man, four years ago. The frozen smile, forced gags and the pretence of loving TV soaps all presented to convince us he wasn’t an intensely driven intellectual who loved nothing better than getting lost in the small-print of economic policy, but the affable bloke next door who wanted to chew the fat about Top Gear.
He wasn’t. Away from the cameras Brown was warm, witty and relaxed. Paranoid and narky at times, too, but sometimes for the right reasons. He was also passionate about his principles and his country, as anyone who saw him almost single-handedly save the Union this summer can testify.
I thought of that first meeting with Brown when he announced his retirement from politics this week and wondered why he ever let the spin doctors portray him as someone that he wasn’t.
I asked him back in 1996 if he was a socialist and if he’d stay one if Labour won power? “Yes. Definitely,” he replied.
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“My values are enduring. I entered politics because I had a clear goal. I wanted to tackle poverty and unemployment and that’s what I still want to achieve.”
As even his enemies now admit, he did that, and plenty more. He made mistakes but right to the end he stayed as true to his beliefs as politics allows. Beliefs that came from deep within.
Which is the same place I think Ed Miliband’s beliefs come from. Like Brown, he is in awe of his deeply committed father. And like Brown he’s making the mistake of letting media advisers turn him into something he isn’t. Something trite.
Just as Brown could never be the Oscar-winning actor Blair was, so Miliband will never be the slick PR man that Cameron is.
Does anyone want him to be?
We can smell in a pub or a workplace when someone’s pretending to be what they’re not. So why do they bother in politics? We’d all rather have a geek with a mission to serve others than a phoney with a mission to serve themselves.
If Miliband can learn one thing from his retiring predecessor it’s this. The next time someone attacks your Frank Spencer-like social skills, say: “Yeah, I find it hard to get photographed eating a bacon butty without looking like a dickhead. How about you?”
Then maybe, when the country’s got over the shock of you sounding normal, they’ll listen to the important things you have to say. |
THE Bulldogs are set to part with one of their most impressive young forwards in a swap deal that will see Shaun Lane move to the Warriors.
Sources have confirmed to foxsports.com.au that 21-year-old Lane, who has slipped down the pecking order at Canterbury, has been granted a release to sign a one-year deal with the Auckland club, with an option in the giant forward’s favour should he wish to extend his deal for a further year.
It is understood that Lane’s move across the Tasman was secured as part of a swap for Warriors 22-year-old Raymond Faitala-Mariner, although details of the promising second-rower’s arrival at Belmore are yet to be confirmed.
Cowboys general manager of football Peter Parr joins Ben Ikin, Ben Glover and Nathan Ryan to pull back the curtain when it comes to recruiting and retaining NRL players.
Both players are still in very early stages of their career with Lane making a big impact by scoring five tries in his 14 appearances last season. Faitala-Mariner has big raps on him despite failing to cement a position in the Warriors’ best side after 12 NRL appearances.
Standing at 198cm and tipping the scales at 110kg, Lane was touted as a future Origin star when he burst onto the scene last year but his progress has been halted by the resurgent form of Tony Williams and Des Hasler’s preference to carry Adam Elliott on his bench. |
By Tanja Babic, PhD
In the modern world, success of corporations is often driven by their employees and teams. Understanding how human behaviors affect the workplace is the main objective of industrial and organizational psychology, also known as I/O psychology. I/O psychologists study factors that promote motivation, team work and productivity, as well as management practices that improve employee’s performance. There are many industrial and organizational psychologists working towards improving working conditions, however, the following 30 people were chosen based on the following criteria:
1. Publications: Majority of the individuals on this list have outstanding publication records. These publications include articles in scientific journals, books and book chapters.
2. Impact on industrial and organizational practices: Although academic research is an important aspect of psychology, its influence can only be assessed once ideas are put into practice and applied in a workplace. Men and women on this list have made a significant impact on modern practices and policies in a workplace.
3. Influence on future research directions: While many researchers have published important papers in the field of industrial and organizational psychology, priority was given to those who have made a substantial change in the way in which certain theories are viewed, or those who have led the way into novel research areas.
4. Awards and recognitions: Most psychologists on this list have been recognized for their achievements by various international professional societies, foundations and even Queen Elizabeth II
1. Stanley Silverman
Dr. Silverman is the dean of the Summit College and University College at the University of Akron. His area of expertise is the effect that arrogant bosses have on a workplace. He devised a new measure of arrogance called “Workplace Arrogance Scale,” which is used to determine whether managers possess arrogant tendencies.
2. Anita Woolley
Just like individuals, teams possess a certain level of intelligence. This concept of “collective intelligence” is the focus of Dr. Woolley’s research. She is an assistant professor of organizational behavior and theory at the Tepper School of Business at Carnegie Mellon University. One of the most interesting findings of her recent research is that team intelligence is positively correlated with the number of women on the team. This study was published in the prestigious journal Science in 2010.
3. David Rock
The Neuroleadership Institute was founded in order to bring together neuroscience and leadership experts and to enhance the science of leadership. The institute’s founder, Dr. David Rock, is the author of two business best-sellers and is a blogger for the Harvard Business Review, Fortune Magazine, Psychology Today and the Huffington Post.
4. Jay Van Bavel
Dr. Van Bavel is an assistant professor of psychology at New York University and a member of the Neuroleadership Institute. His research uses a unique combination of neuroimaging, psychophysiological and behavioral techniques to study the relationship between the environment and group identities. He has published numerous papers in psychology journals and his research is frequently featured by international media.
5. Gary Namie
Workplace bullying is now a widely recognized phenomenon, thanks to Dr. Namie, who is the leading authority on the subject and the director of the Workplace Bullying Institute. He wrote the largest-ever US survey on workplace bullying and is the author of several books. Dr. Namie taught psychology and management courses for over two decades, and was recognized with teaching awards.
6. Fred Luthans
The study of organizational behavior, now a well-recognized subject in management, stemmed from the work of Dr. Fred Luthans. In his early research, Dr. Luthans applied reinforcement as a means of improving employee performance. His “Organizational Behavior Modification Theory” has been rated among the top eight theories in organizational psychology, based on importance, validity and usefulness. His research interests also include international management and leadership. He has received many awards and holds an honorary doctorate from DePaul University.
7. Victor Vroom
Dr. Vroom of Yale University is one of the leading experts in the fields of organizational behavior, leadership and decision making. In 1964, he published a seminal book Work and Motivation. He is the recipient of numerous awards, including Distinguished Scholarly Contribution Award from the Academy of Management and Distinguished Scientifc Contributions Award from the Society of Industrial and Organizational Psychology.
8. Jeffrey Stanton
Dr. Jeffrey Stanton is a professor in the School of Information Studies at Syracuse University. His research focuses on job satisfaction, work-related stress and psychometrics, as well as on the relationship between organizational behavior and technology. He has published numerous research papers and several books.
9. Dennis Organ
Certain behaviors improve the functioning of the organization, although they are not necessarily rewarded or recognized. I/O psychologists call these behaviors “organizational citizenship”, a term coined by Dr. Organ, professor emeritus of Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business. Dr. Organ’s research efforts have produced four books and over 50 articles. His expertise was recognized by several professional societies. He was elected a fellow of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology and received the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the University of North Carolina.
10. Marc Effron
Although not an academic, Marc Effron has influenced the field of I/O psychology by helping some of the world’s largest companies improve the quality of their talent. He is the founder of the Talent Quarterly Magazine, which brings together global management leaders. He is also the president of the Talent Strategy Group. He co-authored several books, including the best-selling One Page Talent Management: Eliminating Complexity, Adding Value.
11. Morgan McCall
Dr. McCall is a professor of management and organization at the University of Southern California’s School of Business, where his research focuses on the development of the next generation of leadership. In his book High Flyers, he challenges the conventional wisdom that best executives possess a set list of traits, and proposes that successful executives are characterized by their ability to learn and adapt to novel situations. Dr. McCall’s accomplishments have earned him several awards, including the Distinguished Professional Contributions Award from the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology.
12. Wendong Li
The interaction between individual and environmental factors that promote proactivity is the main topic of Dr. Wendong Li’s research. Dr. Li obtained a PhD in Management in 2013 and is currently an assistant professor at the Kansas State University. He has published numerous articles and book chapters and was featured in an interview by the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology.
13.Maya Shankar
The influence of Dr. Shankar’s work impacts people worldwide. She holds a PhD from Oxford University and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Stanford University. She is currently the senior White House policy advisor. In her current role, she uses her behavioral science expertise to influence federal programs and policies. She is coordinating Social and Behavioral Science Team in an effort to use science and innovation to promote government performance and efficiency.
14. Greg Oldham
“Job Characteristics Theory” is based on the principle that challenging tasks serve as motivation, whereas monotonous or boring tasks suppress motivation and lead to employee dissatisfaction. This theory was developed by Dr. Oldham, a professor at Tulane University, and his colleague Richard Heckman. The theory provides a set of principles for enriching jobs and is widely used by organizations. Dr. Oldham’s research has been published in prestigious journals in the fields of organizational psychology and management. He is a fellow of the Academy of Management, Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology and the American Psychological Association
15. Steven Sauter
The field of occupational health and safety has been greatly influenced by the work of Dr. Steven Sauter. In his work, he used behavioral sciences to promote workers’ health and safety and implemented practices that reduce work-related injuries and promote workers’ wellbeing. He edited several influential books, which are used as textbooks across the world.
16. Thomas Cox
Work-related stress is one of the biggest factors that lowers productivity and affects employee health. Our current understanding of the negative consequences of stress are largely due to research efforts of Sir Thomas Cox, the chair of Occupational Health Psychology and Management at Birbeck University of London. His desire to make a difference in people’s working lives through research has led to the publication of many articles and books. He also received numerous awards for his accomplishments, the major one being the recognition of the Queen Elizabeth II in 2000.
17. Cary Cooper
Sir Cary Cooper is the Distinguished Professor of Organizational Psychology at Lancaster University. He is one of the world’s leading experts in the areas of occupational health and workplace stress. He has written on subjects of work-life balance, improving performance and burnout. He has authored many journal articles and is the recipient of many prestigious awards, the greatest one being the recognition by the Queen Elizabeth II in 2001.
18. Edward Deci
Keeping employees motivated and productive is a prominent topic of I/O psychology. Dr. Deci, a professor of psychology and social sciences at the University of Rochester, along with his colleague Dr. Richard Ryan coined self-determination theory (SDT), which describes individuals’ self-motivation. SDT is widely employed today, not only in organizations, but also in sports, health care, education and relationships.
19. Richard Ryan
Co-founder of SDT, Dr. Ryan is an internationally recognized researcher in the fields of motivation and wellbeing. He has published over 250 research articles, books and book chapters and given addresses worldwide. He is currently a professor of Clinical and Social Sciences at the University of Rochester
20. Edward Lawler
The issue of employee compensation is an important aspect of management and Dr. Lawler is one of the leading contributors in this field of research. He is the Distinguished Professor of Business at the University of Southern California and has been recognized as one of the leading figures in management and human resources by several major publications, including Fortune and BusinessWeek. In his latest book, Effective Human Resource Management he discusses how the role of human resources should change to meet the demands of modern and future markets.
21. Richard Klimoski
Dr. Klimoski is the director of the Society for Human Resource Management and is a professor in the School of Management at George Mason University. His research is focused on effective management and successful leadership. He has published in and served on the editorial board for numerous journals and co-authored several books. He is a Fellow of the Academy of Management, the American Psychological Association, the Association of Scientific Psychology and the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology. He is also a member of the advisory board of several businesses and foundations.
22. Nancy Tippins
Selection of employees is one of the first and most important steps in ensuring an organization’s effectiveness. Dr. TIppins combines her psychology expertise and leadership skills to help companies select employees, reduce hiring mistakes and develop their leadership strategies. She is a former president of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology and is a recipient of the society’s Distinguished Service Award.
23. Elaine Pulakos
Dr. Pulakos’ work focuses on performance management reform. She has written articles that have fundamentally shifted performance management. Her influence in the field has been recognized by numerous awards, including the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology’s Distinguished Professional Contributions Award. She has authored several books, which provide practical advice on management methods that improve performance.
24. Lawrence James
Many companies are increasingly relying on personality tests as an aid in employee selection. Dr. James is a professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology and is one of the founding partners of Innovative Assessment Technology, which specializes in new methods of personality assessment. He has published over 70 articles as well as the book Personality in Work Organizations, which covers topics such as leadership, job performance and team functioning.
25. Wayne Cascio
An expert in human resource management, Dr. Cascio is a professor of management at the University of Colorado Denver. His research efforts have produced 27 books and over 150 articles and helped shape the direction of research in industrial and organizational psychology. He is a recipient of the Career Achievement Award by the Academy of Management.
26. Eduardo Salas
Dr. Salas, a professor at the University of Central Florida, is another recipient of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology’s Distinguished Professional Contributions Award. His research helps organizations foster team work, facilitate training effectiveness, develop performance measuring tools and design learning environments, to name a few. He has co-authored over 300 journal articles and book chapters and has co-edited 15 books.
27. Robert Lord
Dr. Lord, currently a professor of Leadership at the Durham University, uses neurocognitive science to understand leadership, emotions and identity. Through his research efforts, he has published over 125 articles and book chapters and has greatly influenced the modern view of leadership. His research on control theory published in the 2010 Annual Review of Psychology is considered to be one of the leading influences in shaping research in that area. He received the Leadership Quarterly Distinguished Scholar Award and the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology Distinguished Scientific Contribution Award.
28. Richard Arvey
Discrimination and bias in the selection of employees have become important topics in modern management. Research on this topic has been greatly influenced by Dr. Arvey of the National University of Singapore. Dr. Arvey has demonstrated that genetic factors play a role in a range of job attitudes and behaviors. He has published more than 100 articles, book chapters and reports. He has received numerous awards and has been recognized as one of the top 10 most published authors by the Journal of Applied Psychology and Personnel Psychology.
29. Rob McKenna
Dr. McKenna is the Chair of the Department of Industrial-Organizational Psychology at Seattle Pacific University. His main interest is helping leaders during challenging times. He is the author of several books, including Dying to Lead: Sacrificial Leadership in a Self-Centered World.
30. David Yamada
Dr. Yamada is another expert on workplace bullying and the host of the blog Minding the Workplace. He is the director of the New Workplace Institute at Suffolk University. He wrote the first law review article on the subject of workplace bullying and drafted the Healthy Workplace Bill. He often speaks at international conferences and has been quoted by influential media such as The Wall Street Journal and Fortune. |
The Internet, it seems, has found its version of vinyl chic.
Just as the LP has enjoyed a second spin among retro-minded music fans, animated GIFs — the choppy, crude snippets of video loops that hearken back to dial-up modems — are enjoying an unlikely vogue as the digital accessory of the moment.
Hypnotically repeating GIFs are popping up in art galleries in Berlin, Miami and New York. In fashion advertising, they are suddenly as hot as ironic brogues, popping up in online marketing campaigns for brands like Burberry, Diesel and Jack Spade. Online, there are GIF contests both highbrow and low, and “Best of” GIF roundups.
And social media sites like Tumblr have entire pages devoted to viral GIFs plucked from the biggest news events of five minutes ago (political speeches, awkward awards-show moments and other pop-cultural flotsam), which instantly circulate as must-see memes.
“For people in their 20s, GIFs are a relic of their childhood, so it makes sense they would come back as a fashion statement — just like ’70s fashion came back in the ’90s, and the ’90s are coming back around now,” said Jason Tanz, the executive editor of Wired. |
Handling Django Settings Files¶
I have seen a lot of talk over the past couple years about how to handle different settings files and databases, synced between production and development. I have happened onto a way of doing it that makes me happy, and figured I would share it with the world.
File structure¶ I use a file structure that looks like this: project / settings / __init__ . py ( empty ) base . py sqlite . py postgres . py The base.py contains all of the configuration options that are shared among the databases. INSTALLED_APPS, etc. All of the DATABASE settings should be specified in the more-specific files. As well as things that differ by environment, like remote servers, cache settings, cookie domains, and other things. This allows you to run the sqlite settings file, and have it be set to localhost, or whatever your development settings are. Then in production you just run against the postgres settings. A good example of this being used in practice is on Read the Docs. But wait, there’s more!
manage.py for dev¶ ./manage.py is great for development. It is the easiest way to get started, and it automatically sets up your paths and stuff. With my setup, I actually explicitly set manage.py’s settings file to the sqlite file. This means that whenever you are using manage.py, you are in a development context. So, what do you do about production? |
Django Versus Flask: When Django is the Wrong Choice
I love and use Django in lots of my personal and client projects, mostly for more classical web applications and those involving relational databases. However, Django is no silver bullet.
By design, Django is very tightly coupled with its ORM, Template Engine System, and Settings object. Plus, it’s not a new project: it carries a lot of baggage to remain backwards compatible.
Some Python developers see this as a major problem. They say that Django isn’t flexible enough and avoid it if possible and, instead, use a Python microframework like Flask.
I don’t share that opinion. Django is great when used in the appropriate place and time, even if it doesn’t fit into every project spec. As the mantra goes: “Use the right tool for the job”.
(Even when it is not the right place and time, sometimes programming with Django can have unique benefits.)
In some cases, it can indeed be nice to use a more lightweight framework (like Flask). Often, these microframeworks start to shine when you realize how easy they are to hack on.
Microframeworks to the Rescue
In a few of my client projects, we’ve discussed giving up on Django and moving to a microframework, typically when the clients want to do some interesting stuff (in one case, for example, embedding ZeroMQ in the application object) and the project goals seem more difficult to achieve with Django.
More generally, I find Flask useful for:
Simple REST API backends
Applications that don’t require database access
NoSQL-based web apps
Web apps with very specific requirements, like custom URL configurations
At the same time, our app required user registration and other common tasks that Django solved years ago. Given its light weight, Flask doesn’t come with the same toolkit.
The question emerged: is Django an all-or-nothing deal?
The question emerged: is Django an all-or-nothing deal? Should we drop it completely from the project, or can we learn to combine it with the flexibility of other microframeworks or traditional frameworks? Can we pick and choose the pieces we want to use and eschew others?
Can we have the best of both worlds? I say yes, especially when it comes to session management.
(Not to mention, there are a lot of projects out there for Django freelancers.)
Now the Python Tutorial: Sharing Django Sessions
The goal of this post is to delegate the tasks of user authentication and registration to Django, yet use Redis to share user sessions with other frameworks. I can think of a few scenarios in which something like this would be useful:
You need to develop a REST API separately from your Django app but want to share session data.
You have a specific component that may need to be replaced later on or scaled out for some reason and still need session data.
For this tutorial, I’ll use Redis to share sessions between two frameworks (in this case, Django and Flask). In the current setup, I’ll use SQLite to store user information, but you can have your back-end tied to a NoSQL database (or a SQL-based alternative) if need be.
Understanding Sessions
To share sessions between Django and Flask, we need to know a bit about how Django stores its session information. The Django docs are pretty good, but I’ll provide some background for completeness.
Session Management Varieties
Generally, you can choose to manage your Python app’s session data in one of two ways:
Cookie-based sessions: In this scenario, the session data is not stored in a data store on the back-end. Instead, it’s serialized, signed (with a SECRET_KEY), and sent to the client. When the client sends that data back, its integrity is checked for tampering and it is deserialized again on the server.
Storage-based sessions: In this scenario, the session data itself is not sent to the client. Instead, only a small portion is sent (a key) to indicate the identity of the current user, stored on the session store.
In our example, we’re more interested in the latter scenario: we want our session data to be stored on the back-end and then checked in Flask. The same thing could be done in the former, but as the Django documentation mentions, there are some concerns about the security of the first method.
The General Workflow
The general workflow of session handling and management will be similar to this diagram:
Let’s walk through session sharing in a little more detail:
When a new request comes in, the first step is to send it through the registered middleware in the Django stack. We’re interested here in the SessionMiddleware class which, as you might expect, is related to session management and handling: class SessionMiddleware(object): def process_request(self, request): engine = import_module(settings.SESSION_ENGINE) session_key = request.COOKIES.get(settings.SESSION_COOKIE_NAME, None) request.session = engine.SessionStore(session_key) In this snippet, Django grabs the registered SessionEngine (we’ll get to that soon), extracts the SESSION_COOKIE_NAME from request ( sessionid , by default) and creates a new instance of the selected SessionEngine to handle session storage.
Later on (after the user view is processed, but still in the middleware stack), the session engine calls its save method to save any changes to the data store. (During view handling, the user may have changed a few things within the session, e.g., by adding a new value to session object with request.session .) Then, the SESSION_COOKIE_NAME is sent to the client. Here’s the simplified version: def process_response(self, request, response): .... if response.status_code != 500: request.session.save() response.set_cookie(settings.SESSION_COOKIE_NAME, request.session.session_key, max_age=max_age, expires=expires, domain=settings.SESSION_COOKIE_DOMAIN, path=settings.SESSION_COOKIE_PATH, secure=settings.SESSION_COOKIE_SECURE or None, httponly=settings.SESSION_COOKIE_HTTPONLY or None) return response
We’re particularly interested in the SessionEngine class, which we’ll replace with something to store and load data to and from a Redis back-end.
Fortunately, there are a few projects that already handle this for us. Here’s an example from redis_sessions_fork. Pay close attention to the save and load methods, which are written so as to (respectively) store and load the session into and from Redis:
class SessionStore(SessionBase): """ Redis session back-end for Django """ def __init__(self, session_key=None): super(SessionStore, self).__init__(session_key) def _get_or_create_session_key(self): if self._session_key is None: self._session_key = self._get_new_session_key() return self._session_key def load(self): session_data = backend.get(self.session_key) if not session_data is None: return self.decode(session_data) else: self.create() return {} def exists(self, session_key): return backend.exists(session_key) def create(self): while True: self._session_key = self._get_new_session_key() try: self.save(must_create=True) except CreateError: continue self.modified = True self._session_cache = {} return def save(self, must_create=False): session_key = self._get_or_create_session_key() expire_in = self.get_expiry_age() session_data = self.encode(self._get_session(no_load=must_create)) backend.save(session_key, expire_in, session_data, must_create) def delete(self, session_key=None): if session_key is None: if self.session_key is None: return session_key = self.session_key backend.delete(session_key)
It’s important to understand how this class is operating as we’ll need to implement something similar on Flask to load session data. Let’s take a closer look with a REPL example:
>>> from django.conf import settings >>> from django.utils.importlib import import_module >>> engine = import_module(settings.SESSION_ENGINE) >>> engine.SessionStore() <redis_sessions_fork.session.SessionStore object at 0x3761cd0> >>> store["count"] = 1 >>> store.save() >>> store.load() {u'count': 1}
The session store’s interface is pretty easy to understand, but there’s a lot going on under the hood. We should dig a little deeper so that we can implement something similar on Flask.
Note: You might ask, “Why not just copy the SessionEngine into Flask?” Easier said than done. As we discussed in the beginning, Django is tightly coupled with its Settings object, so you can’t just import some Django module and use it without any additional work.
Django Session (De-)Serialization
As I said, Django does a lot of work to mask the complexity of its session storage. Let’s check the Redis key that’s stored in the above snippets:
>>> store.session_key u"ery3j462ezmmgebbpwjajlxjxmvt5adu"
Now, lets query that key on the redis-cli:
redis 127.0.0.1:6379> get "django_sessions:ery3j462ezmmgebbpwjajlxjxmvt5adu" "ZmUxOTY0ZTFkMmNmODA2OWQ5ZjE4MjNhZmQxNDM0MDBiNmQzNzM2Zjp7ImNvdW50IjoxfQ=="
What we see here is a very long, Base64-encoded string. To understand its purpose, we need to look at Django’s SessionBase class to see how it’s handled:
class SessionBase(object): """ Base class for all Session classes. """ def encode(self, session_dict): "Returns the given session dictionary serialized and encoded as a string." serialized = self.serializer().dumps(session_dict) hash = self._hash(serialized) return base64.b64encode(hash.encode() + b":" + serialized).decode('ascii') def decode(self, session_data): encoded_data = base64.b64decode(force_bytes(session_data)) try: hash, serialized = encoded_data.split(b':', 1) expected_hash = self._hash(serialized) if not constant_time_compare(hash.decode(), expected_hash): raise SuspiciousSession("Session data corrupted") else: return self.serializer().loads(serialized) except Exception as e: # ValueError, SuspiciousOperation, unpickling exceptions if isinstance(e, SuspiciousOperation): logger = logging.getLogger('django.security.%s' % e.__class__.__name__) logger.warning(force_text(e)) return {}
The encode method first serializes the data with the current registered serializer. In other words, it converts the session into a string, which it can later convert back into a session (look at the SESSION_SERIALIZER documentation for more). Then, it hashes the serialized data and uses this hash later on as a signature to check the integrity of the session data. Finally, it returns that data pair to the user as a Base64-encoded string.
By the way: before version 1.6, Django defaulted to using pickle for serialization of session data. Due to security concerns, the default serialization method is now django.contrib.sessions.serializers.JSONSerializer .
Encoding an Example Session
Let’s see the session management process in action. Here, our session dictionary will simply be a count and some integer, but you can imagine how this would generalize to more complicated user sessions.
>>> store.encode({'count': 1}) u'ZmUxOTY0ZTFkMmNmODA2OWQ5ZjE4MjNhZmQxNDM0MDBiNmQzNzM2Zjp7ImNvdW50IjoxfQ==' >>> base64.b64decode(encoded) 'fe1964e1d2cf8069d9f1823afd143400b6d3736f:{"count":1}'
The result of the store method (u’ZmUxOTY…==’) is an encoded string containing the serialized user session and its hash. When we decode it, we indeed get back both the hash (‘fe1964e…’) and the session ( {"count":1} ).
Note that the decode method checks to ensure that the hash is correct for that session, guaranteeing integrity of the data when we go to use it in Flask. In our case, we’re not too worried about our session being tampered with on the client side because:
We aren’t using cookie-based sessions, i.e., we’re not sending all user data to the client.
On Flask, we’ll need a read-only SessionStore which will tell us if given key exists or not and return the stored data.
Extending to Flask
Next, let’s create a simplified version of the Redis session engine (database) to work with Flask. We’ll use the same SessionStore (defined above) as a base class, but we’ll need to remove some of its functionality, e.g., checking for bad signatures or modifying sessions. We’re more interested in a read-only SessionStore that will load the session data saved from Django. Let’s see how it comes together:
class SessionStore(object): # The default serializer, for now def __init__(self, conn, session_key, secret, serializer=None): self._conn = conn self.session_key = session_key self._secret = secret self.serializer = serializer or JSONSerializer def load(self): session_data = self._conn.get(self.session_key) if not session_data is None: return self._decode(session_data) else: return {} def exists(self, session_key): return self._conn.exists(session_key) def _decode(self, session_data): """ Decodes the Django session :param session_data: :return: decoded data """ encoded_data = base64.b64decode(force_bytes(session_data)) try: # Could produce ValueError if there is no ':' hash, serialized = encoded_data.split(b':', 1) # In the Django version of that they check for corrupted data # I don't find it useful, so I'm removing it return self.serializer().loads(serialized) except Exception as e: # ValueError, SuspiciousOperation, unpickling exceptions. If any of # these happen, return an empty dictionary (i.e., empty session). return {}
We only need the load method because it’s a read-only implementation of the storage. That means you can’t logout directly from Flask; instead, you might want to redirect this task to Django. Remember, the goal here is to manage sessions between these two Python frameworks to give you more flexibility.
Flask Sessions
The Flask microframework supports cookie-based sessions, which means all of the session data is sent to the client, Base64-encoded and cryptographically signed. But actually, we’re not very interested in Flask’s session support.
What we need is to get the session ID created by Django and check it against the Redis back-end so that we can be sure the request belongs to a pre-signed user. In summary, the ideal process would be (this syncs up with the diagram above):
We grab the Django session ID from the user’s cookie.
If the session ID is found in Redis, we return the session matching that ID.
If not, we redirect them to a login page.
It’ll be handy to have a decorator to check for that information and set the current user_id into the g variable in Flask:
from functools import wraps from flask import g, request, redirect, url_for def login_required(f): @wraps(f) def decorated_function(*args, **kwargs): djsession_id = request.cookies.get("sessionid") if djsession_id is None: return redirect("/") key = get_session_prefixed(djsession_id) session_store = SessionStore(redis_conn, key) auth = session_store.load() if not auth: return redirect("/") g.user_id = str(auth.get("_auth_user_id")) return f(*args, **kwargs) return decorated_function
In the example above, we’re still using the SessionStore we defined previously to fetch the Django data from Redis. If the session has an _auth_user_id , we return the content from the view function; otherwise, the user is redirected to a login page, just like we wanted.
Gluing Things Together
In order to share cookies, I find it convenient to start Django and Flask via a WSGI server and glue them together. In this example, I’ve used CherryPy:
from app import app from django.core.wsgi import get_wsgi_application application = get_wsgi_application() d = wsgiserver.WSGIPathInfoDispatcher({ "/":application, "/backend":app }) server = wsgiserver.CherryPyWSGIServer(("127.0.0.1", 8080), d)
With that, Django will serve on “/” and Flask will serve on “/backend” endpoints.
In Conclusion
Rather than examining Django versus Flask or encouraging you only to learn the Flask microframework, I’ve welded together Django and Flask, getting them to share the same session data for authentication by delegating the task to Django. As Django ships with plenty of modules to solve user registration, login, and logout (just to name a few), combining these two frameworks will save you valuable time while providing you with the opportunity to hack on a manageable microframework like Flask. |
Quick: Spent over the cap.
Salary Cap: $101,869,000
Luxury Tax Threshold: $123,733,000
Projected 2019-20 Cap Space ($109 million cap): Up to $19.1 million.
Roster Count: 14 guaranteed, two two-ways
Depth Chart:
PG: Ryan Arcidiacono, Shaquille Harrison
SG: Kris Dunn, Brandon Sampson (two-way), Antonio Blakeney, Rawle Alkins (two-way), Denzel Valentine (injured), Zach LaVine (injured)
SF: Otto Porter, Wayne Selden, Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, Chandler Hutchison (injured)
PF: Lauri Markkanen, Cristiano Felicio
C: Robin Lopez, Wendell Carter Jr. (injured)
Note: Teams often adjust their depth chart throughout the season, sometimes game by game.
Exceptions
Trade Exception (Justin Holiday, expiring 1/3/20) — $1,183,573
Room Exception: $4,449,000
Waived Players: Sean Kilpatrick, Paul Zipser, Julyan Stone, Derrick Walton Jr., Antonius Cleveland, Kaiser Gates, JaKarr Sampson, Omer Asik, Tyler Ulis (two-way), Cameron Payne, MarShon Brooks, Michael Carter-Williams, Carmelo Anthony
Traded Players: Jerian Grant, Justin Holiday, Bobby Portis, Jabari Parker
G-League Affiliate: Windy City Bulls (Brad Seymour president, Brian Hagen general manager, Charlie Henry head coach)
Two-Way Contracts: Rawle Alkins, Brandon Sampson
Two-Way Daily Rate in NBA/G-League: $4,737/$544
Coaching Staff
Head Coach: Jim Boylen
Assistants: Peter Myers, Nate Loenser, Shawn Respert, Dean Cooper, Karen Stack Umlauf
Trainer: Jeff Tanaka, Chip Schaefer (director of sports performance), Arnold Lee (assistant athletic trainer), Armando Rivas (assistant athletic trainer), Matt Johnson (strength coach), Ed Streit (assistant strength coach)
Basketball Executives:
Gar Forman — general manager
Doug Collins — senior advisor of basketball operations
Brian Hagen — associate general manager
John Paxson — executive vice president of basketball operations
Jim Paxson — director of pro personnel
Pick Swaps
2019 — Owed second-rounder from the Memphis Grizzlies (Justin Holiday).
2019 — Owe second-rounder to Philadelphia 76ers (Jose Calderon, Isaac Bonga).
2020 — Owed second-rounder from the Memphis Grizzlies (Justin Holiday), may go to the Houston Rockets (56-60 range, Michael Carter-Williams).
2020 — Owe second-rounder (top-55 protected) to the Oklahoma City Thunder (Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot)
2021 — Bulls can swap second-rounders with New Orleans Pelicans (Nikola Mirotic).
2022 — Bulls can swap second-rounders with Detroit Pistons (Jameer Nelson), may go to Memphis Grizzlies (James Ennis).
2023 — Owe second-rounder (top-36 protected) to the Washington Wizards (Otto Porter).
Cash Paid ($5,243,000 max): $0
Cash Received ($5,243,000 max): $1,065,966 from the Houston Rockets (Michael Carter-Williams), $1,566,570 from the Houston Rockets (Carmelo Anthony), $2,610,464 from the Oklahoma City Thunder (Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot) — $0 remaining
Deadlines
6/29/19 — Qualifying offer deadlines on Wayne Selden and Ryan Arcidiacono.
7/7/19 — Jerian Grant trade exception expires.
7/8/19 — Zach LaVine’s implicit no-trade expires.
8/15/19 — Shaquille Harrison’s $1,588,231 guarantees for 2019-20.
10/31/19 — Team options on Lauri Markkanen, Wendell Carter Jr. and Chandler Hutchison.
Before first day of 2019 season — Extension deadline on Kris Dunn.
1/3/20 — Justin Holiday trade exception expires.
6/29/20 — Qualifying offer deadlines for Kris Dunn, Shaquille Harrison and Antonio Blakeney.
6/30/20 — Otto Porter’s player option.
Before first day of 2020 season — Extension deadline on Lauri Markkanen
10/31/20 — Team options on Wendell Carter Jr. and Chandler Hutchison.
6/29/21 — Qualifying offer deadline for Lauri Markkanen.
Before first day of 2021 season — Extension deadlines on Wendell Carter Jr. and Chandler Hutchison.
6/29/22 — Qualifying offer deadlines on Wendell Carter Jr. and Chandler Hutchison.
Teams and players can renegotiate guarantee dates. The NBA’s general cut-down date is approximately January 10.
Acquisitions
6/21/18 — Drafted Wendell Carter Jr. (7th) and Chandler Hutchison (22nd)
6/28/18 — Issued qualifying offers to Zach LaVine, David Nwaba and Ryan Arcidiacono.
7/3/18 — Wendell Carter Jr. (2018-7th) to a $22,011,467 rookie-scale contract.
7/3/18 — Chandler Hutchison (2018-22nd) to a $10,786,789 rookie-scale contract.
7/7/18 — Traded Jerian Grant to Orlando Magic for Julyan Stone from Chicago Bulls.
7/8/18 — Matched the Sacramento Kings’ offer sheet to Zach LaVine on a four-year $78 million contract.
7/12/18 — Revoked qualifying offers to David Nwaba and Ryan Arcidiacono.
7/14/18 — Renounced the rights to Noah Vonleh, David Nwaba and Ryan Arcidiacono.
7/14/18 — Signed Jabari Parker to a two-year $40 million contract, team option on final season.
7/20/18 — Re-signed Antonio Blakeney (ending his two-way) to a two-year $4,922,903 contract.
7/23/18 — Claimed Antonius Cleveland off waivers (Atlanta Hawks).
7/25/18 — Signed Rawle Alkins to a two-way contract.
7/31/18 — Re-signed Ryan Arcidiacono to a partially-guaranteed one-year $1,349,383 minimum contract.
8/14/18 — Signed Derrick Walton Jr. to a non-guaranteed one-year $1,349,383 minimum summer contract.
9/17/18 — Signed JaKarr Sampson to a non-guaranteed one-year $1,567,007 minimum summer contract.
9/17/18 — Signed Kaiser Gates to a non-guaranteed one-year $838,464 minimum summer contract.
10/14/18 — Claimed Tyler Ulis off waivers (Chicago Bulls).
10/15/18 — Converted Tyler Ulis to a two-way contract.
10/21/18 — Signed Shaquille Harrison to a partially-guaranteed two-year $2,899,496 minimum contract.
10/30/18 — Picked up team options on Lauri Markkanen, Kris Dunn and Denzel Valentine.
12/3/18 — Fired Coach Fred Hoiberg.
12/4/18 — Promoted Jim Boylen to head coach.
12/27/18 — Signed Brandon Sampson to a two-way contract.
1/3/19 — Traded Justin Holiday to the Memphis Grizzlies for MarShon Brooks, Wayne Selden and two second-rounders (2019 and 2020).
1/7/19 — Traded a protected 2020 second-rounder (from the Memphis Grizzlies) to the Houston Rockets for Michael Carter-Williams and $1,065,966.
1/10/19 — Ryan Arcidiacono’s $1,349,383 guaranteed for 2018-19.
1/10/19 — Shaquille Harrison’s $1,311,265 guaranteed for 2018-19.
1/22/19 — Traded the rights to Tadija Dragicevic (2008-53rd) to the Houston Rockets for Carmelo Anthony, the rights to Jon Diebler (2011-51st) and $1,566,570.
2/1/19 — Traded a top-55 protected 2020 second-rounder to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot and $2,610,464.
2/6/19 — Traded Bobby Portis, Jabari Parker and a protected 2023 second-rounder (top-36 protected) to the Washington Wizards for Otto Porter.
Expired 10-Day Contracts: None
Free Agents (with Cap Holds)
None
Non-Guaranteed Salaries
None
Unsigned Draft Picks:
First-rounders: None
Second-rounders: Jon Diebler (2011-51st), Albert Miralles (2004-39th)
Arena: United Center
Trade Kickers
None
Note: Players can waive their trade bonuses.
No-Trade: Zach LaVine (7/8/19 — cannot be traded to Sacramento Kings until then)
Archives
2017-18
2016-17
2015-16
2014-15
2013-14
2012-13
Cap Holds
For notes on some of the rules and an explanation of cap holds, please refer to the following Salary Notes.
Salary and team data change quite often. If you notice a discrepancy, please notify Basketball Insiders Senior Writer Eric Pincus.
(Updated on 2/10/19) |
Intel introduced "Intel Data Protection Technology for Transactions" to get maximum security in every transactions. It provides end-to-end encryption of consumer and financial data on point of sale platforms.
In the last month, many retailers get hacked by point of sale malwares. Intel claims that the "Intel Data Protection Technology for Transactions" can protect the customer's data more effectively and efficiently.
You might also like : Kmart Hacked
The Intel Data Protection Technology for Transactions combines software optimized for retailers with Intel hardware, including Intel Core and select Intel Atom processors, to deliver a higher level of security from the start of a transaction until transaction data is stored on a bank server.
It adds an extra layer of software, to protect the payment process, complementing current retail investments in EMV (Europay, MasterCard and Visa) credit card authorization, tokenization and other data protection technologies.
It helps close the gaps between data transmitted between POS devices and the data centerand support supports all modern forms of credit and debit payment including EMV (Europay, Mastercard and Visa), magnetic stripe and near field communication (NFC) transaction readers, including Google Wallet, Softcard and Apple Pay.
The technology works with all retail POS form factors that have select Intel processors in their retail POS networks, including tablets.
Karen Webster,CEO of Market Platform Dynamics said "It's never been more important, or more difficult, for retailers to manage and protect data across the payment ecosystem.
"Intel's Data Protection Technology for Transactions security architecture does the obvious thing – it separates transaction processing from the POS – making that data less accessible and therefore more likely to be out of the reach of hackers. That can only help give both retailers and consumers more confidence that their POS experience is secure." |
The CIA agent who was jailed for blowing the whistle on the United States' illegal torture program has made a statement about what the nation's electorate must demand from White House hopefuls this election season.
The whistleblower, John Kiriakou, was sentenced to 30 months in prison in 2013 after pleading guilty to releasing the name of an officer implicated in a CIA torture program to the media and violating the Intelligence Identities Protection Act.
"Our country is in crisis, whether it is because of our apparently seamless escalation into a permanent wartime economy, our inability to wage peace in the Middle East and South Asia, or our national compulsion to prosecute and humiliate national security whistleblowers," he said in a statement.
"The quest for peace must be a part of our presidential election. Instead of arguing which candidate would be more likely to use drones, more likely to bomb our enemies, real or perceived, or more likely to use the stick, rather than the carrot, we must demand that those candidates commit themselves to the pursuit of peace both here and abroad.
"Without peace, we will continue down the long road toward anarchy and hatred," he added.
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Kiriakou made the statement ahead of receiving on Sunday the Sam Adams Associates for Integrity in Intelligence (SAAII) award.
SAAII said in a statement that the whistleblower "was the first U.S. government official to confirm (during a national news interview in December 2007) that waterboarding—which he described as torture—was used to interrogate al Qaeda prisoners. Kiriakou also stated that he found U.S. 'enhanced interrogation techniques' immoral, and that Americans are 'better than that.'"
Kiriakou has previously said that "the entire torture program was approved by the president himself," and that he doubts the U.S. government "would ever have the guts to charge someone at the level of a Dick Cheney or of a CIA director ... with crimes against humanity." |
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