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Red Hat today announced the acquisition of privately held eNovance in a deal that brings one of the top OpenStack cloud contributors into the Red Hat fold. The deal is valued at approximately 50 million euros in cash and 20 million euros in shares of Red Hat common stock, which converts to approximately $95 million USD. Red Hat is not providing an official USD conversion amount for the transaction at this time.
eNovance is one of the top 10 contributors to the open-source OpenStack platform, as is Red Hat. What eNovance brings to the table is a services business around OpenStack.
Arun Oberoi, executive vice president of global sales and services at Red Hat, told eWEEK that from a services standpoint, eNovance brings a lot of breadth, scale and expertise in building, integrating and maintaining both private and public cloud environments.
"They will provide a center of excellence capability on continuous integration/continuous delivery methodology in customer OpenStack environments," Oberoi said. "They will help us extend a DevOps capability across a spectrum of dev, test and production clouds."
In addition, eNovance brings to Red Hat a strong Ceph storage capability, Oberoi said. Red Hat acquired Inktank, the lead commercial sponsor behind the open-source Ceph storage filesystem at the end of April in a deal valued at $175 million.
eNovance is also a big contributor to the OpenStack Designate DNS as a Service project, which was recently accepted into OpenStack as an incubated project.
"eNovance's breadth and depth of expertise in and range of contributions to the OpenStack community were a key consideration," Oberoi said.
From an integration perspective, eNovance will fit into the existing Red Hat portfolio for both technology and services.
"From a services perspective, eNovance will become Red Hat's center of excellence for OpenStack cloud services," Oberoi said. "For products and technologies, the teams will work together to evolve to a single product set over time, leveraging the technologies and expertise from both teams."
Red Hat has its own OpenStack platform with existing customer deployments. Oberoi noted that eNovance and Red Hat have several common customers.
"We also have a healthy mix of new customers added to the mix," Oberoi said.
Sean Michael Kerner is a senior editor at eWEEK and InternetNews.com. Follow him on Twitter @TechJournalist. | 0 |
Back in April, as punishment for continued violations of a previous export ban settlement with the US, the US Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security enacted a denial order against ZTE. The order effectively cut off the company off from receiving most US technology, and as a result of this ban, ZTE’s operations, which heavily relied on importing both hardware and software from the US, ground to a halt, putting the future of the company in doubt. However ZTE’s immediate woes now appear to be coming to an end; the Bureau of Industry and Security and ZTE have come to an agreement that will see the US tech ban suspended in return for a massive settlement, leadership changes, and allowing significant & ongoing US oversight of the company’s compliance.
Under the terms of the settlement, ZTE is paying an immediate $1B fine, on top of the existing $892M in fines they’ve already paid related to their misconduct in this case. Furthermore the company will have to completely clean house on its executive team and board of directors, replacing all of the members in both of those groups. Meanwhile to ensure ongoing compliance, ZTE is being required to put a further $400M in escrow, which would be forfeit if they violated US export regulations again. And the company will be required to host and pay for a US-selected compliance team that will oversee the company’s compliance over the term of the agreement.
In return, the US will be suspending – but not removing – the US technology export ban that has caused the company to grind to a halt to begin with. This would allow the US to quickly re-instate the ban if ZTE violates the terms of the 10 year agreement. Overall this an unprecedented agreement with the BIS in both the size of the fines and the overall scope of the compliance monitoring.
The immediate ramifications of this deal are that although ZTE is becoming cash-poorer, this will allow them to resume day-to-day business operations and get the business moving again. This includes once again being able to receive Qualcomm SoCs and the Android OS for their smartphones, along with the numerous components used in their networking gear.
There are also some political ramifications to this deal – which are outside the scope of AnandTech’s purview – but as the New York Times notes, many see this as part of a larger peace offering in ensuring a new trade deal between the US and China. | 1 |
The most well known firearms maker Colt, founded in 1855 by Samuel Colt, is on the edge of disappearing from America’s gun stores. Samuel Colt had been making firearms since 1836. Colt the maker of such guns as The Peacemaker, the Colt Walker, M16 and AR-15 was unable to make an interest payment of 10.9 million dollars. (Colt did not develop the M-16 or AR-15, they were primarily manufacturing them). They have a grace period of 30 days to make the payment. That grace period ends on June 14th. Colt is trying to work out a restructuring deal to keep the company from going under, but bond holders refuse to make any deal that results in a loss. That’s because the current bankruptcy law would allow them to recover 100% of their money should Colt go under.
Colt has fallen onto hard times as police departments across America have made the switch from Colts to the lighter Glock. It appears that their only hope to stay in business is if a deep pocketed company like Smith and Wesson would but them out. That seems like a long shot, since Smith and Wesson could wait and purchase just the rights to the name. That way they could avoid taking on the liabilities of Colt and allow them to manufacture the guns in their own factories, since in all likelihood, they would want to make guns with more commercial appeal. They could also buy individual manufacturing plants from Colt without buying them all.
It’s sad to see the most famous gun manufacturer disappear. Even if they are bought out, it really won’t seem the same. Colt is a victim of their own standards. The competition has followed the market and found a way to make a much lighter pistol that would still accommodate a high capacity magazine. This has become very important as more and more women are purchasing guns for protection.
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Progress can be a sad thing.
Courtesy of Red Statements. | 2 |
the apparent quieting of tho
situation in congress, the submarine
crisis shifts to the negotiations be
tween Secretary Lansing and Count
von Bernstorff.
Mr. Lansing said today there was
no intention of transferring the nego
tiations to Berlin to be conducted be
tween Ambassador Gerard and tho
Berlin foreign office, as was intimated
in dispatches published abroad.
On the situation as it now stands.
President Wilson is firm in his deter
mination to insist on the rights of
Americans to travel on ships armed
for defense only.
Decree Inspired by f Ircularl
From German sources come sugges
tions that the Teutonic government
were inspired to issue their new noti3
by the American circular note to thV
allied powers, proposing disarmament
of merchants ships, and the German
belief is that the allies will not accept
the American suggestion. From Brit
ish sources comes the positive state
ment that the British government at
least has not rejected the American
suggestion but is consulting her allies.
The Issue is still kept alive, however,
by the attitude of the Italian govern
ment and the presence at New York:
of three armed merchantmen, the Giu
seppe Verdi, San Guglielmo and Na
poli, the last named having arrived to
day. Though technically an entirely sep
arate question from that of the right
of merchant ships to carry defensive
armament, the Lusitania case remains
in abeyance because the state depart
ment fears that the German pledges
to refrain from attacking liners with
out warning may not extend to future
operations. Therefore the department
has called on the German government
for information on that point and is
now awaiting a response.
Prominent Qulnry Man Dies.
Quincy, 111., Feb. 26. George Fisch
er, proprietor of the Fischer Iron
and Steel company, vice president of
the Rlcker National bank and one of
Quincy's foremost citizens died sud
denly of heart disease at noon today.
i | 3 |
do it in case I am a vegetable after the operation. I know that my buddy Jorgeson was a real American hero. I wish that he had lived to be something else, if not a painter of pictures then even some kind of fuckup with a factory job and four divorces, bankruptcy petitions, in and out of jail. I wish he had been that. I wish he had been anything rather than a real American hero. So, then, if I am to feel somewhat indifferent to life after the operation, all the better. If not, not.
If I had a more conventional sense of morality I would shitcan those dress blues, and I’d send that Navy Cross to Jorgeson’s brother. Jorgeson was the one who won it, who pulled the John Wayne number up there near Khe Sanh and saved my life, although I lied and took the credit for all of those dead NVA. He had created a stunning body count—nothing like Theogenes, but Jorgeson only had something like twelve minutes total in the theater of war.
The high command almost awarded me the Medal of Honor, but of course there were no witnesses to what I claimed I had done, and I had saved no one’s life. When I think back on it, my tale probably did not sound as credible as I thought it had at the time. I was only nineteen years old and not all that practiced a liar. I figure if they had given me the Medal of Honor, I would have stood in the ring up at Camp Las Pulgas in Pendleton and let that light-heavyweight from artillery fucking kill me.
Now I’m thinking I might call Hey Baby and ask how he’s doing. No shit, a couple of neuropsychs—we probably have a lot in common. I could apologize to him. But I learned from my fits that you don’t have to do that. Good and evil are only illusions. Still, I cannot help but wonder sometimes if my vision of the Supreme Reality was any more real than the demons visited upon schizophrenics and madmen. Has it all been just a stupid neurochemical event? Is there no God at all? The human heart rebels against this.
If they fuck up the operation, I hope I get to keep my dogs somehow—maybe stay at my sister’s place. If they send me to the nuthouse I lose the dogs for sure. | 4 |
Dragon Throne of Tarkir, no Surrak Dragonclaw. Sorin's visit to Tarkir never happened—he doesn't remember finding Ugin's bones, and Ugin was never dead.
2. Fate Reforged did happen, but most people on Tarkir don't know about it.
The five original clans—the same clans from Khans of Tarkir—did exist in Tarkir's past, as seen in Fate Reforged, but the dragonlords have outlawed or stamped out nearly all knowledge of them. Narset, Sarkhan, and Ugin are among the few people on Tarkir who know the names of the original clans.
3. Dragons of Tarkir is the true and final timeline.
Other than Sarkhan Vol, no one anywhere in the Multiverse has direct experience with the timeline of Khans of Tarkir. As far as both Tarkir and the Multiverse are concerned, there's only one timeline, and it's this one.
4. Sarkhan Vol was never born.
Although many of the same people were born in the alternate timeline—due perhaps to destiny, or perhaps to a sort of path of least resistance in history—Sarkhan Vol was not. Perhaps this was because he was involved in the change, and therefore, in a sense, already existed. He appeared one day on whatever world he first planeswalked to, remembering a full life history that never truly happened. There are different ways to look at this; one could say that he arrived from the alternate timeline, or one could say that he appeared out of nowhere, remembering a world that never existed.
5. The Eldrazi were still released.
After his sudden appearance, Sarkhan went on to play a tangential role in the events of Shards of Alara block and a crucial role in the events of Zendikar block, not to mention precipitating the change that erased his own homeworld from history. Everything he did while away from Tarkir, and everything that resulted from that, still happened.
6. Ugin never died and is aware of the Eldrazi threat.
Sorin Markov has awakened Ugin and agreed to meet him on Zendikar and deal with the Eldrazi.
Tune in next week, when we turn the camera to other worlds in honor of Modern Masters 2015 Edition. | 5 |
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Federal prison inmate Keith Russell Judd, of Texas, won 72,459 votes (40.6 percent) in Tuesday's West Virginia Democratic presidential primary, behind President Barack Obama, who finished with 105,833 (59.4 percent).
Judd qualified to appear on the West Virginia ballot after completing a notarized certification of announcement and paying the required $2,500 filing fee. Although surpassing 15 percent of the vote qualifies him for a Democratic National Convention delegate, according to Democratic Party Executive Director Derek Scarbro, Judd did not specify a delegate slate and will likely not be awarded a delegate.
West Virginia Democratic primary by county. President Obama won the counties in black while Keith Judd won the counties in red.
Judd has run several unsuccessful write-in campaigns for mayor of Albuquerque and governor of New Mexico, and appeared on the 2008 Idaho Democratic primary ballot, winning 734 votes. He was sentenced to 210 months of prison in 1999 after being found guilty of "mailing a threatening communication with intent to extort money or something of value" at the University of New Mexico. He is currently serving his term at the Beaumont Federal Correctional Institution.
Though federal law prohibits felons from voting in elections, they are still eligible to run for office. Judd is not the first prisoner to run for president. In 1920, Eugene V. Debs of the Socialist Party of America ran a presidential campaign from prison after being prosecuted under the Espionage Act of 1917. He won nearly a million votes.
According to Democratic consultant Mike Plante, "most of the people who were casting a vote for Keith Judd, it was not a vote for him, it was a vote expressing dissatisfaction with the president." One West Virginia voter expressed this sentiment, telling the Associated Press that he "voted against Obama" because "I don't like him. He didn't carry the state before and I'm not going to let him carry it again." In 2008, Obama finished with only 25.77 percent of the West Virginia primary vote, losing to Hillary Clinton.
Though Obama has faced some challenges in the Democratic primaries, losing 18 percent to anti-abortion activist Randall Terry in Oklahoma, losing nearly 12 percent to attorney John Wolfe, Jr. in Louisiana, and having 18 and 21 percent of Democrats in Alabama and North Carolina vote "uncommitted", he has already won enough delegates to secure the Democratic nomination.
Related news
Sources
| 6 |
LONDON — Charles Dance, whose credits include “The Imitation Game” and “Game of Thrones,” has joined John Hurt in the cast of the movie “That Good Night,” Variety can exclusively reveal.
Dance takes the role of “The Visitor” in the film, which is produced by GSP Studios. The cast also includes Sofia Helin (“The Bridge”), Max Brown (“Agent Carter”) and Erin Richards (“Gotham”). GSP Studios Intl. is handling worldwide sales in Cannes.
The film, which is shooting for five weeks on the Algarve coast of Portugal, has been adapted from the late N.J. Crisp’s 1996 stage-play of the same name (the title is derived from Dylan Thomas’ poem). It follows Ralph (Hurt), a famed screenwriter coming to terms with his impending death. As he does so, he resolves to attempt two final missions in life: to be reconciled to his long-lost son (Brown), and to ensure he doesn’t become a burden on his wife Anna (Helin) with his slow decline by enlisting a mysterious “Visitor” to help him pass painlessly into “that good night.”
Hurt said: “I am very much looking forward to putting all the jigsaw pieces together that make up this fascinating and paradoxical character.”
The film is directed by Eric Styles (“Dreaming of Joseph Lees,” “Relative Values”), and the screenplay is by Charles Savage. The producer of the original stageplay, Alan Latham of GSP Studios, will produce the feature adaptation alongside Savage. Financing for the film has come through GSP Studios, Red Rock Entertainment and Goldfinch Entertainment.
Styles said: “I’m looking forward to bringing this bittersweet, thought-provoking drama to the big screen. Charles Savage has crafted a beautifully-nuanced script and I am very lucky to have such a brilliant cast and crew to help bring this story to life.”
The director of photography is Richard Stoddard, the costume designer is Charlotte Morris, the hair and make-up designer is Lesley Lamont Fisher, and the production designer is Humphrey Jaeger. Executive producers include Paul Ward, Julian Hicks and Gary Collins. | 7 |
The Best Kept Secret of New York Sports
The New York Red Bulls are 7-8-1 in MLS play. (David Spampinato: WFUV Sports)
by
If you told a New York sports fan that there is a team within the New York City limits playing this summer that has 15 dollar parking with space to tailgate (and lenient rules), $15 tickets and reasonably priced food and drinks for a team in second place in the Eastern Conference, most would say, “where can I sign up!”
Eight miles west of Manhattan lies the home field of the New York Red Bulls, the reigning Supporters’ Shield winners (awarded to the team with the best record in the MLS). Some may remember the Red Bulls as the New York Metrostars playing in the Meadowlands with about 70,000 empty seats. However the Red Bulls have been proven winners for the past five years and play in a beautiful stadium which is a wonderfully intimate setting for a soccer match.
Red Bull Arena offers two exciting experiences. The first is an experience so unique to American sports. In sections 101, 102 and 133 behind the goal on the southern side of the stadium resides three fan groups known as “The South Ward.” The groups are not exclusive at all. The requirements are: buy a ticket, wear some red and be loud for all 90 minutes. Fans sing and cheer throughout the match, and when a goal is scored the Red Bull fanatics lose their minds in elation. While my perch is in the press box near midfield, I need to experience The South Ward for myself.
If you’re interested in a calmer family experience or maybe don’t have the energy to stand up singing for 90 minutes, the rest of the stadium provides that experience. And with affordable tickets, you don’t have to say no when your child keeps asking for a souvenir or a soda.
The next Red Bulls home game is July 10 against the reigning MLS Champions, the Portland Timbers. If you’re too amped up and can’t wait until then, the squad plays against cross town rival NYCFC at Yankee Stadium on July 3. It’s not nearly as authentic as the experience at Red Bull Arena but if you want to see the Red Bulls pick up a victory, it might be a game to check out. The Red Bulls blasted NYCFC 7-0 on May 21 in the Bronx. | 8 |
in late 2015 intensified worries about the erosion of the territory’s rule of law. The booksellers vanished before resurfacing in police custody in mainland China. Among them, Swedish citizen Gui Minhai is under investigation for allegedly leaking state secrets after he sold gossipy books about Chinese leaders.
In April, nine leaders of a 2014 pro-democracy protest movement known as the “Umbrella Revolution” were convicted on public nuisance and other charges.
The relationship between citizens and the authorities “has been completely deteriorated,” Labor Party Vice Chairman Fernando Cheung Chiu-hung told The Associated Press.
“We’ve seen (the police) use extreme forces which are not proportional to the demonstration,” Cheung said Thursday.
The demonstrators appeared little deterred, though they were taking pains to cloak their identities by wearing masks, declining to give their full names to journalists and using cash rather than registered, stored value cards to buy subway tickets. Heavy rain over the city put a damper on new demonstrations, although protesters interviewed Wednesday said they had no plans of giving up until Lam’s government dropped its plans for the amendments altogether.
Lo, the police commissioner, defended the police handling of the clashes outside the government headquarters, saying officers only acted when they were charged by protesters carrying pavement bricks, planks and iron pipes from a nearby construction site.
“We have absolutely no bad intention to cause trouble with anyone. We are just doing our duty,” he said.
He said the protesters acted in a “violent and organized manner.”
“We know the crowd is hostile and very unstable and we tried our best to avoid confrontation,” he said.
The rancor over the extradition issue is capturing attention in Taiwan, a self-governed island that China claims as its own territory.
On Thursday, Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen said Hong Kong’s situation shows the “one country, two systems” framework devised for Hong Kong when Britain handed the colony back to China — presented by Beijing as a formula for uniting Taiwan with the mainland — cannot work.
The Hong Kong government should listen to its people and not rush to pass the legislation that sparked the protests, she told reporters.
___
This story has been corrected to show that name of police official is Stephen Lo Wai-chung instead of Yuen Yuk-kin. | 9 |
The top US diplomat in Ukraine complained in a Sept. 9 text, “I think it’s crazy to withhold security assistance for help with a political campaign,” according to a trove of communications released late Thursday by the three Democratic leaders of the House impeachment inquiry.
The text, which condemns a perceived cash-for-political dirt quid pro quo, was sent by US chargé d’affaires William “Bill” Taylor to Gordon Sondland, US ambassador to the European Union — who four hours later pushes back with a firm, precisely worded response.
“Bill, I believe you are incorrect about President Trump’s intentions,” Sondland, a Republican megadonor, responds.
“The President has been crystal clear no quid pro quo’s of any kind,” Sondland states.
“The President is trying to evaluate whether Ukraine is truly going to adopt the transparency and reforms that [Ukrainian President Volodymyr] Zelensky promised during his campaign,” he adds before asking that the conversation be taken offline: “I suggest we stop the back and forth by text.”
The tense text exchange is part of the “first production of materials” in the inquiry, and was released following testimony by former special envoy to Ukraine Kurt Volker.
It was highlighted among the 23 pages of text and email excerpts released Thursday night by Intelligence Committee Chair Adam Schiff, Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Eliot Engel and Oversight Committee Chair Elijah Cummings.
“These text messages reflect serious concerns raised by a State Department official,” meaning Taylor, the three Dems said in a joint letter prefacing the communications excerpts.
Taylor’s concerns included “that this critical military assistance and the meeting between the two presidents were being withheld in order to place additional pressure on Ukraine to deliver on the President’s demand for Ukraine to launch politically motivated investigations,” the three said.
Also among the communications is a text Volker sent to Zelensky aide Andriy Yermak on the morning of July 25, just before Trump’s controversial call to the Ukrainian president.
The text read, “Heard from White House — assuming President Z convinces trump he will investigate/’get to the bottom of what happened’ in 2016, we will nail down date for visit to Washington.” | 10 |
Tibetan nun 'dies in fire protest' near China monastery Published duration 18 October 2011
image caption The Kirti monastery has been the scene of repeated protests in recent months
A Tibetan nun has set herself on fire near a restive monastery in western China, in the ninth such incident in recent months, reports say.
The Free Tibet group said the 20-year-old nun, Tenzin Wangmo, died on Monday in Sichuan province's Aba county.
A witness told Radio Free Asia (RFA) that she called for freedom for Tibet before she set herself on fire.
Aba county is home to the Kirti monastery, the scene of repeated protests against Beijing's rule.
Seven monks from the monastery, which lies in an ethnic Tibetan area of Sichuan province, have set themselves on fire there in recent months. An eighth monk set himself on fire in another part of Sichuan province.
China has since jailed three monks accused of assisting in one self-immolation and maintains a heavy security presence in Aba town.
'Protests growing'
Reports said the young nun set fire to herself after midday.
"A nun killed herself by setting her body on fire," Aba Jigme, a resident, told RFA. "But she died on the spot after calling for freedom for Tibet and the return of the Dalai Lama."
He said she chose to do it away from the centre of town because of the heavy Chinese security presence.
On Wednesday the Tibetan exile community is to hold a prayer ceremony for those who have set themselves on fire.
In a statement, Free Tibet Director Stephanie Brigden said that unrest in Tibet was "escalating and widening".
"The acts of self-immolation are not taking place in isolation, protests have been reported in the surrounding region and calls for wider protests are growing," she said.
Free Tibet also reported that two Tibetans were shot by Chinese troops during a protest outside a police station in another part of Sichuan province on 16 October.
Their condition was not known and it was not clear why they were shot, the group said.
This report cannot be confirmed. Foreign media cannot gain access to restive ethnic Tibetan areas and Chinese state media often do not report these incidents.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin told a regular news briefing he had no information about the nun's case. | 11 |
Mux. He also says that moving to LiMux had saved the council about €11m on hardware and software licensing costs.
May 2016: An interim report by consultants Accenture and arf highlights user dissatisfaction with outdated and unreliable software at Munich, but says this applies both to Linux-based machines and the Windows machines still in use, and places much of the blame on poor co-ordination between IT departments spread across the city.
November 2016: The full version of the consultants' report suggests that Windows 10 and Microsoft Office should be made available to all departments, and staff given a choice a choice about whether to use Windows or LiMux.
February 2017: In what marks a significant step back towards Windows, the council backs a proposal--put forward by the ruling SPD and CSU coalition--to investigate how long it will take and how much it will cost to build a Windows 10 desktop OS for use by the city's employees.
October 2017: The city council appears to cast further doubt on the future of the LiMux project, issuing a statement saying it would not be cost efficient to carry on running Linux side-by-side with Windows.
23 November 2017: The full council agrees to rollout Windows 10 to PCs across the council, replacing LiMux, and backs a 6,000-seat trial of Microsoft Office 2016, with a view to evaluating whether to replace LibreOffice entirely.
Expected future timeline
Early 2018: Work begins on preparing the Windows 10 client and on implementing the 6,000-seat trial of Microsoft Office 2016.
Late 2018: The council votes on whether Munich should roll Microsoft Office 2016 out across the council, replacing LibreOffice, based on the results of the 6,000-seat pilot.
2019: The final version of LiMux is released.
2020: The rollout of Windows 10 across the council begins.
Early 2021: The rollout of Microsoft Office begins (if it is approved in late 2018).
End of 2022/early 2023: The rollout of Windows 10 is complete and LiMux is retired
End of 2023: The rollout of LibreOffice is completed (if it is approved in late 2018).
Image: Björn Kindler
Open Source Weekly Newsletter You don't want to miss our tips, tutorials, and commentary on the Linux OS and open source applications. Delivered Tuesdays Sign up today
Read more on Windows and Munich... | 12 |
Kurt Volker, the U.S. special representative to Ukraine, resigned Friday amid fallout from a whistleblower complaint against President Donald Trump regarding a phone call in July with Ukraine’s president.
Volker was one of five State Department officials that House Democrats said Friday they want to depose as part of an impeachment inquiry of Trump. The whistleblower complaint focuses on Trump’s July 25 phone call with Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian leader.
Beginning earlier this year, Volker served as a liaison between officials in the incoming Zelensky administration and Rudy Giuliani, the Trump lawyer who pushed the Ukrainians to investigate Joe Biden and his son, Hunter. (RELATED: House Democrats Subpoena Mike Pompeo)
It is unclear what role Volker played in helping Giuliani dig up dirt on the Bidens. The Trump lawyer has accused the former vice president of pressuring Ukraine’s president in 2016 to fire a prosecutor who was planning to investigate a Ukrainian energy company linked to Hunter Biden.
Volker helped Giuliani set up meetings with Zelensky aides. But the whistleblower complaint also says that Volker and Gordon Sondland, the ambassador to the European Union, met with Giuliani in an effort to “contain the damage” to national security.
Volker and Sondland also met with Ukrainian officials to help them understand the “different messages” they were receiving from Giuliani and official diplomatic channels.
Volker, who served as ambassador to NATO under George W. Bush and Barack Obama, joined the Trump State Department in 2017. He was also executive director at the McCain Institute, founded by late Arizona Sen. John McCain.
The State Press, the university newspaper for Arizona State University, which is affiliated with the McCain Institute, first reported Volker’s resignation.
The career diplomat has never been considered a Trump insider. He was brought to Foggy Bottom by Rex Tillerson, who infamously butted heads with Trump while serving as secretary of state.
On Friday, Democrats on the House Intelligence, House Foreign Affairs, and House Oversight Committees requested a deposition with Volker and four other State Department officials identified in the whistleblower complaint. The Democrats also subpoenaed Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org. | 13 |
to the world, explain our policies and share our sentiments with the delegates.”
The sanctions also have been laxly enforced. U.S., German, Pakistani and Qatari officials apparently looked the other way when Taliban representatives based in Pakistan traveled to Germany last year, and Qatar this year, for secret consultations with U.S. officials as part of an Obama administration effort to kick-start direct talks with the Karzai government. That effort collapsed when the Taliban pulled out in March.
The new peace plan would end such breaches. It requires that insurgent leaders willing to participate in peace talks be removed entirely from the U.N. list during the first half of next year as one in a series of “concrete steps to initiate a formal process of direct negotiations” that would be held in the second half of 2013.
U.S. officials continued to decline to comment on the new plan, although privately several acknowledged its existence.
The plan was drafted by Karzai and his inner circle in close cooperation with Pakistan and was delivered last month to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton by Salahuddin Rabbani, the head of Afghanistan’s High Peace Council, according to a person familiar with the matter, who requested anonymity because of its sensitivity.
The plan, a copy of which was obtained by McClatchy, diminishes the U.S. role in the peace process, although Washington still would have considerable input, including shaping the terms for initiating the direct negotiations.
Pakistan, however, assumes a pivotal role, reflecting the widespread belief that the Pakistani army exerts significant influence with insurgent leaders based along the country’s border with Afghanistan. By taking over the effort to arrange direct contacts between the Karzai government and Taliban leaders, Pakistan would help select insurgent negotiators.
The proposal, however, is fraught with numerous potential pitfalls. They include a refusal to participate by all Taliban leaders, who have consistently rejected direct talks with Karzai until all foreign troops leave Afghanistan.
Moreover, there is no mention of the Haqqani network, the most ruthless and effective militant group, which was placed on the U.S. list of foreign terrorist organizations in September and whose leaders allegedly maintain close ties to Pakistan’s top intelligence service.
The new plan is likely to overshadow talks on the withdrawal of U.S.-led international troops by the end of 2014 that Defense Secretary Leon Panetta is to hold in Kabul, where he arrived Wednesday on an unannounced visit. | 14 |
Four people were killed when a suspect opened fire at a football watch party in Fresno, California, Sunday night.
The shooting came just days after a 16-year-old student shot five classmates, killing two, at Saugus High School in Santa Clarita. The Saugus High attacker died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
CNN reports the Fresno shooting took place at backyard party where “35 to 40 people” were gathered to watch football. A suspect began “shooting into the crowd” around 8 pm, killing three at the scene.
A fourth person died after being transported to the hospital.
All four deceased were males “between the ages of 25 and 30.”
NBC News reports that six were shot and wounded in addition to the four who were killed.
#BREAKING MASSIVE police response in a neighborhood by Peach/Pine in Fresno. Streets clogged with cars/ambulances…a lot of people being put on stretchers. Waiting to learn more. pic.twitter.com/HUT03Cdryp — Dennis Valera (@dennisreports) November 18, 2019
Police have not identified a suspect in shooting.
California has every gun control the Democrats are pushing at the federal level. The controls include universal background checks, gun registration requirements, red flag laws, a one-handgun-a-month purchase limit, a 10-day waiting period on gun purchases, an “assault weapons” ban, a requirement that would-be gun owners first acquire a safety certificate from the state, a ban on campus carry for self-defense, a ban on teachers being armed to shoot back if under attack, and numerous others.
The state also has ammunition controls, which prohibit the purchase of bullets from anyone other than a state-approved vendor. These controls also require would-be ammunition purchasers to undergo a background check before buying bullets.
AWR Hawkins is an award-winning Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News, the host of the Breitbart podcast Bullets with AWR Hawkins, and the writer/curator of Down Range with AWR Hawkins, a weekly newsletter focused on all things Second Amendment, also for Breitbart News. He is the political analyst for Armed American Radio. Follow him on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com. Sign up to get Down Range at breitbart.com/downrange. | 15 |
Victim’s wife, Pinky Victim’s wife, Pinky
Written by Saumya Rastogi
A 27-year-old man was beaten to death with stones and a concrete slab after he objected to his neighbour allegedly relieving himself in front of his wife, in South East Delhi’s Govindpuri. Police said the victim, Lilu, was allegedly beaten up the neighbour’s sons, Ravi and Nilkamal, who have been arrested.
According to police, Lilu died after sustaining injuries to his head and chest. The parents of the accused have also been detained for allegedly participating in the assault outside the victim’s house in Navjeevan camp.
The incident took place late Sunday night, when Lilu confronted the man who was relieving himself outside his house. Lilu’s wife Pinky said: “He told him ‘Aapke ghar mein behan beti nahin hai? (Do you not have mothers and daughters at your home’).”
Following this, police said Nilkamal and Ravi intervened and allegedly abused Lilu, which led to a heated scuffle.
The victim’s family has alleged that the accused men were intoxicated at the time of the incident, said police. A PCR call was made, but by the time police reached the spot, the victim was taken to a local hospital where he died during treatment.
“I have been diagnosed with tuberculosis. There was a power outage in our area, and my husband and I were sitting outside our house. The father of the two brothers who killed my husband was relieving himself outside and my husband objected. They killed him for it. I want the strictest punishment for the accused,” said Pinky.
While Nilkamal is a vegetable seller and works in an export line business, Ravi works as a waiter. Lilu worked as an e-rickshaw driver and a labourer. According to police, Lilu has around 17 criminal cases against him, including snatching, robbery and under the Arms Act.
(Saumya Rastogi is an intern with The Indian Express)
📣 The Indian Express is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@indianexpress) and stay updated with the latest headlines
For all the latest Delhi News, download Indian Express App. | 16 |
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The fifth-year option is a powerful tool, and teams with 2015 first-round picks who panned out are using it, extensively.
Of the 2015 first-rounders whose fifth-year options were exercised, only one of them — Rams running back Todd Gurley — has gotten a second contract.
All of the others who had their fifth-year options picked up (from Bucs quarterback Jameis Winston to Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota to Cowboys receiver Amari Cooper to Washington guard Brandon Scherff to Jets defensive lineman Leonard Williams to Falcons EDGE rusher Vic Beasley to Vikings cornerback Trae Waynes to Saints offensive lineman Andrus Peat to Dolphins receiver DeVante Parker to Chargers running back Melvin Gordon to 49ers defensive lineman Arik Armstead to Rams cornerback Marcus Peters to Eagles receiver Nelson Agholor to Steelers linebacker Bud Dupree to Cardinals offensive lineman D.J. Humphries to Panthers linebacker Shaq Thompson to Cowboys defensive back Byron Jones to Browns defensive back Damarious Randall) continue to wait for long-term contracts.
It wasn’t supposed to be that way. The league adopted a true rookie wage scale in 2011 in order to prevent busts from sucking millions out of the system. Players who end up earning the big contracts they no longer get are supposed to get them, once they become eligible, after three NFL seasons.
The Rams gave Gurley his long-term contract a year ago, and they probably regret it, given the current condition of his knee. The rest of the first-rounders from 2015 whose options were picked up will have to carry the injury risk for another season, and then either hit the open market or deal with the franchise tag.
One of them — Chargers running back Melvin Gordon — openly has vowed to hold out from training camp unless he gets a new contract. Although players operating under the terms of a fifth-year option face dramatically lower daily fines for skipping camp ($30,000 instead of $40,000), the CBA makes the fine for skipping a preseason game the equivalent of a regular-season game check.
It thus will be interesting to see whether any of these 2015 first-rounders other than Gordon decide not to show up for training camp. Last year, Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald and then-Raiders linebacker Khalil Mack, both entering their option years, held out through the preseason — and they ended up being the two highest-paid defensive players in league history when all was said and done. | 17 |
Last updated on.From the section Football
Lee Cook hopes he will be playing Championship football next season.
The 30-year-old winger made 45 appearances for Leyton Orient this season but has not agreed a new deal.
He told BBC London 94.9: "I had an injury-free season for the first time in a while.
"I hope that with getting appearances under my belt I will get a bit of interest, maybe from higher teams. I am 30 years old and still feel I could play at a higher level."
Cook joined Orient on a short-term deal in August which was extended until the end of the season after proving his fitness.
quote It's difficult to get yourself up for certain games in League One as you're going to grounds which have hardly anyone in them. You have got to get your head down, get on with it and prove yourself
The former Watford, QPR and Fulham player has previously played in the second tier and he harbours ambitions of playing at a higher level again.
"I enjoyed my football [at Leyton Orient] and that was the most important thing for me - to play football and get my name back out there," he added.
"It's difficult to get yourself up for certain games in League One as you're going to grounds which have hardly anyone in them.
"There were times throughout the season where I thought I don't really want to be playing in this division.
"You have got to get your head down, get on with it and prove yourself again. That's what I've had to try and do.
"I do want to play higher. If it doesn't happen I will just have to prove myself again."
Cook helped the O's to a seventh-placed finish in League One and he has left the door open for a return to Brisbane Road.
"It was a successful year with the budget they have," Cook said.
"We have a small squad and the boys pulled together and that is why we have done as well as we have.
"They want me to stay there but the gaffer [Russell Slade] understands my situation. I might be looking to venture to other things but I am playing a waiting game.
"I will speak to him again when I get back from holiday and update each other from there.
"I don't know what will be happening." | 18 |
the resulting Battle of Yavin resulted in heavy casualties with Darth Vader coming within a hairsbreadth of defeating the attack, Skywalker, with the aid of the Force, was ultimately able to fire two proton torpedoes perfectly into the port to destroy the Death Star.[5]
Behind the scenes Edit
The Death Star plans were central to the plot of the original Star Wars film, ultimately enabling the Rebellion to find a key weakness in the Death Star, allowing Luke Skywalker to destroy it. The plans were also seen in the prequel film Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones, showcasing the early development of the Death Star, known at the time as the "Ultimate Weapon." The means by which the Death Star plans were captured by the Rebellion was the subject of numerous, mutually exclusive stories in the Expanded Universe of Star Wars, later rebranded as Star Wars Legends, leading Pablo Hidalgo to comment that "...if you had to throw a dinner party and invite everyone who had ever stolen the Death Star plans, you'd be surprised at how many place settings you'd have to worry about." The canonical theft is depicted in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.[7]
The grid plan animations shown during the Rebel briefing for the attack on the Death Star late in A New Hope were an actual computer graphics simulation from the Jet Propulsion Labs (JPL) made by Larry Cuba and Gary Imhoff as part of a project for school at CalArts, and had been included during filming for Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope (then known as just Star Wars). Originally, the writers and staff planned to thank JPL for assisting in the graphics, but it was changed to the specific programmers' names after one of the programmers, Mike Plesset, pointed out that JPL didn't even know their computers had been used.[8] Interestingly, the images in Episode IV (and consequently Rogue One) contained in the plans feature the Death Star with its superlaser in the equatorial zone, instead of the upper hemisphere. This is because in the early drafts for A New Hope, the superlaser was intended to be situated on the center of the equatorial trench, but was then repositioned to the station's "northern hemisphere." However, the film crew forgot to notify Cuba and Imhoff to make the same change to their own designs, thus creating an on-screen blooper.
Appearances Edit
Non-canon appearances Edit
Sources Edit
Notes and references Edit | 19 |
London/Vienna (CNN Business) Saudi Arabia has just pulled off the biggest initial public offering in history, raising $25.6 billion by selling shares in its giant state-owned oil monopoly.
Saudi Aramco sold 3 billion shares at 32 riyals ($8.53) each in its IPO, the company said Thursday. That means the deal raised more than China'sin its 2014 public debut.
The IPO values Aramco at roughly $1.7 trillion, making it the most valuable publicly traded company in the world ahead of, which is worth about $1.15 trillion.
Saudi Aramco said last month that it was aiming to sell about 1.5% of its 200 billion shares. The size of the deal could yet rise to $29.4 billion, if an option to sell more shares is exercised.
While setting a new record, the IPO still falls well short of Saudi Arabia's initial lofty expectations.
First touted in 2016, the company's partial privatization was supposed to usher in a new era of economic liberalization in Saudi Arabia.
The massive stock exchange debut would fund Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's Vision 2030 plan to wean the kingdom off oil and develop other sectors of its economy, while signaling to multinational companies and foreign investors that Saudi Arabia was open for business.
The Saudi government initially discussed floating 5% of the company in 2018 in a deal that would raise as much as $100 billion. It was looking at international markets such as New York or London, as well as Riyadh.
Yet the project was shelved amid concerns about legal complications in the United States, doubts about the $2 trillion valuation reportedly sought by bin Salman, and international outrage triggered by the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in a Saudi consulate in Turkey.
The deal was revived earlier this year after Aramco pulled off a successful international bond sale. But international investors were far less convinced about buying Aramco stock. Among their concerns : Low oil prices, the climate crisis and geopolitical risks.
The kingdom is expected to have relied heavily on rich Saudis, sympathetic sovereign wealth funds and even major customers such as China signing up for shares.
It helps that Aramco has promised to pay an annual dividend of $75 billion through 2024. To some investors, this could make the listing look more like a bond offering with promised payouts and lower risk. Aramco's stock is expected to begin trading on Tadawul exchange in Riyadh later this month. | 20 |
Ukraine's parliament speaker says that it is unacceptable to have "agents of Putin's hybrid war" as part of an international mission.
Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament, Andriy Parubiy has signed a letter addressing President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) Liliane Maury Pasquier to disinvite a PACE observation mission at early parliamentary elections in Ukraine.
"There cannot be any representatives of the aggressor country, Russia, among international observers, as they will not be observers, but agents of Putin's hybrid war," Parubiy said in a statement posted on Facebook on Tuesday, July 2.
Read alsoSweden reportedly joins seven countries' protest against Russia's return to PACE – Ariev
According to him, Russia's impact on the Ukrainian elections is in no way acceptable.
Parubiy also shared a photocopy of the letter sent to the PACE President. It says that Paruby is forced to cancel his invitation for international observers from PACE to monitor the snap parliamentary elections in Ukraine taking into account the situation around the reinstatement of Russia's parliamentary delegation at the PACE without significant progress in the implementation by Russia of seven PACE resolutions.
As UNIAN reported, the PACE in April 2014 deprived the Russian delegation of the right to vote and excluded its representatives from all of the Assembly's governing bodies over the annexation of Crimea. In this regard, Russia has not paid contributions to the Council of Europe since June 2017. Many PACE members and politicians considered such actions of Russia blackmail.
On June 25, 2019, the PACE adopted a resolution titled: "Strengthening the decision-making process of the Parliamentary Assembly concerning credentials and voting." The document was supported by 118 parliamentarians, 62 voted against with 10 abstentions. In connection with this decision, the mechanism for imposing sanctions, which had been in force at the PACE before, was canceled.
On June 26, 2019, the PACE supported a resolution approving the credentials of the Russian delegation without imposing any sanctions. Some 116 parliamentarians voted for the corresponding resolution, 62 voted against and 15 abstained.
The delegations of Estonia, Georgia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, and Ukraine to the PACE decided to leave the summer session ahead of schedule in protest of the reinstatement of the Russian delegation.
The early parliamentary elections in Ukraine are scheduled for July 21. | 21 |
Traditional engine cars have been converted to electric vehicles by Mexican company High Performance Automotive (HPA), claiming the process is much cheaper than purchasing an entirely new vehicle.
HPA installs lithium or lead acid batteries in internal combustion vehicles that are connected in series to form banks with voltages ranging from 48 to 144 volts which determines the top speed of the car.
The technology has been tested in 10 vehicles so far and top speeds exceeding 100kms per hour have been achieved, which is suitable for urban areas.
The electric vehicles were found to be significantly cheaper than their traditional counterparts.
The team found that drivers would typically spend 500 pesos a week on fuel (£20) for an automobile with an internal combustion engine compared to the converted vehicles that cost about the same amount every two months.
The cost of converting vehicles is currently high at 130,000 pesos (£5,300), especially for a relatively poor country like Mexico, although this would be brought down if the process was commercialised.
"We [install] the engine, controller, batteries, transmission adapter plate, power cables and charger so that people can have a ready to run vehicle", said Ruiz Garcia, a graduate from Mexican university UNAM, who worked on the project.
The conversion process begins with the extraction of the internal combustion engine, after which an electric motor is adapted to fit the vehicle and space is allocated to house the battery bank.
"Currently the cost of new electric vehicles are not accessible, over half a million pesos, this aroused my desire that society has access to this technology," said Hector Ruiz García, director of HPA.
After conversion, the vehicle can be connected to any existing socket and has an expected lifetime of more than 10 years.
"There is no limitation on the size of the car, only larger, more investment is required, but can make any conversion,” Garcia added.
"The importance of these conversions to electric cars resides in demonstrating that this is a technology available to everyone. Our intention is that the vehicle fleet is not increased, but rather existing and obsolete and are reused to generate both economic, social and environmental benefits.”
Global electric vehicle sales are increasing at a slower rate than previously predicted, although improving technology and reducing costs are helping to increase take-up.
Germany introduced a discount scheme to encourage electric vehicle buyers earlier this year that saw almost 2,000 people take advantage in the first month alone. | 22 |
Ronald Martinez/Getty Images
While the defense has played a big role in the Seattle Seahawks' success in recent years, defensive end Michael Bennett believes quarterback Russell Wilson is the most irreplaceable member of the squad.
"On a team with competitive people, there are going to be issues that are going to happen," Bennett said in an interview on 710 ESPN Seattle (h/t ESPN.com's Sheil Kapadia). "There's just a lot of alpha males running around, but everybody supports Russell Wilson. We can't win a game without Russell Wilson. Russell Wilson is a top-five quarterback in the NFL. We cannot win a game without a guy like that."
Bennett alluded to an article by ESPN The Magazine's Seth Wickersham in which Wickersham wrote there's a level of friction toward Wilson from his teammates:
"The division remained, but then again, Wilson has been a divisive figure almost from the moment he earned the starting job, long before he became the most famous and highest-paid Seahawk. It seems to go beyond the normal jealousy aimed at most star quarterbacks. Teammates privately seem to want him exposed, but ask them why, or on what grounds, and their reasons vary."
According to Wickersham, Wilson's interception near the end of Seattle's Super Bowl XLIX defeat to the New England Patriots highlighted his failings as a passer—issues some teammates say head coach Pete Carroll doesn't necessarily address or acknowledge.
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Cornerback Richard Sherman in particular "thinks Carroll hasn't held Wilson or many young Seahawks to the defense's championship standard," per Wickersham.
Bennett called the story "trash" on Twitter:
Earlier in the month, Wilson called Sherman "one of the best teammates I could ever ask for."
Regardless of whether there's any resentment toward Wilson, his importance to the team is clear, especially with questions about the running game. Eddie Lacy missed 11 games in 2016 with the Green Bay Packers and averaged only 4.1 yards a carry in his last healthy season.
Over the past three years, Seattle has ranked first, fourth and fifth in defensive efficiency. During their run to a Super Bowl 50 title, the Denver Broncos showed a great defense can take a team a long way.
Should Wilson fail to put a productive season together, though, the Seahawks would likely have little chance of collecting their second Super Bowl ring. | 23 |
This job offer is expired
With over 35k active users for our essential Shopify apps we've followed the rapid growth of Shopify and are looking to add a senior engineer to our 100% remote team of five.
As a Senior Software Engineer you'll have worked with React and Rails before and developed a decent-sized web app using the Flux pattern (with Redux, Flux or Alt). You can both architect software, building it from the ground up, and maintain existing systems in a thoughtful way.
Just as important is how you approach problems and work in the team. We don't want someone who puts their headphones on for three days and churns out code. Your instinct is to collaborate.
You'll work closely with our product manager to gather requirements, come up with technical solutions, present these in a clear non-technical way and agree on what to do.
You'll both mentor and learn from our software engineer through code reviews and working on problems together. And you'll help the team understand your changes, how best to test them and be responsive in fixing bugs.
We're 100% remote across different timezones so clear, regular communication is key. Your location isn't important as long as there's a roughly 4 hour overlap with Eastern Time and European Time.
You're experienced in working remotely and have found a schedule and setup that works best for you. If that's a coworking space we can pay for that, but that's optional since you decide where you're at your most productive.
Skills & Experience
1+ years backend experience (Rails, Laravel, Django etc.)
2+ years React with Redux, Flux or Alt
5+ years software engineering
Have worked on web apps, ideally B2B SaaS
Software architecture
Have used a few different software patterns
Very collaborative
Clear non-technical communicator
Have worked remotely
Curious about new technologies
Ideally have worked with Kanban
Full time, 100% remote from any location with a 4 hour overlap with Eastern Time and European Time. We believe strongly in work/life balance with reasonable hours (usually 37.5 hours or occasionally more when required) and paid time off.
| 24 |
A dad cooling off with his family alongside a kiddie pool was killed when a public transit bus jumped the curb and slammed into him on the lawn of a Philadelphia home, according to news reports.
The out-of-control SEPTA bus ran a red light Thursday night, plowed into two cars, jumped a curb and careened into the yard of a Frankford Avenue home in North Philadelphia — where James Derbyshire, 52, was relaxing, ABC 6 reported. The bus finally came to a rest after it slammed into a home, the station reported.
“It hit [Derbyshire] so hard, it knocked him through the wall,” neighbor Karl Dollmann told ABC. “He had no pulse; I checked it. He had no pulse.”
Another witness, Michelle Woods, told NBC that “there was no bringing him back.”
“He was pretty mangled,” she said. “He had a broken neck and his leg was severed.”
A 20-year-old woman standing next to the pool and a 28-year-old man who managed to jump out in the nick of time had to be rescued from under a fence and were hospitalized for pain, NBC 10 reported.
“For some reason the bus went through a red light, striking two vehicles,” Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small told ABC. “Then the bus crossed over Frankford Avenue, jumped over the curb and that’s when it went on the front lawn, hitting three people and killing one.”
The 49-year-old driver, who was in stable condition, appeared to be in a state of shock, one witness told ABC.
“He was crying,” the witness said. “He didn’t know what to do.”
It wasn’t clear why he lost control of the bus, which had 16 passengers on it at the time.
“[My daughter] said they got on the bus [and] he seemed fine,” Malitza Breban, whose daughter and grandchildren were on the bus, told the station. “It just happened so fast, the bus just went straight.”
The bus driver, the drivers of the two cars struck by the bus and two bus passengers were hospitalized for non-life-threatening injuries, according to the station. | 25 |
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A Florida teen who was shot five times while locking the door to a classroom during the school shooting last week is recovering, police said Sunday.
Anthony Borges, 15, is being hailed as a hero for his actions during the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting that killed 17. His fellow students say Borges’ actions saved their lives.
The teen was shot in his back and legs as he locked the door and blocked the doorway with his body, leaving the other 20 students unharmed as the gunman continued to fire.
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Borges’ best friend, Carlos Rodriguez told ABC News, that it was Borges’ quick-thinking actions that saved his life.
Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel visits Parkland shooting suvivor Anthony Borges in the hospital on Feb. 18, 2018. Broward County Sheriff's Office
"None of us knew what to do. So, he took the initiative to just save his other classmates," Rodriguez said.
In a Facebook post that’s gone viral, Broward Sheriff Scott Israel is pictured with Borges in the hospital and said to be honored by the visit, as Borges lays showered in gifts and balloons.
“Fortunately, he is recovering —but has a long road ahead with more surgeries needed,” read the Facebook post. “Please join us in praying for the swift recovery of Anthony and all the other victims of this horrific criminal act.”
A GoFundMe page, confirmed by the sheriff's office, for the Borges family has been met with overwhelming enthusiasm; it has raised more than $100,000 in donations since it was created Thursday. The teen's father, Royer Borges, is proud of his son’s actions amid the chaos.
“He’s my hero,” said Royer Borges, a sentiment shared by many. "I only ask that people pray for him."
Borges and other victims still hospitalized are in fair condition and stable.
In the wake of the shooting’s aftermath, students are fighting for a change in gun legislation to address the violence that put students like Borges in the line of fire. | 26 |
Here are the links to the 85 candidate interviews I have conducted with would-be GOP nominees after the first debate on which I was a panelist and prior to the CNN/Salem Media Group Debate on 12/15:
Carly Fiorina, audio and transcript, 12/11
Marco Rubio, audio and transcript, 12/8
Dr. Ben Carson, audio and transcript, 12/7
Rick Santorum, audio and transcript 12/7
Chris Christie, audio and transcript, 12/4
Donald Trump, audio and transcript, 12/1
Ted Cruz, audio and transcript, 11/30
Jeb Bush, audio and transcript, 11/25
Lindsey Graham, 11/20/15
Links to audio and transcript of a dozen interviews with candidates regarding the Paris attacks, 11/16-11/19
Donald Trump, audio and transcript, 11/5
Carly Fiorina, audio and transcript, 11/3
Lindsey Graham, audio and transcript, 11/3
Mike Huckabe, audio and transcript, 11/3
Ted Cruz, audio and transcript, 11/2
Carly Fiorina, audio and transcript 10/23
John Kasich, audio and transcript, 10/23
Donald Trump, audio and transcript, 10/22
Lindsey Graham, audio and transcript, 10/22
Chris Christie, audio and transcript, 10/21
Bobby Jindal, audio and transcript, 10/20,
Carly Fiorina, audio and transcript, 10/9
Ted Cruz, audio and transcript, 10/8; 9/30 (with guest host Jamie Weinstein)
Jeb Bush, audio and transcript, 10/8
Mike Huckabee, audio and transcript, 10/7
Lindsey Graham, audio and transcript, 10/6; 9/29; 9/23
Chris Christie, audio and transcript, 10/5
Dr. Ben Carson, audio and transcript 10/1
Bobby Jindal, audio and transcript 10/1
Carly Fiorina, audio and transcript 9/25
Rick Santorum, audio and transcript, 9/25
John Kasich, audio and transcript, 9/24
Donald Trump, audio and transcript, 9/21
Marco Rubio, audio and transcript, 9/18
NB: The 40 candidate interviews between GOP Debate 1 and Debate 2 | 27 |
The curve shows when users will engage; there is relationship between how strong the value proposition is and how simple the interface is.
As the value proposition is stronger, users will engage, even with a confusing interface (think Salesforce or Snapchat) and even when the interface is intuitive, users will not engage without a strong value proposition (think every beautiful app that failed).
Users can also benefit from ‘prompts’ that trigger their desire to take action. These are more likely to succeed on the right side of the engagement curve. So when the product has a strong enough value proposition and the interface is simple enough, then a prompt may result in user action.
Therefore user action results from the relationship between the strength of your value proposition, the simplicity of your interface and the intelligence of your prompts.
The most intuitive interface is useless if users don’t understand the value of your product. Multiple prompts are ineffective if your interface is confusing. A strong value proposition is wasted if you don’t prompt users to take action.
What this means for UX
Don’t ever say that all you need is an “intuitive interface”! Think about how to convey your value proposition. Re-evaluate what your prompts are and when they are delivered.
Since I work on making user onboarding more intelligent, and because it’s the most important part of your product design (read this by Julie Zhuo or this by Scott Belsky if you don’t believe me), let’s take that as a good use case to consider this:
This phase is often considered the time to explain how someone should use your product. This assumes users are already convinced of the value proposition and so the focus can be on the interface.
Users don’t leave because they can’t figure it out — they leave because they don’t care to.
You should instead be using the time to explain WHY. Once they are convinced of your value, they will discover a lot of functionality themselves.
Start with the big picture and clearly communicate the benefits of your products. Explain and show the value so that you motivate your users to stay engaged.
With higher motivation people will tolerate the deficiencies in your design, while you work on improving it.
You can do this as part of your website, your sign-up flow, your emails, your in-app messaging and prompts (product tours). | 28 |
This HoloLens golf demo lets you see best tee-off locations, hazards and holes all in augmented reality.
Seattle-based mobile app developer Taqtile Mobility has teamed up with Microsoft to create an AR demo on the HoloLens that shows golf player historical data and scoring information for the 17th hole at TPC Sawgrass, a PGA Tour golf course in Ponte Vedre, Florida.
The HoloLens application uses PGA Shotlink data, which records every historical shot made in the PGA competition, letting users see where players landed shots combined with other environmental and scoring data overlaid on a holographic board. The rest of the demo was built from a 3D model of the hole.
According to VentureBeat, Taqtile demonstrated their latest HoloLens demo to PGA Tour officials, sponsors, and players at the annual The Players Championship that just concluded Sunday. The hope for Taqtile is to also show fans a similar first-person streaming experience like the demo in the near future.
Last month, we saw NextVR partner up with the Masters to bring VR live-streaming straight to Gear VR owners. The idea was to transport you to hole number 6 and 16, giving you a look from the tee-box or green of both holes.
Although the VR live-stream was entertaining to watch, what Taqtile is demoing with the HoloLens can go beyond just entertainment and into the world of practical tools. For a player or caddie to plan their attack on a hole, visually identifying the best tee-off locations, hazards and hole locations in augmented reality is something I am sure many would love to experiment with.
Taqtile is not just stopping with golf either. The company is also developing a HoloLens demo for the pro soccer team Real Madrid, giving fans a unique viewing experience that includes data on the stadium, scoring, and other players stats.
The PGA Tour is also experimenting with VR in addition to their early AR experiments with Taqtile at the Players Championship. PGA Tour Teams worked with STRIVR to capture 3 to 4 VR video on demand stories last week. These stories will be released on Samsung Gear VR where they are planning to roll out a new version of the PGA TOUR VR app. The same content will be released as 360 videos on Facebook and YouTube. In addition to these efforts Verizon also offered a VR experience to fans in the Stadium Village throughout the Championship.
Image Credit: Taqtile | 29 |
WARNING: contains spoilers from season eight, episode five.
Among those feeling most horrified as they watched Daenerys Targaryen’s mass-murderous turn in this week’s Game of Thrones episode were surely some of the parents who had named their daughters after the dragon queen.
The name Khaleesi was given to 560 girls in the US last year, many more if you include variations on the spelling. In total, more than 3,500 children have been named after her since the show began. Indeed, up until the penultimate episode in the long-running series, which aired on Sunday night in the US, Daenerys Targaryen was one of the most-beloved characters in Game of Thrones.
A freer-of-slaves, mother-of-dragons and all-round badass, she won fans around the world, including former Australian prime minister Julia Gillard, who told the Guardian back in 2013 that she was rooting for Khaleesi to take the Iron Throne.
But, a series of setbacks in recent episodes has seen Dany transform from benevolent leader into a mass-murdering, city-razing mad queen.
This week’s episode, The Bells, in which she truly breaks bad has been the worst-received of the entire series. Scores for each episode have slumped over this season, the opening episode, Winterfell, received a score of 92% from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, whereas The Bell got a score of just 49%.
Daenerys’ character arc has prompted sharp debate among fans, with some saying it is implausible. In its review, the Guardian said “her descent into dead-eyed vindictiveness has been too steep, in keeping with the general, compressed feel of this series”. Others have said the show has been leading Dany down this dark path.
But among the anger on social media, was speculation about how parents of the hundreds of Khaleesis and Danys were feeling now.
The Daily Beast quoted one parent of a Khaleesi as saying she was “in shock”, while The Cut spoke to another who said “I don’t think she did anything wrong”.
One Twitter user addressed all children named after the dragon queen: “Your parents owe you an apology”. Others suggested they might consider changing their name. Another noted the timing of the episode: | 30 |
Vicarious AI said that he wanted to go ahead, invent computers that can learn ways to cure diseases produce renewable energy and do most of humanity's jobs.
The goal is to create a "computer that thinks like a human being, except that it does not have to eat or sleep. But some brilliant minds in technology say that a great deal of development in artificial intelligence can also destroy humanity. For example, Elon Musk, the founder and CEO of the electric vehicle company 'Tesla' has described artificial intelligence as "the greatest threat to our survival in human form", and compared those machines with nuclear weapons and "the devil".
British astronomer Stephen Hawking said: "Full artificial intelligence - the creation of computers with their own minds - can signal the end of the human race." This year, scientists at the University of Cambridge, where Hawking is director of research, established the Center for the Study of Hazards on Human Presence. Among his goals is to study how to maximize the benefits of artificial intelligence and avoid a disaster like what we see in science fiction.
How to manage AI's risks and benefits?
Artificial intelligence between maximizing advantages and reducing defects
Expert recommendations suggest that the advantages of artificial intelligence should be maximized and its shortcomings should be minimized, especially the integration of human participation in complex social and technical systems to ensure the safe development of this intelligence, which is an important part of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and that is characterized by the interplay of new technologies and social-technical systems that enter all aspects of life.
Meeting these challenges, there is a need to give extensive attention and a broad focus on expertise and system utilization in order to develop research and innovate the authorities. To achieve this, comprehensive research on artificial intelligence should be organized by groups of researchers from the private sector and universities.
On the basis of other emerging technologies, it is also necessary to protect and develop the artificial intelligence access system and improve the level of human involvement in it. Innovation should also be encouraged and radical changes should be avoided in the rules and regulations which avoid the centralism.
The greatest benefits of artificial intelligence must be sought and reduced through the development of guidelines and the establishment and support of some human populations. These efforts will, in turn, help to promote a broader perspective and creative activity. The researchers recommended developing artificial intelligence and research.
By: Mahtab Alam Quddusi
Journal Reference
| 31 |
You are becoming a better version of yourself.
Target a simple but important situation for practice
With an upcoming event in mind, take time to prepare. Visualise, in advance, the two alternatives. First, what will happen if you let anger erupt. Second, how could the situation evolve if you could stay calm and skilful. Resolve not to react if triggered but rather to take a few moments to exhale slowly and notice how you are feeling and what you are thinking. Consider how the other person is feeling. This is level one impulse control and it might be enough. In the car or the queue, you relax and move on towards a better day.
Critical situations – parenting, managing and leading
Skilful conversation is required. This is challenging and requires deliberate practice. If it triggered a feeling of anger, it is important. Stay calm and considerate of the other, own your anger and explain what triggered you. Give the other person a chance to share their side. Explore what you can do together to resolve the situation.
Consider the solution as built from 3 parts. First, is your view. Second, is the other’s view. Third is a creative solution neither can see until you come together – the third way. The more consistently you can execute this skilful conversation, the more you will bring creative solutions into your life, your family and your team.
For example, when John does not complete an assigned job for Jill:
Jill: “We need this completed. You have let me down and I am feeling angry” John: “Sorry Jill, my kid is sick. I know it is important and will do it before I leave today” Jill: “I understand, I will be here to help sign off at 5.30pm” Result: resolution, reconciliation, performance and increased trust
Once you master angry confrontations, extend the skill to complex business, political and social issues.
Conclusion
Anger is a real emotion. It signals something important to you is being challenged. Own the anger and use the energy to focus on skilful behaviour. Use your human brain and PFC. Don’t let the snake brain take over. Connect. Seek the third way. Reconcile. If necessary, apologise sincerely and resolve to be more skilful next time. Start immediately. Help your children master their anger. The ultimate conquerer of anger is love. | 32 |
So widespread are the instances of illegal activities among FBI employees that the bureau has taken the drastic step of issuing a report detailing the spread of misconduct in an attempt to stem the tide.
From sexting to tax fraud, DUIs to secret surveillance of colleagues, the lurid and wide range of misconduct by FBI staffers over the past year was revealed Wednesday night in two quarterly reports published by CNN.
FBI assistant director Candice Will told CNN that the reports were issued to stem misconduct and that she hopes the newest reports can abet the "rash of sexting cases".
"When you are given an FBI BlackBerry, it's for official use. It's not to text the woman in another office who you found attractive or to send a picture of yourself in a state of undress," Will said. "That is not why we provide you an FBI BlackBerry."
One employee sent nude photographs to "several" employees and was said to have created "office gossip and negatively impacted office operations" and that their conduct "adversely affected the daily activities of several squads".
Some of the penalties for misconduct were moderate – an employee who paid for sexual favor at a massage parlor was suspended for 14 days. Other penalties were severe – an employee who knowingly dated and married a drug user, who is also possibly a drug dealer, was dismissed from the agency.
Fittingly for the agency, surveillance tactics were also used by and against the employees.
One employee secretly put a recording device in their supervisor's office and conducted an "unauthorized search" of the office. This while pursuing a lawsuit against said supervisor.
One employee used a lost or stolen debit card to take out money and another was caught shoplifting. They were caught by surveillance video.
According to reports, some employees treat their job with the same casual attitude of any seasoned worker.
One employee stored evidence, jewelry and more than $100,000 in a locked FBI filing cabinet for an extended period of time. Another left an FBI shotgun, computer and camera in an agency vehicle, which was then broken into.
Yet another drove an agency motorcycle off-hours and then "caused substantial damage to the motorcycle". Someone else walked the streets, drunk, while carrying an agency weapon.
"It is important to note that the ratio of disciplinary issues among FBI agents are among the lowest in the federal government and private sector," FBI Agent Association president Konrad Motyka told CNN. | 33 |
By insideout ltd.
Pocket Organ C3B3 is a musical keyboard application for iPhone/iPod touch that simulates an Organ. The sound is generated with the synthesis of the waveforms from "Virtual Tonewheel System" controlled by 9 drawbars. You will be surprised at the real sound generated from this App! Pocket Organ C3B3 is an Organ in your pocket.
Pocket Organ C3B3 has a rotary speaker effect, which adds amazing realistic character and spatial depth on your organ playing. This effect can be changed to Fast (Tremolo), Slow (Chorale), or even Off (brakes). Visit our website to listen to the realistic and authentic sound!
Features:
Pocket Organ C3B3 is programmed by Shinya Kasatani, the creator of best selling iPhone App "PocketGuitar" and is designed by Junichiro Yamasaki of "Manetron (Mellotron App)".
Authentic emulated sounds generated from "Virtual Tonewheel System" mixed by sliding 9 drawbars
61key + 61key, 5-octave Dual Keyboards with switchable key width (only for iPone/iPod touch, 8 white keys or 10 white keys on screen)
Scrollable Keyboard that can be configured to your own octave key range on screen with 4 preset buttons
Key transpose function (You can play a music of any key in the key of C)
Rotary Speaker effect can be changed to Fast (Tremolo), Slow (Chorale), or even Off (brakes).
Harmonic Percussion effect with adjustable decay, 2nd and 3rd harmonic
Keyclick noise effect
Built-in Reverb that simulates spring reverb
Overdrive effects
Scanner vibrato & chorus
Shake your iPhone to play spring shock (reverb crash) effect like Jon Lord (keyboard player of Deep Purple) or Keith Emerson (a member of the Emerson, Lake & Palmer, ELP).
iPhone's built-in accelerometer gives you amazing glissando effect control.
20 Factory Presets containing typical settings used by Rock, Jazz or Gospel Sounds
You can add the User Memory Bank that allows you to store your own 20 patches (drawbars & effects settings) & Preset Packages with In App Purchase.
iPhone | iPad | Website | 34 |
The Vault is Slate’s history blog. Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter @slatevault, and find us on Tumblr. Find out more about what this space is all about here.
Published in 1941, this “Trading Game: France—Colonies” aimed to teach French children the basics of colonial management.
Players drew cards corresponding to colony names, then had to deploy cards representing assets like boats, engineers, colonists, schools, and equipment, in order to win cards representing the exports of the various colonies. “Images on the game,” Getty Research Institute curator Isotta Poggi writes in her blog post on the document, “provide a vivid picture of the vast variety of resources, including animals, plants, and minerals, that the colonies provided to France.” Cartoons on the cards depict coal (mined by a figure clearly intended to be a “native”), rubber, wood, and even wild animals.
Along the way, players needed to avoid pitfalls like sickness, “laziness,” and intemperance (illustrated by a cartoon of a red-cheeked white man in khakis and a white hat, served by a “native” in “traditional” dress). Once the cards representing a colony’s major exports had been won, the colony was considered “exploitée,” and was out of the game.
As the map at the center of the board shows, at the time France’s empire held colonies in Africa, South America, and Asia. The postwar movements for decolonization and independence changed this picture completely. By 1962, when the eight-year-long Algerian War finally led to Algerian independence, many of the colonies marked in red on this map were no longer under French control.
The game is currently on view at the Getty Research Institute, as part of the exhibition “Connecting Seas: A Visual History of Discoveries and Encounters.” Click on the images below to reach zoomable versions.
Correction, March 1, 2014: An original version of this post misspelled Isotta Poggi’s name. The post also reported that every French colony was independent by 1962. Djibouti became independent in 1977, and other former colonies, including French Guyana, Guadeloupe, and Martinique, remain overseas departments of France. | 35 |
Many of us hear that institutions are buying tons of BTC, XRP and other top 20 cryptocurrencies. The thing is how much truth really is there to that, when we cannot even see the market moving in any direction other than on a downtrend. Right now, many do not know this but there is the OTC or the over the counter exchanges that exist. These exchanges like OTC trading desks do the trades off the market hense over the counter. This means that it functions in the same way the black market functions as when you sell these items it is essentially off the books so to speak.
Why does all this matter? Have any of you seen this VIDEOwith Tekka Tiwari. Here he explains what I love to say as listening with your eyes. He goes on to show how Wall Street legally manipulates the market, they throw out in the media and go into the lime light and bash the said stocks, or bitcoin. The result is that of them falling drastically as many panic sell the asset. While everyone is selling off tons of their assets when it gets close to the bottom, similar to where cryptocurrency is currently they buy it in droves. He explains how this is exactly what happened in the tech stocks of the dot com bubble and this is what is happening again with the crypto market.
You are probably thinking huh how does this all work. Well listen with your eyes is a saying I have for 2 reasons:
You do not listen to the words out of peoples mouths – as Dr. House said on the show House “everybody lies” You watch what they actually do. – As police say follow the $$
When you do not listen to what people say, but you watch what they do it goes to the age old adage that “actions speak louder then words”. What they say is bitcoin is a scam, what they do the weekend after they buy bitcoin. If you listen to what they say you sell, if you watch what they do you would have bought the dip on this occasion. The point here is do not just trust what you see on TV. Look to find the truth based on actions and you will be making extremely smart investment decisions in this and any other space. Follow the money and look to see where money is flowing.
Joel Kovshoff
Director at BlockRake Inc.
www.blockrake.com
Youtube– subscribe and like 🙂
Twitter – @Joelkovshoff | 36 |
.S. Attorney’s Office. Stivers has not returned phone calls or emails seeking comment.
Bevin has defended other controversial pardons in at least two interviews since The Courier Journal first reported on the Baker case and other commutations. He went into explicit detail during a radio interview Dec. 19 about the pardon of Micah Schoettle, 41, who was convicted of raping a 9-year-old girl.
Bevin said the case “was investigated and prosecuted in a manner that was sloppy at best." He said the victim's sister was present during the assaults but that the sister denied they took place. The former governor also said the girl could not have been raped because her hymen was intact.
"If you have been repeatedly sexually violated as a small child by an adult, there are going to be repercussions of that physically and medically," Bevin said.
Bevin's comments were criticized by medical professionals and victims' advocates.
According to Forensic Science International, a peer-reviewed journal, a survey of pediatric child abuse rape cases indicated that only 2.1% of subjects examined had visible lesions on the hymen.
Getting help: Republican mega-donor urged Matt Bevin to pardon Patrick Baker
Inside: Bevin's Justice Cabinet objected to several controversial pardons. Bevin signed them anyway
Looking back: Patrick Baker is guilty 'without a doubt,' police czar found. Matt Bevin still pardoned him
Reporter Joe Sonka contributed to this story. Reach Phillip M. Bailey at pbailey@courier-journal.com or 502-582-4475. Follow him on Twitter at @phillipmbailey.
CONTACT US
If you have tips or information about the pardons and commutations issued by former Gov. Matt Bevin in his final days in office, please contact reporter Phillip M. Bailey at 502-582-4775 or pbailey@courier-journal.com or reporter Joe Sonka at 502-582-4472 or jsonka@courier-journal.com.
Speaking out: 'Matt Bevin can rot in hell': Family of murder victim reacts to pardon of donor's relative
Others: Bevin says a pardoned murderer is 'a new man.' He had 30 disciplinary violations in prison
Opinion: By pardoning rapists and killers, former governor Matt Bevin showed us who he really is | 37 |
Even though they lost in the Stanley Cup Final, things seemed to be perking up on the financial front for the New Jersey Devils.
They made more in playoff ticket sales than every movie made at the box office this weekend save for "Madagascar 3"; and the Devils didn't have the benefit of a talking zebra in an afro wig. There was also a report that Devils owner Jeff Vanderbeek had located an ownership group willing to buy into the team and help ease their considerable debt — roughly $80 million owed to the banks.
Well, the N.Y. Post did what it always does for Devils ownership stories: Provided needles for those party balloons. In an exclusive on Monday, John Kosman reports that the NHL is preparing to take over the Devils if the excrement hits the oscillator in August:
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman is preparing to take control of the money-losing hockey franchise in the event Vanderbeek fails to refinance the Devils' debt before a looming Aug. 14 deadline, The Post has learned. In recent days, the commissioner's office has told potential suitors to be ready in case he moves on the team and pushes Vanderbeek aside, a source close to the situation said. Vanderbeek is near a deal to sell a majority stake to a mystery investor, which would allow him to keep control of the Eastern Conference champions, one source said. The proceeds from a sale would be used to repay lenders much of the $77 million in past due debt.
Bettman noted at his "state of the NHL address" on May 30 that Vanderbeek was working on an "equity raise" for the team that he hoped he could "pull off" in the next few weeks.
The Post reports that Bettman and the NHL would likely take over before the August deadline, "to give suitors enough time to study the team's financials and make an offer to lenders before the bankruptcy deadline, according to sources."
This is probably the NHL signaling that taking over the Devils would be the last resort; and not necessarily that any solution to their ownership and debt problems is falling apart.
It's a Plan B... and even then, Vanderbeek could buy himself some time by placing the team in bankruptcy.
Or maybe the NHL just has an league-owned team quota to fill, given that the Phoenix Coyotes look like they're staying under new ownership. You know, at least on this morning. | 38 |
グッドスマイルカンパニーの「ねんどろいどクラシックシリーズ」より、スタンリー・キューブリックによる映画『時計じかけのオレンジ』の主人公・アレックスがねんどろいど化決定！ 2020年1月21日（火）より予約開始する。
「ねんどろいどクラシックシリーズ」は名画などに登場する懐かしいキャラクターを立体化するシリーズ。
今回商品かされるアレックスは、ドルーグのコスチュームに身を包んだ姿で立体化されている。
発売は2020年7月を予定されており、全高約100mm、価格は4800円（税込）。
原型制作は七兵衛が手がけている。
そのほか、「ねんどろいどクラシックシリーズ」ではペニーワイズなどが2020年6月発売予定となっており、以降さまざまなキャラクターが登場予定だ。
>>>「ねんどろいどクラシックシリーズ」ラインナップ
A CLOCKWORK ORANGE and all related characters and elements （C） & TM Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. （s20）
| 39 |
Korean-Chinese boy group EXO successfully wraps up yet another leg of their world tour entitled 'The Lost Planet' at the He Long Sports Center in Changsha on July 27.
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The eleven-member boy group, under the biggest talent outfit in Korea SM Entertainment, kicked off with the China edition of their 'EXO: The Lost Planet' world tour last June 14 of this year in Wuhan. The Changsha concert was the seventh show of the China leg which included Chongqing, Hong Kong, Chengdu and several other cities.
Fans in Changsha have been keeping a close watch on the group since their arrival at the airport to the end of the concert, showing their support for their favorite band.
Prior to the concert, long lines of fans who came to see the concert could be seen outside the venue, waiting for the organizers to allow their entrance into the sports center.
The event was quite special for the group since they held the concert in Changsha which happens to be the hometown of one of the Chinese members Zhang Yi Xing, otherwise known as Lay.
EXO opened their concert at 8:00 pm China Standard Time, performing a tribal version of their 2012 debut song 'Mama', followed by special performances from each of the members.
The group had been suffering some major and minor set-backs since May when their twelfth member, another Chinese national, Wu 'Kris' Yi Fan left the group without prior notice.
Furthermore, reliable sources said Chinese members Huang Zi Tao and Lu Han were ill during the concert with the latter suffering from an injury he sustained from filming a Korean variety show he made a guest appearance on recently.
These incidents forced them to change the choreography for the night's show, but despite everything, tickets flew off the counters like hot pancakes and they've managed to fill the venue with their audience.
EXO debuted in April 2012 and is divided into two subgroups EXO-K and EXO-M, catering to the Korean and Chinese music market respectively.
The members are currently engaged in solo activities with EXO-K scheduled to fly back to Seoul while members of EXO-M are headed to Beijing for the Meilishuo fan signing event.
TagsEXO, EXO-K, EXO-M, EXO: The Lost Planet, SM Entertainment, Changsha | 40 |
Texas A&M hat in front of him as he chose to don a crimson Alabama one instead. While Alabama heavily targeted Waddle throughout the recruiting process, the Crimson Tide didn’t start gaining momentum until the star receiver visited campus for the first time.
“He came back and said ‘Coach, as a team they hold each other accountable. I want to go to school there,’” Leisz recalled. “He’s at Alabama for that reason. He loves competition; he wants to compete. Coach Saban offered him nothing other than a chance to compete, and he lives for that.”
Undaunted by a receiving corps that already featured a talented trio of sophomores in Jerry Jeudy, DeVonta Smith and Henry Ruggs III, Waddle came to Alabama to do just that. After arriving on campus over the summer, the freshman drew instant attention as he torched the Crimson Tide’s secondary during preseason camp. He was the star of Alabama’s final scrimmage, tallying two touchdowns and more than 100 yards through the air.
"Man, that dude’s electric,” Alabama running back Josh Jacobs said. “He legit runs probably a 4.3 flat. He’s going to be a problem.”
Officially, Waddle was clocked with a 4.37 time in the 40-yard dash, but that isn’t the point. There are plenty of track stars in college football with straight-line speed. What makes Waddle special is his ability to change direction without slowing down.
“His center of gravity makes it so that change of direction is quick and powerful,” Krueger said. “Then he’s got such a strong lower half that the jump balls are something he can do out on the perimeter. That’s what makes him such a down-field threat because even though he’s shorter, he’ll still surprise you and win a jump ball, too.”
Saturday will be Waddle’s first opportunity to put on a show inside Bryant-Denny Stadium as Alabama takes on Arkansas State in its home opener at 2:30 p.m. CT.
“He’s going to make a lot of big plays,” Jacobs said. “You’ll see a lot of him throughout the year.” | 41 |
beat their arch-rivals 31-12. The stars were Gray, who was back at Norths after a stint with the Sea Eagles, along with Mitchell Cox and McKinnon, who later became Manly players.
After playing 11 seasons with North Sydney between 1977 and 1987, Kangaroo prop McKinnon, who was an institution at Bear Park, finished his career with a season at the Sea Eagles.
McKinnon said his last year at Norths was not a happy one under coach Frank Stanton, who was a former Manly player and premiership-winning coach.
“Frank and I didn’t see eye to eye too much, I don’t think he liked me too much as a player and I certainly didn’t like him as a coach,” McKinnon said.
“He didn’t really want to pick me and I only played six or seven first grade games that year.
“I knew I wasn’t going to be offered a contract for the next season and I didn’t want to sign one anyway.
media_camera Don McKinnon in action for the Sea Eagles.
“I was 32 going on 33 and was happy to retire rather than play another year there.”
McKinnon got a call from then Manly coach Bob Fulton and, after trialling, signed a one-year contract.
And despite all those years in the red and black, he didn’t find the transition to pulling on a Sea Eagles jumper tough.
“It was like I had been there my whole career. I knew all the Manly guys and all the officials,” he said.
“A lot of us lived on the northern beaches. We always ran into Gibbsy (John Gibbs), Fatty (Paul Vautin), Magilla (Ian Thomson) and Terry Randall at the pubs or clubs,” he said.
“They would usually come to our club after a game and we normally went back to theirs.”
After representing both clubs, McKinnon says it is sad that they will no longer be playing each other at a senior level. “Rivalries like that aren’t necessarily based on hatred, it might be a bit of mutual respect,” he said.
Manly and Norths will continue playing each other at the junior representative level next year. | 42 |
There’s a water park at Texas Tech, a campus steakhouse at North Carolina’s High Point University and a 293,000-square-foot indoor beach club on the main campus of the University of Missouri, replete with lazy river, whirlpools, waterfalls and waiters. All of which raises the question: college or country club?
For the last decade, colleges across the U.S. have been tricking out campuses to compete in an amenities arms race aimed at attracting prospective freshmen. Free tanning, bouldering caves, gourmet dining and luxury fitness centers are not uncommon. At MIT, students housed in Simmons Hall enjoy PS3 gaming stations and Roku access in every lounge, a ball pit and private bathrooms.
Closer to home, residence halls at Pomona College offer smart-home technology, solar heating and a rooftop garden with a movie screen. Nearby, the romantic Spanish Colonial dorms at Scripps College are consistently voted “most beautiful” in the nation. Chapman University boasts the tallest university-owned rock wall in Southern California (51 feet), and UCLA just opened Bruin Plate, one of the country’s first health-themed dining halls.
Guide for the college-bound: Dorm room ideas and checklist | Advice for parents: Don’t pamper your kid | Sage advice for freshmen
It’s not home away from home. It’s better.
“I think we can go through a list of amenities that 20 years ago would have seemed shocking on a college campus,” says Robert Franek, the Princeton Review’s senior vice president of publishing and lead author of “Best 379 Colleges.” “You can call it an amenities arms race, but it solidly fits into the idea of campus culture and what we expect there.”
Bottom line? More than 3 million students are expected to apply to an average of seven to nine colleges each, starting this fall. “Schools are competing for those students, and they’re competing hard,” Franek says. “If all things are created equal academically, what are the other campus-culture type of things that are going to affect lifestyle? I doubt it comes down to a 25-seat spa at a particular residence hall, but if there are many amenities at a particular campus, it could sway a student.”
home@latimes.com | 43 |
A report on Wednesday revealed that LoopPay, the U.S.-created mobile payment system acquired by Samsung in February, was the target of a hacker attack in March.
But the most interesting wrinkle in the story is the fact that the hackers who executed the attack on the South Korea-based company appear to be from China, thus framing the incident as a case of international, possibly corporate, espionage, rather than just another hack.
Details of the hacking attack surfaced in a New York Times report, which claims that the Chinese hacker group the Codoso Group had breached the LoopPay computer network. The breach was discovered in August, giving the hackers a full five months access to the network.
However, Samsung, which is using the LoopPay technology to roll out Samsung Pay, a would-be Apple Pay competitor, claims that the breach did not extend to Samsung's own computer network.
“Samsung Pay was not impacted and at no point was any personal payment information at risk," Darlene Cedres, Samsung’s chief privacy officer, told Mashable in an emailed statement.
"This was an isolated incident that targeted the LoopPay corporate network, which is a physically separate network from Samsung Pay. The LoopPay corporate network issue was resolved immediately and had nothing to do with Samsung Pay. Samsung is extremely committed to securing and protecting user data to the highest industry standards."
Nevertheless, the report of the breach comes at a particularly bad time for Samsung, which just launched its Samsung Pay product in the U.S. last week.
According to Samsung, no personal payment information was ever at risk. Instead, it appears the hackers were after details on LoopPay's magnetic secure transmission (MST) technology. Samsung is using MST in conjunction with its wireless NFC technology to allow mobile payments on older systems that rely on older magnetic stripe card-style payment systems.
Another notably unique detail in the Times report is the fact that LoopPay has not alerted law enforcement officials to the breach, reportedly due to the fact that no financial or consumer data was stolen.
In addition to the statement obtained by Mashable, Samsung also published a blog post reaffirming the safety of the Samsung Pay system.
"As soon as the incident was discovered, LoopPay followed their standard incident response procedures and acted immediately and comprehensively. LoopPay brought in two independent professional security teams," reads the blog post. "Again, Samsung, Samsung Pay, and Samsung users were not affected." | 44 |
Elections Ontario that our 20-year-old organizational site, Taxpayer.com, also constitutes political advertising. In order to comply with the law, we were told we would need to determine how much we have spent on the site over this 20-year period and pro-rate that amount over the pre-campaign and campaign restriction period to determine if we spent more than $500. When we pointed out that only portions of the site are dedicated to Ontario, Elections Ontario informed us that we could calculate the percentage of the site that is dedicated to Ontario and that constitutes “political advertising,” and then determine if the apportioned and pro-rated cost of those pages exceeds $500. Hardly a minimally impairing exercise.
When we mentioned that we are currently planning an upgrade to our website, to improve graphics and performance, Elections Ontario advised us that it would be best to wait until after the June 2018 provincial election before doing those upgrades, because they could trip the $500 threshold. How could the government forcing a national non-profit organization to put on hold an update to a website be seen as a reasonable restriction on speech?
Seemingly, any website, anywhere in Canada that mentions Premier Kathleen Wynne, Patrick Brown, Andrea Horwath, the Ontario government or any policy with which any politician in Ontario could be associated, is now deemed political advertising and should either be shut down for the next eight months or registered with the Ontario government.
How Elections Ontario plans on enforcing these absurd rules is unclear, but they did inform us that they have the power to compel the production of invoices if they decide our 20-year-old website about public policy issues violates their new law.
These laws should never have been enacted. But the official opposition in Ontario allowed them to pass because in the last provincial election, they were the subject of an aggressive $2.5-million third-party ad campaign by the union-funded Working Families.
But now that the laws are in force, we need a champion to launch a Charter challenge against them, as they were challenged in British Columbia. Courts have held that political expression is at the very heart of freedom of expression and benefits from a high degree of constitutional protection. The Ontario and Alberta legislation infringes this fundamental right that is a cornerstone of the democratic and political process. It’s time for an advocate to strike the legislation down, so that citizens can exercise their right to express political thought and opinion in a free and democratic society. | 45 |
sector and led to the loss of billions of dollars throughout Europe. The attack was attributed to the Russian GRU foreign military intelligence agency by both the United States and the United Nations. These threats on internet and physical infrastructure are not just limited to Ukraine. In March, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the FBI released a joint statement that claimed that Russian cyberthreat actors have been targeting critical U.S. infrastructure since 2016.
What an Attack on DNS Would Look Like
On an early October morning in 2016, millions of U.S. internet users awoke to find their daily routines in shambles. Morning Mix Spotify playlists would not load, Netflix streams were down, and PayPal accounts were disabled. Those searching for answers on Twitter and Reddit found that they, too, were offline.
By the end of the day, service to these sites returned, but the damage was done. DYN, a major DNS provider and one of the main backbones of the internet, had been attacked by a powerful, destructive botnet.
Can't get on a website? This is a live map, right now, of the massive DDoS attacks on Dyn's servers. It is creating many issues right now. pic.twitter.com/fekUqNgaL7 — Flying With Fish (@flyingwithfish) October 21, 2016
This massive disturbed-denial-of-service attack launched against DYN was one of the largest in history and introduced the world to now-notorious Mirai Botnet. It was also launched by a crew of teenage Minecrafters.
According to Lloyd, a successful Russian attack on DNS could resemble something akin to the DYN attack, except instead of originating with kids, it would have the financial and military backing of major Russian intelligence agencies. With its own DNS, Russia (and any allies using the alternative) could launch an attack without getting caught in the cross fire.
Again, one should treat possibilities of cyberdoom with a heavy bit of skepticism. Maybe this Russian internet precaution does serve the sole purpose of protecting Russia from potential U.S. intervention. Indeed, the U.S. has its own proven track record of foreign manipulation.
However, given the post–2016 election revelations of Russian hacking and online manipulation throughout the U.S. and the West, and the Kremlin’s close ties to NotPetya, one need not stretch the imagination far to give credence to these concerns. | 46 |
Now playing: Watch this: YouTube goes live on mobile
You're already live streaming your life on Facebook Live, but now YouTube wants in on the (live) action.
You'll soon be able to live stream to YouTube from your phone, the company said Tuesday. Popular YouTubers will be the first to be get their hands on the feature, which was originally promised back in June.
YouTube channels with more than 10,000 subscribers will be first to get mobile live streaming. YouTube has only specified "soon" as to when it'll be available to us lesser mortals.
YouTube
The video-sharing site, which already supports live streaming from a computer, will add a live button to the mobile app on your phone or tablet. Live videos will show up in your recommendations and in playlists. Viewers can find live videos in search, or the creator can make them accessible only to people with the link. Basically, a live video works the same as a regular video.
Viewers will be able to talk to YouTubers during live videos using a new Super Chat feature -- for a price. Paying for a Super Chat message pins your message to the top of the window so it isn't lost in the deluge of comments and messages flying in from other viewers.
This isn't YouTube's first foray into mobile live recording and streaming. Since 2015, it has supported live-streamed broadcasting for "let's play"-type gaming videos in its gaming app, but opening up mobile live streaming in its main app is certain to ratchet up the volume of video broadcast live.
The arrival of Facebook Live more than a year ago helped catapult live streaming into a bona fide phenomenon, and that popularity is something the social media giant is banking on. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has even said that we're entering a "golden age for live video." Certainly that was the case on New Year's Eve, when millions of people around the world gave the service its biggest night ever.
For all the use of live video tied to celebrations and celebrities, it's also become a force in more serious matters, from policing to national politics. Just last week, President Trump used Facebook Live to announce his pick for a seat on the US Supreme Court.
Batteries Not Included: The CNET team reminds us why tech stuff is cool.
CNET Magazine: Check out a sample of the stories you'll find in CNET's newsstand edition. | 47 |
Major work done, but cleanup ongoing
The city of Pueblo has submitted a $50,000 insurance claim for cleanup from the March windstorm that swept through the area in March, said Mike Sexton, the assistant director of the Pueblo Parks and Recreation department.
"That is turned over to our insurance, and they evaluate if they're going to reimburse us," Sexton said on Tuesday.
Most of the city's cleanup from the March 13 windstorm was clearing legacy trees that were toppled by the gusts.
Sexton said over 60 trees were uprooted and fell in the city's parks. Most of the damage occurred between City Park, Mineral Palace Park and the Mountain View Cemetery.
The Pueblo Ice Arena marquee that had been standing since 1981 also was a casualty of the high winds, which knocked it over.
About 20 employees from the parks and recreation department were involved with the storm cleanup.
Though the most significant cleanup work has been completed, Sexton said crews still are working to remove tree stumps from the parks.
The county has filed a notice of claim with County Technical Service Inc. — a service organization for county governments in Colorado that provides insurance and other services — for wind and rain damage to property.
The county so far has only received an invoice for the expense of tree removal at the courthouse, as some trees outside the building were toppled by wind. The cost of that emergency work is close to $5,500. Cost estimates for all other damages are pending.
According to the notice of claim filing, damage at county properties includes the district attorney's office, Dennis Maes Judicial Building, Desert Hawk Golf Course and Runyon Field.
The trees that fell in the city's parks were removed and turned into mulch, which is currently available to the public.
Anyone who wants some of the mulch can get it at the north end of City Park, near the skate park.
"Pull up and help yourself," Sexton said. "We don't want contractors showing up and filling up big dump trucks; it's for residential home use."
Residents who had dead trees and limbs following the storm have been able to dispose of them for free at Rockworx Inc., 195 Vision Lane. The trees collected there are scheduled to be mulched at a later date.
rseverance@chieftain.com
Twitter: @RyanS_Chieftain | 48 |
“There’s this myth that you should pick up and leave.”
Psychologist Kate Nielsen, however, says that, given the choice, polyamory is a better option than cheating because it promotes honesty.
“There is always the possibility that cheating could bring a couple closer together, but usually that’s an exception. Usually, that trust is broken (when a spouse cheats). It can be very hard to regain trust once it’s been broken,” Nielsen says....
Let's start with the headline."Marriage in trouble? Add more people!" is an eyeroll snark in the poly world. (It's even a Poly Bingo square.) Yes it occasionally works — maybe in an otherwise good, companionable marriage where one person has strong special desires, or sexual dislikes or inabilities. (As a friend of mine in a 16-year triad says, "Some people get into poly so they can have more sex. Some get into poly so they can have less sex.") But more often, the add-more-people cure for a troubled marriage bombs spectacularly.The newspaper writer might have done a little more research and said,Even if the poly cure works for a couple, what about the third party? If it's about saving the couple, is the third just some kind of kleenex to come into? Some secondaries seek out the role because it fits their life they way they want it: as a solopoly free agent. Many don't. Either way, secondaries have feelings too.All of this exposes issues of couple privilege and polynormativity that most readers of theand(in Canada's red provinces) probably haven't seen discussed much.But on with the story:So, that means their marriage is "open" rather than "polyamorous." Sex on the side with touch of cuck, rather than multiple love relationships. I wish sloppy journalists wouldn't gum up our defining word! Two OKCupid commenters nailed it a few days ago. Said one:To which another added,Journalists please take note.Anyone who says out loud that jealousy is "out of the equation" steps into the crosshairs of the Karma Fairy's bombsight. I say this as a low-jealousy person who didn't get whammed with it until 13 years into my poly life.Read the whole article (June 7, 2013).
Labels: couple privilege | 49 |
Zimbabwe has imposed an internet shutdown as demonstrators protesting a steep fuel increase were attacked by security forces, according to reports.
The African country's largest internet service provider - Econet - says it has been ordered to cut services until further notice.
Access to Facebook, WhatsApp and Twitter has been intermittently blocked since protests broke out on Monday, according to the BBC.
FORMER ZIMBABWE FIRST LADY GRACE MUGABE SUBJECT OF ARREST WARRANT FOR ALLEGED ASSAULT
At least three people have been killed and 600 people have been arrested.
"We were served with another directive for total shutdown of the internet until further notice," Econet said in a text message Friday, according to Agence France-Presse.
"Our lawyers advised we are required to comply with the directive pending the court decision on its legality. The earlier directive(s) are already the subject of pending high court application.
"We sincerely apologize for all inconveniences caused by the acts of government."
One of those arrested, pastor and activist Evan Mawarire, was charged with inciting civil disobedience online. "It's a shame what's happening," the pastor said.
The US embassy in Harare said it was "alarmed by credible reports that security forces are targeting and beating political activists and labor leaders,” the French news agency reported.
ZIMBABWE INQUIRY FINDS ARMY, POLICE KILLED 6 DURING PROTEST
Our country is going through one of the most trying periods in its history," the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops' Conference said in a sweeping statement lamenting the government's "intolerant handling of dissent" and its failure to halt economic collapse.
The internet shutdown cuts off crucial access to the mobile money that Zimbabwe's government uses to pay teachers and other public workers. Some said they can no longer afford fares for public transport, and some shops have run out of basics such as bread.
The protests began after President Emmerson Mnangagwa announced that fuel prices were being doubled in a country suffering regular shortages of fuel, food and medicine, AFP reported.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Mnangagwa, who succeeded ousted authoritarian president Robert Mugabe in 2017, had promised a fresh start for Zimbabwe after decades of repression and economic decline.
The Associated Press contributed to this report. | 50 |
Chinese authorities seized more than 3 tons of animal parts taken from the bodies of dead pangolins earlier this month in one of the country’s largest smuggling busts involving the world’s most trafficked mammal.
Customs officials found 101 bags of pangolin scales hidden in a shipment of timber during a routine inspection in Shanghai, according to reports from local media. Estimates say the scales came from 5,000 to 7,500 different animals and could have had a street value of more than $2 million.
Pangolins have quickly become a striking face in the fight against wildlife crime, with almost a million trafficked over the past decade. All eight species are now listed as “vulnerable,” “endangered” or “critically endangered” on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species.
The creatures, also known as scaly anteaters, are hunted primarily for their scales, which are used in traditional medicine in China and Vietnam in attempts to cure everything from cancer to asthma. However, there is no scientific basis to those claims. The scales are made from the same material as human fingernails.
Nguyen Huy Kham/Reuters Frozen pangolins seized during a raid in Vietnam. The scales are prized in traditional medicine, but are made from the same biological material as fingernails.
Authorities have busted several massive pangolin smuggling rings over the past few years, many of which traffic thousands of animals at a time. A raid in Indonesia netted some 4,000 animals last year and more than 4 tons were discovered in Hong Kong, labeled as plastic, in June.
Delegates from nearly every nation voted to ban the international sale of pangolins and their parts in September during this year’s meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, also known as CITES. All species of pangolins were given the strictest protection afforded to threatened animals, but the bust in China shows a rampant market still exists for contraband wildlife.
Shanghai customs officials arrested three people who have been accused of smuggling the parts this month. They’re suspected of importing illicit pangolin scales from Africa into China since at least 2015, Agence France Presse reports.
Despite recent protections, it’s estimated more than 10,000 pangolins are poached every year. | 51 |
suspension) and Anthony Don (shoulder) will not be available for round one.
Key players
Nathan Peats
After making his State of Origin debut last year Peats may well be handed the captaincy by Brennan after Ryan James struggled on his own last year. In a stop start 2017, Peats never really reached his top heights for the Titans. He’s is a quality player and the Titans need him firing and injury free in 2018.
Ash Taylor
Whilst his big money contract isn’t in effect until 2019 Taylor needs to prove why the Titans were right to back the kid. He has said publically he wants to be the best player in the game, and needs to start taking strides to become that person. As an incentive, there’s a vacant Queensland number 7 jersey and Kevin Walters has stated he has Taylor in the mix.
Key fixtures
Due to the 2018 Commonwealth games the Titans have had to go regional for a couple of their home games to start the season. With that their opening clash with the Raiders shapes as an important one with the club not returning to their normal home venue for several weeks. It’ll be important the Titans secure a win, not only for the two competition points but for the fans on the Gold Coast.
In round 8 the Titans return to their spiritual home of Cbus Super Stadium to take on the Sharks, at this point in the year we’ll have seen if the Titans mean business or not and what better way to cement themselves as a competitive team than by once again beating the Sharks.
The Coast’s round 23 clash with Manly could prove to be a make or break match. With the Titans facing the Storm and the Cowboys in the following weeks, should the club be teetering on the edge of the top 8 this will be an important match to win with significantly tough opponents in the final games of the regular season.
2018 Prediction
So there’s the 2018 Titans, bruised, battered, but still here. The host of personnel changes could be exactly what the club needs to propel themselves back into finals football, but it’s going to be hard, very hard. Can they do it? Most would say no, but the Titans have proven in the past not to write off the underdog. Where there’s life there’s hope. 8th-12th.
[zombify_post] | 52 |
Have Jay Smith and Ashley Martson called it quits on their marriage?
Following the latest episode of 90 Day Fiancé, which featured Ashley learning that Jay had cheated on her the day after their wedding, the reality stars have deleted all images of one another from their Instagram pages.
The drama started last week after Jay and Ashley unfollowed one another on social media. And after deleting all images of her spouse from her page, Ashley shared a series of cryptic posts which prompted the speculation of a divorce.
“You can only fake that everything is ok for so long. Then you just hit that point…” read one of Ashley’s messages.
In another post, Ashley announced she would no longer be creating personalized videos for fans through the Cameo app, which she used to do alongside Jay.
And then on December 23, after the latest 90 Day Fiancé episode aired, Ashley looked back on her wedding day and shared a photo of her and Jay posing in one another’s arms and said in a hash tag that she wished she “was still this happy.” She has since deleted the post from her Instagram page but a screenshot is below.
In addition to Ashley’s Instagram Story posts, Jay also shared a now deleted cryptic post of his own Instagram page.
“It happens and it is what it is I cannot go back in time and change the past I can only create a brighter future and make up for whosoever heart I have broken,” he said in his message.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BrwpgbKADVn/
On the day they wed, which was filmed for 90 Day Fiancé, Jay expressed concerns about being committed to just one woman for the rest of his life.
“I’m going to be tied down forever. I can’t do nothing,” Jay said. “I don’t think anyone is 100 percent ready to get married unless they’re like 50.”
Then, after they got home from their Las Vegas wedding, Ashley found out that Jay had made a Tinder account in an effort to meet up with other women.
90 Day Fiancé airs Sundays at 8 p.m. on TLC.
TELL US – DO YOU THINK ASHLEY WILL DIVORCE JAY? | 53 |
Speaking to ITV, Stoke City striker Peter Crouch has revealed that he ‘would love to go back’ to Queens Park Rangers before he retires. The former England international target man broke onto the professional football scene during a stint at the start of his playing career.
Crouch is currently promoting his new book, titled How To Be A Footballer. Whilst he is currently enjoying a role in Gary Rowett’s starting eleven at the bet365 Stadium, he clearly holds QPR in high regard and is more than open to the prospect of appearing for them before time goes against him. The ex-Liverpool and Tottenham man is aged 37.
He came through the ranks with Spurs, but it was at Loftus Road where he really made a name for himself. Strong form for the club then earned him a move to Portsmouth, before Aston Villa came calling. An exciting career has seen him call at Norwich City and Southampton as well, whilst also representing England on 42 occasions.
He says playing for QPR is something he would quite like to do,
“I’ve played for quite a few clubs but quite a few of them I hold dearly, really. I think QPR is one of my favourites because that’s where I started.
“My friends and family are QPR fans, as well, so that’s one that is really close to my heart and I always said I would go back there one day and I would love to go back there.”
He insists he still has a couple of years left in him at the very least,
“I spoke with Mark Hughes when he was manager at Stoke, he played until he was 40, and we had a few chats about it and he was like ‘I think you can do that’.
“I’ve, sort of, set myself a target of that now; I still feel fit, I still do what all the rest of the players do, I don’t take any sort of time off or rest, I like to be on the training pitch every single day, I still love it, so I’ll do it for as long as possible.
“I think every player I know who has retired, that I speak to, 100 per cent of them said ‘play as long as you can’, so I will do that for as long as my body will allow me.” | 54 |
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Caracas (AFP)
Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guiado charged Tuesday that the deployment of Russian troops in the troubled South American country violates its constitution.
Guaido, who is recognized by the US and more than 50 countries as Venezuela's interim president, raised the issue in a speech to the National Assembly, which he heads.
"It seems (the government of President Nicolas Maduro) doesn't trust its own troops, because it is importing others... once again violating the constitution," he said.
Russia, which recognizes Maduro as leader, on Saturday sent two planes carrying 100 troops and tons of military equipment to Venezuela.
Guaido said Maduro and his government "didn't bring generators in those (Russian) planes, they didn't bring engineers.... No. They brought in foreign troops onto national soil."
The opposition-controlled legislature, which has long been sidelined by Maduro, asserts that it alone has the legal power to authorize foreign military missions in Venezuela.
The Russian foreign ministry on Tuesday said the deployment was "in strict accordance with the constitution of that country and with full respect for its legal norms."
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has accused the US of trying to organize a "coup" in Venezuela, something Moscow has warned against.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in return has warned that the US will not "stand idly by as Russia exacerbates tensions."
- Geopolitical tussle -
The geopolitical tussle between the former Cold War foes is playing out as Venezuela sinks deeper into economic and social crisis.
A near-nationwide blackout -- the second this month -- has gripped the country since Monday, deepening public frustration with conditions already marked by scarce food and medicine and runaway inflation.
Although US President Donald Trump has repeated that he is keeping "all options" on the table concerning Venezuela there have been no signs of imminent American military action in the oil-rich country.
Instead Maduro, who is deeply unpopular in Venezuela, retains power mainly through the loyalty of the military.
Guaido has been holding rallies for supporters around the country in which he has vowed to "very soon" take over the presidential palace. But so far Maduro has not been budged.
Russia remains Maduro's main ally. Moscow and Beijing, the country's top creditor, have lent the Maduro regime billions of dollars in exchange for a big slice of oil exports.
? 2019 AFP | 55 |
In recent years, the apparent decline in boys' academic success rates has troubled politicians, researchers, and educators. It has been described as an educational crisis and a failure of the traditional school setting. The decline has spurred scores of potential solutions to the problem, including the adoption of same-sex classrooms as a way to better address boys' educational needs.
New research that will be presented at the 2011 Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences in Fredericton, New Brunswick, indicates that the picture might not be so simple.
Christopher Greig, an assistant professor of education at the University of Windsor, believes that current analyses of same-sex classrooms are hopelessly ahistoricalthat is, they don't look at what happened in the past when such arrangements were tried.
Greig's research looks at a Windsor elementary school that adopted segregated classrooms for grades one through three from 1966-1972. As part of his research, Greig interviewed 10 administrators and teachers who took part in the pilot project.
Shaped by a variety of complex historical factors and fueled by a desire for educational innovation, "All of them were very enthusiastic about doing it," he says. "They thought this would be a way to address boys' underachievement."
While boys did "okay" under the new structure, the real winners were girls, who "took off" academically in same-sex classrooms, says Greig. However, the negatives outweighed the positives. Not only were some of the segregated boys expressing misogynistic attitudes and prone to violence, but the educational gap between boys and girls actually increased over the course of the project, he says.
Greig's research is both a refutation of the idea that boys' academic disadvantages can be solved just by removing girls from the equation and a criticism of the present level of discourse.
"The current discussions around boy-only classrooms typicallyand I think problematicallytry to address boys' underachievement in simplistic and outdated ways," Greig says.
Greig will be presenting his paper "Creating Boy-Only Classrooms in a Liberal Era: Exploring a case of all-male classrooms in the 1960s" on May 31 at the Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences, co-hosted by the University of New Brunswick and St. Thomas University.
Explore further Keep boys and girls together, research suggests
Provided by Canadian Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences | 56 |
Having released a collaborative EP with Jay Som last year, LA singer/songwriter Justus Proffit is now set to release his debut full-length, L.A.'s Got Me Down, on March 8 via Bar/None (pre-order). The album follows a series of EPs, and it includes "mixture of new material and songs he’s written over the past few years [that explore] a tumultuous time in Proffit’s life, one punctuated by the loss of close friends to drug overdoses, a war with personal demons, and the more mundane aspects of being an artist in a city as notoriously standoffish as Los Angeles" (via Bar/None's site).
Proffit played every instrument on the album himself, and he recorded it at various LA studios over the course of six months with producer/engineer Alex Resoagli. "The whole record, the dynamic was just me and him—no one else came in," says Proffit. "We would record it at like 12 at night because it was free for us to do that, so it was a really long process because it would be like four hours at a time. I’m so stoked that it’s finished, but yeah, I wouldn’t do that again. It was definitely stressful at the end."
We're premiering "Painted In The Sound," which is a nice dose of jangly folk rock that makes the record look pretty promising. It's the kind of song that could appeal to fans of anything from Real Estate to Gin Blossoms. Check it out below.
Justus Proffit also has some West Coast shows coming up, including three free LA shwos. All dates are listed below.
Justus Proffit -- 2019 Tour Dates
01/21 - Los Angeles, CA - The Bootleg (FREE)
01/28 - Los Angeles, CA - The Bootleg (FREE)
03/07 - Los Angeles, CA - Zebulon
03/09 - San Francisco, CA - Thee Parkside
03/10 - Portland, OR - w/ Alien Boy at Blackwater
03/13 - Vancouver, BC - Static Jupiter
03/14 - Victoria, BC - Copper
03/16 - Reno, NV - The Holland Project
03/18 - Oakland, CA - Eli’s Mile End | 57 |
Paula Marner wants parents to be careful with "free" gaming apps for their kids.
The Canadian mother's warning comes after she discovered that her twin 7-year-old boys charged $3,000 worth of in-app purchases while playing Clash of Clans on her iPad, according to CBC News.
Marner thought it would be fine to let her boys use the app. What she didn't know was that even though Clash of Clans was free to download, players could make in-app purchases.
Many iTunes games geared toward children, including Clash of Clans, Despicable Me 2, Smurf's Village and Spongebob Moves In, are classified as "freemium" apps, meaning the actual software is free to download but many game features require cash purchases. Just by entering a simple password, players can make charges of anywhere from 99 cents to $99, according to CBC News.
That's where parents are getting into trouble. Without turning on the appropriate parental permission settings, all children have to do is tap a button and they can make as many charges as they want. And considering Clash of Clans is the No. 2 top-grossing iPad app ever, Marner likely is not alone.
Last September, a 6-year-old from North Yorkshire, U.K. charged $3,244 to his grandfather's credit card while playing Tiny Monsters, another app that is free to download. In March, 5-year-old Danny Kitchen spent $2,550 playing Zombies vs. Ninja on his parents' iPad.
Apple is currently in the midst of settling a class-action lawsuit filed by five unhappy parents who faced similar problems with in-app purchases, and the company has issued this notice to the 23 million parents who also say their children were responsible for racking up iTunes charges without their knowledge. The lawsuit could cost Apple up to $100 million, according to some estimates.
While some say parents are to blame for not keeping a close enough watch on their kids' app activity, technology law expert David Fewer sends his warning along with Marner's. The average U.S. developer brings in $63,885.34 on in-app purchasing sales, according to a 2012 study by research firm Velositor, and Fewer says there are many apps out there that make money by relying on busy parents carelessly handing over their smartphone or iPad to their kids, without selecting the correct parental permission settings. | 58 |
High-definition displays that fit inside regular eyeglasses will be available in one year, said Vuzix, a company with a long history in the field of wearable displays. These could enable true “augmented reality” while replacing screens on smartphones and laptops. To back up that claim, the company today announced a new high-resolution display monocle suitable for industrial and military use. It was originally developed for the US Department of Defense.
Vuzix The M2000AR can display four times as many pixels as Google Glass, and fills the wearer’s entire field of view.
The Vuxiz M2000AR can display four times as many pixels as Google Glass, and fills the wearer’s entire field of view.
The M2000AR monocle is based on technology Vuzix originally licensed from Nokia. Vuzix says that headsets like Google Glass have bulky armatures attached to them because their inferior technology requires a large display to generate the image that a user sees before his or her eyes. Vuzix’s “waveguide” technology, by contrast, can start a tiny image generated from a pinpoint source, and distribute the light from that source throughout a display no thicker than conventional eyeglasses. (Notably, waveguide technology is also what makes the Kindle Paperwhite and next-generation laser LED light displays possible.)
Vuzix High resolution displays in glasses could replace conventional screens for many applications.
Another advantage Vuzix’s display has over Google Glass is its resolution. While Glass can only display 640×360 pixels—less than a PC monitor of 20 years ago—Vuzix’s eyewear is 1280×720 pixels, the lowest resolution required for an HD display. Filling most of the lens of a typical pair of glasses means that Vuzix is much closer to the vision of “augmented reality” so often depicted in science fiction. To get an idea of what that looks like, Nokia in 2009 created a concept video showing how a person might use glasses and a wearable wristband to interact with systems that would typically require a smartphone or laptop.
Juniper research says that the number of people using “augmented reality” applications like the kind enabled by Vuzix’s display should jump from 60 million to 200 million by 2018, as this mode of interaction goes from specialized industrial and military applications to consumer products and everyday life. | 59 |
The newest attractions at the Melbourne Aquarium are so adept at hiding themselves, even the most eagle-eyed visitor might have trouble spotting them.
About 20 baby weedy sea dragons, also known as dragon fry, have made their public debut after a successful but complicated breeding program.
Forty-five dragon fry were born at the aquarium in December last year - the best result the breeding program has had since it began ten years ago.
Melbourne Aquarium is one of just three centres worldwide to successfully breed weedy sea dragons in captivity, which is fitting given the alien-like creature is Victoria's marine emblem.
"We've got the most successful breeding program worldwide and we're trying to elaborate that as much as we can," lead aquarist Dylan White said.
Breeding the dragons was no easy task and involved carers manipulating water temperature and light to mimic the animal's natural environment.
It was then up to some unique teamwork from the dragons themselves.
"The eggs go from the female to the male and he attaches them to the base of his tail and then they incubate from there," Mr White said.
Half the fry born last December will remain in Melbourne, while the rest will be sent to aquariums in Asia and the United Kingdom.
Lost habitat make dragons vulnerable to predators
Male weedy sea dragon incubate the eggs after receiving them from the female. ( Melbourne Aquarium )
According to Mr White, many people may not realise their actions on the water have an impact on these delicate creatures.
"For an animal like the dragon, they actually camouflage, that's how they protect themselves, and you take that habitat away and they're very, very open to predation," he said
"We've got a pristine environment out there, pack away your litter, don't anchor your boat in the wrong spot and leave the habitat how it is."
The weedy sea dragon is listed as "near threatened" by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, putting it in the same category as the white rhino and the eastern bettong.
Its natural habitat is the shallow water and seaweed beds off the coast of southern Australia, where its unique, weed-like appearance goes almost unnoticed by predators.
It can go unnoticed at the aquarium too, where visitors often glide past a tank of seaweed, not realising that hiding among the weeds is one of the ocean's most fascinating creatures. | 60 |
Southern pride was alive and well when President Obama rolled into Oklahoma City, Okla., on Wednesday.
A group of citizens, led by African American, Andrew Duncomb who calls himself “the Black Rebel” organized a show of support for the Confederate flag.
“We don’t believe it’s a symbol of racism,” Duncomb told KFOR News.
PHOTO (@dougmillsnyt): Protesters with Confederate flags greet Obama as he arrives at his Oklahoma City hotel pic.twitter.com/5NofYdi1wy — TheBlazeNOW (@TheBlazeNOW) July 16, 2015
“They’re blaming the racist problems on the flag and not on the real problems of America. Through the race lies the people who carry and harbor the hate inside,” Duncomb said.
Duncomb and several supporters told KFOR that the Confederate flag is about heritage, not hate.
Confederate flag-waving protesters gathered in downtown OKC for President Obama’s arrival. Photo: @JoshCWallace pic.twitter.com/KFfvdHSHFp — NewsOK (@NewsOK) July 16, 2015
“Hell, I’m just out here supporting my flag, not racists, I don’t want no problems with anybody,” a supporter said.
Trucks, flags and people – both black and white – lined the streets as the Obama brigade made its way to a downtown hotel.
“Again, look at these people, they all followed the black guy out here. Do you think that any of them are racists?” Duncomb said.
In Oklahoma, protesters greet Obama with Confederate flags http://t.co/8Koj1dkzeS | Getty pic.twitter.com/WYsvugX7Ul — POLITICO (@politico) July 16, 2015
There was mixed reaction to the protest on Twitter:
Stay classy, middle ‘Merica RT @politico: In Oklahoma, protesters greet Obama with Confederate flags http://t.co/r5cYINXhv1 — Jarod Courtney (@jRodisRad) July 16, 2015
No one’s rioting, looting, or fighting. In fact, everyone seems to to be having a good time and getting along. So yeah, stay classy middle America! | 61 |
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Instead, Albers was dealt to the Mariners for cash on Aug. 11. He was called up by Seattle to make a start four days later, working six strong innings in a 3-1 win over Baltimore.
This time, he surrendered six hits and three earned runs in five-plus innings, helping to bolster Seattle’s injury riddled rotation.
“He’s been huge for us,” catcher Mike Zunino said. “We’ve used a ton of guys this year.”
Zunino was part of a disputed play at the plate that help preserve the win for the Mariners, who came into the night just 1 1/2 games out of an AL wild-card spot.
With the Braves trailing 6-2 in the sixth, a catcher’s interference call sparked a three-run rally. Ozzie Albies hit a two-run triple over the head of centre fielder Leonys Martin and scored on Dansby Swanson’s sacrifice fly. Pinch hitter Lane Adams reached on an infield single, stole second and raced for home when an infield dribbler was bobbled by second baseman Robinson Cano.
Cano retrieved the ball and threw home to get Adams. The Braves challenged the call, and it looked as though Adams may have got a toe on the plate a split-second before he was tagged. But the replays, from several different angles, weren’t definitive enough to overturn the call.
“That was a great job by Robby not to give up on the play,” Zunino said. “That little bobble and recovery may have saved us the game.”
Edwin Diaz pitched the ninth for his 28th save. He surrendered a leadoff single to Ender Inciarte, but the Atlanta runner was thrown out attempting to steal second with slugger Freddie Freeman at the plate.
Freeman grounded out to end the game.
Foltynewicz (10-9) had another rough outing for the Braves. He gave up nine hits and all six Seattle runs in 5 2/3 innings, losing for the fourth time in his last five starts.
Kurt Suzuki hit his 14th homer leading off the bottom half of the second, yet another blow for Atlanta’s surprisingly effective catching duo.
He has combined with Tyler Flowers for 25 homers and 81 RBIs. | 62 |
Late-night news satire show "Full Frontal with Samantha Bee" is apologizing for including a young man with brain cancer in a segment about all the "Nazi haircuts" at the annual Conservative Political Actional Conference.
The "Wither Conservatism" segment — which aired Wednesday —featured a montage of CPAC attendees sporting similar "Nazi haircuts." One of those included was Kyle Coddington, a college student a contributor for OUTSET magazine.
Afterwards, a Twitter user claiming to be Coddington's sister tweeted at host Samantha Bee that they were making fun of someone with stage 4 cancer. He reportedly had just finished getting his first round of chemotherapy treatment just before the CPAC conference late last month.
When @iamsambee makes fun of your brother for having "Nazi hair." He actually has stage 4 brain cancer, but whatever floats your boat. pic.twitter.com/ULJC8nA3IX — Megan Coddington (@meg_kelly16) March 9, 2017
The show apologized Thursday afternoon for including Coddington in the CPAC segment in a tweet tagging Coddington's Twitter account. "We only learned of his condition today & have removed him from the piece," the show said.
Video of the segment was saved, however, and shared on Twitter by OUTSET editor-in-chief Stephen Perkins.
OUTSET also put out a statement on the video segment. "Perhaps you could also remove every other person you made baseless generalizations about. But then you would have no segment at all," the outlet said on Twitter. "We are appalled by @iamsambee's grotesque mocking and we stand behind our contributor, @_that_kyle."
Coddington tweeted out in response to the segment too, seemingly taking the whole thing in good humor.
@iamsambee 😭😭😭 Please delete this episode. I look like a balding potato. pic.twitter.com/H77JEnFs88 — Kyle Coddington (@kbcoddington) March 9, 2017
There is a GoFundMe to pay for expenses related to Coddington's cancer treatment. A spokesperson for TBS confirmed to the Washington Examiner that a $1,000 donation, the largest one listed on the page, from "Full Frontal with Samantha Bee" is from the show. "We wish you the best, Kyle!", it said in a note. | 63 |
Dying wish of Scots author Iain Banks revealed
THE DYING wish of Scots author Iain Banks has been revealed - that a close friend continue his popular book series.
By XANTHA LEATHAM Sunday, 15th February 2015, 10:44 am
Banks passed away after a battle with cancer in 2013. Picture: Ian Georgeson
Friend and fellow writer Ken MacLeod has said that Banks, who died in June 2013 aged 59, asked him to carry on with his science fiction Culture novels after learning that he had just months to live.
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The Culture books, set in an interstellar anarchist utopian world, have sold more than a million copies and are the titles Banks enjoyed working on the most.
Despite his wish it would appear that MacLeod, whose joint collection of poems with Banks is published this week, is hesitant to uphold it.
MacLeod said: “He had an idea for the next Culture novel and what he said to me was that he would like me to pick it up and run with it in my own way.
“I was very reluctant to agree even though Iain was insistent that it was something I would write in my own way rather than in a pastiche of his.
“Unfortunately, Iain left not even notes I could work from. If he had managed to get through the summer, he hoped to leave enough notes for me to work from if I wanted to.
“If that had happened I would have felt quite conflicted because I could imagine the pressures before and against it, and in a way I am relieved that never happened.”
Iain Banks wrote both mainstream fiction and Sci-Fi fiction under the name Iain M Banks. His Culture series includes nine novels and described a civilisation that was capable of hollowing out asteroids and transforming them into spacecraft.
The writer, who lived in North Queensferry, Fife, died on June 9, 2013 of cancer of the gall bladder.
His name was recently immortalised in two ships that will be used to recover rockets from the International Space Station. An asteroid was also named after him in a fitting tribute after his death. | 64 |
(CNN) A former naval intelligence officer and conservative talk radio host who promoted fringe conspiracy theories in radio appearances is now a senior adviser at the State Department Bureau of Arms Control, Verification and Compliance.
A State Department Twitter account referred to Frank Wuco as an "AVC Senior Advisor" in a November 22 tweet about a trip to Romania's Ministry of National Defense.
A CNN KFile review in December 2017, when Wuco was a White House senior adviser at the Department of Homeland Security, found he had repeatedly promoted several far-right conspiracy theories in radio appearances. Among the conspiracy theories Wuco pushed were claims that former President Barack Obama's memoir was ghostwritten by former anti-Vietnam War radical Bill Ayers, that former CIA director John Brennan had converted to Islam and that Attorney General Eric Holder had been a member of the Black Panthers.
The Washington Post reported Wednesday that Wuco in 2016 suggested dropping nuclear bombs on Afghanistan after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. On the "Dougherty Report" radio show in 2016, Wuco was asked why the US doesn't turn Syria and Iran "into glass already," according to the newspaper.
"I don't think it's been our policy really to just start nuking countries," Wuco responded, the Post reports. "I think if we were going to have done that, my preference would have been to have dropped a couple of low-yield tactical nuclear weapons over Afghanistan the day after 9/11 to send a definite message to the world that they had screwed up in a big way."
The Bureau of Arms Control, Verification and Compliance's mission statement says it is responsible for "deterring conflict" and that it works to build "cooperation among allies and partners in order to control the threat posed by weapons of mass destruction," according to its website.
The State Department did not immediately respond to CNN for comment.
KFile previously reported that Wuco had pushed false claims during radio appearances that Obama was not born in the US, had made disparaging comments about the LGBT community, and lamented what he called the "Zimbabwe-fication" of America.
A DHS spokesman said the remarks from Wuco in the first KFile piece were "years-old comments cherry picked from thousands of hours" that had "no bearing on his ability to perform his job for the American people."
The conspiracy theories Wuco has promoted emerged during a deeper review by KFile after that DHS statement. | 65 |
india
Updated: Jun 29, 2019 02:25 IST
On Friday, Mumbaiites woke up to the first spell of heavy rains this monsoon — the most delayed in the city in 10 years. However, the “very heavy rains” exposed the ill-preparedness of the city’s authorities, especially the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), with waterlogging complaints pouring in through the day. In rain-related incidents, three people died of electric shocks and five got injured on Friday, while 53 tree-fall incidents were reported in ten hours.
The rains also threw public transport out of gear, with a total of 44 trains cancelled and 155 delayed on the Central Railway (CR) and Western Railway (WR). Meanwhile, the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply & Transport Undertaking (BEST) diverted its buses on 20 routes in Mumbai and Thane, while surge pricing by private cab aggregators gave commuters a tough time, compounded by traffic snarls. The rains also led to flights getting delayed and one diverted at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA), according to officials.
Rainfall intensity increased by the afternoon with heavy to very heavy rain in the suburbs and surrounding areas, while moderate showers continued in south Mumbai. However, from 4.30pm onwards, there was a considerable drop in intensity.
“The areas, which were flooded on Friday were bound be waterlogged as they are either the lowest point of a saucer-shaped area or are a subway. The topography has to be considered and also the BMC cannot keep vigilance at every spot,” said Vidyadhar Khandkar, the chief engineer of the stormwater drains (SWD) department.
Meanwhile, Friday’s showers paved the way for cool conditions in the city. The day temperature fell below 2 degrees Celsius both in the suburbs and south Mumbai. While Santacruz recorded 29.2 degrees Celsius as the maximum, which was 2.1 degree Celsius below normal, Colaba recorded 28.7 degrees Celsius, 2.4 degree Celsius below normal. There was a little more than 2 degrees Celsius gap between the minimum and maximum temperatures as Colaba and Santacruz both recorded 26.5 degrees Celsius, 0.6 degree Celsius above normal.
Early on Friday, in two separate incidents, three deaths and two injuries were reported from the western suburbs, according to civic officials. | 66 |
of these cancers, but these findings warrant further investigation to test this possibility. Occupational radiation doses have been reduced substantially, and we found no evidence of excess mortality in U.S. radiologists who graduated from medical school after 1940, possibly because of increased radiation protection and/or lifestyle changes.
Advances in Knowledge ■ The study included 43 763 radiologists and 64 990 psychiatrists (comparison group) who graduated from medical school in 1916–2006; in the radiologists who graduated after 1940, there was no evidence of increased mortality from radiation-related causes such as cancer or cardiovascular disease.
■ In the radiologists who graduated before 1940, there was an increased risk of mortality from leukemia and/or myelodysplastic syndrome (relative risk [RR] = 4.68; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.91, 24.18) that was likely related to their occupational radiation exposure.
■ There was also increased mortality from melanoma ( RR = 8.75; 95% CI : 1.89, 40.53), non-Hodgkin lymphoma ( RR = 2.69; 95% CI : 1.33, 5.45), and cerebrovascular disease ( RR = 1.49; 95% CI : 1.11, 2.01) in those that graduated before 1940, and this is possibly due to occupational radiation exposure.
Author Contributions
disclosed no relevant relationships.disclosed no relevant relationships.disclosed no relevant relationships.disclosed no relevant relationships.disclosed no relevant relationships.disclosed no relevant relationships.disclosed no relevant relationships.
Author contributions: Guarantor of integrity of entire study, A.B.d.G.; study concepts/study design or data acquisition or data analysis/interpretation, all authors; manuscript drafting or manuscript revision for important intellectual content, all authors; manuscript final version approval, all authors; agrees to ensure any questions related to the work are appropriately resolved, all authors; literature research, A.B.d.G., C.M.K., D.L.M., M.S.L.; clinical studies, D.L.M.; statistical analysis, A.B.d.G., E.N., C.M.K.; and manuscript editing, A.B.d.G., E.N., C.M.K., D.L.M., R.A.K., M.S.L. | 67 |
'I just need to take better care of myself,' she tells MTV News.
Selena Gomez seems to have made a full recovery from her recent hospitalization for food poisoning and exhaustion.
The young star has made several public appearances since the news broke, but it was on Thursday, when Gomez appeared on the "Kidd Kraddick in the Morning" radio show, that we learned what may have been the culprit behind her illness: junk food. "I do eat. The problem is, I don't eat right," Gomez said. "I love everything that's possibly not good for me."
On Friday (June 17), MTV News caught up with Gomez as she promoted her new flick "Monte Carlo," and while she assured us that she "feels much better," she's not completely ready to rid herself of unhealthy food just yet.
"Well, not ever again; I am still 18," Gomez said when asked if she would not be eating any more junk food. "But I just need to take better care of myself."
Yet, there is one food Gomez has decided to eliminate from her diet: Nutella.
"No more Nutella, Leighton," Gomez laughed to "Monte Carlo" co-star Leighton Meester. The two, who play stepsisters in the movie, spent two months overseas in France and Monte Carlo and seemed to have developed a strong liking for the hazelnut spread.
"I know, I'm to blame for that," Meester said of getting Gomez hooked. "On the whole movie, we had Nutella with everything — Nutella with fruit, Nutella with everything."
What were some of their favorite Nutella treats? "We had toast, Nutella and bananas every day on set," Gomez said.
"[We had it] like five times a day," Meester added.
"Monte Carlo" hits theaters July 1 and stars Gomez as a teenager vacationing in Paris, where she is mistaken for a British heiress. The movie also features Meester and "Glee" star Cory Monteith.
Next up for Gomez, she will be hitting the road next month for her first headlining summer tour alongside Allstar Weekend and newcomer Christina Grimmie.
Check out everything we've got on "Monte Carlo."
For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com. | 68 |
http://jamesdjulia.com/item/1543-394/ (issued A5)
http://jamesdjulia.com/item/3069-394/ (issued Warner & Swasey)
http://jamesdjulia.com/item/3072-394/ (private target A5)
The United States had two primary types of sniper rifles during World War One, although both were based on the M1903 Springfield rifle.
The most common optic used was the Warner & Swasey "Telescopic Musket Sight", a rather clumsy prismatic optic mounted on the left side of the rifle, on a detachable rail. The model 1908 W&S offered 6 power magnification, which was reduced to 5.2x in the 1913 model in an effort to increase field of view. These optics were also used on the M1909 Benet-Mercie light machine gun.
The second type is the Winchester A5 scope, an excellent commercial scope available at the time. Although usually associated with the US Marine Corps, several hundred of these were also issued by the Army. The A5 was a much more tradition type of optic, mounted centrally above the bore and preferred by competitive marksmen.
The third rifle we are looking at in this video is a very interesting example of a competitive rifle from the pre-WWI period. It is a 1903 Springfield fitted with a commercial A5 scope and Mann bases. This is the sort of rifle that would have been used by the career military shooters for competition, and would likely have accompanied many such men overseas in the American Expeditionary Force. Woe to the German who found himself in the sights of such a man with a rifle like this!
http://www.patreon.com/ForgottenWeapons
Related:
WWI Periscope Trench Mauser: https://www.full30.com/video/5e70aefd851ade5cdc95f9b1f5d533ff
WWI German G98 Sniper: https://www.full30.com/video/61de6f7f6d2eb686c390d16e2bd9ac8f
US WWII Springfield Snipers: https://www.full30.com/video/f7b62b7c1e1c7d8b57bd64e6f78b59c5
| 69 |
Yoga Information Pages
Aghori Yogis The Aghori are ascetic Shiva sadhus, known to engage in magic post-mortem rituals (youtube).
Ashtanga Yoga Primary Series Ashtanga Yoga Primary Series (PDF)
Ashtanga Yoga Primary Series Ashtanga Yoga Videos with Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, David Swenson, John Scott & Eddie Stern
Ashtanga Yoga Intermediate Series Ashtanga Yoga Intermediate Series (.JPG)
Ashtanga Yoga Chant A description of the Ashtanga Yoga Chant of Patanjali (PDF)
Babaji Avatar ET Avatar Babaji ~ Is the Great Lord of Yoga an Angel or ET or Both? by Raj D Wiseman (PDF)
Bandhas Moola, Uddiyana and Jalandhara bandha (PDF)
Book Recommendations All suggested readings are available for purchase at the Sea of Tranquility (PDF)
Chakra System Pranic Energy Vortexes by Caroline Myss (PDF)
Moon Effects How does the full moon can affect peoples consciousness & behaviour? (PDF)
Prana The great cosmic power of kundalini Shakti (PDF)
Pranayama Pranayama in Theory and Practice by Sankara Saranam (PDF)
Pratyahara Pratyahara: the Forgotten Limb of Yoga by By David Frawley (PDF)
Sacred Contracts The Four Archetypes of Survival by Caroline Myss (PDF)
Science of the Soul The Science of the Soul Become a Radiant Being (PDF)
The Lemurian Scrolls Angelic Prophecies Revealing Ancient Human Origin (PDF)
The Nervous System The sympathetic & parasympathetic nervous system: the autonomic nervous system. (PDF)
The Yuga Cycles Information, pics and youtube clips on the Yuga Cycles
The Yugas Cycles The cycles repeat like the seasons, waxing and waning within a greater time-cycle. (PDF)
Yin Manual Picture Booklet for my Yin courses (PDF)
Yoga Journal How to keep a yoga journal
Yoga Mala Yoga Mala written by Sri K Pattabhi Jois(PDF)
Yoga Nidra Information Yoga nidra is a practice which can be widely applied in the modern world (PDF) | 70 |
In the past decade, Avista has proposed roughly half a dozen significant rate hikes.
SPOKANE, Wash. — This week, Avista proposed a rate hike amounting to roughly 10 percent increases in gas and electric bills for 2020.
Residential electric customers in Washington would see a rate increase of 9.8 percent in 2020 and another 3.7 percent in 2012.
Residential natural gas customers in Washington would see a rate increase of 10.4 percent in 2020 and 4.7 percent in 2021.
If approved, Avista would increase rates starting on April 1, 2020, and then again on April 1, 2021.
Before that can go into effect, though, it needs to get the OK from the Utilities and Transportation Commission.
Avista has not exactly gotten its way with UTC much in recent years. Most notably, the agency killed the company's merger with Toronto-based Hydro One.
The company tends to propose rate increases every 1-2 years. In between their full plan proposals, there are often a series of smaller adjustments related to new rate credits or the fluctuating price of global natural gas. Those adjustments usually amount to slight decreases.
But in terms of plans comparable to the one currently on the table, there have been about a half-dozen this decade. Here's a history of those proposals, and UTC's response to them. All percentages were rounded to the nearest whole number.
In 2011, Avista wanted to raise electric rates by about 9 percent and gas rates about 4. UTC approved smaller rate hikes, closer to 5 and 2 percent.
In 2012, the commission approved a 3 percent electric and 4 percent gas hike for 2013, followed by hikes of 3 and 1 percent for 2014.
In 2014, another plan was approved, with increases around 3 and 6 percent.
In 2016, Avista again asked to raise rates. But this time, UTC said yes to a 6 percent gas hike but no to an electric hike, instead demanding that Avista reduce electric rates by 1 percent.
Later that year, the UTC allowed a 3 percent electric increase.
At the end of 2016, another proposal: 8 percent increase for electric and 3 percent increase for gas. This one was rejected outright.
The most recent proposal: the 3-year plan brought forth in 2018.
This one was rejected by the commission and replaced with a one-year plan with 2 percent hikes across the board. | 71 |
Nelson Oliveira was left with nasty gashes to his forehead and nose
Aston Villa defender Tyrone Mings has sent an apology to Nelson Oliveira after leaving the Reading forward with gruesome facial injuries during the sides’ goalless draw at the Madejski Stadium.
Mings was making his Villa debut after completing a loan switch from Bournemouth and will have been pleased to play his part in a clean sheet away from home, but his performance was marred by an incident in the 73rd minute of the Championship clash.
The 25-year-old centre-back stamped on Oliveira’s head after a tussle for the ball and the Portuguese was forced off with deep gashes to his forehead and nose.
Reading’s medical staff treated Oliveira on the pitch and the striker, who was making only his second appearance for the Royals, was later taken to hospital. He is likely to undergo surgery and is expected to be on the sidelines for some time.
Incredibly, referee Geoff Eltringham missed the incident and Mings’ stamp went unpunished.
Mings was widely condemned across social media, with many referring to a previous incident when the defender stamped on Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s head during Bournemouth’s 1-1 draw with Manchester United back in 2017.
Oliveira was taken to hospital for further treatment (Picture: Rex/Shutterstock)
‘Absolutely loved wearing the claret and blue today and over the moon with the clean sheet!’ Mings tweeted after the draw.
‘Feel awfully sorry to Oliveira, I hope he is ok.’
Absolutely loved wearing the claret and blue today and over the moon with the clean sheet! @AVFCOfficial Feel awfully sorry to Oliveira, I hope he is ok ❤️ #UTV pic.twitter.com/wCsa5ouNvW — Tyrone Mings (@OfficialTM_3) February 2, 2019
Reading boss Jose Gomes questioned the officials after Mings escaped without even a booking.
‘I didn’t see him [Oliveira] after the game,’ the Portuguese said at his post-match press conference.
‘It was a very strange decision also from the referee
MORE: Eden Hazard makes late run for Super Bowl appearance with sublime NFL ball keepy-ups | 72 |
last goodbyes. They refused to come see him and 2 days before he died at home they literally camped outside the house not entering until he died and even before the funeral director got there, barged through and started taking stuff. We called the police but couldn’t get any support. It’s wrong. So wrong. 32 years! 32 years ignored by society, family, government. It’s just heartbreaking.
It’s also clear from the responses to Ben’s story that he is not alone and discrimination continues despite the legal recognition of same-sex relationships.
According to Kyle Hawthorne:
Unfortunately this story is all too common. I went through a very similar situation to Ben in 2012. Initially they put his father down (as next of kin), however I made sure the coroner’s office put myself down as the next of kin. I left Australia and now live abroad because I was a second class citizen.
Jeff Franklin tells a similar story:
Four years ago a friend went through a similar situation as Ben experienced. Two very intelligent men who had been together for four years when tragically one died very suddenly. Enter ex-wife and family and you can guess the rest. The lawyers on both sides were the financial winners!! Until marriage equality is a reality use every legal protection possible!!
But the response to Ben’s case is not entirely bleak. Ben’s story has also elicited profound empathy from many Australians, including many heterosexuals.
Nici Perriam is typical:
My husband of 7 months passed away in 2012. As we were a male and female everything went through me. All of his assets immediately passed to me even though there was no will. An awful situation was made easier due to the good fortune of having that piece of paper. This is why I’m so desperate for marriage equality. So that people who are in the worst of circumstances have an experience like me, and not like Ben.
Across Australia there are hundreds of thousands of people like Nici who will see in Ben’s story the urgent need for marriage equality. It will be their voices that will convince politicians to vote for marriage equality, or, if we have a plebiscite, convince their fellow Australians to do the same.
Personal stories like Ben’s, having tapped our compassion as a nation, will play an indispensable role in finally leading us to marriage equality. | 73 |
A reptile specialist extracts venom from a deadly Eastern tiger snake to create antivenom—a lifesaving snakebite treatment.
A snake’s bite can be deadly. If a victim receives antivenom—a medicine that counteracts the effects of a snake’s venom—quickly enough, though, they might have a chance of survival. But around the world, antivenoms are in short supply. That’s because the medicines require collecting venom from actual snakes, making them expensive and difficult to make. To solve the shortage, scientists are working to engineer artificial venom and antivenom molecules—two or more atoms bonded together.
Lifesaving Medicine
Each year, about 90,000 people around the globe die from snakebites. Many of those victims live in the developing world. The largest number of fatal bites occurs in Southeast Asia, India, Brazil, and Africa. In these poorer counties, antivenoms are expensive and not readily available.
Pharmaceutical companies have difficulty making large amounts of antivenom because it requires raising snakes in captivity. Each snake provides only a small amount of venom at a time. Also, companies must make many types of antivenom because each is effective against only one particular type of snake. Because manufacturing the medicines is hard and not that profitable, fewer and fewer companies are choosing to sell them.
That’s why Paulo Lee Ho, a biochemist at Butantan Institute in São Paulo, Brazil, has been searching for better ways to create treatments for snakebites. “We need a new way to meet the demand for antivenom,” he recently told Nature magazine.
Making Antivenom
For more than a century, scientists have been making antivenom by first injecting a tiny, harmless dose of venom into a large animal, like a horse. This triggers the animal’s body to produce antibodies. These specialized molecules attack and disable the venom’s toxins. The antibodies are removed from the horse’s blood and given to snakebite victims as antivenom.
Last month, Ho reported making artificial DNA—the molecule that carries hereditary information—that triggered the production of antibodies in mice against deadly coral snake venom. Other scientists recently engineered artificial pieces of antibodies that combatted the effects of pit viper bites.
Researchers hope these new methods could make treatments more accessible to snakebite victims and, as a result, save more lives. | 74 |
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Formula 1 drivers have encouraged the FIA to consider introducing rear-facing cameras and screens instead of mirrors in the future.
The subject was discussed in the Friday drivers' briefing at Austin last week in the context of a discussion over Kevin Magnussen's defensive move against Charles Leclerc at Suzuka.
It was acknowledged that rear visibility is limited with the current mirrors, and that it is, for example, hard to judge the closing speed of a following car, especially if it has the advantage of using DRS.
While mirrors will be modified in F1's 2019 technical regulations to improve visibility, cameras - which are already used in some other racing categories - have been suggested as an alternative.
The FIA has looked into the matter, and there are three major issues that need addressing: brightness for different weather conditions, packaging either within the cockpit or in the normal mirror positions, and concerns about drivers having to switch their focus onto screens that lack perspective, unlike traditional mirrors, and back to the track.
"Charlie Whiting said it was maybe judged in the heat of the moment a bit too light on Kevin," Carlos Sainz Jr told Autosport.
"We also realise that with the mirrors that we have we cannot see behind us, so that probably Kevin's move was intentional but also wrongly-judged because of the mirrors, which is something that's happened to me previously, so I'm not going to put full blame on him.
"We have to put a bit of the blame into knowing that the mirrors we have are not good enough for F1 standards.
"We've proposed having cameras, instead of a simple mirror, and I think the FIA is going to have a look at it.
"But it is not something that has been clarified yet.
"It's come from the drivers, we know other categories drivers have it. It doesn't mean that it's going to come, but it could be an option."
Valtteri Bottas agreed that cameras would be a good alternative. "I see no reason why it wouldn't work," said the Finn.
"I think there are many road cars and other racing cars with some clever stuff done with the mirrors, with a screen and small cameras.
"The technology is there. This should be the leading sport for technology, so I'm sure it can be done, and it would be nice to see." | 75 |
How To Take Care Of Your Leggings So They Last Forever
To ensure that you’re taking the best care of your beloved leggings, a list of cleaning tips is given in this blog. Summer was all about toiling in the heat and sweat but its worth it given the fact that you’ve achieved your fitness goals. It is the one item of clothing in our closet that we use almost daily whether it is inside or outside the gym. But do you know how to clean them properly and maintain its longevity? That’s why this blog is here to help you. Leggings are incredibly versatile, let alone being comfortable items of clothing. But worry not, read the blog and find out how to keep them with you forever (period). One of the popular wholesale leggings manufacturers have come up with an impressive collection that you can have a look at.
1. Ensure to keep your leggings dry. Since these are made of moisture wicking material to keep you dry, these are likely to get damp after a day or week of rigorous workout. This can create a mildew smell and even cause the buildup of bacteria. Hence, it will be advisable to rinse them properly under running water after each use.
2. To ensure that your leggings stays looking and feeling like new, keep your garments away from the dryer and hang them dry instead. The artificial heat of the fryer can warp the individual threads of the fabric, distorting the shape of the garment and also degrading its quality. Therefore, let them air dry for freshness and longevity.
3. Don’t ever use fabric softeners. It is because most softeners contain silicone that can create a coat on the fabric that weakens its breathability and wicking ability. Even if you accidently wash your leggings don’t stress, as a good rinse under lukewarm running water can help get rid of the layer.
4. Spot cleaning is another thing you can opt for instead of cleaning the whole garment. This is possible when the leggings are not completely dirty and there are some stains in various spots. This ensures that you clean the spots well and evade the spread of stain to other areas.
Retailers can get in touch with custom leggings manufacturers and browse through the collection of trendy and functional leggings. Select the pieces that you want to bulk order and check the MOQ of the products and order accordingly. | 76 |
In front of Assistant Secretary Mocha Uson of the Presidential Communications Operations Office, an emotional pro-Duterte blogger confronted a British Broadcasting Corp. (BBC) journalist on Monday after the media outfit had featured a “very minor” blogger in the Philippines.
A video posted on social media showed Sass Rogando Sasot, a known staunch supporter of President Rodrigo Duterte, blasting BBC correspondent Jonathan Head on the sidelines of the Asean Summit being held at the World Trade Center in Pasay City.
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“Can you tell me how is it possible that Jover Laurio, a very minor blogger in the Philippines was featured by the BBC in order to defend herself…but not someone like me whose social media following is way way higher than her, whose Facebook engagement is way way higher than her and who you had even interacted on Facebook?” Sasot asked.
“Why were you not concerned about my safety but you were concerned about Jover Laurio?” she further asked.
Sasot was referring to Laurio, who is the brain behind the Pinoy Ako Blog.
Laurio was interviewed by the BBC last month after she admitted being behind her blog as some pro-Duterte bloggers were threatening to expose her true identity.
She lamented that the BBC had insulted not just her but the millions of followers of supporters when the media outfit interviewed Laurio.
“Do you know that a lot of overseas Filipino workers are doing everything in order to compact the lies being peddled by mainstream media including Rappler, Inquirer and ABS-CBN— and I know that international media [are] only getting [their feeds] from these people…”
“You know a lot of people are insulted that you are only covering one side of the story…,” Sasot grumbled.
But the BBC journalist belied the blogger’s allegation. “That’s not true…,” Head said.
“If it’s not true, could you please explain to me why all of a sudden a minor blogger like Jover Laurio was given this platform? Who made this connection?” Sasot shot back.
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Uson, also known as a blogger before she joined the Duterte administration, could be seen standing and just watching the confrontation.
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MOST READ | 77 |
Stevenson said three of the companies are not existing sponsors of the Dogs. The proposition of being meaningfully attached to women's AFL football, he added, makes compelling financial sense. Emma King of the Bulldogs wins the tap over Tayla Harris of the Demons during an exhibition match in season 2015. Credit:Getty Images "One of the interesting statistics that we've looked at is that 70 per cent of household decisions are made by a woman," Stevenson said. "You educate these companies around some of the tv viewership, participation and growth in the sport figures, and all of a sudden their ears are a lot more open to this opportunity. "And I think a key point with the existing sponsor is it's not about reallocating money, we're talking about additional money."
Stevenson was among the crowd of AFL and club bosses at a women in football breakfast hosted by Bulldogs vice-president, philanthropist and major sponsor of female football, Susan Alberti, on Friday morning. AFL Commission head Mike Fitzpatrick, new commissioner Gabrielle Trainor, and a host of other football directors, executives and notables were present. AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan discussed the crucial matter of sponsorship for a league almost certainly to begin with eight teams – effectively new female branches of existing men's AFL entities – from 2017. "I think that, actually, people are going to surprised about how many companies [are interested] who ordinarily wouldn't want to be involved with our game, or who haven't been historically. "But because they support gender equality, and because they support women's sport and women's participation, they're going to become involved," he said.
"This will make business sense for our clubs. and for our industry beyond being an elite opportunity and aspiration for women all around the country." Another club committed to applying for a women's team licence said on Friday it was crucial to have a competition format and – in particular – plans for the broadcasting of the women's matches to take to sponsors. Simply, the club said the more television exposure they could guarantee the more investment for women's football they stood to command. The proposed competition format for the first season of the women's competition, financial models and club application process will be presented to the AFL Commission later this month. Eight teams - four in Victoria, one in New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia and South Australia – is being recommended. Port Adelaide has officially stated it will not bid for a licence in the inaugural season of the women's league. 2016 AFL women's exhibition series | 78 |
Iraq? By Jerry Mazza 8-8-8 rense.com.. Mossad agents with New Zealand passports on them, were arrested by US Militry ppl and subsequently ordered to be let go, they had been killing American soldiers with with high powered sniper rifles and IEDs.
To aid the illusion that America was fighting a legitimate war in Iraq, they had been torturers at Abu Ghraib prison.. while British SAS soldiers were caught with a carload of IEDs and detonation devices in the Basra area.. both sets of events were hushed up in the news. Jerry Mazza is a freelance writer living in New York City.
The Crest Hotel in Brisbane
Personal note.. 1972 a friend of mine met a Jewish chick at a party, Saturday afternoon days later at the underground public bar of the Crest Hotel in Brisbane some of her friends came in.. he told me that one of them makes blue movies and had inquired as to whether he wished to appear in one.
He was solidly built stretchin' to make middle height, somewhat florid, urbanely disposed individual, who was on his way to the Gold Coast 100 k south of Brisbane to make movies.. must have been Barkan, there was a blowy lookin' chick with them.
They were accompanied by a man that I recognized as an ambulance man, who I now know to be Eli Cara aka Anthony David Resnick, and know that he is in the movie snippet Young hosted on the ABC News in 1997, in company with the young person he said was slain.
They never stayed long, Cara appeared to be on a steroids program at the time, the prior acquaintanceship with him was a couple of chance meetings in the workplace.
Friend's girlfriend indicated that they were on their way to shoot footage even as they departed, her demeanor suggested dark deeds were afoot.. it is not uncommon for professional photographers to use similar riverside locations, so maybe that was the day they made the movie on the river bank at St Lucia.
His name is Leo Tori, she was Jackie Kaffyn now Tori, since it seems unlikely that she would set her intended spouse up for a snuff killing, I can only assume that I was the intended target, they had the young person with them, when he went to go into the pub with them Barkan told him to go back to the car!
| 79 |
Lebanon protesters march over domestic violence bill Published duration 9 March 2014
media caption Thousands marched through the Lebanese capital Beirut to demand the passage of law protecting women against domestic violence
Thousands of people have marched through Beirut to demand politicians in Lebanon pass a law against domestic violence.
The rally, which coincided with International Women's Day, was led by relatives of victims.
Lebanon is viewed as the one of the most liberal countries in the Middle East, but has no law protecting women from violence by family members.
The new bill has languished amid stiff opposition from religious figures.
There are no national statistics on domestic violence in Lebanon.
But campaigners say one woman is killed by her husband every month on average, while thousands are subjected to physical or verbal abuse every year.
image copyright AP image caption The family of Roula Yaacoub, seen in the framed photograph, say she was killed by her husband
image copyright AP image caption Lebanon currently has no law against domestic violence and there are no national statistics on the problem
Protests marched through the streets of the Lebanese capital on Saturday carrying posters reading "Break the silence", "We say no to abuse, do you?" and "Speak out. Stop domestic violence".
The proposed bill on domestic violence has polarised politicians, and was amended by parliament after lobbying from Lebanon's powerful religious establishment.
Many campaigners want the changes reversed so the bill focuses on women and includes a move to criminalise marital rape.
Pressure cooker
A number of alleged domestic violence killings in the past year have drawn renewed attention to women's rights in the country.
Rights groups say Manal Assi died last month after her husband beat her with a pressure cooker.
Her mother, Nada Sabbagh, said she saw her daughter being killed.
"I walked in and started jumping in shock then begged him to let me take her out," she said.
"He was telling me, 'I will not let her out I want her to die in front of you, I want her to die in front of you' and he killed her in front of my eyes."
While there is no law against domestic violence, a rapist can escape punishment if he marries his victim.
Ghassan Moukheiber, an MP and a member of the parliamentary Human Rights Committee, said he hoped the draft bill would be unanimously approved once parliament meets. | 80 |
have to call "advantage Mitch" on that particular point, for what it's worth (which is, in my opinion, not very much, btw.)
COMMENT #93 [Permalink]
... Agent 99 said on 1/16/2010 @ 11:53 pm PT...
Iran has never threatened to attack or to wipe Israel from the map. They have been the only people decent enough to help Lebanese and Palestinians defend themselves from attacks by Israel. Again, Israel would be perfectly safe if it did not keep murdering its neighbors, and it is safe from attack by another country because attacking Israel would be suicide. As it stands, compliance with U.N. resolutions would suffice to keep it perfectly safe for a very, very long time. They won't do it. They prefer slaughtering and torturing people, and keeping them locked up in ghettos without enough food, medicine, water or building materials to recover from periodic pogroms, where they use white phosphorus to burn women and children to unrecognizable remnants of blackened flesh, to complying with U.N. resolutions.
COMMENT #94 [Permalink]
... Agent 99 said on 1/17/2010 @ 12:00 am PT...
I read it Brad. It's the same translator, IRNA, as from the last time, and EVEN if he said what it says he said, that was not a threat to Israel. It wasn't even a threat to the Israeli government. It was a statement that these bad guys are dead enders and cannot last. But really, the Khomeini stuff Ahmadinejad is talking about was a reference to regimes disappearing from the pages of time. Decent people revile the actions of the Israelis, and for whatever else might be unlikable about the Iranian government, their defense of decency in this matter is actually beautiful, and no threat to people of good will. Ahmadinejad, in fact, when pressed on this question, the question of the resolution of the Palestine problem, he always says "Put it to a vote."
COMMENT #95 [Permalink]
... mick said on 1/17/2010 @ 12:01 am PT...
Mitch Trachtenberg from your linked site the ACTUAL quote was...
"O dear Imam (Khomeini)! You said the Zionist Regime that is a usurper and illegitimate regime and a cancerous tumor s | 81 |
Rebekah Brooks, the former Chief Executive of News International, has been arrested.
Police said that a 43-year-old woman was arrested by appointment at a London police station on Sunday on suspicion of conspiring to intercept communications and on suspicion of corruption allegations. A spokesperson for Brooks confirmed that the appointment for her attendance at the police station was made on Friday.
Brooks was arrested by Operation Weeting, the investigation into phone-hacking, with involvement from Operation Elveden, which is investigating allegations of improper payments to police.
According to the BBC's Robert Peston, the arrest of Brooks is a "big deal". He adds: "News Int sources say they had no inkling Rebekah Brooks would be arrested when discussing her resignation last week".
The New Statesman's legal correspondent, David Allen Green, has questioned the timing of the arrest. He wrote on Twitter: "Am not a conspiracy theorist, but... the Met need to urgently explain the agreed timing of the Brooks arrest 'by appointment'."
It is the tenth arrest in connection with the investigation over phone hacking at News of the World.
In a statement, the Metropolitan police said:
At approximately 12.00 hrs a 43-year-old woman was arrested by appointment at a London police station by officers from Operation Weeting together with officers from Operation Elveden. She is currently in custody.
She was arrested on suspicion of conspiring to intercept communications, contrary to Section1 (1) [of the] Criminal Law Act 1977 and on suspicion of corruption allegations contrary to Section 1 of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1906.
Krishnan Guru-Murthy of Channel 4 News has questioned whether the arrest makes it harder for MPs to question Brooks at the Select Committee hearing on Tuesday. Tom Watson, the MP who has championed the investigation into hacking, added: "Had she made her appointment to be arrested before confirming attendance at our committee? I wouldn't be surprised."
John Whittingdale MP, another member of the Culture, Media and Sport select committee, told the Telegraph's Christopher Hope the arrest "change[s] the picture somewhat".
Meanwhile, Rupert Murdoch's biographer, Michael Wolff, wonders whether attention might turn now to James Murdoch, who is still employed by News Corporation. He tweets: "In 2008, during a two hour interview I did with Rebekah Brooks, she took seven phone calls from James Murdoch --that's how often they spoke.". | 82 |
By
Composting, you have probably thought about it. Visions of a giant heap in your backyard that is smelly turn you off from the idea, though. Or maybe townhome, condo, or apartment living restricts you from even attempting it.
Well not any longer.
This very simple compost bin gives you the opportunity to try composting without too much commitment, cost, or space needed. It will debunk some of your ideas about composting.
SUPPLIES
Storage bin (the darker the color the better)
Drill
Yes, that is all you truly need to make this bin. You can borrow a drill if you do not have one of your own. Storage bins are around $5 at your local mass merchant store, but if you have one that has a crack or hole it and no longer functions properly as a storage bin, you can just use that one for free.
HOW TO MAKE THE COMPOST BIN
Drill holes all over your storage bin. Remember to drill holes on the bottom to allow for water drainage. You want all four sides and the bottom to be covered with random holes.
The lid should have holes drilled into it, as well. This will allow for air to circulate.
USING YOUR COMPOST BIN
Put some dirt in your compost bin. You can grab any random excess dirt you can find or a package of cheap top soil works great to start with.
Add any fruit or vegetable scraps you may have. Peelings and cores are great. Plant clippings and trimmings work wonderfully, too.
Anytime you add contents to the compost bin, you will want to give the bin a shaking. This will help aerate the compost and allow it process faster and more efficiently. Simply attach your lid securely on the bin and rock the bin from side to side. Then tilt it front to back.
Now you have a bin that can easily be put anywhere, even on your patio. Compost does not stink, despite the rumors you have heard. As long as you add the proper ingredients, it actually smells kind of sweet. So place your bin where it is the most convenient for you to use everyday.
Many compost piles will take about a year to provide good compost for use. This bin allows that process to go much faster. You can get good compost in as little as 4-6 months.
TIPS FOR COMPOSTING | 83 |
Video footage posted to social media Saturday showed a line of riot police being attacked by projectiles and smoke bombs just a few hundred meters from the Italian border with Austria.
Police fired tear gas and water cannon to disperse the protesters, many of whom were hooded or wore helmets or gas masks. Italian newspaper Corriera della Sera reported this week that the protest had been organized by an anarchist group from Trentino, northern Italy.
The Italian news agency Ansa reported that about 500 people had gathered close to the Brenner Pass border to demand a reversal of a raft of Austrian anti-migrant measures, which include new border controls on the Austria-Italy border.
Four police officers and several demonstrators were injured. Some 20 people were arrested, according to the German news agency dpa.
Police used tear gas and water cannon against protesters
The protest spilled over on to the railway, blocking train services, and then onto the highway. Italy's state television RAI showed police detaining one demonstrator near some railway tracks.
Saturday's protest went ahead despite a prohibition zone being placed around the mountainous Brenner Pass after a similar demonstration on Friday.
Free movement 'at risk'
After receiving 90,000 asylum applications over the past year, Austria has speeded up plans to restrict access through the Alpine crossing and to build a fence to prevent a new influx of refugees arriving through Italy.
The Austrian government said it was forced to take preventive measures after another major migrant route, through Greece and the Balkans, was shut off, leaving the Alpine route vulnerable.
The Europa Bridge, just south of Innsbruck, forms part of the main route across the Alps from Austria to Italy
The Brenner is a key route between Austria and Italy and until recently, there were no border controls as the crossing is part of Europe's borderless Schengen zone.
Since January 1, over 28,500 migrants have landed in Italy, with many of them then heading to other European countries.
EC Commissioner warns of consequences
Also on Saturday, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker waded into the debate over the new border controls, saying they would be a "political catastrophe" for Europe.
"Everything that blocks the Brenner Pass will have not just serious economic consequences, but most importantly heavy political consequences," he said, referring to the route being a major European transport corridor.
mm/jm (dpa, AP) | 84 |
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A blaze at a St. Louis church early Saturday morning was the fifth church fire that the St. Louis Fire Department has responded to in the past 10 days, officials said.
Saturday’s fire scorched the front doors of New Life Missionary Baptist Church, said St. Louis Fire Department spokesman Garon Mosby. The church is in the Walnut Park East neighborhood in the city's northwest.
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All five church fires have been set by the front doors of the places of worship, said St. Louis Fire Chief Dennis Jenkerson. The fires have led to minimal damage inside of the buildings, and no one has been harmed, Jenkerson told NBC News.
Investigators from the St. Louis Regional Bomb and Arson Unit and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are assisting the St. Louis Fire Department and local police departments in an effort determine if all five fires are related, Jenkerson said. The five churches that have been set ablaze are within about three miles of one another, he said.
“We’ve got similarities in how the fires are set, which is what we’re looking at,” Jenkins said. But the fires haven’t all been set at the same time of day, and don’t seem to target specific types of churches. Jenkins said the churches that have been set on fire are of varying denominations and sizes.
The first fire was set at Bethel Non-Denominational Church on Lillian Avenue on Oct. 8, said Brian Schellman, with the St. Louis County Police Department. “The fire damage was minimal and confined to the exterior and underside of the door,” Schellman told NBC News.
The subsequent three fires were set between Oct. 10 and Oct. 14 at New Northside Missionary Baptist Church, St. Augustine Catholic Church and the New Testament Church of Christ, according to The Associated Press.
A picture posted on the Facebook page of New Northside Missionary Baptist Church showed the damage done to their front door. “Someone tried to set our church on fire, but the ONLY fire that's burning is the fire we're having on the inside,” the post said. | 85 |
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President Trump once again deflected conversation on the brutal death of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi—just days after a United Nations probe reported “credible evidence” that the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, a major ally of the Trump administration, bore responsibility for the brutal killing. The UN report also recommended an FBI investigation.
In a recent phone call with the crown prince, Khashoggi’s death didn’t come up, Trump said in an interview that aired Sunday on NBC’s Meet the Press.
Asked if he would allow the FBI to investigate the killing, Trump said, “I think it’s been heavily investigated.” He added, “I’ve seen so many different reports.” He went on to call the Middle East a “vicious, hostile place.”
“I only say [Saudi Arabia] spend $400 to $450 billion over a period of time, all money, all jobs, buying equipment,” Trump told host Chuck Todd. “I’m not like a fool that says, ‘We don’t want to do business with them.’ And by the way, if they don’t do business with us, you know what they do? They’ll do business with the Russians or with the Chinese.”
Trump: "If [Saudis] don't do business with us you know what they do? They'll do business with the Russians or with the Chinese. … Take their money. Take their money, Chuck." #MTP #IfItsSunday pic.twitter.com/V0yLYYzjj0 — Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) June 23, 2019
The Meet the Press interview covered a range of topics, from family separation at the border (which Trump falsely claimed was a policy under President Barack Obama) to former Attorney General Jeff Sessions (“I would say if I had one do over, it would be, I would not have appointed Jeff Sessions to be attorney general,” Trump said). The president also noted that he was “not looking for war” with Iran, but in the event of a war, “it’ll be obliteration like you’ve never seen before.” | 86 |
Raikkonen finished 15th, his second worst finish of the year, and Giovinazzi two places ahead, with the team ninth in the constructors’ championship, ahead of only Williams who are yet to score.
Raikkonen and team mate Antonio Giovinazzi showed reasonable pace over one lap and on Saturday were in contention to make Q3, even if they ultimately missed out. But come race day, they appeared to struggle to get the tyres working and lacked the pace to threaten for points.
Kimi Raikkonen and Alfa Romeo were on a roll at the start of the season, scoring in each of the first four races. That early speed has since deserted them, as was evidenced in a lacklustre Canadian GP, but the Finn is hopeful planned upgrades can help get them back on track…
“It was a tough weekend,” said Raikkonen. “We never had enough speed and, obviously, it was a far from perfect race. Once we were in P12 or P13 then I don’t care if I finish there or last - you don’t get anything from there.
“In some laps, the car felt a bit better, on other laps we were lacking a lot of grip. It was not consistent. This weekend the speed was never there to finish in the top ten.
“Tyres [are the main problem], everybody has the same, so for sure we have some work to be done in our car.
“We should get some new parts for the next race, hopefully that will help us to be back fighting for the points. It was not an easy weekend, we take what we got, look at what we can do and take it from there.”
Giovinazzi finished ahead of Raikkonen for the first time this season, but had a frustrating Sunday afternoon, which included a spin at Turn 1.
“It was a difficult race,” said the Italian. “We started with the hard tyres and it was good. I had an issue at Turn 1 when I spun, we need to check what happened. After that, the pace wasn’t really there.
“We need to check everything, study a lot and try and find a solution. We lost the pace, especially in the race, and that’s not good, so we need to check it.” | 87 |
Mueller and, most importantly, take strong, decisive steps to protect the integrity of our elections. They could stop acting as Trump's accomplices and behave as a coequal branch of government.
But they aren't going to do that because they believe doing so would be political suicide, which they think is pointless. McClatchy reports that Republicans believe they can pick up as many as four Senate seats in November as long as Trump continues to dominate the airwaves with his endless whining about the "witch hunt." This analysis comes from GOP operative Josh Holmes:
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“Everybody thinks that President Trump is some kind of drag on the Republican Party, [when] in this case, he’s just the essential ingredient,” said Holmes, who’s helped engineer his party’s Senate strategy for the past 16 years as a chief aide to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. “What the president is doing by continuing to discuss the investigation [into allegations of collusion between his campaign and Russia] and the quote-unquote ‘witch hunt,’ particularly on prime time Fox [News], is doing more to mobilize base voters than any legislative issue we’ve seen,” added Holmes.
In other words, colluding with a foreign country is all part of a cynical strategy to get out their voters in November.
It's unclear whether that will work. According to Jared Yates Sexton's article in Salon on Wednesday, there is a growing sense of discontent among rank-and-file Republicans over this Russia business (and I would guess the tariffs will take a toll as well.) There may not be quite as many true Trump aficionados as these clever strategists assume.
But they do have one last trick in their bag. The Washington Post reports that on Thursday House Republicans will vote on a spending bill that contains no money for election security grants to the states. They say the states have received enough money in the past to get the job done. The fact that Dan Coats says the "red light" is flashing as it was before 9/11 doesn't seem to be a matter for concern.
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The GOP establishment saw what Trump did in Helsinki and was momentarily shaken. It was a stunning performance, to say the least. But it's pretty clear that after thinking it over they've decided that maybe Russian interference in the election isn't such a bad thing after all. It may be their only hope. | 88 |
BOSTON — A Chinese man conspired to export devices that can be used in nuclear production to Iran for what an alleged conspirator called "a very big project and secret one," according to a federal indictment.
Sihai Cheng, also known as Alex Cheng, was brought to the United States Friday after being arrested in Britain earlier this year. He is expected to make an initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Boston on Monday.
In a 2013 indictment, Cheng is accused of conspiracy, illegal exporting of U.S. goods to Iran and smuggling.
Cheng allegedly established shell companies in China to receive pressure-measuring sensors known as "pressure transducers" from the Shanghai subsidiary of Andover, Massachusetts-based MKS Instruments Inc., according to the indictment.
The instruments can be used for various commercial applications, but they can also be used in centrifuges to convert natural uranium into a form that can be used in nuclear weapons.
Cheng is accused of conspiring with Seyed Abolfazl Shahab Jamili, of Tehran, to send hundreds of sensors made by MKS to Eyvaz Technic Manufacturing Co., a Tehran company that has supplied parts for Iran's development of nuclear weapons, the indictment states.
The U.S. Attorney's Office has previously said that MKS sent the instruments to China without knowing they were to go to Iran and is not a target of the investigation, which began in 2012.
Kathleen Burke, general counsel for MKS Instruments, said Friday that Cheng has never been an employee of MKS and the company.
"MKS is not and has never been a target of the investigation. We've provided assistance to the U.S. government during the investigation," Burke said.
The sensors cannot be exported to Iran because of the U.S. embargo.
Jamili described the types of projects for which he was procuring parts for the Iran government in emails with Cheng, according to the indictment. In a March 2007 email, "Jamili confided to Cheng that the parts he was supplying are needed in Iran for 'a very big project and secret one,'" the indictment states.
The indictment says publicly available photographs of the Natanz uranium enrichment facility in Iran show numerous MKS pressure transducers attached to Iran's gas centrifuge cascades.
It could not be determined if Cheng has retained a lawyer. Court documents filed in Boston did not list an attorney. | 89 |
-mcg daily until they have determined how well they tolerate it.
Some people instead choose a continuous administration of Clenbuterol for a period of up to 5 weeks to optimize weight loss, titrating the dosage by 20-mcg daily every couple weeks of your dosing cycle.
Whichever cycle or dosing strategy that you prefer, bodybuilders often say to never exceed 140-mcg per day or take Clenbuterol in excess of 16-weeks per year.
Is clenbuterol an anabolic steroid?
No, it is not a steroid.
Clenbuterol is a decongestant and a bronchodilator that was used to help people suffering from breathing problems.
Clen is also used by bodybuilders and athletes as a performance enhancer, particularly for leanness, and is sometimes stacked with anabolic steroids.
What is the use of clenbuterol?
Clenbuterol is commonly used as a weight loss drug because of its ability to speed up metabolism. Its effects are most felt by people who are already fit but who want to “lean out,” and who prescribe to a healthy diet and good workout regimen.
What Clenbuterol Results Should You Expect?
The results depend on various factors, however, but Clenbuterol for weight loss and metabolic efficiency is what people are hoping for.
The most likely results are the side effects of Clenbuterol mentioned above however.
Many Hollywood celebrities have incorporated Clen into their fitness regime when they need to drop weight and get-cut quick. This doesn’t mean it’s safe or recommended for you to do so.
Some people have given Clenbuterol the nickname of ‘the size-zero pill’, but this is not an accurate depiction of what this drug can do. When taken according to manufacturer’s recommendations, it might be safe, but not for performance enhancement.
While some people experience increased endurance during training, which can enhance performance for athletes at upcoming sporting events, many see the negatives a lot quicker.
Clen has been known to speed-up your metabolism, which can have results in your training, but it will not help you achieve your health and wellness goals.
Clen side effects are a serious thing to consider before using this for weight loss.
References | 90 |
Governing is hard without a government.
As part of a multiple-topic rant lasting several hours, Donald Trump blamed Democrats for allegedly "taking forever to approve my people, including Ambassadors":
.@foxandfriends Dems are taking forever to approve my people, including Ambassadors. They are nothing but OBSTRUCTIONISTS! Want approvals. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 5, 2017
The problem with Trump's false argument the Democrats are "obstructionists" is twofold. First, the Republican Party controls both the House and the Senate. Senate Republicans, not Democrats, are responsible for moving the confirmation process forward on Trump's nominees.
Second, the Trump administration has presented names for only 21 percent of the 559 total key positions requiring Senate confirmation.
When it comes to "including ambassadors" specifically, the White House has provided only 11 out of the necessary 54 names for the vacancies. Of those nominations, five have been confirmed, two have not yet been referred to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for formal nomination, and only four are awaiting confirmation.
In short, Trump might "want approvals," but even with his own party controlling Congress, he cannot get approvals for nominations he has failed to make.
Even before Trump's inauguration, there were serious questions about how the Trump team was handling filling the necessary positions within the federal government. With each transition between presidential administrations, there are hundreds of high-level jobs vacated that require formal nomination by the incoming team and then confirmation by the United States Senate. In addition, there are thousands of other resulting vacancies within agencies that must be filled and do not require confirmation at all.
One of Trump's first actions after taking office was to institute a 90-day federal hiring freeze via presidential memorandum. Even since lifting the hiring freeze 11 weeks later, the Trump administration has left thousands of jobs vacant, including hundreds within critical agencies like the Centers for Disease Control, by using internal managerial directives.
Meanwhile, the Trump White House has veered back and forth between Trump's strategic adviser Steve Bannon asserting "deconstruction of the administrative state" was one of their primary goals to Trump himself boasting his administration was "running like a fine-tuned machine."
More than four months in to his tenure, Trump appears to be realizing it is indeed hard to govern without a government. Rather than taking action or even taking responsibility, he is falling back on his habit of blaming others for his own incompetence and failures. | 91 |
Pension Plan Investment Board, have become world leaders in infrastructure investments, buying up toll roads in the United States, airports in Britain and ports in Australia to diversify from stocks and bonds in a low-interest environment.
But they’ve so far been reluctant to invest in similar Canadian projects, in part because of a shortage of opportunities. The new infrastructure bank is supposed to help fill that gap by matching projects at the municipal, provincial and federal levels with private-sector investors.
Infrastructure spending is popular with Canadian voters, but the establishment of the infrastructure bank has proved divisive. The Conservative Party worries that it will saddle taxpayers with extra debt, while the left-of-center New Democratic Party opposes the measure on the grounds that it would allow private interests too much sway.
And other hurdles remain, including resistance to privatization. The Canadian government has been talking about selling off the nation’s biggest airports, currently run by local authorities, to investors, but airlines and passengers are concerned that would lead to higher landing fees and more expensive airfares.
When the Ontario government recently sold part of its stake in Hydro One, the provincial electric distribution network, markets cheered. But voters were not impressed, according to public opinion polls, worrying that the sale will lead to higher power rates.
Meanwhile, the Trudeau government is pressing ahead with construction of a $4 billion bridge to replace the rapidly deteriorating Champlain Bridge across the St. Lawrence River at Montreal. The previous government insisted that the bridge should be financed in part by tolls, but Trudeau promised that it would be free if he won the election. The new bridge, due to open next year, will be toll-free.
Bob Blakely, chief operating officer of Canada’s Building Trades Unions, the Canadian arm of the U.S.-based North America’s Building Trades Unions, says he thinks Canada is ahead of the United States when it comes to tackling the infrastructure deficit.
“There’s lots of talk about infrastructure spending” in Washington, he said. “But the kinetic isn’t there.”
Read more
Here’s what Canada and Mexico will hate about Trump’s NAFTA plans
Canada turns 150 today — and it’s enjoying a new global role
Today’s coverage from Post correspondents around the world
Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news | 92 |
Wilkenfeld recalled how Caltrans had previously installed a fence, back in 2014, to limit access to the area. But that led homeless individuals to move their tents and belongings onto the sidewalk, which is city property. He said it had become a “vicious cycle” trying to keep the area free of people and debris.
Wilkenfeld described a long history of problems on Gilman near the freeway, from panhandling to individuals with warrants to discarded drug paraphernalia such as needles.
“There’s all sorts of stuff under there,” he said. Large amounts of debris, enough to fill a standard-sized garbage truck, have been cleared from the site during prior clean-up days.
He said there have been issues in the past that have required a law enforcement presence, such as handling aggressive people, including those struggling with mental illness or drug addiction. But he said he had not heard of any flare-ups Thursday, and did not believe there had been any arrests.
And Wilkenfeld said, as part of those efforts, the city always sends out workers to try to help connect homeless individuals to services that could improve their circumstances.
“A lot of these people do not want to take those resources,” he said. “It’s sort of frustrating because we’re trying to help and a lot of times they don’t want our help.”
Related:
Berkeley homeless encampment at Old City Hall packs up under city orders (12.04.15)
Ohlone Park neighbors brainstorm about homeless influx (10.26.15)
Homeless move to railroad tracks after Gilman ‘clean-up’ (07.30.14)
Rodents, trash prompt clean-up of homeless camp on Gilman; residents ‘scattered’ (07.18.14)
City of Berkeley gives Gilman Street homeless a reprieve (07.10.14)
Caltrans fence forces homeless to find new camp (04.10.14)
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Having joined Ducati in 2017 after nine years with Yamaha, Lorenzo was unable to mount a title challenge in the two following seasons and ultimately agreed a deal with Honda for 2019-20.
However, he did win three races with the 2018 iteration of the Desmosedici bike, which he has repeatedly described as “the most complete” Ducati – and which many of Ducati's rivals, including Lorenzo's new Honda teammate Marc Marquez, believed to be the the benchmark MotoGP bike by the end of this past campaign.
Asked whether he took pride in the Desmosedici's progress during his tenure with the team, Lorenzo said: “Yes.
"Obviously is maybe not mine to say, but probably without my coming to the team they wouldn't make the evolution of the bike so fast in some areas.
“I believe they discover some areas that they didn't work so much before my arrival, this make me happy but obviously was a matter of time that [technical chief] Gigi Dall'Igna and the engineers get more victories than in the past few years and they fight for the championship.
“With me probably things arrive a little bit quicker and this makes me proud obviously - but they are nice group of people so you will see in the future they will make very good results as now.”
Lorenzo's smooth, corner speed-reliant riding style was not a natural fit for the aggressive stop-start Ducati machine, but after his arrival the Desmosedici bike eventually became more user-friendly and improved its cornering ability.
Assessing the Spaniard's legacy at Ducati, Dall'Igna acknowledged Lorenzo's contribution to bike development.
“To be honest I'm not completely happy about these two years [with Lorenzo], because our idea mainly was to fight for the championship, also with Lorenzo [as well as Andrea Dovizioso], and at the end we didn't reach this target," he said.
“But anyway [Lorenzo] won three races this year, he fight for the podium position in many other occasion. And another important thing to take in consideration is that Lorenzo anyway help us a lot in the developing of the bike.
“So even if we are not completely happy, I think that the balance is anyway positive.”
Additional reporting by Oriol Puigdemont and Matteo Nugnes | 94 |
—Tambay Obenson
Photo Courtesy of Arclight Films
On the surface, this film feels like a throwback to the 70s cinema from which writer-director Paul Schrader emerged. But it’s as current and relevant as any this year. The story of a clergyman struggling with his faith resonates because of its parallel with the pain of profound broader contemporary loss of faith afflicting humanity. The minister’s call to arms — environmentalism — works as a plot device, but reminds us of the current disconnect between most contemporary religion and what really matters today. The film’s touchstone is Bergman’s similar 1962 “Winter Light” — much more than Bresson’s “Diary of a Country Priest” — as befits a director/writer whose roots are Protestant, not Roman Catholic. That it was made, and then acclaimed and seen, qualifies as a miracle. —Tom Brueggemann
Netflix
Like a snake who sheds his skin, transforming each movie from one to the next, Alfonso Cuarón follows up the epic “Gravity” — which won him and cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki Oscars — with an intimate $15-million Spanish-language Mexico City drama that is also an epic. Shot in black and white in chronological order in a luxurious 108 days — which lost him Lubezki — director-cinematographer Cuarón visits the past by recreating his memories, building up layers of detail —constructing not only his family home but a bustling cosmopolitan street. Cuarón deploys the sinuous deep-focus Alexa 65 camera as a witness to his fictionalized 1971 memoir of his family nanny (Oaxaca discovery Yalitza Aparicio). Over a series of stunning long-take set pieces, we follow Cleo and the extended family through everyday challenges, from the parents’ breakup to Cleo’s sexy romance with a man who abandons her then pops up again during a violent student uprising. Boosted by a rich sound design that acts as a score, this immersive movie has wowed festival audiences and reviewers, winning honors from both New York and Los Angeles critics’ groups, and is heading for Netflix’s first Best Picture Oscar nomination. —Anne Thompson
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Heartless thieves stole a bike belonging to a nurse as she worked a night shift saving people's lives on Christmas Eve.
Catherine Harding discovered her Carrera Crossfire was missing at 7.30am after she finished a eleven-hour shift at St Martin's Hospital in Bath.
The 56-year-old said all that was left behind was her smashed lock on the floor, Somerset Live reports.
She added that the theft coupled with having to work over Christmas, put a real 'downer' on her festive holidays.
Issuing stern words to the culprit, she said: "To the person who did this, I may be looking after your relative in hospital for all I know."
(Image: Somerset Live WS)
Catherine had locked her bike at the cycle hub she usually uses before starting her shift at 8.30pm on December 23.
She said: "When I came outside the lock had been smashed and broken.
"I have had the bike for two years. I just had a service done on it which cost £60.
"It is frustrating when you spend quite a bit of money and now I don't have a bike."
The loss means what was a 15-minute cycle uphill to work, and five minutes downhill on the way back, is now a near 45-minute walk for Catherine.
"I can't understand how the reception didn't hear it, it is only 10 metres away," she said.
"A domestic helper at work said another bike was stolen from that bike stand not that long ago, but that had been stuck there for three years.
"It put a downer on Christmas. I was working over Christmas but this topped it off.
"I hope the police can find the person responsible."
Avon and Somerset Police spokesman said: "We can confirm we’ve received a report of a theft of a bike from the grounds of St Martin’s Hospital in Bath.
"It was taken sometime overnight between Monday, December 23 and the next day (Christmas Eve).
"If anyone has seen this bike, or has information on the theft, please call us on 101 and give the call handler the reference number 5219294947." | 96 |
save them. I have my doubts about the efficacy of “visible ethics codes,” besides which we already have one, a little thing we like to call the Buddhist Precepts. The idea of “consensus on national standards of behavior and oversight” is pretty chilling too, if you ask me. But still, I agree with what Grace is trying to say in her rather clumsily over-the-top prose.
Even so, I would never sign such a letter (not that Grace would have asked me) because it really boils down to just two messages. 1) Don’t blame the 90 of us who signed this because we’re the good guys, it’s those other bad Zen teachers who did this stuff and 2) The best way to solve the problem is to establish a “central authorizing body capable of sanctioning and removing a harmful teacher,” and, by the way, who do you think should run that organization?
I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again. Anyone who might get their skivvies in a twist over what I’m saying here need not worry. I am clearly on the losing side of this argument. Within two decades at the most there will be a central authorizing body capable of sanctioning and removing those it judges to be “harmful” Zen teachers. Some of those it sanctions and removes will genuinely be harmful while others will be people who speak out in ways the central authorizing body does not approve of or simply cannot understand. They’ll be able to do more than just write articles about people they don’t like. They’ll be able to ruin them forever.
We’ve seen this before.
* * *
Tomorrow January 17, 2015, just like almost every Saturday, I will be leading zazen starting at 9:30am at the Veteran’s Memorial Complex, 4117 Overland Blvd., Culver City, California. All are welcome. Beginner’s are encouraged. Come along if you’re not scared of me.
Also, next Monday, January 19, 2015, just like almost every other Monday, I’ll be leading zazen starting at 8:00pm at Silverlake Yoga 2810 1/2 Glendale Blvd. Studio 2, Los Angeles, CA
And, as always, your kind donations are very much appreciated! | 97 |
, well, aren’t you hardworking? It might be a dream, but it’s still important to have a sense of realism in it.”
“H-Hey, what are you guys talking about! Don’t ignore me…”
As Loli Succubus and I started chatting away, the other man in the alley weepingly called out to me.
“Ah, sorry. I’ve already collected enough data, so you can leave now. Thank you for your time.”
“Yeah, right, you think I’ll just pack up and leave right now!?”
“Kyaa-! Dust-san, save me!”
Loli Succubus screamed that in a flat monotone, jumping behind me and pretending to be afraid while hugging my waist.
“Ah, don’t push me! Oh, fine, I get it, so stop clinging onto me. Just treat me to a meal later! Hey, take a good look at her! It’ll be a crime if you go any further. You can tell by taking one look at her face and flat chest, right?”
Saying that, I took Loli Succubus’s hat off her, revealing her childlike face and her assets.
“What, she’s just a kid. Damn, what a waste of time.”
The man spat on the ground and left.
Well, that settles that. It wasn’t exactly what I had planned, but with this, I’ll be able to secure food for the day.
“Right, now about our promise… Hey, why are you puffing up your cheeks? If you want to puff something up, puff up your breasts instead.”
“And here I thought you looked really cool when you jumped in…”
“Huh? Did you say something?”
“Hmph. You wanted dinner, right? I’ll buy you something, so be grateful.”
Loli Sucucbus’s mood suddenly took a turn for the worse for some reason, but as long as I get something to eat, I have no complaints.
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Avengers: Endgame has surpassed Avatar to become the highest-grossing film of all time.
The Marvel Studios sequel, directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, earned over £2.3bn ($2.9bn) in revenue by Sunday, since being released in April. Avatar, directed by James Cameron, which was released in 2009, previously held the record as the highest grossing movie of all time, earning $2.79bn.
Alan Horn, co-chairman and chief creative officer of the Walt Disney Studios, said: “A huge congratulations to the Marvel Studios and Walt Disney Studios teams, and thank you to the fans around the world who lifted Avengers: Endgame to these historic heights.
Facebook Twitter Pinterest The film’s directors, Joe (l) and Anthony Russo, at the Comic-Con International on Friday. Photograph: Kevin Winter/Getty Images
“Of course, even with the passage of a decade, the impact of James Cameron’s Avatar remains as powerful as ever, and the astonishing achievements of both of these films are ongoing proof of the power of movies to move people and bring them together in a shared experience.”
After Endgame: what's next for the Marvel Cinematic Universe? Read more
Producer Kevin Feige announced the news at Comic Con on Saturday, saying it would be a “matter of days” before Endgame became “the biggest film in history” but added that “if you adjust for inflation, [James Cameron] still holds the title”.
Chris Hemsworth, who starred as Thor in Endgame, congratulated his team for the achievement in an Instagram post: “Thank you to all the fans around the world that lifted Avengers Endgame to historic heights making it the top grossing film of all time!”
Avengers: Endgame is the sequel to 2012’s The Avengers, 2015’s Avengers: Age of Ultron, and 2018’s Avengers: Infinity War and the 22nd film in the Marvel cinematic universe and the fourth blockbuster in the Avengers series.
The film, which was first released on 25 April stars Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson and Chris Hemsworth. It earned $1.22bn in its initial April release, achieving the biggest global opening of all time. | 99 |