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, particularly in the south. But regardless of the expansion, Iran still spends far less on the Houthis compared to what it spends on allies in Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon—even since the start of the war. That being said, Iran’s role has deepened since the launch of Operation Decisive Storm: in the face of increasing isolation, the Houthis have been forced to turn to Iran—their only clear international ally—rendering its role even more important than it was before. This calls into question the viability of Saudi aims of eliminating Iran’s role in Yemen. Owing at least in part to its sustainable, comparatively low-cost strategy, it would appear that—barring some grand bargain between the Iranians and their Saudi Rival—that Iran’s influence in Yemen is here to stay. Iran still spends far less on the Houthis compared to what it spends on allies in Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon—even since the start of the war. How would the Conflict Repercussions Be Reflected on Yemen? The Saudi-led war on Yemen has had a dramatic effect on Yemen, leaving the country overcome by a storm of humanitarian, economic and societal repercussions. It is the humanitarian repercussions, perhaps, that are most dramatic. The war has effectively shut off internal and external shipping and distribution routes, leading to fuel and food shortages and leaving an estimated 80% of Yemenis in need of humanitarian assistance. The breakdown of health care systems in some parts of the country—particularly the conflict-wracked southern port of Aden—has led to the resurgence of deadly diseases like dengue fever. And the fighting itself has left over 1500 civilians dead, according to World Health Organization (WHO) estimates. Even if the war was to end tomorrow, Yemen’s economy would take years to recover. The nation’s already fragile infrastructure has been battered, foreign investors have nearly completely pulled out, while even prominent Yemeni business families have largely done the same. Blockade on imports have further strangled the Yemeni economy, having a trickledown effect on key importers, traders and those who depend on the goods themselves. Even if the war was to end tomorrow, Yemen’s economy would take years to recover. Equally dramatic, however, have been the societal fissures in the country. The fighting has left Yemen split on sectarian and geographic lines. The fighting in the south of the country has deepened longstanding tensions between the north and the formerly independent south, calling into question the continued viability of Yemeni unity and demanding the right to self-determination. To an even greater extent, the regionalization of the conflict has fueled an unprecedented rise of sectarian sentiment in Yemen, one that has been echoed by media channels which have simplistically—and dangerously—cast the Houthis and Yemenis who support them as heretical, “Safavid” tools of foreign powers. These factors have been epitomized by the growth of Al Qaeda in south Yemen: Al Qaeda, taking a staunchly sectarian tone, has positioned itself as the “protector” of Yemen’s Sunnis, broadening its support and going as far as to take effective control of the eastern port of Mukalla. Beyond the deepening of these issues, the continuation of the conflict would inevitably deepen the regional involvement in the country, opening it up to new parties. Qatar, to a certain point, has been an increasing player in Yemen’s politics and, despite siding with Saudi Arabia in the current conflict, maintains its own networks of alliances in Yemen. In addition to state actors, there is also the risk of increasing activity by non-state actors. Most notably, Yemen has become home to an increasingly active branch of the Islamic State (IS) group, which has managed to steal recruits from al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula AQAP while launching a series of devastating attacks targeting mosques in Sana’a. On the surface, regardless, there remains an overall Yemeni and international understanding that there needs to be a political resolution to the conflict. That being said, there remains no political resolution on the horizon, as no party is willing to make the necessary concessions. Most significantly, there has yet to be strong pressure against any party by its regional supporters to push for peace and compromises; indeed, at the moment, both Tehran and Riyadh are fueling their proxies in Yemen more than actually pressuring them to stop fighting. Beyond the deepening of these issues, the continuation of the conflict would inevitably deepen the regional involvement in the country, opening it up to new parties. Exploring Peace Opportunities While Yemen appears to be careening towards the precipice, there still remain opportunities to end the war and prevent the repetition of a Syria scenario. As the conflict deepens, it remains all the more crucial for international actors to pursue these opportunities, in addition to using the deteriorating humanitarian and political situation in Yemen to pressure the warring parties

CLEVELAND, January 16, 2017 – In case you missed it, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame recently released the names of the organization’s upcoming 2017 Inductees: Joan Baez Electric Light Orchestra Journey Pearl Jam Tupac Shakur Yes In addition, the Hall of Fame is also honoring Nile Rodgers with an Award of Excellence. The 2017 inductees will be honored this spring at the 32nd Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, which will take place Friday, April 7, 2017 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York City. On-sale dates for tickets to the event will be announced this month. This year’s Induction Ceremony will once again have its television premiere on HBO, and a radio broadcast on SiriusXM. Broadcast details TBD but likely this month. A limited number of pre-sale tickets will be available for Rock & Roll Hall of Fame members in advance of the public sale date. To be eligible for the member pre-sale, you must have been an active Rock & Roll Hall of Fame member by December 31, 2016. Back at the Hall of Fame HQ and museum in Cleveland, Ohio, a special exhibition highlighting the 2017 Inductees will open there on March 30. For more information on upcoming events and exhibits, visit rockhall.com or follow the Rock Hall of Fame on Facebook, Twitter (@rockhall) and Instagram (@rockhall). Cornerstone buildings there. “It was important that it really feel more real than just a playground,” he said. “We never wanted a curtain to look behind. No place where it gave it away.” Church leaders said they also considered the fear tolerance of children with such realism — but concluded the value of biblical authenticity outweighed the chance it would scare children. The ceiling above the central area is painted with clouds and sky and two 30-foot shooting stars. There are 400 simulated candles to create day and night environments. Inside classrooms are carpet floors and ceiling tiles resembling wood planking. Asked whether the animatronics was too extravagant, Hagee said no — not when today's culture bombards children with competing venues for their attention on Sundays, from recreational sports to theme parks to kid-themed pizza restaurants. “If casinos can build opulent buildings to incentivize gamblers to want to come and enjoy their weekend, how then can you justify not building something that would incentivize people to come and hear about the Word of God?” he said. “I don't have any problem with somebody saying it's over the top.” Children's ministry experts agreed. “Churches are competing with things that capture kids' attention,” said Christine Yount Jones, executive editor of Children's Ministry Magazine. “Not every church can afford the animatronics.... But every church should do something that pulls in and loves children.” The MOS Technologies 6851, popularly known as the SID, is a legendary sound synthesiser integrated circuit from the early 1980s that is most famous for providing the Commodore 64 home computer with its ability to make noise. At the time it was significantly better than what could be found in competitor machines, making it a popular choice for today’s chiptune and demo scene artists. There’s a snag for a modern-day SID-jockey though, the chip has been out of production for a quarter century and is thus in short supply. Emulation is a choice, but of little use for owners of original hardware so it’s fortunate that [Petros Kokotis] has produced a SID replacement using a Teensy 3.6. The operation is simple enough, the Teensy provides all the requisite SID data lines via some level shifters for the host microcomputer, and uses [Frank Boesing]’s ReSID library to do the heavy lifting part of being a SID. You can download the code from a GitHub repository, and he’s posted a video we’ve put below the break showing a prototype in action with a real Commodore 64. The audio quality isn’t brilliant due to a phone camera recording from a very tinny speaker, but notwithstanding that it has the air of the real thing. This isn’t the first SID we’ve seen here. How about a MIDI synth using one?

These coins were found in Stange Church in Hedmark county. They were made for King Eirik Magnusson between the years 1285 and 1290. About 80 per cent of all the coins found by Norwegian archaeologists under church floors are from the Middle Ages. (Photo: Lill-Ann Chepstow-Lusty / Cultural History Museum / UiO) Archaeologists have unearthed vast quantities of coins, pearls, and hairpins under the floors of medieval churches throughout Scandinavia. More than 20,000 coins have been found in Norway alone, half of which date to between 1180 CE and 1320 CE. Norway was likely home to thousands of wooden churches in the Middle Ages, known as stave churches. Twenty-eight of them have been preserved to this day and a few hundred other churches with roots in medieval times have also survived. More than 100,000 coins discovered so far Archaeologists in Norway, Sweden, and Denmark have all made similar discoveries of a great numbers of coins and other objects under wooden church floors. In total, more than 100,000 coins have surfaced throughout the three Scandinavian countries. Most of the coins were found under church floors in Norway and on the Swedish island of Gotland. "Each of these coins offers a window into religious activity," says Svein Harald Gullbekk, an archaeologist from the University of Oslo, Norway. Read More: Unique Middle Age tapestry gives insight into medieval times Hairpins reveal segregation of male and female churchgoers Gullbekk decided to see if there was any pattern to where the objects were found within the churches. Churchgoers in the Middle Ages would have mostly stood during the service, with only the old and infirm sitting on benches along the sides of the building. There was probably also a clear division between the sexes: Women, likely stood on the north side of the church and men on the south side. "When we investigated where hairpins, pearls, and other objects associated with women were found in Bunge church in Gotland [Sweden], we found that more than 95 per cent of them were on the north side of the nave," says Gullbekk. This confirms that medieval churches maintained a strict division men and women, where women were required to stand on the side of the church associated with the dark and cold forces of nature. The men meanwhile, stood on the south side. Read More: Research reveals origins of Norwegian altarpieces A lot of loose change in church "The extensive discoveries under church floors give us a wonderful insight into the culture of piety in Norway and Scandinavia in the Middle Ages," says Gullbekk. "They also tell us a lot about the use of money in ecclesiastical contexts,” he adds. Other recent research suggests that people brought a lot of coins to church to buy salvation and shorten their stay in purgatory or to escape hell. But Gullbekk does not think that people intentionally placed coins in between the floorboards. He believes that people simply lost coins that fell to the floor. And he believes that it happened during the church offering part of the service. The discovery of so much loose change underneath the Norwegian churches reveals how widespread coins had already become in Norway, 800 years ago. The extensive use of coins in churches has been documented earlier in Norway than in neighbouring Sweden and Denmark. Read More: Thrifty medieval bailiffs accidentally saved Old Norse texts Only in Nordic countries and Switzerland Wooden churches during the medieval times are rare. In Europe, most old churches have stone floors. Besides the Nordic region, only Switzerland and a few other places have churches with wooden floors, explaining why most finds of this nature occur in the Nordic countries. They provide new insights into people’s lives and beliefs during the Middle Ages, between 700 and 800 years ago. “The environmental conditions for preservation under the floors of our old wooden churches are exceptionally good. They’ve stayed dry here for hundreds of years. And for the most part they’ve been left alone,” says Gullbekk. Read More: 800-year-old well casts new light on medieval murder Coins discovered throughout Norway The Norwegian coins were discovered across the country, from Hvaler church in the south to Trondenes church just outside Harstad municipality in the north. Researchers found most of the objects under old church floors in inland parts of central Norway. "If you go into a Norwegian wooden church that hasn’t been investigated by archaeologists yet, I can guarantee you that there are a lot of coins under the floor," says Gullbekk. ---------------- Read more in the

Calling foreign influence on U.S. elections “a matter of national security,” FEC commissioner Ellen Weintraub is joining her colleague Ann Ravel in calling for the full commission to plug the flow of foreign money into American political campaigns. In a new memo to her five fellow commissioners, Weintraub writes that the Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizens United decision created “new avenues for corporate political activity would make our democracy vulnerable to foreign individuals, corporations, and governments that seek to manipulate our elections.” Weintraub will ask the full FEC at its meeting on Thursday to begin the process of writing new regulations to deal with Citizens United and foreign money. Weintraub cites recent reporting by The Intercept on a $1.3 million donation by a U.S. corporation owned by Chinese citizens to a Super PAC backing Jeb Bush as evidence that this is not a “hypothetical” issue. “A person would have to be wearing some very rose-colored glasses,” Weintraub writes, “to think there are not foreign operatives interested in exploiting any vulnerability to influence our elections.” Her fellow commissioner Ann Ravel called on the FEC to take action in August, in the wake of The Intercept’s story. The Citizens United decision opened up a peculiar loophole for foreign money. Federal law prohibits “foreign nationals” — a legal term encompassing foreign individuals, corporations and governments — from putting money into the U.S. political process. But federal law also states that any company legally incorporated in the U.S., no matter its ultimate ownership, is a U.S. national. This was not a significant concern prior to the Citizens United decision, because corporations had been largely barred from spending money on federal elections. By lifting that ban on corporate political donations, Citizens United changed the equation and made it possible for a corporation that is 100 percent owned by foreigners to participate in U.S. politics. Barack Obama warned in his State of the Union address immediately after the Citizens United ruling that foreign-owned corporations would now be able to “spend without limit in our elections.” Justice Samuel Alito, part of the Citizens United majority, was in the audience and shook his head at Obama’s claim, mouthing “not true.” The Intercept obtained a memo from Charles Spies, one of the Republican Party’s top campaign finance lawyers, written for a client and showing exactly how to do it. Weintraub is asking the FEC to direct its counsel to begin the process of creating new regulations to close the Citizens United loophole and prevent corporations with significant foreign ownership from participating in U.S. elections. “Our courts have said that foreign money may be barred from our elections,” Weintraub writes in her conclusion. “Congress has said that foreign money must be barred from our elections. The American public has the right to expect the Federal Election Commission to ensure that foreign money is barred from our elections.” Ravel’s proposal, also on the agenda for this Thursday’s FEC meeting, would not go as far as Weintraub’s. Rather than calling for the commission to create entirely new regulations, Ravel is asking the commission to rescind previous advisory opinions that outlined how foreign-owned corporations could legally spend small amounts of their own money to set up a company-sponored political action committee that would then receive donations from U.S. citizens. Spies relied on those opinions in his memo to create an avenue for foreign-owned corporations to make unlimited donations to Super PACs from their own treasuries. There is cause for skepticism that the FEC will take action on either proposal. The commission has six members and by law no more than three can be from the same political party. In the past this had led to frequent 3-3 deadlocks, with the Republican commissioners consistently voting against investigations or new regulation of campaign donations. Weintraub and Ravel are the commission’s two Democrats; Steven T. Walther, an independent, often votes with them.

Serious concerns are held for a Sydney dentist who disappeared from the CBD in the early hours of Sunday morning. Key points: Preethi Reddy, 32, has been working at a dental surgery in the lower Blue Mountains for one year Preethi Reddy, 32, has been working at a dental surgery in the lower Blue Mountains for one year She hasn't been seen since early Sunday morning and colleagues say they are "terrified" She hasn't been seen since early Sunday morning and colleagues say they are "terrified" Police have described her disappearance as out of character Preethi Reddy, 32, was last seen on George Street and police said her grey Volkswagen Golf was also missing. Dr Reddy was recorded on CCTV buying two bottles of water at the McDonald's on George Street at 2am and has not been heard from since. A NSW Police spokeswoman described Dr Reddy's disappearance as "out of character" and said they were appealing to the public for information. Dr Reddy's colleagues say they are "terrified" after she vanished at the weekend. ( Supplied: Facebook ) Dr Reddy worked at Glenbrook Dental Surgery, 70 kilometres west of Sydney, for the past year. Her colleagues at the surgery said they were "terrified" and had been unable to sleep since her disappearance. "It's devastating, and this is completely out of character," dental assistant Chelsea Holmes told the ABC. "We got called on Monday asking if she had turned up to work … and now we are just hoping and none of us have been able to sleep. "I spoke to her last Thursday and it was'see you next week' and completely normal. "Now I am just praying she will be found." Ms Holmes said patients were offering to help with the search. A Facebook page set up to help locate Dr Reddy has amassed over 2,000 followers. Photo by Pana Vasquez Hack Your City Each Friday we ask you for your best city tips: driving tips, restaurant recs, things to do, and any other advice for visitors and locals. Sometimes the weekly topic is a specific city; other times it's an aspect of all cities, so everyone can participate. Prev Next View All They made an entire city out of that Donald Glover show. And it’s got lots of tricks to it. If you need to get to a street called Peachtree, make sure it’s definitely the Peachtree Street, and not the 70 other Atlanta streets with “Peachtree” in the name. And when an inch of snow freaks out the city, stay off the road if you don’t want to get T-boned. Each Monday on Hack Your City, we ask readers for your best tips on a city: driving tips, restaurant recs, things to do, and any other advice for visitors and locals. Then on Thursday, we present the best comments. We’re working our way around the U.S. and around the globe. Atlanta readers, what would you tell a visitor about the city? What’s your favorite thing about the city? What’s underrated and overrated? What bar or restaurant or store could really use more business? What are the best local festivals, parades, and parties? What’s it like to live there long term? What would you tell someone who just moved there? Where should they move, what mistakes should they avoid, how can they meet new people? And what tricks do you trade with other longtime residents? Are there bars that like to reward their regulars? Is there a highway to avoid on your commute, or a great neighborhood that’s just hard to get to? Tell us below, and we’ll feature the best tips in a new post on Thursday.

MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minnesota Vikings cut their roster to 53 players on Saturday. Here’s at the 53-man roster with starters in bold: Quarterback (3): Kirk Cousins, Trevor Siemian, Kyle Sloter The Vikings built their quarterback room with a player to fill every role: Cousins, the clear-cut starter, Siemian, the experienced backup and Sloter, the developmental QB with promise. Sloter’s solid performances in preseason games don’t hold as much weight as Siemian’s 24 NFL starts, so while he isn’t expected to jump the former Bronco on the depth chart, keeping three quarterbacks on the active roster was an important move for a franchise well-versed in the need for depth at the position. Vikings revised game-by game prediction Here's how Minnesota Vikings reporter Courtney Cronin sees the season playing out. Date Opp. W-L Sept. 9 vs. 49ers W Sept. 16 at Packers L Sept. 23 vs. Bills W Sept. 27 at Rams L Oct. 7 at Eagles W Oct. 14 vs. Cardinals W Oct. 21 at Jets W Oct. 28 vs. Saints L Nov. 4 vs. Lions W Nov. 18 at Bears L Nov. 25 vs. Packers W Dec. 2 at Patriots L Dec. 10 at Seahawks W Dec. 16 vs. Dolphins W Dec. 23 at Lions L Dec. 30 vs. Bears W Cronin's original game-by-game prediction Running back (4): Dalvin Cook, Latavius Murray, Mike Boone, Roc Thomas Boone and Thomas, two undrafted free agents, impressed coaches with their versatile skill sets and what they can provide as change-of-pace running backs. Keeping both on the 53-man roster is also a smart move for the future with Murray a pending free agent after the 2018 season. Fullback (1): C.J. Ham Ham provides great pass protection and can be part of various personnel groupings. He’s also a solid special-teamer. Wide receiver (5): Adam Thielen, Stefon Diggs, Laquon Treadwell, Stacy Coley, Brandon Zylstra Minnesota had a ton of wide receivers in camp but the depth options were limited behind Stacy Coley and Brandon Zylstra. Treadwell’s surge kept Kendall Wright off the 53-man roster while adding a player like Zylstra brings an important physicality the Vikings hope translates to the red zone. Treadwell, Coley and Zylstra are also important assets on special teams. Tight end (3): Kyle Rudolph, David Morgan, Tyler Conklin The Vikings don’t have anyone opposite Rudolph to stretch the field vertically after not drafting an F tight end. Rudolph’s production could spike during his time working with tight end aficionados John DeFilippo and Kirk Cousins while this position group will also be relied on heavily for blocking purposes. Offensive line (9): Riley Reiff, Tom Compton, Pat Elflein, Mike Remmers, Rashod Hill, Brett Jones, Aviante Collins, Brian O’Neill, Danny Isidora Elflein was activated off the PUP list, meaning his return shouldn’t be far off. In the meantime, the Vikings will look to Brett Jones or Danny Isidora to fill in at center for Week 1 and possibly longer. Minnesota may still look to upgrade the offensive line in the coming days. 53-Man Roster Projections Every NFL team must cut its roster to 53 players by 4 p.m. ET Saturday, Sept. 1. Check out NFL Nation's roster projections here. More NFL coverage » Defensive line (9): Everson Griffen, Danielle Hunter, Sheldon Richardson, Linval Joseph, Jaleel Johnson, Tashawn Bower, Stephen Weatherly, Jalyn Holmes, David Parry This year, the Vikings went with more defensive tackles than they did edge rushers. They have the depth at 3-technique behind Richardson, but flushing out their reserve options behind Joseph at nose tackle will be something that takes place over the course of the season and is a reason Parry is on the 53-man roster. Linebacker (5): Anthony Barr, Eric Kendricks, Ben Gedeon, Eric Wilson, Devante Downs Seventh-round pick Downs beat out Reshard Cliett, Garret Dooley and Antwione Williams for the fifth linebacker spot. Minnesota chose to go with less depth here given the options it has to get creative with defensive backs in hybrid linebacker roles. Secondary (11): Xavier Rhodes, Trae Waynes, Mackensie Alexander, Mike Hughes, Holton Hill, Marcus Sherels; Harrison Smith, Andrew Sendejo, George

[Excerpt from Book IV of the Books of Babel] Behind a veil of stubborn clouds, beneath a crystal dome, sweet cherry trees ripened in a park at the heart of Helios. The glass shell that encased the Tower’s crowning city collected the scheduled fog. The condensation turned into a hesitant rain that pattered upon the canopy of fruit trees. Beyond the garden, gold and silver turrets shone with the diffuse light of evening, while song birds tested the limits of their sky and flew circles about the spires. Adamos Boreas stood on a stool plucking cherries from the lower branches and placing them into a basket hooked upon his arm. He wore a starched shirt, slender trousers, and his suspenders off his shoulders. His jacket dangled from the stump of a branch above a pair of hard leather shoes into which he had stuffed his socks. Beyond the park’s lush hedge, Adam heard the clatter of a passing railcar. A lively dialogue rumbled through the walls of the city’s landmark theater, a structure that looked like an egg stood upon its sharper end. Despite the noise, he felt blissfully alone. He hadn’t had more than a handful of minutes to himself since arriving in Helios two weeks earlier. It was novel to hear his own breath come and go, a novelty to think his own thoughts, which seemed suddenly commonplace and small in the absence of an audience. He tugged cherries from branches and thought of how his mother used to dry fruit on the windowsills of his childhood home. He heard the rustle of someone crossing the lawn but didn’t stop his pleasant work. “There you are,” she said. She still wore her evening dress, a black shift that flattered her long limbs and longer hair that was as pale as chamomile. “Celeste,” Adam said, stepping off his stool. Again, he enjoyed the cool prickle of grass on the bare soles of his feet. “I thought you were watching the show.” “I thought you were, too. Mauvis saw you slip out. He’s worried you don’t like hismasterpiece,” she said, smiling at a joke they’d only recently begun to share. “Of course, I do. But after two or three or six viewings it begins to stir up…hard memories.” “Your sister,” Celeste said. “Yes. Always Voleta. But also…” He looked down, searching for an answer, but then distracted by the beauty of the emerald bright grass. It seemed more precious and exotic than the finest woven rug. “There were so many years of my life when I felt misunderstood. I believed I was only lacking opportunities. Never purpose or self-possession. No, I was just waiting for a fair shot. But now, after confronting so much of my past, I’ve started to wonder if I didn’t know myself half so well as I thought.” “You always wanted to be a cherry-picker, is that it?” she said, a gentle joke. He nearly laughed. “No. No, I just wanted to do something with my hands for a moment, if only to give my head a break. It didn’t work.” He held the basket to her, offering her a cherry, though instead she took the handle and set the hamper down. She kicked off her slippers and stepped closer till her toes wriggled over his. He smiled as she reached up to stroke his cheek. “Now, where’s our director?” he asked, his eye shining with a little mischief. “Oh, who cares?” She felt along the edge of his black satin eyepatch, slipping a fingernail under it. “Don’t,” he said. “It’s ugly.” Her smile broadened but saddened at the same time. She let the edge of the patch go. “One day you’ll show me all of you.” She leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. “So, tell me, Adamos Boreas, Son of the Western Plains of Ur, what sort of wicked thoughts are you trying to chase off with your gardening?” His posture softened as she kissed him again. He placed his hands on her hips, drew her closer to him. “Nothing,” he said softly. “Come on. Still trying to figure out what to do with all those gold fixtures you squirreled away in your room? Still plotting ways to

The finished template for the search results we are going to create and fill with real content later. (Large preview) Let’s start with the poster. Add a rectangle of 72 × 104 pixels at the left edge, with a spacing of 2 grid units from the artboard’s edge and the line above. Name it “Poster.” A black shadow with the properties “0/4/6/0” (X/Y/blur/spread) and 30% opacity will give it a slightly raised appearance. The properties for the shadow of the poster. (Large preview) Right next to it, with another horizontal spacing of 2 grid units, add a text layer for the “Title” (use exactly that as the content). The font size should already be at 16 pixels. For the color, choose the same as the header’s background (get it from the “Document Colors” in the color dialog). Make it bold with Cmd + B, and move it so that the top of the text (not the text box) is at the same height as that of the poster. Use the arrow keys to fine-tune this position. Duplicate it for the “Director” (as above, use this as the content), move it down and align its baseline to a grid line. Once you have lowered the font size to 14 pixels, this should give it a spacing of about 2 pixels from the previous text layer. For the weight, use “Regular” again, and for the color, the black color we saved to the “Document Colors” earlier. More Text Continue with the description in the same fashion: Duplicate the previous text layer with Cmd + D, and move it down so that there’s spacing of about 2 grid units in between, after you have aligned its baseline to the grid. You just need to make sure that the filler text has two lines: Use the well-known placeholder “Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit” as the content for now, but set the width of the text layer to 230 pixels in the Inspector panel. This will create a fixed text layer that automatically breaks at the right, creating two lines of text. Tighten the line spacing to 16 pixels in the Inspector panel, which will align both lines to the grid. For the description, add a text layer, and manually set its width to 230 pixels in the Inspector panel. This will create a fixed text layer that breaks to two lines. (Large preview) Because these will be just the first two lines of the description, we will add a so-called “disclosure triangle” that indicates more text. Create a triangle (from “Insert” → “Shape” → “Triangle” in the toolbar) with dimensions of 8×6 pixels, and flip it vertically with a right-click and “Transform” → “Flip Vertical.” In case you have difficulty getting these measurements, switch off the grid temporarily with Ctrl + G and zoom in a bit with Cmd + +. Assign this triangle the same color as the text, and center it to the second line of the description (you can switch on the grid again now). To make it independent of the text length, move it to the right edge of the artboard, with a spacing of 2 grid units. Finally, rename it to “Disclosure,” and make sure that it is above the adjacent text layer in the layers list. Time And Time Again For the remaining two text layers — the year and running time — we can take the text layer of the “Director” as the base again. Duplicate it, move it down, so that there is another spacing of about 2 grid units from the description, but change the content to something like “2000” (so that we have a good indication of how long a typical year will be). As before, its baseline should align to the grid. Hold Alt, drag it to the right with the mouse to create another copy, and change this one to “|” to separate it from the year. You may also want to press Shift while dragging to keep it on the same line. Add the last layer in the same fashion, with “Running time” as the content. These text layers should have a horizontal spacing of about 4 pixels from each other. Hold Alt (⌥) and drag the text layer of the year ("2000") to the right, to make a copy for the separation line. Repeat to create the text layer for the running time. The only thing we have to do before we can start pulling in some real content is the rating. First, it contains a circle with a diameter of 28 pixels

of his epigones, we want to pause for a while to look at the conception developed by Lenin to explain the new class nature of the Social Democratic workers' parties, following their betrayal of the proletarian camp. History posed the following question to revolutionaries: for decades European social democracy, founded by Marx, Engels and others, which was born out of bitter and prolonged workers' struggles, has constituted a real instrument for the defence of working class interests. But now virtually the whole of the social democratic movement, including both the mass parties and the unions, was aligned with the national bour­geoisie of their respective countries against the workers of other countries. How could one define the class nature of this monstrous product of history? To give an idea of the shock that this be­trayal caused among the tiny minority which still clung to revolutionary internation­alist positions, we can recall for example Lenin's astonishment when he saw the edition of Vorwarts (publication of the German Social Democratic Party) announcing the vote by socialist parliamentary delegates in favour of war credits. He thought that it was a fake put out to support the propaganda in favour of the war. We can also recall the difficulties of the Germans Spartacists, led by Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht, in finally breaking the umbilical cord which linked them organically to their "parent or­ganisation". When the war exploded, Social Democratic policy was overtly bourgeois, but the major­ity of members of the parties and unions were still workers. How was such a contra­diction to be explained? The Social Democrats, now patriots, said "this proves that internationalism is not a truly working class concept." Rejecting such an analysis Lenin replied, following the same logic, that not all workers had re­jected internationalism, but only a "privi­leged minority" which was "removed from the sufferings, miseries, and revolutionary sentiments of the ruined and impoverished masses." Lenin's concern was perfectly correct: to show that the fact that the European proletariat had allowed itself to be drawn into the imperialist war did not mean that wars of this kind corresponded to the interests of the working class in the different countries concerned. But the arguments he used were false, and disproved by reality itself. Lenin said that the "patriotic" workers were those who had int­erests in common with "their" national cap­ital, which corrupted a "labour aristocracy" by throwing it "a few crumbs of profit." How large is this corrupted section of the working class? "An infinitesimal part," replies Lenin in The War and the Second International; "the labour leaders and the upper stratum of the labour aristocracy," he says in the preface to Imperialism, the Highest Stage of Capitalism. But reality demonstrates: 1. that it was not an "infinitesimal" minority of the proletariat which benefitted from the expansion of capitalism at the end of the nineteenth and start of the twent­ieth centuries, but all industrial workers. The abolition of child labour, the restric­tion of female labour, the reduction of the working day to ten hours, the creation of state schools and public hospitals, etc -- all these measures, which workers' struggles had extracted from capitalism during a period of rapid expansion, had benefitted above all the "lowest", most exploited strata of the working class; 2. that Lenin's vision of an infinitesimal minority of corrupted workers, isolated in the middle of a gigantic mass of suffering workers who were possessed by "revolutionary sentiments", was, on the eve of World War I, pure invention. Almost all workers in the principal powers -- poor or rich, qualified or unqualified, unionised or non-unionised, answered the call to arms and wanted to de­feat the "enemy" and massacre them in the defence of "their" national masters; 3. that the "economic explanation" about the "crumbs of profit" shared out by the imper­ialist power among their qualified workers does not make any sense. First of all be­cause, as we have seen, it was not a tiny minority of workers whose conditions had improved during the period of capitalist ex­pansion, but all workers in the industrial­ised countries. Secondly because, by defin­ition, the capitalists do not share out their profits, nor their super-profits with those whom they exploit. The increased wages and greatly improved living standards of workers in the indust­rialised countries was not the result of the generosity of capitalists who were prepared to share out their profits, but of the successful pressure that workers in this period were able to apply to their national capitalisms. The economic prosperity of capitalism at the end of the nineteenth century led everywhere to a reduction in the number of unemployed workers in capitalism's "reserve army". On the labour market, labour power as a commodity

A section of the cave painting. Image : Griffith University Archaeologists in Indonesia have stumbled upon an extraordinarily old cave painting which appears to depict human-like figures in pursuit of wild pigs and buffaloes. It’s quite possibly the oldest portrayal of a hunting scene in the archaeological record, but the vague nature of the artwork leaves it open to interpretation. New research published today in Nature describes the discovery of an approximately 43,900-year-old cave painting found at the Leang Bulu’ Sipong 4 site in South Sulawesi, Indonesia. The lead authors of the new study, archaeologists Adam Brumm and Maxime Aubert from Griffith University in Brisbane, Australia, say it’s a hunting scene, making it the oldest on record—assuming their interpretation is correct. One of the experts we spoke to said the painting, which depicts a series of human-like figures around several animals, may represent something else entirely. A wide view of the entire painting, with annotations. Image : Griffith University Regardless of what exactly it depicts, this piece is significant due to its extreme age, the sophistication of the artwork, and its geographical location. Assuming the dating was done correctly, it’s now the oldest known figurative art drawn by early modern humans. “This is a very important paper,” said Chris Stringer, a physical anthropologist from the Natural History Museum in London who wasn’t involved with the new research, in an email to Gizmodo. First, some important context before we dive into the details. Older cave art dating to around 64,000 years ago has been discovered in Europe, but those drawings, featuring animals, dots, geometric signs, and hand stencils, were almost certainly produced by Neanderthals. An older, non-figurative art piece attributed to our species was recently unearthed in South Africa in the form of a 73,000-year-old cross-hatched pattern drawn onto a smooth rock. And in 2014, the same Griffith University researchers from the new study found the oldest known cave paintings produced by early modern humans—a series of hand stencils dating back some 40,000 years, also in Sulawesi. As for cave paintings depicting hunting scenes, in which both humans and animals are unambiguously shown together, that’s surprisingly rare. Prior to the new discovery, the oldest known hunting scenes belonged to Upper Paleolithic European cultures, sometimes referred to as Magdalenian cultures, dating to around 21,000 to 14,000 years ago, including the famous drawing found at The Shaft in Lascaux France, which depicts a wounded bison charging a bird-headed humanoid. These artworks inspired the idea that Magdalenian cultures kickstarted these sorts of figurative, or representational, drawings, to which all subsequent cave artists owe their inspiration. The new discovery at Leang Bulu’ Sipong 4 effectively overturns this Eurocentric assumption. Found in 2017, the 43,900-year-old cave painting appears to be a single composition that measures around 4 meters (13 feet) wide. The painting isn’t perfectly legible due to bright splotches that formed over it, but much of the scene is still visible. The artist, or artists, appears to be depicting tiny human-like figures who are brandishing spears and/or ropes as they pursue buffaloes and pigs. Possible therianthropes, in which hunters are depicted as part-human, part-animal beings (the red arrow up top shows the figure’s ‘beak’) Image : Griffith University Fascinatingly, the figures were drawn as human-animal hybrids—an abstraction or impression known as therianthropes. While rare, anthropologists and archaeologists have seen this sort of representation before. “Previously, the earliest relatively unambiguous image of a therianthrope known to archaeology was the so-named ‘Lion-man’ figurine from Germany, a sculpture of a part-human, part-cave lion being carved out of mammoth tusk,” Brumm told Gizmodo in an email. “This was found in 1939 in cave deposits believed to around 40,000 years old. The meaning of this image has been extensively debated for decades; some think it represents a trancing shaman transforming into a lion, others think it is an image of a spirit or god or some sort of supernatural creature, and others think it just depicts a guy wearing an animal skin.” Clearly, therianthropes are evidence of highly developed thinking. In this case, the figures, with body parts borrowed from lizards and birds, were used to convey a story or possibly some kind of spiritual meaning. Consequently, this might be the oldest known depiction of spiritual or mythical

(Photo by Mark Goldman/Icon Sportswire) Chris Davis is now two seasons removed from being the incredible slugger we remember from just a few years ago. He followed up his 7.0 WAR, 53 home run 2013 season with another fantastic season in 2015, bombing 47 long balls en route to 5.4 WAR. Davis was one of the leaders of the three true outcomes style that many embrace today. He was usually walking, striking out, or hitting it out of the park. Recently, he’s been doing a lot of walking and striking out, but not enough of that hitting it out of the park thing to make him the star he was. Davis was solid in 2016, posting a 2.8 WAR, but then followed that up with a.1 WAR last season. This year, he has managed to be worth -.4 WAR in just 84 plate appearances. The results are not there, and there is one glaring problem with Davis. Since the beginning of 2016, Davis has the 4th highest strikeout rate of hitters (min. 650 PA) at 34.6%. It’s incredibly high, but not an outlier with respect to the league. Davis was still striking out over 30% of the time in his star seasons. But in that same time period, he has struck out looking in 12.8% of his appearances. 22 hitters have struck out less overall than Davis has struck out looking. The only two players exceeding even 10% are Keon Broxton (11.7%) and Steven Souza (10.2%). Let’s look at some of the pitches Davis has watched this year: [gfycat data_id=”FemaleFeistyIrishterrier”] [gfycat data_id=”ShamefulCommonAfricanpiedkingfisher”] [gfycat data_id=”GlaringFakeIndri”] [gfycat data_id=”ColorfulFantasticAfricanbushviper”] On all four, Davis watches a pitch down the middle, looks straight ahead, and walks back to the dugout. We aren’t looking at breaking balls bending back into the zone. We are looking at straight fastballs down the pipe that Davis just watches fly by. And those are just from this season. Using that same since 2016 time frame, Davis has the 48th lowest swing rate of 265 hitters at 42.5%. He’s clearly a patient hitter, which you can attribute to his ability to draw walks. His basic swing tendencies do not set itself apart. But here comes the problem with him watching strikes. Davis has the fifth-lowest two strike swing rate in that time, a stark difference from his 48th ranked overall swing rate. Examine this chart, with the ten lowest hitters in two strike swing rates and the difference between their overall swing rate and two strike rate: Davis barely changes his swing approach with two strikes. He does not rank that low in basic swing rate, but he has the tenth-lowest increase in swing rate between his overall rate and two-strike rate. The nine players in front of him, though, have an average overall swing rate of about 50%. The players who change their approach less than Davis with two strikes are already significantly more free-swingers. Davis, Broxton, and Joey Gallo are the only players in the league who have swung less than 50% of the time with two strikes and increased their two-strike swing rate less than 7%. Gallo actually has lowered his swing rate with two strikes, which, just…I don’t know what to say about that. You can see in two of the GIFs above that Davis takes obvious strikes with a full count. So, what about swing rates with a full count, the count that generates the most swings? Davis puts himself even closer to the bottom, having the third lowest swing rate in the league on full counts. He is even more of an outlier with full counts. Besides Gallo, who’s swing rates really make absolutely no sense, Davis is the only player with a full count swing rate less than 60% and a difference of less than 17% between his overall and full count rate. We aren’t dealing with a case of pitchers being terrified to throw strikes to him. This is not 2015 Chris Davis, but maybe Davis thinks it is, because he just refuses to swing even in situations that almost certainly demand a swing. I calculated the z-scores for two strike swing rates, difference of overall and two strike swing rates, full count swing rates, and difference of overall and full count swing rates. I added the z-scores for the two strike swing rate and two strike difference, and the same for full count. Plotted is the two strike z-score total against the full count z

Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption UK shouldn't be afraid of US farm exports, says former Trump adviser A former top trade adviser to US President Trump has told the BBC "there is a level of panic" around Brexit "that is not justified". Stephen Vaughn, who served as acting trade representative before becoming general counsel on trade, stressed the UK has "enormous leverage" in a potential trade deal with the US. On a deal's likelihood, he said the Trump administration is "ready to go". The UK will be able to strike its own trade deals only after leaving the EU. As a member of President Trump's negotiating team, Mr Vaughn had a key role in the talks with Canada and China, before leaving the administration in April. In reference to a potential UK deal, he compared the situation with US-Canada negotiations: "No one would say, 'Canada has to join the US in a union or Canada will get steamrolled by the US'." "You have an enormous amount of leverage, and we'll see how you use it," he added, speaking in his first broadcast interview since leaving the Office of the US Trade Representative. On US preparations for a potential deal with the UK, he said that Robert Lighthizer, the current US Trade Representative, had done all the preparations needed. 'Months or years' However, he acknowledged that agreeing a deal could take "months or years". The US Trade Representative, sometimes shortened to USTR, is the president's top adviser on international trade. The team negotiates directly with foreign governments to create trade agreements and participate in global trade policy organisations. Concerns have been raised over the impact of a deal on life in the UK, including whether US drugmakers would demand the ability to sell to the NHS. Another key export for the US is agricultural products, but the fact farming methods in the US don't fall under the EU regulations has led some to worry about food standards. Image copyright AFP Image caption Could Boris Johnson and Donald Trump agree a trade deal together? Mr Vaughn emphasised that the US would like a deal to involve the expansion of farm exports, saying he doesn't think it's "something people should be afraid of". The trade expert, who now works in the private sector, also played an active role in the Trump administration's trade war with China. He said that a key aspect of those talks was to make sure the two sides comprehended each other: "You really just want to make sure everybody is understanding the issues and what is at stake." 'No yelling and screaming' He added that the talks are very "serious" and there is no "yelling and screaming". Mr Vaughn stressed that the US is concerned about various Chinese practices and that it wants to see Chinese businesses become more "market-oriented". He went on to defend the use of tariffs against China: "You're trying to figure out, how do you get leverage on the other people?", he explained, adding that Mr Trump is not satisfied with the status quo he inherited. On the impact of tariffs, he rejected the idea that the measures may be having a negative effect on US business. "When you look at the actual data, we have by far the largest economy in the G7 and our manufacturing sector continues to grow," he argued. US business groups have called for a rethink on tariffs, including the National Retail Federation, which has complained about the administration "doubling down on a flawed tariff strategy". Image copyright Alamy The former top adviser to President Trump, Gary Cohn, has also warned that the tariffs are backfiring. Speaking in an earlier interview with the BBC, Mr Cohn criticised the approach the Trump administration is taking against China, saying: "I think everyone loses in a trade war." Mr Cohn, who served as director of the National Economic Council in the Trump administration, announcing he was resigning after Mr Trump decided to impose import tariffs on steel and aluminium. Mr Vaughn became the acting USTR on Trump's inauguration day in January 2017, staying on until Mr Lighthizer was confirmed in May 2017. He served as Mr Lighthizer's general counsel until the end of April 2019. Before entering the White House, he was a partner at US law firm King & Spalding, a role to which he has returned. On his departure, a statement by Mr Lighthizer read: "Stephen has played a central role in shaping and implementing the President's trade policies."

likely include many people with primary depression, which can cause prolonged fatigue and often responds to interventions like those being tested in PACE. (In contrast, many people with ME/CFS get depressed as a secondary result of their illness experience.) “The Oxford criteria clearly select for a lot of patients with primary depression, and people who are depressed do react very well to CBT and exercise,” said Jason, who has published widely on the ME/CFS case definition problem. Positive outcomes in the sample among depressed patients without ME/CFS could therefore lead to the unwarranted conclusion that the therapies worked for people with the disease, he added. *** The PACE investigators were aware of these concerns, and they promised to study as well two subgroups of participants from their Oxford criteria sample who met additional case definitions: an updated 2003 version of the CDC’s 1994 definition for chronic fatigue syndrome, and a separate definition for myalgic encephalomyelitis. That way, they hoped to be able to draw conclusions about whether the therapies worked, no matter how the illness was defined. Yet this approach presented its own challenges. Neither of the two other definitions required fatigue to be the primary symptom, as did the Oxford criteria. The myalgic encephalomyelitis definition did not even include fatigue per se as a symptom at all; post-exertional malaise, not fatigue, was the core symptom. And under the CDC definition, patients could present with any of the other symptoms as their primary complaint, as long as they also experienced fatigue. Given these major differences in the case definitions, an unknown number of patients might have been screened out of the sample by the Oxford criteria but still met one of the other sets of criteria, making it hard to interpret the subgroup findings, according to other researchers. (The PACE investigators and I debated this methodological issue in an exchange of letters in The New York Times in 2011, after an article I wrote about case definition and the PACE trial.) Bruce Levin, the Columbia University biostatistician, said the PACE investigators should not have assumed that the experience of a subgroup within an already defined population would match the experience of a group that hadn’t been pre-screened. “I would not accept an extrapolation to people diagnosed with alternative criteria from a subgroup comprising people satisfying both sets of criteria rather than just the alternative set of criteria,” he said, adding that reviewers should catch such questionable assumptions before publication. Tomorrow: Publication of the PACE trial

circumstance, this team still seems poised to win games and be a tough out. Dayfri is still one of the best centers in the league. He also seems to gel really well with Demon JT, as the two got a headstart on their chemistry by combining forces in Pro-Am. It looks as if the team surrounded the duo with proper pieces for success. The organization seems to truly care about success and the risks it took this offseason only further prove that. We need not question whether or not this Wizards team will give 110 percent every time they take the stage stage; their trash talk alone makes them must-see TV. But trash talk won’t count in the win column in what figures to be an ultra-competitive league, and the Wizards will have to back up that trash talk without the services of a former MVP candidate. Matchup to watch: Week 2 vs. Mavs Gaming Expected floor: Lottery team Expected Ceiling: Fringe playoff team This team will win a championship if… Demon JT and Dayfri prove to be an incredible duo. There’s no denying that Wizards DG has quality assets. Just like last season, however, the team’s fortunes will hinge on the output of its star players. On paper, the Wizards may not look like title favorites, but as last season showed, chemistry and a lethal pick and roll duo gets you pretty far in this league. Dayfri and Demon JT may be more motivated than ever, and if they harness that motivation and take it to the court, the Wizards will be a formidable opponent night in and night out. Individual Award Predictions Most Valuable Player Will – oFAB, Celtics Crossover Gaming: As you’ll see with my next prediction, I’m big on the guards this year, and there are few point guards on the same level as Fab. The Celtics missed the playoffs last season in one of the more disappointing ends to a season for any NBA 2K League team, but it’s hard to count out a team with this much talent for a second year. Also, consider the following: Fab fell victim to not being able to change his jumpshot for weeks (months?), which matters! And don’t forget he averaged 17.1 assists per game. SEVENTEEN assists every game! That’s 3.5 assists per game more than Radiant, second in the league in that stat. The Celtics’ draft also looked to build around its franchise cornerstone, adding a shooting guard in Bully with the eighth overall pick and the center they wanted in NO xAUTOGRAPHSx in the second round. Look for a rejuvenated Fab—in both body and mind—to take over in season two. He was the second overall pick ever for a reason, you know. Josiah – Radiant, 76ers GC: This is the point guard’s year. More precisely, this is the scoring point guard’s year, and there are few point guards who can score like Radiant. The 76ers have preserved the core elements of its pace-setting offense, and with an extra year in the system and a league build perfectly suited to his game Radiant is poised to capitalize on the likely spike in offense like no other guard. Winning MVP takes more than individual talent, but on top of what will almost certainly be an impressive statistical campaign, being the best player on one of the best teams in the league certainly won’t hurt his case against players like MamaImDatMan (Blazer5 Gaming) and Dimez (Mavs Gaming). Len – Radiant, 76ers GC: Radiant was arguably the best point guard in season one. He stuck it out with his favorite archetype, the sharpshooting playmaker, and never waivered—pre- and post-patch. However, last year’s gameplay didn’t cater to that play style. It wasn’t going to put up the same numbers as other positions, like say, the shot-creating slasher. But this year seems to be a different ball game. A point guard looks to be the life and soul of a team in contention. The exact game a player like Radiant has will prevail and further solidify himself as the best in the world. Rookie of the Year Will – BP, Kings Guard Gaming: Yes, BP. Despite DIMER’s recent report that the third overall pick in this year’s draft was looking for a way out of Sacramento, I’m going to make the risky pick and still say BP will be the most impressive rookie of season two. A trade request doesn’t mean a trade will happen, and internal relationships can always be repaired. If BP does stay with the Kings and regains the trust of his teammates to keep his starting point guard position, I think there

It's been more than 20 years since we were first introduced to classic '90s teen slasher Scream. This movie was a gateway to the horror genre for a whole generation of people who watched it at sleepovers and spent the next several days terrified to answer the phone when they were home alone. Scream is famous for the way it sends up the horror movie genre, bringing to the mainstream the "rules" of horror movies that genre aficionados had known about forever: Don't go anywhere alone, never assume the killer is dead, don't have sex. It's that last one, though, that has probably stuck with audiences most. As Randy, a young Jamie Kennedy and the film's resident horror expert, points out, "virgins never die." This rule, that virgins are the only ones capable of surviving a horror movie, ran deep through the genre for a very long time. It was a pretty simple metaphor for equating sex with deviance and chastity with virtue. Virgins, specifically female virgins, were better people than their sexually active counterparts and thus more deserving of life. Hell, it was in an episode of Boy Meets World. Thankfully, this trope seems to have gone away with time and the evolution of the genre -- and the slow death of the slasher film -- but its legacy still permeates the collective consciousness of horror fans (see, for example, 2012's Cabin in the Woods). Slasher flicks are inherently sexual allegories. They're usually about a psychotic killer of some kind brutally murdering teenagers in a graphic manner. Since teenagers are at the height of their hormone-induced insanity, you can bet sex is going to come into play over the course of these narratives. Again, look at something like Cabin in the Woods, which was its own kind of sendup of the horror genre. Among the archetypes, the company had to find included "the whore," "the fool," and "the virgin," each one representing a certain vice or lack thereof. But Scream is a beast unto itself. While the point of the film is largely just to poke fun at the films that director Wes Craven had made his name on, there is one thing Scream has that other slasher films do not: The murders aren't random. While other horror movie villains may have had their reasons for killing people, Scream's Billy Loomis is far more calculating in his choices. There are no murders of convenience in his plot, and when you consider the victims and his motives it becomes quite obvious that Scream is about more than just some kids taking a joke too far. It's about Billy's desire to punish a group of innocent people all because of his bruised male ego. In order to understand what I mean, we need to start at the end and work backward. In the climax of the film, Sidney Prescott, our main character, discovers that the person behind the half dozen or so Ghostface murders is none other than her boyfriend Billy. Technically, it's Billy and his best friend, Stu, but as the two boys explain their master plan to kill Sidney and frame her father for the murders it becomes glaringly apparent that Billy is the one calling the shots. You see, this all began when Sidney's mother had an affair with Billy's father. Her mother's affairs were an open secret, widely rumored after her death, but in this particular case, Billy's mother discovered her husband's dalliance and left. Billy, upon learning what caused his mother to run off, convinces his best friend to help him commit their very first murder, killing Sidney's mother and framing that crime on Cotton Weary, another man she was sleeping with. The events of Scream take place a year later, when Billy has decided that, since he's still upset about his mom leaving and they've already murdered the woman he blames for it, it's time her daughter suffers. And so begin the Ghostface murders. There are actually not that many deaths, when you think about it, at least not off the top. You've got Casey Becker and her boyfriend Steve at the beginning, setting up the murderer and giving us an iconic scene in the process, but they are the only ones who actually die before the party that marks the film's climax (the principal is also murdered, but it's not until after school is canceled). Instead, Billy and Stu spend the majority of the movie harassing Sidney with menacing phone calls and multiple chase scenes around her home and school. At the end of the movie, Billy and Stu successfully murder five people -- and attempt to murder four others -- while simultaneously attempting to inflict as much psychological distress on Sidney as possible (through phone calls, chases, faking Billy's murder immediately following the loss of her virginity, and attempting to literally murder several people in front of her, including her own father), all because one time her mother had sex with Billy's father and it broke up his family. A single act

Hey guys. Sovereign Sight has now been completely revealed, so here’s a rundown of some thoughts on the new cards. I’ve also theorycrafted some decks from the cards that I found the most exciting! Click the images below for a closer look at the cards. By Any Means: I like this. Multiple instances of Demolition Run with a meat damage drawback, which can be played around with Jarogniew Mercs and IHW. Combines especially nicely with Turning Wheel and Clan Vengeance – hit R&D with a big Turning Wheel run then nuke the hand with Vengeance. Also works well for clearing out multiple assets – maybe not against IG though if their Archives is nasty. Yusuf: Low install cost is good, high memory cost is potentially backbreaking for a card that relies on other viruses. It does have a nice high base strength though and breaking for free has shown to be strong before. Along with the spoiled Friday Chip and the design space opened up by Noise rotating, Yusuf suggests that there might be some pretty interesting viruses coming out this cycle. I’ll reserve judgement on this guy until we see more. Zamba: This is clearly meant to be the recently spoiled 419’s console. I think there’s potentially a really nice 419 denial build but I’ll post a build for that when he’s released. Currently this is pretty unspectacular. Puffer: Stick this on Dhegdeer and four clicks later you can break basically every sentry in the game very cheaply. Without that, currently the most common sentries are Architect (4 to break), Data Raven (5) and probably Ichi 1.0 (8). I don’t think this will be that strong as there have been many attempts at breakers that require hosting or memory manipulation to be efficient, and none have been successful. This is nice with Datasucker too though… Lewi Guilherme: nope, bye. Cyberdelia: Really strong. This is basically a more balanced Shaper Desperado, because you can’t do the classic “run into unprotected archives for free money and suckers” play. Not being unique makes this very efficient. Will definitely see play. Upya: for one thing, fun to say if you’re Australian. For another, this could be pretty good and works exceptionally well with Cyberdelia. Maybe it’s Shaper’s turn to get tools that enable running a lot? Here’s a quick build around that idea: tons o’ runs (41 cards) Ele “Smoke” Scovak: Cynosure of the Net Event (16) 3 Diesel 3 Dirty Laundry 3 Peace in Our Time (•••) 3 Sure Gamble 3 The Maker’s Eye Hardware (5) 3 Cyberdelia 2 Maw (••••) Resource (8) 3 Net Mercur 2 Patron 3 Sacrificial Construct Icebreaker (3) 1 Dagger 1 Paperclip (•••) 1 Refractor Program (11) 1 Cloak 1 Datasucker (•) 1 Upya 1 Misdirection 3 Self-modifying Code 1 Tapwrm (••) The gameplan: run a lot. Patron helps us draw, Datasucker and Maw help us get value from single accesses, and the Tapwrm package either makes us money or slows them down. Plus, we get the standard Smoke Net Mercur value from running. Assimilator: This is an Apex card, and consequently probably sucks. Actually I just don’t know how to evaluate it. Maybe it’s good? I dunno. Asa Group: HOMYGOD. I guess HB’s color pie includes Shaper IDs? I love this and it looks really powerful. This could very well be the new go-to HB ID alongside CI. You can leverage this to gain a free click a good percentage of your turns and can make some very aggressive turn 1 plays. It synergises well with both a glacier and rush/FA style and works amazingly well with Calibration Testing from this pack. Here’s a sample FA/Rush build I put together: Asa FA (49 cards) Asa Group: Security Through Vigilance Agenda (9) 1 Corporate Sales Team 3 Efficiency Committee 2 Elective Upgrade 3 Project Vitruvius Asset (9) 3 Adonis Campaign 3 Marilyn Campaign 3 MCA Austerity Policy Upgrade (6)

information with Israeli government officials and his clearance was suspended, very unusual for an ambassador. Indyk is now Director of the Saban Center for Middle East Policy at Brookings and appears frequently in the media discussing the Middle East. Ilan Berman is another media fixture who is promoted as an expert on Iran and, per his official bio, "an expert on regional security in the Middle East." Berman is a Vice President of the American Foreign Policy Council, a neocon affiliated group that has run television ads promoting taking a hard line with Iran. Berman’s has written Tehran Rising: Iran’s Challenge to the United States and his latest work is Winning the Long War: Retaking the Offensive Against Radical Islam. Berman’s bio does not indicate where he was born or provide details of his education, but he would appear to be an Israeli and his actual knowledge of either Iran or of "Radical Islam" might well be derivative. He is a member of the Ariel Center, a Likud-oriented think tank in Israel, which is partially funded by California bingo magnate Irving Moskowitz. Danielle Pletka, born in Australia, is Vice President for Foreign and Defense Policies at the neocon American Enterprise Institute. Andrew Sullivan, who once worked for her, has described the integrity of her scholarship in an article she wrote urging Washington to tighten the screws on Iran: "The form is set by the neoconservative agenda and she mobilizes a narrative that fills in the blanks to serve that agenda. Unwilling if not incapable of producing an article any other way, she is more than content to reverse engineer her position … Her final statement is telling. ‘…Iran neither needs nor wants accommodation with the West,’ and it is clear to me this would have been her conclusion regardless of what the preceding 800 words had been." Pletka supported the Iraq war, was a leading cheerleader for Ahmed Chalabi, believes in torture, and wants to go to war with Iran. And then there is Itamar Marcus of Palestinian Media Watch. Itamar resides in Israel but is frequently in the United States advising Americans on what they should think about Palestinians. Wikipedia reports this concerning him: "In February 2007 together with Sen. Hillary Clinton he released a report on the newest PA schoolbooks at a press conference in Washington. Marcus testified before the Education Subcommittee of the US Senate Committee on Allocations, documenting the Palestinian Authority’s indoctrination of children to seek death as Shahids –Martyrs – for public relations purposes." Marcus is a featured source for the documentary Obsession: Radical Islam’s War Against the West. Some might recall that Obsession was a neocon DVD production mailed free to millions of Americans shortly before the 2008 election by an organization calling itself the Endowment for Middle East Truth. Good things can sometimes come in pairs as in the case of the Wurmsers. Meyrav was born in Israel and her husband David was born in Switzerland. David was most recently the Middle East adviser to Dick Cheney and he also worked for John Bolton and Doug Feith. He was one of the authors of "A Clean Break," a strategy document provided in 1996 to then and current Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu. Wurmser advocated preemptive strikes against Iran and Syria and abandonment of land for peace deals with the Palestinians. He also supports US military action against Tehran and Damascus. In 2004 he was interviewed by the FBI regarding the passage of classified intelligence to Ahmed Chalabi and also to AIPAC. David’s wife Meyrav was a co-author of "A Clean Break" and founder of Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), which assiduously translates all of the "particularly virulent and anti-US and anti-Israel articles" that it can find in the Arabic press. MEMRI is widely regarded as a front for Israeli intelligence. Meyrav is currently Director of the Center for Middle East Policy for the Hudson Institute and is a contributing expert at the Ariel Center. The list goes on and on. There are the Canadians Anne Bayefsky of the Hudson Institute, who called US protests over the decision to announce 1600 new Jewish homes on the West Bank during Vice-President’s Biden’s visit "hysterical", and David Frum, who allegedly coined the phrase "axis of evil" and is now advancing the new Israeli argument that peace talks with the Palestinians are irrelevant. Other prominent Israelis include Yossef Bodansky, author of The High Cost of Peace: How Washington’s Middle East Policy Left America Vulnerable to Terrorism; Yigal Carmon, a colonel in Israeli intelligence and a co-founder of MEMRI; and Rachel Ehrenfeld, author of Funding Evil, who has testified in Europe and the US that the Palestinian Authority uses its money to subsidize terrorism. Peruvian-born Eleana Benador has been referred to as a "theatrical agent" for a long string of neocons

on the policy “gifts” that Obama had bestowed on the very “dependent” segments of the population he had alluded to in his notorious “47 percent” video. “Especially the African-American community, the Hispanic community, and young people,” he clarified, going into considerable detail about how specific policies benefited each group, thus effectively “buying” their votes. The imprint of race and racism on today’s GOP is not only a matter of rhetoric. It was also reflected in the party’s transparent efforts to disenfranchise poor and minority voters in the run-up to the 2012 election. Throughout the country, Republican legislators and other officials sought to enact new laws or modify established voting procedures that, in virtually all instances, would have made it harder for poor and minority voters to exercise the franchise. From the beginning of 2011 through September of 2012, according to data reported by the Brennan Center at New York University, at least 180 bills restricting voting rights were introduced in 41 states. Ultimately, 25 new laws and two executive actions were adopted in 19 states, ostensibly to reduce voter fraud, although voter fraud has been a non-issue in the United States for decades. In total, these states represented 231 electoral votes, or 85 percent of the total needed to win the presidency. On occasion, Republicans have owned up to the real aim of the new restrictions on voting. After orchestrating the passage of Pennsylvania’s especially restrictive voter ID law in 2012, Mike Turzai, the GOP leader of the state’s House of Representatives, couldn’t help but boast a bit. Said Turzai, “Voter ID, which is going to allow Governor Romney to win the state of Pennsylvania. Done.” Then there was the adviser to Ohio’s Republican governor, John Kasich, who defended the governor’s decree drastically limiting early voting, by saying that “we shouldn’t contort the voting process to accommodate the urban—read African-American—voter-turnout machine.” Most recently, a Republican official in North Carolina was forced to resign after touting ID cards as a way to reduce voting by “a bunch of lazy blacks that wants the government to give them everything.” But these rare admissions merely confirm what was already clear to any neutral observer. “The point,” as journalist Elizabeth Drew noted, was simply “to make it more difficult for constituent groups of the Democratic Party—blacks, Hispanics, low-income elderly and students—to exercise their constitutionally guaranteed right to vote.” Stark as the racial politics of today’s GOP are, they’re just a continuation of views that have their roots in the 1960s. So even as we celebrate the civil rights movement and its string of remarkable campaigns and policy triumphs, we would do well to remember that today’s polarized America, and enduring racial divisions are also legacies of that very same struggle.

�d better grab that Smirnoff Ice poster now while you can, right? Would you rather have your advertising handed to you? Tissue-pack advertising was made popular in Japan, but today it’s spreading to infiltrate the rest of the world. Knowing that advertising fliers were almost never accepted, much less read, Japanese businesses began to hand out pocket packs of tissues with ads on them. This simple but ingenious marketing method works because, well, who would turn down free stuff? Because the giveaway is a useful item, it stays close to the target consumer until it’s been used up. These days, you’d be hard pressed to find pocket packs of tissues in Japanese shops because they are so readily available for free. Undercover marketing, also known as buzz marketing, is said to be one of the more devious ways of marketing to the masses. Remember the “buy me a drink” girls from part two of this series? These lovely young vixens were being paid to create a buzz around a certain beverage without ever letting you in on their dirty little secret: they were being paid to be so friendly. Undercover marketing/buzz marketing is all about selling something to someone who has no idea they’ve just witnessed a sales pitch. Astroturfing is widely considered to be the slimiest of all guerrilla marketing practices. It involves creating an artificial buzz about a product or company, and it’s mighty risky in the information age. Postings are created in online forums, singing the praises of a certain product or service – but they aren’t made by the public. They’re made by shills, or people associated with the company who are paid to express a positive opinion. Astroturfing is rampant online in forums and blogs (actually “flogs,” or fake blogs), but you can still see the odd IRL astroturfer wandering department stores, lobbying Congress, and writing letters to newspaper editors. Alternative marketing is referenced consistently by marketers, but it is by nature challenging to define. It may be best defined as publicity that looks like it is completely removed from the company itself. For example, when Paris Hilton’s Sidekick was hacked, sales of Sidekicks jumped overnight. While T-Mobile probably (maybe?) had nothing to do with that publicity, it was excellent marketing for them. In fact, it has been suggested more than once that the whole event was an orchestrated publicity stunt. Alternative marketing takes a good deal of imagination and a healthy dose of luck to pull off. If the public finds out that they’ve been duped, it will spell disaster for the campaign. Experiential marketing is increasingly embraced by all types of companies and brands today. It’s becoming easier for us to tune out and ignore advertisements today, so experiential marketing aims to give you an experience rather than send you a one-way message. Experiential marketing lets you interact with the product and associate your immediate emotional responses with that brand. The Charmin Pottypalooza bathrooms at state fairs and the semi-permanent ones (now gone) in New York City are an unprecedented example of effective experiential marketing. How many of these methods have you seen just this week? With new concepts being rolled out all the time, it’s not always easy to spot when you’ve been targeted. See More of Our 8-Part Guerrilla Marketing Series: Guerrilla Marketing 1: History of Guerrilla Marketing Guerrilla Marketing 2: Origins and Evolution of Guerrilla Marketing Guerrilla Marketing 3: Major Corporations Go for Guerrilla Marketing Guerrilla Marketing 4: Guerrilla Marketing versus Viral Marketing Guerrilla Marketing 5: Guerrilla Marketing for Good Causes Guerrilla Marketing 6: 10 Types of Guerrilla Marketing Guerrilla Marketing 7: Is Guerrilla Marketing Right for You? Guerrilla Marketing 8: The Future of Guerrilla Marketing

Doug Holyday is the great Tory hope. Since 1999, no Progressive Conservative has won a provincial seat in Toronto. Now, Toronto’s high-profile deputy mayor has been cast as the tip of the Tory spear in a high-stakes Etobicoke byelection. If he can score a breakthrough in Toronto on Aug. 1, Holyday will be hailed as the party warrior who won back Etobicoke and sparked a city-wide comeback — setting the stage for a province-wide triumph for his fellow Tories in the next general election. First they take Etobicoke, then they take Toronto, next they’ll take Queen’s Park? Just watch them. Ford Nation is on the march again. Mayor Rob Ford himself marched into Etobicoke’s Royal Canadian Legion hall the other night. Walking past centre stage — in mid-debate, in front of the candidates and the cameras — the mayor telegraphed his point. Ford looms large in any Tory recovery strategy — larger even than party leader Tim Hudak (whose name was conspicuously absent from the candidate’s campaign literature). The Holyday-Ford tag team is a game-changer in this race, the most closely-watched of five byelections underway across the province. Until a few days ago, the Liberals seemed destined to prevail once again in Etobicoke-Lakeshore. Their candidate, Peter Milczyn, enjoys high name recognition as the local city councillor in a riding the Liberals won with more than 50 per cent of the vote in the 2011 election. When Holyday stepped in — bigfooting the previously nominated Tory candidate who withdrew on cue — a Liberal romp became a tight race. Yet the Tory and Liberal rivals are remarkably similar: Like Holyday, Milczyn preaches budgetary restraint and serves on Ford’s executive. (The NDP candidate, P.C. Choo, is running a distant third.) That means the byelection will be decided more by party loyalties, personal brands and election-day machines. Holyday doesn’t have a campaign apparatus to speak of — he cruised to victory without any spending in the last election. And while he plays the populist card, his Liberal rival is the more technocratic candidate, talking up the government’s transit strategy but without evident traction. Now, Milczyn’s campaign is counting on the kind of election-day drive that got out the Liberal vote in 2011. If Holyday takes the seat, he won’t be the only one Hudak will have to thank. Watch for Ford Nation to lay claim to the Tory comeback on Aug. 1. ‘That’s hubris’ At the all-candidates’ debate, I had the unexpected pleasure of hearing Holyday holler at me from the stage about a previous column as I sat listening from the audience. It was not what I came to cover, but it was quite a show. Green Party candidate Angela Salewsky wanted to know why the deputy mayor wasn’t quitting his day job at city hall, given that he’d previously hounded others who sought higher office. Holyday turned on her: “You have not read the (2004) motion — and obviously the gentleman that wrote the story didn’t really read it thoroughly,” Holyday shot back, before turning to glare at me in the audience. “The truthful part of the motion... was that... you had to agree to serve half your term. And there’s absolutely nothing hypocritical about what I’ve done at all.” While I’m unaccustomed to being used as a (silent) foil in a public harangue, I’m paid to listen when politicians speak. As a columnist, I could just use this space to get the last word in, but better to use Holyday’s own words — from 2004. The motion called for politicians to serve out their full term. If they sought higher office before the midpoint, they’d face “automatic dismissal.” While Holyday argues that sanction wouldn’t apply to him — he has served 32 months, with a mere 16 months left — let’s look at Holyday’s original motion. His words, not mine: Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... “The public fully expects that winning candidates will honour their selection with conscientious dedication for the full period of the mandate.” “The public expects that they, once elected, honour that trust and complete their term.” If, in lieu of a byelection, council appoints someone to serve out the rest of councillor’

play nice, but I really feel like I'm in some type of cult. Like, I'm like I am going to absolutely lose my mind if you don't get it together right now. LISA: Nia’s advisor tried to explain — he pulled out a report on his laptop and started going through Nia’s performance. Jo-Laine just saw rows and rows of numbers on a spreadsheet. She says it was too much information to digest at once. Her mind was stuck on the possibility of her daughter having to repeat a grade. The advisor told her they’d work out a plan to get Nia back on track, and the meeting ended. She met Nia in the hallway outside the office. JO-LAINE: So I get to the door and she’s so afraid. And she looks at me and she buries her head into my chest and she's like I am so sorry Mommy. I am so sorry. I tried. I promise I tried. I'm like, Nia, you didn't do anything to me. I promise you didn't do anything to mommy. You’re gonna get up get your book bag go to school. You're not going to get left back. Today and for the next couple of months you going to come here you're going to show up every day and you're going to get this work done every day. And I promise you you'll go to the sixth grade. LISA: Jo-Laine checked in with the school about the academic plan they were going to put together for Nia. She says she never received it. Success disputes this, they say they shared a plan for Nia, but Jo-Laine declined to sign it. Jo-Laine was determined to do everything in her power to get Nia’s grades up, and keep her from having to be held back. She checked homework and reading logs, got Nia a private tutor. She monitored Nia’s grades. With all the work they were doing, Nia started making real progress. Her GPA went from a 69 her first trimester to an 80 in her second. But when she followed up with Nia’s principal, the principal told her that Nia was still way behind most of her classmates. JO-LAINE: She's like, Yes, ma'am the bottom 5% through your daughter is you need to understand that. And this might not be the right school for her. I’m gonna be honest with you. I'm like, whoa. LISA: How did you feel hearing that? JO-LAINE: Humiliated. I felt confused. Maybe she is academically challenged, like am I missing something? Does my child have a learning disability? And in the same token, she also made this comment that stood out to me. She goes, even if Nia scored a 4 on the ELA and a 4 in the math, I don't know if I would promote her. LISA: What she’s talking about there — 4s on ELA and math — those are the highest scores on the state tests. Success’ expectations seemed like a constantly moving target. Nia had gotten her GPA up to an 80 in the three months since that meeting with the advisor, that felt like a victory. But hearing that if Nia got 4s on the state tests, it still might not be enough…that was confusing to Jo-Laine. Why didn’t a school so focused on data have a clear bright line between advancing, and repeating a grade? Success Academy defends this, though, saying retention decisions aren't just based on GPA or state tests. These decisions are case-by-case evaluations of what’s in the best interest of the student. JAVERIA: This is not an administrator sitting in an office going through a Rolodex of kids with a bunch of numbers. LISA: Javeria Khan is Managing Director of Schools at Success. She said these types of conversations with families are really hard to have. JAVERIA: It’s not easy, parents are upset and kids get upset, and there’s a lot of good reasons not to do it. But there are a lot of good reasons to do it. We don’t want to pass along kids who are not prepared. LISA: Javeria says a kid who’s struggling in 5th grade, is only going to be struggling more in 6th grade. And she believes that repeating a grade can actually improve a kids confidence. They can go from struggling to mastering, and start to feel academically successful

Pope accused of spreading fear about homosexuals Controversial: Pope Benedict XVI has been accused of being 'obsessed' with homosexuality Pope Benedict was accused of stoking homophobia last night after he said saving humanity from homosexuality was as important as saving the rainforests. Italian gay rights group Archigay said the 82-year-old Pope was 'obsessed' with homosexuality, 'like many geriatrics', and criticised him for not offering people spiritual help during the economic crisis instead. In Britain, the Rev Dr Giles Fraser, Vicar of Putney and president of Anglican movement Inclusive Church, said: 'I thought the Christmas angels said, "Fear not". 'Instead, the Pope is spreading fear that gay people somehow threaten the planet, and that's just absurd. 'As always, this sort of religious homophobia will be an alibi for all those who would do gay people harm.' The Rev Sharon Ferguson, chief executive of the Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement, described his remarks as 'totally irresponsible and unacceptable in any shape or form'. She added: 'It is comments like that that justify homophobic bullying that goes on in schools and it is comments like that that justify gay bashing. 'When you have religious leaders like that making that sort of statement then followers feel they are justified in behaving in an aggressive and violent way because they feel that they are doing God's work in ridding the world of these people.' The criticisms came after Benedict's Christmas speech in which he described homosexual relationships as the 'destruction of God's work'. He told an audience of cardinals, bishops, archbishops, priests and worshippers that the failure to respect the 'order of creation' was a form of 'auto destruction of mankind'. The German-born Pope has been dubbed 'God's rottweiler' for his ultra conservative stance on homosexuality. this hasn’t been given an extended run. Red Rain by Doug Moench – 1991 Essentially, Batman does Blade. Dracula and his followers are bleeding Gotham dry, Batman gets bitten and becomes bad ass Vampire Batman! Another book where the art alone is enough to warrant a read, you’ve never seen Batman look anything like this before. Thrillkiller by Howard Chaykin – 1997 So where to start with Thrillkiller? It’s set in the 60’s, Barbra Gordon isn’t in a wheelchair but she is Batgirl and is the story’s main character. She’s sticking it to Dick Grayson, who is still Robin, but has douchey facial hair. Joker’s a hot babe and she’s still not sticking it to Harley Quinn. Bruce Wayne is still a billionaire, but isn’t too eager to throw on the cape. It’s Batman, just not as we know it. Superman Red Son by Mark Millar – 2003 So, clearly not a Batman tale, but its worth reading as a Bat-Fan. Red Son looks at what would have happened if Superman crash-landed in communist Russia instead of Smallville. Russia takes over the entire world with superman as their WMD, with only the USA holding out. Luthor is the president, who sends Batman into Russia as one last gambit. Batman is a fucking psychopath in this. He captures Wonder Woman and uses her as bait for Superman. She nearly kills herself escaping Batman, who eventually blows himself up when his plan doesn’t come to fruition. JL8 (webcomic) by Yale Stewart If that doesn’t get you reading JL8 then you’re dead inside. The premise is simple: the members of the JLA are 8 years old and have 8-year-old problems to deal with.

route to control of the federal government. Because of the structure of our political system, and in particular, the first-past-the-post voting system, this gave the right a powerful incentive to overcome this split. And so the Reformers were slowly brought around, convinced to drop the more intolerant and populist parts of their platform. The bulk of the heavy lifting in this department was done by Stephen Harper and Jason Kenney, who between them have done more to contain the far right in Canada than anyone on the left could ever dream of. One can see the same process repeating itself in Alberta right now. All of this is because our electoral system gives the moderate right a powerful incentive to control the far right. As a result, we have not seen the emergence of far right, nativist party, in the way that so many European nations have – one that has a permanent “base” of around 15% of the population, not enough to win power with, but enough to ensure a strong parliamentary presence, so that its voice will always be heard. My inclination is to regard the absence of such a party as an important feature of the Canadian success story, because these sorts of parties have an impact on the national conversation that greatly exceeds their electoral numbers. In particular, I think that the success of these parties in gaining media attention may lead many immigrants to overestimate the level of racism, or hostility to minority groups, that exists in the general population. Or perhaps the absence of such a party, in Canada, leads immigrants to underestimate how much hostility is out there. Either way, I think the absence is good for integration, in part because it reduces the salience of race or ethnicity in everyday interaction. 4. Immigrants are part of larger nation-building project It is important to observe that the major cleavages within Canadian society – those that threaten to tear the country apart – are between its “founding peoples,” the English, French and First Nations. Just today, in my Canada Day edition of the Globe and Mail, I see short interviews with all the provincial premiers, about their dreams and hopes for the future – all except the premier of Quebec, who refused to participate. Meanwhile, there is a “reoccupation” teepee in Ottawa, to protest the Canada 150 celebrations. And so it goes. Does anyone seriously believe that the Canada 200 celebrations will be any different? After all, we will still be standing on land stolen by the white man, Montcalm will still have been defeated on the Plains of Abraham… Immigrants, by contrast, arrive here fresh, with none of these axes to grind – and indeed, convincing them even to take an interest in these old conflicts is a challenge. As a result, immigrants have been doing a lot more to hold the country together in the past few decades than any of the founders. It may have been impolitic for Jacques Parizeau to blame the loss of the 1995 Quebec referendum on “money and the ethnic vote,” but the allegation was certainly not false. “Allophones” in Quebec essentially voted along the same lines as anglophones – overwhelmingly in favour of staying in Canada. If they had voted like francophones, Quebec would have seceded. The fact that secession is now considered dead in Quebec is almost entirely a consequence of subsequent immigration, not any sort of change of heart on the part of francophone Quebecers. This is nation-building on a large-scale – Canada has, in effect, overcome the secession threat by changing its own internal demographics. Or consider relations with First Nations. It is important to recognize that the entire Aboriginal population of Canada adds up to less than five years worth of immigrants at the current rate of intake. Immigration, in other words, is demographically overwhelming. Convincing these immigrants to feel any sense of responsibility for injustices committed by British colonialists is, again, a significant challenge. Telling them that Canada is a “settler” society is likely to be met with blank stares. Most immigrants, to the extent that they have thought about it, consider themselves victims of colonialism, not perpetrators. This creates an entirely new political reality, one that the “two-row wampum” model is poorly equipped to handle. Immigrants have helped to build the Canadian nation, not just by increasing our population. One of the major differences between immigrants and old-stock Canadians is that the former tend to identify and owe allegiance to the central state, and are thus far less likely to have any sort of regional identity. When people immigrate, they think of themselves as moving to Canada, not to Western Canada, or Newfoundland, or Ontario. They identify with the national symbols. Many young people fail to realize how weak Canadian nationalism was even one or two generations back. I’m old enough to remember singing God Save the Queen, rather than O Canada, in school.

stew. They present it gourmet-style, in grand platings, at some of the village’s upscale hotels. They tie bundles in muslin to cook, and describe it as having been prepared sous vide. Chef Teresa wants to stick to tradition. Courtesy of Lynn Freehill-Maye Casada keeps it homestyle. She worked at Vale das Furnas as a cook for years, then had the chance to co-own the place when the previous owner sold it. She and her sister Ana Oliveira, co-owner of another local restaurant, are now proud to be the only female cooks in town making traditional cozido for the public. She says she’s not intimidated by the often culinary-schooled male chefs. “Of course with the new chefs and with new techniques they have learned to make their dishes very tasty,” she says. “But I have the school of life with 28 years of cooking.” Over the years, Casada has added beef brisket, yam, and kale to her dishes. The ingredients were less common when she started out, but are considered part of the tradition now. She uses a basic 40-liter aluminum pot, which she believes distributes the heat more evenly than stainless steel, and covers it with cloth. Her timing is relaxed. If it cooks six hours, that’s enough; if it extends to eight, she says, that doesn’t hurt the stew, either. Her presentation is simple: She piles the results all together on a metal plate, on a table set with lime-green paper napkins flaring from wine glasses. The Azores are becoming known for their tropical, mineral-rich volcanic wines, grown on vines surrounded by black basalt rock rather than earth. But tonight I choose Kima, a tart local soda made from maracujá, or passionfruit. A view of the caldeira lake in Furnas. Courtesy of Tourismo dos Acores I pull a mess of tender sausage, beef, and veggies off the platter. On top I pile a fatty, soft pig ear, which makes pork belly seem as light and healthy as tofu, and the decadent, no-limits sense of feasting immediately sets in. The blood sausage is relatively sweet—Azoreans are particular about adding cinnamon to it. There’s a definite earthiness to the stew, and I swear I can taste the ineffable bite of sulfur. Later, I ask Casada if she would ever change anything else about the cooking technique, ingredients, or any other aspects of the cozido. The three ingredients she’d conceded to add over the years seem to have stretched tradition enough—her eyes widen at the thought of doing anything differently with this special volcanic cooking. “Place to place, people have their own traditional things to do,” she says. “This is ours.” Gastro Obscura covers the world’s most wondrous food and drink. Sign up for our email, delivered twice a week.

Make this Smoky Instant Pot Ham and Bean Soup (Pressure Cooker Ham and Bean Soup). No need to pre-soak the pinto beans with dump-and-go option. Super easy to make and deliciously comforting to eat! Any of you huge fans of the nice cool Fall/Autumn weather (aka Soup Season)? Time to put away the tees & shorts, and dig out the Fall/Winter wardrobe! But nothing beats a warm & flavorful bowl of homemade soup that satisfies the depths of our soul. So, we’re more than thrilled to be working our way down our pages & pages long to-make list – and yes! It’s full of Instant Pot Soup Recipes!! 😀 What’s your favorite Instant Pot Soup? Smoky Instant Pot Ham and Bean Soup is one of our sweet readers’ favorites. Rich smoky savory bean soup mixed with super moist, flavorful & tender ham. Love the combination & depths of flavors full of textures. The Best part? No need to pre-soak or even quick soak the pinto beans!! How awesome is that? You’ll Enjoy Instant Pot Ham and Bean Soup Because: Super easy to make with simple ingredients No need to pre-soak the pinto beans, and you can just dump-and-go!! Perfect for weeknights. Comforting, homey, smoky, and delicious Instant Pot Ham and Bean Soup Mini Experiment What we look for in a great bowl of Ham & Bean Soup? Texture: beans – fully cooked, a combination of tender with some chew + some being soft and slight mush (adds texture & body to the soup); soup – somewhat thick, full of body (not liquidy) beans – fully cooked, a combination of tender with some chew + some being soft and slight mush (adds texture & body to the soup); soup – somewhat thick, full of body (not liquidy) Flavor: smoky, savory, balanced with depths of flavors Instant Pot Ham and Bean Soup Experiment Results Pressure Cooker: Instant Pot Electric Pressure Cooker Altitude: close to sea level Pressure: High Pressure (10.15~11.6 psi) Pressure Cooking Time: 30 mins, 50 mins Release Method: Full Natural Release We conducted 2+ tests with the same ingredients using different cooking times in our Instant Pot Electric Pressure Cooker. Instant Pot Ham and Bean Soup Experiment Conclusions: Using the results and insights from the above tests, we developed 2 options for making Instant Pot Ham and Bean Soup Recipe: Option A – Dump-and-Go Version: Easy no fuss method where you place all the ingredients in the Instant Pot Pressure Cooker, then set-it-and-forget-it. Season, garnish, and serve! Option B – Fancy Version: Those who want to kick the soup up a notch can use this method. You divide the pinto beans in 2 sets and pour them into the pressure cooker at 2 separate times. You can enjoy the best of both worlds from the 2 above tests – an overall flavorful dish full of body & texture. Time to cook Ham and Bean Soup in Instant Pot! Instant Pot Ham and Bean Soup Make this Smoky Instant Pot Ham and Bean Soup (Pressure Cooker Ham and Bean Soup). No need to pre-soak the pinto beans with dump-and-go option. Super easy to make and deliciously comforting to eat! 4.94 from 15 votes Total: 1 hour 35 minutes Servings: 4 -6 Calories: 510 kcal Author: Amy + Jacky Print Ingredients 1 (2lbs) smoked ham hock 1 (2lbs) smoked ham hock 2 cups (412g) pinto beans 2 cups (412g) pinto beans 1 (125g) small onion, sliced 1 (125g) small onion, sliced 6 (22g) garlic cloves, crushed 6 (22g) garlic cloves, crushed 5 cups (1250ml) unsalted chicken stock or (3 cups (750ml) unsalted chicken stock + 2 cups (500ml) water) 5 cups (1250ml) unsalted chicken stock or (3 cups (750ml) unsalted chicken stock + 2 cups (500ml) water) 2 bay leaves 2 bay leaves 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 pinch dried oregano 1 pinch dried oregano Kosher salt to taste Kosher salt to taste Garnish Cilantro & minced tomatoes Cilantro & minced tomatoes Jalapeno pepper for spicy version Jalapeno pepper for spicy version Tools Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Don't Miss This! Jump to our Step By Step Photo Guide Instructions Option A - Dump & Go Version: Clean Pinto Beans: Pick & remove

really fascinating. You had Glenn Frey and Don Henley. And then another musician would join the band, and these two would immediately have a problem with him. They'd be out of the band—like that! These very soft rock songs written by real alpha males: "IF YOU DON'T HIT THE HIGH NOTE ON 'TAKE IT TO THE LIMIT,' YOUR HEAD IS GOING THROUGH THE FUCKING WALL!!!" It's so weird to me. It's less about writing songs than it is about running a business. Meanwhile, these two guys just had this ability to write all these hits about "easy feelings." So, Bill, you based your character on that mentality? Your character is more of the businessman of the group. Hader: You watch that documentary and you hear Glenn Frey saying, "I went and saw the Beatles and the girl in front of me was screaming, 'Paul! Paul'! And then she faints!" And then he thought, I want that job! And you know what? He went and got that job! It was like, I want girls to like me, I want to write hit songs, I want to be a big star. And he goes ahead and does it! That was my character. A businessman selling a product. It all comes down to: what do people want right now? Well, in the '70s it was the California sound. And that's the music my character decides to make, instead of the Chicago blues they had been making. Fred's character was more "I just want to make music but I lack that ambition to be big." I take it you're not a fan of the Eagles? Hader: [Laughs] I'm pretty sure the Eagles don't like it when I tell the press that they're a bunch of aggro guys playing pussy music. I'm sure they don't appreciate it. I'm not a fan of the Eagles, but I've watched their documentary numerous times and everyone who's watched it with me has sung along to the songs, much to my dismay. And yet in the show, the Eagles' actual manager, Irving Azoff, plays the role of the manager who makes The Blue Jean Committee into a household name. Armisen: Actually, I'm a fan of everything. I feel that the older I get the more I like everything. I particularly love Joe Walsh. And I feel that with all of these bands, including the Eagles, it took all of that music to get to where we're at now. It's all valuable. I'm sure they inspired Fleetwood Mac in some ways. It all goes around. What is it about the California soft rock sound that you love so much? Armisen: The tempo and the chords. The chords aren't folk and they're not jazz. I don't even know what to call it. But try listening to the very beginning of [the 1974 hit] "Tin Man" by the band America. What is that? It's not heavy rock chords. Whatever that is, it reminds me of Southern California and it reminds me of that time. Something about that approach feels very unaffected. What possessed these people? This is not '60s hippy music. That's always what fascinates me: why is it that a band will get together and decide, "This is what we're going to do"? You capture the look and feel of rock documentaries so accurately. For instance, I often notice in these docs that musicians will attempt to get a laugh for the camera, as if they're actors or comedians. Armisen: Don't you always see that? All these scenes from backstage films, the musicians are always clowning around. And in a very specific way. It's almost like silent-film acting. Maybe they're used to home movies or something. Or they're living in a world where they have this magic around them and everything they create is great, so they think they can do this with humor. Like, "I'm witty." It's a character trait of people who are surrounded all the times by fans. It's like you're royalty. You're in a rock band. Everything is magical, and you expect a good reaction. The ending to the episode is haunting. Fred's character winds up working in a sausage factory, even though he was the writer for all of their hits. Bill's character, meanwhile, is a multi-millionaire, having made his fortune by marketing band-related products, including a wine cooler called "Rhythm & Blueberry." The two reunite after being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but their reunion is awkward and a bit sad. Armisen: Shooting that, you do a lot of takes and you don't think about it too much. In my head, I'm only thinking, Okay, we have to do this scene and then that

LONDON — Nigel Farage fought more than perhaps any other British politician for his nation to leave the European Union, despite being a member of the European Parliament. With Mr. Farage now facing the irony of losing his seat as Britain’s EU departure grinds toward fruition in 2019, some wonder if European elites have seen off the high tide of nationalism — or if another wave is on the horizon. Right wing populist Marine Le Pen failed to win France’s recent presidential election, and liberal Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte staved off a challenge from the hard-line nationalist and anti-Islam politician Geert Wilders this spring. Like Mr. Farage, their star power has lost its shine, some analysts say. “Farage is still box office as far as the mainstream media goes — he still seems to be a go-to guy for comments on all things Trump and Brexit,” said Tim Bale, professor of politics at Queen Mary University of London. “He still has the power to irritate the political powers, but whether he has the power to persuade or mobilize large numbers of voters anymore is less certain.” While the U.K. did vote to leave the EU last year, it’s Boris Johnson — not Mr. Farage — who is largely credited with that victory. Additionally, Mr. Farage’s United Kingdom Independence Party didn’t manage to win a single seat at Westminster in this year’s snap election. But it was when he ventured across the Atlantic for a string of speaking engagements that Mr. Farage’s luck took a turn for the worse. He has since made a career of defending President Trump in the British media, including when the president recently retweeted a far-right, anti-Islamic politician convicted of religiously motivated harassment. “He gambled on being Trump’s best British friend, and it’s blown up in his face,” said Mr. Bale. “So many people here are shocked by Trump’s behavior or think he’s ridiculous that it’s not a plus to be associated with the president.” That feeling is shared by many British voters. “Farage is a collapsed, one-trick pony whose only claim to fame, other than disrupting Britain for generations to come, is a series of desperate photo opportunities with possibly the most despised man in the world at this current time,” said Niall Mason, 39, an accountant from London. That’s more or less the case for Mr. Farage’s far-right contemporaries on the Continent, too, analysts say. Ms. Le Pen’s journey to become a genuine contender for the Elysee Palace wasn’t akin to the meteoric rise in nationalism that the U.K. has experienced with the Brexit referendum. The leader of the far-right National Front has enjoyed gradual, and some might argue more sustainable, progress in France. In 2012, Ms. Le Pen took a respectable 17.9 percent of the votes in the first round of presidential elections. That grew to 21.3 percent in the first round this year and 33.9 percent in the second round. “People thought Le Front National was done when Marine Le Pen took over, but the potential is still there. You can never write these politicians off,” said Tim Oliver, an analyst at the London School of Economics and Political Science. Even so, Ms. Le Pen’s tactic of cozying up to Mr. Trump since his election has largely backfired in France just as it has with Farage, said Florian Hartleb, a German political scientist specializing in European populism and right-wing movements. “It’s no longer playing to her advantage to so strongly associate herself with Trump, and there’s been massive infighting within the Front National,” he said. “Marine Le Pen is being hotly contested within her party, and there’s a big power struggle at play.” But given the disillusionment with the French political establishment that gave rise to Ms. Le Pen and French President Emmanuel Macron, it would be naive to say she is out for the count, said Mr. Oliver. “She is still there but very much in the shadow of Macron, who is in his honeymoon period,” he said. “She still has potential, and if there is another euro crisis, then she could get a boost again.” The Netherlands’ Mr. Wilders and his right-wing, anti-Islam Party for Freedom have also lost their luster after failing to unseat Prime Minister Mark Rutte back in March — especially considering that Mr. Rutte and others have co-opted watered-down versions of Mr. Wilders’ anti-immigration views for political capital

Newtown receives $7.1M federal grant to support Sandy Hook victims Staff photos by Tom Kelly IVThe memorial setup near the Sandy Hook firehouse, and the entrance road to Sandy Hook Elementary School continues to grow as seen here early Thursday morning December 20, 2012. The sun rises above the trees, illuminating parts of the memorial, as Connecticut State Troopers block of the entrance road to the Sandy Hook Elementary School. less Staff photos by Tom Kelly IVThe memorial setup near the Sandy Hook firehouse, and the entrance road to Sandy Hook Elementary School continues to grow as seen here early Thursday morning December 20, 2012. The... more Photo: © 2012 Tom Kelly IV Photo: © 2012 Tom Kelly IV Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Newtown receives $7.1M federal grant to support Sandy Hook victims 1 / 1 Back to Gallery NEWTOWN >> The federal government has awarded a $7.1 million grant to support support victims, family members, first responders and community members who were affected by the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. U.S. Rep. Elizabeth Esty (D-Conn.), U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) announced the grant Tuesday morning. Esty’s office said in a news release that the grant was given by the Department of Justice’s Office for Victims of Crime. The grant will support many services, including victim services, with a portion reseved for school safety efforts, and new mental health services, specifically for longer-term counseling for families, law enforcement and first responders. It will also be used to help reimburse people for ongoing services, according to the release. “This grant will provide much-needed relief and support for Newtown to help this brave community heal,” said Esty, whose congressional district includes the town. “The community of Newtown has faced unimaginable tragedy with incredible strength and resiliency. Survivors, families, law enforcement, and first responders deserve sustained counseling services and enhanced school safety resources, and I’m grateful to the Department of Justice for responding with continued support.” Since the shooting, Newtown Youth and Family Services has increased its staffing capacity and has seen the client population quadruple in the past 18 months, NYFS Executive Director Candice Bohr said in the release. She said they anticipate seeing a continued need in services and funding related to mental health. Blumenthal said he would also continue to work with advocates and families of Sandy Hook Elementary School to change the nation’s “deeply flawed gun laws.” “For those who lost loved ones, and for the students, educators and first responders who witnessed the unimaginable horror at Sandy Hook Elementary School, recovery may require continued services,” he said in the release. “I will continue to advocate for the Newtown community to aid its full recovery.” Newtown received a $1.5 million grant from the Office for Victims of Crime last year. The Newtown Public School Distrcit received $3.2 million through the U.S. Department of Education’s School Emergency Response to Violence program in 2013 and 2014, according to the release.

me," Sharyn says. "So I took her on." Sharyn remained by Symmie's side from that point on. "I took her home from hospital in stages," she says. "She was five weeks old when we were allowed to fly back to Broome and then it was another week or so before I could take her to Fitzroy Crossing." With three children of her own and six grandchildren at that time (she now has eight), Sharyn says it was never a consideration not to welcome Symmie into her life. "At first I kind of felt like she was another grandchild," she says. "A few months later, when I knew I was keeping her, my feelings changed to more maternal, to a mother." Despite Symmie's medical needs, when the pair arrived back in Fitzroy Crossing life settled for a short time. Symmie was a relatively happy and engaged baby who quickly bonded with Sharyn, knowing her by touch and smell. Every three months Sharyn would take Symmie to Perth for scans and other check-ups, and before long Symmie celebrated her first birthday. Sharyn was Symmie's carer, parent and advocate. Symmie became Sharyn's world. "No one else understood the child, no one else understood the illness," she says. "I did so much research on it and even the doctors say that I know more about it than them." A struggle with the system begins Under Sharyn's constant, considerate and loving protection, Symmie defied expectations. "She's a very strong, strong child," Sharyn says. "Very strong willed, very determined and she's been through a lot of things and a lot of illnesses. "She's actually crashed a couple of times, but she always comes back." Then in 2017, while in Perth for Symmie's scans, her doctors advised Sharyn it would be best if they moved down to the city from Fitzroy Crossing. They feared Symmie had developed a brain condition that could be impacted by flying back and forth from their remote home, a round-trip of almost 5,000 kilometres. The government had proposed that it would provide financial assistance to Sharyn should Symmie be required to relocate to Perth. Government documents also outlined Sharyn should be assisted with the cost of taking Symmie back to Fitzroy Crossing for visits, to maintain a connection with her family, her land and her culture. This has never happened. Instead Sharyn, who ran a taxi company in Fitzroy Crossing, covered the entire cost of moving to Perth, just as she has covered much of Symmie's care since the day she took her on. "I had to sell my business, I had to sell my block," she says. "I left my children and my grandchildren behind in Fitzroy Crossing to move down here. "I love Symmie to bits but my whole life is just revolved around her — her care and her needs. "I've worked my whole life and now I'm broke." Unaware and unaided Sharyn says she believes she was not appropriately briefed on the full implications of taking Symmie on. Considering Symmie's complex medical needs, government documents outlined that Sharyn should be able to access additional financial assistance, but that did not happen. Instead Sharyn has received a standard payment from the government of just under $250 a week. This is to cover a range of expenses including food and accommodation, leisure, outings and entertainment, basic medical treatment, and haircuts. But Symmie's medications alone cost $150 a week. Sharyn incurred more than $10,000 debt in ambulance fees alone for Symmie over a 15-month period, when she had a series of epileptic seizures. When she was three years old, after what Sharyn says were repeated failed requests for assistance, she reached her wit's end. "It wasn't until I turned around and said to them I needed a break … and if you don't find me some respite you can take her, that they gave me three days," Sharyn says. "I didn't — I don't — want her to go. "I love her to bits. She's like my … she is my child." Advocate'shocked' at lack of support Soon after moving to Perth, Sharyn sought assistance through legal advocate Betsy Buchanan. "We come across extreme and traumatic cases," Ms Buchanan says of her decades-long experience working with mostly Indigenous families. "We deal a lot with evictions, lack of access to

Rise of a Risky Resource The story behind the trial begins in the 1990s, when Lee Raymond took control of Exxon as chief executive. The company was under intense competitive pressure. State-owned energy companies were on the rise, and while Exxon was still a giant in the industry, it was having trouble replacing the oil it pumped each year with newfound reserves. Those reserves represent yet-to-be pumped stores of oil and gas, and they are among the most important metrics of an oil company's value. At least through this lens, Exxon was shrinking. Lee Raymond, Exxon's chief executive officer in the 1990s, boosted the company's reserves through heavy investment in Canada's oil sands. Credit: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Soon enough, Raymond began boasting the opposite—that the company was actually increasing its reserves year after year, as Steve Coll details in his history of Exxon, Private Empire. The Securities and Exchange Commission sets the rules for what companies can report as reserves, and at the time, it did not allow for the inclusion of the oil sands, still a fringe part of the industry. But Exxon included them anyway—as an additional row in their reports so as not to run afoul of the rules. (The SEC modified its rules to permit inclusion of these reserves in 2009.) Canada's oil sands, also called tar sands, lie beneath a swath of northern Alberta about the size of New York State. They are a viscous mix of sand and bitumen that's generally strip-mined and then heated and treated to produce an oil that can be refined into fuel. (Where the resource is found deeper below the surface, companies melt the mix underground with giant steam injections before pumping it out.) After a wave of energy nationalizations in the Middle East and elsewhere, Alberta's tarry resource represented one of the world's largest stores of oil that was open to private investment, and Exxon held a competitive advantage there through its controlling stake in Imperial Oil, a top Canadian oil company. After it agreed on a merger with Mobil Oil in 1998, Exxon acquired a project known as Kearl. Decades later, it would become the company's biggest tar sands operation, with nearly 5 billion barrels of recoverable oil spread across 75 square miles of open pit mines, tailings ponds and industrial facilities in a remote region 280 miles north of Edmonton. For Exxon, this obscure but vast resource represented the difference between shrinking and growing. It wasn't until 2008, however, when oil prices spiked above $130 per barrel, that Exxon began construction at Kearl. By the following year, the company had pumped $2 billion into the project, roughly doubling Exxon's tar sands reserves over two years to 2.7 billion barrels. Barack Obama had just been elected president, and Congress was debating a bill to cap greenhouse gas emissions. So just as the tar sands were rising in prominence for Exxon, the company was grappling with what a carbon-constrained future might look like. All in on Kearl Calculating the future cost of carbon is fraught with uncertainty. Beyond the impossibility of predicting the future, carbon pricing can take any number of forms. It can be direct—a tax on oil at the pump, or on emissions from big polluters—or can come through more complicated regimes like a cap-and-trade system. For an oil company like Exxon, a carbon tax can fall directly on the emissions from a refinery or oil sands facility, but also indirectly by nudging consumers away from oil towards lower-emissions alternatives. A "proxy" cost helps cut through the uncertainty, providing a stand-in estimate to plan around. In its 2010 Outlook for Energy report, which scanned 20 years out, Exxon projected carbon prices would rise steadily and eventually reach $60 per ton in 2030. But it turns out that, at the time, Exxon had a second estimate for carbon pricing—it called this one a "greenhouse gas cost" rather than a proxy cost—which company strategists used to evaluate investments and which was not disclosed publicly. This internal greenhouse gas cost estimate did not rise above $40 per ton, according to the complaint. In a 2011 email exchange cited in the lawsuit, Robert Bailes, the company's greenhouse gas manager, proposed aligning the two cost estimates by using the higher set of figures only. "Rex has seemed happy with the difference previously," replied Tom Eizember, a planning manager, referring to then-chief executive Rex Tillerson. Apparently, he wrote, Tillerson liked that the lower greenhouse gas costs didn't give as much incentive to invest in efforts to cut emissions. From this perspective, the low costs were conservative—there was less risk in wasting $1 billion on a carbon capture project, say, that may turn out to be a money-loser if carbon remained cheap. But the opposite was also true, Eizember noted: the low cost estimate would prove to be

The Mets entered the 2017 season expecting to battle the Nationals for the National League East title. Coming off a wild card appearance and an 87-win season, New York was returning with all their everyday starters while getting several key players back from injuries. Thirty games into a new season, however, any trace of optimism has evaporated in Queens. The Mets’ best pitcher is out indefinitely. The Mets’ best hitter is on the disabled list. The team is struggling to keep its record over.500 while an improved Washington team is already running away with the division. The injuries are the most obvious culprit, and the Mets are all too familiar with this story. A pair of starters — Matt Harvey and Zack Wheeler — have missed a combined 340 days since 2013 with various ailments, while oft-injured team captain David Wright has appeared in only 75 games since 2015. So losing the one star who has remained consistently healthy in that span, Noah Syndergaard, likely came with little surprise to fans. By now, those fans surely feel cursed, destined for summers filled with news of MRIs and second opinions. But has this team really been any worse off than any other club when it comes to injuries? In truth, the Mets’ injury luck is, by modern baseball standards, normal. The average team loses about three wins above replacement per season to injury, by our estimates. Since 2010, the Mets have lost 31.9 wins above replacement, or 4.0 per year, which makes them the eighth-most injury-plagued team in this span. To be sure, that might be the difference between winning and losing a division, or between making the wildcard and dropping off into the also-rans. But the Mets’ spread in total team WAR lost to injuries isn’t much bigger than you’d expect by chance. Injuries are the least-understood factor in predicting baseball. We know that pitchers tend to get injured more often and more severely than position players, and that a history of injury tends to portend future problems. But beyond that, the reasons why some players are perpetually on the disabled list while others are never hurt are unknown. But while they are mysterious, injuries can dramatically alter a team’s season. I combined information on the number of days each player has been on the disabled list with their expected production (in terms of WAR) in a given year to determine how many wins each team has lost due to injury in the last seven years. TEAM TOTAL WINS ABOVE REPLACEMENT LOST Dodgers 42.4 Rangers 39.4 Red Sox 39.3 Yankees 36.0 Athletics 34.7 Rays 33.3 Cardinals 33.1 Mets 31.9 Rockies 31.8 Padres 31.0 How each team has been affected by injuries, 2010-17 Data through May 6, 2017 Source: Jeff Zimmerman Any frustrated Mets fan should remember that some other teams have been hit by injuries much worse. The Los Angeles Dodgers lead the way, losing 42.4 WAR since 2010, which is partially a consequence of the fact that they have been very good (they have more WAR to lose), and that they have often focused on acquiring injury-prone players. Making a strategy out of buying risky pitchers such as Brett Anderson and Brandon McCarthy worked well, but it also led to an abundance of injuries. The total WAR lost doesn’t tell the entire story because most teams are equipped to overcome a handful of DL stints. But there are also cases where everyone or everything breaks bad: Twenty-one teams (roughly the top 10 percent) lost more than seven wins because of injury, enough to drop a solid division winner to a roughly.500 team. (Meanwhile, the luckiest 10 percent lose a win or less.) Here are the teams that were hit the hardest. TEAM YEAR LOST WINS ABOVE REPLACEMENT NOTABLE INJURY Blue Jays 2013 13.1 Melky Cabrera Yankees 2013 10.9 Curtis Granderson Dodgers 2016 9.7 Clayton Kershaw Angels 2013 9.5 Albert Pujols Rangers 2014 9.4 Derek Holland Diamondbacks 2016 9.2 A.J. Pollock Red Sox 2010 9.1 Kevin Youkilis Yankees 2012 8.8 Brett Gardner Rays 2015 8.8 Alex Cobb Mets 2011 8.3 Johan Santana The teams that have been hit hardest by injuries, 2010-17 Data through May 6 Source: Jeff Zimmerman But no team lost more WAR than did the 2013 Toronto Blue Jays, who sent a whopping 13 wins to the DL. Not only did their prize trade acquisition (shortstop Jose Reyes) go down, but their hyped free agent (Melky Cabrera) suffered a season-ending injury, as well. And the vaunted Blue Jays lineup was hampered by short but significant absences from Edwin Encarnacion and Jose Bautista. Even the pitching staff was affected, from starters Josh Johnson and J.

will return a promise with the result. bluetooth.hasCoarseLocationPermission().then(granted => console.log( "Has Location Permission? " + granted); ); If false, then you should request the permissions by calling: bluetooth.requestCoarseLocationPermission(). Hint I tend to skip the permission check and always call the request function when I am loading the first page of my app. The plugin is smart enough to ignore my request if the permission has been already granted. For example in an Angular project I do it from ngOnInit like this: ngOnInit() { bluetooth.requestCoarseLocationPermission(); } Search Once bluetooth is ready to go it is time for us to search for devices. To do that we need to use the startScanning function and provide how long you want to scan for as seconds and a callback for each discovered device, as `onDiscovered`. The two most important pieces of information we get from onDiscovered are: peripheral.name - which you can use to display to the user for selection peripheral.UUID - the UUID for this device, which you need to connect to the device. We will use the results of onDiscovered to populate the devices array, which you can use to display the data in a listview. private devices: any[] = []; scan() { this.devices = []; bluetooth.startScanning({ seconds: 3, onDiscovered: (peripheral: Peripheral) => { if (peripheral.name) { console.log(`UUID: ${peripheral.UUID} name: ${peripheral.name}`) this.devices.push(peripheral); } } }) } Connect If everything goes well you should see a list of devices including our MiP robot. To connect to it we need to call the connect function and provide: UUID - the UUID of your device onConnected function - a callback function, which is called when the connection is fully established. Use this function to navigate to a view with device controls (like a view with goForward, goBack buttons) onDisconnected function - a callback function, which is called when the device gets disconnected. Use this function to move back to the scaner view connect(UUID: string) { bluetooth.connect({ UUID: UUID, onConnected: (peripheral: Peripheral) => { alert( 'Connected' ); //here you can navigate to the controller view }, onDisconnected: (peripheral: Peripheral) => { alert( 'Device Disconnected' ); //here you can navigate to the scan view } }) } Scan page full example For a full example on how to check permissions, search and connect see mip-scan.component Sending Commands Once we are connected to our robot we can start sending some instructions. According to the protocol we can tell the robot to move forward and back using the below params. To move forward at speed 20 for 500ms and we need provide the following values: Property value hex Instruction code 0x71 0x71 Speed 20 0x14 Time 500/7 = 71 0x47 We can provide the value in two different ways: as a String of comma separated hex values, i.e. value: '0x71,0x14,0x47' as a Uint8Array with numeric values, i.e. value: new Uint8Array([0x71,0x14,0x47]) or value: new Uint8Array([0x71,20,71]) Hint String seems to be a good solution for hardcoded values, however Uint8Array is much better when we need to deal with a constant stream of values coming from the UI. To issue a command we need to call the write or the writeWithoutResponse functions which take: serviceUUID - in our case this is ffe5 characteristicUUID - in our case this is ffe9 peripheralUUID - in our case this is the UUID of the robot we connected to moveForward() { bluetooth.writeWithoutResponse({ serviceUUID: 'ffe5', characteristicUUID: 'ffe9', peripheralUUID: this.deviceUUID, value: '0x71,0x14,0x47' }) } moveBack() { bluetooth.writeWithoutResponse({ serviceUUID: 'ffe5

Agrarian committee members of Georgia's parliament hold a meeting supported by the European Neighborhood Program for Agriculture and Rural Development (ENPARD) at the brown marmorated stink bug fighting coordination center in Abasha Municipality in Georgia. (Photo: enpard.ge) Something caught the eye of Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili in the middle of a speech last month. He angled his head to take a better look, losing his train of thought about Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic future. “Why, I think I just saw a stink bug!” he exclaimed. “Shall I kill it?” Laughs rippled through the audience and the cameras homed in on the intruder. Ambling on stilt-like legs was a tiny beast with a shield-shaped body, brownish mottled back and a pair of antennae bending outward. The president was right. He was looking at the new national nightmare, the brown marmorated stink bug, known in Georgia as parosana (“shield bearer”). Lucky for the president, the bug came alone that day. Georgian pop diva Sopo Nizharadze told a TV show about how she woke up an entire seaside hotel screaming after she realized she was sharing her bed with a flight of the insects: “I removed the blanket and the bed was just teeming with them.” This foreign intruder – known to scientists as Halyomorpha halys – started appearing in Georgia three years ago and since then has overrun hundreds of homes and many acres of farmland in the western part of the country. Homeowners tell stories of spending their nights battling the swarms with mops, shoes or whatever weapons come handy. The bug fights back by wafting its signature fetid odor. Parosana even meddled in municipal elections last year, with some of them climbing into ballot boxes. Native to Northeast Asia, the pest has in recent decades become a global problem. While a nuisance for households, it is a disaster for farmers. The bugs feast on fruits and vegetables. The United States has seen the bugs repeatedly devastate crops over the last decade; Italy called for Brussels to intervene last year after stink bugs attacked fruits including apples, pears and kiwis. This year, New Zealand denied entry to four freight ships from Japan after specially trained dogs detected the bugs aboard. Meanwhile, Georgia has become an all-you-can-eat restaurant for the stink bug. It is not hindered here by sophisticated state-pest-response systems, as in the West, or controlled by natural predators, as in Asia. The bug began by wiping Abkhazia clean of its tangerine and hazelnut harvests – the small, Russia-backed separatist region’s lifeline. Then it advanced into Georgia proper to attack more hazelnut orchards and cornfields. Production of hazelnuts – Georgia is among the world’s five biggest producers – suffered $24 million in losses in 2016, a significant share of the $167 million in hazelnut and walnut exports that year. “It is absolutely the worst plant pest that we have ever faced,” Nikoloz Meskhi, head of the Plant Protection Department of Georgia’s National Food Agency, told Eurasianet. The bug is now marching on the capital, Tbilisi, and eastwards toward Georgia’s famed vineyards. The government is deploying men and machines to contain the invasion – and holding out for a samurai. Georgia plans to begin importing Japanese samurai wasps (Trissolcus Japonicus), parasitic insects only 1-2 millimeters long that lay their eggs inside the eggs of the stink bug. The wasp develops inside the egg and chews its way out, killing the unborn bug. “In China, Korea, and Japan this tiny wasp is responsible for over 70 percent mortality of the brown marmorated stink bug,” Greg Krawczyk, an entomologist and associate professor at Penn State University, told Eurasianet. In the U.S., these wasps are now reared and set upon the stink bug. Georgia wants to emulate the practice, but first must gauge the impact this exotic species may have on native fauna. “We know that it does not harm humans and beneficial insects, like bees,” Meskhi said, but the effects on other endemic insects has yet to be assessed. Until the samurai arrive, authorities are relying on poisons to snuff out the stink bugs. Some 300,000 acres were showered with pesticides last year at a cost of $20 million. The plan is to cover twice as much ground this year, Meskhi said. But this effort also is hitting some surprise snags. Last month, specialized vehicles

Hello. This is Dan Lew. You may or may not know me as the author of RxLifecycle. Here’s why I’ve started pulling back from using my creation. Origins When Trello first started using RxJava, we were dismayed with how easy it was to leak memory when using it. Seemingly any Subscription you setup would leak unless you explicitly cleared it. As such, we were constantly juggling Subscriptions and unsubscribing when we were done using them. Manually handling subscriptions turned out to be rather tedious, so we wanted something that took the thought out of it. For the most part, we simply wanted all our Subscriptions to end when the Fragment or Activity lifecycle ended. Thus was born RxLifecycle. With RxLifecycle, you just slap a compose() call onto any stream and it automatically completes the stream when certain lifecycle events happen. It was back to the old days of not having to worry about memory leaks! Problems There have been some lingering problems with RxLifecycle that over time have gnawed at my mind more and more. Roughly in order of importance, here they are: Automatic lifecycle detection leads to confusing and sometimes non-deterministic code. The code is trying to detect where in the lifecycle you are and when to unsubscribe. If you’re subscribing in, say, onStart() then it’s not really a big deal. But if you’re inside some non- Activity component, then you have to give it access to the Activity lifecycle and then hope it is subscribing at the right time in the lifecycle, which is not guaranteed to be the case. Worse still, it is often obscure when subscription go awry. For example, suppose you’ve got an Adapter that you give an Observable as its data source. It needs to subscribe to the Observable and (at some point later) unsubscribe. The key problem with RxLifecycle here is: how do you know that your automatic unsubscription will happen at the right moment? Inside of the Adapter, there's no way to verify when in the lifecycle you're starting the subscription, and you have even less of a clue of when it's ending. Even if the code works now, if someone moves the Adapter listener code around it could change when it automatically unsubscribes. That’s messy. Over time I’ve grown weary of automatic code that sometimes breaks. I much prefer code that is rock-solid and never breaks, even if it means writing more boilerplate. (Using the more explicit bindUntilEvent() instead of automatic detection somewhat avoids this problem, but lessens the utility of RxLifecycle.) Often times you end up manually handling the Subscription anyways. Let's extend the Adapter example above. You're listening to one data source, but then whoever is controlling the Adapter wants to send it a new one, so it passes it a new Observable. You want to unsubscribe from the last Observable before subscribing to the new one. None of this has anything to do with the lifecycle, and thus must be handled manually. Having to manually handle Subscriptions anyways means that RxLifecycle is just an extra headache. It’s confusing to developers - why are we using unsubscribe() in one place and RxLifecycle in another? RxLifecycle can only simulate Subscription.unsubscribe(). Because of RxJava 1 limitations, it can (at most) simulate the stream ending due to onComplete(). 99% of the time this is fine, but it leaves open the door for developer mistakes due to subtle differences between onComplete() vs unsubscription. RxLifecycle throws exceptions for Single / Completable. Again, because we can only simulate the stream ending. Single / Completable either emit or error, so there’s no other choice. For a while we weren’t using anything except Observable, but now that we’re using other types this can cause problems. Subtle timing bugs require calling RxLifecycle late in the stream. It’s an avoidable issue, but again can lead to developer mistakes that are best avoided. RxLint cannot detect when you’re using RxLifecycle bindings. RxLint is a handy tool and using RxLifecycle lessens its utility. It generally requires subclassing Activity / Fragment. While not a requirement (since it’s implemented using interfaces), not subclassing leads to a lot of busywork reproducing what the library does. That’s fine most of the time, but every once in a while we need to use a specialized Activity or Fragment and that causes pain. (Note that this minor problem can soon be fixed via Google

resources directory contains the resources of our unit tests. Let’s create a new test class and add one test method to created class. This test method simply writes a message to System.out. The source code of our test class looks as follows: import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test; class JUnit5ExampleTest { @Test void justAnExample() { System.out.println("This test method should be run"); } } System.out. I use this technique here only because it is an easy way to verify that our test method is run. If you want to get more information about JUnit 5 test classes, you should read this blog post. Also, we shouldn’t write tests which write messages to. I use this technique here only because it is an easy way to verify that our test method is run. Let’s move on and find out how we can run our unit tests. Running Unit Tests With Gradle We can run our unit tests with Gradle by using the following command: gradle clean test. When we run this command at command prompt, we see that Gradle runs our unit tests: $ gradle clean test > Task :test net.petrikainulainen.junit5.JUnit5ExampleTest > justAnExample() STANDARD_OUT This test method should be run test task doesn’t show the information written to System.out or System.err. If we want to show this information, we can make the required changes to the configuration of the test task by following the instructions given in the blog post: By default, thetask doesn’t show the information written toor. If we want to show this information, we can make the required changes to the configuration of thetask by following the instructions given in the blog post: Show Standard Out or Error Output from Tests We can now create a Gradle project that compiles and runs unit tests which use JUnit 5. Also, we know how we can run our unit tests with Gradle. Let’s summarize what we learned from this blog post. Summary This blog post has taught us five things: The junit-jupiter-api dependency allows us to write tests and extensions which use JUnit 5. dependency allows us to write tests and extensions which use JUnit 5. The junit-jupiter-engine dependency allows us to run tests which use JUnit 5. dependency allows us to run tests which use JUnit 5. The junit-vintage-engine dependency allows us to run tests which use JUnit 3 or 4. dependency allows us to run tests which use JUnit 3 or 4. Gradle has a native support for JUnit 5, but this support isn’t enabled by default. We can run our unit tests by using the command: gradle clean test. P.S. You can get the example application of this blog post from Github.

’s cinematic theme spotlights international cultures; there’ll also be food trucks, ice cream, and more. Price: Free The Lion King Friday, Jul 27 Franklin Square Make it a full evening of entertainment with mini golf, SquareBurger, an old-school carousel, and tonight’s movie pick, The Lion King. Get cozy on a blanket or chair with the park’s picturesque fountain in the background. Price: Free A Wrinkle In Time Friday, Jul 27 Dilworth Park Fridays in July and August, catch recently released films in the shadow of City Hall. Grab a pitcher of your beverage of choice and snacks from the on-site cafe, and be sure to bring a chair or blanket. Price: Free Moonrise Kingdom Wednesday, Aug 1 FringeArts Every Wednesday through August, FringeArts presents an outdoor movie in their beer garden under the Ben Franklin Bridge. Grab a bite and drinks at La Peg (inside) or The Shack (outside). Wes Anderson’s runaway kids quirky dramedy Moonrise Kingdom is set for this week. Price: Free Murder On The Orient Express Thursday, Aug 2 The Schmidt’s Commons Head to NoLibs for an al fresco movie night in the courtyard formerly known as the Piazza on Thursdays. There’s a train, there’s a murder -- it’s Murder On The Orient Express! Grab food from any of the nearby eateries beforehand, and be sure to bring your own chair. Price: Free Marvel Studios Black Panther Thursday, Aug 2 Schuylkill Banks at Grays Ferry Crescent A large screen pops up along the Wharton Street entrance to the Schuylkill Banks Thursdays in July and August for a viewer-curated outdoor movie season. The banks will turn into Wakanda for a screening of Black Panther; you’re encouraged to bring your own picnic, but some snacks and beverages will be available. Price: Free Austin Powers in Goldmember Thursday, Aug 2 The Great Plaza At Penn’s Landing As a city wedged between two rivers, it’s only fair that the Delaware River waterfront get some movie action, too. Remember when Beyonce was in an Austin Powers movie? Now you will. Bring a blanket. Price: Free Coco Friday, Aug 3 Cliveden Park As a part of the city’s Parks and Rec summer movie series, green spaces around the city will become makeshift movie theaters for family-friendly flicks. Are you sick of Coco yet? If not, come supplied with your own blanket or chair. Price: Free A Bug's Life Friday, Aug 3 Pleasant Hill Park As a part of the city’s Parks and Rec summer movie series, green spaces around the city will become makeshift movie theaters for family-friendly flicks. Come supplied with your own blanket or chair. Price: Free Invaders From Space Friday, Aug 3 Betsy Ross House Summer and fall First Fridays at the Betsy Ross House means old school horror and sci-fi movies, like the 1965 Invaders From Space, in the courtyard. Get a tour of the house first, then park yourself with your booze and snacks for the film. Price: $5 Black Panther Friday, Aug 3 Dilworth Park Fridays in July and August, catch recently released films in the shadow of City Hall. Grab a pitcher of your beverage of choice and snacks from the on-site cafe and be sure to bring a chair or blanket. If you couldn’t make yesterday’s screening of Black Panther, here’s another opportunity. Price: Free Beauty And The Beast Friday, Aug 3 Water Tower Recreation Center Field Chestnut Hill hosts their own summer movie nights on a 28-foot screen Fridays in August, kicking off with the live-action version of Beauty And The Beast. Each week a different food truck will be on-hand to satiate your munchies; come supplied with your own blanket or chair. Price: Free Ferdinand Saturday, Aug 4 Trolley Car Diner As a part of Mt. Airy’s Moonlight Movies, the neighborhood’s parks and the Trolley Car Diner host outdoor movie screenings on alternating Friday and Saturday nights through the end of August. Curated with kid-friendly selections in mind, the summer’s cinematic theme spotlights international cultures; there’ll also be food trucks, ice cream, and more. Price: Free Iron Man 2 Saturday, Aug 4 Rainbow De Colores As a part of the city’s Parks and Rec summer movie series, green

to be the regime’s dominant ideology to this very day, and Japan is often the impetus the CCP uses to stoke it. But Japan’s invasion of China benefited the CCP long before contemporary times. Indeed, it’s virtually inconceivable that the CCP would’ve come to power at all had it not been for Imperial Japan’s invasion. Before the second Sino-Japanese War commenced, the Communist Party was locked in a death struggle with Chiang Kai-shek and the KMT. The CCP fared poorly in this conflict, suffering repeated defeats at the hands of the Nationalists. By the end of 1934, the CCP was on the verge of extinction after KMT troops delivered another heavy blow to the Red Army in Jiangxi Province, which forced the party to undertake the now infamous Long March to Xi'an in the northwestern province of Shaanxi. Chiang initially pursued the Communist forces, and would have almost certainly delivered a final blow to the CCP if war with Japan could have been delayed. As it turned out, Chiang was not able to put off the war with Japan any longer, and domestic and international pressure forced him to accept a tacit alliance with the CCP against Japan. The war with Japan devastated the Nationalist forces, which bore the brunt of fighting Japan, even as it rejuvenated the CCP. Over the course of the war, the CCP went from being on the verge of defeat to flourishing as it had never done before. Its guerilla warfare against the Japanese occupiers helped bolster local support for the party, allowing it to establish a rural base. The Maoist guerilla warfare tactics also allowed the CCP to preserve its strength for the inevitable civil war with the Nationalists. Both factors proved crucial following Japan’s defeat, when the CCP would mobilize its new base to successfully defeat the Nationalists under Chiang. By the end of 1949, the CCP had control over most of mainland China. While Mao was successful in consolidating CCP control over China, his subsequent policies devastated the country. By the time of his death, the great hardships that the Chinese suffered under Mao’s reign had greatly sapped the CCP’s legitimacy. Mao’s rule also saw China become even more backwards relative to its neighbors. Thus, following Mao’s death and the arrest of the Gang of Four, Deng Xiaoping and the Eight Immortals sought to shore up support by restoring the Four Modernizations. In doing so, senior-level CCP officials began taking study tours abroad to observe how other countries’ economies operated. From this, they grasped just how far behind China had fallen economically, and realized that acquiring foreign assistance would be essential for successfully modernizing quickly. As Deng termed it: “Recently our comrades had a look abroad. The more we see, the more we realize how backward we are.” Lin Hujia, deputy head of the Shanghai Revolutionary Committee, led a delegation of Chinese economic officials to Japan for a nearly month-long visit in March and April 1978. Upon their return, the delegation reported on Japan’s economic progress and its willingness to help China modernize. Immediately after, bilateral negotiations over a peace treaty were accelerated after years of gridlock. A treaty was signed in August, and Deng himself famously visited Japan in October 1978. He was the first Chinese leader to ever visit the country. During the trip, Deng said that he had come to Japan to find the “secret magic drug,” which he explained was how to modernize one’s economy. Deng’s trip accelerated Sino-Japanese economic ties considerably. A trade relationship developed whereby Japan would sell China advanced technology in return for natural resources. Already by the late 1970s Japan accounted for 25 percent of China’s entire trade. By the mid-1980s, this figure had grown to 30 percent. Altogether, bilateral trade would grow more than tenfold in the twenty years between 1979 and 1999. Although more gradual at first, Japan’s foreign direct investment (FDI) picked up after the signing of the bilateral investment protection pact in 1988. As a result, Japan’s FDI in China grew from 50.7 billion yen ($497 million) in 1990 to 421.8 billion yen ($4.1 billion) in 1995. The Japanese government played a pivotal role in fostering these economic ties. Between 1979 and 1997, the Overseas Economic Cooperation Fund (OECF), the Japanese government's development financing arm, gave China 2.54 trillion yen ($24.9 billion) in long-term, low-interest loans. In addition, Japan's External Trade Organization established offices in China to encourage Japanese firms to set up training programs in China. As Ezra Vogel has remarked, “During Deng's years at the helm, no country played a greater role in assisting China build its industry and infrastructure than Japan.” In

0 of 19 While the Bears finished 8-8 last season and disappointed many fans across Chicago, I would say the fans have many things to be thankful for so far this offseason. First, Mike Martz has been fired. Fans have been clamoring for that ever since Caleb Hanie started his first game last year. With Martz out of the way, the Bears can look to Mike Tice to maybe jump-start this offense next season. Second, Jerry Angelo was also fired. Jerry Angelo was not a good GM, and Bears fan everywhere have to be excited about Phil Emery as the Bears' new GM and what kind of moves he will make. Finally, the Bears got beat by the injury bug last year. Almost every good player on their offense got hurt, which led to dismal performance after dismal performance. With the injured players returning next season, the Bears can look forward to seeing the 7-3 team and not the 1-5 team. Chicago has a lot of decisions to be made this offseason. Player cuts, player re-signings, free-agent acquisitions and the draft are all looming this offseason, and the Bears have several areas where they could use some help. This article will assume the writer (that's me) is the new GM (Phil Emery) of the Bears. The writer will make decisions like whom the Bears should re-sign, let go, and pick up. This piece will be just one of the millions of ways the Bears' offseason could turn out, and since one decision leads to the next, many fans might have different ideas. That's the hard part of these articles, though. Only one person can make these decisions, so let's hope Phil Emery knows what he's getting himself into. The ski resort has enjoyed a bumper season so far The CairnGorm Mountain ski centre in the Highlands will be closed for the day - because of too much snow. After a two-day blizzard, the operators have had to bring in huge caterpillar vehicles and snow blowers to try to clear the approach road and the slopes. Colin Matthew, operations manager at the centre near Aviemore, said roads were blocked by 15ft snow drifts. He said parts of the funicular railway track up the mountain and the ski-tows had been covered by snow. Mr Matthew said: "It has blocked our access roads with about 15ft of snow and further up the mountain the drifting has buried our funicular railway track in about 10 places, and the tunnel mouth, and some of our ski-tow towers are just sticking out of the snow." Clear the roads He said a major clearing operation needed to take place before it could be opened to the public. "We had to contract in huge 17-tonne caterpillar earth-movers," Mr Matthew added. "They have spent two days now working about 18 hours a day trying to clear the roads. "We have got a single-track road up to our car park and we have to get snow-blowers in to widen the roads and make it two-way traffic before we get the public up." The CairnGorm Mountain has been enjoying a bumper winter. It has had its best Christmas holiday season in 14 years, with more than 8,000 skiers and snowboarders using its runs over a four-day period following Christmas Day. Bookmark with: Delicious Digg reddit Facebook StumbleUpon What are these? E-mail this to a friend Printable version

don’t have friends with expensive tastes. It just means that when I do things with those friends, there’s no expectation whatsoever of spending money and that we do things together that are usually really low cost. The vast majority of my close friends simply invite each other over for social things. We have dinner parties, game nights, movie nights, and binge-watching marathons. When we do other things, we usually talk it over and have the two best bargain hunters (me and one other person in the group) search for discounts and coupons and plan out the cheapest way to do it. What do you do if your friends seem to have expensive tastes? Suggest less expensive options at least some of the time, for starters. Very few people will object to sometimes doing things that don’t require as much spending. If they do, then there’s a deep value disconnect between you and that other person. It’s okay to occasionally do something expensive with friends, but it should not be the norm. You should also never accept negativity and criticism from “friends” because of your inexpensive tastes. If a “friend” is ridiculing your car that you bought out of an intentional strategy to save money, not only are you seeing a values difference, you’re also seeing an abandonment of kindness between friends. That’s a friendship that it’s perfectly okay to walk away from. Another strategy is to choose social events for yourself that are low-cost and try to meet people there. Many of my closest friends over the last few years have been ones I’ve met at community game nights and at volunteer events. Almost all of those friends are pretty frugal people and our social activities are usually really inexpensive. If you follow this strategy, you’ll find that your social calendar becomes more and more filled with inexpensive events. Financially Irresponsible Coworkers In the workplace, you’ll sometimes find social pressure to do things like go out for expensive lunches or dinners or to buy expensive things like watches or gadgets. That pressure to “fit in” at work and build strong relationships can cause you to spend a lot of money that you might not otherwise spend. Here’s the truth, though. The most lasting workplace relationships are built out of other things, like reliability and kindness and healthy candor. They aren’t built out of spending $50 on lunch. They’re built by being a great coworker, taking care of things that you promise to take care of, stepping up to challenges, not backstabbing people, and being an active participant in workplace conversations. Another strategy is to intentionally spread out your lunches across a lot of dining companions. Bring your lunch in some days and eat with people who stay in the office for lunch eating leftovers. Get to know them. Go out to eat sometimes with the expensive crowd, too, but sometimes grab a bite with the cheap lunch crowd. Not only does this cut down on your lunch spending, it lets you interact with a lot of people and perhaps get to know people you didn’t know as well. Simply going out with the expensive crowd isn’t going to do much to secure your spot at work. Being a good coworker will secure that spot more than anything else. Final Thoughts The strategies in this thread all boil down to a few key principles. Don’t lend money personally to people. Seek out lower-cost social activities and cherish the relationships with people who share those activities with you. Communicate clearly if you desire lower-cost obligations (and do it out of the context of the situation). Don’t be afraid to update your social circle. Communicate, communicate, communicate with your loved ones. It’s only through those strategies that you’ll be able to maintain healthy relationships with some less financially responsible people in your life without going down a financially irresponsible road yourself. Good luck! Handling Financially Irresponsible People | The Simple Dollar Trent Hamm is a personal finance writer at TheSimpleDollar.com. After pulling himself out of his own financial crisis, he founded the site in late 2006 to help others through financially difficult situations; today the site has become a finance, insurance, and retirement resource. Contact Trent at trent AT the simple dollar DOT com; please send site inquiries to inquiries AT the simple dollar DOT com. Advertisement

Anti-Donald Trump protests across the country are being whipped up by professional agitators, teachers at schools where students are marching out of class and politicians who talk about "leading the fight," former New York City Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik told Newsmax TV. "I think they could be agitated by the professionals," Kerik told host J.D. Hayworth on Monday's "America Talks Live." "They could also be agitated by the teachers. I just find it hard to believe that an entire school would be led out to go out into the street and protest. These are kids that can't even vote yet. "These are professional agitators, and I think we should get away from the word 'protest.' These are rioters, these are people that are engaged in barbaric and lawless behavior. There have been people shot and killed at these events. "People that have been beaten down — millions of dollars in property damage. And if [the protestors are] so worried about their communities that they want the president-elect to be involved with and to communicate with, why are they going out there and destroying them?" See J.D. Hayworth on Newsmax TV: Tune in beginning at 12 PM ET to see "America Talks Live" — on FiOS 615, YouTube Livestream, Newsmax TV App from any smartphone, NewsmaxTV.com, Roku, Amazon Fire – More Systems Here Kerik, who also served as former Iraq Interim Minister of Interior, added: "I'm concerned about the silence from the White House... [and] the senators and congressmen that I've heard on the Sunday morning shows talking about leading the resistance, talking about leading the fight. This was a constitutional election. This isn't a coup or a takeover of the government." Kerik said he was "stunned" by the nod of support to the anti-Trump forces from Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey, who said "God bless the protestors." "I've known Cory Booker for about 15 and 16 and 18 years maybe. I respect him. I've had a working relationship in Washington with him over the last three years on criminal justice issues," Kerik said. "But I have to tell you... I was stunned. His language leading to resistance, leading the fight, encouraging the protests — these are people that are engaged in lawless and barbaric behavior. "If I was Cory Booker and someone like him, I'd be more concerned about the damage and destruction in these communities and working with the president instead of against the president, and that's what appears he's doing, and I hope I'm wrong, but I have to tell you... I was pretty shocked." Kerik said those found to be inciting crowds and paying individuals to go out and "engage in lawless and barbaric behavior," should be charged with a hate crime. "They should be charged with the assault, charge them federally with a hate crime," Kerik said. "They have to be held accountable. You can't go out there and engage in this kind of behavior and be let off the hook." Kerik is the author of "From Jailer to Jailed: My Journey from Correction and Police Commissioner to Inmate #84888-054," published by Threshold Editions.

Keen to purchase a new console or system this year but don't know which one to buy? Have you finally decided it's time to upgrade from your Game Boy Color and you're confused about what all the current and next-gen systems have to offer? Never fear! GameSpot's editors have banded together to tell you about all of the positives for each of the currently available systems, including what games you can play, what the hardware is like, and what the future holds for each console. Check out the links below to find out out more about the 3DS, Wii U, Vita, PS3, Xbox 360, PS4, Xbox One, and PC, and see which console (or consoles) is the right fit for you in 2014. The Vita's impressive hardware, robust streaming solutions, and varied library have made it my go-to system, and it's clear to me that anyone who loves games would adore one once they give it a chance. Read the full article here. The 3DS has turned the corner, and Nintendo isn't looking back. There are currently 35 million 3DS owners worldwide, and if you can't count yourself among the 3DS-equipped, there's no better time to join the party than 2014. Read the full article here. The library of games available for Microsoft's console is absolutely massive. If a third-party game was released within the past eight years, chances are it was released on the Xbox 360. Read the full article here. If you’re on the fence about upgrading to the next-gen consoles, the PlayStation offers every excuse to just wait. There’s plenty to play until the next-gen consoles fall in price next year, and by then, there’ll also be a lot more can’t miss titles for the upgraded consoles. Read the full article here. There's an opportunity here for the Wii U to take more of a complementary role, because of this: the Wii U is home to first-party Nintendo games. Nintendo games, you see, are wonderful. Read the full article here. The PS4 is well-built machine, with a thoughtful UI and a lineup of great games. But it's what's coming up that makes it so enticing. Read the full article here. Buying an Xbox One today means buying a powerful, well-rounded machine that sports a great lineup of games and a suite of apps that enhance your games and movies rather than distract from them. Read the full article here. While companies have struggled to create a gaming machine that has universal appeal, they overlooked the obvious: the PC is that machine already. Read the full article here.

ampanoag Tribe—The People of the Dawn. The Wampanoag are a people distinct from the Nipmuc. The Earle report Download (PDF, 6.64MB) According to Cheryll Toney Holley, a Nipmuc tradition-keeper, genealogist and historian, the Boyden last name is not a Nipmuc name, but it’s possible the “father could have inherited the blood from a female ancestor.” APTN provided Holley with several maiden names of women in the Boyden family tree from the 1800s and she said none of them seemed connected to the Nipmuc. Holley said no Native American tribes in the state maintained membership rolls in the 1860s, but the Earle report was the last count executed by the government. She said Nipmuc members are listed under the Hassanamisco and Dudley lists in the census document. “(The) Tribal rolls we have now did not begin until 50 or so years later,” said Holley, in an email to APTN. APTN was provided with two separate research packages into Joseph Boyden’s family tree. APTN also tried to independently verify both research packages and asked a third-party to ensure the methodology was sound. APTN was also shown a book available online published in 1901 about the Boyden family titled, Thomas Boyden and His Descendants. The book claims “Thomas Boyden is the ancestor of all who by birth have borne the name in America, with a few exceptions occurring during the last 50 years.” According to the book, Thomas Boyden left Ipswich, Suffolk County, England, in April 1634, on the ship Francis and ended up in the Plymouth Colony of Massachusetts. By working backward from the author Joseph Boyden and forward from Thomas Boyden, the root ancestor, it is difficult to determine where Boyden’s father’s side links into his claimed Indigenous heritage over roughly the last 170 years. Joseph Boyden’s paternal great-great-great grandfather Gilmore Boyden married Anne McLean on May 22, 1844, in Ontario, according to marriage records posted on ancestry.ca. Gilmore Boyden’s son, Joseph Boyden, is listed as a 32 year-old with Scottish heritage living in Ontario in 1871, according to the Canadian census from that year. Boyden’s claim of Ojibway ancestry through his mother, Blanche Boyden, are equally difficult to pin-point. Joseph Boyden has never provided any names of communities linked to his Ojibway roots, and, according to his mother and uncle, the author is the only one who has the evidence. “He is the only one who obviously brought this whole situation to the forefront because of his interest in Aboriginal people in Canada, and his writings are certainly Aboriginal. He is really the one who raised this issue to begin with or indicated there was a connection,” said Richard Gossling, 82, who is Boyden’s uncle on Blanche Boyden’s side. “I am sure that Joseph has answers that we certainly don’t have because of his writings and whatever research he did.” Joseph Boyden’s mother, Blanche Boyden, said her son has the answers. “I don’t know much myself,” said Blanche Boyden, 86, in a telephone interview with APTN. “We didn’t keep many records in those days…. Joseph proved it and he got the papers and everything so there is no question about it.” Blanche Boyden said the “key” was her grandmother, Blanche McInnes, who her son discovered to be Indigenous. “Soon as I gave him the name McInnis, he had no problem with it,” she said. According to birth records posted on ancestry.ca, Blanche McInnes was born on Nov. 10, 1889, to Hector McInnes and Kate Ellis. Hector McInnes is listed as a “fisherman” and Kate Ellis as a “fisherman’s wife.” Both are identified as living Meaford, Ont., which sits along Nottawasaga Bay. Hector McInnis and Kate Ellis were married on Jan. 25, 1889, in Centreville, Ont. Hector’s parents were John and Sarah McInnis, according to the marriage record. Hector McInnis’ religion is listed as Baptist. Kate Ellis’ parents are listed as George and Margaret Ellis and her religion is listed as “Disciple.” According to ancestry.ca, the 1881 Canadian census lists Hector McInnis

A San Diego police officer and his wife have warrants out for their arrest after they were accused of vandalizing their million-dollar Temecula home. The warrants for felony vandalism were issued for Robert and Monique Acosta after they allegedly trashed their home because they were facing foreclosure. Neighbors said the couple told them that their credit union refused to modify their mortgage and gave them until July to move out. Residents said the Acosta's former home was the nicest on the block -- neighbors called it the Castle. Neighbor, Keith Peet, helped the couple move but said he had to break off the friendship. "He started damaging the house," Peet said. "Pouring concrete down the drain and just damaging the whole house like it is now." The couple is also accused of smashing decorative stones and destroying the landscaping. In addition, the Acostas allegedly stole trees, fixtures, air conditioning units and cabinets. Almost $200,000 worth of damage was done, according to the Riverside District Attorney's office. Officials said that some of the property was recovered. One real estate agent said she has seen some foreclosed homes booby-trapped and even rigged to explode. "They figure, 'How am I going to get my investment back?' -- in those cases, this is what they do," said Realtor Maria Polito. MOSCOW, August 12. /TASS/. Eight staff members of the Sarov-based Russian Federal Nuclear Center who died or were injured in a recent incident at a test site in the Arkhangelsk Region have been awarded the Order of Courage, the Sarov administration said in a statement published on its website, adding that five of the eight nuclear workers had received the award posthumously. "All those who addressed the farewell ceremony pointed to the need for the Rosatom Corporation and state agencies to provide assistance to the families of the victims. [First Deputy Chief of the Presidential Staff] Sergei Kiriyenko read out a presidential decree awarding eight of the Russian Federal Nuclear Center’s staff members the Order of Courage. Five of them received the award posthumously," the statement reads. On August 8, the Russian Defense Ministry said that two had died in an incident involving a liquid propellant engine at a military test site near Severodvinsk. The Rosatom State Nuclear Energy Corporation reported on August 10 that a fire and an explosion had occurred during a missile test on a sea platform, killing five workers and leaving three others injured. The Russian Federal Nuclear Center — All-Russia Research Institute of Experimental Physics — is the country’s major research facility working on complex defense, scientific and economic tasks. Its main responsibility is to guarantee and maintain the reliability and safety of Russia’s nuclear weapons. Cryptocurrency hardware wallet manufacturer Ledger continues to refute claims its devices can be hacked after a teenager compromised them, Ars Technica reports today, March 21. After British 15-year-old Saleem Rashid created code to ‘backdoor’ Ledger’s wallets in November 2017, the company released posts describing the events as “NOT critical” and said possible attacks “cannot extract the private keys or the seed.” Rashid then refuted the claims on social media and a post on his personal blog entitled “Breaking the Ledger Security Model” March 20, stating he could still “autonomously extract the root private key once the user unlocks the device” and use to it instigate manipulation of destination addresses for transactions. The argument puts pressure on both Ledger and its millions of users, who had until now broadly accepted the company’s claims its wallets were 100% secure. Hardware wallets are often recommended by the Bitcoin industry’s best-known names, including educator Andreas Antonopoulos, who like many others attempts to dissuade cryptocurrency investors from online storage of funds. Ledger attempted to patch a total of three security vulnerabilities in its hardware this month, including that identified by Rashid. In a post March 20 describing the progress in security upgrades, Ledger told users they would be fully protected after updating their wallets:

Bitcoin Are Bitcoin Price and Crypto Exchange BTC Flow Related? “The relationship between bitcoin price and flows is pretty apparent. Price rallies were typically accompanied by sizable inflows to exchanges as individuals looked to take profit,” said independent crypto research and analysis firm Delphi Digital in an analysis shared with TNW. Bitcoin Flowing In and Out ‘Relatively Less’ Folks looking to earn profits off their bitcoin holdings can let out a sigh of relief. As per Delphi Digital’s analysis, there’s been less bitcoin 00 flowing in and out of cryptocurrency exchanges lately; at least compared to figures registered in the month of June and July. As a matter of fact, the amount of bitcoin deposited by traders on major cryptocurrency exchanges is equal to BTC withdrawn, as per the analysis. Bitcoin Inflow and Outflow: Q1, Q2, Q3 2019 Recently, research analyst, Elias Simos in association with TokenAnalyst also took to twitter to discuss the idiosyncratic trend. According to him, 2019 Q1 saw the beginning of an accumulation phase as the rate of bitcoin outflows slowly started picking up pace. By Q2 2019, the outflow trend had already peaked. He went on to say: The flows trend was consistently skewed towards outflows (e.g. buy $BTC, send to cold storage). In March 2019, while price was dormant, net outflows accelerated. More participants were found to have joined the market momentum as price activity saw a change. At the end of the quarter, the trend reversed as flows swapped from outflows to inflows. To date, in Q3, there is no observable delta between BTC flow rates. 2/ As Q2 kicked in, a regime change took place; net outflows accelerated, while the price trend changed, as market participants jumped on the train. Once again, at the end of the quarter, the net outflows trend turned to net inflows. Price soon followed suit. — Elias Simos (@eliasimos) August 29, 2019 According to the researcher, “real on-chain volume is at a new low for 2019, with exchange volume back at levels seen in early Q2.” and Absent volume and any other signal for a (medium term) trend change, a slow grind downwards (medium term trend continuation) seems like a higher probability outcome. Binance Saw Maximum BTC Inflows in July And August According to a cumulative daily bitcoin inflow chart prepared by Delphi Digital, 42% of the total volume went to Binance. In order to come up with these numbers, the firm took into consideration all major cryptocurrency exchanges as BitMEX, Bitfinex, Poloniex, Bitstamp, and Bittrex along with Binance. The firm concurs that fewer Bitcoins were sent to these exchanges last month, i.e. August. This in turn, has resulted in no significant impact on price. BTC price has been laying low in a prolonged consolidation post the June parabolic run. Therefore, Delphi analysts predict a ‘significant move’ for the crypto asset in the near future. The firm added: A breakout above the $11,000 – $11,200 range for BTC could be the catalyst for another strong move higher. Conversely, a break below ~$9,400 may signal more pain ahead in the near term, though we’ve seen significant buying pressure in this range, evident in Bitcoin’s quick bounce off these levels in mid-to-late July and the end of August Do you think Bitcoin flows dictate BTC price? Let us know in the comments below. Images via Shutterstock, Delphi Digital, Twitter: @eliasimos

The Washington Wizards could be getting two new alternate uniforms for the 2015-16 season, according to an image leaked on Reddit late on Wednesday night: If you zoom in, you can see the Wizards are featured in two of the new designs: The jersey on the left appears to be designed to for Chinese New Year, similar to designs the Warriors and Rockets have used in previous seasons. The jersey makes a lot of sense for the Wizards, since the Verizon Center is right in the heart of D.C.'s Chinatown area. The jersey on the right is a modernization of the Bullets' funky, striped jerseys of the Wes Unseld/Elvin Hayes era, just this time around they'll be in the Wizards' red, white and blue and feature sleeves. These jerseys appear to be part of the NBA's Pride collection which feature very locally-based designs, like Portland's Rip City jerseys, or Charlotte's new Buzz City jersey. It should be noted neither of these jerseys have been confirmed by the Wizards or the NBA as of yet, but Paul Lukas of Uni-Watch believes the leak is "probably legit" based on how the designs appear to sync up with previously released information about new jerseys for the upcoming season and the image's consistency with internal NBA documents. If these are indeed new uniforms, they're solid additions to the Wizards rotation of uniform choices. The sleeved, striped jersey will probably be a little jarring to see at first, but it's a design that only a team like the Wizards can get away with because of their history with outside-the-box designs, so it's cool with us. "These F1 world champions, whether it's Michael Schumacher or Mika Hakkinen, who came close to a comeback, don't want to be too far from the F1 pit lane. "There's a lot he can contribute experience-wise. Carlos and Lando are open to any ideas that will bring us experience. Fernando knows the team very well, Lando doesn't have that experience, and Carlos doesn't have that experience with us. It's something I'll be talking to him about. "I'll go to Daytona for Fernando's Daytona testing and we're going to chat to him further then." Brown said Alonso's exact contribution would be defined as part of McLaren's wider testing programme, which would be discussed with sporting director Gil de Ferran in the coming months. The team is required to field a young driver for two of the four in-season test days in 2019 - a role that has been filled by Norris for the past two years - but is yet to formally name a reserve driver for next year. "[I'm] ultimately working with Gil to decide what he thinks is the best driver testing programme for next year, as it's not only Fernando, but we have rookie tests, we have tyre tests, and we have reserve drivers that we need to consider," Brown said. "So Gil is putting together the ultimate driver-race-testing programme, and we'll make a decision in early January." McLaren currently has junior drivers Sergio Sette Camara and Nyck de Vries on its books, both of whom will race in Formula 2 next year. has put the refugee crisis at the center of this year's event, urging attendees to donate to refugee charities in Berlin via donation boxes placed around the festival venues. The Berlinale will also be providing free tickets to charities to allow volunteers who would like to to accompany a refugee to select screenings during the festival. The festival is also showing several films that examine the plight of people fleeing war and poverty, including Fire at Sea, a documentary from director Gianfranco Rosi, about Italy's Lampedusa island, which has been swamped with refugees crossing the Mediterranean to reach Europe. This year's lineup also includes the Syrian documentary Houses Without Doors, which looks at the city of Aleppo, which has been devastated by the country's civil war, and Meteorstrasse, a feature about a young Palestinian refugee struggling with daily life in Germany. At the press conference, Clooney said it will take time for Hollywood to tackle the refugee crisis with its own films. “The unfortunate thing about the film community is we react to situations much more than we lead the way,” he told reporters, arguing that the news media was best placed right now to address the European refugee issue. But Vera Luters, a coordinator at the ufaFabrik refugee center in Berlin, praised the actions of VIPs like Clooney and Schweiger. “It is incredibly important to have prominent figures speak out on this issue, especially now as the climate here in Germany is starting to turn against (Merkel's policies),” she told The Hollywood Reporter. “They can play a real role in changing people's opinions.”

the other issues listed in this document can be resolved, modularizing a JAR could be as simple as choosing a name and reviewing the results of the calculation of existing modules and Maven dependency metadata. Even manually specifying dependencies could be a fast and easy way to modularize an existing artifact. Tooling Prevented from helping bridge the module name chasm Recently the Module-Name metadata field was removed from the proposal. This field would have allowed a developer to express their intended module name separately from fully modularizing their own code. This would allow someone to avoid their otherwise legacy module from being subjected to the default automodule name algorithm which only uses elements of the filename as the module name. Not having Module-Name available creates an inherently unstable automatic module naming solution, and will likely cause conflicts between otherwise properly namespaced modules. For the reasons of name instability, the current guidance (for adopters of Jigsaw) is to block or discourage publishing of libraries that depend upon automodules. This leads to the problem where no library creator can ever fully modularize until all of his/her dependencies have also done so! With an ecosystem that has transitive dependencies (sometimes dozens to hundreds of layers deep) and with some of those very deep dependencies quite stable and therefore infrequently updated, this will likely mean that some components will never be able to be fully modularised. The vision behind the Module-Name metadata was simply that it would make it easy for module authors starting with Jigsaw to immediately to choose their module name. It could make choosing and declaring a name easy, (maybe even required) very quickly for library authors. That means that the ecosystem could start to build up the metadata that is missing. The JSR could still do so (starting now), and as Jigsaw starts to hit critical mass, there would hopefully be very few important libraries that aren't properly named by their authors as intended. The bar to picking a good name is clearly much lower than fully modularizing, especially if there is social pressure into doing so before all your dependencies have. If developers could start declaring their Module-Name early, and the rule against automodule dependencies is redefined such that it's OK to lean on something with a Module-Name, it becomes much easier and quicker for the ecosystem to get to a building point for full Jigsaw modularization. Without the Module-Name metadata or some equivalent, build systems are effectively barred from helping with the conversion to achieve the very goal of this entire process. Inconsistent behavior Automatic modules have special behaviors that are not shared by the classpath or by modules, including allowing cycles, having access to all modules, and being unable to restrict visibility or accessibility in the way that named modules can. Thus as a migration tool, it is problematic to rely upon them.Automatic module naming follows new patterns and relies on JAR naming conventions, with no option to customize the automatic module's name unless the JAR is renamed during assembly. Inadequate Isolation An expectation of a module system is that a module’s implementation choices are independent of other modules in the system. Java EE, OSGI, and other plugin systems incorporate isolation systems characterized by such concepts as fully isolated package namespaces and separated module classloaders. Another example is Dynamic libraries (e.g. DLLs, SOs) which support isolation of symbols. A module system without adequate isolation will be unlikely to cope with an ecosystem which consists of modules produced by many different authors with different design parameters. Multiple module versions The JPMS Spec lead specifically chose not to solve multiple version resolution situations. #MultipleModuleVersions — Allow multiple distinct modules of a given name to be loaded in a convenient fashion, without using reflection. This could be done by creating new layers automatically, or by relaxing the constraints on multiple versions within a layer, or by some other means (cf. #StaticLayerConfiguration, #AvoidConcealedPackageConflicts). Addressing this issue may entail reconsidering the multiple versions non-requirement. [Mike Hearn] Resolution These overlapping issues do reflect actual, practical problems. There are, however, already effective -- if somewhat crude -- solutions to these problems via techniques such as shading (in Maven) and shadowing (Gradle). More sophisticated solutions could be designed and implemented in a future release. The lack of immediate solutions to these problems should not block a developer who wants to modularize an existing class-path application. If such an application works properly on the class path today then it likely does not have conflicting packages anyway, since conflicting packages on the class path almost always lead to trouble. [Spec Lead] This decision appears to be the result of the implementation choice of the Jigsaw authors to attempt to use a single class loader for all JDK modules,

BMW M2 contains stylistic references to highlights from its forebears in BMW’s motor sport back-catalogue – such as the BMW 2002 turbo and legendary BMW 3.0 CSL. Inspired by motor sport history. A glance at the front end of the all-new BMW M2 reveals characteristic M design features. The signature BMW kidney grille, with its black-painted double bars replicating the design of the M double-spoke wheels, carries the BMW M logo. And the three-dimensional design of the grille has a “shark nose” feel to it. The modern take on the BMW twin circular headlights underlines the car’s forward-surging look and establishes a close stylistic connection with the grille. This further sharpens the focus of the all-new BMW M2 on the road ahead. The large front apron with trapezoidal blades and the Air Curtains in the outer air intakes mimic the type of protruding spoilers that have been a familiar sight in motor sport down the years. For the BMW M2 they were inspired in particular by the BMW 3.0 CSL touring car racer. However, the large blades are not only a nod to the past. Form follows function is the message here, so as well as underlining the wide track of the all-new BMW M2 they divert part of the airflow through the wheel arches, while the Air Curtains guide the air effectively past the wheels. These two features work together to reduce air turbulence around the front wheel arches, cutting drag in the process. Moreover, the large air intakes cover the immense cooling air requirements of the high-performance engine. Thanks to the careful channeling of the airflow around and through elements of the car, drag has been reduced by five percent compared with the BMW 2 Series Coupe, despite the M2’s stronger cooling performance. The aerodynamic measures have also reduced lift by 35 percent and significantly improved aerodynamic balance at higher speeds. Hallmark BMW proportions. From the side the all-new BMW M2 is immediately identifiable as a fully-fledged member of the BMW M family. Compact dimensions and hallmark BMW proportions – i.e. a short front overhang, sweeping hood, long wheelbase and set-back greenhouse with classic BMW Hofmeister kink – are the starting point, with signature M design elements strengthening the dynamic expression. For instance, the newly interpreted BMW gills rearwards of the front wheel arches reference a feature first seen on the BMW 3.0 CSL. They send out a visual statement and set the swage line on its way towards the rear. The side swage line – which begins rearwards of the front axle on the all-new BMW M2, then rises dynamically towards the tail and links the flanks of the car with its rear end – is a classical BMW design feature; for instance, in the case of the BMW 2002, it extended around the whole car. Other typical elements of the all-new BMW M2’s powerful appearance are the sculptural wing extensions at the front and rear axle, which immediately bring to mind the image of a muscular athlete with broad shoulders in a figure-hugging race suit and visually enhance the car’s standout dynamic abilities. However, these significant bodywork extensions (front: 2.1 in, rear: 3.1 in) are not only a stylistic statement, but necessary to accommodate the wider track and wheels – in this case 19-inch aluminum forged rims in familiar BMW M double-spoke design. The broad rear end of the all-new BMW M2 highlights its firm grip on the asphalt, a quality further reinforced by the horizontal lines in the trunk lid and rear apron. The M rear spoiler on the trunk lid also accentuates the elevated dynamic aspirations of the all-new BMW M2. The vertical reflectors at the outer extremes of the rear apron form a stylistic connection with the trapezoidal blades at the front end and once again emphasize the powerful appearance of the all-new BMW M2. This feeling is additionally strengthened by the L- shaped rear lights which have become a fixture of BMW models. Their horizontally arranged LEDs also underscore the athletic and imposing impression created by the all-new BMW M2. The looks of the rear end are rounded off by another classical BMW M feature. The diffuser integrated into the rear apron is a clear reference to the racing abilities of the all-new BMW M2 and offers a nod to its optimized aerodynamics. Likewise integrated into the rear apron are the familiar quartet of hallmark BMW M exhaust tailpipes in high-gloss chrome, which draw renewed attention to the low visual center of gravity and point clearly to the dynamic performance of the all-new BMW M2. Attention to sporty detail wherever you

FILE - In this April 3, 2016 file photo, French Cardinal Philippe Barbarin, Archbishop of Lyon, leads a mass for migrants in the Saint-Jean Cathedral, in Lyon, central France. The Roman Catholic Church faces another public reckoning when a French cardinal goes on trial Monday, Jan. 7, 2019 for his alleged failure to report a pedophile priest who confessed to preying on Boy Scouts and whose victims want to hold one of France’s highest church figures accountable. (AP Photo/Laurent Cipriani, File) FILE - In this April 3, 2016 file photo, French Cardinal Philippe Barbarin, Archbishop of Lyon, leads a mass for migrants in the Saint-Jean Cathedral, in Lyon, central France. The Roman Catholic Church faces another public reckoning when a French cardinal goes on trial Monday, Jan. 7, 2019 for his alleged failure to report a pedophile priest who confessed to preying on Boy Scouts and whose victims want to hold one of France’s highest church figures accountable. (AP Photo/Laurent Cipriani, File) LYON, France (AP) — The Roman Catholic Church faces another public reckoning when a French cardinal goes on trial Monday for his alleged failure to report a pedophile priest who confessed to preying on Boy Scouts and whose victims want to hold one of France’s highest church figures accountable. Nine alleged victims of the Rev. Bernard Preynat have summoned Cardinal Philippe Barbarin, 68, as a defendant in France’s most prominent clergy sex abuse case yet. Another archbishop, a bishop and the Vatican official in charge of sex abuse cases also are among the defendants ordered to court in the southeastern city of Lyon to answer allegations of a cover-up. ADVERTISEMENT “This trial is an action to move justice forward,” said Alexandre Hezez, 44, who spoke to the cardinal directly about Preynat and is among those who brought the case to trial. Barbarin sought counsel on how to handle abuse accusations against Preynat from the Vatican official, Cardinal Luis Ladaria, who recommended disciplinary measures while “avoiding a public scandal.” However, Ladaria won’t be present during the three-day trial since the Vatican has invoked his diplomatic immunity. It could not extend the same protection to Barbarin, the archbishop of Lyon since 2002. Pope Francis has praised him as “brave” and said French justice should take its course. Barbarin, who maintains his innocence, encouraged Preynat’s alleged victims to take their reports of being abused during the 1970s and 1980s to judicial authorities. Preynat, who is in his 70s, wrote letters to some families confessing the abuse, and is to be tried separately on sexual violence charges involving 10 children. The victims’ allegation of a cover-up that allowed Preynat to be in contact with children until his 2015 retirement was thrown out in 2016 for insufficient evidence. They took the matter into their own hands and put it back on the docket through a direct approach available as a recourse in France. The difficulty in bringing the case to trial reflects the challenges that victims of clergy abuse encounter. It also comes as demands are soaring for a public reckoning for both abusers and those in the church hierarchy who hid such acts. “There has been a dramatic change in the zeitgeist. The #MeToo movement has come for the pope and his bishops,” said Anne Barrett Doyle, co-director of BishopAccountability.org, a victims’ group. “The demands for accountability and transparency are coming faster than the Vatican can contain them.” ADVERTISEMENT For his part, Barbarin “expects to be acquitted,” his lawyer, Jean-Felix Luciani, said in an interview. He said his client “never obstructed justice” because the statute of limitations had passed on the acts in question by the time Barbarin was informed. “The tableau depicting the Lyon diocese as protecting Father Preynat is false,” Luciani said. “It’s very difficult for him to be accused of things he didn’t know about.” If found guilty of failing to report the priest’s actions, the defendants could face up to three years in prison and a 45,000-euro ($51,300) fine. Barbarin and some other defendants are also charged with failing to assist a person in peril. Numerous child sex abuse claims have been made against Catholic clergy in France since the end of the 1990s. In a first in Europe, a Normandy bishop, Pierre Pican, in charge of Bayeux and Lisieux, was given a suspended three-month sentence in 2001 for failure to denounce such crimes. The priest in question, R

Big companies make shipping food items look easy. They have enough resources and possibly the top-notch delivery system that contribute to an overall seamless food delivery system. To ship food items, these companies make use of a faster, if not fastest, shipping service in order to keep them fresh. If you also aspire to become big then you must use FedEx. Its services are affordable, quick, safe, and have been specifically modified to help you ship food items. All you need is to pack them into boxes and pass on to FedEx pickup agents. There’s nothing else to worry about as you boxes can be packed along with Dry Ice to keep the items fresh inside. In this guide, we will cover some of the practical approaches to ship food items with FedEx services. We will make use of WooCommerce FedEx Shipping Plugin and Shopify FedEx App to do that. You will also find a few good tips regarding the same. How to pack and ship food items? To ship food items, you should choose the package that can withhold the food item for longer durations of time. The parcel should also be capable of keeping the products fresh and intact throughout the trip. If you are shipping ready-to-eat items then you should be particular about the space inside the box. The space inside should neither be too loose or too tight, rather it should be a snug fit. This way the food content will stay intact which is indirectly good for your store reputation. How to choose the right insulations for your package? You should first decide the kind of eatables you will ship before you pick the packaging material. Do the items requires special attention or the items are extremely temperature sensitive? This way you would be able to choose the right insulators for your packages. Another important aspect here is you need to make sure there’s no sign of possible leakage. So you could start feeling in the package’s surfaces to ensure everything is sealed. This is to avoid damage if something goes wrong during the shipment or delivery process. As shown in the image above, you have to make sure the inside of the package is surrounded by the insulation. Some of the most common insulations used are usually made from, Styrofoam Boxes Styrofoam Cut Sheets Insulated Liners Air filled Insulation Liners Insulated Pads How to pack coolants (Dry Ice) along with your package? Once you have completely insulated your package, you must add the coolant which will keep the box cool for longer durations. One of the most common types of refrigerant used by shippers is Dry Ice. Dry Ice is the solid form of carbon dioxide. It has a lower temperature than that of water ice and acts as a cooling agent when you ship food items that are sensitive to heat. Moreover, it does not leave any residue which is the most important part of shipping consumable and delicate frozen items. However, Dry Ice is considered hazardous for air travel and so, the shipments containing dry ice are required to be properly labeled. The shipment should also comply with the shipping carrier’s rules and regulations. And so to ship food items along with dry ice, you need to make some special changes to your parcel. How to decide the right FedEx Shipping service? You probably would want to choose the fastest shipping service to ship food items. However, these ultra-fast shipping services are usually expensive and it’s probably not worth it to spend $100 dollars to ship something which costs $20. The FedEx 2Day service will charge you less when compared to FedEx Standard Overnight or any other FedEx Overnight service for that matter. So, if you believe your food items can easily survive the 2-day trip then you could go with FedEx 2Day. However, that doesn’t mean you should not choose a much faster service like FedEx First Overnight. So it all depends on your shipping preference. On another note, FedEx Express services are also quite fast and provide an option to ship Dry Ice. You can compare them and find out which one’s better for you. Apart from that, the need for a required shipping service will also depend on the shelf-life of the package. So depending on whether you have to keep the food items refrigerated or frozen, you may have to choose another service. The best way to deal with this is to find out the slowest shipping method which will ensure the safe arrival of the item. Using WooCommerce FedEx Shipping Plugin to ship food/frozen items You may find shipping food items with Dry Ice from your WooCommerce skeptical. But it’s actually the opposite and the process is rather simple. With the WooCommerce FedEx Shipping plugin, you can easily ship food items. In fact, you can even add in the Dry Ice option along with the supported

This could have a devastating effect on Huawei's business.Intel, Qualcomm and other chipmakers cut off supplies to Huawei Following the news over the weekend that Google was halting the delivery of software and hardware to Huawei for Android things, several other companies have complied with US government rules, constricting supplies to Huawei. It's finally over.The Engadget staff on that 'Game of Thrones' finale For this month's video IRL, we couldn't miss talking about the conclusion of one of the biggest TV series ever, HBO's Game of Thrones. After years of speculation about how the epic story would end, we finally have (some of) our answers. But is that enough? Here's how they'll get you to upgrade.Sony plans to pitch PS5 gaming as 'immersive' and'seamless' At a corporate strategy meeting in Japan, Sony used a demo video to tease the performance of its SSD-equipped next PlayStation console. It also explained plans to tout the console's horsepower (enough to deliver immersive graphics) as well as streaming gameplay that works seamlessly across different devices. What it didn't reveal is the other information we want to hear, like a price, release date or any word on games. Android-powered AR.Google's next-gen Glass eyewear lasts longer and runs on Android The Glass Enterprise Edition 2 eyewear largely sticks to a familiar formula on the outside, but it should be far more powerful thanks to its updated Android OS and Qualcomm XR1 processor. Those two factors should make for easier app development, better performance and increased battery life. Just don't ask about a personal pair -- for now this hardware is all business oriented. They're a more affordable version of Sony's hugely popular 1000XM3 headphones.Sony's noise-cancelling XB900N offer more bass for less money We loved Sony's WH-1000XM3 noise-cancelling headphones. Not only are they comfortable but they sound amazing. The biggest downside was the $350 price tag. Sony's new WH-XB900N Extra Bass headphones fix that by offering noise canceling for $100 less than the flagship model. Trade wars are coming.'Game of Thrones' finale blocked in China Tencent Video, the streaming platform that controls the rights of HBO's series in China, didn't broadcast the show's conclusion Monday morning when it was supposed to air. Instead, the service displayed a message that the show wasn't available due to "transmission medium problems." But HBO believes it is fallout from recent trade disputes between the US and China. This includes 5G expansion, rural broadband and ditching Boost Mobile.T-Mobile and Sprint make promises to clinch FCC's merger approval T-Mobile and Sprint want that merger, making a fresh round of promises to make it happen. They've vowed to deploy 5G service that covers 97 percent of the US population within three years of an approved merger, and 99 percent in six years. About 90 percent of Americans would have mobile internet at speeds of "at least" 100Mbps, while 99 percent would have speeds of 50Mbps or more. The best baby monitor isn't necessarily the one with the most features.The baby tech you need (and the tech you don't) When you start life as a parent, you hope that buying every gadget on sale will make your life easier. But that's not always the case in the realm of baby tech, which often offers solutions to problems that don't exist. Because you don't have the time or money to try everything out on your own kids, let us help. But wait, there's more... The Morning After is a new daily newsletter from Engadget designed to help you fight off FOMO. Who knows what you'll miss if you don't Subscribe. Craving even more? Like us on Facebook or Follow us on Twitter. Have a suggestion on how we can improve The Morning After? Send us a note.

(PhysOrg.com) -- Hyun Keun Lee and Beom Jun Kim, researchers at the University of Seoul, have developed an idea on how to reduce traffic jams or in some cases prevent them all together. In their paper, published in Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, they suggest outfitting every vehicle on the road with wireless communications, some on-board controls, and the implementation of a simple algorithm. Their idea is based on research that has shown that traffic jams occur when (quite obviously) cars are pouring faster into an area of road than the speed at which they are leaving; this results to some extent, the researchers say because of differences in drivers. They say that there are two kinds of drivers on the road. The first are “optimistic” who believe that driving more aggressively will get them to their destination faster. They tend to be the ones to move closer to the vehicle in front of them than is generally deemed safe. The second group, comprised of “defensive” drivers tend to fear the actions of other drivers and as a result tend to put more space between their vehicle and the one they are following. Not surprisingly, the researchers suggest that it’s the optimistic drivers who contribute more to traffic jams because they are the ones that cause the bunching. To build their algorithm, the team used these bits of information. To put an end to a traffic jam, they reason, all that’s needed is for cars that are headed for the jam to slow down and for those that are leaving the jam to speed up. The problem is, people on their own don’t follow these rules. Thus, they suggest that each car be fitted with controls that can force a car to slow down or speed up when deemed necessary, and with wireless technology so that all the cars in the area can “talk” to each other. In such a system, all of the cars on the road could be made to be of the defensive type as well, thus alleviating the original cause of so many jams. In such a real world system, all of the cars and trucks on the road would broadcast their location and speed to all other vehicles in the area. When an onboard control system for an individual vehicle notes that the cars ahead seem to be slowing down for no apparent reason, it would slow the vehicle right away, preventing things ahead from getting worse. If every car heading into the jam did the same, the problem would be reduced. At the same time, those cars on the other side of the jam would be sped up automatically so as to relieve the pressure of the jam. Such a system would not require a central computer controlling everything; each car would react as it should based on the same algorithm in its own individual controller. Realistically, it does appear that such a system would work. The only problem of course would be getting all of the cars on the road fitted with such controls, especially the part where they driver wouldn’t be allowed to override them as is the case with virtually all other automated controls currently being implemented in vehicles. More information: Dissolution of traffic jam via additional local interactions, Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Volume 390, Issues 23-24, 1 November 2011, Pages 4555-4561. Preprint available: Dissolution of traffic jam via additional local interactions,, Volume 390, Issues 23-24, 1 November 2011, Pages 4555-4561. Preprint available: arxiv.org/abs/1109.2191 Abstract We use a cellular automata approach to numerically investigate traffic flow patterns on a single lane. The free-flow phase (F), the synchronized phase (S), and the jam phase (J) are observed and the transitions among them are studied as the vehicular density ρ is slowly varied. If ρ is decreased from well inside the J phase, the flux Φ follows the lower branch of the hysteresis loop, implying that the adiabatic decrease of ρ is not an efficient way to put the system back into S or F phases. We propose a simple way to help the system to escape out of J phase, which is based on the local information of the velocities of downstream vehicles. via Arxiv Blog © 2011 PhysOrg.com

About Experian Experian is one of the pioneers in rendering credit information services such as furnishing data as well as investigative tools to its clients across the globe. The company through its services assists businesses to take care of credit risk, avert deceit, as well as help in marketing products thereby enabling organizations to make a sound financial move. Experian also assists individuals and acquaints them with their credit score, credit report, simultaneously safeguarding identity of the individual. Head quartered in Dublin Ireland, Experian operates in 39 countries and has clients in over 60 countries across the globe. With an immense experience in the field of credit information services, Experian entered Indian market in December 2006 and since then has been operating under the names of two companies: • Experian Credit Information Company of India Private Limited: First Credit Information Company, to be awarded license under Credit Information Companies (Regulation) Act (CICRA) 2005. • Experian Services India Private Limited Aims to provide Indian companies various ways to organize the available information in order to maximize profits and diminish the risks associated with the transaction. How does Experian Work? Experian as an independent organization gathers information on your credit history such as your bank statements, credit card history, loan repayment history, as well as details of your identity which enables Experian to come up with detailed report called as “Credit Information Report”. This report is really helpful in knowing your own financial status as well as safe guarding your identity. Although the lenders have their own set parameters to decide if they want to lend you the credit, this report works as a boon to determine the comfort level of your lenders to lend you the credit owing to your good credit record. Based on your credit information report a numeric value is obtained with the help of analytic tools this numeric value is called “Credit Score”. Higher the credit score higher are your chances of getting your credit or loan approved by your lender. This credit information or a credit score not only helps lenders to grant you loans or credit but also enables you to know your own financial status which will enable you to make a smart financial decision and preventing identity theft. How to get your Credit Information Report or Credit Score? It is very easy to obtain your credit information report and credit score. You will be required to simply go online on www.experian.in and fill in an online application form. You will be asked to pay a requisite fee online and once the procedure and you are aware of your credit information report as well credit score you will receive a copy of the same through email on your verified email address. You can also avail your credit information report and credit score by calling on the customer service number asking them to send across an application form. You will be required to fill in this application form and send it back to office along with attested photocopies of various essential documents such as your pan card, identity proof etc enlisted in the application form. You will also be required to pay the requisite fee through a bank in favour of the office. Once the application form has been filled and the fee is deposited your credit information and your credit score will be at your doorstep. Experian has been effectively helping various individuals and corporates in making a financially sound decision and enabling them to grow in market by providing them the world of insight. :

Penn State Wrestling won its third consecutive national championship tonight under Cael Sanderson, and Quentin Wright and Ed Ruth both took home individual titles. Matt Brown faced Chris Perry of Oklahoma State in the 174 weight class to start off the finals. The two wrestlers grappled for the better part of the first period. Matt Brown started down in the second period and quickly escaped. The two exchanged shots near the end of the period, but time ran out. Perry escaped from down early in the third period. Perry received a stall warning at the end of the third period. The match headed into sudden victory where neither wrestler could score. It then moved into tiebreakers where Brown started from down. Brown could not escape from down, and Perry escaped during his tiebreaker to win 2-1. Ed Ruth saw Robert Hamlin of Lehigh at 184 for the third time this year. Previously Ruth beat Hamlin in an 11-9 decision in the season’s opening dual and again in a 7-3 decision at the Southern Scuffle. Less than 30 seconds into the bout, Ruth had a takedown to lead 2-1 after Ruth was called on a locked hand penalty. Ruth clinched a minute of riding time before the first period was over. Ruth escaped from down less than 10 seconds into the second period and got a second takedown with 15 seconds left. In the third, Hamlin had an escape with just over a minute left in the bout. With just 30 seconds left, Ruth had two more takedowns and with the riding time point, Ruth was able to clinch a 12-4 major decision to put Penn State ahead of Oklahoma State in the standings after the Cowboys took the lead after the first match. Quentin Wright faced Dustin Kilgore of Kent State at 197, who had been undefeated since December 2010, after redshirting last season. Wright had an early takedown but Kilgore was able to escape and took down Wright shortly after for a 3-2 score. After a restart, Wright escaped to tie the match 3-3 going into the second period. Wright escaped from down early in the second period. A coaches review was called based on the fact that Wright had a takedown, but the officials ruled that it was out of bounds. Kilgore started on the bottom in the third period, but he escaped with about 15 seconds into the bout. Wright delivered two more takedowns to win 8-6 and secure the third consecutive team championship for Penn State. Nico Megaludis and Jesse Delgado of Illinois battled for the third time this season in the 125 bout. Megaludis had beaten Delgado in the regular season, but Delgado got his revenge at the Big Ten Tourament. Megaludis had an early shot on Delgado but could not follow through on the takedown. After a stalemate, the two continued to take shots at each other throughout the first period. Delgado got an escape from down shortly into the second period. Megaludis attempted a single leg, but Delgado was able to take him over and added three back points to lead 6-2 after a Megaludis escape. Megaludis added a takedown with 15 seconds left, but after a Delgado escape there was no time left for Megaludis to get the needed points as Delgado prevailed 7-4. David Taylor and Kyle Dake had been waiting months for the match of the century, and it certainly did not disappoint. Taylor took down Kyle Dake within the first fifteen seconds. Dake attempted a reversal on Taylor but they went out of bounds, so Dake was awarded an escape. Dake asked for a coaches challenge on whether or not it was a reversal, but the call stood. Dake took down Taylor with little time left in the first period. Taylor attempted to escape, but Dake threw him down again and time ran out in the second period with Dake leading 4-2 after another escape. Taylor almost took down Dake, but the two went out of bounds. A Taylor escape and Dake being called for stalling evened the match 4-4 late in the third period, but Dake had riding time advantage and Taylor was unable to get the final takedown he needed as the Cornell wrestler hung on to win 5-4. Despite the close loss by Taylor, it was certainly a memorable night for Penn State wrestling in Des Moines, Iowa. With eight of their 10 starters returning next year, it doesn’t look like this dynasty will be ending anytime soon. Shortly after the matches concluded, Coach Sanderson won his second Coach of the Year Award.

think it was quite foolish if someone was trying to portray a global catastrophic risk as a left or liberal issue, because it’s like wrong, but I guess I haven’t seen that, and I’m not sure what the angle there is. I suppose maybe you’re criticized for right wing foreign policy or something, say oh evident these people don’t care about civilization or stability, but I think that would be a misunderstanding. Kelsey Piper: Yeah, I think certainly for any issue, alienating lots of the country by asserting they don’t care about it looks like a pretty bad move, especially something like the destruction of civilization, which I think it appears to be the case that almost everybody wants to prevent that. Robert Wiblin: Yeah. We could be at least that charitable. This might be a hard question, but are there any other media outlets, or what would be another media outlet that you’d be most excited about starting another kind of effective altruism inspired vertical, or section I suppose, as normal people call it? Kelsey Piper: Again, I think that depends so much on the internal support for the division and who gets to work there. I think, obviously, the outlet and the platform matters, but almost more important to that I think is what sort of direction they’re getting, and who they are, and how much background they have in covering these issues, who they know to talk to. I think even the best reporter in the world is going to have a hard time with accurate coverage of a beat they just don’t have any exposure to in the past, and I think even the best reporter in the world is going to end up sort of sidelined into the things that their editors understand, if their editors aren’t coming at it from a perspective of really being willing to step outside their comfort zone and do something new, so I feel like lucky that Vox had editors Ezra and Dylan. I feel like that’s pretty key to Future Perfect’s being able to do what it’s doing, and I’m sure there are more Ezras and Dylans out there, but I don’t know where. The fidelity model of spreading ideas Robert Wiblin: So, an idea that’s become popular in the effective altruism community over the years is that in order to impact, we really want to present our views in a very sophisticated version, and to get people to really understand them on a deep level, and that there’s been experience that when they get simplified in order to get promoted, very often so much of the subtly is lost, that people can’t meaningfully act on it, that they just get kind of this garbled version of it. I think there’s a [inaudible 01:17:09] say that the Center for Effective Altruism put out the fidelity model of spreading ideas, which kind of makes this case that we really want to find mediums like long form podcasting where people can really actually grapple with the idea. I guess, yeah, do you worry it’s possible that the articles of the length that Future Perfect puts out just might not be quite in depth enough for people to fully kind of grock effective altruism? Kelsey Piper: I think yeah. There’s very few complicated ideas where reading one 2,000 word article about it is going to stick with you as a significant change in your understanding of the world. I think what it can do is maybe get you interested enough to read more, and over time there can be lots of articles that maybe reading all of them can be a little bit more compelling, but yeah, it seems absolutely true to me that you can’t expect your case for impact to be we wrote this article, tons of people read it, they changed their minds and got a more productive understanding of things. Robert Wiblin: Yeah. I guess you think as a package, if they read many of these articles, then maybe they’ll become more informed and more able to achieve good in their life. Kelsey Piper: I think that people can click through and interact with other content and find the in depth explanations and find the experts, and hopefully the people who are gripped by the initial idea are willing to sort of take those follow up steps. Robert Wiblin: Yeah, what would happen if you are someone else went into Future Perfect and said, “I think it would be good if we wrote half as many articles, but that they were twice as long.” So they went into an unusual depth on the topics. Would that be something that Vox would be excited about? Kelsey Piper: I think Vox believes pretty strongly that having content go up frequently is pretty essential to engagement, and that telling lots of

my absolute max heart rate values. Here’s how things looked on the TomTom Cardio unit: And then next, using a traditional heart rate strap (Garmin HRM-RUN): In this case, you see that the HRM-Run for some reason struggled a bit on the 6th and 7th interval. I wiped away the sweat behind the strap and it immediately went back to normal. It was a fairly warm night, and combined with the higher intensity workout, I was drenched. On the first interval you see a bit of a delayed pickup on the HR strap as well. In the above run, I saw no abnormalities with the Mio optical sensor within the TomTom unit. It worked flawlessly. Long Run: 2 hours 30 minutes This was a long and steady run, once I warmed up into zone, I stayed with it and was completely constant based on heart rate for the entire run. Here’s how things looked, first, the TomTom Multisport: You’ll see one minor odditiy around the 7-8 minute marker, with a spike. I noticed it while running, and then tightened the strap. It was a little bit loose. Once I did that, the spike immediately went away. Next, we’ve got data from a traditional heart rate strap (Garmin HRM-RUN): As you can see looking at the two they are virtually identical after about the 8 minute marker once I tightened the strap. Throughout the run I’d glance and they were always the same or +/- a single BPM. Very impressive. Cycling…Cobbles and All: This was an hour long ride through the streets of Paris. In this case I wore the unit on my wrist, as opposed to using the bike mount – specifically so I could collect accuracy data. My route included long stretches of cobbles (upwards of a half a mile at a time), which are notorious for throwing off all sorts of sports technology devices. First, the TomTom Cardio optical HR data: Then next, the traditional HR strap data from a different non-TomTom unit: They are very similar. The one difference you see is around the 33 minute marker, the HR strap seemed to produce a bit of a spike to 110BPM. I’m actually not clear if this was correct, or if the TomTom was correct here. I was descending (hence the lower HR’s), and thus I would have been surprised to see a spike. But since I was descending at night on cobbles, I was slightly less focused on the HR’s there. The Girl’s Long Run: 3 Hours In addition to my running and rides, The Girl has also spent some time with the unit, or more specifically, a long 3 hour run with the unit. I helped her get all set with the unit and then sent her along her way. Here’s the data from the TomTom unit first: Looking at the above, there’s one spot at about the 12 mile marker where the unit seems to drop by about 20bpm. It’s unclear if that was reality or not (since the strap below doesn’t show it). You can also see a bit more variability in the second half of the run with the strap, as she increased intensity. She noted to me that the numbers were nearly always the same or within 1BPM or so when she looked at the displays. So from her HR zone pacing perspective, they were both valid. And then, the data from the traditional HR strap (HRM-RUN). In her case, you can see a single spike early on in the run on the heart rate strap. I checked with her, and she said that was erroneous and was not some sprint she did. That brief HR strap spike only lasted a few seconds out of 3 hours of running. Given we’re talking about The Girl’s run, I do want to point out that while she found the optical HR piece just fine and dandy, she was not terribly thrilled with the pod on the watch itself. Specifically, she felt it dug into her wrist bone quite a bit and found it fairly uncomfortable for the run she used it on. This is likely because the pod is hard plastic and leaves no room for movement or flexibility. Overall though, looking at all the optical heart rate stats from all the above rides/runs, I don’t think anyone could realistically say that the optical HR measurement didn’t perform better than the HR strap. It seemed to in almost every case, both for myself and The Girl. All Day Activity/HR Recording: First off, the TomTom Cardio does NOT record your daily steps. Nor, is it an all

Shohei Ohtani became the fourth Japanese-born player to win Rookie of the Year, as the Los Angeles Angels' two-way sensation beat out New York Yankees duo Miguel Andujar and Gleyber Torres for the American League award. Ohtani earned 25 of 30 first-place votes to run away with the award. The other five votes went to Andujar, who finished as runner-up. "Accomplishing something this special my first year means a whole lot to me," Ohtani told MLB Network through a translator. "Especially, I think it means a whole lot for people that have been supporting me this whole time, so I'm really grateful." Ohtani joins Hideo Nomo (1995), Kazuhiro Sasaki (2000) and Ichiro Suzuki (2001) as Japanese players to be honored after his debut year in Major League Baseball. The Angels star was particularly proud to be the first from his country to win the award since Suzuki did so 17 years ago. "[Suzuki] is someone that [Ohtani] watched ever since he was a little kid and always looked up to until this day," said Ohtani's interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara. The Angels had high hopes for both Ohtani's bat and his pitching arm, and the 24-year-old lived up to the hype in his first season with the Angels, hitting.285 with 22 home runs and a.564 slugging percentage that would have ranked fourth in the AL if he'd had enough plate appearances to qualify for the leaderboards. Angels slugger Mike Trout lauded Ohtani in a statement released by the team. "I want to pass along my congratulations to Shohei for this special honor," Trout said. "It's great to see all of his hard work and effort recognized with this very prestigious award. All of us enjoyed playing alongside and watching Shohei excel as a two-way player and make history along the way. I have no doubt the best is yet to come!" In 51.2 innings over 10 starts, he went 4-2 with a 3.31 ERA and 63 strikeouts, flashing the ace-caliber stuff that had teams eager to sign him primarily for his ability on the mound. The bat was more impressive than anticipated, however, and Ohtani joined Babe Ruth as the only players to hit at least 20 home runs and pitch at least 50 innings in the same season. Ruth did that in 1919 -- his last season as a pitcher. The Red Sox sold him to the Yankees that offseason, and he became a full-time outfielder in 1920. Ohtani will serve as a full-time hitter in 2019, as he underwent Tommy John surgery the day after the regular season ended. The surgery will likely prevent him from pitching in 2019, but he should see significant time as the Angels' designated hitter, though he might not be ready at the start of the season. Shohei Ohtani on becoming an overwhelming pick for American League Rookie of the Year: "Accomplishing something this special my first year means a whole lot to me." John Cordes/Icon Sportswire Ohtani, a phenom in Japan for the Nippon Ham Fighters, was the subject of an intense recruiting campaign after he was posted. Although he pitched just 25 innings in 2017 because of an ankle injury, in 2016 he had a 1.86 ERA in 140 innings and hit.322 with 22 home runs. Because he was younger than 25 years old, Ohtani was subject to international signing rules, which capped his bonus at $3.557 million and limited him to a rookie salary scale (the signing team also had to pay a $20 million posting fee to the Fighters). That essentially meant all 30 teams could afford to go after Ohtani; if he had waited until he was 25 to come to MLB, he would have commanded a $200 million contract. Ohtani narrowed his finalists to the Angels, Dodgers, Giants, Padres, Mariners, Rangers and Cubs, and then he signed with the Angels for a $2.315 million bonus. Ohtani struggled in spring training, both at the plate and throwing strikes while pitching, but he made an immediate impression in the regular season. He beat the A's in his first start on April 1, allowing three runs in six innings. Pitching against the A's again in his second start, he allowed just one hit in seven innings with 12 strikeouts. Meanwhile, after going 1-for-5 in his first game at DH, he homered in three straight games and became the biggest story in the game the first couple months of the season. His first career home run came in Anaheim and was one of the most memorable moments of the season, as Angels fans gave him a huge ovation, but Ohtani was greeted with silence by his

Monaco Bug Bounty Program Monaco recognizes the importance of security researchers in helping keep our community safe. We encourage responsible disclosure of security vulnerabilities via our bug bounty program described on this page. Note: This program is for the disclosure of software security vulnerabilities only. Rules Please do not Publicly Disclose any vulnerabilities without out our consent. We will not approve Public Disclosure requests until the vulnerability has been resolved. Do not intentionally harm the experience or usefulness of the service to others, including degradation of services and denial of service attacks. Do not use scanners or automated tools to find vulnerabilities. They’re noisy and we may ban your IP address. Do not attempt non-technical attacks such as social engineering, phishing, or physical attacks against our employees, users, or infrastructure. In case of receiving duplicate reports of a specific vulnerability, only the first report is eligible for a reward. By submitting a bug, you agree to be bound by the rules. Scope In Scope Assets See Structured Scope An issue identified in the applications listed in Structured Scopes only, qualifies for the program. Once the report has been triaged as valid, it’s considered for the bug bounty. All services provided by Monaco are eligible for our bug bounty program, including the Monaco APP Wallet and Exchange. Note: Severity shown in the structured scopes indicates the maximum severity possible for reports submitted to the asset. Severity shown in the structured scopes indicates the maximum severity possible for reports submitted to the asset. Over time, additional apps or web application may come into scope, so please check back regularly. For now, only the apps listed as in scope have opted-in to the Monaco Security Rewards Program and are eligible for rewards. Out of Scope The following domains below are hosted by third parties, and are not currently eligible for our bug bounty program (unless they lead to a vulnerability on the main website): *.mona.co Any other service not directly hosted or controlled by Monaco. Monaco will determine at its discretion whether a vulnerability is eligible for a reward and the amount of the award. Rewards We categorize bug reports into Low, Medium, High and Critical security risk vulnerabilities. Rewards are administered according to the following guidelines: Bounty Table SEVERITY CVSS SCORE REWARD Critical 9.0 – 10.0 eg: RCE, SQL Injection, Manipulation of account balance *$7500 + receive a Monaco metal card without lockup + Swag High 7.0 – 8.9 eg: XSS/CSRF/Clickjacking affecting sensitive actions, Authentication bypasses, Loss of privileged information (passwords, API keys, private keys, etc.) *$3,000 + receive a Monaco metal card without lockup + Swag Medium 4.0 – 6.9 eg: Partial authentication bypass, Other vulnerability with clear potential for financial loss, Loss of user personal information (addresses, phone numbers, etc) *$1000 + Swag Low 0.1 – 3.9 eg: Other XSS (excluding Self-XSS) Other CSRF (excluding logout CSRF) *$250 + Swag ***To receive the Monaco card and Swag we will need a postage address. Note: If the Report does not include a valid Proof-of-Concept, the qualification of rewards will be decided according to reproducibility and severity of the vulnerability, and the rewards amount may be reduced significantly. We have not set a maximum reward for the reporting of security vulnerabilities, and may increase reward amounts based on the severity of the vulnerability found. The specific amount of the bug will vary according to: The effect of the bug. The cause of the bug. Whether or not the person who reports the bug suggests a solution to the bug or helps in its resolution. The process through which the bug was discovered. Besides earning a place in our security hall of fame, every security vulnerability submitted that results in a fix on our side will receive a monetary reward. Non-Qualifying Vulnerabilities in the Mobile Apps Software bugs that have no security impact. Shared links leaked through the system clipboard. Any URIs leaked because a malicious app has permission to view URIs opened Absence of certificate pinning Sensitive data in URLs/request bodies when protected by TLS User data stored unencrypted on external storage and private directory. Lack of obfuscation is out of scope auth “app secret” hard-coded/recoverable in apk Crashes due to malformed Intents sent to exported Activity/Service/BroadcastReceive (exploiting these for sensitive data leakage is commonly in scope) and due to mal

. Dry Aged Beef Burger | Cole Saladino/Thrillist 2. Dry Aged Beef Burger The Whelk Westport, CT Westport, CT When the burger at The Whelk first came out, I was sure I wouldn’t like it. It was too big. The bun was too thick. There was too much mayo. No one wanted to hear me complain. Then I bit into it. The dry-aged beef had a certain funk to it, which played really nicely with all the other elements here. The meat was thick but perfectly cooked and juicy. There was a lot of mayo but it had an onion-tang and meshed nicely with the sweet pickles to balance out the creamy Bella Bantam cheese and the funky meat. The brioche managed to not be cloying or too-croissant-esque (though it did start to flake on top). The bacon was also good, but added an extra element of salt that the burger didn’t really need, because, man, this thing’s meaty flavor can hold its own. The Everything | Manny Vargas/Thrillist 1. The Everything Ted’s Restaurant Meriden, CT Meriden, CT Sitting at the counter, watching the cook at Ted’s cram meat into little trays like he was making meat muffins was one of the most underrated experiences of this entire Quest. And biting into that burger at the end was up there too. Ted’s is the OG in the Meriden steamed-cheeseburger game, having been around since 1959. The place is small, mostly just a long countertop. We ordered “The Everything,” which is a steamed cheeseburger with all the fixings, and -- as we sat waiting -- I started to form a narrative in my head about how this old-school joint was yet another CT legend that we needed to pay homage to but had maybe been surpassed by the newer generation. I was wrong. The burger came out moist as you’d expect, but with much better composition than the one at K LaMay’s. Ted’s uses a mild Cheddar that pulled almost like mozzarella and had that subtle nutty flavor that helped balance the acid from the pickles, mustard, and onion. The loose grind of the meat felt pure, and the salt and pepper added the proper seasoning. There was no real trick to it, but all the elements fell exactly into place. And if you can still manage to do that after 59 years, you deserve to be called the best burger in Connecticut. Sign up here for our daily NYC email and be the first to get all the food/drink/fun New York has to offer.

If you haven't noticed a "Made in the USA" label recently, keep your eyes open: It's on its way back. Over the last two decades, thousands of U.S. manufacturers have set up overseas operations meant to take advantage of cheap foreign labor and permissive regulations. The offshoring trend has eliminated millions of American jobs and generated a lot of political pressure for new policies that protect the ones that are still available. President Obama has made a stronger manufacturing sector the centerpiece of his proposal for "an economy built to last." With little fanfare, however, the manufacturing sector may be reviving itself, regardless of what happens in Washington. A combination of factors is now making the United States a far more attractive place to build factories and assemble products. For one thing, wages are quickly rising in China and other overseas manufacturing hubs, narrowing the wage gap that once made those countries so appealing. At the same time, U.S. manufacturers have become extremely efficient, largely because they've had to adapt in order to remain competitive. A relatively weak U.S. dollar (sorry, Rick Perry) draws foreign firms to the United States, since it can be cheaper to build stuff here than in their home countries. And American consumers, though pinched by the recent recession, remain an economic power worth sidling up to. The net result may be a manufacturing boom that reverses much of the outsourcing of the last 20 years. Boston Consulting Group predicts an upturn that will create two-to-three-million new jobs by 2020, add between $20 billion and $55 billion to annual economic output and bring several industries that have migrated overseas back home to America. "The tide is starting to turn," BCG analysts wrote in a recent report. "The implications are likely to be profound." Companies already planning to move overseas production back to the United States include NCR, Ford, Coleman and All-Clad, along with many smaller firms. Few economists or business leaders anticipated this imminent revival, which makes it worth plumbing for insights. Here are four lessons from manufacturing's unexpected change of fortune: Government policies are a minor factor. The weak dollar, which is partly a byproduct of the Federal Reserve's low interest rate policy, has helped lure more foreign firms to the United States. But other than that, it's mostly market forces—not Washington policies—that are helping bring back the industrial sector. That doesn't mean Washington should sit on its hands. But it suggests that instead of trying to rebuild the economy with highly ambitious policies—which often can't get through a gauntlet of opposition in Congress anyway—Washington's efforts would bear more fruit if they complement positive trends already underway. This isn't a liberal or conservative view. Rather, it's pragmatic: First do no harm, then see if assistance from the government can check negative trends or amplify positive ones. Cost cutting is a major factor. And "cost cutting" means the pay and benefit reductions that have been painful for many blue-collar workers. In a recent report heralding a new "industrial revolution," Bank of America Merrill Lynch pointed out that since peaking in the 1980s, U.S. labor costs have fallen by about 50 percent, compared to costs in other developed nations. That has come from difficult concessions by unions, the rise of non-union factories, and new technology that has reduced the need for workers. Yet it has also allowed the United States to evolve from an overpriced market to a highly competitive one. That doesn't mean pay cuts and reduced living standards are a necessity in the manufacturing sector. But it does mean that old sinecures like automatic pay raises and guaranteed minimum pay levels can hamper competitiveness, and aren't healthy in the long run. There's a strong upside to globalization. Stephen Gray, CEO of Gray Construction in Lexington, Kentucky, says the outlook for the next 12 to 24 months is the strongest it's been in years. One of the biggest reasons is an influx of foreign firms such as Siemens, Volkswagen and Hyundai. "I see continuing opportunity," he says. "In the construction market, we are seeing a definite trend of foreign companies locating to the United States." Data backs that up. Merrill Lynch reports that the United States is still the world's top recipient of foreign direct investment, by far. And the latest numbers show FDI in manufacturing rising by double digits. Many Americans have bemoaned globalization, since it seemed to suck jobs out of the United States with little tangible benefit. But the same market forces have made U.S. manufacturing more efficient and set the stage for the return of sustainable, high-paying blue-collar jobs. America's demise is greatly exaggerated. The U.S. economy, including manufacturing, still faces a lot of challenges. America's infrastructure, for instance, is old and creaky and ranks far below average, which is a competitive disadvantage. But many people underestimate the resilience of the U.S.

With Philippe Coutinho now set to remain a Liverpool player for another year, his performances this season will define his Anfield legacy. It was a long and often tedious summer transfer window, with Coutinho’s on-off move to Barcelona dominating column inches. Liverpool’s stance remained strong throughout, despite the Spanish side’s ongoing interest, and he will now stay with the Reds beyond the summer. It’s fair to say the Brazilian has plenty of making up to do to Jurgen Klopp, his team-mates and supporters alike, but if he delivers on the pitch, all will be forgiven. The next chapter of Coutinho’s Liverpool career is likely to go one of two ways this season—will he replicate Luis Suarez’s masterclass or Fernando Torres’ damp squib of an ending? Luis Suarez The summer of 2013 had real echoes of this current one about it, with the Reds’ star man pushing for a move to another club. Suarez stated his desire to leave Liverpool, but eventually stayed put for one more year, following an embarrassing bid of £40,000,001 from Arsenal. A 10-game suspension for biting Chelsea‘s Branislav Ivanovic meant the Uruguayan missed the first six games of the 2013/14 campaign, and fans were eager to see his effort levels upon his return. There was always the threat that Suarez would down tools, especially with rumours circling that he was disillusioned with English football, but he scored twice on his first game back at Sunderland. What followed was the greatest individual season of any Liverpool player since the Premier League started in 1992, and one of the all-time great Reds campaigns in general. El Pistolero was the catalyst for an extraordinary season of attacking football under Brendan Rodgers, producing myriad moments of magic and cruising to the PFA Player of the Year and FWA Footballer of the Year awards. He so nearly inspired the Reds to a first-ever Premier League title, and for a stint around Christmas, not even Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo could match him. His performance in the 5-1 win at home to Norwich City in December 2013, in which he scored four fabulous goals, was the highlight of a special season that saw him net 31 goals and tally 21 assists in 31 league appearances. Suarez’s move to Barcelona after the 2014 World Cup had a feeling of inevitability about it, and while it was devastating to lose a true genius of a footballer, you couldn’t begrudge him his dream move. He had handled himself superbly after so nearly ruining his reputation a year earlier. Fernando Torres If Suarez ensured he will forever be loved, Torres did near-irrevocable damage that will always tarnish the memory of him, even if he has mended it a little in recent years. It is easy to forget just what a remarkable striker Torres was at his peak—the best in the world—and his poor behaviour is the reason for that. All had been rosy for the Spaniard in three superb years on Merseyside, but by the time the summer of 2010 rolled around, he was looking for a way out, with Chelsea, Man City and Barcelona all interested in signing him. Rafa Benitez had been replaced by Roy Hodgson, there was a feeling that the squad was in decline and Torres, at 26, was wary of taking up a new challenge before it was too late. Although he ended up staying that summer, his heart was never it in from that moment on, and barring a two-goal match-winning showing at home to Chelsea in November 2010, he was invariably a shadow of his former self. Nine goals in 26 appearances was a disappointing return for such a high-calibre striker, and when the January transfer window arrived, Torres was set to really anger the Reds faithful. A £50 million move to Chelsea was completed by the time deadline day came to a close, with Suarez ironically arriving from Ajax on the same day. There is not much in it when it comes to assessing Suarez and Torres’ brilliance in a Liverpool shirt. But because of the polar-opposite ways in which they acted, only one is still truly worshipped by the masses. Legend or Forgotten Hero? Coutinho now finds himself in the exact position Suarez and Torres did in 2013 and 2010—which superstar he chooses to emulate is entirely down to him. The 25-year-old is a stunning footballer who has been Liverpool’s best player over the last three years, and he has the ability to produce a Suarez-esque level of performance this season. Granted, it will take something special to reach such staggering heights, but he can do it.

Remember when climate change could be a bipartisan issue? Newt Gingrich and Nancy Pelosi did an advertisement together, boasting of their partnership on the challenge it posed. John McCain also believed that man-made climate change was an urgent problem. Now it’s virtually impossible to find any leading Republicans, including potential Presidential candidates, who will agree, without equivocation, on all of these points: that temperatures are rising, that human beings caused it, and that the nation and the world must take action to address it. Republicans are unified in denial, and one good reason this is so is the Supreme Court’s decision in the Citizens United case. That decision revolutionized the law of campaign finance; what is less well recognized is that it transformed the climate-change debate, too. Justice Anthony Kennedy’s majority opinion in Citizens United, in 2010—the Justices were divided 5–4—began the Super PAC era in American politics. At the time, the decision was most remarked upon for its assertion that corporations possessed a right to freedom of speech, under the First Amendment, much as individuals do. In fact, this part of the case was neither new nor particularly controversial. (Courts have granted corporations, like newspapers, First Amendment records for decades.) Far more important was the assertion in Citizens United that money is speech—that money contributed in support of a political campaign is entitled to full First Amendment protections. This result led, in turn, to the conclusion that individuals could give unlimited amounts to support any candidate they wanted, as long as the money was controlled by a nominally independent entity, not the campaign itself. These independent entities are now known as Super PACs, and they spent more than half a billion dollars in the last election. The gist of the Citizens United decision is that the Supreme Court gave rich people more or less free rein to spend as much money as they want in support of their favored candidates. Sometimes, as with Super PACs, the money supports candidates directly. Other times, the money goes to 501(c)(4) organizations, groups with occasionally shadowy aspects to them that are supposed to refrain from direct advocacy for candidates but in fact clearly push voters in one direction or the other. Citizens United had the effect of taking money and power away from the political parties—which control only modest amounts of money, by contemporary standards—and handing that power to the people who write the checks. Certain of these people, the newly empowered rich, care a great deal about climate change—about denying its existence and fighting attempts to limit its impact. No one is quite sure who gives how much to the 501(c)(4)s, because they are allowed to keep their donors’ names secret. But it’s clear that in the forefront of anti-climate-change activism are the Koch brothers, who have invested huge amounts in politics and political candidates since Citizens United. (Jane Mayer has written about the brothers’ efforts.) The Kochs are so prominent that they have become, in effect, gatekeepers for Republican politics. Climate-change denial is now the price of admission to the charmed circle of Republican donors. Indeed, Americans for Prosperity, an organization heavily supported by the Kochs, has created a pledge for officeholders to sign, which promises that they will not support any legislation related to climate change that increases government net revenue. Dozens have signed on, including such likely Presidential candidates as the senators Ted Cruz, Rand Paul, and Marco Rubio. It is true that Democrats and the scientific community are not entirely powerless in this debate. One well-known billionaire, Tom Steyer, has announced plans to spend as much as a hundred million dollars to support candidates who will address climate change. But no one should be mislead that this has somehow been a fair fight. According to the Center for Responsive Politics, conservative groups spent roughly two hundred and sixty-five million dollars in the 2012 election cycle, and liberal groups spent about thirty-five million. To those in the carbon-producing business (like Koch Industries and the oil companies), the regulation of global warming is seen as an existential threat; they will spend what they can to stop it. For everyone else—that is, those merely affected by climate change—the threat is (at least for now) largely diffuse or abstract. For most people, it’s hardly even a voting issue, much less one that prompts them to write checks. The check writers are the denialists, and the Supreme Court gave them an immensely powerful hand. David Koch arrives at a benefit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Photograph by Carlo Allegri/Reuters.

Aurora Near Australia NASA The northern lights are a spectacular night sky phenomenon when viewed from Earth, but from space they transform into something truly amazing. See amazing photos of the Earth's auroras as seen by astronauts on the International Space Station in these images released by NASA. You can see the original NASA aurora gallery here. Related: How to See the Northern Lights Aurora Australis Over Indian Ocean NASA A wish-bone shaped display of Aurora Australis over the Indian Ocean serves as a very colorful backdrop for the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft which is docked to the International Space Station. Image taken on April 26, 2014. Aurora Borealis Over Russia and Finland NASA This nighttime view featuring the aurora borealis, the moon and Moscow was photographed by an Expedition 39 crew member on the International Space Station. Image taken April 2, 2014. Aurora Australis NASA This beautiful image of the multi-colored aurora australis over Earth was photographed by one of the Expedition 38 crew members aboard the International Space Station. This image was taken on July 25, 2015. Aurora Australis Over Tasmania NASA The Aurora Australis or Southern Lights, photographed by one of the Expedition 37 crew members on the International Space Station as the orbital complex flew over Tasmania on Oct. 30, 2013. Auroras over Midwestern U.S. at Night NASA The Midwestern United States at night with Aurora Borealis is featured in this image photographed by an Expedition 29 crew member on the International Space Station. Image taken Sept. 29, 2011. Aurora Borealis Over Colorado NASA One of the Expedition 34 crew members aboard the International Space Station captured this night panorama featuring a display of Northern Lights, also known as Aurora Borealis, and scattered lights in Colorado. Image taken Feb 10., 2013. Aurora Australis by Expedition 32 NASA The Expedition 32 crew onboard the International Space Station, flying an altitude of approximately 240 miles, recorded a series of images of Aurora Australis, also known as the Southern Lights, on July 15, 2012, Aurora Australis, South Pacific, New Zealand NASA This picture, recorded by one of the Expedition 31 crew members aboard the International Space Station, features Aurora Australis with star streaks while the vehicle was over the South Pacific Ocean. Image taken on May 22, 2012. Moscow at Night NASA Moscow, Russia appears at the center of this nighttime image photographed by one of the Expedition 30 crew members aboard the International Space Station, taken March 28, 2012. Aurora Over Eastern North Atlantic at Night NASA One of the Expedition 30 crew members photographed this nighttime scene while the International Space Station was flying at an altitude approximately 240 miles over the eastern North Atlantic. Image taken March 29, 2012.

[social_buttons] The Bush administration has taken steps to open the Californian coast to oil exploration and drilling in as few as three years. The move could potentially tap more than 10 billion barrels of oil, enough to power the U.S. for 17 months. The proposal has been greeted with horror in environmental circles, wary of the threat of oil spills, air pollution and increased shipping traffic in an area rich with migrating whales, millions of seabirds, sea otters, fish and crab feeding grounds. According to Richard Charter, a lobbyist for the Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund, “You couldn’t design a better formula to create adverse impacts on California’s coastal-dependent economy.” The federal government is to take advantage of the expiry of a 27 year-old ban on oil drilling that protected both of the nation’s coasts, including the stretch from California to the Pacific Northwest. President-Elect Obama has remained tight-lipped over whether he would overturn the lifting of the oil-drilling moratorium. If it goes ahead, the plan would open areas from Bodego Bay to the Oregon border and from Morrow Bay to the U.S.-Mexico border for oil exploration, drilling and extraction. Exploration could start as early as 2010, with oil rigs going up by 2012. The incoming Obama administration will have the final say over whether the proposals will go ahead. Obama has said that he supports the notion of energy independence and growth in the harnessing of domestic renewable energy sources as part of the energy mix. However, he has remained ambiguous over the extent to which domestic oil exploration will also form part of his energy plan, and it is likely that moves in this area will be keenly scrutinized in period following his inauguration. Image Credit – Tuftronic10000 via flickr.com on a Creative Commons license Montana wildlife officials announced Thursday that they would recommend against hosting a grizzly bear hunt near Yellowstone National Park, but the door is still open to future hunts. An area near Yellowstone shared by Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho would be the potential hunting site for the formerly endangered animal. Wyoming Game and Fish Department asked permission to begin drafting hunting regulations in January, Jackson Hole News & Guide reported. “We are dang sure supportive of hunting them,” Jeff Smith, the president of Wyoming Outfitters and Guides Association, told Jackson Hole News &Guide. “Because we hunt everything else in Wyoming.” The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service took Yellowstone grizzly bears off the endangered list in June 2017 after 42 years of federal protection. The population of grizzlies in or near Yellowstone had grown from less than 150 in the mid-1970s to 690 in 2017, according to the National Park Service. The change did not affect the protected status of other groups of grizzlies in 48 states, though their status could soon change as well, The New York Times reported at the time. Now that Yellowstone's grizzlies are not protected by the federal government, their population management falls to the three neighboring states' discretion, paving the way for hunting as soon as this fall. The hunting would take place outside of the park itself but would affect the grizzlies who make their home in the park and its surrounding area. Debate has raged over the question of hunting grizzlies, with some saying the grizzly population will need to be managed with hunting in the same way that other large carnivores have required. Trophy hunting is a concern, however, particularly for animal rights' groups. A petition against the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission's hunting proposal garnered more than 215,000 signatures. This story originally appeared in Travel + Leisure.

he hasn’t moved on much. 5. Project Greenlight Season 2/The Battle of Shaker Heights Reeling from what a complete bomb Stolen Summer was and apparently wanting more drama for the 2003 season, this time producers Ben Affleck and Matt Damon are went along with an idea that there should be writer contestant and a director contestant. The resulting movie, about a teen from a dysfunctional family with a WW2 reenactment hobby, ended up as cheesy as the screenwriter described it. Behind the scenes, while all the flailing about is interesting (particularly the father character being cast at the very last minute) and the pair of director brothers are amusing guys, the most compelling figure is Shia LaBeouf. The scene where he keeps flubbing his lines and yells “F***ing horses, ALL OVER ME… and they’re running.” is hysterical. 4. Hotel Torgo/”Manos” Hands of Fate Admittedly, outdoing notorious 1966 trainwreck Manos is no great feat, but Hotel Torgo is still a very decent look behind the scenes, even if it is for one of the worst movies ever released to theaters. Most of the information in it comes courtesy Bernie Rosenblum, who was an all purpose crew member (and the only surviving one) in addition to appearing on camera in a high profile, worthless part. His stories about filming while lying on a table while filming actresses and excuse for why the shot goes out of focus is both unrepeatable here and not to be missed. It also presents the novel notion that there’s such a thing as a “Manos Historian.” 3. 30 Days in Hell/The Devil’s Rejects While certainly a grimy movie from 2005 with some defenders, The Devil’s Rejects is also painfully derivative and a bit too winking to be as horrifying or involving as it attempts. This 145 minute feature accompanying it, by contrast, is really exceptional. Hearing Bill Mosley complain about how having to do a simulated near-rape scene is bumming him out is quite memorable. Writer-Director Robert Cumming’s odd combination of arrogance and humility is endearing in ways that go a long way to making him more likable than his project. 2. Overnight/The Boondock Saints One of the biggest cult films of the 90’s and the one of the most hated, The Boondock Saints deals with a couple of extremely Catholic vigilantes providing vicarious violence against criminals. Overnight presents Troy Duffy letting a lucky break get to his head and becoming quite arrogant (Duffy insists for obvious reasons that this was manipulated by the filmmakers, though exactly how is unclear.) So much so that he rubs his decisions to go to business meetings in overalls in people’s faces and alienates everyone around him with money grubbing and insults. He’s much more compelling than his film. Be ready for the fact much of it looks like it was shot with consumer grade cameras, and for the fact there’s only a few minutes actually devoted to 1. Best Worst Movie/Troll 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqRccOQjmVQ Okay, imagine Italian filmmakers who barely speak English coming to Utah and making a movie about a family that fall into the clutches of goblins that want to turn them into plants and eat them. 1990’s Troll 2 is even weirder than that makes it sound, and produces some weird, unintentionally hilarious and notorious bits, such as this viral video. Best Worst Movie is about showcasing the movie’s cult following and better acquainting the audience with the cast and crew of crazies. What makes it better than a normal puff piece is how it shows how, through excessively quoting the movie, living in the past George Hardy begins doing towards the end, the sheen will come off something like a camp classic really quickly. Liked it? Take a second to support Toptenz.net on Patreon! Other Articles you Might Like

Arduino-based touchscreen controlled geiger counter I saw a neat looking 3.2 inch LCD touchscreen shield (http://www.sainsmart.com/arduino-compatibles-1/lcd-module/sainsmart-3-2-tft-lcd-display-touch-panel-pcb-adapter-sd-slot-for-arduino-2560.html) for Arduino on ebay for about 30 euros. Turns out this even included the Arduino Mega board! So I thought why not build a geiger counter. Because that's a perfectly sensible thing to build. And yeah I know, it's not the most amazing thing in the world. But it's a neat thing to have, and my major goal was a geiger counter for less than what you pay for on ebay and such. And with touchscreen control. Because I want touchscreen controls and gullwing doors on everything. I decided to skip the entire tube thing and opted for a semiconductor sensor from http://www.radiation-watch.org Radiation detector from radiation-watch.org The radiation detector needs GND, +5V, and two signal lines, one for radiation pulses, one for vibration. An optional 3.5 mm 4-conductor TRRS phone connector is also fitted on the pcb. The NS pin stands for Noise, and outputs a pulse whenever physical vibration is detected. This is used to prevent falsified radiation measurements. No components on the backside, safe for one mysterious wire. The sensor sold by these guys is intended to be cheap and widely available, there's versions you can plug into your smartphone, and the software allows you to upload the radiation data to a website that builds a huge radation map. Judging from the area around Fukushima the folks in Japan can really use a cheap sensor... My ambient radiation level is typically around 0.3uSv/h... As for the wiring, that's really not worth writing home about. The piezo buzzer is connected to Pin 8 on the Arduino Mega, the radiation sensor output is connected to pin 20 and the noise output is on pin 10. The super complex wiring ;) For the user interface I used the UTouch library to access the touch controller, and modified the ITDB02 display library with additional font rendering functions for getting the rendered string pixel width etc. I noticed that the Arduino library for the radiation sensor just used a loop to detect the incoming pulses. Because I spent considerable time drawing the histogram and handling user input, accuracy went down quite a bit. So I went ahead and changed the library to use a hardware IRQ instead. The noise pin is still being checked via a loop but I don't really care that much for it - after all it's only used to discard radiation pulses while vibration is messing with the sensor. While I was at it, I made the interrupt handler also output a pulse on pin 8 for the piezo buzzer, to get that classic geiger counter clicking. The user interface. +/- buttons zoom in/out of the histogram, UNIT button toggles the displayed measurement value between cpm and uSv/h Display switched to cpm mode The histogram can be zoomed out to display up to 25 minutes of history So anyway, funny thing: Before I had an actual case for this, I kept it in a cardboard box. I took it with me to work, and when I brought it to a meeting room it went crazy. Not right away, mind you, it was slowly ramping up the clicks for about 10 minutes, then slowly died down again. Toggling power did not change the measurement. I have no idea what caused this. Geiger counter going nuts in a meeting room So yeah, a $100 Geiger counter with touchscreen control. It won't set the world on fire but I'm happy :) The finished device Want to build your own? I've put up the Software on GitHub. GeigerCounter: https://github.com/Toumal/GeigerCounter ITDB02 Graphics Library: https://github.com/Toumal/ITDB02_Graph16 Radiation Watch Library: https://github.com/Toumal/RadiationWatch

Indian warplanes struck what India described as a “terror training camp” in Pakistani territory in the early hours of Tuesday morning, moving the nuclear nations closer to a military confrontation. India’s jets crossed the Line of Control (LOC) in the contested Kashmir region to strike a target located on the Pakistani side. The attack marked the first LOC violation since 1971. Indian and Pakistani troops exchanged gunfire across the LOC on Tuesday morning, an incident described by India as an “unprovoked ceasefire violation” by Pakistan. India described the primary target as a “terror training camp” used by Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), the terrorist group that claimed responsibility for a February 14 suicide bombing attack on a military convoy that killed 41 Indian soldiers. “India has struck the biggest training camp of Jaish-e-Mohammad in Balakote, which was headed by Maulana Yousuf Azar, the brother in law of the chief of the JeM. A large number of JeM terrorists were eliminated,” Indian Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale told reporters on Tuesday. Gokhale said his government acted based on information JeM was planning to stage more terrorist attacks on India. He accused Pakistan of violating its “solemn commitment” to prevent terrorists from operating out of its territory. Gokhale described the airstrike as a precision operation against a target that was not close to civilians, but the Pakistani armed forces claim the Indian planes fled “hastily” when the Pakistan air force responded and haphazardly dumped their payloads as they escaped. Villagers living near Balakot, the town nearest the strike location, contradicted India’s account by telling Gulf News no one was killed in the attack and only one person was injured. They said the hill struck by India’s warplanes is the location of a madrasa, or Islamic school, used by Jaish-e-Mohammed loyalists. One villager said the location was definitely used as a training camp by JeM before the madrasa was constructed, and said the terrorists have not allowed anyone to approach the installation since then. Several of them reported hearing explosions during the attack but said India’s bombs missed their target by about a kilometer, knocking over trees and damaging a house. Pakistan described the attack as a “grave aggression” and said it would respond “at the time and place of its choosing.” Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan called an emergency meeting of his National Security Committee on Tuesday, telling the Pakistani military and civilian population to be “prepared for all eventualities.” “The forum strongly rejected Indian claim of targeting an alleged terrorist camp near Balakot and the claim of heavy casualties. Once again Indian government has resorted to a self-serving, reckless and fictitious claim,” the NSC said in a statement after the meeting. The statement accused India of carrying out the attack for “domestic consumption” in an “election environment” and charged India with “putting regional peace and stability at grave risk.” Pakistan reportedly intends to complain about the Indian attack to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the United Nations, and Pakistan’s allies. Indians celebrated in the streets as news of the airstrike spread and opposition politicians saluted the armed forces for carrying out the attack, prompting pollsters to anticipate a surge of support for Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Indians spoke to Reuters about long-simmering anger against Pakistan for allowing terrorists to operate from its soil. “We will celebrate tonight. We have lost so many of our villagers to Pakistani firing,” an Indian living along the Line of Control in Kashmir said. Indian social media surged with approval for the airstrike, while Indian media broadcast patriotic slogans describing the attack as a “proud moment for undefeatable India.” “I want to assure the people of the country that the nation is in safe hands,” Modi said at a public meeting on Tuesday. “I vow to the soil of my country that I won’t allow the country to break, won’t allow the country to bow. I promise mother India that I will not let your head bow down. My country is awakening and every citizen will win,” Modi said. Australia appeared to take India’s side in the conflict on Tuesday by issuing a strongly worded statement calling on Pakistan to “take urgent and meaningful action against terrorist groups in its territory, including Jaish-e-Mohammed.” “Pakistan must do everything possible to implement its own proscription of Jaish-e-Mohammed. It can no longer allow extremist groups the legal and physical space to operate from its territory

Twice within the past month, Khabib Nurmagomedov believed he'd landed a marquee match-up against a top-5 foe. In both instances, though, verbal agreements fell through before a deal could be finalized -- first with Gilbert Melendez, then with Nate Diaz -- and now Nurmagomedov, the UFC's No. 7 ranked lightweight contender, remains high and dry without an opponent. "I think that I earned this fight," Nurmagomedov said through his translator, manager Sam Kardan, on Monday's edition of The MMA Hour. "I think that I deserve it. Just like Glover Teixeira is fighting (Jon Jones), he's got a 20-win (streak), 5-0 in the UFC, and now he's got a title shot. Where as, I'm not asking for a title shot at this time. I think this fight with Melendez makes sense. I think I earned it. I'm 21-0, 5-0 in the UFC. "I guess either Melendez or Diaz need to work things out with the UFC. I'm ready. I'm working out, I'm exercising, I'm in top shape. I'm ready to fight." Melendez and Diaz's mutual inability to agreed to terms for the UFC's proposed match-ups led UFC President Dana White to recently declare of Nurmagomedov, "Nobody wants to fight this guy." White's assertion ruffled some feathers, particularly among the Diaz camp, although the entire situation has left Nurmagomedov more than a little frustrated in his own right. "I wouldn't go so far as to say everyone is afraid to fight me," the undefeated Dagestani said. "I'm not thinking that. "I understand that it's going to be a tough fight for them. I'm really kind of a no-name, or I don't have as much of a name in the U.S. right now as they do. So a loss to somebody like myself would definitely set them back. I do get that. I do get the business aspect of it, but I think that they should definitely fight. If they say that they're willing to fight the best, they should fight the best. If they want, I'll take them both at once in the cage." One fighter who has publicly stepped up to the challenge is Michael Johnson -- TUF 12's runner-up who scored back-to-back wins over Joe Lauzon and Gleison Tibau to close out 2013. Currently the No. 13 ranked lightweight in the UFC, Johnson wasted little time casting his name into the Nurmagomedov sweepstakes on Twitter. Thus far, though, Nurmagomedov has appeared less than enthusiastic about the idea. "My goal is to fight Melendez, (TJ) Grant or Diaz, just because I feel like they would be much of a challenge to me in the fight," Nurmagomedov said. "Michael Johnson, I would say that if one of those three doesn't accept a fight with me, I may have to fight him. But [Johnson] has losses in the UFC by decision, by submission, so I don't think he poses as much of a challenge at this point." Nurmagomedov, along with UFC running mate Rustam Khabilov and Red Fury teammates Adlan Amagov and Shahbulat Shamhalaev, among others, have led the charge for the recent wave of Russian fighters who have proven to be viable contenders stateside. Although, when asked, the 25-year-old says the Russian invasion was simply a matter of time. "There have always been great fighters. Fighting is part of the culture in Russia and Dagestan, Chechnya in particular," Nurmagomedov explained. "It's just a matter of not having the proper management. About a year and a half ago, Sam Kardan started bringing some of the fighters, like myself, Adlan Amagov, a bunch of guys, and it's really just an opportunity that wasn't present before. But now you're going to see a lot of good fighters coming in, a lot of guys that are training specifically for the UFC. When I go train at my gym here (in Russia), there's a lot of young guys actually giving me a really hard time, so I think that you're going to see a lot of great fighters coming out of that region." At this point Nurmagomedov is unsure which direction UFC matchmakers plan to take in regards to his next fight, although he still hopes Diaz or Melendez reconsider their misgivings. Ideally Nurmagomedov would like to compete in April, but he is ready and willing to go whenever UFC officials make that phone call. "This message is for Nate or Melendez," Nurmagomedov said in closing. "If you guys take this

genetic profile, was found on the gearshift and steering wheel of the Isuzu, and an FBI agent testified that Merritt’s cellphone records showed that his phone was in the vicinity of the desert gravesites two days after the disappearance. Evidence presented at the preliminary hearing suggested investigators believed the family may have been attacked at their home. No shoes were recovered from the gravesites; nor was there a shirt belonging to Summer, a detective testified, adding that her bra was splotched with paint. The McStay family had been renovating their home before the disappearance, the detective said, noting that pieces of blue painter’s tape like that affixed to the walls in the family’s kitchen were found in the graves. San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Det. Daniel Hanke testified that in the days after the family vanished, Merritt deposited checks worth thousands of dollars from Joseph McStay, which were written using the online accounting program QuickBooks. Four days after the family disappeared, Hanke said, an individual identifying himself as Joseph McStay called QuickBooks and asked to transfer the account and then cancel his subscription. The call, Hanke said, came from Merritt’s cellphone number. But Merritt’s defense attorney, Rajan Maline, insists his client is innocent. “There’s simply no evidence he did it,” Maline said. The cellphone evidence presented at the preliminary hearing was incomplete, Maline said, adding that he believed the DNA mixture found on the gearshift and steering wheel actually exonerated his client. If Merritt had driven the car, he would be a “major contributor” to the DNA mixture, Maline said, instead of a “minor or trace contributor.” He said remnants of Merritt’s DNA probably were transferred to Joseph McStay during a handshake. “It’s going to be pretty clear that Chase Merritt didn’t do it,” Maline said, adding that the defense team tested materials from the graves and found that none of them matched Merritt’s DNA. If convicted, Merritt — whose trial may stretch into April — could be subject to the death penalty, said a spokeswoman for the San Bernardino County district attorney’s office. Michael McStay pays his respects to his brother Joseph at crosses erected in memory McStay, his wife and their two children, who were found buried in shallow graves off Interstate 15 in Victorville in 2013. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) For Patrick McStay, 72, the impending trial still feels abstract. “I’m not sure everything has even hit me yet,” he said, adding that every day he witnesses some small reminder of his family. Maroon 5 songs on the radio make him laugh — a reminder, he said, of how flabbergasted his son was to learn that he was a fan. The band Chicago reminds him of his daughter-in-law, because they shared a love for the group, and he often floats back to a memory of his grandsons — “the boys,” he calls them. The month before the disappearance, while talking to them on Skype, Gianni picked up his parents’ laptop and wandered the home, giving his grandpa a virtual tour. McStay, a Texas resident, said he didn’t plan to be in San Bernardino on Monday. Although proceeds from a GoFundMe account and his book have helped, he can’t afford to spend several months in California. He plans to attend some of the trial, he said, and wonders how he’ll feel when it’s finally over. Maybe then, he said, the fog will lift and reality will crash down. marisa.gerber@latimes.com For more news from the Los Angeles County courts, follow me on Twitter: @marisagerber

to threaten to kick Gab off its hosting service in August. The voice on Thursday’s Sandpoint robocall resembles Little’s, and was identified as such by Olson. Little did not respond to requests for comment. In an email, Rhodes said that while “your assumption that by emailing to this address you are doing so to a specific person is incorrect … emails from this address can be accepted as representing the video podcast” – a podcast which only he has ever appeared on. In reference to the robocalls, Rhodes did not directly claim responsibility, but accused Olson of using the paper to “threaten and coerce”, adding that “clearly people felt it was time for him to be called out for it and that his advertisers now be held accountable for financing his terrorism”. The Spokane Spokesman-Review newspaper recently estimated that Rhodes may have made up to 10,000 robocalls nationally. Citing Rhodes’s campaigns, the Southern Poverty Law Center described robocalls as a “new method of delivering hate”. MOSCOW, February 27. /TASS/.Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists on Wednesday that Russian structures including the Russian presidential website have regularly experienced cyber attacks from the US and Europe, when commenting on a report by The Washington Post claiming that the US military had carried out a cyber attack against Russia’s Internet Research Agency in the run-up to the 2018 midterm elections. Peskov stated that he did not know whether the data on this cyber attack was trustworthy. "But in general, a huge number of cyber attacks are constantly carried out from US territory against various Russian organizations, legal entities and individuals. This is the reality with which we live," he noted. "I wouldn’t say who can be behind these attacks, but we confirm that a huge number of these attacks are organized on a continuous basis," Peskov added. "When they talk about various Russian hackers, we say that we have looked into those who are behind the attack, for example on the president’s website, and they are from Europe, North America and so on. There is a huge number of perpetual attacks," he said. In April the world was blessed with "Mene," the first new Brand New song in six years. The Long Island band have been so quiet for so long and it's about time something's gotta give, right? Right. Alternative Press has shared a rough translation of Lacey's comments, "Yes, I have no problem talking about this with you. You're the first person with whom I have an interview in a while. We have a new album to get. There is no secret. The thing is that it is not ready, so to speak. Hopefully it out this year, at least that is our aim. We do not know whether it will be an EP of seven songs or so, or the traditional LP of 14 songs. We have many songs that we've been working, but hey, I guess sometimes you have to face what you have steeping a little, as I said before. Is something that we have to adapt, one day seems that we will get and the next we were a little farther out." Watch the band perform "Mene" over here, then peep our guide to the emo revival here. he was later told by federal authorities that no charges would be filed against Sorrell. “It’s unfortunate that he’s brought this kind of politics to Vermont,” Sorrell said of Toensing. Sanders’ former presidential campaign manager, Jeff Weaver, who has acted as the family spokesman on the Burlington College issue, said Toensing is carrying out a “crusade” against Vermont Democrats and other left-wing politicians. “Brady Toensing is now throwing mud for national Republicans who want to slander Bernie and Jane Sanders,” Weaver said in an email. “Their motivation for these dishonest attacks is pretty transparent. Bernie Sanders’ sustained popularity is a threat to the national Republican Party’s right-wing agenda.” Former Republican state Sen. Vincent Illuzzi, now the Essex County state’s attorney, said he didn’t know about the Sanders allegations but followed Toensing when he defended a defeated GOP gubernatorial candidate in a campaign finance case. “He’s got good legal skills,” Illuzzi said.

Between my first kiss and my first A level there came Trotsky. I am sure I would have met him sooner or later, plastered against the wall in a student union bar or on a street corner hiding behind a petition. But he came to me on a sunny day in Hyde Park. It was 1984; the year of the miners' strike, the IRA bombing of the Grand Hotel in Brighton, and Ronald Reagan's victory in the US presidential elections. I was 15 - a self-important teenage vegetarian who felt that all was not quite right with the world. I had spent most of the day wondering around London with a Socialist Workers Party banner for company, protesting against the visit of the South African president, PW Botha. I had been avoiding the eyes of paper sellers and policemen, when a young man with acne caught me unawares and offered me a copy of Young Socialist. I bought it, read it in less than five minutes - all the articles were basically the same "Thatcher is horrible, miners are great, socialism is even better" - and thought little more about it. A few weeks later I pulled the paper from the bottom of my bag, wrote to the editor and asked if I could join the revolution with much the same degree of forethought as others in my peer group applied to join fan clubs. I was bored. It was something to do. And there would probably be girls there too, so, who knows, I might even come by a second kiss. Given the range of anti-social behaviour available to a hormonally besieged adolescent, there were worse things I could have turned my attentions to than the overthrow of capitalism. I would be lying if I said that I was aware of precisely what I was getting into. I knew I was joining some kind of socialist outfit. I suspected it was the younger section of the Labour Party - as it happened it was the youth wing of the Workers Revolutionary Party. This was not a problem for me. After all, if you're going to go into politics at that age you might as well get some cred and join something nobody's ever heard of. When I discovered they were Trotskyists this did not bother me much either. I didn't really know what Trotskyism was. I scarcely knew who Trotsky was. The leader of the Red Army who had been ousted and later executed in exile by Stalin had, it turned out, left a legacy for those who supported socialism but could not stomach the Soviet Union. I knew him better as Snowball from George Orwell's Animal Farm. In my naivety I presumed that, since socialism was underpinned by the notion of solidarity, those who believed in it would club together - especially given that they were relatively small in number. I didn't know at the time that there were at least 57 varieties of hard-left party, some with less than 57 members in total. How could I know that there was a significant difference between the Revolutionary Communist League of Britain (RCLB - Maoist) and the Revolutionary Communist Party of Great Britain Marxist-Leninist (RCPGBM-L - pro-Albanian)? In short, I didn't know very much. But then I didn't have to. The WRP credo was fairly straightforward. Britain in 1984, they believed, was more or less at the same stage as Russia in 1916 - a nation on the brink of revolution. All that was needed to push it over the edge was a general strike. If we could get everyone out together, we could bring the nation to a standstill, form some soviets, replace the police with a workers militia and then Bingo! - capitalism would be dead before you could say Fourth International. The simplicity of the thesis was a great source of comfort. The party was providing such a comprehensive and unwavering world view that I felt I would never have to work out anything again. It provided a reason for everything that was bad - from the famine in Ethiopia to racist policing - about capitalism. For every problem there was only one solution - revolution. Every issue could be shoehorned into this single transferable analysis, it seemed. Concerns with details of policy, from taxation to nuclear disarmament, were little more than micromanaging. This sense of self-confidence, bolstered by a similar lack of self-knowledge, lent a distinctly cult-like air to the entire enterprise which, as is the way with cults, I only really became aware of when I'd left. Moreover, the party's uncompromising and often unreasonable stance on most issues dovetailed neatly with the petulant, know-all stage I was going through. If adults ever hit me with the phrase: "You think you've got the answers to everything don't you?" I would think, but never say: "I do actually. Seizing state power from the bourgeoisie and placing it in the hands of the working class as the first step towards a more just world." I

The Vermont Senate gave final approval by a 17 to 12 vote, to a bill to tax and regulate marijuana starting in 2018. But will the House follow suit? Advertisement Legal recreational marijuana clears final Vermont Senate hurdle House Speaker says bill's chances in his chamber are uncertain Share Shares Copy Link Copy The Vermont Senate gave final approval Thursday to a bill to legalize recreational marijuana, starting in 2018. The measure picked up support when Sen. Becca Balint, D-Windham County, who has opposed the bill during Wednesday's preliminary vote changed her mind.Watch this storyThe final vote was 17-12.Balint said she decided to support S. 241 after the Senate restructured the number and size of permitted marijuana growing operations, reserving more licenses for small operators.Download the WPTZ appThe small grower license fees would begin at $1,000, while larger growing operations will be required to obtain $25,000 licenses.Under the legislation, Vermont regulators would begin issuing growing licenses in late 2017. Retail sales could begin as early as Jan. 2, 2018.Vermont residents 21 and older would be able to purchase up to half an ounce of marijuana for personal use. Non-residents would be able to purchase a fourth of an ounce. It would be legal to possess up to 1 ounce of marijuana.The Senate rejected amendments Thursday to delay legalization implementation to 2019, but approved adding health warnings to marijuana packaging that would be similar to the warnings on cigarettes.Home-grown marijuana and edible marijuana products would remain illegal under the current bill.S. 241 now moves to the House of Representatives where the Judiciary Committee is expected to begin its review the week of March 14.House Speaker Shap Smith said he generally favors moving to a tightly regulated system of marijuana sales but is not sure how many House members agree and he is making no predictions. "Most people believe the policy we have in place now is not working," Smith said Thursday. "I think the question that has to be answered is will the alternative that's come over from the Senate address the areas where the policy isn't working now? Whether we can fix it this year is an open question."Backers say S. 241 will drive illicit drug dealers out of the state because state-licensed and tested marijuana will be available legally to adults at a lower price. Revenue from the 25 percent sales tax of recreational marijuana would be used for drug treatment centers and hiring additional law enforcement officers for highway patrols.. The Senate bill would likely generate $30-40 million in new tax revenue annually, Sen. Dick Sears said Thursday. A survey found 80,000 Vermonters now regularly use recreational marijuana, much of it purchased from black market drug dealers who often peddle harder drugs, too. Gov. Peter Shumlin said he supports legalization and calls the Senate reform bill "a much smarter approach."If the House concurs, Vermont would be the fifth state and the first in the northeast to legalize recreational marijuana

Spread the love A group of Nebraska farmers diagnosed with cancer is suing Monsanto, maker of agricultural chemicals and GMO seed. The farmers allege that glyphosate, the popular Monsanto herbicide, caused them to develop cancer and that the company intentionally misled the public about the dangers of the world’s most widely used herbicide. The lawsuit was filed last Wednesday in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska. The farmers are seeking punitive damages, alleging defective design, failure to warn, negligence and breach of warranty. Glyphosate is the active ingredient in Monsanto’s Roundup brand herbicide, which is advertised as being able to kill almost any weed. However, the company claims it is safe to use on food. Monsanto’s Roundup Ready GMO seeds are designed to resist the chemicals so the plants can still grow after being sprayed. The lawsuit also claims that Monsanto “concealed or systematically sought to discredit” research showing links between glyphosate and cancer and continues to do so. “Monsanto championed falsified data and has attacked legitimate studies that revealed Roundup’s dangers. Monsanto led a campaign of misinformation to convince government agencies, farmers and the general population that Roundup is safe. Its continuing denial extends to the date of this Complaint,” the lawsuit states. Glyphosate was designated as a probable cause of cancer in March 2015 by the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer. The report noted glyphosate is most frequently associated with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and other hematopoietic cancers, including multiple myelomas, lymphocytic lymphoma, and B-cell lymphoma. All of the farmers in the group have been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Later in 2015, California announced plans to label glyphosate as a carcinogen based on the IARC’s classification. Monsanto has fought back against the declaration with a lawsuit. Several countries have banned or restricted glyphosate since its classification as a possible carcinogen by the IARC, including the Netherlands, France, Bermuda and Sri Lanka. According to the farmers’ lawsuit, Roundup is used on more than 100 varieties of crops, and the volume of glyphosate applied to crops grown in the U.S. has increased from 85 million pounds in 2001 to 185 million pounds by 2007. “Glyphosate is found in rivers, streams, and groundwater in agricultural areas where Roundup is used. It has been found in food, the urine of exposed persons, and in the urine of urban dwellers without direct contact with glyphosate,” according to the complaint. Monsanto has been the target of a series of new lawsuits including in India and Burkina Faso, both related to its BT Cotton. The company is also being sued by 7 major US cities including Portland, Seattle, and San Diego. GMO policy is also in focus for the 2016 election season as Vermont’s labeling law is the first in the nation to require labels for GMO ingredients. Vermont’s law takes effect in July 2016. In March, the U.S. Senate voted 48-49 against SB 2609, a bill that would have blocked states from making their own GMO labeling laws. Senate Bill 2609, the Biotech Labeling Solutions Act has been called the DARK Act, an acronym for Deny Americans the Right to Know. The new Vermont law has some companies planning to label all products with GMO ingredients including MARS, maker of M&M’s and SNICKERS, fruit company Del Monte, and other large food conglomerates like Kellogg’s, and General Mills. Spread the love Sponsored Content:

And so 2013 comes to an end. This has been a big year for me in blogging, what with it being my first year in blogging, and so a lot of these shows hold a possibly unreasonable place in my heart. Nah, I don’t think that’s actually true. I think we’ve just had a great year, and that blogging really has done what I always wanted it to – force me to apply a more critical eye to my media, which, contrary to popular belief, has actually made me appreciate my favorites even more. And there sure were plenty of favorites! As I said, this has been an excellent year in anime, with tons of genres, styles, and themes represented by stylish, confident productions. If this is your first time checking the blog, let me introduce myself by saying I’m a horribly biased shithead who wouldn’t know a good action show or comedy if it comically murdered me. I like people, and I like ideas, and my list reflects that (if you’re looking for Attack on Titan or Maou-sama, you can find my reviews of those here and here). I like to think I’m pretty good at telling good writing or direction from bad, but everyone has different things that appeal to them, and so you can consider the numbering here a mushy compromise between favorite and best, though the list overall encompasses both. I’m not gonna give you synopses here – if you’re interested, each title links to that show’s description, but that’s not what you’re not paying me for. These comments will cover why I loved these shows. I was aiming for a top ten, but when compiling the list, the shows that immediately bubbled to mind ended up numbering twelve, and instead of arbitrarily cutting two off I’ve decided to honor them all. Also, I’m only counting shows that ended in 2013 here, so no Kill la Kill or other half-finished two-parters. So here it is: my top twelve anime series of 2013! #12: Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure All that talk about preferring character or theme-based stories, and I start off with a hilarious action show. But Jojo is really just that good – absurd, energetic, with wonderful visual design and a magical ability to always top itself. It’s kind of like Raiders of the Lost Arc, in a way – popcorn entertainment’s apex predator. The dialogue is hilarious (and hilariously self-serious), the show’s use of color and sound design is fantastic, and breakneck pacing and narrative creativity (some might call it insanity) keep things from ever getting old. Remember how awesome you thought Dragon Ball Z was, back in the day? Well, Jojo is your nostalgia polished up and brought back to life. #11: Maoyuu Maou Yuusha Probably the most controversial choice on my list, but it’s not really a question for me. Yeah, this show had weaknesses – the pacing was inconsistent, the romance and humor were both hit or miss and kind of weird tonally, and, well, stupid fanservice is stupid. But the show’s so damn ambitious! The idea of using a cliche fantasy setup to instead explore the course of history, human nature, and the pursuit of a just society… goddamn! And that conceit doesn’t stand alone – in all the aesthetic qualities relevant to that goal, I think it succeeds admirably, featuring solid characterization, regularly understated dialogue, and a keen understanding of the rules of drama. Succeeding both as a general commentary on human nature and a specific story relevant to a specific world is no small task, and this show actually makes that challenge a strength, with its personal threads regarding education and self-worth culminating in one of the most powerful speeches I’ve ever seen. Overall, I’d say this show’s weaknesses are just inconsequential in light of its strengths – I’ll take any number of flawed works if they’re laced with this much passionate ambition. My review of Maoyuu Maou Yuusha. #10: Psycho-Pass It works as a well-realized Bladerunner-esque detective thriller in a thoughtcrime-happy dystopian future, and it works as one more of Urobuchi‘s passionate attacks on the inherent inhumanity of utilitarian systems, as well as the definition of human beings as agents of change within their environment (along with some other interesting smaller ideas, like the questions it raises about career choice, and its cynical thoughts on internet culture and the artistic instinct). This isn’t even really my kind of show (the detective stuff doesn’t do all that much for me), but I loved the writing, I loved the style, the

voters in New York City, voter turnout would increase.” More importantly, Hayduk says, non-citizen voting would refresh local politics to better reflect the needs of city residents. “It would produce new issues, new candidates, and new outcomes.” He offered an example from the 1980s. From 1969 to 2002, non-citizen New Yorkers could vote in community school board elections (the school board was abolished in 2003). Civic groups encouraged thousands of Dominican non-citizen residents of Washington Heights to vote in school board polls. Their participation eventually forced the administration of Mayor Ed Koch to direct greater resources to neglected schools. Dromm tried two years ago to advance legislation on non-citizen voting. He had won the support of 35 of the city council’s 51 members, forming a veto-proof majority. But he faced the obstruction of then council speaker Christine Quinn and the unbreakable opposition of the Bloomberg administration. “The speaker and the mayor didn’t want [the legislation] to go forward,” Dromm said. “The speaker exerted power over the council’s committees.” The legislation stalled on the council floor. Two years later, political circumstances make its passage much more tenable. The current city council speaker, Melissa Mark-Viverito, supports the proposal. While he hasn’t given his explicit backing, De Blasio claims that he remains open to debate on non-citizen voting. The mayor has launched other pro-immigrant reforms, like the municipal ID card scheme. ‘As New York City goes, so goes the rest of the world’ The city council’s three lonely Republicans have repeatedly voiced their opposition to non-citizen voting. Two of them come from the Republican redoubt of Staten Island and represent districts with very few non-citizens, 4% and 10% respectively. The third, Eric Ulrich, represents a Queens district where one-fifth of residents are non-citizens. “The right to vote is a privilege and a sacred obligation that citizens have enjoyed. It should only be for United States citizens,” he told Newsday. “It’s also a reason for people who are on a path to citizenship to aspire to citizenship. It’s something for them to look forward to.” Facebook Twitter Pinterest Mayor Bill de Blasio is discussing the legislation with the New York City council. Photograph: Zuma/Rex Peter Schuck, an emeritus professor of law at Yale University, also worries about the dilution of citizenship. “My guess is that it would cause many Americans to wonder what the point of citizenship is if anyone can vote without even bothering to learn or be committed enough to apply for naturalization,” he said via email. According to Vattamala, this emphasis on the meaning of citizenship misrepresents the very limited, local scope of non-citizen voting. “Did school board elections – where non-naturalized parents with children in local schools voted – defile the sanctity of citizenship?” he says. “It’s about effective representation. If people live here and pay taxes, they have a stake in the city.” Permitting non-citizen voting would also address the fact that pathways to citizenship are not as straightforward as they were for immigrants in the 19th and early 20th centuries. “It’s more complicated and expensive now compared to a century ago, when it was much easier, faster, and cheaper to become a citizen,” Hayduk said. He argues that far from being a disincentive to citizenship, non-citizen voting would empower New Yorkers and serve as a vehicle for integration, fostering “the experience of the practice of citizenship”. Vattamala agrees. “Most people engaged enough to vote in municipal elections will become citizens,” he said. Citizenship has not always been the prerequisite for suffrage in the US. During the first 150 years of American history, non-citizens were allowed to vote in 40 states and territories. “Alien suffrage” was whittled away in the late 19th century and early 20th centuries, coinciding with large waves of migration from eastern and southern Europe. A xenophobic 1902 Washington Post editorial captured the political mood, bemoaning the “marked and increasing deterioration in the quality of immigration” and fretting that the newcomers were “men who are no more fit to be trusted with the ballot than babies are to be furnished with friction matches for playthings”. “Voting in America has constantly changed,” Dromm said. “We have an evolving understanding of suffrage. Women and African Americans were given voting rights. Now it’s time to restore those rights to non-citizens.”

We always approach piracy figures with a healthy skepticism, but this is interesting. Sports Interactive says that Football Manager 2013, the previous iteration of the game, was pirated 10.1 million times. The report they’ve just sent out goes on to break down those figures by country, and estimates the likely lost revenue as a result of illegal downloads. The best part is that Sports Interactive and Sega are being totally reasonable about it. Speaking at the London Games Conference as reported by MCV, FM producer Miles Jacobsen said that it’s “ridiculous” to equate these numbers with lost sales. According to the release sent out by Sega, the game was cracked in May of last year, but that crack included a flaw that allowed the game to “phone home” and for Sports Interactive to log the IP address of every person who grabbed it. IPs are a poor way of pinning down individuals, but they can be used to estimate quantity. China is reportedly the largest source of piracy, with 3.2 million illegal downloads. Sports Interactive looked at the drop in activation rate after the patch, which overall they say fell by 17%. Although it’s not quite that simple, as they also provide figures for individual countries. Here’s the full chart for the top 10, showing the number of illegal downloads and the drop in post-crack activations: Territory Illegal downloads Legitimate activation in the post-crack period 1. China 3,186,227 -60% 2. Turkey 1,053,302 -87% 3. Portugal 781,785 -41% 4. Italy 547,009 +14% 5. South Korea 385,283 – 50% 6. Thailand 364,724 + 7% 7. Brazil 353,833 – 37% 8. Poland 322,757 – 59% 9. Serbia 250,365 – 91% 10. Croatia 230,261 – 58% That means that activations in Italy and Thailand actually went up after the crack was released. Which is strange. It’s heartening that Sports Interactive isn’t using these figures to leap to any unjust conclusions. They do estimate however that 1.74% of pirates would have bought the game if the crack didn’t exist, and that this adds up to a $3.7 million loss in net revenue. When I asked for clarification on that how that 1.74% was reached, a representative for Sports Interactive said that they looked “at the differences in sales between FM12 and FM13 during corresponding periods, taking into account pre-crack increase and post-crack decreases across every country.” I’ve asked for more information and, if we hear back, will update this post tomorrow. It doesn’t sound like Sports Interactive or Sega have any intention of adding more inhibitive DRM to future versions of the game as a result of the piracy. If anything, it’s remarkable that it took six months for the game to be cracked in the first place. Football Manager 2014 is now out and is excellent. Read Adam’s Wot I Think, our Verdict, or send someone round to my house to stage some sort of intervention because I can’t stop thanks.

Protocol and Regulations for Visiting an Inmate 1. Make sure to bring valid photo ID including a current photo and a legible signature, especially for any and all visitors below the age of 17, unless accompanied by an adult guardian or in loco parentis 18 years or older. 2. See list below for forms of identification that are considered acceptable. 3. A minor between 16 and 17 years of age with valid ID as described below may accompany a minor who is younger than 16 years old, provided that the older minor is the biological parent of the younger minor, and the inmate that the minors are there to visit is also the parent of the same younger minor. In the aforementioned instance, the older minor must have and be able to produce a valid birth certificate representing the younger minor. 4. Note that Bitcoin and Ecoin are now accepted within facilities and can be used to pay for any transactional or processing fees or costs that may be incurred during your visit. Valid Forms of Identification That Will Be Accepted Can Include: Current valid motor vehicle operator (driver's) license Valid Department of Motor Vehicles Non-driver license ID Valid ID card from a valid place of employment. ID must contain a current photo and must be accompanied by employee's most recent paystub U.S. Military ID Official Diplomatic ID Resident alien card issued by the United States Justice Department Passport (any country) NYS benefits ID card (food stamps/medicaid) If you have any questions preparing for your visit or while visiting a facility, contact a Supervisor or Correctional Officer. At least one bitcoin exchange in China is open to the idea that the digital currency could become more well-regulated domestically. Speaking to CoinDesk today, BTCC CEO Bobby Lee greeted rumors that the People’s Bank of China is considering ways to better supervise the industry with enthusiasm, while pushing back against the idea that recent conversations between its executives and the central bank were anything but ordinary. The comments come in response to a report from China Securities Journal today in which the news source cited undisclosed sources that hinted a “third-party hosting platform” might be set up to better protect local investors. Though Lee indicated he was not aware of such plans, he spoke to why a common platform may be beneficial. “In China, stock exchanges are regulated and they have common settlement platforms,” he said. “But for bitcoin we’re starting at zero.” But, Lee said changes must go deeper than that. Since it was founded in 2011, Lee noted that his firm has been operating without a license. He told CoinDesk: “It’s just like people who sell hats on the street, or sell umbrellas. Selling alcohol is a regulated activity, but bitcoin is not.” Lee voiced his enthusiasm the new attention the industry has received in the wake of notable price benchmarks would prove positive. Lee said: “This might be the magic year where the PBOC works together with us to have better regulation in China. We know bitcoin is not merely a virtual good, it’s more important.” Yuan image via Shutterstock

Image copyright AP Image caption Fans of One Direction were amongst those targeted Music and sports fans have lost more than £1.2 million to ticket fraud in the last six months, police figures have revealed. Nearly 3,000 cases were reported between May and October, with the Rugby World Cup, Ed Sheeran and Taylor Swift particular targets, said Action Fraud. On average, customers who bought fake tickets lost £444 per transaction. But one expert told the BBC the number of victims was much higher, as ticket fraud is "massively under-reported". Reg Walker, head of the Iridium Consultancy, which tackles ticket fraud, said many people failed to contact police after refunds from their credit card companies came through. "Just because you get your money back, it doesn't mean to say that no crime has been committed and you're no longer a victim." He suggested the true cost of ticket fraud was "without a doubt" in the tens of millions. In response to his comments, Action Fraud said: "Reported ticketing fraud losses run into millions of pounds, but the reality is the true scale of the problem is likely to be much greater. "We would urge anyone who loses money to a ticketing fraud to report to Action Fraud so we can understand the true nature and scale of the problem and police forces can track down those most responsible." Kitemark A large number of the cases relate to two companies which the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau recommended be suspended. Getsporting.com was accused of selling fake Rugby World Cup tickets; while CircleTickets advertised concerts by Fleetwood Mac, Foo Fighters and Ed Sheeran, amongst others. Both were shut down and referred to local police forces for possible investigation. Image copyright AP Image caption GetSporting.com promised access to the Rugby World Cup, but never delivered the tickets it advertised Among the victims was Robert Fox, from Bath, who paid Circle Tickets just over £200 to take his wife to a Taylor Swift show for their wedding anniversary. "Circle Tickets had a pretty good rating through the standard review sites, and they had a reputable payment gateway," he told the BBC in June. "I was paying on a card, and it all seemed to be fairly normal really. I'm fairly accustomed to paying online so this didn't seem out of the ordinary." GetSporting.com was shut down by the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau in October after it was found to be selling fake tickets to the Rugby World Cup. One unfortunate Irish fan reported losses of as much as £5,000 on 20 tickets to the Ireland v France game, which they had purchased through the site. Responding to the police statistics, the Society of Ticket Agents & Retailers (STAR) urged fans to look for their kitemark - a padlock with a star in the centre - to verify a ticket seller was genuine. Image caption The STAR kitemark guarantees a refund should the event not go ahead as planned Detective Chief Inspector Andy Fyfe, from the City of London Police, said: "When people discover they have fallen victim to a fraud - be it through purchasing tickets that either don't exist or turn out to be counterfeit - it can be a devastating experience. "The key to making sure you don't fall victim to this crime is to only use authorised sellers and if you have any doubts about the website, check out the reviews online. "When it comes to making a purchase always use a payment card and never transfer the funds directly into another bank account." 'Floods of tears' Mr Walker said the experience of helping fans who had been defrauded was "absolutely dreadful". "We had some shows recently, such as One Direction, where we had in excess of 40 victims per night. All the victims came from overseas. One was a 19-year-old girl from Italy who travelled with her friend and her mother. They got to the doors and their tickets were invalid. "I can't describe the state this girl got into. She was hyperventilating. She was just in floods of tears. And that's just one example. We've had victims of ticket fraud that were celebrating finishing chemotherapy. They got to the gates and were turned away. "The impact on these people is devastating."

biggest mountain of government debt in the history of the world. There are many economists who would argue that the Federal Reserve is at the very core of our economic problems. As we get even closer to the economic abyss that we are racing towards, even more big names such as Tony Robbins will come forward with warnings. The truth is that these problems did not develop overnight, and they are not going to be solved overnight either. Perhaps our economic future is best summed up by this one statement that economist Paul Krugman recently made…. “America is now on the unlit, unpaved road to nowhere.” It would be great if I could write about America’s bright economic future and the unlimited prosperity that is ahead for all of us, but that would be a lie. We are headed for an economic collapse. It is going to be painful. It is time to get prepared. Thank you to all who participated in this event, led sessions, hosted field trips, facilitated sessions, provided scholarship funds, donated door prizes, displayed posters, and exhibited in the trade show. Thank you, also, to those who coordinated these activities! Our keynote was by Dr. Laura Lengnick, Climate Change, Resilience and the Future of Food. As a farmer, you have to be so nimble these days. Consider these “Below the Headlines” climate impacts: More variable temperatures and rainfall, warmer winters, hot summer nights, more pests and disease pressures, and interference in crop fertilization. Lengnick’s keynote address offered resilient thinking ideas to move us and the U.S. food system forward. Poster authors had the chance to win a cash award for best poster presentation. (See poster abstracts.) And there was a People’s Choice award for the first time this year.. Todd, emphasized that a presiding judge must take action to investigate alleged leaks of secret material. But Ledewitz said the Kane case probably won't lead to a major crackdown on grand jury leaks. The reason, he said, is that most leaks are "purely technical," such as the news that a presentment is about to be made public. "It's still illegal but, frankly, what harm have you done?" He said. "I don't think judges will crack down on that kind leak." Leaks like the one concerning Mondesire, Ledewitz said, will face more scrutiny because the material never should have been made public. The Supreme Court opinions are also interesting for what they don't do, he said. "There's nothing I saw in any of the opinions about the strength of the case" against Kane, Ledewitz said. "They pretty much only decided what was before them." damages, and is also asking a judge to remove Mikkelson as a Bardav Inc. director. It even suggests the site could be closed completely. The case, with its claims of misconduct, fraud and use of prostitutes, is not mentioned at all on the SaveSnopes.com website or its linked GoFundMe. The GoFundMe remains open despite having exceeded its $500,000 goal within 25 hours of being set up. Proper Media, Mikkelson and Facebook did not respond to request for comment. However on Tuesday Mikkelson told another journalism website, Poynter.org, that the'money we raised will be used to meet our basic operating expenses, the overwhelming bulk of which is the salaries of our staff'. Poynter is one of the other sites Facebook said it would be turning to for arbitration on what stories on its feed are 'fake news'. but the Tories retained power, prompting the Sun to famously declare: "It's The Sun Wot Won It." However, Prof David Denver, from the University of Lancaster, said the influence of newspapers on voters was "hugely exaggerated". "Newspapers are only a secondary source of information and a poor secondary source of political information at that. It's television that counts," he told the BBC. "It's much more likely that papers shift to bring themselves in line with their readers rather than they influence their readers in a particular direction." In 1992, the Sun sold more than 3.5 million copies a day. It is still the UK's top-selling newspaper, with average daily sales of 3.13 million in August, according to the Audit Bureau of Circulation. Bookmark with: Delicious Digg reddit Facebook StumbleUpon What are these? E-mail this to a friend Printable version

The video will start in 8 Cancel Sign up to FREE email alerts from Daily Star - Showbiz Subscribe Thank you for subscribing See our privacy notice Invalid Email Lady Gaga is no stranger to tumbles and slips on stage but her latest performing fail has left fans fearing for her health. The Paparazzi songstress was performing as part of her Las Vegas Enigma show on Thursday October 17 at the Park PGM Theatre when she invited one of her Little Monsters, Jack, onstage. Clearly loving the moment, Gaga jumped up and wrapped her legs around the male fan before letting him pick her up and grind with her. However, after only a few seconds the supporter's leg buckled and he stumbled back before falling off stage. (Image: ladygaganownet/Twitter) Dropping down to the ground, Gaga appeared to be underneath her concert-goers before hitting the floor hard. In fan shot clips being shared on social media, the Artpop babe is quickly surrounded by security who rushed to help her up and check she was ok. Ever the professional, Gaga got back onstage and proceeded to dance up a storm. Briefly halting the show, the Joanne singer said: "Everything's OK. (Image: GETTY) "The only thing that's not OK is we need some stairs for the damn stage so I can get back up." As Jack started to cry, Gaga added: "Don't worry, everything's fine. It's not your fault. "Could you promise me something? "Could you forgive yourself right now for what just happened?" Horrified by the footage, fans quickly took to Twitter to express their conner. One fan wrote: "Listen... I need Gaga to make a public statement declaring that she is 100% okay because that fall looked nasty. (Image: REUTERS) "My back is in pieces just by watching it." Another added: "For real I hope both Gaga and the dude are okay. "I'm so worried for both of them." A third continued: "I’m so worried for Gaga, this can have so many outcomes." Taking to Instagram shortly after the performance, Gaga shared a snap of her recovering in an ice bath. (Image: ladygaganownet/Twitter) She captioned the snap: "Post show routine: ice bath for 5-10 min, hot bath for 20, then compression suit packed with ice packs for 20. #rocknroll" In 2013 Gaga was forced to cancel a string of dates on her Born This Way Ball after suffering chronic hip pain. The superstar then had hip surgery to try and correct the issues. Speaking to WWD after the operation, the Love Game singer said: "My injury was actually a lot worse than just a labral tear. "I had broken my hip. Nobody knew, and I haven't even told the fans yet. "But when we got all the MRIs finished before I went to surgery there were giant craters, a hole in my hip the size of a quarter, and the cartilage was just hanging out the other side of my hip."

FILE - In this file photo taken on April 2, 2017, women watch people riding boats on the Persian Gulf Martyrs lake during the ancient festival of Sizdeh Bedar, an annual public picnic day on the 13th day of the Iranian new year, west of Tehran, Iran. Police in Iran's capital say they will no longer arrest women for failing to observe the Islamic dress code imposed since the 1979 revolution. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi, File) FILE - In this file photo taken on April 2, 2017, women watch people riding boats on the Persian Gulf Martyrs lake during the ancient festival of Sizdeh Bedar, an annual public picnic day on the 13th day of the Iranian new year, west of Tehran, Iran. Police in Iran's capital say they will no longer arrest women for failing to observe the Islamic dress code imposed since the 1979 revolution. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi, File) TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Police in Iran’s capital said Thursday they will no longer arrest women for failing to observe the Islamic dress code in place since the 1979 revolution. The announcement signaled an easing of punishments for violating the country’s conservative dress code, as called for by the young and reform-minded Iranians who helped re-elect President Hassan Rouhani, a relative moderate, earlier this year. But hard-liners opposed to easing such rules still dominate Iran’s security forces and judiciary, so it was unclear whether the change would be fully implemented. ADVERTISEMENT “Those who do not observe the Islamic dress code will no longer be taken to detention centers, nor will judicial cases be filed against them.” Tehran police chief Gen. Hossein Rahimi was quoted as saying by the reformist daily Sharq. The semi-official Tasnim news agency said violators will instead be made to attend classes given by police. It said repeat offenders could still be subject to legal action, and the dress code remains in place outside the capital. For nearly 40 years, women in Iran have been forced to cover their hair and wear long, loose garments. Younger and more liberal-minded women have long pushed the boundaries of the official dress code, wearing loose headscarves that don’t fully cover their hair and painting their nails, drawing the ire of conservatives. Iran’s morality police— similar to Saudi Arabia’s religious police— typically detain violators and escort them to a police van. Their families are then called to bring the detainee a change of clothes. The violator is then required to sign a form that they will not commit the offense again. Men can also be stopped by the police if they are seen wearing shorts or going shirtless. Last year, police in Tehran announced plans to deploy 7,000 male and female officers for a new plainclothes division — the largest such undercover assignment in memory - to monitor public morality and enforce the dress code. ___ Associated Press writer Aya Batrawy in Dubai, United Arab Emirates contributed to this report.

On a February night in 2004, a nursing student from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, abruptly packed her car and drove away from campus. She got into a car accident on a highway in New Hampshire several hours later. Passersby offered help to her at the time, but she declined. She was never seen again. It’s been 15 years since the day Maura Murray vanished in New Hampshire and her family has never gotten closure on the horrible situation. Now, her father thinks there may be evidence related to her disappearance in the basement of a house near where she wrecked her car. He is hoping to get answers and finally know what happened to his daughter all those years ago. So who is Maura Murray and what happened to her? Read on for all the details. 1. She was a student. In 2004, Maura Murray was a 22-year-old nursing student at UMass Amherst. She transferred there after doing several semesters at West Point, where she studied chemical engineering. She lived on campus and had a job with campus security. She was in regular contact with her parents and three siblings and had a boyfriend at the time. 2. She got into some trouble right before her disappearance. Several months before her disappearance, Murray had admitted to using a stolen credit card. The charges were dismissed after three months of good behavior. On Feb. 5, a coworker reported that she became very upset after a phone call with her sister Kathleen, later revealing that she was concerned about Kathleen’s addiction issues. In the days before she vanished, she was in an accident while driving her father’s car home from a party. It’s unknown if she was drinking that night. She and her father made plans to follow up with accident reports and insurance claims after he returned to the family home in Connecticut. 15 years ago today Maura Murray disappeared from Route 112 in N. Haverhill, New Hampshire. Please keep her in your thoughts today and light a candle for her tonight at 7:30pm est. Send your candle photo to the family @MauraMissing and at https://t.co/NWKyZ1XosF #MauraMurray pic.twitter.com/4FZurWM6VJ — Missing Maura Murray (@MauraMurrayDoc) February 9, 2019 3. She lied about having a death in her family. On Feb. 9, Murray searched MapQuest for directions to New Hampshire and made calls about renting a condo there, though she ultimately did not do so. She also made a call to a hotel in Stowe, Vermont. She contacted her boyfriend via email saying she would call him later. Then she told professors and her campus job that there had been a death in her family and she would be leaving school for a short time. Her family later revealed that there had not been any deaths. 15 years ago Maura Murray went missing. Rumors of a break in the case. Hopefully they get answers. pic.twitter.com/fjKRhi9oVs — Captain (@truecrimegarage) February 9, 2019 4. All her belongings were in boxes. Later, when police searched Murray’s room, they found that someone had packed up her belongings and left them behind in boxes. They speculate that she would have had time to do that herself, but it's not certain that she's the one who did. Missing from her room were her textbooks, toiletries, birth control pills, and some clothing; presumably, she had taken those with her. At about 3:40 p.m. on Feb. 9, she stopped at a liquor store and purchased about $40 worth of alcoholic beverages and took $280 form an ATM. Family and friends of #MauraMurray gather where she crashed her car near the Haverhill/Woodsville line 15 years ago. The college student was never seen again. Her family says they have new hope thanks to recent information involving Maura’s disappearance. More tonight at 10/11. pic.twitter.com/Bu4KbeKKIf — Tim Callery (@TimCalWMUR) February 10, 2019 5. She got into a car accident soon after she left. Sometime after 7 p.m. on Feb. 9, a woman in Woodsville, New Hampshire heard a loud thump and saw a car in a snowbank outside her home. She reported the accident to 911 at 7:27 p.m., and there was some confusion about who she saw near the car. The records report that she saw a man smoking a cigarette in the car, but she later said shehe had simply seen a person and a red light that may have been from a cell phone. Another neighbor passed the accident sight and spoke to Murray. Murray, who was uninjured

Yes, “blockchain” is a verb now, and it means to transition your business operations from using traditional procedures to using blockchain technology. Though its origins lie with Bitcoin, blockchain has innumerable possible applications, including other cryptocurrencies, smart contracts, and tokenizing assets. There is another area that Fr8 Network is at the forefront of revolutionizing: the supply chain. Many inter-business supply chains struggle to keep up with demand, resources, and labor power. The broader chain is just as inconsistent and sometimes outright broken. This is an economically dangerous system for businesses that operate with trust between one another as a foundation — but what if this didn’t have to be the status quo forever? Transparent public ledgers dramatically improve trust between parties (how could they not, when every transaction is proudly and permanently displayed?), so blockchain technology is what we need to optimize the supply chain. Here are reasons why you need to get started with “blockchain-ing.” As a recent DHL-Accenture report notes, “Already many projects are underway to apply blockchain technology to global logistics, adding value by boosting supply chain transparency and automating administrative operations. Imagine how the physical flow of goods can be more effectively orchestrated and synced with information and financial flows when blockchain is combined with the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, robotics, and more.” It can connect the pieces If any part of your business connects with the supply chain, you know how difficult logistics can be. There are so many brokers and tracking companies out there that they end up hoarding data from one another, leaving the people in the middle to flounder. When supply chains are complex, there is lots of room for oversight and mismanagement. With blockchain, however, everything is laid out for everyone to see, clear as day, meaning that everyone involved in the process can be held accountable or risk both embarrassment and business. Intermediaries are also one of the biggest necessary evils of the supply chain. Without them, nothing connects — but they also often silo information and plan impractical connections due to high margins. With blockchain’s transparency, intermediaries are far less necessary if not completely eliminated. This could significantly reduce operational costs and allow parties to connect between one another without the help of a third party holding an agenda. It can prevent mishaps Harvard Business Review reminds us of the difficulty Denver-based Mexican restaurant Chipotle faced in 2015: it had an outbreak of E Coli that left 55 customers sick, which resulted in plummeting stocks, decreasing sales, investigations, and a broken reputation. What happened to Chipotle and its customers could have happened to a number of any food businesses that depend on multiple suppliers to deliver different ingredients. Due to Chipotle’s complicated system, it was unable to properly monitor its suppliers in real time (which is crucial when dealing with a product like food). The contamination went by unnoticed until it was too late, and containing it was almost impossible. If Chipotle had been using blockchain technology, the company could have used it to track activity logs, vehicle locations, and record permissions to ensure that contaminated goods never made it to any of its restaurants. It can help automate processes Making a deal means you have to put in the effort necessary to follow through with whatever terms you and the other party agreed upon. This is only fair — but imagine if, even if you don’t change the amount of terms or their difficulty, the effort could be automated. This means less planning, less bureaucracy, and less room for human error. The DHL-Accenture report also mentions that approximately ten percent of freight invoices contain faulty data. Paper trails not only kill trees, but who can actually make sense of pages and pages worth of logs and asset representations? This is where smart contracts come in: rather than manually following through on deal terms, parties could ensure that their required actions happen automatically. Forbes specifies that “this automation can be extended to services that currently require an intermediary such as insurance, legal, brokerage, settlement services, outsourced transportation management, normative compliance, route planning, deliver scheduling, fleet management, freight forwarding, and connectivity issues with business partner,” along with payments and ownership transfers. It works for anyone Even small businesses can use blockchain to manage their shipments, deliveries, and inventories. For example, Logistics Bureau says “Smart contracts are being used for redistributing excess power from solar panels. The Transactive Grid is an application running on blockchain to monitor and redistribute energy in a neighborhood microgrid. The program automates the buying and selling of green energy to save costs and pollution.” Blockchain isn’t just for the big players, but Fr8 Network intends to be one. By placing the supply industry on the blockchain, we are prepared to maximize the supply industry’s efficiency, ensuring that people who make and

front where the person is "flooded" with wave after wave of memories. If this is triggered, and it frequently is if the survivor is in therapy, the first priority should be slowing the memories down. This may mean trying to reason with internal controllers or deltas who are allowing the flooding. They need to know that if the front or previously amnesic alters go down or are re-shattered due to traumatization, it will weaken all the systems. Bargain with them. Prayer will help in this situation. Physical safety, including inpatient therapy, may be needed if flooding or shatter programming are activated. Suicide programming is often layered in with both types, and external physical safety will be paramount for the survivor, with lots of outside accountability as they undo these intense programming sequences. Frequent reality orientation and explaining new, better jobs can help. Undoing brain wave programming should ideally only be done with lots of safe external support. This may include extra therapy sessions and even hospitalization (if programming that could cause loss of functionality or suicide are triggered), and should be geared towards increasing internal communication and cooperation. Alters jobs can be changed from internal programmers to internal deprogrammers, from internal shatterers or punishers to internal protectors, and from internal reporters who report back to the cult to reporters who can instead be asked to report internally on what the body is doing and to keep it safe. These are examples of possible changes. Make friends with system controllers, as they can become strong helpers and will work with the therapist to keep things safe for the survivor. Chapter Seven Military Programming I want to devote an entire chapter to military programming and how it is done. Why? As noted in chapter three, the Illuminati are emphasizing the importance of military training more and more as part of their plan for eventual takeover. All children in the current generation are undergoing some form of military training as part of this plan. Military training is begun quite young. It is often started by three years of age with simple exercises. The children are taken by their parents to a training area, which may be a large inside auditorium or a remote area outside where training maneuvers are done. Tents are set up, with command centers for the different commanding officers and military trainers. The children are taught to march in time, keeping a straight line. They are punished by being kicked, shocked with a cattle prod, or beaten with a baton if they move out of place. They will be dressed in small uniforms in imitation of the adults. The adults will have ranks, badges and insignia indicating their level of achievement in the cult hierarchy and military. Badges and medals are given out to indicate the person's level of training and tests passed. Commanding officers are often brutal and will teach even the youngest children with harsh measures. The children will be forced to march long distances, which increase as they get older, in any weather. They are forced to learn to cross obstacles. They will be given fake guns with blanks when they are young. These guns are perfect replicas of real guns, but fire blanks. The children are taught to load and fire all manner of firearms, both real and fake, under close adult supervision. They will spend hours learning to aim, sight, and fire these guns at targets. At first the targets are bulls eyes, but as the children get older the targets will be similar to police cut outs of humans. The children are taught to aim for the head or the heart. Later, they will graduate to realistic manikins. This is conditioning them to kill a human being. They will be shown violent films of warfare, much more explicit and graphic than normal movies in group classes. Killing techniques will be shown in slow motion. The motif "kill or be killed" will be ground in over and over. The trainer will ask the children what mistakes the people who were killed made. Being killed is considered weakness; being a killer is considered strength. The children will be forced, by age seven or eight, to crawl on their bellies with simulated blanks firing overhead. They are not told these are blanks, and they are extremely painful if one hits the child in the back or buttocks. They quickly learn to keep down under fire. Battle conditions will be simulated as the children go through years of boot camp training. The cult creates a microcosm of real military training for their children and youth. They will be rewarded with merit badges for doing well in activities such as completing an obstacle course or staying cool under fire. Nazi concentration camps will be simulated with guards and prisoners. The "guards" are usually older children or youth who have done well. The "prisoners" are younger children or those being punished for not performing well in maneuvers. There is intense pressure to want the guard role and not be a prisoner, since prisoners are locked up, beaten, kicked, and laughed at. Hun

I often doze off while listening. It is claimed that its audience has gone up. If so it must be composed of supermarket check-out robots, whose idea of excitement is to shout ‘Unexpected item in bagging area!’ Nobody else could actively want to listen to its lifeless daily rehearsals of Leftish conventional wisdom. But on Thursday there was an unexpected item in the drugging area. I suddenly realised I was listening to a man giving out the current prices for various kinds of cocaine. Hang on, I thought, as I shook myself into full wakefulness. The programme normally gives out exchange rates for the US dollar, and the stock market index. But the price of cocaine? This was new. Cocaine is a Class A drug under the Misuse Of Drugs Act 1971. This means you can get life imprisonment for selling it, and seven years in jail for buying it. To want to know the price, or to give it out, surely condones a serious crime. And the BBC has a vested interest in being in favour of law enforcement. Its licence fee is collected under the threat of fines and imprisonment. If the BBC wants that law enforced, it must surely support all law enforcement. I can’t see it being pleased if other media gave soft, wet interviews to advocates of licence-fee evasion. Yet here was some bloke merrily discoursing on what cocaine costs, which is surely of no interest to any law-abiding person. Then, wholly unchallenged by an utterly soppy presenter, this character claimed it was ‘difficult to have honest conversations saying you can use lots of drugs with relatively low risks, for most people, if you follow some simple strategies’. Difficult? Where is it difficult? What’s difficult is to call for the law to be enforced. Who now denies that cocaine is in common, unchecked use among students, bankers, politicians and, perhaps above all, media and broadcasting types? The guest added (still uninterrupted): ‘Instead of simply saying to people, “Don’t use drugs, they’re dangerous”, that’s not a useful dialogue for people who are making informed decisions to use drugs as a wider lifestyle. ‘That person might also go to yoga and be a vegetarian. You know it’s about a lifestyle choice and we need to help people stay safe with the choices they make.’ I asked the BBC for a response. Not merely was that response useless in the extreme, and nothing to do with the questions I had asked, they actually asked me to use it in full. Well, I haven’t room to do that, but I will post it on my blog so that you can laugh at it. *The BBC's reply is now posted on the blog, in the posting immediately after (and so above) this one. Or click on this link http://hitchensblog.mailonsunday.co.uk/2017/05/the-bbcs-defence-of-the-today-programmes-item-on-cocaine.html Why this is a mad country: Applicants for jobs in nursing are being turned away because they cannot speak good enough English. The response of the authorities is to consider lowering the standards nurses are required to meet. We can all see what is wrong with this, but it will almost certainly happen. If you want to comment on Peter Hitchens, click on Comments and scroll down

Bitcoin’s price has bottomed and will break out over the next few days. That’s what Robert Sluymer, head of technical strategy at Fundstrat Global Advisors, predicts. Sluymer doubled-down on his earlier projection that positive momentum is building for the top cryptocurrency by market cap, and a price spike is just around the corner. As CCN.com previously reported, Sluymer said the technical setup is very attractive for a near-term rally. But he also projects a longer-term resurgence is in the making. ‘Markets Always Respond To Technical Analysis’ “I think the markets always respond to technical analysis,” Sluymer said. “Price is news in the crypto world. And there are some very important levels coming up for bitcoin literally in the next couple of days.” Sluymer said if we define a trend by a series of higher lows, the technical chart shows that there has indeed been a series of higher lows, both recently and dating back to 2016 (see below). That’s a bullish indicator. Sluymer said the daily chart on bitcoin is also very instructive, as it shows that a bottom has been reached. “This 15-day moving average is a very good proxy for trends,” he said. “If we think about what does it take to turn a security, a market, or a cryptocurrency around, it first needs to bottom. Then it needs to reverse through that uptrend or downtrend, and then it needs to turn that trend positive.” Setup In Place For Near-Term Spike Sluymer said the charts show that BTC prices have hit bottom, so the setup is ripe for a near-term escalation. “We have step one in place. We have a bottoming phase in place, and it’s starting to go sideways,” he explained. “And it’s right at that point where it’s challenging its downtrend.” Sluymer said BTC needs to break through two key low points at $7,350 and about $7,000. He said if bitcoin can’t bust through those levels, the longer-term trend turns negative, but that’s unlikely based on technical analysis. .@fundstrat's @rsluymer says the charts could be pointing to a big breakout ahead for #bitcoin pic.twitter.com/i4yo1rL0Ab — CNBC's Fast Money (@CNBCFastMoney) June 7, 2018 “Once it breaks above $7,800, the trend is clearly pointing up,” Sluymer said. “So the setup is there.” Another bullish indicator is that bitcoin is currently oversold, with a relative strength index (RSI) that recently topped 40. An RSI of 30 indicates an asset is oversold. Sluymer said bitcoin’s RSI has stalled and is moving sideways, so it’s moving out of “oversold” territory. Trading Volume Is Artificially Deflated Another bullish signal that doesn’t show up on the technical charts is the flourishing over-the-counter market. “There’s clearly a bigger OTC market developing. We hear it from the brokers and the clients,” Sluymer said. “It is happening. There are trades developing, but we don’t see it in the charts. What you see in the charts is the trading volume getting lighter and lighter and lighter as the cryptocurrency moves sideways.” Sluymer said huge block trades are occurring but aren’t showing up anywhere, giving a falsely dismal impression of bitcoin trading volume. Meanwhile, Sluymer’s colleague and boss, Fundstrat co-founder Tom Lee, “absolutely” stands by his bitcoin price target of $25,000 by the end of the year. Tom Lee says Bitcoin will hit $25,000 by the end of the year https://t.co/a2bZQe3tiv ▶️ pic.twitter.com/3GvDN8Wmxc — Bloomberg Crypto (@crypto) June 6, 2018 Despite BTC’s recent flailing, the avowed crypto bull predicts bitcoin will clear $25,000 by December 31, 2018. Lee said that doesn’t mean bitcoin prices will escalate in a linear fashion. “It doesn’t require bitcoin to go up every day until the end of the year,” he noted. But it will hit $25,000, he predicts. Featured image from Shutterstock.

Queensland has won the race to build $5 billion worth of fighting vehicles as part of the largest purchase in the Australian Army's history. Key points: Defence expects the vehicles to have a 30-year lifespan Defence expects the vehicles to have a 30-year lifespan The purchase is expected to create 1,450 jobs across Australia The purchase is expected to create 1,450 jobs across Australia They will be equipped for peacekeeping and high-threat operations German contractor Rheinmetall is set to build the 211 light armoured vehicles at a new facility in Ipswich, west of Brisbane. The Federal Government estimates the acquisition will create 330 jobs in Queensland, along with 170 roles in Victoria and 140 in New South Wales. "Australian businesses will be big winners in Victoria and in Queensland, but also in other states," Defence Industry Minister Christopher Pyne said. "And of course, most importantly, we're providing the capability the Defence Force needs to be a modern army meeting the challenges that we may face at some stage in the future." "The Army will get a very lethal and protected vehicle to look after our soldiers." Announcing the contract at the Enoggera Army Barracks in Brisbane this morning, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said it was the single-largest acquisition made for the Australian Army. "As one of the troopers said to me just a moment ago, this is about lethality and survivability. This is about capability and protection," he said. "This is about Australia's security. But it's not simply or solely about capability in a military sense. "It is about ensuring that we have, for the first time, a fully integrated national sovereign defence industry." Boxer wins in battle with BAE Systems Mr Pyne said the Defence Department recommended Rheinmetall's Boxer CRV following a three-year tender and testing process. Federal Cabinet also considered a bid from BAE Systems, which was set to build the light armoured vehicles in Victoria. Defence Minister Marise Payne, who joined the Prime Minister and Defence Industry Minister to announce the deal, said the chosen armoured vehicles had been through rigorous testing. "We've put them in the heat. We've put them in the cold. We put them in the wet. We put them in the dry. We shot at them, we tried to blow them up," she said. "The outcome of that assessment is that this has the capability to provide the mobility, the lethality and the protection that will support the men and women of the ADF in doing the job that we ask them to do every day." Buying and maintaining the vehicles is expected to cost $15.7 billion. The deal is expected to create 1,450 jobs. ( Department of Defence ) The Government said this was a record purchase for the Army, and would create 1,450 jobs across Australia. "In years gone by, we would have bought the vehicles from overseas and imported them into the country," Mr Pyne said. "Because of the Turnbull Government's policy, 54 per cent of the acquisition will be value to our economy here and 70 per cent of the whole project, out of $15.7 billion. "So it means jobs supporting our steel industry here and growing the capabilities of the workforce here and the skills." Defence expects the vehicles will have a 30-year life, and will be equipped for peacekeeping and high-threat operations. The acquisition will also see upgrades to military facilities at Puckapunyal, Bandiana, Adelaide, Townsville, and Enoggera. The decision comes after a three-year tender and testing process. ( Department of Defence ) Despite an intense lobbying campaign for the vehicles to be built in Queensland, Mr Pyne said "politics played absolutely no part" in the decision. "The Rheinmetall bid was assessed by Defence as being the successful tenderer," he said. "These decisions are taken very seriously by the Government and of course by the Department of Defence." Queensland's State Development Minister, Cameron Dick, said the acquisition was great news for the state. "It is a new beginning for manufacturing in Queensland," he said. "Rheinmetall designed the best vehicle and our Government helped bring it to Queensland. "We've been working with Rheinmetall for three years to secure this contract and I'm delighted that we'll now be able to deliver over 600 jobs for Queenslanders over a decade. "This contract will result in a $1 billion benefit directly to the Queensland economy and it's not just building this equipment, it's about building a manufacturing base for Queensland so we can win more contracts in the future, including more export-orientated contracts

camp roster. In total, 23 forwards, 13 defensemen and seven goaltenders were invited this year. Photo courtesy of NHL.com Forwards: Filip Zadina, RW: 2018 1st round (6th overall) Jonatan Berggren, RW: 2018 2nd round (33rd overall) Ryan O’Reilly, RW: 2018 4th round (98th overall) Nicolas Guay, C: Free agent invitee Michael Rasmussen, C: 2017 1st round (9th overall) Mattias Elfstrom, RW: 2016 7th round (197th overall) David Pope, LW: 2013 4th round (109th overall) Lane Zablocki, RW: 2017 3rd round (79th overall) Givani Smith, LW: 2016 2nd round (46th overall) Zach Gallant, C: 2017 3rd round (83rd overall) Brady Gilmour, C: 2017 7th round (193rd overall) Jack Adams, RW: 2017 6th round (162nd overall) Sebastian Vidmar, LW: Free agent invitee Chase Pearson, C: 2015 5th round (140th overall) Taro Hirose, LW: Free agent invitee Trevor Yates, C: Signed by Griffins, 3/28/18 Colt Conrad, C: Free agent invitee Otto Kivenmaki, RW: 2018 7th round (191st overall) Luke Morgan, LW: Free agent invitee Ryan Savage, RW: Free agent invitee Pavel Gogolev, LW: Free agent invitee Joe Veleno, C: 2018 1st round (30th overall) Maxim Golod, LW: Free agent invitee Defensemen: Dennis Cholowski, LD: 2016 1st round (20th overall) Reilly Webb, RD: 2017 6th round (164th overall) Kasper Kotkansalo, LD: 2017 3rd round (71st overall) Gustav Lindstrom, RD: 2017 2nd round (38th overall) Trevor Hamilton, RD: Signed by Griffins, 3/28/18 Jared McIsaac, LD: 2018 2nd round (36th overall) Marcus Crawford, RD: Signed by Griffins, 4/3/18 Cole Fraser, RD: 2017 5th round (131st overall) Malte Setkov, LD: 2017 4th round (100th overall) Alfons Malmstrom, LD: 2016 4th round (107th overall) Patrick Holway, RD: 2015 6th round (170th overall) Alec Regula, RD: 2018 3rd round (67th overall) Seth Barton, RD: 2018 3rd round (81st overall) Goaltenders: Jesper Eliasson: 2018 3rd round (84th overall) Patrick Rybar: Signed by Red Wings, 5/21/2018 Filip Larsson: 2016 6th round (167th overall) Joren van Pottelberghe: 2015 4th round (110th overall) Kaden Fulcher: Signed by Red Wings, 10/3/17 Victor Brattstrom: 2018 6th round (160th overall) Keith Petruzzelli: 2017 3rd round (88th overall) Offseason Moves July 2 – Signed D Mike Green to a two-year contract extension July 2 – Signed G Jonathan Bernier to a three-year contract July 2 – Signed RW Thomas Vanek to a one-year contract July 2 – Signed G Harri Sateri to a one-year contract July 2 – Signed C Wade Megan to a one-year contract July 2 – Signed D Jake Chelios to a one-year contract June 25 – Signed LW Tyler Bertuzzi to a two-year contract June 25 – Signed RW Martin Frk to a one-year contract June 24 – Xavier Ouellett placed on unconditional waivers for the purpose of a buy-out. The Wings will only be on the hook for 1/3 of his remaining salary as he is under the age of 26. Ouellett will be a free agent. June 24 – Detroit trades D Robbie Russo to Arizona for a conditional 2019 7th round pick May 25 – Signed D Gustav Lindstrom to a three-year contract May 21 – Signed G Patrik Rybar to a one year, entry-level contract May

Ninety-nine dollars isn’t enough to buy a month’s worth of rides on the New York City subway system. But it can get you a plane ticket across the Atlantic on Scandinavian carrier Norwegian Air—and that’s causing more than a little turbulence in the airline industry. advertisement advertisement The low-cost airline, which has long connected Scandinavia with destinations across Europe, has been making inroads into the United States for several years, with direct flights from cities such as London, Paris, Copenhagen, and its home base of Oslo. But this year, after winning approval from the U.S. Department of Transportation to use an Irish subsidiary for transatlantic travel, Norwegian is launching a massive expansion. In the first quarter of 2017 alone, the carrier announced a dozen new routes from U.S. cities including Boston, Seattle, and Denver—at prices that are often less than half those of legacy airlines. By year’s end, Norwegian plans to operate nearly 100 flights weekly out of 13 American hubs. “Three or four airlines have controlled the flights [over the Atlantic],” says CEO Bjørn Kjos. “We have disrupted this monopoly [with] our low fares.” A decade ago, Norwegian was a virtually unknown regional airline; today, it’s reinventing the industry. Transatlantic fares are just the beginning. In April, the carrier announced nonstop flights between London and Singapore for $199 each way. And one route map the company recently shared with investors shows how Norwegian hopes to one day encircle the globe. “If they execute on their plan,” says Henry Harteveldt, a travel-industry analyst for Atmosphere Research Group, “Norwegian could be the 21st-century-airline equivalent of Pan Am.” Slideshow: Four more pioneers of low-cost, long-haul air travel. Norwegian isn’t the only carrier to offer budget flights across the Atlantic—Iceland’s Wow Air offers $99 fares to Europe, with a stop in Reykjavík, from 10 North American cities; Lufthansa offshoot Eurowings has plans to connect Munich to Orlando, Florida; Las Vegas; and Seattle. But Norwegian aims to beat them all in execution and scale. Like other low-cost carriers, it charges for checked bags, snacks, drinks, and blankets. But its transatlantic experience is nonetheless remarkably comfortable. The service is cheerful, the food decent, and the in-flight entertainment options robust. Each seat has its own power outlet and USB port. The planes are next-generation Boeings with quieter cabins and pressure levels designed to reduce jet lag. The airline’s young fleet is the foundation of its success—and not just because it attracts passengers. “If you fly an old airplane, it’s like an old car,” Kjos says. “It uses a lot of gas and has high maintenance costs.” In 2007, Norwegian was a regional player knitting together 75 European destinations when Kjos made a bold purchase of 42 Boeing 737-800s for roughly $3 billion. The planes, which have become the airline’s short-haul European workhorses, have flier-friendly features such as high-speed Wi-Fi and lighting that adjusts to match the phase of flight. They also cut Norwegian’s fuel consumption by more than a fifth, while increasing its cabin capacity. In 2011, Kjos repeated the move, placing an order for the then new Boeing Dreamliner, which has even better fuel efficiency and can seat up to 290 people. He dedicated these planes to long-distance flights between major hubs such as Oslo, New York, and Bangkok. It’s not just the aircraft that create efficiency, but also how they’re deployed. While most major carriers are bound by existing networks and commitments—obliged to direct planes through their hub cities and those of partner airlines—Norwegian takes a blank-slate approach to its route map, flying where it anticipates it can create demand. This year, Norwegian will be the first airline to fly the speedy, fuel-saving, 189-seat Boeing 737 Max in the U.S. The new aircraft will connect second- and third-tier destinations like Providence, Rhode Island, and Belfast, Ireland. Using smaller, even minuscule, airports means cheaper rent and lower landing fees, savings that Norwegian can use to attract travelers who have, until now, been unable to afford international airfares. advertisement Norwegian also spurns the traditional long-haul model of scheduling flights to carry waves of passengers in the morning and evening. Instead, it focuses on keeping aircraft in the air as much as possible—even if that means inconvenient departures. Using a plane for a few more hours a day radically improves the financials, Kjos says

This year’s conventions will be the first in which mobile devices take center stage. Tech giants head to conventions Republicans call Tampa “a convention without walls.” Democrats say Charlotte will be “the most open and accessible convention in history.” They’re not talking about breaking down partisan barriers that drive people away from politics. Instead, they’re hoping that the thousands of politicos attending the party gatherings, and the many more back home watching from afar, will happily engage through social media. ( Also on POLITICO: Full convention coverage) This year’s conventions will be the first in which newer social media platforms like Twitter, as well as mobile devices like iPhones and iPads, will take center stage and other, older online tools and sites — like Google and Facebook — have come into their own. It’s the first time the conventions have really gone digital in a major way. “This really will be the first national political convention in the social-networking era,” said Kyle Downey, press secretary for the Republican convention. “Even just since four years ago, the entire universe of social networking has changed — we’re going to take advantage of this.” The big tech firms will also be there, including Google, Facebook and Twitter. Google is planning a big presence at both conventions and will run a YouTube livestream of all prime-time speeches and events, meaning people who aren’t at the convention can watch the proceedings on any device back home. Facebook will also have staffers on hand in both cities running a series of workshops and events aimed at helping people use the social-networking platform. They’ll have “Apps & Drinks” events where Facebook developers can demonstrate how election-related apps work, a series of “Innovation Nation” receptions and are participating in briefings on 2012 and the impact of social media. Employees on the ground are also setting up “Photo Spots” that will allow convention-goers to upload pictures directly to their Facebook timelines. The tech company also sees one of its major goals at the conventions as “giving delegates and convention attendees easy ways to share what they’re doing, seeing, and hearing with family, friends, and others on Facebook,” Facebook spokesman Andrew Noyes said in a statement. “This will also allow people who are not in Tampa or Charlotte to easily experience what it’s like to be at the conventions alongside their Facebook friends.” And while Twitter has yet to announce all of its plans for the confabs, Mindy Finn, who heads Twitter’s strategic partnerships in Washington, said the company will have several representatives on the ground to help the parties and politicians optimize their Twitter use and utilize promoted tweets. “What we want to do is work with elected officials and campaigns and journalists and others to make best use of the platform around an event where there’s going to be such an intense focus,” she said. It’s not just parties and tech titans that plan to leverage the rise of smartphones and social media: Tampa and Charlotte will see an unprecedented amount of mobile advertising by outside groups, not to mention all the social media activity from convention-goers and speakers themselves. Ensuring social media is fully incorporated into the conventions is something both parties are focused on: In addition to the large digital staffs inside the campaigns of Mitt Romney and President Barack Obama, the convention committees in each host city also have designated staff to work on digital and social media efforts. “The VP selection, convention and three debates are structured events where people will be paying attention,” said Zac Moffatt, digital director for Romney’s campaign. “Any campaign that didn’t leverage that would be doing a disservice to the candidate.” And leverage it the campaigns will: While many plans are still being finalized, Romney and Obama both plan to spread their messages via YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and other digital platforms, taking advantage of the fact that most convention-goers — and many people watching around the country — have smartphones or tablets. And in a move that further reflects the growing dominance of smartphones, both Republicans and Democrats have been developing mobile apps related to the conventions. Democrats released their “DNC 2012” mobile app on Tuesday, which will feature videos and photos from the convention as it unfolds as well as maps and information about the city of Charlotte. Republicans plan to have an app available before their Aug. 27 convention begins. Both parties plan to provide behind-the-scenes video and blog access that will be available for people inside and outside the convention hall, plus live chats or Google+ hangouts to give people a chance to chat with major players. Features like this will give

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National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden is vowing to create more headaches for President Obama after emerging Friday to request temporary asylum in Russia. After a three-week stay in the transit zone of a Moscow airport, Snowden made a public appearance on Friday at a meeting with human rights groups. Snowden said in a statement that he would once again request asylum in Russia so he could secure legal travel to the Latin American countries that would take him in. ADVERTISEMENT The latest developments in the Snowden saga underscore the public relations problem that Snowden has become on the international stage as the U.S. has attempted unsuccessfully to extradite him on espionage charges. Snowden’s latest request could threaten to further chill the icy U.S.-Russia relations should Moscow — which has said it is neutral in the Snowden affair — grant asylum to the 30-year-old defense contractor. Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke by phone Friday in a previously scheduled call, according to the White House, giving Obama a chance to personally lobby Putin over Snowden. The White House said the two discussed Snowden, as well as counterterrorism cooperation in the lead-up to the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. Before the call, the White House blasted Russian officials for providing Snowden a “propaganda platform” that allowed him to consult with human rights officials in a highly publicized meeting. “Providing a propaganda platform for Mr. Snowden runs counter to the Russian government's previous declarations of Russia's neutrality and... that they have no control over his presence in the airport,” White House press secretary Jay Carney said. “It's also incompatible with Russian assurances that they do not want Mr. Snowden to further damage U.S. interests.” More from The Hill • House Democrats fall silent as Trayvon Martin case goes to jury • Fundraising success gives Senate Dems financial leg up in 2014 • Obama doubles down on pledge that immigration bill will boost economy The row over Snowden is occurring amid serious policy disputes between Washington and Moscow over Syria and other issues. But even if the Russians give Snowden asylum, the U.S. is not likely to let it seep into other aspects of U.S-Russian policy despite the warnings of repercussions, said Michael Rubin, a defense analyst at the conservative-leaning American Enterprise Institute. “For better or worse, I think American officials will compartmentalize and put the Snowden irritant off to one side,” Rubin said. Putin had said previously said that he would grant Snowden asylum — on the condition that he “must cease his work aimed at inflicting damage on our American partners" — and Russian officials said Friday that his comments still stand. Snowden hinted Friday that he would continue to be a thorn in the side of the Obama administration if he has the opportunity to leave the Moscow airport freely — and get a platform to speak. Snowden said that he intended to travel to each of the Latin American countries that offered him asylum “to extend my personal thanks to their people and leaders.” He also labeled them human rights protectors in comments sure to rankle U.S. officials. “These nations, including Russia, Venezuela, Bolivia, Nicaragua, and Ecuador have my gratitude and respect for being the first to stand against human rights violations carried out by the powerful rather than the powerless,” Snowden said at the Friday meeting, according to a transcript posted by Wikileaks. Mike Breen, executive director of the Truman National Security Project, said the Latin American countries were essentially following the lead of Russia and China by thumbing their noses at the U.S. “At this point the guy is a political football to be exploited by people playing by the oldest rule in international politics: One of the fastest ways to gain stature as an international player is to take down by a few notches the most powerful player,” Breen said. “They’re not going to take any real risks.” The Obama administration has been exerting pressure on countries across the globe to get Snowden into custody. The New York Times reported that State Department officials and diplomats have been warning Latin American countries of lasting consequences to U.S. relations if they accept him. Nevertheless, Vennezuela, Bolivia, Nicaragua and Ecuador have all offered Snowden asylum. On Thursday, Obama told Chinese officials during trade discussions at the White House that he was disappointed they allowed Snowden to flee Hong Kong and fly to Moscow. The U.S. has also tapped its allies to help prevent Snowden from flying to Latin America. The Bolivian president’s plane was denied access to several European countries’ airspace last week when Snowden was rumored to be on board, and Snowden said Friday that it’s currently “impossible” for him to travel to Latin America because of the interference.

skeptical of taking his courses, with some even protesting his mere presence on campus. His classes this past year have failed to attract even 50 students. "[I]ts not a good learning environment," says one student who recently took his course. Although the disgraced Piterberg may be tenured, sexual assault is absolutely "for cause" grounds sufficient enough to justify early dismissal — yet he remains on campus. Fink, a lecturer up for promotion to Continuing Lecturer (effectively granting job security), who boasts an objectively excellent teaching record and well-documented influence on thousands of students easily exceeds the criteria set forth for his advancement — yet he was shown the door. These cases have diametrically different outcomes, but why? This dissonance sheds light into some of the less-glorious aspects of UCLA's inner workings. It exposes a system where department chairs like Kerri L. Johnson can make up rules to suit their interests; it highlights UCLA's flagrant disregard for their very own rules; and perhaps most shockingly, it shows a top-down culture whereby deans and vice chancellors (such as Laura Gómez and Jerry Kang) don't simply administrate, but rather dictate their campus' intellectual climate in complete derogation of academic freedom (a principle they pay lip service to but rarely match it with their actions). It's no surprise that Jerry Kang (Vice Chancellor of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion) dislikes Fink's presence on campus. Fink regularly takes Kang to task about issues related to student speech, conduct, and academic freedom — typically using Kang's in terrorem email missives as springboards to highlight how the abstractions of First Amendment jurisprudence commonly pan out in public universities. After all, what better way to teach free speech on campus than to use examples from students' own university? But when Kang and his peers took issue with this, they should have addressed their concerns directly, expediently, and professionally — rather than waiting until Fink's eighteenth quarter where they could sheepishly assemble a star chamber review process rigged against Fink from the outset. For now, Johnson, Gómez, Kang, and the other administrator-bureaucrats who orchestrated Fink's Kafkaesque review may be rejoicing in the fact that they successfully eliminated Fink's outspoken, popular, and intellectually-competing voice from their campus. But their rejoice will be short-lived: UCLA is already suffering as a result. Fink will not put this battle to rest, not because it involves him, but because it threatens all lecturers' academic freedom and belies the very tenets upon which the modern research university are predicated. Andrew Litt recently graduated from UCLA School of Law. He holds two degrees from UCLA: a Juris Doctor (2017) and a B.A. in Communication Studies and Industrial Labor Relations, magna cum laude (2014). His legal interests primarily lie at the intersection of the First Amendment and Employment Law. After passing the State Bar of California, Andrew plans to practice labor and employment law and serve as a human capital consultant to organizations. If you would like to write an op-ed for the Washington Examiner, please read our guidelines on submissions here.

Stormy Daniels’ lawyer Michael Avenatti says that “at least one” woman is ready to come forward publicly within 48 hours with fresh allegations against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. “We’re going to make a public disclosure within the next 48 hours of detailed allegations, as well as the identity of at least one of my clients relating to what she witnessed and experienced concerning Brett Kavanaugh and Mark Judge,” Avenatti told CNN’s Chris Cuomo on Monday night. Christine Blasey Ford, who has accused Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her during a party in 1982, said Judge was in the room during the alleged attack. On Sunday, The New Yorker published new allegations against Kavanaugh, in which Yale classmate Deborah Ramirez said the future judge drunkenly exposed himself to her at a dorm party. Kavanaugh has vigorously denied the allegations. Avenatti tweeted Monday that his client “has previously done work within the State Department US Mint and the Justice Department. “She has been granted multiple security clearances in the past including Public Trust & Secret. The GOP and others better be very careful in trying to suggest that she is not credible,” he wrote. Avenatti told the UK’s Guardian that his client has asked to testify at a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, which will hear from Ford and Kavanaugh. “I’m going to be representing her and I may be representing some corroborating witnesses, and we plan on releasing additional information,” he told the news outlet. The fresh allegations involve Kavanaugh’s days as a student at Georgetown Prep in suburban Maryland, the elite all-boys school from which he graduated the year after the alleged incident with Ford. On Sunday, Avenatti tweeted that he was representing a woman “with credible information regarding Judge Kavanaugh and Mark Judge.” He added: “We will be demanding the opportunity to present testimony to the committee and will likewise be demanding that Judge and others be subpoenaed to testify. The nomination must be withdrawn.” On Monday, Kavanaugh vowed to press forward with his confirmation hearings despite the allegations that he called “smears, pure and simple.” In an interview with Fox News on Monday night, Kavanaugh — who was joined by his wife, Ashley Estes Kavanaugh — said he wanted “a fair process where I can defend my integrity.” Calling him a “liar” Tuesday morning, Avenatti tweeted that Kavanaugh’s “‘I was just an innocent boy’ claims on Fox are laughable and an insult to any American with common sense. “They are irreconcilable with the yearbook, many witnesses, & my clients. His claims about the drinking age at the time also appear to be false,” he wrote. He was apparently referring to a New York Times report that Kavanaugh’s page in his high school yearbook contained a mysterious entry: “Renate Alumnius.” Renate Schroeder Dolphin — a former student at a Catholic girls school near Georgetown Prep — was among 64 women who signed a letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee in support of Kavanaugh, who they said had “behaved honorably and treated women with respect.” Two of Kavanaugh’s classmates told the Times that more than a dozen mentions of her name throughout the yearbook were part of the high school football players’ unsubstantiated boasting about their conquests. “I learned about these yearbook pages only a few days ago,” Dolphin said in a statement to the Times. “I don’t know what ‘Renate Alumnus’ actually means. I can’t begin to comprehend what goes through the minds of 17-year-old boys who write such things, but the insinuation is horrible, hurtful and simply untrue,” she wrote. “I pray their daughters are never treated this way. I will have no further comment.”

raised, when myriads are left?—I have not the money, boy,” to Wolfe, shortly. “Money?” He said it over slowly, as one repeats the guessed answer to a riddle, doubtfully. “That is it? Money?” “Yes, money,—that is it,” said Mitchell, rising, and drawing his furred coat about him. “You've found the cure for all the world's diseases.—Come, May, find your good-humor, and come home. This damp wind chills my very bones. Come and preach your Saint-Simonian doctrines' to-morrow to Kirby's hands. Let them have a clear idea of the rights of the soul, and I'll venture next week they'll strike for higher wages. That will be the end of it.” “Will you send the coach-driver to this side of the mills?” asked Kirby, turning to Wolfe. He spoke kindly: it was his habit to do so. Deborah, seeing the puddler go, crept after him. The three men waited outside. Doctor May walked up and down, chafed. Suddenly he stopped. “Go back, Mitchell! You say the pocket and the heart of the world speak without meaning to these people. What has its head to say? Taste, culture, refinement? Go!” Mitchell was leaning against a brick wall. He turned his head indolently, and looked into the mills. There hung about the place a thick, unclean odor. The slightest motion of his hand marked that he perceived it, and his insufferable disgust. That was all. May said nothing, only quickened his angry tramp. “Besides,” added Mitchell, giving a corollary to his answer, “it would be of no use. I am not one of them.” “You do not mean”—said May, facing him. “Yes, I mean just that. Reform is born of need, not pity. No vital movement of the people's has worked down, for good or evil; fermented, instead, carried up the heaving, cloggy mass. Think back through history, and you will know it. What will this lowest deep—thieves, Magdalens, negroes—do with the light filtered through ponderous Church creeds, Baconian theories, Goethe schemes? Some day, out of their bitter need will be thrown up their own light-bringer,—their Jean Paul, their Cromwell, their Messiah.” “Bah!” was the Doctor's inward criticism. However, in practice, he adopted the theory; for, when, night and morning, afterwards, he prayed that power might be given these degraded souls to rise, he glowed at heart, recognizing an accomplished duty. Wolfe and the woman had stood in the shadow of the works as the coach drove off. The Doctor had held out his hand in a frank, generous way, telling him to “take care of himself, and to remember it was his right to rise.” Mitchell had simply touched his hat, as to an equal, with a quiet look of thorough recognition. Kirby had thrown Deborah some money, which she found, and clutched eagerly enough. They were gone now, all of them. The man sat down on the cinder-road, looking up into the murky sky. “'T be late, Hugh. Wunnot hur come?” He shook his head doggedly, and the woman crouched out of his sight against the wall. Do you remember rare moments when a sudden light flashed over yourself, your world, God? when you stood on a mountain-peak, seeing your life as it might have been, as it is? one quick instant, when custom lost its force and every-day usage? when your friend, wife, brother, stood in a new light? your soul was bared, and the grave,—a foretaste of the nakedness of the Judgment-Day? So it came before him, his life, that night. The slow tides of pain he had borne gathered themselves up and surged against his soul. His squalid daily life, the brutal coarseness eating into his brain, as the ashes into his skin: before, these things had been a dull aching into his consciousness; to-night, they were reality. He griped the filthy red shirt that clung, stiff with soot, about him, and tore it savagely from his arm. The flesh beneath was muddy with grease and ashes,—and the heart beneath that! And the soul? God knows. Then flashed before his vivid poetic sense the man who had left him,—the pure face, the delicate, sinewy limbs,

Shortly after he confessed to police that he killed four people with a baseball bat, Orion Krause sang quietly to himself and said, “I freed them,” according to court documents unsealed Friday. A Massachusetts judge released documents that detail – often graphically – the Sept. 8 deaths of Krause’s mother, Elizabeth Lackey Krause, 60; his grandparents, Frank Darby Lackey III, 89, and Elizabeth Lackey, 85; and their home health care worker, Bertha Mae Parker, 68. Krause, 22, a gifted musician from Rockport, Maine, has been charged with four counts of murder and is being held at Bridgewater State Hospital in Massachusetts pending a psychiatric evaluation. He is next due in court on Oct. 30. The court documents unsealed Friday outline the probable cause for Krause’s arrest and include written statements from four police officers who were at the crime scene or spoke with Krause. Although detailed, the documents do not include any clear motive Krause may have had, other than his cryptic assessment that he “freed” the victims. They do, however, include an admission from Krause that he was a heroin user – a detail that had not previously been disclosed – although nothing in the documents indicates he used heroin immediately before the killings. “No one should make any assumptions about anything he is alleged to have said, including that any of it was actually true,” said Edward Wayland, Krause’s attorney. “Determining the truth is what the legal process is designed to do and it has barely begun to do it.” Police were called to a home on Common Street in Groton, Massachusetts, shortly before 6 p.m. on Sept. 8. The homeowner, Wagner Alcocer, had called 911 to report that a man, later identified as Krause, had shown up at his house. Groton Police Officer Gordon Candow was one of the first to arrive. “I walked up the step to the back patio and I could see a white male in his early twenties sitting in a patio chair,” he wrote. “The male was naked and it appeared he had rubbed mud all over his body. The male was also covered in thin cuts. When I approached him I asked, ‘Are you okay?’ and ‘What’s going on?’ The male stated, ‘I murdered four people.’ ” Krause then told the officer who he had killed. When asked where it happened, he pointed toward the woods near Alcocer’s house and said, “somewhere over there.” At that point, Krause was handcuffed. Candow asked him the name of his grandparents and he responded, “Lackey,” and spelled it. The officer contacted dispatchers, who located the home at 80 Common St. – a few houses away from Alcocer’s – owned by Frank and Elizabeth Lackey. Related Gifted Rockport musician tied to Massachusetts slayings offered little warning Three officers went to the Lackey residence while Candow and another officer stayed with Krause. Alcocer brought a sheet from his house and the officers wrapped it around Krause. When he sat back down in the patio chair, Candow wrote, Krause began singing and said, “I freed them.” Groton police Sgt. James Goodwin, who had gone to the Lackey residence, then radioed to Candow. “I could tell by the tone in Sgt. Goodwin’s voice that he may have found the victims,” the officer wrote. Krause was read his Miranda rights. He said he understood them and then declined to speak to Candow any further. Goodwin and two others approached the Lackey residence. The sergeant wrote that he could see a light and a television on through a bay window. “As I looked in the window I observed two elderly looking people seated separately in chairs facing my direction,” Goodwin wrote. “Both persons appeared to have severe trauma to the face and forehead.” The front door was locked but Goodwin kicked it open so he could give aid to the victims, although they were already dead. They were identified as the Lackeys, Krause’s maternal grandparents. “As I walked a little closer I then saw a third victim that I was not able to see prior,” he wrote. “The victim was seated in a chair slouched down with the back of their head against the corner of the kitchen island.” The third victim was later identified as Elizabeth “Buffy” Krause, Orion Krause’s mother. After

GENEVA (Reuters) - Airline profits are on course to fall faster than expected in 2019 as trade wars hit global commerce and broader confidence, the industry’s main global body said on Wednesday, while predicting a modest recovery next year. FILE PHOTO: The International Air Transport Association (IATA) logo is seen at the International Tourism Trade Fair ITB in Berlin, Germany, March 7, 2018. REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch/File Photo Cutting its full-year net profit forecast to $25.9 billion, a 5.1% decline from 2018, the International Air Transport Association said an improvement in 2020 was contingent on a “truce” in global trade disputes. In June it had forecast $28 billion in profit this year. “Trade wars produce no winners,” IATA Director General Alexandre de Juniac told an annual media briefing. De Juniac also cited slower growth, Brexit and social unrest among factors that “all came together to create a tougher than anticipated business environment for airlines” in 2019. IATA slashed its full-year global revenue forecast to $838 billion from the $899 billion predicted in June and said it expected an improvement to $872 billion for 2020. “We’ve downgraded our forecasts for 2019 pretty much across the board,” chief economist Brian Pearce said. “This has been driven mostly by the impact of trade wars.” Reflecting downward pressure on fares, net profit per passenger fell to $5.70 this year from $6.22, with the industry’s net profit margin expected to decline to 3.1% this year from 3.4% in 2018. But the sharpest deterioration is being felt in airlines’ cargo businesses, where a 3.3% drop in freight demand marked the steepest decline since the 2009 financial crisis, with revenue down 8% year-on-year. Growth in world trade has all but evaporated to an expected 0.9% this year, sharply down from the 2.5% forecast in June and the 4.1% expansion predicted a year ago, IATA said. Underpinning the partial recovery predicted next year, IATA forecast more robust trade growth of 3.3% as “election-year pressures in the U.S. contribute to reduced trade tensions”. CAPACITY PRESSURE While a return to service of Boeing's BA.N grounded 737 MAX would relieve airline customers, it could also lead to a glut in short-term capacity, putting further pressure on fares, analysts have warned. Outstripping a 4.1% traffic increase next year, airline capacity is expected to rise 4.7% with the arrival of hundreds of MAX jets that the market may find “hard to swallow” even when offset by retirement of older planes, Pearce said. The MAX safety crisis is coming to an end, IATA’s safety chief said on Wednesday, while warning that disagreements among regulators could yet complicate the jet’s return. With most of the industry’s global profit is currently generated by a handful of mainly U.S.-based carriers, the past year has seen a slew of airline failures mainly in Europe. “There’s clearly scope for more consolidation though, given that long tail of airlines that haven’t improved,” Pearce predicted, despite regulatory barriers to cross-border mergers. Airlines also stepped up their criticism of new European environmental taxes they see as an excessive burden in addition to the CORSIA emissions reduction and offsetting scheme developed by the industry to take effect in 2021. A number of European states are imposing new taxes pending an EU-wide deal, with environmental and “flight-shaming” activists inspired by teen activist Greta Thunberg also demanding an end to airlines’ fuel-tax exemption. “We need to make sure that CORSIA is successful and not compromised by a patchwork of competing taxes and charges,” De Juniac said.

Teresa Todd pulled over one recent night on a dark West Texas highway to help three young Central American migrants who had flagged her down. Ms Todd - an elected official, government lawyer and single mother in a desert border region near Big Bend National Park - said she went into “total mum mode” when she saw the three siblings, one of whom appeared to be very ill. Struggling to communicate using her broken Spanish, Ms Todd told the three young people to get out of the cold and into her car. She was phoning and texting friends for help when a sheriff’s deputy drove up, followed soon by the Border Patrol. “They asked me to step behind my car, and the supervisor came and started Mirandising me,” said Ms Todd, referring to being read her Miranda rights. The US-Mexico border: where the drugs war has soaked the ground blood red Show all 4 1 /4 The US-Mexico border: where the drugs war has soaked the ground blood red The US-Mexico border: where the drugs war has soaked the ground blood red A forensic officer investigates the shooting of a man in Ciudad Juarez AP The US-Mexico border: where the drugs war has soaked the ground blood red Police at the site of a mass grave in the desert outside Ciudad Juarez where at least six bodies were found Reuters The US-Mexico border: where the drugs war has soaked the ground blood red Police guarding the convoy of Mexico's President, Felipe Calderon Reuters The US-Mexico border: where the drugs war has soaked the ground blood red Mexican President Felipe Calderon visited the troubled city last week AFP/Getty Images “And then he says that I could be found guilty of transporting illegal aliens, and I’m, like, ‘What are you talking about?’” Ms Todd spent 45 minutes in a holding cell that night. Federal agents obtained a search warrant to examine her phone, and she became the focus of an investigation that could lead to federal criminal charges. As the Trump administration moves on multiple fronts to shut down illegal border crossings, it has also stepped up punitive measures targeting private citizens who provide compassionate help to migrants — “good Samaritan” aid that is often intended to save lives along a border that runs through hundreds of miles of remote terrain that can be brutally unforgiving. Earlier this year, federal agents raided the home of a volunteer who provides meals, housing and other aid to migrants in the Texas border city of Brownsville. In Arizona, four volunteers with No More Deaths, a nonprofit based in Tucson, were convicted on misdemeanour criminal charges after leaving water and canned food for migrants hiking through the Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge. Five other volunteers also faced charges, including one felony case now pending in US District Court in Tucson. “I honestly don’t feel like I ever did anything wrong: I stopped to help some kids,” said Ms Todd, 53, who serves as both the city attorney of Marfa, Texas, and the county attorney of Jeff Davis County, an elected position. “It’s been pretty transformative for me, to be perfectly honest. To have devoted my life to public service, and then to be Mirandised, detained and investigated as if I’m a human smuggler. The whole thing was really, really, very surreal. It was like a ‘Twilight Zone’.” 'These are desperate people!' Republican Geraldo Rivera gives criticises migrant caravan coverage on Fox News Federal agents at the border in some cases work closely with non-profit shelters and volunteers to co-ordinate housing and transportation logistics for migrants in border cities who have recently been released from Border Patrol custody. But often, volunteers who aid illegal border crossers before they are in custody are treated far differently. For Ms Todd, it started at about 10pm on 27 February, just outside the funky desert community of Marfa. Ms Todd was busy that night: she had attended a planning and zoning meeting at Marfa City Hall, had a late dinner at the Hotel Saint George and was driving back home to nearby Fort Davis. Trump compares US-Mexico border to Disneyland and calls end to family separations a disaster Suddenly, a young man in a white shirt ran out of a ditch and started waving at her. “I have two teenage boys,” Todd said. “I have a 17-year-old and a 15-year-old, and he looks about the same size as my 15-year-old son, and so I literally think, ‘oh my God, it’s like this kid on the side of the road.’ I turn around and go back, because I can’t leave a kid on

SEOUL — It’s a question that has long perplexed those who study North Korea and one that continues to divide experts: How long can the leaders of the world’s most isolated country stay in power? The question of the Kim regime’s survival — and the potential problems a sudden collapse of the government could unleash — has taken on added significance this year following North Korea’s sinking of a South Korean warship in March and the Nov. 23 bombardment of a populated island along the countries’ maritime border. Some analysts say those attacks point to a weakening dictatorship trying to demonstrate its military prowess and shore up support at home. Others, however, say the regime has shown a surprising resilience in the face of economic hardship and famine, and shows no sign of weakening. “There have been predictions of the imminent collapse of North Korea for decades, and so far it’s shown a rather extraordinary capacity to survive in conditions that should have led to a regime collapse,” said John Delury, a professor at Yonsei University in Seoul and associate director of the Asia Society’s Center on U.S.-China Relations. “I don’t think that it’s about to collapse, and it would be a serious mistake to operate on the idea that it is. You’ve got to work with what is, and that is a regime that is fully intact, and it’s one of the longest running regimes in the world. Two leaders since the 1940s — that’s a pretty good track record.” Hoping to better predict when North Korea might collapse, South Korea is spending $1.6 million to come up with a formula that measures the stability of the world’s hardest-to-measure country, according to a recent Washington Post article. The formula will take into account political loyalty in the military, recent economic output, even the ups and downs of leader Kim Jong Il’s health — all without verifiable information on any of those factors. “The major problem with this is the lack of data,” according to one senior government official quoted by the Washington Post. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because the project, known as the North Korea Situation Index, is under way. When the Unification Ministry finalizes the index within the next month or so, its assessment will represent an attempt to introduce some certitude into the increasingly polarized debate about the North’s life expectancy. Leaked U.S. diplomatic cables show that the possible collapse of the North Korean government is a concern for China, South Korea and the United States. According to cables released by WikiLeaks and reported on by several media outlets, top diplomats have discussed a collapse within the past year, with South Korea even going so far as to assure the U.S. that China would tolerate a reunified Korea under democratic South Korean control. But Shunji Hiraiwa, professor of contemporary Korean studies at Japan’s Kwansei Gakuin University in Hyogo, said the regime is much stronger than it appears from the outside, in part because there is little opposition to the current government. Those in power know they are likely to lose their positions if the Kim government collapses, he said. “They want to do their best to keep the present system,” he said. “That is why internal conflict is least expected to happen.” Analysts have predicted the demise of the regime for years, particularly after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 and the 1994 death of the “Great Leader” Kim Il Sung, who had ruled North Korea since 1948. But some experts say last year’s failed currency reform, chronic hunger and the designation of an heir to “Dear Leader” Kim Jong Il, point to a country in deeper distress than ever before. Of particular concern is Kim Jong Il’s health. If the ailing dictator, who is believed to have suffered a stroke two years ago, dies within a few years, his son and heir apparent, Kim Jong Un, may not have time to build the power base among the country’s elites that he needs to stay in control. The younger Kim is believed to be approximately 27 years old and was named a general and introduced to the public this fall — a clear sign, experts say, that he has been designated the third Kim to lead the country. In contrast, Kim Jong Il had two decades to prepare for leadership before his father died. “If Kim Jong Il dies within the next five years, the chances are 50-50 that Kim Jong Un won’t be able to hold that country together, simply because he doesn’t have that power base,” said Bruce Bechtol, author of “Defiant Failed State: The

Australia is a land of geological contradictions with some of the oldest features in the world alongside rocks which are in the process of formation. The continent is home to rocks dating from more than 3000 million years while others are the result of volcanic activity which continued up to only a few thousand years ago. An ancient landscape in the Northern Territory outback. Recently, scientists have been able to obtain a much clearer picture of Australia's geological past through deep seismic surveys, which has provided new information about how the continent was formed, particularly around Broken Hill, Mount Isa, Iron Knob [PDF 62.1 KB] and West Arnhem Land [PDF 64.4 KB]. Although the shape of Australia is due largely to tectonic Earth movements and long term changes in sea level, most of its topography is a result of prolonged erosion by wind and water. About 50 per cent of Australia's rivers drain inland and often end in ephemeral salt lakes. Many of the features of the drainage pattern have a very long history, and some individual valleys have maintained their position for millions of years. The Finke River winding through Palm Valley in the Northern Territory. The Finke River in central Australia is one of the oldest rivers in the world and salt lakes of the Yilgarn region in Western Australia are the remnants of a drainage pattern which was active before continental drift separated Australia from Antarctica. Australia began its journey across the surface of the Earth as an isolated continent between about 55 and 10 million years ago, and continues to move north by about seven centimetres each year. Australia's present topography is the result of a long landscape history, which, fundamentally, started in the Permian Period when Australia was very near the South Pole, and much of the continent was glaciated by large ice caps. After the ice melted, parts of the continent subsided and formed sedimentary basins such as the Eromanga Basin in South Australia. By early in the Cretaceous Period, Australia was already so flat and low that a major rise in sea level divided it into three landmasses as a shallow sea spread over the land. Looking towards Mt Hotham in the Victoria Alps. In the following Paleogene and Neogene Periods Australia was made up of a broadly undulating landscape, varied by a number of sedimentary basins including the Murray, Gippsland, Eucla, Carpentaria and Lake Eyre basins. The Eastern Highlands also were uplifted about this time to form the Great Divide which separates rivers flowing towards inland Australia from rivers flowing to the Pacific Ocean. Erosion of the newly-formed continental edge on the eastern side formed the Great Escarpment, which can be traced from near the tip of Cape York Peninsula to south eastern Victoria. Throughout the Paleogene and Neogene Periods, volcanoes erupted in eastern Australia and huge lava plains covered large areas. This activity continued up to a few thousand years ago in Victoria and Queensland. Australia's youngest mainland volcano is Mt Gambier in South Australia which last erupted only about 6000 years ago. On the remote Australian Territory of Heard Island and McDonald Islands in the Southern Ocean, volcanic activity occurred on Mawson's Peak in the mid 1980s, and activity on the nearby McDonald Islands occurred during the 1990s. Much of the Western Plateau has existed as a landmass for more than 500 million years and is made up of individual plateaus, including the Kimberley, Hamersley, and Yilgarn. These plateaus in part comprise cratons such as the Yilgarn Craton and the Pilbara Craton. In contrast, the Nullarbor Plain is an uplifted sea floor, a limestone plain of Miocene age. The rocks along a coastal strip around the Western Australian capital of Perth are much younger than the adjacent Yilgarn Craton and are separated from it by the Darling Fault escarpment. Wallaman Falls in north Queensland. Much of the centre of Australia is flat, but there are numerous ranges such as the MacDonnell and Musgrave Ranges, as well as some individual structures, of which the best known is Uluru. Faulting and folding in the areas took place long ago, and the current topography is the result of millions of years of erosion and redistribution of sediments removed from high areas and filled-in depressions in this largely internal drainage system. In the case of Uluru and the nearby Kata Tjuta, the surrounding countryside has been eroded to a plain around these resistant geological phenomena. Towards the east, the flat land rises to the Great Divide which runs parallel to the east coast from the tip of the Cape York Peninsula in Queensland almost 4000km south to the Grampians in Victoria. This separates rivers flowing to the west and north from those flowing to the Pacific. The Eastern Highlands are made up of a

Tonight’s twitter has graced us with the LIGHT Eidolon Fusion! Shoukanjuu Merkabah / Merkabah the Eidolon Beast Light Machine / Fusion / Effect LV9 2500/2100 “Aleister the Eidolon Summoner” + 1 LIGHT monster (1) Once per turn, during either player’s turn, when a monster effect, or Spell/Trap Card is activated: You can send 1 card of the same card type (monster, Spell, or Trap) from your hand to the Graveyard; negate that activation, and if you do banish it. As a note, the name refers to Merkabah Mysticism, yet more Jewish references! The best, perhaps apocryphal, line attributed to Benjamin Disraeli is when he told parliament that half the cabinet were asses. Ordered to withdraw the comment, Disraeli responded: “Mr Speaker, I withdraw. Half the cabinet are not asses”. Political invective, when it is witty and pointed, is a sign of a free society. Yet words matter and we need to take care. Politics, in Britain as well as in the United States, is becoming less civil to a degree that is now damaging. We have to learn again how to treat opponents well. The revelation of the conference season was not progress on Europe — on which both parties are letting the nation down — but on the question of good manners in politics. Jeremy Corbyn has a… .The CIA Director's son wins with laughable exit poll discrepancies in 2000 and 2004 and the mainstream media sees no evil. The media's perspective is to discredit the exit polls, which they sponsor, and call any who points to the unadjusted, or actual, polls "conspiracy theorists."In 2004, 22 states had a red shift to the CIA Director's son, George W. Bush. Usually such improbably results are signs of a Banana Republic. Now we have a too-close-to-call neck and neck recall race in Wisconsin that show an obvious red shift for a right-wing red governor. Nobody wants to look at the non-transparent black box machines. Electronic election rigging has prospered. Democracy is dead. Long live the "adjusted" vote totals.------------------------------ y feedback and can be moved multi-directionally like joysticks. The dial is set to adjust volume by default, but you can change that in Razer Synapse to other functions such as adjusting microphone volume, weapon switching in game, or scrolling. For $200, the Razer Huntsman is pricey. Gamers looking for a more affordable Opto-Mechanical experience will most likely consider the baseline Huntsman for $150. Comparatively, the Bloody B975, which also has optical switches, retails for $150 as well and comes with an additional wrist rest, whereas the baseline Huntsman does not. However, Bloody’s aggressive aesthetics can be polarizing, whereas the Huntsman’s clean, minimal build seems like it will satisfy more shoppers. animal’s brain while it’s alive and moving, second by second.” He also wants to continue to study the two-hour delay between vape exposure and the munchies. Animals and people first become oriented to the euphoric property of the drug, he hypothesizes, and it takes two hours for their concentration to shift elsewhere. Two hours later, it’s chow time. “If we can figure out this delay, we can perhaps figure out how to not only stimulate appetite, but determine how to inhibit it as well,” says Davis. “If we can understand the neurobiology of that, then maybe we can figure out ways to help people who have feeding pathologies, like obesity and binge eating.” Wrestling legend Bobby "The Brain" Heenan suffered a broken shoulder after falling while getting out of bed on April 24th in Las Vegas. The Heenan family has been in Vegas visiting relatives for a wedding. Heenan actually missed the wedding as he and his wife spent the day in the hospital. Not too long ago, Heenan suffered a broken back when he fell. The many cancer treatments he has received have left his bones brittle. Heenan has reportedly been in remarkably good spirits as of late, even with all of his health issues. Source: Wrestling Observer Newsletter Subscribe to The Wrestling Observer by clicking here. Each issue has coverage and analysis of all the major news, plus history pieces. New subscribers can also receive free classic issues.