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Six and a half years ago, 3-year-old Madeleine McCann disappeared while vacationing with her family in Portugal. Her British parents have not given up hope of finding her, and appealed to German television viewers on Wednesday night for clues after fresh details emerged which suggested a link to the country. Some 7.26 million Germans tuned in to public broadcaster ZDF to watch unsolved crime show "Aktenzeichen XY... ungelöst" (Case XY... Unsolved) about the girl known around the world as "Maddie," making it the most popular program of the evening. Within hours of its airing, authorities received some 200 tips, German news agency DPA reported. The show reconstructed the events in the Praia da Luz resort in May 2007 as investigators believe they occurred, outlining new reports of two suspicious men who were seen near the crime scene before the alleged kidnapping, and are believed to have been speaking either Dutch or German. Scotland Yard investigators also revealed a composite sketch of another suspect seen carrying a sleeping child toward the beach around the time of the abduction that night. Holding hands, Madeleine's parents Kate and Gerry McCann appealed to viewers for their help. "She belongs with us, so please have the courage to say what happened and where she is," said Kate McCann. Scotland Yard Chief Inspector Andy Redwood made it clear that he believes the man seen carrying the child was likely Maddie's kidnapper. Appearing on the show with her parents, he said investigators know that there were a number of German tourists in the area at the time, some of whom may be able to provide clues. The show was part of a media campaign by Scotland Yard that has aired on similar shows in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands in recent days to reveal the new clues and release composite sketches of the suspects. These also reportedly generated hundreds of tips that investigators must now sift through. "It really does give us renewed hope of a breakthrough, because despite the six and a half years, there is new information," said Gerry McCann. "And we hope that German tourists can provide further information." |
Records, Structs, and Data Transfer Objects in Python How to implement records, structs, and “plain old data objects” in Python using only built-in data types and classes from the standard library. Compared to arrays, record data structures provide a fixed number of fields, each field can have a name, and may have a different type. I’m using the definition of a “record” loosely in this article. For example, I’m also going to discuss types like Python’s built-in tuple that may or may not be considered “records” in a strict sense because they don’t provide named fields. Python provides several data types you can use to implement records, structs, and data transfer objects. In this article you’ll get a quick look at each implementation and its unique characteristics. At the end you’ll find a summary and a decision making guide that will help you make your own pick. Alright, let’s get started: ✅ The dict Built-in Python dictionaries store an arbitrary number of objects, each identified by a unique key. Dictionaries are often also called “maps” or “associative arrays” and allow the efficient lookup, insertion, and deletion of any object associated with a given key. Using dictionaries as a record data type or data object in Python is possible. Dictionaries are easy to create in Python as they have their own syntactic sugar built into the language in the form of dictionary literals. The dictionary syntax is concise and quite convenient to type. Data objects created using dictionaries are mutable and there’s little protection against misspelled field names, as fields can be added and removed freely at any time. Both of these properties can introduce surprising bugs and there’s always a trade-off to be made between convenience and error resilience. car1 = { 'color' : 'red' , 'mileage' : 3812.4 , 'automatic' : True , } car2 = { 'color' : 'blue' , 'mileage' : 40231.0 , 'automatic' : False , } # Dicts have a nice repr: >>> car2 { 'color' : 'blue' , 'automatic' : False , 'mileage' : 40231.0 } # Get mileage: >>> car2 [ 'mileage' ] 40231.0 # Dicts are mutable: >>> car2 [ 'mileage' ] = 12 >>> car2 [ 'windshield' ] = 'broken' >>> car2 { 'windshield' : 'broken' , 'color' : 'blue' , 'automatic' : False , 'mileage' : 12 } # No protection against wrong field names, # or missing/extra fields: car3 = { 'colr' : 'green' , 'automatic' : False , 'windshield' : 'broken' , } ✅ The tuple Built-in Python’s tuples are a simple data structure for grouping arbitrary objects. Tuples are immutable—they cannot be modified once they’ve been created. Performancewise, tuples take up slightly less memory than lists in CPython and they’re faster to construct at instantiation time. As you can see in the bytecode disassembly below, constructing a tuple constant takes a single LOAD_CONST opcode while constructing a list object with the same contents requires several more operations: >>> import dis >>> dis . dis ( compile ( "(23, 'a', 'b', 'c')" , '' , 'eval' )) 1 0 LOAD_CONST 4 (( 23 , 'a' , 'b' , 'c' )) 3 RETURN_VALUE >>> dis . dis ( compile ( "[23, 'a', 'b', 'c']" , '' , 'eval' )) 1 0 LOAD_CONST 0 ( 23 ) 3 LOAD_CONST 1 ( 'a' ) 6 LOAD_CONST 2 ( 'b' ) 9 LOAD_CONST 3 ( 'c' ) 12 BUILD_LIST 4 15 RETURN_VALUE However you shouldn’t place too much emphasis on these differences. In practice the performance difference will often be negligible and trying to squeeze out extra performance out of a program by switching from lists to tuples will likely be the wrong approach. A potential downside of plain tuples is that the data you store in them can only be pulled out by accessing it through integer indexes. You can’t give names to individual properties stored in a tuple. This can impact code readability. Also, a tuple is always an ad-hoc structure. It’s difficult to ensure that two tuples have the same number of fields and the same properties stored on them. This makes it easy to introduce “slip-of-the-mind” bugs by mixing up the field order, for example. Therefore I would recommend you keep the number of fields stored in a tuple as low as possible. # Fields: color, mileage, automatic car1 = ( 'red' , 3812.4 , True ) car2 = ( 'blue' , 40231.0 , False ) # Tuple instances have a nice repr: >>> car1 ( 'red' , 3812.4 , True ) >>> car2 ( 'blue' , 40231.0 , False ) # Get mileage: >>> car2 [ 1 ] 40231.0 # Tuples are immutable: >>> car2 [ 1 ] = 12 TypeError : "'tuple' object does not support item assignment" # No protection against missing/extra fields # or a wrong order: >>> car3 = ( 3431.5 , 'green' , True , 'silver' ) ✅ Writing a Custom Class Classes allow you to define reusable “blueprints” for data objects to ensure each object provides the same set of fields. Using regular Python classes as record data types is feasible, but it also takes manual work to get the convenience features of other implementations. For example, adding new fields to the __init__ constructor is verbose and takes time. Also, the default string representation for objects instantiated from custom classes is not very helpful. To fix that you may have to add your own __repr__ method, which again is usually quite verbose and must be updated every time you add a new field. Fields stored on classes are mutable and new fields can be added freely, which may or may not be what you intend. It’s possible to provide more access control and to create read-only fields using the @property decorator, but this requires writing more glue code. Writing a custom class is a great option whenever you’d like to add business logic and behavior to your record objects using methods. But this means these objects are technically no longer plain data objects. class Car : def __init__ ( self , color , mileage , automatic ): self . color = color self . mileage = mileage self . automatic = automatic car1 = Car ( 'red' , 3812.4 , True ) car2 = Car ( 'blue' , 40231.0 , False ) # Get the mileage: >>> car2 . mileage 40231.0 # Classes are mutable: >>> car2 . mileage = 12 >>> car2 . windshield = 'broken' # String representation is not very useful # (must add a manually written __repr__ method): >>> car1 < Car object at 0x1081e69e8 > ✅ The collections.namedtuple Class The namedtuple class available in Python 2.6+ provides an extension of the built-in tuple data type. Similarly to defining a custom class, using namedtuple allows you to define reusable “blueprints” for your records that ensure the correct field names are used. Namedtuples are immutable just like regular tuples. This means you cannot add new fields or modify existing fields after the namedtuple instance was created. Besides that, namedtuples are, well…named tuples. Each object stored in them can be accessed through a unique identifier. This frees you from having to remember integer indexes, or resorting to workarounds like defining integer constants as mnemonics for your indexes. Namedtuple objects are implemented as regular Python classes internally. When it comes to memory usage they are also “better” than regular classes and just as memory efficient as regular tuples: >>> from collections import namedtuple >>> from sys import getsizeof >>> p1 = namedtuple ( 'Point' , 'x y z' )( 1 , 2 , 3 ) >>> p2 = ( 1 , 2 , 3 ) >>> getsizeof ( p1 ) 72 >>> getsizeof ( p2 ) 72 Namedtuples can be an easy way to clean up your code and to make it more readable by enforcing a better structure for your data. I find that going from ad-hoc data types like dictionaries with a fixed format to namedtuples helps me express the intent of my code more clearly. Often when I apply this refactoring I magically come up with a better solution for the problem I’m facing. Using namedtuples over unstructured tuples and dicts can also make my coworkers’ lives easier because namedtuples make the data passed around “self-documenting”, at least to a degree. For more information and code examples, check out my tutorial on namedtuples here on dbader.org. from collections import namedtuple Car = namedtuple ( 'Car' , 'color mileage automatic' ) car1 = Car ( 'red' , 3812.4 , True ) # Instances have a nice repr: >>> car1 Car ( color = 'red' , mileage = 3812.4 , automatic = True ) # Accessing fields >>> car1 . mileage 3812.4 # Fields are immtuable: >>> car1 . mileage = 12 AttributeError : "can't set attribute" >>> car1 . windshield = 'broken' AttributeError : "'Car' object has no attribute 'windshield'" ✅ The typing.NamedTuple Class This class added in Python 3.6 is the younger sibling of collections.namedtuple . It is very similar to namedtuple , the main difference is an updated syntax for defining new record types and added support for type hints. Please note that type annotations are not enforced without a separate type checking tool like mypy—but even without tool support they can provide useful hints to other programmers (or be terribly confusing if the type hints get out of date.) from typing import NamedTuple class Car ( NamedTuple ): color : str mileage : float automatic : bool car1 = Car ( 'red' , 3812.4 , True ) # Instances have a nice repr >>> car1 Car ( color = 'red' , mileage = 3812.4 , automatic = True ) # Accessing fields >>> car1 . mileage 3812.4 # Fields are immutable >>> car1 . mileage = 12 AttributeError : "can't set attribute" >>> car1 . windshield = 'broken' AttributeError : "'Car' object has no attribute 'windshield'" # Type annotations are not enforced without # a separate type checking tool like mypy: >>> Car ( 'red' , 'NOT_A_FLOAT' , 99 ) Car ( color = 'red' , mileage = 'NOT_A_FLOAT' , automatic = 99 ) ⚠️ The struct.Struct Class This class performs conversions between Python values and C structs serialized into Python bytes objects. It can be used to handle binary data stored in files or from network connections, for example. Structs are defined using a format strings-like mini language that allows you to define the arrangement of various C data types, like char , int , and long , as well as their unsigned variants. The struct module is seldom used to represent data objects that are meant to be handled purely inside Python code. They’re intended primarily as a data exchange format, rather than a way of holding data in memory that’s only used by Python code. In some cases packing primitive data into structs may use less memory than keeping it in other data types—but that would be a quite advanced (and probably unnecessary) optimization. from struct import Struct MyStruct = Struct ( 'i?f' ) data = MyStruct . pack ( 23 , False , 42.0 ) # All you get is a blob of data: >>> data b ' \x17\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00 (B' # Data blobs can be unpacked again: >>> MyStruct . unpack ( data ) ( 23 , False , 42.0 ) ⚠️ The types.SimpleNamespace Class Here’s one more “esoteric” choice for implementing data objects in Python. This class was added in Python 3.3 and it provides attribute access to its namespace. It also includes a meaningful __repr__ by default. As its name proclaims, SimpleNamespace is simple—it’s basically a glorified dictionary that allows attribute access and prints nicely. Attributes can be added, modified, and deleted freely. from types import SimpleNamespace car1 = SimpleNamespace ( color = 'red' , mileage = 3812.4 , automatic = True ) # The default repr: >>> car1 namespace ( automatic = True , color = 'red' , mileage = 3812.4 ) # Instances are mutable >>> car1 . mileage = 12 >>> car1 . windshield = 'broken' >>> del car1 . automatic >>> car1 namespace ( color = 'red' , mileage = 12 , windshield = 'broken' ) |
There’s fairly widespread agreement that access to reliable high-speed Internet is crucial to success. Businesses need it to deliver value to their customers. Students and teachers need it for effective education. Doctors and patients need it for quality health care. Researchers, police, elected officials, librarians, scientists -- everyone needs it. No wonder dissatisfaction is growing with how and where high-speed Internet is available in the Baltimore region -- fiber-optic networks surrounding the city, but almost none in it. Whose responsibility is it to make sure Baltimore’s businesses and residents have access to high-speed broadband? Our guests are Charly Carter, the executive director of Maryland Working Families and Philip Spevak, co-leader of the Baltimore Broadband Campaign. Although Verizon declined to take part in this interview, this is the statement they provided: Where’s My FiOS? is a campaign orchestrated by leadership of the Communications Workers of America and its special interest supporters to try to gain an advantage in negotiations with Verizon for new labor contracts. The timing of the July 29 event, fewer than four days in advance of the expiration of the existing labor contracts, is evidence enough.As we have noted since 2010, Verizon’s focus is on completing our remaining fiber network build commitments under existing video franchises, and increasing sales to the homes and businesses in areas where our all-fiber network is available. We are not looking to pursue new video franchises or expand our fiber network to new markets at this time. Verizon is committed to diversity, and that is reflected in everything we are and do, ranging from the makeup of our workforce and customer base to where we invest and offer our services. Claims to the contrary are dead wrong.These types of antics do nothing more than divert attention from the real issues that have to be resolved by Verizon and union leadership at the negotiating table. Verizon has presented CWA leaders with a solid proposal, and we are committed to reach agreement on a new contract that continues to provide solid, upper-middle-class jobs for our employees, exceptional services for our customers, and flexibility that Verizon needs to succeed in the marketplace. |
Ready to fight back? Sign up for Take Action Now and get three actions in your inbox every week. You will receive occasional promotional offers for programs that support The Nation’s journalism. You can read our Privacy Policy here. Sign up for Take Action Now and get three actions in your inbox every week. Thank you for signing up. For more from The Nation, check out our latest issue Subscribe now for as little as $2 a month! Support Progressive Journalism The Nation is reader supported: Chip in $10 or more to help us continue to write about the issues that matter. The Nation is reader supported: Chip in $10 or more to help us continue to write about the issues that matter. Fight Back! Sign up for Take Action Now and we’ll send you three meaningful actions you can take each week. You will receive occasional promotional offers for programs that support The Nation’s journalism. You can read our Privacy Policy here. Sign up for Take Action Now and we’ll send you three meaningful actions you can take each week. Thank you for signing up. For more from The Nation, check out our latest issue Travel With The Nation Be the first to hear about Nation Travels destinations, and explore the world with kindred spirits. Be the first to hear about Nation Travels destinations, and explore the world with kindred spirits. Sign up for our Wine Club today. Did you know you can support The Nation by drinking wine? President Obama and his political counselors do not appear to recognize or respect the depth of the disenchantment among Democrats who fear he is preparing to abandon the commitments made by Franklin Roosevelt, Harry Truman, John Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson and generations of Democratic leaders to not just preserve but expand Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. Ad Policy At a recent gatherings with liberal Democrats and progressive independents in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Obama’s home state of Illinois, I have been struck by the extent of the frustration with the president. There has always been a good deal of griping about Obama’s maintenance of the Bush administration’s wars in Iraq and Afghanistan—and his decision to launch a new fight with Libya—as well as compromises on issues ranging from health-care reform to regulation of Wall Street, but this is different. As Obama has seemed to weaken in his commitment to preserve Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security, anger with the president has become dramatically more widespread. A new CNN/ORC International Poll confirms the phenomenon. The number of Americans who say they disapprove of the president’s performance because he is not liberal enough has doubled since May. “Drill down into that number and you’ll see signs of a stirring discontent on the left,” says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland, who explains that, “Obama’s approval rating among liberals has dropped to the lowest point in his presidency, and roughly one in four Americans who disapprove of him say they feel that way because he has not been liberal enough, a new high for that measure.” The number of Democrats who say Obama should face a primary challenge in 2012 is growing, with almost a quarter of party backers surveyed by CNN refusing to say they thought the president should be renominated. Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, an independent who caucuses with Senate Democrats, gave voice to that sentiment Friday during a regular appearance on Thom Hartmann’s popular national radio show. When a caller who expressed frustration with Obama’s apparent willingness to accept cuts in Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, Sanders said: “Discouragement is not an option. I think it would be a good idea if President Obama faced some primary opposition.” Sanders explained: “Let me just suggest this: I think there are millions of Americans who are deeply disappointed in the president, who believe that with regard to Social Security and other things, he said one thing as a candidate and is doing something very much else as a president—who cannot believe how weak he has been for whatever reason in negotiating with Republicans, and there’s deep disappointment. So my suggestion is: I think one of the reasons the president has made the move so far to the right is that there is no primary opposition to him and I think it would do this country a good deal of service if people started thinking about candidates out there to begin contrasting a progressive agenda as opposed to what Obama believes he’s doing.” Sanders says Obama’s weak approach to negotiations with Republicans with regard to Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and tax cuts for the rich has caused him to “give thought” to encouraging a progressive Democrat to mount such a challenge. That led to immediate talk about the prospect that Sanders might mount a primary challenge. That won’t happen. Sanders is not a Democrat. Besides, he is busy running for reelection in Vermont in 2012. When Sanders said in March that “if a progressive Democrat wants to run, I think it would enliven the debate, raise some issues,” he explained that: “I’ve been asked whether I am going to do that. I’m not. I don’t know who is, but in a democracy, it’s not a bad idea to have different voices out there.” No other “name” Democrat has, so far, engaged in a public discussion about making a primary run against the president. There is some organizing on the ground among Democrats who would, at the very least, like to use Democratic caucuses and primaries to send a message to Obama. Antiwar Democrats in Iowa have talked up the prospect of a challenge in the state where the Democratic nominating process begins with caucuses that attract the party’s most activist base. There have also been stirrings in the District of Columbia, where resentment over Obama’s failure to defend the interests of the nation’s capitol is voiced. But those initiatives aim more toward getting the president’s attention and shaking up a complacent national party, perhaps by asking caucus and primary voters to send uncommitted delegates—as opposed to committed Obama backers—to next year’s Democratic National Convention. Uncommitted delegates, at the least, could generate platform fights and pressure the president’s team on particular issues. Even this project could be a tough one, however, as the nominating process is largely controlled by Obama operatives, who have already been working the schedule and putting in place structural supports for the president’s reelection run. Obama’s team is looking at the caucuses and primaries as tools to build enthusiasm for the president’s fall reelection campaign against the Republican nominee. But if they are serious about that fall campaign, they are going to need to recognize and respond to the disenchantment among Democratic activists whose enthusiasm level will decide the fate of Obama’s 2012 campaign. Even if there is no primary challenge, Obama must reconnect with liberal Democrats and progressive independents if he hopes to be reelected. And he will not do so by cutting a deal with Republicans to cut Democratic “legacy programs” such as Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. |
President Obama will force religious organizations to hire LGBT applicants Reported by Michal Ortner The Obama Administration is now forcing religious organizations receiving any type of federal grant or support to hire gay and transgender applicants. The new mandate was added to discrimination laws, and faith-based establishments are not excluded from those required to follow suit. “This is another example of the Obama administration’s hostility toward people of faith and biblical values,” Matt Staver, founder and attorney for the Liberty Council, said. “Just like he has done with the use of State Department funding for foreign nations, Obama is now using funding to force his immoral agenda on religious organizations. Obama is using the poor and disadvantaged hostages to advance his radical ideology.” Austin Ruse, president of the Center for Family and Human Rights (C-fam), says that Obama’s executive order will hurt the poor and needy in the grand scheme of things. These religious groups will be forced to close because they will either give up their federal funding or simply shut down because of their convictions. “Many religious groups will have no choice but to forego government funding and perhaps close their doors permanently,” Ruse said. “Such a policy change will hit hardest in the most desperate part of the world, Africa, where they don’t have the luxury to indulge in these new Western ideas of s*xuality. They’re too busy trying to stay alive.” There are many Catholic groups that are open just to help those in need, but “maybe not for much longer,” noted Ruse. C-fam explains that these organizations could fight in court for their rights under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, a federal law, but it could also be financially and legally detrimental in the long run. “Success would be far from certain,” C-fam explained. Obama signed the order last summer, which not only forces faith-based groups to hire gay, lesbian, bis*xual, and transgender applicants, but it also allows these persons to use whichever locker room or restroom they believe fits best for their gender. “Faith-based organizations are providing assistance in communities across America, such as adoption, youth centers, child care and development programs, youth counseling, shelter, and much more,” Staver said. “Christian organizations cannot offer biblical counseling and, at the same time, hire people who do not follow the Bible and their doctrinal positions on human s*xuality. Ultimately, this LGBT regulation is going to cause irreparable harm to the children and the needy.” Source 1, 2 Comments comments |
Hackers might learn enough from recent attacks on U.S. banks to prepare for larger, more destructive assaults should they choose to initiate them, the U.S. attorney for Western Pennsylvania and leading computer experts told the Tribune-Review on Tuesday. The so-called denial-of-service attacks seem designed to test the responses of bank officials, computer experts and law enforcement, said David Hickton, U.S. attorney in Pittsburgh. The threat remains, he said, even though the attackers announced a hiatus. “This is not the most sophisticated type of cyber attack available,” Hickton said, “and it’s really designed to slow — not steal — and delay — not fracture or cripple — and therefore, it’s a fair inference to conclude.” The Tribune-Review reported in its ongoing computer and robot security investigation, Cyber Rattling: The Next Threat, that hackers are seeking to move from annoyance attacks to destructive ones. PNC Bank computer security officials remain vigilant since the attacks but had “nothing new to report,” spokesman Fred Solomon said. “Our systems are operating as expected and we continue to be on guard for any unusual activity at our firewall,” he said. Speaking at a panel discussion on cybersecurity at the Community College of Allegheny County, Hickton described a mismatch between the high cyber threat and a lack of trained security professionals to respond. He challenged local leaders to get behind a Pittsburgh Cybersecurity Initiative this summer that would help train the next generation of computer educators, researchers and investigators. Pittsburgh Public Schools and the Allegheny Intermediate Unit have agreed to develop a cyber curriculum, he said. The University of Pittsburgh and Duquesne University will work on a cyber law degree program. The nation needs more workers who can respond to computer security threats, said Ernest McDuffie, head of the federal National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education. “Those of you with security clearances,” he told the audience, “know the threat is not only real but it is very scary.” Dan Holden, director of security research at Arbor Networks, a computer security company in Burlington, Mass., said that there’s no reason to believe the computer threat facing banks is over. He predicted that attacks could resume this week or next. Because of the attacks’ size and duration, no activist group could have done it without help from a government or wealthy backer, Holden said. The attacks started in September. “This is the longest public campaign in history in terms of an Internet attack,” Holden said. “We’ve never had anything advertised from day one that has gone on for this period of time. The effectiveness, the persistence have been big deals.” A group calling itself the al-Qassam Cyber Fighters claimed responsibility for the bank attacks. On May 6, the group said it would temporarily suspend the campaign to avoid confusion with activities by the hacker group Anonymous. The Cyber Fighters have said their motive is to get anti-Muslim videos removed from the Internet. Lawmakers said that Iran was responsible for the bank attacks, but the actual source remains unclear and Hickton declined to talk about intelligence. The hackers claimed to have disrupted Bank of America, CapitalOne, Fifth Third, Comerica and Citizens, as well as Pittsburgh-based PNC Bank. “The threat is continuous and even if we extinguish the threat in the short term, the vulnerability is still there until we can identify and prosecute people,” Hickton said. These kinds of attacks — whether targeting banks or other critical infrastructure — are “pretty much the new normal,” Michael Smith, director of the Customer Security Incident Response Team at Akamai Technologies, a Boston-based Internet security company, told the Trib. Hackers upset about another country’s policies learned that they can gain leverage by targeting people and businesses there, Smith said. “There are other evil-doers out there that will copy the same techniques and it has a really chilling effect,” Smith said. “That is a very troublesome core issue.” Banks are better prepared than they were six months ago, Holden said, but attackers undoubtedly learned a lot, too, about what works. He said he believes the attackers are capable of a much more debilitating attack but have been unwilling to carry it out because of fear of reprisal. “That’s why some people refer to these kinds of events almost as a Cold War,” Holden said. “There’s a line that even the U.S. doesn’t want to cross. … Everyone is willing to walk up to the line — again, regardless of who’s behind it — but no one is willing to cross it right now.” Andrew Conte is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 412-320-7835 or andrewconte@tribweb.com. |
Inconsistencies Haunt Official Record Of Kennedy's Death Enlarge this image toggle caption Keystone/Getty Images Keystone/Getty Images The first thing T. Jeremy Gunn says when you ask him about President John F. Kennedy's assassination is, "I'm not a conspiracy theorist. I don't have a theory about what happened." But he knows a lot about it from his work for the Assassination Records Review Board, established by Congress in 1992, about a year after the Oliver Stone film J.F.K. reignited questions about the assassination. The film rejected the official 1964 conclusion of the Warren Commission, which placed guilt on Lee Harvey Oswald alone. Instead, Stone proposed a vast government conspiracy linked to the C.I.A. The Warren Commission in 1964 had hoped that its well-written, 450-plus-page report would put questions about the assassination to rest. Of course, it didn't. Immediately after the report, nearly 90 percent of the public believed it. But by 1966, only 36 percent of Americans believed Oswald acted alone. Today, just 24 percent think so. In Depth For more coverage of the 50th anniversary of the Kennedy assassination, visit: "22 Days In November" from member station KERA in Dallas "November 1963: Remembering JFK" from member station WBUR in Boston To set the record straight, Congress set up the Review Board to release still-classified government material related to the assassination. Gunn, as its director of research and general counsel, and later as its executive director, read everything he could find in the government's files and questioned dozens of doctors and former officials, many of them under oath. In the end, the Review Board released thousands — if not tens of thousands — of documents, "Almost everything that was substantively related to the assassination," Gunn says. Yet for Gunn and much of the public, the record was still not set straight. "There were many things that were disturbing," Gunn says. A Blood-Stained Report Destroyed Enlarge this image toggle caption Francis Miller/Time Life Pictures/Getty Images Francis Miller/Time Life Pictures/Getty Images When Gunn pored over the material, what stuck out most for him was the medical evidence, like what he learned in his 1996 deposition of James Joseph Humes. Humes, who died three years later, was one of the doctors who performed the autopsy on Kennedy's body. For one thing, Humes told Gunn that the autopsy was not performed strictly by the book; some procedures were left out, such as removing and weighing all the organs. Then, Humes made an eye-opening revelation. "Dr. Humes admitted that the supposedly original handwritten version of the autopsy that is in the National Archives is in fact not the original version," Gunn says. He says Humes had never said that publicly before, even to the Warren Commission. In the deposition, Humes explained that when he took the material home after the autopsy was completed, he began thinking about how he had once seen the bloodstained chair Abraham Lincoln had been sitting in when he was shot. "I thought this was the most macabre thing I ever saw in my life," Humes said. "It just made a terrible impression on me. And when I noticed that these bloodstains were on this document that I had prepared, I said nobody's ever going to get these documents. So I copied them ... and burned the original notes in the fireplace." Enlarge this image toggle caption Apic/Getty Images Apic/Getty Images When Gunn asked him whether there was anything in the original document that was not in the copy, Humes replied, "I don't think so." Then Gunn showed Humes another document from the autopsy, a two-page document Gunn had marked as Exhibit No. 1. It, too, had blood stains, but Humes had not destroyed it. Why? Humes said it was because the document had been prepared by another doctor at the autopsy. "I didn't — wouldn't — have the habit of destroying something someone else prepared," Humes told Gunn during questioning. Imperfect Pictures After that, Gunn turned to the official autopsy photographs, the ones that are kept in the National Archives. Humes had never handled them before; the Warren Commission had never shown them to him. In fact, when Humes testified before the Warren Commission, he complained that the artist who drew the schematics he was using for his testimony was not allowed to see the photos. When Humes did get a close look at the pictures — in his Review Board deposition — he said he found it hard to tell what was what in the pictures. In fact, Gunn says, it's hard for anyone to tell what's what in the pictures, especially such important details as how many bullet wounds there are, and whether they are entry wounds or exit wounds. So Gunn turned to a retired Navy warrant officer, Sandra Spencer, who, according to government records, had processed the autopsy film. She had not been questioned by the Warren Commission. Enlarge this image toggle caption Three Lions/HultonArchive/Getty Images Three Lions/HultonArchive/Getty Images When Gunn showed her the official photos from the National Archives during her deposition in 1997, she said they were not the pictures she remembered processing. Spencer, who died about a year ago, was in her 20s when she worked in Washington, D.C., at the Navy's central photo lab. At that time, the lab processed all official White House photographs. For questioning, she brought with her some pictures she had printed just a few days before Kennedy was murdered. She explained that the lab bought huge quantities of photographic paper, so the markings on the back of the prints she brought would certainly match the autopsy photos she processed. But they didn't, suggesting they were printed at a different time or a different place. What's more, the official pictures weren't anything like the ones she remembered. "The prints that we printed did not have the massive head damages that is visible here," she told Gunn. "... The face, the eyes were closed and the face, the mouth was closed, and it was more of a rest position than these show." The National Archives' photos seemed to be taken in a bright, medical setting. The body was bloody. Spencer said the pictures she had processed seemed to be taken in a darkened room with a flash. She called them "pristine." "There was no blood or opening cavities ... or anything of that nature. It was quite reverent in how they handled it," she said. Of course, Gunn interviewed Spencer 30 years after the event, and that's a long time to remember every detail. But still, why didn't she recognize any of the official autopsy photos? Why are they on different paper from what she was using at the time? And whatever happened to the pictures she did remember processing? Tracking Oswald Gunn, who now teaches history at Al Akhawayn University in Morocco, can recite a litany of other unresolved questions surrounding the Kennedy assassination — ones the Warren Commission failed to answer. For example, in New Orleans in 1963, Oswald came in contact with the FBI. When he was arrested after a scuffle at a demonstration, he asked to meet with the FBI. "Why would Oswald ask to see someone from the FBI?" Gunn asks. "But an FBI agent went and interviewed Oswald, came back and wrote a memo on it, put it in the file." toggle caption AP A few days later, Gunn says, someone at headquarters in Washington saw that Oswald was engaged in pro-Fidel Castro activities and instructed the field office to interview him. But the FBI field office didn't reply that it had already interviewed him. Instead, it said that it would see what it could do. All the FBI files were in order, Gunn says. Nothing seemed to be missing, so why wouldn't they mention the previous interview? "It doesn't make sense," Gunn says. Oswald's trip to Mexico City a few weeks before the assassination also raises unanswered questions. "Mexico City in the 1960s was probably the spy capital of the Western Hemisphere," Gunn says. Naturally, the CIA had operations watching all the embassies in Mexico, tapping their phones and photographing comings and goings. While he was there, Oswald attempted to obtain visas from the Cuban consulate and the Soviet embassy. In one taped conversation, Oswald — or someone saying he was Oswald — called the Soviet embassy. Then-FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover listened to the tape and told President Lyndon Johnson that it wasn't Oswald's voice. Whose voice was it? No one knows. The tape has disappeared. Nor are there any photos of the Soviet embassy the day Oswald supposedly went there. The CIA told the Warren Commission that its camera wasn't working that day. Why did Oswald ask to meet with the FBI in New Orleans? Why did he go to Mexico City? What happened to the evidence of his visit? More mysteries. 'It's Too Late' So what's the truth about the assassination? "For me, it's quite simple," Gunn says. "I don't know what happened." Enlarge this image toggle caption Cecil Stoughton/UPI/Landov Cecil Stoughton/UPI/Landov "There is substantial evidence that points toward Oswald and incriminates Oswald," he says, "and the only person we can name where there is evidence is Oswald. But there's also rather important exculpatory evidence for Oswald, suggesting he didn't do it, and that he was framed." Some believe the Warren Commission did not resolve the mysteries because it was part of a giant cover-up, perhaps to hide a conspiracy that reached deep inside government itself. Others point to a more benign explanation. The new president, Johnson, was pushing the Warren Commission to come to a conclusion quickly. He wanted to move the country forward, not dwell on its traumatic past. Besides, Gunn says, the panel genuinely believed that Oswald had killed Kennedy. "So they wanted to write the document in a way that would reassure the American public that it was a single gunman acting alone, somebody who's a little bit unstable, and that that's the explanation for what happened." Since the facts aren't clear, though, that document can look like a whitewash. For the Warren Commission, transparency had its own difficulties. "There are serious problems with the forensics evidence, with the ballistics evidence, with the autopsy evidence," Gunn says. "And, in my opinion, if they had said that openly, it would have not put the issue to rest." toggle caption Courtesy of T. Jeremy Gunn Faced with that, the Warren Commission went with what it believed. Gunn says that wasn't enough. It's not that he thinks all the loose ends needed to be tied up. "It wouldn't be unusual if Oswald had done the crime — or not done the crime — to have evidence that's inconsistent," he says. It's the big mysteries that cause him the most trouble. "If the president had been killed as part of a conspiracy, that needed to be known," he says. "The institution that had the opportunity to best get to the bottom of this, as much as it was possible, was the Warren Commission, and they didn't do it," he says. "Now it's too late to do what should have been done originally." Marcus D. Rosenbaum is a former senior editor and producer at NPR. He now works as a freelance journalist and teacher. |
It doesn't take remarkable insight to suggest that the defining idea of the coming decade will be the Internet. The Internet's significance is already apparent, especially in higher education. Everyone now has access to the resources of the world's greatest libraries. Collaborating with distant colleagues, and keeping up on the latest developments in your field, has become much easier. Some scientists and other scholars now publish their findings online, rather than wait for a response from a peer-reviewed journal. If you are in the social sciences, the Internet brings you millions of research subjects. Similarly, the number of possible students has exploded as more online courses are offered, and students in developing countries can now take courses with the world's best teachers from elite universities. The cost—both financial and environmental—of giving students access to what they need to read has dropped, as more materials can be read online or posted on a course Web site. These trends will progress further; yet they will be among the less significant changes that the Internet brings about. Over the next decade, closed cultures will find it increasingly difficult to keep their members from seeing and contacting people who live in more open societies. The grip once held by a few media owners over what reaches the public has been irreversibly loosened by independent bloggers and reporters who are read by millions. Web sites like WikiLeaks disseminate leaked documents and cause severe embarrassment to governments around the world. An Iranian lawyer has used the Internet to bring international attention to the case of a woman sentenced to death by stoning for the "crime" of adultery. At the time of this writing, it appears that the protests have succeeded in averting the carrying out of the sentence. The biggest unknown is how far and how fast access to the Internet will spread. Mobile phones have already proved to be enormously beneficial for people in developing countries that lack the infrastructure for landlines. To give just one example, mobile phones have freed poor rural farmers from dependence on price information supplied by the merchants who buy their crops. The farmers now have independent ways of determining market prices. The Internet will make even greater strides as a tool that empowers the world's poor, but only if we can find a way to provide cheap and easy Internet access in developing countries. Will that happen? I hope so. One thing is certain: We will continue to be surprised at how relatively simple changes in technology bring about fundamental changes in the way we live. |
Google is adding a feature to Android’s smart lock that could significantly cut down on the number of times users need to enter a passcode to unlock their phones while they are out and about. On-body detection uses the accelerometer in the phone to detect when it’s being held or carried by a person. If enabled, the feature requires a passcode the first time the phone is accessed but then keeps the device unlocked until it is placed down. That means, for example, that someone walking down the street won’t have to unlock their phone every time they take it out of their pocket. The feature doesn’t appear to have been announced by Google, but it began appearing in some phones on Friday. Like the other elements of smart lock, it should be used with caution as it can’t detect who is carrying the phone. “If you unlock your device and hand it to someone else, your device also stays unlocked as long as the other person continues to hold or carry it,” reads a message displayed on phones with the new feature. The smart lock feature was introduced with Android 5.0 Lollipop and allows users to set zones around trusted places, such as a home or office, and WiFi or Bluetooth devices, such as a computer or car radio. When the phone is in those zones it will remain unlocked once it’s been unlocked the first time. It can also recognize faces and remain unlocked when it sees a trusted face. |
Promotional artwork for Backdraft (Universal Studios, 1992) Universal Studios Hollywood Marvel Mania (Feb 18 1998 - Sept 10 1999) Marvel Mania was a stunningly themed restaurant environment where you felt like a Marvel Comics superhero. Bold designs throughout, interactive video screens and a total themed experience meant many diners were converted to being comic fans and many existing Marvel fans were in heaven. The restaurant was planned to be the start of a chain similar to Planet Hollywood, however, due to unfortunate timing (it launched just as the Planet Hollywood bubble burst) in September 1999, Marvel were forced to close the restaurant arm of their business for financial reasons. The main Marvel Mania building only had it's paintjob replaced in 2007 when it was rethemed as Stage 13. The entrance to the restaurant is now the entrance to the Universal House of Horrors walkthrough, and the walkthrough element of that attraction uses the former restaurant building fully. Part of the structure was formerly the Victoria Station restaurant. From Studio Guide leaflet, 1999: "MARVEL MANIA: Enter Marvel's Universe! A full service restaurant with outrageously great American food, high energy cocktails, out of this world souvenirs and a fabulous "Holiday Feast" menu to choose from. Truly the most unique experience on this planet" From Press Release, 1998 A "Marvel-ous" Place to Eat: Southern California restaurant goers can now tell their waiter to "Make mine Marvel" when they go out and eat at Marvel Mania at Universal Studios in Universal City. Owned by Marvel Comics, the theme restaurant is patterned after other successful eateries like The Hard Rock Cafe and Planet Hollywood, and offers fans a wide variety of comic-related activities and delicious food. Highlights include a mini-museum, gift shop, game room and bar. Fans can purchase everything from videos and T-shirts to comic book art and mouse pads, all featuring classic Marvel comic heroes. Favorites on the Marvel Mania menu include various "Stanwiches" (named after Marvel Founder and comic book legend Stan Lee), Captain America burgers and Fantastic Four Cheese Pizza. The servings are generous and will satisfy even the heartiest of super-hero appetites. Kids of all ages also will enjoy watching television series and films based on Marvel characters on big-screen TVs while they eat. The younger set will enjoy seeing their favorite Marvel super heroes in person as costumed characters make the rounds posing for pictures. Thankfully, no super villains have yet been sighted! Photo Gallery Interior mural design Exterior signage (photo by Sheryl Roberts, 1998) Exterior signage (photo by Phillip Donnelly, 1998) You can see part of the exterior decoration of Marvel Mania on the far right of this photo from 1999 (photo by John Redmood) Cartoon sound effects graphic above the Blues Brothers Stage (copyright 1999 Brainworks Inc: www.brainworksart.com) Exterior (photo by Phillip Donnelly, 1998) Phillip outside Marvel Mania (photo by Phillip Donnelly, 1998) Video Tourist video at Marvel Mania Links: Leave Comments Back to... Content and photos (c) theStudioTour.com except where noted. |
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — Attorney General Jeff Sessions visited Philadelphia on Friday, as he encouraged local law enforcement to put an end to sanctuary cities. During his speech, Sessions touched several themes, starting with what he calls a “surge in the murder rate, up 11 percent nationwide, the largest increase since 1968.” He also notes preliminary data show that murders in Philadelphia are up more than 20 percent from last year. Sessions criticized Philadelphia and other jurisdictions which have sanctuary policies, by failing to detain undocumented immigrants who have been arrested. “They are giving sanctuary not to law abiding citizens, but they are providing sanctuary to criminals,” he said. Sessions cited a case in which he said Philadelphia policies prevented police from honoring a request from Immigration and Customs Enforcement to detain an illegal alien. He says after that man was released last year, he was charged with raping a child. He did not mention anything about previous threats to withhold federal grant money to sanctuary cities, if they remained out of compliance. During his Philadelphia stop, he urged them to “rethink” those policies. Afterwards, Philadelphia Police Commissioner Richard Ross, who was in the room, said he doesn’t believe his department “should be in the immigration business.” “As it relates to violent crime, our problems are not people from other countries,” Ross said. “Our problems are some of the young men, from here, who are hopeless about a lot of things.’ As Ross puts it, “We have a tough enough time building relationships as it is.” ALSO READ: Sean Spicer Resigns As White House Press Secretary While Sessions was inside making his case against Philadelphia’s sanctuary status, 30 protesters gathered outside, calling for him to resign. “It’s time for him to go. What he’s doing to people, he’s ripping off families,” said one protester. Their signs read, “No, Drive out the Trump/Pence Regime,” “Stop separating families,” and “Immigrants and refugees are welcome here.” Samantha Goldman is a member of Refuse Fascism Philly and one of the organizers of Friday’s protest. “Jeff Sessions is a fascist who bringing forward xenophobic and racist policies,” she said. Goldman wants Sessions to know that she and others support sanctuary cities like Philadelphia. “Immigrants are full human beings, refugees are full human beings and we are committed to saying no, and driving this fascist regime out,” she said. About two dozen protesters attended the rally which had a heavy police presence, and there were no incidents. ___ KYW’s Steve Tawa and Cherri Gregg and CBS3’s David Spunt contributed to this story. |
I don’t know what it is about the Book of Mormon, but when I open that book…it just feels right. I believe that a spiritual confirmation from the Holy Ghost is telling me that the book is true. I can’t describe that phenomenon in words. But for critics and skeptics…this explanation is pure nonsense. Sometimes, in a somewhat sarcastic tone, people will say that they’ve had their own spiritual confirmation that the book is not true. So where do you go from there? The only thing I can think to do is analyze the feasibility of Joseph Smith’s ability to write the Book of Mormon. One of the greatest mysteries of all time consists of whether or not Joseph Smith wrote the Book of Mormon. No one has been able to prove whether or not it was an authentic record. So…either Joseph Smith was the most brilliant and wicked man of his time and he wrote the book…or he was an uneducated mouthpiece for God that subsequently drank from the firehose of intelligence in these last days. When you open that book, you’re either reading the wisdom and history of ancient prophets or the deranged imaginations of a 22 year old farm hand. You get to read for yourself and decide between those two choices. I can’t speak for anyone else but every time I open that book…the thought keeps coming back to my mind, “this is not the voice of a 22 year old young man”. The parental wisdom, the complexity, the history, the teachings, the detail! It can’t be the voice of an inexperienced 22 year old! Think about it for a second. If Joseph Smith wrote that book, then how would he have kept it secret from his family and so many others in his town? Could he have been writing one of the most influential books in human history in a tiny house under the nose of his older brothers and family members without them knowing? If he was a genius, as many have suggested, would he have been dumb enough to plagiarize from other books that were popular in the nearby schools and community knowing full well that people would be able to see right through his lies and expose him? Listen to how Emma Smith describes the translation of the Book of Mormon many years after Joseph Smith was dead and she had since been remarried: In writing for Joseph Smith, I frequently wrote day after day, often sitting at the table close by him, he sitting with his face buried in his hat, with the stone in it and dictating hour after hour, with nothing between us. He had neither mss [manuscript] nor book to read from. If he had had anything of the kind he could not have concealed it from me. The plates often lay on the table without any attempt at concealment, wrapped in a small linen table cloth, which I had given him to fold them in. I felt of the plates, as they lay on the table, tracing their outline and shape. They seemed to be pliable like thick paper, and would rustle with a metallic sound when the edges were moved by the thumb, as one does sometimes thumb the edges of a book. Oliver Cowdrey and JS wrote in the room where I was at work. JS could neither write nor dictate a coherent and well worded letter, let alone dictating a book like the Book of Mormon. – Emma Smith Bidamon, Notes of Interview with Joseph Smith III 1879 Lots of people think it was nuts for Joseph Smith to have his face buried in a hat as he translated…but I think it makes the process that much more authentic and miraculous. I mean…if he was making all of this up, then who in the world would think to bury their face in a hat as they “translate” a book anyway? Why not just “act” as if you can read the plates. If it’s all a deception anyway…then why go to the trouble of looking like an idiot and bringing further ridicule upon yourself by burying your face in a hat? That’s where it gets really crazy. If someone doesn’t believe that Joseph Smith was utilizing a seer stone or the Urim and Thummim in the translation process, then they would have to believe that he had previously concocted, written, and memorized over five hundred and thirty pages of complex teaching and history verbatim before he began dictating it to various scribes. Each of the scribes gave their eyewitness account regarding the miraculousness of the process. No books, no manuscripts, no audio recording earpiece, no punctuation, no chapters or verses. It gets even more incomprehensible! Emma later added that after a meal or a night’s rest, Joseph would begin, without prompting, where he had previously left off (The Saints’ Herald 26 [Oct. 1, 1879]:290). He didn’t go back, ask for the last sentence, perform edits, or make sure he had his story straight. Can you imagine this? Go to bed, wake up, and know exactly where you left off? I don’t think I could even do this with one page of memorized writings let alone the Allegory of the Olive Tree! This fact in and of itself is evidence enough of divine intervention. No human is capable of that kind of feat. But even if you were intellectually capable of doing something like that…would you exert so much energy and effort for a fraud? Those that acted as scribe for Joseph did so with caution, often trying to catch Joseph in some sort of lie or deception. They were as skeptical as you and I might have been the first time we picked up a Book of Mormon. No one wants to waste their time, let alone place their reputation on the line because of a fraud. But over time, those scribes, finding no other way to explain away the marvel of the Book of Mormon, came to the same conclusion I have come to… “This cannot be the voice of a 22 year old” Every time I open the Book of Mormon, I feel like Oliver Cowdery when he said “These were days never to be forgotten—to sit under the sound of a voice dictated by the inspiration of heaven, awakened the utmost gratitude of this bosom! Day after day I continued, uninterrupted, to write from his mouth, as he translated with the Urim and Thummim, or, as the Nephites would have said, ‘Interpreters,’ the history or record called ‘The Book of Mormon.’—Messenger and Advocate, vol. 1 (October 1834), pp. 14–16. There were too many individuals that testified of the miracles that surrounded the coming forth of the Book of Mormon to write it off as a hoax. You may make fun of me as you read this…but I just can’t believe that a 22 yr old would be capable writing, concocting, memorizing, dictating, and concealing the process from everyone that surrounded him. But for me…it’s more than that. Personally…I cannot associate the feelings I get and the lessons I learn every time I open that book to any other source than from God. And that is why I keep reading it’s pages and believing it’s teachings. |
Delphinidae - dolphins, killer whales, pilot whales There are 36 species in this family. Delphinids have a torpedo-shaped body; a long beak-like snout; cone-shaped teeth; a blow hole; and a bulging forehead. The bulge in their forehead is cause by the melon. The melon is a fatty bulge between the dolphin's skull and blow hole that is used for echolocation. Most species also have a curved dorsal fin. Delphinids are found in all of the world's oceans and some species are found in rivers. They are usually found in shallow water. Most species live in large groups called pods. Delphinids are fast and agile swimmers. Delphinids use echolocation to locate prey like fish and squid. Killer whales also eat seals and penguins. World Status Key Least Concern Near Threatened Vulnerable Endangered Critically Endangered Extinct in the Wild Extinct Status taken from ICUN Redlist. If no status is listed, there is not enough data to establish status, or there is no status data for the species. US Status Key Threatened in US Threatened in NH Endangered in US Endangered in NH Breeds in NH Introduced Status taken from US Fish and Wildlife and NH Fish and Game New Hampshire Species North/Central American Species Short-beaked Saddleback Dolphin - Delphinus delphis Killer Whale - Orcinus orca Melon-headed Whale - Peponocephala electra False Killer Whale - Pseudorca crassidens Guiana Dolphin - Sotalia guianensis Pantropical Spotted Dolphin - Stenella attenuata Clymene Dolphin - Stenella clymene Striped Dolphin - Stenella coeruleoalba Atlantic Spotted Dolphin - Stenella frontalis Spinner Dolphin - Stenella longirostris Rough-toothed Dolphin - Steno bredanensis Common Bottlenose Dolphin - Tursiops truncatus North/Central American Species Long-beaked Common Dolphin - Delphinus capensis Pygmy Killer Whale - Feresa attenuata Short-finned Pilot Whale - Globicephala macrorhynchus Long-finned Pilot Whale - Globicephala melas Risso's Dolphin - Grampus griseus Fraser's Dolphin - Lagenodelphis hosei Atlantic White-sided Dolphin - Lagenorhynchus acutus White-beaked Dolphin - Lagenorhynchus albirostris Pacific White-sided Dolphin - Lagenorhynchus obliquidens Northern Right Whale Dolphin - Lissodelphis borealis Species Around the World Location Key Africa Antarctic Region Asia Australia/Oceania Europe North America South America NH Arctic Ocean Atlantic Ocean Indian Ocean Mediterranean/Black Sea Pacific Ocean Cephalorhynchus commersonii Chilean Dolphin - Cephalorhynchus eutropia Heaviside's Dolphin - Cephalorhynchus heavisidii Hector's Dolphin - Cephalorhynchus hectori Long-beaked Common Dolphin - Delphinus capensis Short-beaked Saddleback Dolphin - Delphinus delphis Pygmy Killer Whale - Feresa attenuata Short-finned Pilot Whale - Globicephala macrorhynchus Long-finned Pilot Whale - Globicephala melas Risso's Dolphin - Grampus griseus Fraser's Dolphin - Lagenodelphis hosei Atlantic White-sided Dolphin - Lagenorhynchus acutus White-beaked Dolphin - Lagenorhynchus albirostris Peale's Dolphin - Lagenorhynchus australis Hourglass Dolphin - Lagenorhynchus cruciger Pacific White-sided Dolphin - Lagenorhynchus obliquidens Dusky Dolphin - Lagenorhynchus obscurus Northern Right Whale Dolphin - Lissodelphis borealis Southern Right Whale Dolphin - Lissodelphis peronii Irrawaddy Dolphin - Orcaella brevirostris Australian Snubfin Dolphin - Orcaella heinsohni Killer Whale - Orcinus orca Melon-headed Whale - Peponocephala electra False Killer Whale - Pseudorca crassidens Tucuxi - Sotalia fluviatilis Guiana Dolphin - Sotalia guianensis Indo-pacific Hump-backed Dolphin - Sousa chinensis Atlantic Humpbacked Dolphin - Sousa teuszii Pantropical Spotted Dolphin - Stenella attenuata Clymene Dolphin - Stenella clymene Striped Dolphin - Stenella coeruleoalba Atlantic Spotted Dolphin - Stenella frontalis Spinner Dolphin - Stenella longirostris Rough-toothed Dolphin - Steno bredanensis Indo-pacific Bottlenose Dolphin - Tursiops aduncus Common Bottlenose Dolphin - Tursiops truncatus Commerson's Dolphin -Chilean Dolphin -Heaviside's Dolphin -Hector's Dolphin -Long-beaked Common Dolphin -Pygmy Killer Whale -Short-finned Pilot Whale -Long-finned Pilot Whale -Risso's Dolphin -Fraser's Dolphin -Atlantic White-sided Dolphin -White-beaked Dolphin -Peale's Dolphin -Hourglass Dolphin -Pacific White-sided Dolphin -Dusky Dolphin -Northern Right Whale Dolphin -Southern Right Whale Dolphin -Irrawaddy Dolphin -Australian Snubfin Dolphin -Killer Whale -Melon-headed Whale -False Killer Whale -Tucuxi -Guiana Dolphin -Indo-pacific Hump-backed Dolphin -Atlantic Humpbacked Dolphin -Pantropical Spotted Dolphin -Clymene Dolphin -Striped Dolphin -Atlantic Spotted Dolphin -Spinner Dolphin -Rough-toothed Dolphin -Indo-pacific Bottlenose Dolphin -Common Bottlenose Dolphin - |
Following the guilty verdicts in the Boston bombing trial on Wednesday, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev’s mother, Zubeidat, sent a note to a family friend declaring Americans are “the terrorists,” and saying her son is “the best of the best,” the friend told Vocativ. Vocativ discovered the post, written in Russian, in a support group on VKontakte, the Russian social media site. The sister of the family friend, Timur Raduyev, also sent the message to Vocativ. Raduyev said in VK messages to Vocativ that he posted the mom’s words to the support group. In part, the messsage reads: “I will never forget it. May god bless those who helped my son. The terrorists are the Americans and everyone knows it. My son is the best of the best.” In 2013, Rudayev started a group on VKontakte to support Tsarnaev and his family. Rudayev said he raised at least $5,000. He shared photos of Tsarnaev’s mom and other family members. He also consistently posted to the group screengrabs of conversations he had with the mom through Whatsapp and other conversation apps. The group, called “Support for Dzhokhar,” has 1,882 followers on VK. A message from Tsarnaev’s mother posted on the Russian social media site VK |
It was the first edition of the WTA event since 2008. Belgian tennis star and former top player Kim Clijsters acted as tournament director. With Navarro out injured, Kim Clijsters challenged Petkovic to play a demonstration game to entertain the crowd. Kim Clijsters showed she can still do it and surprised Petkovic with a strong performance and a win. Navarro cited neck problems to explain her decision. Bad news for Kim Clijsters and the many fans; Clijsters could nothing else than announce the bad news just before the final should have started. Petkovic, the world's number 12, lifted the trophy, a diamond racket, but she can only take it home if she wins the tournament twice in three years' time. The racket carries 2008 diamonds. Navarro said she was sorry, but there was no other option. "I am sorry for Kim and for the crowd. I enjoyed the past week and would have loved playing here." |
The United States has taken steps to release a $450 million installment of frozen Iranian funds following a report from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) verifying that Iran is living up to its part of a landmark nuclear pact with world powers, the U.S. State Department said on Thursday. State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said that "all sides have kept the commitments made" under the agreement. She said that "as Iran remains in line with its commitments," the United States, France, Germany, Britain, China, Russia and the European Union "will continue to uphold our commitments as well." The report by the U.N. nuclear agency showed that Iran had - as stipulated under the Nov. 24 agreement - diluted half of its higher-grade enriched uranium reserve to a fissile content less prone to bomb proliferation. Tehran has also continued to convert the other half of its stock of uranium gas refined to a 20 percent fissile purity, the IAEA report said. "Based on this confirmation and consistent with commitments that the United States made under the Joint Plan of Action (Nov. 24 pact), the Department of Treasury took the necessary steps pursuant to the JPOA to facilitate the release of a $450 million installment of Iran's frozen funds," Harf told reporters. Under the agreement, Iran halted some aspects of its nuclear program in exchange for a limited easing of international sanctions. |
The Prime Minister said that he will “back up” schools and courts that ask people to remove Muslim veils. He said that he does not believe there should be a ban on wearing the niqab, which conceals the whole face, in all public places. However, in an interview with the BBC’s Andrew Marr programme, Mr Cameron said he would consider issuing new guidelines to judges, teachers and immigration officers telling them when they can ask people to remove their veils. A growing number of Conservative MPs want the Government to consider a full ban on the veil. “We are a free country and people should be free to wear whatever clothes they like in public or in private,” Mr Cameron said. “But we should support those institutions that need to put in place rules so that those institutions can work properly.So for instance in a school, if they want that particular dress code, I believe the Government should back them. The same for courts, the same for immigration.” A London judge this month ordered a Muslim defendant to remove her veil, but asked politicians for clearer instructions on veils in court. Asked if he would respond to a judge’s suggestion that there should be national guidelines on the wearing of the niqab in court, Mr Cameron said: “I’m very happy to look at that. Obviously, in court the jury needs to be able to look at someone’s face. I’ve sat on a jury, that’s part of what you do. “When someone is coming into the country, an immigration officer needs to see someone’s face. In a school, it’s very difficult to teach unless you can look at your pupils in the eye. “It’s a free country and I think a free country should have free and independent institutions. No plans for anything on the street, but if the Government needs to do more to back up institutions, then I would be happy to look at that.” Schools and colleges are currently given the freedom to set their own policies on uniform. Guidance from the Department for Education states that it should be possible for various religious beliefs to be accommodated within individual institutions’ policies. The right to a particular religious dress code is safeguarded by the Human Rights Act and must be followed by schools and colleges, it is claimed. But the guidance says that teachers can lawfully impose policies that “restrict the freedom of pupils to manifest their religion” – for example, by covering their face or carrying the traditional Sikh kirpan dagger – on various grounds. Mr Cameron’s latest intervention in the debate follows a political row earlier this month over a decision by Birmingham Metropolitan College to ban veils. The college was accused of discriminating against Muslims when it ordered all students, staff and visitors to remove face coverings. It backed down after a petition attracted thousands of signatures. |
Democrat Manka Dhingra had 55 percent of the vote Wednesday -- essentially the same percentage she held in Tuesday night's general election returns. Democrats will take control of the state Senate as Manka Dhingra defeated Republican rival Jinyoung Lee Englund in the 45th District state Senate race. After the latest returns Wednesday, Democrat Dhingra’s double-digit lead stayed essentially the same as it was Tuesday night. She had 55.45 percent of the vote on Wednesday. The Eastside contest has been Washington’s highest-profile state legislative race in years. A Republican-led coalition currently holds a one-vote Senate majority, but Dhingra’s victory flips control to the Democrats. Democrats have a slim majority in the state House and also hold the governor’s office. Component post 10560586 could not be found. Dhingra’s 10-point lead Tuesday night prompted many Democrats to quickly declare victory. Englund, however, did not concede Wednesday. “With only 1,700 ballots counted today, we are going to continue to watch the returns come in, ” campaign spokeswoman Lisa Schreiner said in a text message. More than 30,800 votes have been counted so far. More results will be released Thursday. Susan Hutchison, Washington State Republican Party chairman, issued a news release Wednesday afternoon congratulating Englund for a hard-fought campaign. “Jinyoung Englund has tremendous potential and ran an honorable campaign,” Hutchison wrote. “However, swing Democrats did not cross party lines as they had for the late incumbent Republican Senator Andy Hill.” The seat became open with Hill’s death last fall from cancer. Dhingra, of Redmond, will serve the remaining year of Hill’s term, and the seat will be back on the ballot next fall for a full four-year term. |
There are about 70 laneway homes in Hamilton, and new report going to the Public Works committee Tuesday explores whether it makes sense to encourage more as a way to increase affordable and sustainable housing options. There are currently 818 laneways in Hamilton that stretch over 100-kilometres. Laneways...have the potential to fulfil future needs as growth becomes more focused within existing established neighbourhoods. - Public Works report But there are only around 70 known laneway homes in existence. These homes were originally built as outbuildings or carriage houses, but have since been adapted to accommodate second residences. Around 82 per cent of the laneways are city-owned and are primarily located in the lower city between Burlington Street, Parkdale Avenue, the Niagara Escarpment and Dundurn Street. But the report says there is potential for more laneway homes — which they describe as a small, detached home located at the centre of the block and fronting a laneway — in Hamilton because over 15,000 homes are located on laneways and the majority are residential units. Ward 3 has the most laneways in the city. According to the report, increasing the number of laneway homes in the city would help to offer more affordable housing options while helping it keep up with its growing population and cutting costs of construction, because these types of homes are typically less expensive to build. "Laneways continue to serve many functions and have the potential to fulfil future needs as growth becomes more focused within existing established neighbourhoods," says the report. The report cautions there are practical, policy and legal issues to overcome. Right now, city zoning does not actually permit laneway housing, but higher level polices that push intensification are supportive of the idea. Laneways also often serve as local transportation networks for neighbourhoods. "Beyond housing, laneways may offer the opportunity for multi-modal transportation options – bike and walking trails. More creative uses, such as space for community needs are also possible," it says. |
After sparking anger nationwide by vocally supporting the fight against same-sex marriage, the Chick-fil-A fast-food chain has reportedly agreed to halt giving money to groups that seek to ban the practice. The chain’s president and son of its founder, Dan Cathy, sparked the furor in July, when he gave an interview to a Christian radio program in which he said “I think we are inviting God’s judgment on our nation when we shake our fist at Him and say, ‘We know better than you as to what constitutes a marriage.'” He later said, “We want to do anything we possibly can to strengthen families.” The comments caused gay advocacy groups to call for a boycott of the chain, and supporters to flock to the restaurants to show solidarity. Politicians, including Boston Mayor Thomas Menino and San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee, said they would fight any attempts by the chain to move into their cities. One of the politicians who made such a pledge was Chicago Alderman Joe Moreno, whose district in Chicago was scheduled to receive a Chick-fil-A. According to a Tuesday news release by The Civil Rights Agenda, a Chicago-based lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender advocacy group, the charitable arm of Chick-fil-A pledged not to support groups that oppose same-sex marriage in negotiations concerning a Chicago franchise. WinShare promised in a letter to Moreno that “Chick-fil-A will no longer give money to anti-gay organizations and that they have clarified in an internal document that the company will treat every person equally, regardless of sexual orientation,” TCRA announced, adding that company executives said the same in face-to-face meetings. The company did not confirm or deny its charitable organization’s statement when approached by the Internet news source Buzzfeed, with a spokesman instead giving a statement saying “We have no agenda, policy or position against anyone.” Contact Jeremy C. Owens at 408-920-5876; follow him at Twitter.com/mercbizbreak. |
New Report on Removing Firearms from Domestic Abusers Landmark Report Contains Best Practices for Firearm Removal from Domestic Abusers On February 17, 2016, the Consortium for Risk Based Firearm Policy and Prosecutors Against Gun Violence (PAGV) released a new report titled, “Firearm Removal/Retrieval in Cases of Domestic Violence.” The report provides a comprehensive overview of best practices for firearm removal in cases of domestic violence. Kelly Roskam, legal counsel for the Educational Fund to Stop Gun Violence (Ed Fund), had a leading role in developing and writing the report. The purpose of the report is to recommend policies and practices to reduce gun violence perpetrated by domestic abusers, including individuals subject to domestic violence protective orders. The removal process is broken down into six components: Authority to remove/retrieve. Identifying abusers with firearms. Notifying abusers about their status as prohibited possessors of firearms. Removal/retrieval of firearms from abusers. Storage or sale of retrieved firearms. Return of firearms when a protective order expires The report makes the following key recommendations: Prioritize service of protective orders to armed respondents in cases of civil domestic violence protective orders. Authorize law enforcement to remove guns from prohibited abusers, and if that removal is unsuccessful, allow the court to issue a search warrant to complete the removal. Identify or build structures that prevent damage to stored firearms removed from prohibited abusers. Provide law enforcement with immunity from civil liability when they retrieve firearms. Require a background check as a condition of returning firearms to a prohibited abuser. Enact a policy to allow unclaimed firearms to be sold or destroyed. In civil protective order cases, require law enforcement to notify petitioners or victims when firearms have been returned to the abuser/defendant. Collect data at each stage of the firearm removal process. The “Firearm Removal/Retrieval in Cases of Domestic Violence” can be read here. To read PAGV’s press release on the report, click here. |
Libyan Rebel Leader Spent Much of Past 20 Years in Langley Virginia By Chris Adams March 30, 2011 " McClatchy " -- WASHINGTON - The new leader of Libya's opposition military spent the past two decades in suburban Virginia but felt compelled — even in his late-60s — to return to the battlefield in his homeland, according to people who know him. REP. Dennis Kucinich Video added August 29, 2011 Khalifa Hifter was once a top military officer for Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi, but after a disastrous military adventure in Chad in the late 1980s, Hifter switched to the anti-Gadhafi opposition. In the early 1990s, he moved to suburban Virginia, where he established a life but maintained ties to anti-Gadhafi groups. Late last week, Hifter was appointed to lead the rebel army, which has been in chaos for weeks. He is the third such leader in less than a month, and rebels interviewed in Libya openly voiced distrust for the most recent leader, Abdel Fatah Younes, who had been at Gadhafi's side until just a month ago. At a news conference Thursday, the rebel's military spokesman said Younes will stay as Hifter's chief of staff, and added that the army — such as it is — would need "weeks" of training. According to Abdel Salam Badr of Richmond, Va., who said he has known Hifter all his life — including back in Libya — Hifter -- whose name is sometimes spelled Haftar, Hefter or Huftur -- was motivated by his intense anti-Gadhafi feelings. "Libyans — every single one of them — they hate that guy so much they will do whatever it takes," Badr said in an interview Saturday. "Khalifa has a personal grudge against Gadhafi... That was his purpose in life." According to Badr and another friend in the U.S., a Georgia-based Libyan activist named Salem alHasi, Hifter left for Libya two weeks ago. alHasi, who said Hifter was once his superior in the opposition's military wing, said he and Hifter talked in mid-February about the possibility that Gadhafi would use force on protesters. "He made the decision he had to go inside Libya," alHasi said Saturday. "With his military experience, and with his strong relationship with officers on many levels of rank, he decided to go and see the possibility of participating in the military effort against Gadhafi." He added that Hifter is very popular among members of the Libyan army, "and he is the most experienced person in the whole Libyan army." He acted out of a sense of "national responsibility," alHasi said. "This responsibility no one can take care of but him," alHasi said. "I know very well that the Libyan army especially in the eastern part is in desperate need of his presence." Omar Elkeddi, a Libyan expatriate journalist based in Holland, said in an interview that the opposition forces are getting more organized than they were at the beginning up the uprising. Hifter, he said, is "very professional, very distinguished," and commands great respect. Since coming to the United States in the early 1990s, Hifter lived in suburban Virginia outside Washington, D.C. Badr said he was unsure exactly what Hifter did to support himself, and that Hifter primarily focused on helping his large family. Youtube: Hilfer arrives in Benghazi Click on "comments" below to read or post comments Click here to learn how to post a comment .Comments that include profanity or personal attacks or other inappropriate material will be removed from the site. See our complete Comment Policy . | More Sign up for our Daily Email Newsletter Please help Support Information Clearing House One-Time Donation $ Recurring Monthly Donation $ Thank you for your support In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. Information Clearing House has no affiliation whatsoever with the originator of this article nor is Information ClearingHouse endorsed or sponsored by the originator.) |
Taran Killam, Rob Riggle and Tiffany Haddish are also on the roll call for the Universal comedy. House of Lies actor Ben Schwartz has joined Kevin Hart in Night School. Malcolm D. Lee is directing the Universal comedy that counts Taran Killam, Rob Riggle, Girls Trip breakout Tiffany Haddish and Yvonne Orji on the roll call. Will Packer is producing as is Hart, via his Hartbeat Productions. Based on a story by Hart, Night School follows a group of misfits who are forced to attend adult classes with the hope that they'll pass the GED exam. Schwartz will play Hart's best friend, an investment adviser who wants to give his pal a job but can't until Hart passes his GED. The movie is due to begin shooting at the end of September in Atlanta and is scheduled for release on Sept. 28, 2018. Schwartz starred with Don Cheadle and Kristen Bell in Lies for five seasons on Showtime and also appeared on NBC's Parks and Recreation. He stars in the upcoming Netflix film Happy Anniversary and recently sold his TV series based off his book, Things You Should Already Know About Dating, You Fucking Idiot, which he will also executive produce. In addition, he was just nominated for an Emmy for outstanding actor in a short form comedy or drama series for Funny or Die's The Earliest Show, which he also created. He is repped by WME, Haven Entertainment and Gang Tyre. |
An enterprise that is collectively run yet individually programmed by five fierce women, that is low stress, enjoyable, that pays the bills (a portion of them, anyway) and is social justice oriented? I'm all over it! And I'm not even into yoga. I was, once, long ago, when I was a freaky teenager and nobody I knew was doing it. Nowadays, it feels like everywhere you turn, you bump into yet another yoga studio. It's so damned trendy. And the spandex! I'm pretty sure the original yogi practitioners weren't overly concerned about looking fashionable in leggings and matching tops. But what Kelly Hilton and her group have going is something different, something special. Aviva Yoga Studio is a beautiful little studio on Barton Street East that opened its doors three years ago and is now a part of the health and wellness movement in this struggling neighbourhood. You go up the narrow staircase and enter into a space of tranquility and stillness. "It's simplicity, which is what I was searching for when I first started out with this work," Kelly tells me. She's been practicing and teaching yoga for two decades, and is always thinking about how best to empower not only the student but also the yoga teacher. That includes keeping the classes very small, knowing in depth what each student's practice is like and helping them develop it further. "We don't want to teach the masses!" "Part of what is happening at Aviva is that if you want to sustain yourself, it's possible since there are no administration costs, no technology, none of that white noise of business. When it comes to students, it's just you, the mat and your teacher. This is empowering the yogi." Once the idea of forming a collective of like-minded, self-propelled yoga teachers to share a space and all of the details of developing a dynamic yoga studio began to percolate, Kelly interviewed potential partners. In time, Kim Agostino, Kristin Billing, Amanda Farhat, Amanda Welton — who offers doga (yoga with dogs) — joined her in creating a well-rounded, ample schedule of classes with each member of the collective sharing in the responsibilities including paying rent, designing the space, maintaining the website, creating the logo and signage, "carving out our vision and identity." What is particularly interesting to me is the collaboration with partners, two doors down. The Eatery at 451 is popping, and their "pay it forward" Buttons for Food program is something that inspired the collective to do the same at Aviva. Since they are well aware of the need in this neighbourhood, they offer a similar program to people who can't afford the $15 an hour, or even donation: it's five buttons for a class for anyone in need. "The Buttons program is rewarding in that it creates the opportunity for all residents to access the many benefits of yoga," Kelly says. |
Mt. Gox has said it found 200,000 of the bitcoins it claimed may have disappeared as a result of a software flaw. In a statement on its website Thursday, the failed exchange said it found 200,000 bitcoins in an old-format digital wallet, reducing the number of bitcoins missing to 650,000. The finding may be a glimmer of hope for Mt. Gox’s customers, although bankruptcy proceedings in Japan and the U.S. are unlikely to result in a speedy determination of which creditors get paid first. The 200,000 bitcoins were worth about $116 million at market price Friday. Wallets are software programs for holding and transferring bitcoins, and other payments applications. The wallet in which the bitcoins were found were used in the past and the exchange thought it no longer held any bitcoins, wrote Mark Karpelès, Mt. Gox’s CEO. The Tokyo exchange filed on March 9 for bankruptcy protection in the U.S. in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Texas, Dallas Division, after filing for bankruptcy in Tokyo District Court on Feb. 28. The company suspended trading on Feb. 25 and said it had lost around 750,000 Bitcoins owned by customers and around 100,000 belonging to the exchange, valued at $474 million at the time. In its filing to the bankruptcy court in Dallas, Karpelès said he believed that the theft or disappearance “was caused or related to a defect or ‘bug’ in the bitcoin software algorithm, which was exploited by one or more persons who had ‘hacked’ the bitcoin network.” While rescanning the wallets and researching their contents, after the commencement of the court proceedings, Mt. Gox found that an old format wallet used before June 2011 held a balance of about 200,000 bitcoins. The bitcoins have been transferred to offline wallets between March 14 and 15 after first being transferred to an online wallet for security reasons, the exchange said in its statement. The finding of the bitcoins was reported to the court. Mt. Gox now holds about 202,000 bitcoins, including the recovered 200,000 and about 2,000 held at time of starting the bankruptcy proceedings. The reasons for the bitcoins’ disappearance and their exact number is still under investigation and the figures may still change depending on the results of the investigation, Karpelès said in the statement. |
According to a memo in an attachment to a leaked email released by WikiLeaks, Democratic Party elites were engaged in a serious discussion about replacing the notoriously corrupt (and apparently hard to work with) Debbie Wasserman Schultz with Jennifer Granholm as DNC chair last December. Jennifer Granholm was the governor of Michigan from 2003 to 2011, the state that brought us the examples of wonderful governance in both Detroit and Flint, but it gets better. Politico reports that Granholm has been spending her post-governor years working for pro-Clinton super PACs, first for the extremely powerful Priorities USA Action, and now for Correct the Record. null Correct the Record, or CTR as it’s commonly known, is the widely reviled super PAC known for spending millions of dollars employing actual internet shills to fight the online populist groundswell of enthusiasm behind candidates like Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump. In the days before widespread internet access, WikiLeaks, and alternative media, populist candidates could be successfully marginalized using the well-documented leverage that party elites have over the corporate media, reported in articles like this one by The Intercept and this one by the Observer. Now that our species has gained a radically unprecedented ability to network and share ideas and information, those conventional propaganda tactics have become less effectual, hence Correct the Record. Again, this email is from back in December, so it would be unfair of us to assert that the Democrats would try and put an actual CTR boss in its chair after the brazen assaults on democracy by Debbie Wasserman Schultz and her equally corrupt acting replacement Donna Brazile. Surely after two back-to-back spectacular crash-and-burn scandalous chairpersons (three if you understandably count Tim Kaine), nobody in the party would think at this point that it would be prudent to replace Donna Brazile with a woman who gets paid to deceive social media users into thinking that Hillary Clinton has an abundance of enthusiastic supporters. Would they? I mean, these are the same people who thought Brazile was the best possible replacement after Wasserman Schultz’s role was revealed in the single greatest political scandal for a first-world country in living memory. They looked around the room and said, “You! Yeah, you, the lady who just violated our Charter by passing CNN debate questions in advance to Hillary Clinton and acted as a mole against the Sanders campaign. You’re just the gal we need to save our tattered reputation!” So maybe we shouldn’t get too lax about that. null Nevertheless, my main point here is that in each of these cases, these selections are the best the Democratic Party can do. They picked the crony corporatist Kaine, who almost certainly vacated his spot in exchange for the veep slot to allow Wasserman Schultz to rig the primary for her friend and former employer Hillary, then they replaced DWS with someone they already knew was corrupt to the core, and now we learn they were also considering filling that seat with someone whose job is to manipulate and deceive for one of the most despised political establishments in America. I mean, are these really the cream of the crop, DNC? They’re the pick of the litter? I hate to think of how bad the rejects must be. The DNC has to choose this replacement very carefully. If the party is to survive as a democratic institution, they have to inspire trust in the DNC’s democratic processes. The next chair will have to do a lot of apologizing, a lot of reassuring, show a lot of transparency and dedication to due process, and overall make it very clear that the next primaries will be run in a democratic and evenhanded manner. Or else, no one will show up. No one will show up to be a candidate, no one will show up to vote, no one will fundraise, no one will be a delegate, no one will dip into their life savings to go to Philadelphia as a delegate. All the things that Bernie supporters did, they did because they believed in the process. null There is no such belief anymore. The next DNC chair will have a tough job convincing anyone that they’ve changed their ways, but it’s their only choice unless they want to leave the democratic process behind altogether and just rule by brute force. God help us if they choose that. [Featured Image by Paul Sancya/AP Images] |
State milk ads heading abroad to save moola : Unions are sour on a New Zealand plan for 'Happy Cows' spots. For The Record Los Angeles Times Saturday, November 14, 2009 Home Edition Main News Part A Page 4 National Desk 1 inches; 45 words Type of Material: Correction Milk commercials: An article in Friday's Section A about the California Milk Advisory Board filming its "Happy Cows" TV commercials in New Zealand said Bob Industries of Santa Monica was the producer. In fact, Karen Rohrbacher and director Chris Hooper are producing the new ads. It comes just after California began offering film tax incentives this summer to reverse so-called runaway production that has caused the loss of thousands of jobs in the Los Angeles area as other states and countries have siphoned off film and TV crews with lucrative financial incentives. In January, it plans to shoot part of its new series of 10 California "Happy Cows" TV commercials in Auckland, taking advantage of that country's low production costs. The board, which promotes the state's dairy farmers and is overseen by the California Department of Food and Agriculture, is again preparing to film commercials touting California milk from California cows -- in New Zealand. The California Milk Advisory Board may have shot itself in the hoof. Under the state's first film tax credit program, which took effect in July, California is offering $100 million in credits for about 50 film and TV projects. Commercials, however, were excluded from the program. "Obviously, the governor prefers that everyone produce their film, television and other projects in California," said Camille Anderson, spokeswoman for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who strongly backed the measure. Local union officials were cheesed off to learn that the state milk board was farming out TV work to foreign locales. "It's totally out of line," said Ed Duffy, business agent for Teamsters Local 399, which represents location managers, studio drivers and casting directors. "If they're promoting California products, they should be shooting in California." Milk board officials said the New Zealand shoot represented a "minor portion of production" and was a matter of simple economics. The board solicited bids from around the world, and the New Zealand site was the lowest, said Michael Freeman, the board's vice president of advertising. "It was a no-brainer," he said. "The dairy industry is facing the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. We have a fiduciary responsibility to spend their hard-earned dollars as efficiently as we can. In this particular case, we found significant cost savings by shooting a portion of this product overseas." The board, which receives funding from dairy farmers, has been running TV ads promoting California's "Happy Cows" for nearly a decade. The latest series, which began last year, features New Zealand cows representing bovines from around the world auditioning to be the next California Happy Cow. Like "American Idol," TV viewers can then go on the board's website and vote for their favorite cow. Although Los Angeles remains the bread-and-butter capital for commercial shoots, it faces growing competition from foreign locales, including countries such as Argentina and New Zealand that offer substantial financial incentives. The New Zealand shoot will be filmed over three days on the same sound stage the board used for last year's TV campaign. Freeman stressed that all post-production work will be done in California, where it will take six to eight weeks to finish each commercial. |
Express News Service By JEYPORE: Four persons were allegedly lynched at Balia village under Jeypore sadar police station limits on suspicion of being ‘organ traffickers’. Their mutilated bodies were found lying scattered on Jeypore-Boiapariguda road in the wee hours on Thursday. According to preliminary reports, the four were on their way to Nuaput village in their vehicle at 1 am when when about 100 villagers, suspecting their activities, detained their vehicle. When they tried to escape, the villagers chased them suspecting them to be members of an ‘organ trafficking’ gang. The four tried to flee from the spot leaving behind their vehicle. But the villagers chased them down and beat them to death. They also torched their vehicle. The villagers then dragged their bodies towards the nearby bridge road. Meanwhile, another group of villagers of Nuaput attacked one more person suspecting him to be the member of the same gang. On receiving information, police rushed to the village and rescued the victim. The villagers detained the unarmed policemen for two hours. The victim’s bike was also set ablaze. Additional police force rushed to the spot and admitted the injured to Jeypore hospital. The mayhem continued in nearby Palakaput village, 3 km from Nuaput, where the villagers torched a jeep in which there were two persons, also suspecting them to be ‘organ traffickers.’ They even detained four passersby. Police rescued the two persons from the clutches of the villagers in the wee hours. As soon as the news spread in the morning, senior police officials, led by Korpaut SP C S Meena, rushed to the spot. As villagers of Balia, Nuaput and Palakaput were suspected to be involved in the incident, police detained 25 persons. Police sources said that over 100 villagers are involved in the crime. Meanwhile, the four bodies were sent to Koraput for autopsy. Police recovered Madhya Pradesh driving licence from the deceased and are investigating their identities. |
Former Cuban president says the 9/11 mastermind is in the pay of the CIA and cites WikiLeaks as his source Fidel Castro has more reason than most to believe conspiracy theories involving dark forces in Washington. After all, the CIA tried to blow his head off with an exploding cigar. But the ageing Cuban revolutionary may have gone too far for all but the most ardent believer in the reach and competence of America's intelligence agency. He has claimed that Osama bin Laden is in the pay of the CIA and that President George Bush summoned up the al-Qaida leader whenever he needed to increase the fear quotient. The former Cuban president said he knows it because he has read WikiLeaks. Castro told a visiting Lithuanian writer, who is known as a font of intriguing conspiracy theories about plots for world domination, that Bin Laden was working for the White House. "Bush never lacked for Bin Laden's support. He was a subordinate," Castro said, according to the Communist party daily, Granma. "Any time Bush would stir up fear and make a big speech, Bin Laden would appear, threatening people with a story about what he was going to do." He said that thousands of pages of American classified documents made public by WikiLeaks pointed to who the al-Qaida leader is really working for. "Who showed that he [Bin Laden] is indeed a CIA agent was WikiLeaks. It proved it with documents," he said, but did not explain exactly how. He made his comments during a meeting with Daniel Estulin, the author of three books about the secretive Bilderberg Club which includes men such as Henry Kissinger, the former US secretary of state, leading European officials and business executives. Estulin says that the club is form of secret world government, manipulating economies and political systems. Estulin offered his own views on Bin Laden: that the man seen in videos since 9/11 is not him at all but a "bad actor". However the two men did find something to disagree on. Estulin has long argued that the human race will need to find another planet to live on because of overcrowding. Castro was not keen. He observed that man had only made it to the moon, which is entirely unsuitable as a new home, and what lay beyond that was not much better. Better to fix things on earth. "Humanity ought to take care of itself if it wants to live thousands more years," he said. |
Emergency responders at the Center for Biotechnology building at RPI, which was evacuated Thursday because of chemical spill. (Lori Van Buren/Times Union) Emergency responders at the Center for Biotechnology building at RPI, which was evacuated Thursday because of chemical spill. (Lori Van Buren/Times Union) Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Chemical spill prompts evacuation at RPI 1 / 1 Back to Gallery TROY — A small chemical spill prompted a building to be evacuated at RPI Thursday afternoon, Troy Fire Chief Tom Garrett said. No one was hurt when about a liter of a potentially hazardous chemical spilled in a room at the college's biotech building, Garrett said. The chemical's odor permeated the building, triggering the evacuation, Garrett said. One woman went to the school's medical center, though she was expected to be fine, the chief said. The spill occurred around 12:45 p.m., Garrett said, adding that a HAZMAT crew was called in to clean up the scene. For precautionary reasons, the building will be closed for the day Thursday and reopen Friday morning, said Michael Mullaney, an RPI spokesman. |
Most of the non-presidential election buzz understandably surrounds the Senate races, where Democrats need only a net gain of five seats to retake the chamber. But while it’s an uphill battle for the Democrats in the House – they need to net 30 seats to secure the majority – that doesn’t mean there aren’t some competitive races. Whether it’s an embattled incumbent defending a swing seat or a heated primary, here are some of the most competitive races to keep an eye on in the New Year: Iowa’s 1st District Freshman Rep. Rod Blum (R-Iowa) is considered one of the most vulnerable House incumbents and will need to defend his seat that leans slightly Democratic. He won an open seat in the 2014 GOP wave election, but the district went to President Obama in the 2012 presidential election. ADVERTISEMENT It’s a top Democratic priority, but before the general election kicks off, a crowded Democratic primary field has emerged, which includes 2014 nominee Pat Murphy, Cedar Rapids Councilwoman Monica Vernon, and SNL alum and political newcomer Gary Kroeger. It’s expected to be a close primary between Murphy and Vernon, but the city councilwoman, who was runner-up in 2014’s Democratic primary, had an early entry into the race and has earned the endorsement of EMILY’s List, the national group that typically backs female Democratic candidates who support abortion rights. Colorado’s 6th District Rep. Mike Coffman (R-Colo.) represents a toss-up district in a state that was the tipping point in both the 2008 and 2012 presidential election. But the GOP incumbent has made a pointed effort to appeal to Latinos, a key voter bloc that represents 20 percent of his district, and easily won reelection in 2014. Democrats landed their top recruit, state Sen. Morgan Carroll, in the hopes of toppling Coffman, who has represented the district for four terms. A month after announcing, Carroll garnered a coveted endorsement from EMILY’s List. As national security becomes a prominent issue in 2016, Coffman and Carroll are already sparring for their likely general election match-up. Attack ads have panned Coffman’s vote against banning firearms from those on the FBI's terror watchlist, while Carroll was criticized for supporting Obama’s plan to close the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay. Arizona’s 1st District Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick Ann KirkpatrickGOP compares Ocasio-Cortez to Trump Hispanic Caucus sets red lines on DHS spending bill Dem women rally behind Pelosi MORE (D-Ariz.) is departing to run for the Senate in 2016. Her competitive seat is an expansive district where Native Americans make up 23 percent of the population – a voter bloc that historically votes Democratic. But with an open seat, Republicans see a chance to grab the seat. The GOP field has attracted a number of candidates including Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu, rancher Gary Kiehne, former Arizona Secretary of State Ken Bennett, state Speaker David Gowan, political newcomer and member of the Navajo Nation Shawn Redd. Democrats have coalesced around the only declared candidate, former state Sen. Tom O’Halleran, a Republican-turned-Democrat. He’s secured endorsements from prominent party establishment, including Kirkpatrick herself. Also running is 2012 candidate Miguel Olivas. State Sen. Barbara McGuire has been considering running, but has decided to run for reelection instead. Illinois’ 10th District Rep. Bob Dold (R-Ill.) is considered a more moderate Republican, voting against repealing ObamaCare back in February and supporting a resolution that calls for action on climate change. Dold represents a toss-up district that voted for Obama in 2008 and 2012 by wide margins and has gone back-and-forth in tight elections between Dold and former Rep. Brad Schneider in 2012 and 2014. But before Dold squares off again with Schneider, the former Congressman is in a heated Democratic primary with Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), which normally doesn’t endorse in primaries, however, has thrown its support behind Schneider. Florida’s 18th District Back in March, Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-Fla.) launched a Senate run, opening up his toss-up seat that narrowly voted for Obama in 2008 and Romney in 2012. Crowded fields are shaping up on both sides of the aisles, and millions of dollars are expected to come into play to win the open House seat. Several candidates have already vowed to self-fund $1 million to help jumpstart their campaigns including physician Mark Freeman, a Republican, and millionaire businessman Randy Perkins, a Democrat. 2014 GOP nominee Carl Domino has said he’d spend $1 million again and has already cut himself two checks. The large sums of money already flooding into the race have pushed out some candidates including Democrat Melissa McKinlay, a Palm Beach county commissioner. She dropped out of the race less than a week after Perkins announced his bid. Utah’s 4th District Rep. Mia Love (R-Utah), who’s the first black female Republican to serve in the House, is considered a rising star in the GOP. But she recently came under scrutiny after charging taxpayers for weekend flights to attend last year’s White House Correspondents’ Association’s dinner. Love agreed to pay back taxpayers for the costly flights, but the backlash has reignited Democratic hopes. Doug Owens, who was the 2014 Democratic nominee, has decided to try for a rematch with Love, and the DCCC has been hammering Love’s financial woes in a flurry of press releases. The district is considered a Republican stronghold, but even in a district that voted overwhelmingly for Mitt Romney in 2012, Love defeated Owens by less than 4 percentage points in 2014. Minnesota’s 2nd District In September, Rep. John Kline (R-Minn.) decided to vacate his swing-seat and retire from Congress. It’s a critical seat for Democrats if they expect to win back the majority. The Republican-controlled seat went to Obama in both 2008 and 2012. On the Democratic side, things are starting to heat up between former medical executive Angie Craig and physician Mary Lawrence. The DCCC and EMILY’s List are both staying out prior to the general election. But Craig has already landed key endorsements from labor groups and two congressman. Roger Kittelson, a little known candidate, is also running for the nomination. Republicans are also seeing a crowded field take shape including 2014 GOP candidate David Gerson, state Sen. John Howe, former state Rep. Pam Myhra, and former radio show host Jason Lewis. New Hampshire’s 1st District Embattled Rep. Frank Guinta (R-N.H.) will have to overcome his campaign finance mishap in his already competitive seat. An FEC investigation found that he accepted an illegal donation from his parents, and he has since agreed to pay back the loan. There had been calls for Guinta to resign, even from high-ranking Republicans like Sen. Kelly Ayotte Kelly Ann AyotteBottom Line US, allies must stand in united opposition to Iran’s bad behavior American military superiority will fade without bold national action MORE (R-N.H.). But Guinta plans to run for reelection and faces a primary challenge from 2014 GOP challenger Dan Innis. Several other Republicans have floated the possibility of running since the scandal. If Guinta emerges from a likely-bruising primary, it could possibly be the embattled congressman’s fourth rematch with former Rep. Carol Shea-Porter (D-N.H.). But Shea-Porter also faces her own primary against Democratic rival Shawn O’Connor. O’Connor, however, has already looked past the primary and launched TV ads to weaken the already-vulnerable Guinta. This swing district went to Obama in 2008 and again in 2012, by a one-point margin. New Jersey’s 5th District Rep. Scott Garrett Ernest (Scott) Scott GarrettManufacturers support Reed to helm Ex-Im Bank Trump taps nominee to lead Export-Import Bank Who has the edge for 2018: Republicans or Democrats? MORE (R-N.J.) has served in Congress since 2003, and has warded off Democratic primary challengers by at least 12-point margin in this GOP-leaning district. But Garrett came under fire in July for refusing to pay dues to the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) since the House GOP campaign arm recruits and contributes to gay candidates. Democrats have reveled at the prospect of unseating Garrett, and Josh Gottheimer, a former speechwriter for President Bill Clinton William (Bill) Jefferson ClintonKasich fundraises off 2020 speculation Inviting Kim Jong Un to Washington Howard Schultz must run as a Democrat for chance in 2020 MORE speechwriter, could be the party’s best chance. In the wake of Garrett’s comments, Gottheimer collected $400,000 from July to September and to date, has $934,000 cash on hand, according to figures from the Federal Election Commission (FEC). But while fundraising for Garrett has slowed down, Gottheimer will still likely go up against a well-funded incumbent who has a $2.3 million cash advantage. |
Law fails to guarantee protection for threatened species The Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act has never before been tested at the level of Appeal. By taking our case to Appeal we have given the law the best possible opportunity to show whether it can be effective in its stated purpose of GUARANTEEING the survival of unique native species. In this, the law has failed. This judgement gives the green light to ongoing destruction of Leadbeater's Possum habitat in Toolangi State Forest at sites where we have photographic and video confirmation that the species is present. Obviously, this is a disappointing outcome for MyEnvironment but, more importantly, for Leadbeater's Possum and all other species that rely on the protection of the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act for their ongoing survival. If the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act is incapable of guaranteeing the protection of our state's faunal emblem against a rapacious logging industry, we have to wonder what, if anything, does it protect? We call on the state government to urgently review the Act to make it functional and effective in saving threatened species, including the Leadbeater's Possum from extinction. In the meantime, we call on VicForests and its contractors to demonstrate genuine commitment to their repeated protestations of concern for the survival of Leadbeater's Possum by properly protecting all sites in logging coupes that contain known colonies of the species, including the three Toolangi coupes that were the subject of this case, where video and photographs of nesting and foraging animals have recently been obtained. Their conduct in coming days and weeks will be a public demonstration of their sincerity and decency. We shall now take time to study the implications of the judgement for MyEnvironment, the group and its members, and to take advice on future action. |
Even though the Pittsburgh Steelers are hosting a couple of significant free agents names on Tuesday, there are still some important College Pro Day dates on the calendar that the team has their eye on. For a team looking for an edge rusher, the Youngstown State Pro Day featuring highly rated draft prospect Derek Rivers is one they were sure to be at. With Mike Tomlin and Kevin Colbert presumably staying behind to meet Dont’a Hightower and Davon House, it was left to Joey Porter to make the trip to Ohio for the event. .@21WFMJSports Former Steelers Joey Porter and Kevin Green at today's YSU Pro Day! pic.twitter.com/gGBgeMKHNp — Dana Balash (@DanaBalash21) March 14, 2017 The Steelers have already met with Rivers at the Senior Bowl and the NFL Scouting Combine, a player who might be a guaranteed first-round selection if he had come from a more prestigious football program. Draft experts seem to be having a difficult time pinpointing what round he might go in and the young outside linebacker has been projected anywhere from the end of the first round to as late as the fifth round. Regardless of the level of competition he played against in college, Rivers appeared to be very comfortable at the Senior Bowl and he was one of the standout players. His performance at the combine was a cut above many of the more illustrious names at his position in Indianapolis. After a strong NFL Combine, @IgnitionAPG client Derek Rivers will be performing position drills at his pro day today. Best wishes Derek! pic.twitter.com/WlJLwyWA8V — Ignition APG (@IgnitionAPG) March 14, 2017 Thanks to the talent on display, there was perhaps a bigger crowd in attendance than has been seen at Youngstown State in past years. Former Steeler and current New York Jets linebacker coach, Kevin Greene was just one of the NFL teams interested in Rivers who took charge of the drills at some point. .@21WFMJSports Avery Moss & Derek Rivers running drill directed by Kevin Greene. pic.twitter.com/3Kc49dsFP2 — Dana Balash (@DanaBalash21) March 14, 2017 It would appear both Rivers and fellow edge rushing prospect Avery Moss impressed once again at their Pro Day and either could be in consideration for the Steelers come April. .@21WFMJSports Correction YSU's Derek Rivers running drill at YSU Pro Day! pic.twitter.com/DDTwu1GgYL — Dana Balash (@DanaBalash21) March 14, 2017 No questioning the star of this YSU pro day. Senior Derek Rivers has the attention of all these NFL scouts. pic.twitter.com/XCl0Dwm2Cr — Ryan Allison (@Ryan27WKBN) March 14, 2017 An invitation to Pittsburgh in the next few weeks might also be a possibility for Rivers or Avery. |
Hangzhou, home to the e-commerce giant Alibaba, has seen a growing number of technology startups working to turn their ideas into business. Bytom, Hangzhou’s first assets-focused public chain project released its first testnet “BigBang” on September 29. With the combination of Bytom Core and Bytomcli, or command line tool, the testnet is completed via Golang and along with full test cases. The core code of BigBang is now available on GitHub. At BigBang, Bytom accomplishes the design of a basic blockchain framework that enables multiple byte assets interoperation. Here are its main functions: It supports a blockchain nodes-based peer to peer communication module where blocks and transactions synchronize via Reactor. A public and private key management infrastructure that has an interface which is compatible with enterprise–level hardware security module (HSM). It supports the issuing(Issue) and spending(Spend) of diversified assets and a programmable scripting system (Control Program). It adds the feature Segregated Witness that makes transactions more flexible. CTO of the Bytom project notes that: “The next version of the Bytom testnet will work to improve completeness and practicality of assets interoperation.” Initiated by 8btc, the Bytom project aims to connect the atomic world with the byte world to build an interactive protocol with which assets can be registered, exchanged, gambled and engaged in other more complicated and contract-based interoperation via Bytom. A complete and effective blockchain protocol tailor-made for interoperation of multi byte assets has not been created. As an asset-focused public chain,Bytom enjoys eight innovations. Compatible with the UTXO design of Bitcoin General address format Compatible with National Encryption Standard Asset naming using ODIN POW algorithm that is friendly to AI ASIC-chips Cross-chain asset transactions and dividends distribution through sidechain Quasi “Segregated Witness” Design Enhanced Trading Flexibility The Bytom team has been working on the development since they released the whitepaper in June. The testnet BigBang adds Segwit and new address of BIP 173 and other latest breakthroughs in the blockchain technology. Why choose the name BigBang? The Bytom team is confident that the testnet will work like a huge cosmic explosion that opens a whole new world by bridging together the physical and the byte world. At Bytom, there are a handful of experienced engineers and blockchain talents. Gavin who worked at ARRIS GROUP for years and contributed code for parity (Ethereum client) is now a developer at Bytom. James, designer and developer of big data and distributed game systems at Magmic Inc., is responsible for the development of Blockmeta. And the team took home the second prize of Cosmos Hackathon, which represents the best performance any Chinese teams achieved in the competition. The team will have more developers from America, Russia and Korea. The Bytom team will follow their roadmap to release the official testnet at the fourth quarter of 2017 and Bytom 1.0 at the second quarter of 2018. BigBang open source on GitHub: https://github.com/bytom/bytom |
ED. NOTE: “Man of Steel” ($125-million opening) dominated the box office over the weekend, setting a June record in its domestic debut. Amid the wide disparity between many film critics and fanboy audiences, Comic Riffs asked contributor David Betancourt to provide “A Fanboy’s Review.” — M.C. AFTER SEEING “Man of Steel” twice last week — at a press screening and then a midnight screening — I began to detect how strong the dividing line was, for the most part, between two groups: the media and the fanboys. I’m no film critic, and people don’t follow how I point my thumb. What I am is a comic-book fanboy of more than 25 years. And for me, the new “Man of Steel” is the Superman movie I’ve always wanted to see, but never thought I would. I stayed away from any reviews until I saw the movie. Once I did see it, I headed to major media publications and my favorite fan sites to check the temperature, review-wise. The verdict: It was as though the groups saw two completely different movies. [‘MAN OF STEEL’: Superman sets June record with $125-million opening] The outlook of many fanboys like myself is: Much of the media doesn’t seem to get “Man of Steel.” Apparently I missed the memo that says Marvel Studios has the only successful template for making a superhero movie: Create popcorn entertainment that isn’t too serious. The formula has worked marvelously — and very profitably — for Marvel. But as fanboys know, Superman is DC Comics and Warner Bros., and they do things differently. And when DC Entertainment tried to be Marvel on film, we were given “Green Lantern” — which was a huge letdown for most comic-book fans (excepting Mark Strong’s fine performance as Sinestro). Can powerful forces keep Henry Cavill’s Superman down? (Clay Enos/via AP) There also seems to be some critics who can’t let go of Christopher Reeve and Richard Donner. Hey, you want to see a tribute to Donner? Go watch “Superman Returns” — a movie that made no attempt to define a Superman for a new generation, insteading holding on to the past with a Reeve look-alike (in Brandon Routh) who barely threw a punch. So what are the fanboys saying about “Man of Steel”? Well, it’s scoring on such sites as Batman-on-film.com (which gave the film an “A”) and Modern Myth Media. Myself? I’m siding with the fanboys. Henry Cavill is Superman. He is utterly convincing as the Man of Steel. Michael Shannon as Zod? Heath Ledger will always be the gold standard for comic-book movie villains, but Shannon’s Zod is memorable and intimidating. There is a method to Zod’s madness. He Kevin Costner (as Jonathan Kent) and Diane Lane (as Martha Kent) in “Man of Steel.” (Clay Enos/via AP) fights for the survival of his people no matter the cost. Is Zod ruthless? No. He’s just a general looking to complete his mission. And for ruthless, look no farther than Zod’s right-hand woman, Faora-Ul (Antje Traue), who at times throws Superman around like a rag doll (and boy, is that fun to watch). We get an extended look at Krypton and the family of El. We get to watch Clark Kent’s journey as he discovers who he is and who he’s meant to be as well, and we bask in his small-town Kansas roots. The film deftly depicts the Kents (Kevin Costner and Diane Lane), who provide the care needed to make someone so powerful so compassionate. Henry Cavill’s Superman with Amy Adams’s journalistically dogged, Pulitzer-winning Lois Lane. (Courtesy of Warner Bros. Picture/.) As Lois Lane, Amy Adams falls in the air a few (too many) times, but she’s helpful to Superman when he really needs it. All backed by a strong Hans Zimmer score. Then there’s the action. I’m not a spoiler to say it comes down to Superman vs. Zod. The battle is comic-book heaven writ large and loud. Do I eagerly await a sequel? Yes. Is Cavill the man I want leading the Justice League? No doubt. Did the combination of Zack Snyder’s vision, David Goyer’s words and Christopher Nolan’s guidance give me the Superman movie I wanted? Absolutely. Do critical response bother me? Maybe. Many fanboys will never admit it, but deep down, many of us want the critics to like superhero movies as much as we do. It justifies our devotion. Then again, I didn’t go into “Man of Steel” expecting it to be “The Winter’s Bone.” I wanted a Superman that had to clench his fist against an equally strong foe. Just like in the comics. And that’s what I got. Is “Man of Steel” perfect? No. Is it better than “The Dark Knight”? No, but really: What is? “ “Man of Steel” is the Superman that film fanboys deserve. |
Every time I hear someone claim that eating vegan is just too expensive, it really makes me wonder where he or she is shopping. Because I have shopped as a meat-eater, vegetarian and vegan, and without a doubt, the cheapest choice for my budget came when choosing vegan. Now, of course, there are certain ideals of eating that must be established. Namely, buying a bunch of store-brand frozen pizzas and burritos, packs of ramen noodles, doesn’t constitute real shopping. This is the best diet that will provide anyone with the nourishment that we need. In fact, if we really get down to it, anyone who is trying to eat vegan could shop this way as well. There are — by default — vegan packs of ramen, cans of soup, chips, and salsa, whatever else. But, that’s no way to live. Advertisement Let’s assume the goal is to shop as if to cook well-balanced, nutritious meals. This, then, will only help the vegan shopper’s cause. Here’s what I do. Buy Various Starches to Carry Meals Starchy carbs are super cheap and filling, even in more nourishing varieties like brown rice or whole-wheat flour. Essentially, assume that a starch will be the bulk of each meal, but not necessarily that it must be the same one. There are pasta, noodles, rice, oats, barley, other whole grains, as well as good old-fashioned bread. Then, even for those out there trying to avoid too much processing or gluten, there are also cheap veggies like potatoes, sweet potatoes and any other host of starchy root vegetables. Two Tips: Be sure to change up the starches. Rotate them so that nothing gets overplayed and the nutrition you are getting from them varies. As well, buy it all in bulk, such that the price drops, and there will always be something filling around the house to make. Buy Fresh, Seasonal Vegetables and Fruit Advertisement Advertisement Of course, going to the farmers market would be ideal, as would an all-organic menu; however, this may not be possible for everyone. Regardless, meat or not, the cost of an appropriate amount of vegetables would be the same. The trick is to buy things on special, to choose things that grow locally or nearby and to not focus only on your favorites. Sure, just about any product imaginable is available at any time, but this doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the best for our health, our environment or our budgets. Two Tips: Finding the local, independent fruit and vegetable market is sometimes a bit easier than making it somewhere on market day, and these markets are often better priced than big chain supermarkets pushing products over produce. Also, always keep an eye-out for sell-by tables, with prices dropped to next to nothing. Try DIY Over Canned, Packaged and Processed Advertisement It doesn’t take much investigation to figure out that the cost of a pound of dried beans or other legumes is less than buying the canned versions, so it is much cheaper and healthier and flavorful to make them DIY-style. The same is true for many things: pasta sauces, soups, and anything bought in individually packaged sizes or as an all-in-one kit. Cook in bulk and portion it with the bowl or plate; otherwise, the cost goes up for more packaging, for having cooked and preserved the food and for having put it all together, even though it’s not as healthy. Two Tips: A pressure cooker saves time and energy with dried beans. Put them to soak in the morning, and they’ll cook in a pressure cooker in twenty minutes that evening. Snack stuff—health bars, cookies, cakes, etc.—are much cheaper done at home, and they more readily become something special and enjoyed when our time and effort goes into them. Try some of our recipes for lots of ideas. Buy What You Need for Good Health It’s important for vegans (and everyone) to make sure all their nutrient bases are covered. A whole foods diet will provide a wealth of vitamins and minerals, but certain vitamins such as Vitamin B12, should be prioritized in the budget. We have to keep this in mind when shopping, and when we splurge on something it should be in aid of getting the most nutrients into our diet through our food choices. You can choose a supplement, while some people opt to get fortified Vitamin B12 from plant-based milk or nutritional yeast. If we are going to buy something that pushes the budget, better to buy something that’s useful. Advertisement Two Tips: Having a routine shopping list helps, starting with the beans and the grains then finding the fruit and veg and, finally, filling in the rest to meet needs. Impose limits as opposed to doing without, which for many of us equates to one bar dark chocolate as part of the weekly shopping list and learning to make it last. BONUS Recommendation: Download the Food Monster App If you enjoy articles and recipes like these and want more, we highly recommend downloading the Food Monster App. For those that don’t have it, it’s a brilliant food app available for both Android and iPhone. It’s a great resource for anyone looking to cut out or reduce allergens like meat, dairy, soy, gluten, eggs, grains, and more find awesome recipes, cooking tips, articles, product recommendations and how-tos. The app shows you how having diet/health/food preferences can be full of delicious abundance rather than restrictions. The Food Monster app has over 8k recipes and 500 are free. To access the rest, you have to pay a subscription fee but it’s totally worth it because not only do you get instant access to 8k+ recipes, you get 10 NEW recipes every day! You can also make meal plans, add bookmarks, read feature stories, and browse recipes across hundreds of categories like diet, cuisine, meal type, occasion, ingredient, popular, seasonal, and so much more! Advertisement Lead Image Source:Peangdao/Shutterstock |
Zak Hardaker is spending the new Super League season on loan at Castleford Zak Hardaker is ready to take Super League by storm once more after rejecting the chance to stay in the NRL. The Leeds and England full-back - the Man of Steel just over a year ago after leading his club to the treble - went 'walkabout' in 2016, ending the season on loan to Australian club Penrith Panthers. Hardaker is keen to make his mark in Super League again after joining Castleford on a season-long loan and linking up with his old Featherstone boss Daryl Powell. He said: "There were plenty of ups and downs in 2016, but that's life I suppose. I had options to stay out there, I don't think with Penrith but I think it might have been with Newcastle. "It was something I'd achieved. It's a tick in the box, I've done what I wanted to do. At this time, I wanted to be closer to home and I wanted to come back to Super League and give it another shot." Hardaker spent time with NRL club Penrith Panthers in 2016 It was during his spell in Sydney when Hardaker opened up about his personal issues, including the use of prescription drugs, which sent his life spiralling out of control. He added: "There was a lot of speculation, some not-nice rumours, and I just wanted to put them to bed and say what exactly happened, "Half the things were silly and some of them weren't really nice at all. I've done that, moved on and it's all good now. "I'm living back with my mum but sorting my house out now and it's another exciting chapter in my life." Castleford head coach Daryl Powell worked with Hardaker previously at Featherstone Hardaker, full-back in England's Test series win over New Zealand in 2015, is also motivated by the chance to win back his international jersey after being dropped for the 2016 Four Nations Series. He has been handed the number one shirt by Powell, despite competition from former Huddersfield and Hull KR full-back Greg Eden, but is not taking anything for granted. Hardaker said: "I'm really full of myself sometimes but I am confident about the full-back role. We keep pushing each other and that's what we want. Hardaker is keen to win back his place in the England squad during his stay at Castleford "Of course, if he feels someone else can play full-back a bit better or in a different way and he asks me to go on the wing, I'd say yes, fair enough." Castleford-born Eden, who has spent the last two years with Brisbane Broncos, had been lined up by Powell to replace Luke Dorn. Hardaker's availability changed things but he is happy to fight for the spot and has no qualms about playing on the wing. Eden, who also had options to remain in the NRL, said: "I didn't really know what Daryl was thinking, where he was going to play us. Greg Eden had initially been lined up to replace Luke Dorn at Castleford "It's good to have Zak in your team wherever any of us is going to be playing, with him being such a strong player. "It's good having that competition. I had it all last year as well at Brisbane with Darius Boyd and Jordan Kahu so it's nothing new. "We can both play other positions as well so we'll just have to keep fighting it out and one of us will have to play somewhere else. "I don't know if people regard playing on the wing as a downgrade but it's just as important. You've a lot of finishing off to do, especially at Cas with the way that they play, you're going to be involved quite heavily." |
Step in the game with this video game look-alike battlesuit miniature London, 9 August 2016 – Gambody’s online workshop on printed and painted 3D figurines expands its range every week. This week is about TAU XV109 Y’Vahra 3D figurine, from the renowned video game Warhammer 40k. Y’Vahra is a battlesuit worn in the video game by a single warrior. It is used to combat and to send the enemy in retreat. Its two arms display powerful weapons that are capable of raining a shower of firepower, defeating all combatants and machinery. TAU Y’Vahra STL file had been published on our marketplace early this year. The battlesuit is highly appreciated in the video game world. So, it’s no surprise that TAU Y’Vahra 3D printing design has garnered the popular label on our marketplace fast. The 3D model is available for download in a single file. The entire design process took about 2 weeks, due to the model’s rich surface detailing and small elements of the battlesuit. The modeler had to make sure that even the smallest part of the 3D model is printable and no error occurs during the process. The file is created in Autodesk Maya 3D modeling program and checked for errors in Netfabb. You can easily handle the file in any 3D slicing program, before sending it to print on your desktop 3D printer. Gambody has printed TAU XV109 Y’Vahra 3D figurine on Ultimaker2 3D printer, handling the file in Cura 15.06 program. The model is printed in ABS material. The post-printing processing consisting in removing the support material, that was used to ensure that the overhangs print accurately and the 3D model doesn’t fall apart. Last week, TAU XV109 Y’Vahra 3D figurine underwent a colorful transformation. It was its turn to get painted. First things first, though, the white base coat was applied, to mask the printing material color. The 3D model features different hues of red color. Special painting techniques are used to convey the battlesuit’s worn and rusty appearance. All in all, TAU XV109 Y’Vahra 3D figurine deserves a visible place on the shelf, after being painted. Watch below the entire printing process of Warhammer 40k-inspired TAU XV109 Y’Vahra 3D model. The STL file can be purchased here for only $24.99. All those interested in getting 3D printed and painted TAU XV109 Y’Vahra 3D figurine information kit can DOWNLOAD HERE. About Gambody Gambody is the premium 3D printing marketplace. It brings together a large community of video gamers by giving them the possibility to have their beloved game character or game item in tangible form, through 3D printing. The marketplace provides highly detailed STL files, optimized for all 3D printers and connects virtuality with reality. To learn more visit Gambody.com Media Contacts Yurii Yefimov Gambody Marketplace Manager Email: media [at] gambody.com Twitter: @_Dark_Stalker (Visited 2,911 times, 1 visits today) |
Dec 15, 2013; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Falcons running back Steven Jackson (39) reacts after scoring a touchdown against the Washington Redskins during the second half at the Georgia Dome. The Falcons defeated the Redskins 27-26. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports This move may be the riskiest that Dimitroff will ever make in his career, but it could pay dividends. On paper, this makes complete sense. Jackson has neither rushed for more then 1,000 yards or a 4.0 yards per rush since 2012, and he’s only getting older at age 31. And not only that, but if the Atlanta Falcons were to cut Jackson they would save 3.75 million dollars in cap space. But some things aren’t in paper and that’s the value of Jackson to this team. There’s no doubt that his veteran presence of being in the NFL for over 11 years and being so successful year in and year out gives a boost to the team. And every true fan of the league knows and respects that Steven Jackson works so hard and gives everything he has. Welcome to our new @Atlanta_Falcons coach Dan Quinn…looking forward to meeting soon! #RISEUP — Steven Jackson (@sj39) February 5, 2015 First of all, keep in mind that 3.75 million dollars in cap space is no joke. That is enough to sign an above-average pass rusher or a reliable offensive lineman. But if they were to do so, who would start at running back? Well, one option would be to re-sign the electrifying Antone Smith, but Smith is more of a Danny Woodhead, a Shane Vereen. He isn’t the every down back that every team needs. Another option would be to just start Devonta Freeman. He showed potential last season as a fourth round draft pick, but it’s clear that he isn’t ready for that kind of role yet. And finally, why not draft a running back in the second or third round and hope he becomes the next Le’veon Bell or Eddie Lacy? Or at least someone that can split carries with Freeman and Antone. Verdict: This is a tough situation that Dimitroff and Dan Quinn will have to discuss, but the Atlanta Falcons will not cut Steven Jackson for the upcoming season. They can make some other cuts to free up more cap space that isn’t as risky, because losing a veteran like Steven Jackson may do too much hurt to not just the offense, but the defense as well. |
This Once-’Rust Bucket’ Mini Was Secretly Restored By The Best Friends Ever Story & Photography by Andrew Snucins “How was the drive?” The question was asked in one of two ways. One as a casual line used in lieu of a greeting. More of a, “How are you doing, how is the car, how were the roads, nice to see you,” all rolled into one small question. The other was the start of a conversation, an offer to sit and enjoy the company and the companionship that can only be found at the end of a long day of driving. The answer would be more varied. It would be said with a smile, or a rueful shake of the head. But regardless of what path the answer would travel, it would start with: “Well…” I had heard this exchange countless times over the past eight years on dirt corners or at the shoulder of the road, at lunch breaks, and at coffee shops. Hearing the answers always made me smile. I would listen and nod, but never truly join in other than to offer some comments on the weather, or to talk about the photos I had taken of the cars: there was always a piece missing to my involvement in that conversation. But that statement is a two-part story. Ten or 11 (maybe 12?) years ago I met Warwick Patterson on the side of a rally stage near Calgary Alberta, Canada. I had parked my truck in what I assumed was a safe place to avoid rocks and debris. Warwick, walking by with his co-worker and friend Dean Campbell, informed me that it was a rather unsafe spot to park. And just as I moved my truck, the then-Canadian Rally Champion Patrick Richard drove by and shotgunned the area I had previously occupied with thumb-sized gravel. Despite working for different media companies, I found myself grudgingly admitting that they might be smarter than my initial assessment had allowed. We had no idea that meeting would spark a friendship, meeting on rally stages and service parks around North America. Warwick would go on to do the video at my wedding, and I owe the vast majority of my business’ success to his example and mentorship, and that of his team at Subaru Canada/USA. Somewhere along the way, I was introduced to Dave Hord. I forget exactly which rally car he was crawling out of after installing GoPro cameras, but with a casual, “Heyo” and a dismissive wave, we were introduced. Dave and Warwick founded Classic Car Adventures in 2009, and that’s where this story truly begins. I suppose now that the lead characters of this play are introduced, at least on the Classic Car Adventures side, I should introduce my wife. I met the then-Samantha Minnie Cooper eleven years ago. And after a horrendous attempt at convincing her to like me, she eventually had a brief lapse in judgment that prompted her to say yes to a date. I know now, that as I sent her songs I liked, and she would heartily agree, “Yes that’s a great song!” that she was lying the entire time to keep the conversation going, and actually detested my taste in music. So while one part of that is good, the other leads to a lot of rock, paper, scissors battles for radio control on road trips. Her name however, is probably the most crucial part of this story. I have always been a driver, with an obsession for traveling and classic cars that has spanned a lifetime. And when I learned about her rather adorable name I told myself that if she managed to put up with me for any length of time I would buy her a classic Mini. It should also be noted, that when we were married, she upgraded from being a “Minnie Cooper” to a “Minnie Cooper S” See? That’s fate. So as courtships go, one thing leads to another and if an oblivious boy is eventually hinted at enough, he will decide to propose. And at that time I decided I needed to buy Samantha a Mini. After a year of searching, my friend Nick Neu and I found through Dave Hord and Classic Car Adventures a seemingly-not-horrendously-conditioned 1974 Austin 1000. Now you may be saying, “Well that’s not a Mini Cooper” and well…you’re right. But I fell in love with the little rust ball the moment I saw it. So after a brief fifteen seconds of bartering, Nick, a good friend Sam Janowski and I were driving the Mini home from the lower mainland to Kamloops on one of the hairiest road trips I’ve ever done. Overheating and electrical issues plagued us the whole way home. We hid the Mini at Nick’s house, and on an incredible day that I will never forget, we put the Mini out at a location and had Samantha driven out blindfolded to see it. Her reaction upon seeing the Mini, especially after I had convinced her the surprise was a kayak (including asking her to bring her life jacket and paddle), was one of the great moments of my life. Not every woman would be excited to see a rusty shell of a car with wires hanging everywhere, no carpet, torn seats and smelling like squirrel nest. But Samantha loved it. And with the help of two more of our friends, Denise Hitt and photographer Ken Attwood, the reveal was a success. Then began a few years of attempted self restoration on the car, followed by our restoration budget continuing to evaporate to such as expenses as the wedding, and more recently, our puppy Meelo being hit by a car, resulting in $11,000 in veterinary bills. So the car sat and languished. The magic gone from the idea of driving this beautiful little car on a long drive. And as the years dragged on, the realization that we would probably never restore this car began to form. But let us jump back to the other aspect of this story, to Dave and Warwick. It was the spring of 2009 when I received an email saying, “Hey Andrew, we’re doing an adventure drive through Kamloops and around BC, would you like to take some photos?” I leaped at the chance, and the weekends spent waking up pre-dawn to scout roads and stand in rain, hail, blistering heat or snow became my most anticipated weekends of the year. These are adventure drives without pretense or ego, without arrogance or competitiveness. They are a group of men and women uniting over a love of classic cars and roads. Over the years on these events, you develop friendships with the people participating, and much like my friendship with Warwick and Dave, these are strange ones. Time and distance mean nothing to them. Being apart for months or even a year evaporates the moment you are reunited, with conversations and laughter picking up as if they had not been forgotten, but merely placed aside for safekeeping much as a beloved novel with new chapters still to write. Nearly all of the participants of the Classic Car Adventures drives had heard the story of our Mini, and my wife’s name. They would laugh as I jokingly raged at my inability to win the lottery, and share their stories of driving a classic on the events to ease my burden. I suppose this is because as anyone knows, there are fewer better ways to travel the back roads and little driven highways of the world than in a classic. The feedback from the car, the uncertainty of the mechanical or electrical state of the older equipment, and the shared experience of these joys / worries with your fellow drivers, are what make traveling in a piece of automotive history the joy that it is. I am afraid doing the events yearly in our Kia Soul or Subaru Outback never quite gave that same feeling. Around five months ago we made the decision to take the Mini to Robert Maynard at RWM & CO restorations in Delta, BC. The original purpose was to replace the floor pans and put some carpet in the vehicle to make it slightly more comfortable. We would then be able to take the car on the adventure drives. It wouldn’t be pretty, but it would work. After we drove the Mini down to the coast and Robert had time to look over the vehicle, he informed us that he was surprised we had survived the drive, let alone done it in relative comfort with my friend Matt Sobus and his mini-dachshund Leo doing the job of co-pilot. The front suspension was held together with hopes and dreams, and the rear subframe was being supported by two band-aid sized pieces of rust, amongst other issues. We were told the work needed was not insurmountable, but a horrendous amount. Our hearts sank. Even if we replaced the floor pans, the car was obviously unsafe to drive. This is, apparently, where the deception began. Robert called me few months later and said, “We can do the work for the agreed upon price, but we’re going to do it using time at home and out of shop resources. So there will be no guaranteed time of completion”. Samantha and I felt horrible. We didn’t want Robert and Jaclyn, both close friends of ours, to devote their shops time or effort to this car that was obviously such a problem. We debated calling and just telling Robert to scrap the car, we would find another one when the budget allowed. However, at the same time, Dave Hord had been putting out a call to arms amongst the Classic Car Adventures group, asking for help in the form of manpower and parts. And a secret restoration crew was formed from over a dozen of our friends. So while we would call Jaclyn and Robert weekly to let them know to not put any effort into the car, as we were convinced we were going to just throw the vehicle away, they had a team working on restoring it. I should have been suspicious when two weeks before the Hagerty Spring Thaw Classic Car Adventure, Jaclyn called me from RWM & Co to ask me to put six months of insurance on the Mini, under the guise of needing to transport it from the shop to the storage facility and back. However, as was briefly described, or you may have extrapolated from the tone of this story, I am not the brightest of men, I believe the best man at my wedding described it best in his speech: “Andrew is a golden retriever in human form, loyal to a fault, and blissfully ignorant of most of the world’s happenings around him”. I happily mailed the insurance stickers and papers over to the shop, thankful that we were going to get the rust ball out of their hair and into storage. Then, after the drive, we would call them to let them know we would come and scrap the vehicle. As we were having this conversation, though, unknown to me, the car was being rolled back into the shop fresh from paint! So this brings us to the day before the 2016 Spring Thaw. Dave Hord had stored fifteen boxes of beer steins and door decals at our house in Kamloops, and loading up my trusty Subaru, I made the drive down to Vernon, which is around an hour each way, to drop off the supplies…under the assumption I would go back to Kamloops to pick up Samantha after she was done work and then drive back to Vernon. Well, yes, in hindsight that plan didn’t seem very smart. So after dropping off the steins and decals, I informed Dave Hord and Warwick’s mother, Sue Stafford, that we were going to skip the pre-event dinner, as I did not want to do the drive twice in one day. The revised plan was to take the route book and leave from Kamloops early to get ahead of the cars on the road. This is the second time I should have been suspicious, as both Dave and Sue vehemently told me that they absolutely needed Samantha and I there that night to help with registration, and while Samantha has helped with registration for the past three years, Sue has a great team of people that could have easily handled the event without her. Knowing what I know now, their horror and insistence is justified. As, during the day, the team at RWM & Co had loaded the Mini onto the Fargo sweep truck and driven it down to Vernon, fully restored, painted, and ready to drive. The third time I should have been suspicious was when Dave called an impromptu driver’s meeting in the parking lot prior to dinner. But I pulled my camera out to get some pictures, and thought nothing of it until he told me to put it down and come stand with him. A small spark finally lit that something was going on—and I figured he was going to thank everyone and ask for a group picture of all the participants. I was very proud of myself for figuring this out and began to dig in my camera bag for a different lens, trying to plan the photo mentally, when I heard somewhat distantly in my distracted mind, “Well why don’t I just call them and ask them to bring it ov…” And then my mind shut down. The participants cheered, my wife laughed with one of the most joyous laughs I’ve ever heard from her, and I struggled to hold back tears in front of 170+ people as our beautiful Austin 1000 drove over. Unsuccessfully held back, I might add. Working tirelessly, this family of friends, spearheaded by Dave Hord and Robert Maynard, had taken our tiny ball of rust and given us a fully restored Mini, as a thank-you for eight years of helping out at events and, of course, friendship. Now let us leave this part of the story for a moment, and fast-forward to the end of day one of the 2016 Hagerty Spring Thaw, something I will never forget for the rest of my life. We had driven the Mini hundreds of kilometers that day on the start of a journey that would take more than 1,500 km (~930 miles) by the time the weekend was over. And it drove flawlessly. We stopped at the hotel in Cranbrook, BC, and as my wife gleefully ran over to Sue to give her a hug and talk about the day, I passed a group of long time Thaw participants gathered around their cars. One of them extended a hand with a coffee, and with smiles from the group I accepted, glancing towards my wife, I shook my head with a rueful chuckle as the question I had heard countless times came again, this time directed at me—“How was the drive?” With a long, lingering glance at the Mini, covered in dust and dirt, and never looking better, I sat down on the pavement between a ’66 Cobra 427 and a BMW e9, and looking up at the expectant faces, began a conversation eight years in the making: “Well…” Andrew gives special thanks to the Classic Car Adventures team and RWM & Co.; you can also follow photographer Andrew on Instagram and on his website. Join the Conversation |
Finnegans Wake is the last, most mysterious book by the Irish writer James Joyce. Usually described as a novel, it is a fascinating text written primarily in English (more strictly Hiberno-English), but the words are often fused with any of several dozen languages. This dream-like narrative features a Dublin pub owner Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker, his wife Anna Livia Plurabelle, their twin sons Shem and Shaun and their daughter Issy. They travel through space and time to discover the truth about a scandalous incident in Phoenix Park in which HCE was implicated and to deliver a letter written by ALP in his defense. Drawn into a whirlpool of the past, they metamorphose into historical and legendary figures, a hill, a river, a cloud, a tree and a stone. The story of HCE’s fall overlaps with the story of a drunken bricklayer Tim Finnegan who fell off a ladder but was resurrected when whisky splashed on his face during a fight at his wake. This fuses with the original Fall, with sexual falls of politicians and celebrities, with Napoleon and Wellington on the battlefield of Waterloo, with Tristan and Iseult’s romance, a hen discovering an ancient manuscript in a rubbish heap, and more. Full of sexual innuendoes, historical, literary, autobiographical allusions and hilarious wordplays, multiple plots of Finnegans Wake develop in non-linear ways and can be followed like a maze, or a hypertext. Based on a cyclical vision of history, the book is a textual merry-go-round, too: it begins mid sentence and ends with another one broken in the middle, which finds its continuation on the first page: the same anew. |
They will be taken to the opposition stronghold of Idlib in northwestern Syria, where tens of thousands of rebels and activists have been sent under similar so-called reconciliation agreements. Barzeh has been badly destroyed by years of fighting between regime forces and rebel fighters, which has only intensified in recent weeks as the government tries to wrest back control of the capital. The district is not included in the four designated “safe zones” agreed by Turkey, Russia and Iran at the latest peace talks in Kazakhstan. “The agreement was reached after the recent attacks and ongoing shelling on Barzeh neighborhood, which was constantly targeted by regime forces,” said activist Ahmed al-Khatib. One rebel source told the Telegraph they felt pressured to surrender to end the attacks and crippling siege on the civilian population. The deal to evacuate Barzeh district mirrors reconciliation deals for opposition-held territory elsewhere in the country, including Aleppo and Homs. Bashar al-Assad's government controls all but six districts of Damascus: Barzeh, Qabun, Jobar, Tishreen, Tadamun, and the Palestinian refugee camp Yarmouk, which have a combined population of around 55,000. |
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of training muscle groups 1 day per week using a split-body routine (SPLIT) vs. 3 days per week using a total-body routine (TOTAL) on muscular adaptations in well-trained men. Subjects were 20 male volunteers (height = 1.76 ± 0.05 m; body mass = 78.0 ± 10.7 kg; age = 23.5 ± 2.9 years) recruited from a university population. Participants were pair matched according to baseline strength and then randomly assigned to 1 of the 2 experimental groups: a SPLIT, where multiple exercises were performed for a specific muscle group in a session with 2-3 muscle groups trained per session (n = 10) or a TOTAL, where 1 exercise was performed per muscle group in a session with all muscle groups trained in each session (n = 10). Subjects were tested pre- and poststudy for 1 repetition maximum strength in the bench press and squat, and muscle thickness (MT) of forearm flexors, forearm extensors, and vastus lateralis. Results showed significantly greater increases in forearm flexor MT for TOTAL compared with SPLIT. No significant differences were noted in maximal strength measures. The findings suggest a potentially superior hypertrophic benefit to higher weekly resistance training frequencies. |
Do you also spend sleepless nights because you have saved the passwords of your users in clear text or near-clear text (MD5)? We will show you a simple method how you can smoothly migrate your password database to a much more secure format. The transition is transparent to the users and instant, i.e. as soon as you have implemented the process, your passwords are safe. If you still store your passwords in an insecure format, you should convert them to a secure format as soon as possible. Do it now! Many online shops, forums or communities save their user passwords in either plaintext or MD5 hashed form for historical reasons. Passwords saved in plaintext are obviously a bad idea, but MD5 is not much better these days as modern graphics cards can create several hundred millions of MD5 hashes a second and passwords can easily be broken this way, e.g. by using the Lightning Hash Cracker. Suitable hardware can be rented at a very low price in the cloud, e.g. NVidia’s GPU Cloud Rendering or Amazon EC2, so the danger of exposing user passwords is increasing. Even institutions like the FBI still save their password in clear text, so there is no shame involved, but it’s something you should definitely change as soon as possible. The usual method to change the hashing algorithm without asking users to modify their passwords is to convert the passwords to the new hash as soon as users log in. Our algorithm, however, instantly converts the database to a safe password format. Who is not at risk? You do not need to worry if you are already using a secure hashing algorithm with salts that are hard to break. SHA1 or SHA256 are more secure than MD5, but still not really safe. There is a multitude of hashing algorithms that are more computationally intensive and – due to their intrinsic salt – hard to beat using rainbow tables, the most prominent of which is bcrypt. More generic key derivation functions can also be used for one-way encrypting passwords, a good candidate is e.g. PBKDF2. There are intensive ongoing discussions which algorithm is theoretically superior, but these are, in our opinion, not directly relevant as both seem to be secure enough for a long time being. Some background Let’s first discuss how an attacker actually gets hold of a database. Passwords (or their hashed versions) are often stored in relational databases. The by far most common attack to get a copy of the database (or individual rows) is a technique called SQL injection. URL parameters or POST parameters of a web page are manipulated to contain malicious characters which are interpreted by the SQL database. Of course not all web sites are susceptible to SQL injection but it is very hard to prove that a web site is invulnerable. Security vulnerabilities are also a permanent danger. Security leaks might exist in some server software, operating system kernels or even in the database system itself. Such leaks are traded on the Internet in order to abuse them. You should never underestimate internal attacks. Often databases are accessible from the inside and passwords can readily be found in the source code or server configuration. This makes it easy for employees to get hold of all data and analyze it after it has been saved to a local disk or even transferred to an external medium. Backups are often performed in data centers and it is not always safe to assume that these backups are treated as confidentially as the servers themselves. Often backup tapes are reused or even disposed; this sometimes leads to interesting finds including old databases. Remember that users tend to change their passwords very infrequently if not forced; so even very old passwords have a high chance to still be working (maybe also on other sites). The same is basically true for old hard disks. However, hard disks are often changed routinely and the old disks are then sold on used hardware wholesale sites. If you cannot absolutely trust your hosting provider (and who can?) you should take into account that your password database might sometime also go this way. How Hashing works One way to protect the password itself is to not save it at all, but to just save a “fingerprint” of the password instead. If a password is entered, it is enough to calculate the fingerprint of the entered password and compare it to the saved fingerprint. This fingerprinting technique is called “hashing“. There are of course more formal explanations of hashing, but for our discussion it is not necessary to understand it on the deepest level. The most important aspect for us is the use of a cryptographic hash function that ensures that small changes in the original text lead to completely different hashes. To make fingerprints different for users even if their passwords are the same, an additional (random) value is combined with the password before it is hashed. This value is called “salt” and is also added to the hash to calculate the fingerprint from the entered password correctly using this hash. It is obviously much safer to store the salt in a different place but for our discussion this just complicates matters and therefore we ignore this. Sometimes the algorithm is modified further by adding a “secret”, which is only known to the application, to the password as well before it is hashed. This slightly enhances security if the secret is well-chosen. There is a variety of hashing algorithms; the most famous ones are MD5 and SHA1. Both were however created in former times and optimized for the calculation of hashes with high performance. This makes them not very well suited for storing passwords as we will see below. How hashed Passwords can be broken Unfortunately, not all is safe even when passwords are hashed. If an attacker gets hold of the (hashed) password database, there are several ways of how this database can be broken. We concentrate on the most famous ones: Dictionary attacks : Dictionary attacks make use of the fact that most passwords are words which are also found in a dictionary. The attacker then takes a dictionary (usually one which is specifically designed for cracking passwords) and tries to hash each word in the dictionary and compares the result to the hashed version of the passwords. The tools used for dictionary attacks, like “John the Ripper” have become quite sophisticated and perform all kind of permutations and obvious replacements (like “I” ⇔ “1″ and “E” ⇔ “3″ etc.)Of course this only works if the hashing algorithm is known and the position of the salt can be extracted. This can usually be accomplished quite easily if the attacker creates a login for him/herself before stealing the password database. : Dictionary attacks make use of the fact that most passwords are words which are also found in a dictionary. The attacker then takes a dictionary (usually one which is specifically designed for cracking passwords) and tries to hash each word in the dictionary and compares the result to the hashed version of the passwords. The tools used for dictionary attacks, like “John the Ripper” have become quite sophisticated and perform all kind of permutations and obvious replacements (like “I” ⇔ “1″ and “E” ⇔ “3″ etc.)Of course this only works if the hashing algorithm is known and the position of the salt can be extracted. This can usually be accomplished quite easily if the attacker creates a login for him/herself before stealing the password database. Brute force attacks : These attacks are a simpler version of the dictionary attacks. Instead of using a dictionary, all conceivable combinations of characters are created and hashed. Of course the short-term success rate is lower as most users will have passwords which are in a dictionary. However, this method will find all passwords if given enough time and not only passwords which are found in a dictionary. : These attacks are a simpler version of the dictionary attacks. Instead of using a dictionary, all conceivable combinations of characters are created and hashed. Of course the short-term success rate is lower as most users will have passwords which are in a dictionary. However, this method will find all passwords if given enough time and not only passwords which are found in a dictionary. Rainbow tables: Rainbow tables are precomputed tables that contain hash values for many, many passwords. As specific weaknesses of the hashing algorithm can be taken into account, the size of the table can shrink considerably. Obviously rainbow tables work best when no salt is included in the passwords. Then this method is very efficient and can break a few million passwords a day on decent hardware. All these methods are dangerous, as computing power has exploded in the last few years. Both generating and checking passwords can be done with a rate of several hundred million passwords a second if common graphics cards and outdated, unsuited algorithms like MD5 or SHA1 are used. It’s naïve to assume this kind of hashing already makes the passwords secure. Not convinced that this works? We have created the hash 2257151269b83ef0e139c3eec8bbcbcb from a password, so head over to www.md5decrypt.org and try to find the original password. Even search engines carry some of the most popular hashes today. To create a secure storage of passwords, a more complicated algorithm has to be used. Bcrypt is an algorithm which is specifically designed for this purpose and will be complicated enough to last for several years. bcrypt was specifically designed for adjustable complexity by increasing the number of cycles. Both bcrypt and PBKDF2 take several orders of magnitude longer to calculate than MD5 / SHA1, which is a bit cumbersome if you expect mass logins, but on the other side makes it impossible to crack the password database by using brute force techniques. By adjusting this “work factor” the algorithms will be safe for a long time to come. For a more detailed discussion regarding complexity see article “How To Safely Store A Password“. Our Conversion Process Let’s assume that we already have a password database with a significant amount of users. The passwords are hashed with a hashing function hash(cleartext), where hash can be e.g. MD5, SHA-1 or in the most simple case a function just returning the cleartext (in which case the passwords are stored unencrypted). The challenge As described above and in the bcrypt Wikipedia page, one of the advantages of bcrypt is its complexity. So it takes time to compute the hash value from the original. This makes the algorithm hard to attack but also poses some problems when converting many values at once as we have to make sure that no concurrent access is modifying the password at the same time (i.e.. a user trying to change his/her password at the same time). We have to ensure that no password change is lost and no user will be denied login during the whole conversion process. There are some additional complexities related to the different ways a password was saved before the change; these will be explained individually below. Prerequisites As a first step the software has to be made aware of bcrypted passwords. This of course makes it necessary to save bcrypted passwords and check against these saved versions. As the transition cannot be performed for all users at once, it makes sense to introduce a new column in the database first to host these bcrypted passwords. Alternatively, we could also have a Boolean column which tells us whether the password is still saved in the old representation or is already bcrypted. The choice is up to you. In the next step, the software itself has to be adapted. It has to be aware of the two password formats, must be able to check entered passwords against both formats and be able to write changed passwords in the new format. This software will still be fully functional even if not a single password has been converted to the new format. Algorithm for Changing Passwords In the first step the procedure for changing passwords should check whether the row is already locked. This is a good idea as it is possible (though very unlikely) that a user opened multiple windows and is trying to change the password in all of them. In the next step, the idea is to exclusively lock the row of the current user first, to then read the original (maybe already hashed) password, bcrypt it, write it back, delete the original password, finish the transaction and release the lock. It is essential that all this is performed within a single transaction. This ensures that no password change gets lost and users will be able to log in to the system using their old (and new) passwords without interruption (or only a very small delay if a user whose password is about to be converted tries to log in simultaneously). Algorithm for Verifying Passwords To avoid concurrency problems due to passwords just being converted, the conversion algorithm will perform the necessary change in one single transaction, so the verification does not have to concern itself with it. If the password is in bcrypt format, only this value should be used to check the password. The bcrypt value already contains some meta information like salt and number of iterations, so verification is as simple as Bcrypt.check(hash(enteredPassword), storedBcryptHash) If the password has not yet been converted the previously used algorithm should take over. In the other cases below we concentrate only on the verification of the bcrypted password, while the old password is gracefully handled by the old password checking algorithm. Handling clear-text Passwords Converting clear text passwords is straightforward. In each step, the row is locked, the unencrypted password from each row taken, bcrypted and saved to the new column. Verifying the password is similar; depending on whether it has already been bcrypted or not, the clear text or the bcrypted password is used to check against the entered password. Handling unsalted MD5 passwords As MD5 cannot be easily inverted (unless you attack the database yourself) it is much simpler to use the MD5 hashed password as a starting point and during conversion just bcrypt that value into a new column. Verification is a bit more complicated, because the entered password must be MD5 hashed and that hash then be checked against the bcrypted column in the database. Handling salted MD5 passwords The conversion procedure is more complicated if MD5 passwords with salt are used. To re-create the salted MD5 hash, the salt has to be separated in a first step and should be kept in an extra column in the database. After doing that, the conversion procedure is identical to the one described above, i.e. the salted MD5 hash will be bcrypted. Checking an entered password is also a bit more complicated. First the correct salt must be selected from the database, the entered password must be MD5 hashed with this salt and finally this value will be checked with the bcrypt algorithm. Checking in this case works with: Bcrypt.check(MD5(salt + enteredPassword), storedBcryptPassword) Converting to a “pure” bcrypt database Storing the bcrypt’ed version of an already (via e.g. MD5) hashed password is not as secure as storing the password directly with bcrypt, as some of the entropy is eaten up by the original hashing algorithm. However it is still tremendously more secure than storing the password trivially hashed or in clear text. If you started with an MD5 password database and are now unhappy about the “mixed” hashes in your database, there is also a solution for this. You have to use a flag column which indicates that the passwords are in the double-hashed intermediate format. As soon as a user successfully logs in you know the correct password and can save a pure bcrypted version in the database. Of course you still have to change the flag so that your future password verifications only use bcrypt. This procedure is also non-intrusive but will never catch all users. If you want to get rid of those “mixed” users completely, you either have to force them to log in or reset their passwords. If they have not logged in for a long time, chances are high that they have forgotten their passwords anyway. Conclusion After performing the steps described above your users’ passwords will be instantly safe. Now even if the password database is compromised, hackers will have a hard time figuring out the passwords. The process is easy and straightforward as we reuse the already existing passwords and make the process transparent for the users. |
COLUMBUS, Ohio - Ohio lawmakers are again trying to block journalists' access to county sheriffs' records on concealed handgun permits. A budget provision added by a state Senate committee Tuesday would repeal part of Ohio's concealed carry law that allows journalists to review records on the issuance, renewal, suspension and revocation of state permits to carry a concealed handgun. As the public as a whole already is blocked from viewing these records, the change would mean such records could only be obtained with a court order. Under current law, journalists who view concealed handgun records aren't allowed to bring in writing utensils with them or make copies. State Sen. Joe Uecker, a southwest Ohio Republican who offered the amendment, said in an interview that Ohioans have a right to expect that their private records should remain exactly that - private. The senator also noted that in recent years, newspapers in Ohio and elsewhere controversially published maps with the names and addresses of gun permit holders, raising concerns that burglars could exploit such information. "A great number of people believe that that violates their Second Amendment right, that they have a right to expect privacy with their CCW," Uecker said. Uecker unsuccessfully introduced a similar proposal during the last legislative session. He said he's more optimistic the measure will pass this time. Ohio Newspaper Association Executive Director Dennis Hetzel said he was "disappointed" to see the proposal. Hetzel said he couldn't think of any instance in which Ohio journalists have used their ability to access concealed handgun records, but he said reporters could use such access to, for example, see whether an armed robber had a conceal-carry permit. Hetzel also expressed concern that the proposal, if passed, would result in officials around Ohio maintaining secret databases of public records. "The First Amendment should be as important as the Second Amendment," he said. |
The Corrupted Faction of Altera wish to hold a grand Speech enlightening our fellow denizens of the Truth. If you wish to learn more of the New World, or support the just and wonderous cause of the Lightbringer, come to Port Silver on May Fourth! *Posters similar to the above would be frequent around Port Silver and The Crossroads* May 4th -7PM GMT, or 3PM EST [UK] GMT = 19:00 (7PM) [EU] CET = 21:00 (9PM) [USA, Pacific] PST = 12:00 (Noon) [USA, Rockies] MST - 13:00 (1PM) [USA, Midwest] CST = 14:00 (2PM) [USA, Atlantic] EST = 15:00 (3PM) [N.W Australia] AWST = 03:00 (4AM)* [S.E Australia] AEDT = 06:00 (7AM)* *Remember for these timezones it will be the next day.. PLEASE REMEMBER TO ACCOUNT FOR DAYLIGHT SAVINGS UK Clocks are on British Summer Time (BST) until Sunday 26th October 2014. BST is not GMT! |
[R-DEV]Mineral PR:BF2 Lead Designer Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 7,790 Belgium Belgium PR:WW2 Mini-Update #4 Hi guys, we're back and happy to announce that WW2 is back into PR starting on the 28th! More information about this please click It's been quite a long time ever since the Alpha event and we are looking forward for this one to be just as successful. The long interval obviously had its downs in terms of productivity but it was also an exceptional year for many of the members in our team. In the past few months we have picked up the pace and are happy to show you the fruits of our hard labor. This release will solidify the foundations for PR's integration and we are looking forward to complete that step as soon as possible. Please give feedback to help us through. With no more delay, here's a peek of what we prepared for this Beta release. MAPS OMAHA BEACH For more pics please click on the image above. The main highlight of the past Alpha event went through a serie of changes that significantly altered not only its face but gameplay as well. It will be noticeable for players that were present in the Alpha event that the brightness and color tones are quite different. Rabbit took upon himself to lower the dense vegetation covering the ridges for better performance. That change also brought along a change of scenery. There are more vivid colors as well as a brighter lightning that will allow the Wehrmacht to spot the americans easier. To those players that complained about not being able to overlook the beach from the trenches, Rabbit also took upon himself to make that a reality in a few of them. However, remember that the trench system was meant to walk to the defensive emplacements safely and therefore it is not something you should look for when playing for the Wehrmacht. Be wise: there are plenty of bunkers around, a red looking Hotel with great firing holes in its attic (in the middle of the passage) and mortar pits for complete american annihilation. If all of those roles are taken, then it is upon you to supply the team with much needed ammo throughout the round. There is never too much of it! Helpful Tips & Highlights If you don't want to keep yourself in the dark when jumping in to your first round, then here is a list of very informative bits that you have to know! (please click on the bolded words for images as they will serve as a reference to the description) - Victoria Troopships - The US Army base this time around will feature transport ships rather than docks. The US Army will spawn in the Victoria ships and from there the players can go down the ramps that lead to the LCVPs and DWG Shermans. - LCIs and LSMs - Once one of the WN flags is capped by the US Army (which can be seen in the right top corner of the image - the flags south of the beach), a respective group of LCIs and LCUs will spawn in the shore. The more WN flags the US Army caps, the more they are rewarded with forward spawnpoints and vehicles. - Pickup Kits (MG42, MG34 & AG) - Near each Tobruk Bunker the Wehrmacht will have a their disposal a pair of kits for additional damage. Each pair will contain either a MG42 or MG 34 kit and an Assistant Gunner kit. The latter fits a role that is a mixture between the Spotter and Rifleman kits in PR. This kit is equipped with binoculars to guide the MG as well as an ammo can to further assist him. - Map Border Hugging - In the previous release a lot of players complained that the beach landings would often be concentrated on the most western side objective. In order to prevent this, Rabbit added a Pak and an enterable 3 floor building to prevent these tactics to ever occur again. - New Bunkers - These new bunkers made by Ratface allow better movement and firing angles than the improvised ones from the Alpha release. - Mortar Pits - There hasn't been any change since the Alpha but we feel that it's in the interest of the players to reinforce their existence and need. These mortars can be found in pits along the trench system and if used wisely with the logistics squad then it will prove to be a colossal obstacle for the americans to overcome. - Anti-tank Wall - The Anti-tank Wall will be an obstacle of the greatest importance for the DWG Shermans to take the fastest route inland. To take it down in one blow then it's very important to have an engineer nearby. The wall's positioning was slightly altered since the Alpha version according findings of real life references. - Water Rise - The shallow water in the Alpha is no longer present. The LCVP drivers will have to carefully watch their way to the beach as lowering the ramp before the obstacles will result in a turkey shoot. - DWG Sherman Smoke Rounds - The Sherman have smoke capability that can be used to the US Army's advantage when landing on the beach. Layers AAS STD This AAS version is the narrowest of the two and will condensate the fighting to a thick frontline. AAS LRG In the LRG layer there is one more objective to stretch the teams and the potential to explore gaps with precise flanking or overwhelming assault maneuvers. It also have a higher number of tickets than STD for longer rounds. CARENTAN For more pics please click on the image above. This map started to gain shape right after the last release of Project Normandy by the hands of Bad1n. His concept was of an inaccurate portrayal of the Battle of Carentan due to the limitations in assets available at the time. Regardless, the map was well balanced in flag distribution and it had the potential to become a new Brecourt Assault (that was the most popular map at the time). However, months after the map was abandoned and it took some more time until it reached the hands of Rabbit that quickly after was passed on to Arc_Shielder. The latter saw a lot of potential for a generic portrayal of WW2 and underwent through extensive work to redo everything from scratch and call it his. The sketch of Bad1n's concept was still there, but everything else was shaped to give birth to a map that better fit the quality standards that PR:WW2 is now in its power to accomplish. It is no surprise that Cafe Normandie had to be made as an iconic location that every WW2 enthusiast is a fan of. Players will also have a lot of fun crossing the bridges for bottleneck fighting and even a Bunker Hill that older players will find somewhat similar to the one in Brecourt Assault. The city will be the major highlight as enterable buildings are now the norm rather than an a exception. The map is highly entertainable with its dynamic layers and fine attention to detail. Layers, Helpful Tips & Highlights Carentan requires a step by step through each layer to be well informed of how it plays out. (please click on the bolded words for images as they will serve as a reference to the description) AAS STD In this layer the germans are completely on defensive mode supported by 1 spawn delayed Pz IV against 1 Sherman and 1 M8 Greyhound Scout. They have full control of all flags and the US Army will have to face a bleed right at the start. Despite the easy time in capping the first flag (that can no longer be cappable by the Wehrmacht), the US Army will then face the toughest challenge when going up against the Flak 8.8. Each one is positioned in the german side of the river in The Wehrmacht will have 4 temporary rallypoints that will act as a frontline to the north and east of Village flag. There is also 1 rallypoint to the north of each Flak 8.8. AAS ALT This concept is the complete opposite of the STD layer as it is the time for the germans to attack. They are supported by 1 Pz IV and 1 sdfKz 231 against 1 spawn delayed Sherman. There are 2 flags set in the outskirts of Carentan in which at least one of them have be made neutral to stop the bleeding. Due to the density of means to do damage on the Wehrmacht the two flags should act as a compensation to the tickets lost until that moment. From there on the Wehrmacht have to cap the city and face 2 Zis-3 positioned in the southern exit and western exit (through the secondary road). The US Army will start the round with 4 temporary rallypoints that will act as a frontline to the west/southwest of the 2 bleeding flags. There is also one rallypoint behind each Zis-3 emplacement. AAS LRG This the classic balanced approach of the two factions with the same number of assets and a neutral flag in the middle. Skirmish INF This layer focuses in the dual capping to simulate a frontline and spread the teams in such a narrow area. The US Army beside the main base will have another spawnpoint located nearby Cafe Normandie to the west. Skirmish ALT A more extended version of the INF Layer in the city flag and its outskirts. A more extended version of the INF Layer in the city flag and its outskirts. Skirmish STD This layer takes the fighting for the control of one bridge that start as neutral in the beginning. MERVILLE For more pics please click on the image above. This level was inspired on the British Parachute Troops to overtake and seize the battery operating in Merville. This complex was assaulted from the south as one out of many missions committed by this Regiment in Operation Tonga. Even though this british faction is not in the works, Bad1n decided to go forward with this project and redesign a fictional scenario with the US Army instead. The faction will have the support of logistics and an IFV in 2 different AAS layers. The map offers wide open fields, a few yet important ditches to take cover as well as different little locations surrounding it to extend the battlefield. Cautiousness is the key word for the americans if they want to successfully take the battery to themselves. The use of smoke and clever use of the elements will have to be essential elements if the team wants to succeed. The germans in their turn, will do their best to take advantage of their defensive emplacements. There are more ideas in the works for this level, but for the time being we give you an AAS feel of it. Layers The battery is no longer the focus but rather 3 flags surrounding the battery. It's a race against time to cap as many flags as possible and extend the battle across the map. The americans lack the proximity but count with the support of a M8 Greyhound Scout. This layer focus on the fight for the Battery. This flag will prove to be essential to cause the most damage to the enemy despite no bleeding effect being present.The battery is no longer the focus but rather 3 flags surrounding the battery. It's a race against time to cap as many flags as possible and extend the battle across the map. The americans lack the proximity but count with the support of a M8 Greyhound Scout. RATFACE MODELS Ratface models have been previously mentioned in the past Highlight but with no full scope of what he was able to accomplish during and after the Alpha. His contribution is increasingly important for the mappers to flesh out a decent portrayal of France in WW2 and the conflict that took place. BUILDINGS For more pics please click on the image above. This new set of buildings allowed for a nice portray of a small city like Carentan and makes any other type of urban settings in France a possibility in PR:WW2 for the first time. BUNKERS For more pics please click on the image above. These new bunkers replaced or reshaped the original improvised models in the Alpha release. A couple of them have ammo rooms and are just generally easier to move around compared to the previous versions. Out of the existing ones Ratface have retextured and optimized them. These new bunkers replaced or reshaped the original improvised models in the Alpha release. A couple of them have ammo rooms and are just generally easier to move around compared to the previous versions. Out of the existing oneshave retextured and optimized them. CHURCH For more pics please click on the image above. This church model was inspired by St Martin's church and a much needed piece either in PR:WW2 or in core PR. This enterable church have 3 divisions in the ground floor together with a 1st floor platforms that provides defensive positions on its sides and front through the small windows. To top it off, the favorite location for MGs or a Sniper, the tower gives the insider a great field of vision over the surroundings. However, to make it so that players do not barricade themselves in the tower Ratface made it destroyable. This church model was inspired by St Martin's church and a much needed piece either in PR:WW2 or in core PR. This enterable church have 3 divisions in the ground floor together with a 1st floor platforms that provides defensive positions on its sides and front through the small windows. To top it off, the favorite location for MGs or a Sniper, the tower gives the insider a great field of vision over the surroundings. However, to make it so that players do not barricade themselves in the towermade it destroyable. KaB ANIMATIONS KaB's main goal for this release was to improve upon the Alpha content as well as introducing new animations for the M7 Launcher. The BAR animations were improved as well having tweaked the model into separate parts so that the handler could move among other fine details. Enjoy this bit of new Panzerfaust animations. In addtion to: M7 Launcher BAR 1918 K98 Sniper Rifle reload animation M1 Carbine deploy animation M1 Garand deploy animation Thompson deploy animation MG34 reload & firing animation (with the cooperation of Rhino who smoothed the mag and did an alpha layer on the barrel) NEW VEHICLES There are new vehicles that players will enjoy in this Beta release as well as the introduction of proper german camos from the Normandy campaign. Master X and InsanityPays took care of the retextures, Mats and Zwilling did the coding. M8 Greyhound Scout Model: Eve of Destruction Retexture: CTRifle & MasterX sdfKz 231 Model: Battlegroup Frontlines Retexture: MasterX Pz IV F2 Model: Battlegroup Frontlines Retexture: MasterX Pz IV D Model: Battlegroup Frontlines Retexture: MasterX sdfKz 251C rear mg Model: Battlegroup Frontlines Retexture: MasterX Rear MG coding: Mats US Vehicle Retextures by MasterX German Vehicle Retextures by InsanityPays Eve of DestructionCTRifle & MasterXBattlegroup FrontlinesMasterXBattlegroup FrontlinesMasterXBattlegroup FrontlinesMasterXBattlegroup FrontlinesMasterXMats OTHER ADDITIONS Trenches In the Alpha release the trenches had a bunny hoping effect on players that had to do so from the borders of the model. Now they can just naturally walk through them as Ratface changed its col mesh. Soundtrack Zararoaster Media gifted us with the song "Colossus" which is the map loading theme for Omaha Beach. To play "Colossus" click here. If you're interested in more then feel free to visit their page in Soundcloud or Youtube Magnus H. Tellman in turn gave us permission to make use of his phenomenal work. For the map Carentan and Merville the songs "Aeons Apart" and "Spellslinger" were chosen. To play "Aeons Apart" click here. To play "Spellslinger" click here. If you're interested in more then feel free to visit his page in Youtube or Soundcloud. New Weapon Models As previously highlighted in Mini-Update nr 3. Mineral exported 3 new weapon models to replace the Thompson, MP40 and M1 Carbine. Thompson MP40 M1 Carbine Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year Enjoy the release and we hope it will be of great enjoyment even in the new year. We still have more gems hidden in our ark and we are looking forward to showcase them to you as progress moves along. If you're interested in what we're doing then keep yourself updated in our Hi guys, we're back and happy to announce that WW2 is back into PR starting on the 28th! More information about this please click HERE It's been quite a long time ever since the Alpha event and we are looking forward for this one to be just as successful. The long interval obviously had its downs in terms of productivity but it was also an exceptional year for many of the members in our team. In the past few months we have picked up the pace and are happy to show you the fruits of our hard labor. This release will solidify the foundations for PR's integration and we are looking forward to complete that step as soon as possible. Please give feedback to help us through.With no more delay, here's a peek of what we prepared for this Beta release.The main highlight of the past Alpha event went through a serie of changes that significantly altered not only its face but gameplay as well. It will be noticeable for players that were present in the Alpha event that the brightness and color tones are quite different.took upon himself to lower the dense vegetation covering the ridges for better performance. That change also brought along a change of scenery. There are more vivid colors as well as a brighter lightning that will allow the Wehrmacht to spot the americans easier. To those players that complained about not being able to overlook the beach from the trenches,also took upon himself to make that a reality in a few of them. However, remember that the trench system was meant to walk to the defensive emplacements safely and therefore it is not something you should look for when playing for the Wehrmacht. Be wise: there are plenty of bunkers around, a red looking Hotel with great firing holes in its attic (in the middle of the passage) and mortar pits for complete american annihilation. If all of those roles are taken, then it is upon you to supply the team with much needed ammo throughout the round. There is never too much of it!If you don't want to keep yourself in the dark when jumping in to your first round, then here is a list of very informative bits that you have to know!- The US Army base this time around will feature transport ships rather than docks. The US Army will spawn in the Victoria ships and from there the players can go down the ramps that lead to the LCVPs and DWG Shermans.- Once one of the WN flags is capped by the US Army (which can be seen in the right top corner of the image - the flags south of the beach), a respective group of LCIs and LCUs will spawn in the shore. The more WN flags the US Army caps, the more they are rewarded with forward spawnpoints and vehicles.- Near each Tobruk Bunker the Wehrmacht will have a their disposal a pair of kits for additional damage. Each pair will contain either a MG42 or MG 34 kit and an Assistant Gunner kit. The latter fits a role that is a mixture between the Spotter and Rifleman kits in PR. This kit is equipped with binoculars to guide the MG as well as an ammo can to further assist him.- In the previous release a lot of players complained that the beach landings would often be concentrated on the most western side objective. In order to prevent this, Rabbit added a Pak and an enterable 3 floor building to prevent these tactics to ever occur again.- These new bunkers made byallow better movement and firing angles than the improvised ones from the Alpha release.- There hasn't been any change since the Alpha but we feel that it's in the interest of the players to reinforce their existence and need. These mortars can be found in pits along the trench system and if used wisely with the logistics squad then it will prove to be a colossal obstacle for the americans to overcome.- The Anti-tank Wall will be an obstacle of the greatest importance for the DWG Shermans to take the fastest route inland. To take it down in one blow then it's very important to have an engineer nearby. The wall's positioning was slightly altered since the Alpha version according findings of real life references.- The shallow water in the Alpha is no longer present. The LCVP drivers will have to carefully watch their way to the beach as lowering the ramp before the obstacles will result in a turkey shoot.- The Sherman have smoke capability that can be used to the US Army's advantage when landing on the beach.This map started to gain shape right after the last release of Project Normandy by the hands of. His concept was of an inaccurate portrayal of the Battle of Carentan due to the limitations in assets available at the time. Regardless, the map was well balanced in flag distribution and it had the potential to become a new Brecourt Assault (that was the most popular map at the time). However, months after the map was abandoned and it took some more time until it reached the hands ofthat quickly after was passed on to. The latter saw a lot of potential for a generic portrayal of WW2 and underwent through extensive work to redo everything from scratch and call it his. The sketch of's concept was still there, but everything else was shaped to give birth to a map that better fit the quality standards that PR:WW2 is now in its power to accomplish. It is no surprise that Cafe Normandie had to be made as an iconic location that every WW2 enthusiast is a fan of. Players will also have a lot of fun crossing the bridges for bottleneck fighting and even a Bunker Hill that older players will find somewhat similar to the one in Brecourt Assault. The city will be the major highlight as enterable buildings are now the norm rather than an a exception. The map is highly entertainable with its dynamic layers and fine attention to detail.In this layer the germans are completely on defensive mode supported by 1 spawn delayed Pz IV against 1 Sherman and 1 M8 Greyhound Scout. They have full control of all flags and the US Army will have to face a bleed right at the start. Despite the easy time in capping the first flag (that can no longer be cappable by the Wehrmacht), the US Army will then face the toughest challenge when going up against the Flak 8.8. Each one is positioned in the german side of the river in West Bridge and East Bridge The Wehrmacht will have 4 temporary rallypoints that will act as a frontline to the north and east of Village flag. There is also 1 rallypoint to the north of each Flak 8.8.This concept is the complete opposite of the STD layer as it is the time for the germans to attack. They are supported by 1 Pz IV and 1 sdfKz 231 against 1 spawn delayed Sherman. There are 2 flags set in the outskirts of Carentan in which at least one of them have be made neutral to stop the bleeding. Due to the density of means to do damage on the Wehrmacht the two flags should act as a compensation to the tickets lost until that moment. From there on the Wehrmacht have to cap the city and face 2 Zis-3 positioned inand. The US Army will start the round with 4 temporary rallypoints that will act as a frontline to the west/southwest of the 2 bleeding flags. There is also one rallypoint behind each Zis-3 emplacement.This level was inspired on the British Parachute Troops to overtake and seize the battery operating in Merville. This complex was assaulted from the south as one out of many missions committed by this Regiment in Operation Tonga. Even though this british faction is not in the works,decided to go forward with this project and redesign a fictional scenario with the US Army instead. The faction will have the support of logistics and an IFV in 2 different AAS layers. The map offers wide open fields, a few yet important ditches to take cover as well as different little locations surrounding it to extend the battlefield. Cautiousness is the key word for the americans if they want to successfully take the battery to themselves. The use of smoke and clever use of the elements will have to be essential elements if the team wants to succeed. The germans in their turn, will do their best to take advantage of their defensive emplacements.There are more ideas in the works for this level, but for the time being we give you an AAS feel of it.Ratface models have been previously mentioned in the past Highlight but with no full scope of what he was able to accomplish during and after the Alpha. His contribution is increasingly important for the mappers to flesh out a decent portrayal of France in WW2 and the conflict that took place.'s main goal for this release was to improve upon the Alpha content as well as introducing new animations for the M7 Launcher. The BAR animations were improved as well having tweaked the model into separate parts so that the handler could move among other fine details.Enjoy this bit of new Panzerfaust animations.In addtion to:There are new vehicles that players will enjoy in this Beta release as well as the introduction of proper german camos from the Normandy campaign.andtook care of the retextures,anddid the coding.Enjoy the release and we hope it will be of great enjoyment even in the new year.We still have more gems hidden in our ark and we are looking forward to showcase them to you as progress moves along. If you're interested in what we're doing then keep yourself updated in our Facebook page for future news. |
Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman confirmed Wednesday he had received an email in January last year from an adviser to Donald Trump about a Moscow real estate project, but said he had neither replied nor discussed it with Putin. The Washington Post reported this week that Michael Cohen, one of Trump's closest business advisers, had emailed Dmitry Peskov, Putin's spokesperson, seeking his help in advancing a stalled Trump Tower development project in Moscow. Trump was running to become president at the time. Peskov, answering questions about the matter on a conference call with reporters on Wednesday, said he had seen the email among many others he said he received every day, but had not responded to it because the request was not the kind of thing he dealt with in his job as Kremlin spokesman. "I can confirm that among the mass of emails there was an email from Mr. Michael Cohen. This really happened," said Peskov. He said Cohen had written about "a certain Russian company and certain people" who wanted to build a skyscraper in Moscow and his help in making the stalled project a reality. 'We left this matter without a response' But Peskov said the request was off topic and that responding to it fell outside his job description. "Because we do not react to such [questions about] business themes, and this is not our job, we left this matter without a response." He said the Kremlin had not received any other similar requests on the subject and had not raised the subject of Cohen's original email with Putin. "We cannot discuss the hundreds and thousands of various requests from different countries we get with President Putin," said Peskov. |
A television commercial illustrating the real world consequences of anti-transgender bathroom laws, like North Carolina’s HB2, will feature a trans woman from the state and will make its debut on FOX during their Republican National Convention coverage. It will also air during coverage of the Democratic National Convention. Presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump recently voiced support for the state in the battle between North Carolina and the federal government on the law, which limits transgender individuals from using the restrooms and other public accommodations matching their gender identity. The Republican platform, which will be voted on during the upcoming convention in Cleveland, supports state laws such as HB2 and calls the federal government’s attempt to protect transgender rights around this issue an attempt to “impose a social and cultural revolution upon the American people.” - - - advertisement - - - Cleveland just passed an ordinance removing language that allowed business owners and employers to determine which bathrooms their patrons and employees could use, respectively. The Democratic platform, on the other hand, says, “LGBT kids continue to be bullied at school, a restaurant can refuse to serve a transgender person, and a same-sex couple is at risk of being evicted from their home. That is unacceptable and must change. Democrats will fight for comprehensive federal nondiscrimination protections for all LGBT Americans and push back against state efforts to discriminate against LGBT individuals.” It will be voted on at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia. The 60-second ad depicts a restaurant owner blocking the transgender woman’s access to the woman’s bathroom. Eventually two other women intervene and accompany her into the women’s room. “In most states, our laws don’t protect transgender people from discrimination in public places or when it comes to using the restroom, something we all need to do every day,” she says in the ad. “I’ve lived as a woman for many years. Most people, when they stop and think about it, they realize that when businesses can legally force me to use the men’s room, it puts me at risk for harassment and violence.” “Transgender people desperately need laws that protect us from being unfairly fired from our jobs, kicked out of our homes, and denied access to public bathrooms, just because of who we are,” said Mara Keisling, Executive Director of the National Center for Transgender Equality, in a statement. “Our newly released survey data shows that 59 percent of transgender people avoided bathrooms in the last year out of fear of harassment. A shocking one in ten (12%) transgender people reported being harassed, attacked, or sexually assaulted in a bathroom, and one third avoided drinking or eating so that they did not need to use the restroom. Eight percent have had medical problems like urinary or kidney infections from avoiding the restroom.” - - - advertisement - - - “Most Americans want to do the right thing, but they have never met a transgender person, so they have misconceptions,” said Ineke Mushovic, Executive Director of the Movement Advancement Project, which developed the ad. “This ad cuts through the political rhetoric and simply asks people to consider the serious challenges and discrimination faced by transgender people — discrimination that is still legal in most states.” “Around the country, LGBT Americans continue to fall victim to attacks and discrimination, in our lives and at every level of government. That is especially true for transgender Americans, who are being singled out and targeted by legislators for exclusion from public places and facilities,” said Matt McTighe, executive director of Freedom for All Americans Education Fund. “Transgender equality is about human dignity and respect for all people. No one should be banned from something as basic as using the restroom. We hope this ad helps educate the millions of Americans watching the conventions and anyone who has not yet had an opportunity to meet and get to know a transgender person.” The ad was funded by Fairness USA, a partnership led by the Freedom for All Americans Education Fund, the Movement Advancement Project, the National Center for Transgender Equality, and the Equality Ohio Education Fund, with support from the Equality Federation Institute, the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, and the National Center for Lesbian Rights. The video has already been viewed well over 100,000 times after just five days online. You can watch it below. 9 SHARES Facebook Twitter - - - advertisement - - - Posted by Jeff Taylor / Social Media Editor Jeff Taylor is a journalist and artist. In addition to QNotes, his work has appeared in publications such The Charlotte Observer, Creative Loafing Charlotte, Inside Lacrosse, and McSweeney’s Internet Tendency. He graduated from the State University of New York at Brockport and has lived in Charlotte since 2006.@jefftaylorhuman. |
Ryan Johansen can stamp his feet. He can throw a fit. He can hold his breath until his face turns blue. But no matter how petulantly the restricted free agent behaves, there's nothing he can do to improve his bargaining position with the Blue Jackets ... and that includes staying home when training camp starts later this month. That option suddenly appears to be on the table now that talks between the two are at a stalemate. It doesn't matter who's right or wrong here. What matters is who has the system working in their favor. And it sure isn't Johansen. As a player coming off his entry-level contract, the 22-year-old doesn't have arbitration rights. Nor does he have an offer sheet from another club, the one cudgel that he could use to force the Jackets to acquiesce to his demands. All he can do is point to a career-best 33-goal campaign in 2013–14, pronounce himself an elite center and hope the team agrees. So far, Columbus isn't biting. No doubt the Blue Jackets recognize Johansen as an exceptional talent who could become the centerpiece of a contending team. But they also see a player who has put together one productive season ... and hockey history is littered with players who had one good year and no more. In the end, however, it doesn't matter if Columbus believes that Johansen is the second coming of The Great One. The CBA stipulates that the team is in complete control of his NHL future and therefore it can set his compensation at whatever level it wants to. And the Jackets are inclined to reward Johansen with nothing more than a cautious raise and a two-year bridge contract. That's a tough break for Johansen, but that's the way the system works. And before anyone complains that it always swings in favor of the clubs, remember that it was just last month that Kevin Hayes, an entirely unproven collegian, was able to twirl the CBA around his finger and escape from the Blackhawks in order to get the deal he wanted with the Rangers. Johansen doesn't have that luxury. His only recourse as an unsigned player is to stay home on Sept. 18. And like so many Kurt Overhardt clients in the past (from Marty Turco to Kyle Turris), that's what he'll likely do. The problem is, holding out might not be as effective a statement as he hopes. True, Columbus doesn't have anyone who is capable of replacing Johansen. His absence, if it extends into the regular season, could cost them critical points ... points that could be the difference between returning to the playoffs or another extended summer vacation. But teams muddle through without critical players all the time—anyone notice that the Lightning earned a postseason berth last year even though Steven Stamkos missed most of the season with a broken leg? As with last year's Bolts, there's some versatility in the Blue Jackets' lineup. Brandon Dubinsky could step into the first line role, with winger Boone Jenner sliding into the middle on the second unit. Not ideal, but workable. And Columbus will enter camp this fall with a deeper and more talented array of prospects than it has ever had. Young forwards such as Marko Dano, Kerby Rychel and Alexander Wennberg have the team better positioned to survive the loss of a player like Johansen than ever before. And with all that young talent watching, Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen isn't going to set a contractual precedent now that will haunt him for years to come. Johansen can hold on to his $7 million a year fantasy or he can come to grips with reality. He can probably do better than the two-year, $3.5 million offer reportedly on the table—maybe two years, $6 million—but a low-dough, short-term bridge contract is his only real option here. And that paycheck sure beats sitting on the couch. Penguins likely won't extend Fleury's deal Kuemper temper RyJo might want to save some room on the Chesterfield for Darcy Kuemper. The 24-year-old goalie and the Wild are at loggerheads over a new deal, and there's word that he may decide to skip camp as well. It's hard to fathom where Kuemper thinks he has any leverage here. Granted, Minnesota is in desperate need of some stability between the pipes. Josh Harding's battle with multiple sclerosis and Niklas Backstrom's recurring hip woes make them less than sure things heading into the season. Still, Kuemper is a wild card himself. His resume consists of 32 NHL games and his numbers (13-10-4, 2.37 goals-against average and a .915 save percentage) won't make anyone forget Cesare Maniago. Kuemper is a promising young goaltender, but that's it. He deserves a modest bump above the $900,000 he made last year, but until he proves he's something more than a guy you can turn to when everyone else is on IR, that's about it. Oilers' Yakupov poised for bounce-back season Silence is golden Dead silence out of Anaheim regarding the status of restricted free agent Devante Smith-Pelly, which I'll take as good news. The bruising winger made some noise as he completed his entry-level deal with the Ducks last season, scoring five goals in 12 playoff games, and he projects as a top-six winger down the road. For 2014–15, though, he's slotted on the third line, and with minimal pro experience—just 10 points in 26 games over the past two seasons—there's not a lot of evidence to justify a big raise. A deal should be done ahead of camp. Ducks coach hails Heatley's potential on top line Package deal One Western Conference executive says he believes the Boston Bruins will only trade hard-rock defender Johnny Boychuk once they've exhausted all other options. The B's need to shed salary to create enough space under the cap to re-sign RFAs Torey Krug and Reilly Smith, and Boychuk's $3.36 million hit is seen as the shortest route to get the job done. It's also seen as the most painful, as Boychuk's physicality, heavy shot and shut-down ability made him a key component of one of the league's best defenses in 2013-14. If he ends up packing his bags by the end of the month, it's because GM Peter Chiarelli couldn't find a taker for Adam McQuaid or Matt Bartkowski. The same exec also believes another cap-strapped team, the Chicago Blackhawks, will slip under the ceiling without trading top-six defenseman Johnny Oduya. "When the Cup's this close, you don't give up a player like that," he said. The option: a package deal involving a tough-to-move contract (Kris Versteeg, for example) and a pick or prospect. No, it won't be Teuvo Teravainen. |
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