This year, one of the oldest universities in Mongolia, the National University of Mongolia (NUM) is celebrating its 70th anniversary. The following interview is with D. Tsolmon, who holds a Ph.D. and is a professor at the School of Foreign Relations of NUM. Translated from Zuunii Medee newspaper.
-You used to study at this school. When did you start teaching?
-I feel that I’m always somehow connected with NUM. I studied there and because of my high marks in classes, I earned my way to study at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations in 1960. After I graduated, I came back to Mongolia and worked in many administrative offices, such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Central Union of Parties.
Starting from the year 1990, I began my hourly lectures at both the NUM and the University of Humanities. The majority of my topics were on the foreign and domestic strategies of the US. That was because when I was at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations, I was especially experienced in the international affairs of both South and North America. I travelled to the US as a researcher within a Fulbright program for two years, and then joined the School of Foreign Relations of NUM as a professor. I have been giving lectures since then.
-This is the 70th anniversary of NUM, one of the oldest state universities of Mongolia. Please tell us about its establishment and early days.
-The Government decree on creating a National University was approved on December 6, 1940 and in 1942, NUM was established with three faculties: teachers, veterinary and human medical faculties. The teacher’s faculty began with seven different schools such as physics, chemistry and language.
The most difficult part of having a university at that time was that we always lacked professors and teachers. So there were mostly Russian professors lecturing us, which had us learning the Russian language in addition to our necessary classes. There were also a number of Russian employees in the administrative offices of NUM too.
The laboratory equipment was all supplied from Soviet organizations and universities. The students at that time used to complain about the lab equipment and the new Russian technical terms were very difficult to use and comprehend in the beginning. As there were not enough rooms, other buildings were used as lecture halls until 1944, when the first of many NUM buildings were put into operation.
The current Health Sciences University of Mongolia and several other independent Universities were all at one time a faculty of NUM. Throughout the 70 years it was in operation, its foreign relations have greatly expanded and now it has become the voice of Mongolian professors and researchers internationally.
-How many employees does the NUM have?
-Currently there are 14 schools and two branch schools under the administration of NUM. There are currently 23,000 bachelor, doctorate and master students with 1,000 professors and 500 service employees.
-What can you tell us about the history of your faculty of the foreign affairs division?
-The School of Foreign Affairs was established in 1991 on the unison of many language faculties. Like other schools and faculties, the School of Foreign Affairs also lacked the professional individuals who would teach what they know to the students. But I think M. Dugersuren, who headed the Mongolian foreign diplomacy for 17 years, made great many changes to Foreign Affairs in terms of giving them a direction and connecting them with many other universities like NUM around the world. The first Mongolian textbook on international legislation and other relevant diplomacy was written and published by him.
This school is currently one of the State’s major schools on preparing diplomats. In 2011, we celebrated its 20th anniversary. Currently, many of its graduates are proudly employed in various Governmental administrations and non-Governmental organizations as diplomats, economists and foreign affair strategists.
-What is your opinion on today’s trend of the NUM?
I think that the independent status should be different than other universities with similar aims. It is more important to pay attention to the content of the studies which are taught to students, and also more attention should be paid to research. In other words, every instructor, lecturer and professor should be experts in what they are doing. This is the standard for many high-quality universities abroad. To be a professor at a university, high productivity and responsibility is required. In addition to this I would like to note that in State administrations, it is likewise important that professionals should lead them. Although they may have management skills, they should also be very knowledgeable skilled in their sectors.
-You have published many books on international affairs and diplomacy. Please tell us about this.
-Well, when I first joined this faculty in 1991 I was a part-time teacher then became a professor later. I think that my research papers and other prepared classwork made a significant change and probably make up the majority of the general schoolwork content we have today.
-What would be the difference between teaching in 1990 and teaching today?
-The year 1990 was an unstable year for both the Government and society, as our economic structure permanently changed. The Government was changed completely, and the public was in a revolutionary state with majority of them strongly involved in politics.
But when the Government and our economic system changed, the education system of NUM remained the same. During this time I think my research that I conducted in the US really made a difference.
-You have translated many foreign books on foreign relations. Tell us more about the books you have translated.
As a former member of the team who had the duty to forge a diplomatic alliance with the US, I have looked and studied a great deal into the American domestic and foreign relations strategy. I wrote “The History of the USA” and published it in 1999. It was republished for the fourth time last year. I would say that the 20th century was the century of the Americans.
I published the “History of the 20th Century” in collaboration with professors from the State University of Education. I also published a book titled the “History of Foreign Relations of the US” in 2005.
For the first time in Mongolia, a book on diplomacy and its accompanying formality was published by me in 2003; there have been three additional publications since then. Over the years, I also wrote several research papers. On most of my projects, notable researchers and diplomats from Mongolia have written forewords.
-What can you tell us about the difference between Mongolia’s foreign relations before and after democracy?
-I wrote a paper on this in 2000. I wrote that with the new changes, we need to make sure our previous foreign relations can adapt and change to what is now today a democracy. In Soviet satellite nations, their foreign relations were simply created straight from the Soviet Union. It is possible to say that in those countries, including Mongolia; foreign relations were all under the control of the Soviet Union. So our foreign relations were very limited and it was not possible to compare it to a foreign relation policy from a democratic nation.
But since 1990, we paid specific attention to two items in our foreign relations. The first is the “open” policy of foreign affairs. The second was to try our best to treat every foreign country equally, meaning we would not follow or prefer one country over the other. Additionally, democracy and the free market system affected our foreign affairs in ways that were nonexistent in the communist regime.
-What would you say to your fellow professors or your students who have come to hold high positions in State administrations?
-Foreign affairs and relations require high degree of responsibility and knowledge in wide range of topics. It is not about learning different languages and traveling to other countries. One needs to know the culture and ways of their own people. It is seen that in any diplomat, a nationalistic view is definitely required for their personality.
I wish that Mongolians would lead their country not by the mouths of foreigners but by their bright and intelligent minds. The famous diplomat and social worker B. Jargalsaikhan also once said that he is praying that Mongolia does not have to experience bending over to other countries, worshipping or idolizing certain counties too much or losing administrative and social privileges of the people because of money and position.
-What would you say on becoming a successful international journalist?
-This is a very important question. The fundamentals would be learning to perfectly speak the required languages, as well as excelling in your own language. A high degree of knowledge and experience in your field of journalism is also a must. I believe that there are not many professional international journalists in Mongolia. The majority of news today we see and read is written and created by foreign news agencies and journalists, whom we tend to translate from. Our journalists are writing foreign names and terms incorrectly.
Every question asked by a journalist is actually is aimed at getting a lot of answers than it seems to ask. A person with a lack of essential and basic knowledge in politics, economics or diplomatic relations cannot possibly become a successful international journalist. I do not think there are many Mongolian journalists who have specifically travelled to the hot spots on earth for important news reports.


Normandy Park Police Chief Chris Gaddis announced on the department’s blog  Wednesday (April 13) that he is resigning, effective April 30.
Sergeant Brian Sommer will serve as Acting Chief of Police starting April 15.
Gaddis served as Police Chief since September, 2012.


In this file photo, Vivint Solar employees install solar panels on a home.
Thursday, December 24, 2015 - 4:11 p.m.
The Nevada Bureau of Consumer Protection filed a motion today to stay a regulatory order approved this week that reduces the value of credits NV Energy pays to solar customers who generate excess electricity.
A delay in the revised rate structure, which takes effect Jan. 1, would give NV Energy’s regulator, the Public Utilities Commission, time to respond to requests asking the panel to reconsider and clarify its decision.
After the three-member commission voted to pare back the value of so-called net metering credits on Tuesday, a chorus of solar advocates criticized the decision, saying it would cripple the industry. One of the country’s top rooftop solar providers, SolarCity, said it was halting sales and installations in Nevada.
The motion requests that the decision be delayed until the commission can hear petitions for reconsideration, clarification or a rehearing of the net metering rates. Petitions asking the commission to take such action are due within 10 business days, a deadline that closes after the rates are scheduled to be implemented Jan. 1.
“This just buys time,” said Eric Witkoski, the state’s consumer advocate.
He said the commissioner overseeing the case likely would have authority to rule on the motion.
According to the filing, the Bureau of Consumer Protection, which Witkoski represents, believes that a delay is justified to offer parties more time to review the 113-page order, to give consumers an opportunity to assess the rates, and to help clarify issues in private contracts for early adopters who signed up under different rates.
Solar companies estimate the change in net metering rates will cut the credit from about 11 cents a kilowatt hour to about 3 cents. No exact numbers have been determined because NV Energy is still in the process of calculating the rates. The revised rates would eventually apply to existing customers, even early adopters.
The filing notes that NV Energy did not request changing the rates for the affected customers.
A justification for the rate change, according to a media release from the PUC, was that solar customers shift costs to nonsolar ratepayers by avoiding payments for some of NV Energy’s fixed costs. The costs include the utility’s investment in infrastructure. The annual shift in costs to other ratepayers, the PUC calculates, amounts to a subsidy of about $623 for each residential net-metering customer in Southern Nevada.
The filing cautions the commission to keep the subsidy in perspective, noting that ratepayers support much larger subsidies for energy efficiency programs. According to Witkoski’s filing, the commission’s order did not consider how the solar industry might make a $900 million investment in a natural gas facility unnecessary.
“Such recognition of the value of rooftop solar could diminish any claimed subsidy substantially and provide for the economic benefits of the jobs and industry associated with the growth of the solar industry,” Witkoski writes.
NV Energy has 17,255 net metering customers, most of them in Southern Nevada.
Representatives from NV Energy and the PUC were not immediately available for comment.


Technology is supposed to make our working lives more efficient. Yet paradoxically many of us feel busier than ever before. The pressures of heavier workloads, to-do lists that keep growing, and requests that demand an immediate response, are leaving some workers feeling overwhelmed.
Employers have a duty of care to their staff to ensure their health, wellbeing and safety. However, in a highly competitive job market, in which working hours are increasing, it can be hard to raise concerns about feeling overwhelmed with a manager: nobody wants their boss to think they are not up to the job.
The idea that productivity is a personal responsibility that can be solved through better time management is problematic, wrote Oliver Burkemen in a recent article. “The truth is that more often than not, techniques designed to enhance one’s personal productivity seem to exacerbate the very anxieties they were meant to allay,” he wrote.
How to tell your boss you are overwhelmed.
Coping strategies for heavy workloads.
How managers can make sure they do not put too much pressure on staff.
The Q&A takes place in the comments section below. Taking part is easier than ever: to comment, create a free Guardian account or log in using your Twitter or Facebook profile. Alternatively, tweet us @GuardianCareers or email your questions to sarah.shearman@theguardian.com who can post them for you.
Sarah Archer is a qualified career coach, and co-founder of CareerTree. She specialises in helping people change career to find work they love, and regularly advises clients on effective interview strategies.
Hilda Burke is a UKCP and BACP accredited psychotherapist. She works as an integrated psychotherapist, life coach and couples’ counsellor at her practice Hilda Burke Psychotherapy in West London.
Sarah Connell is a business psychologist and founder of MindingMe Psychologists. She understands the psychology of coaching from a cognitive-behavioural perspective and works with people to help them to understand how their thoughts affect their performance.
Diana Dawson is a career psychologist. She owns and runs Working Career, where she works with individuals and organisations on career change and career development to help them become happier, more fulfilled and productive at work.


Bank of England boss Mark Carney seems to have aroused a contentious furore in the Brexit hierarchy.
They strongly oppose his observations regarding his presumptuous economic shocks.
This uplift for the “stay in” brigade will be like food and drink to the Prime Minister.
It will be reiterated loud and clear in his relentless tirade against the Brexits.
Senior Cabinet ministers have already suggested that Cameron should be preparing for a possible exit strategy.
It should be his duty.
With his stubborn refusal even to contemplate any such results, his efforts and concentration in this direction are liable to be very half-hearted and negative.
Therefore a separate body could be introduced to make absolutely certain that the correct and proper procedure be introduced immediately.
In a nutshell, to remain in the EU and be governed forever by foreign bureaucrats in Brussels, costing £55million a day, the future prospect for this once great country is too frightening to contemplate.
The British people deserve to have their country back.


If you want to exercise but find it difficult to do so, schedule it at a time when you are not too tired and or likely to cancel. Make a plan to go with someone else. This makes it more likely for it to happen if you are likely to procrastinate, provided of course you pick an exercise partner that is more enthusiastic than you. Here are a few ways to fit in more ourdoor exercise in your day.


It’s easy to debate whether the Vancouver Giants or the Spokane Chiefs come into the Western Hockey League’s Western Conference championship with the most momentum.
Vancouver (48-15-3-2) won the regular season banner in the 10-team loop, powered by a 24-3-1-2 run after the Jan. 10 trade deadline. They needed six games to beat the wild card qualifying Seattle Thunderbirds (31-29-6-2) in the first round and then swept the No. 5 seeded Victoria Royals (34-30-2-2) in the semifinals.
Spokane (40-21-2-5) finished third in the conference, 14 points behind Vancouver. They were 10-2-0-0 in their final 12 games, including a 4-1 win at home over the Giants on March 8, and then they beat two teams in the playoffs with better records than the two teams Vancouver ousted, dumping the No. 4 seeded Portland Winterhawks (40-22-3-3) in five games and the No. 2 Everett Silvertips (47-16-2-3) in five.
Vancouver and Spokane get their best-of-seven set going Friday at the Langley Events Centre. It has the makings of engaging theatre. Here’s a look at five keys to the series.
Giants fans will tell you that 17-year-old Byram, who led all rearguards in the three major junior leagues in goals (26) in the regular season, should have been the WHL Western Conference nominee for defenceman of the year. It instead went to Chiefs captain Smith, 18, who was one of the six WHLers on Team Canada at the world juniors.
Byram (26-45-71) finished third in points among WHL blue liners, while Smith (7-62-69) was two points back, despite playing 10 less games. A year ago this week, they were defence partners for a Team Canada entry coached by former Giants bench boss Don Hay at the Under-18 world championships in Russia.
Smith was the first WHLer picked in the 2018 NHL Draft, going 17th to the New Jersey Devils. Byram is expected to be a top-five pick in this year’s draft, which goes in June at Rogers Arena.
Smith is originally from Lloydminster, Alta., and his family now resides in Saskatoon. He came west and played his bantam draft season in 2014-15 with the Delta Hockey Academy, which is run by former Giants strength and conditioning coach Ian Gallagher.
The past two summers, he’s trained under Gallagher as part of a group that includes Vancouver Canucks defenceman Troy Stecher and Montreal Canadiens right-winger Brendan Gallagher, the strength coach’s son and a former Giants stalwart.
Smith is a savvy, quarterback type and that shines through, especially when the Chiefs have a man advantage. Spokane’s power play through 10 playoff games is connecting at a hard-to-fathom 48 per cent (12-of-25). They were the No. 1 team in the 22-team WHL in that category in the regular season as well, checking in at 29.1 per cent (81-of-278).
Vancouver had the league’s No. 2 penalty killing in league play, working away at 84.9 per cent (43 goals against, 285 opportunities), but Spokane’s power play came in at 43.8 per cent (7-of-16) in the four head-to-head meetings with Vancouver. The Giants went 3-1-0-0 in those games, but, rest assured, that’s not a trick they want to try to pull off again.
The Giants split netminding time between Tendeck, 19, and Miner, 18, throughout the regular season and they’ve platooned them through the past six playoff games, which goes against traditional thinking. Vancouver dominated the run of play against Victoria so much so that it’s hard to fairly judge either netminder.
Meanwhile, Spokane is the third WHL club for Brkin, 19, after brief runs with the Swift Current Broncos and Kootenay Ice. The Chiefs landed him from the Ice for a 2019 eighth-round bantam pick just before 2018 trade deadline and Brkin has taken hold of the Spokane starting job this season, putting up a 2.26 goals against and a .931 save percentage in the playoffs.
Brkin played bantam in Sherwood Park, Alta., with Vancouver defenceman Dylan Plouffe and forward Jadon Joseph, and Giants associate coach Jamie Heward was on the Swift Current staff when Brkin was there, so the Giants should have background on him.
Teams can utilize three 20 year olds apiece, and those guys certainly need to be key in the playoffs. Koch, a centre, is one of Vancouver’s trio of over-agers, and, as of Sunday morning, he was leading the WHL playoffs in scoring with 14 points, including two goals.
Smith is one of Spokane’s three. The right-winger has four goals and five points in the playoffs to date. More telling to this series, he has 12 goals and 20 points in 18 games against Vancouver over the past three regular seasons. Spokane landed Smith from the Kamloops Blazers in a November trade, and Kamloops had obtained him in a December, 2016 deal with the Regina Pats.


The peer-to-peer lender announced a big commitment from National Bank of Canada, which buoyed shares of industry participants across the board.
Shares of LendingClub Corp. (NYSE:LC) are up by about 17% as of 10:36 a.m. EDT on Monday. The company announced a sequential increase in originations and a new deal with National Bank of Canada (TSX:NA), in which the Canadian bank will purchase up to $1.3 billion of loans from its platform over the next 12 months through its U.S. consumer lending subsidiary.
Other online lenders and related businesses are also moving higher. Shares of Lendingtree Inc (NASDAQ:TREE) and On Deck Capital Inc (NYSE:ONDK) are also trading higher by 2%, and 3%, respectively. The former makes money referring customers to peer-to-peer platforms, while the latter competes more directly for online loans primarily issued to small-business owners.
LendingClub reported that originations grew to 1% from the sequential quarter, rising to $1.97 billion. Compared to the year-ago period, originations fell by about 12%. The company noted that it was able to reduce incentive payments to zero in September, as investors returned to buy loans from its platform.
Image source: LendingClub Q3 presentation.
In its earnings release, LendingClub announced that the National Bank of Canada agreed to invest up to $1.3 billion to buy loans off its platform through its Credigy subsidiary. The investment would help LendingClub balance its funding sources after banks cut back on purchases following the May 9, 2016 resignation of then-CEO Renaud Laplanche.
Banks purchased just 15% of its originations in September. LendingClub set a target to grow bank purchases of its loans back to 25% of total originations, roughly in line with banks' share of volume in 2015.
LendingClub announced on its conference call that the first slug investment capital from National Bank of Canada has already been committed in the amount of $325 million. It anticipates that the capital will be deployed over the next three months. Notably, National Bank of Canada will receive some incentives if it deploys the full $1.3 billion commitment.
Going forward, LendingClub hopes to grow origination volume by expanding into auto loans, primarily auto loan refinances. The company previously disclosed on its corporate blog that it will occasionally, perhaps temporarily, finance the loans with its own balance sheet, similar to how On Deck uses its balance sheet to finance some of its loans to small business.
"In plain English, this means that if there is a timing mismatch resulting in more borrower demand for loans than available investor capital, we'll consider investing in and holding the loans with the plan to sell them to investors in short order," the company wrote in a blog post. Car loans are a very different product than its core personal loan. The company will not generate an origination fee from auto loans, and instead seek to make money by recording a gain on the sale of auto loans to investors.
For today, though, investors seem satisfied that LendingClub has shored up its funding sources by inking a deal with National Bank of Canada, even if it comes at the cost of continued incentives.


The Season of Sam will be suspended until further notice after we learned that the Jets rookie quarterback suffered a right foot strain at some unknown time during last week’s 13-6 loss in Miami.
Although Todd Bowles maintained that Darnold is “day-to-day” after missing practice Wednesday and “it’s too early” to declare him out against the division rivals, the Jets training staff would have to accelerate the healing process to warp speed for the kid to have any shot of playing this weekend. (Spoiler: It’s not happening).
Besides, it makes absolutely no sense to rush back your franchise quarterback in the midst of a 3-6 campaign that includes a Week 11 BYE.
The Daily News reported that Gang Green is hopeful that Darnold will be healthy in time for a Week 12 showdown against Bill Belichick’s Evil Empire at MetLife Stadium, but there are folks on One Jets Drive who aren’t overly optimistic that it will happen. They’re keeping their fingers crossed, while not losing sight of the bigger, more important picture.
Darnold can’t pinpoint when he got hurt other than it happened “in the midst of the action.” The injury shouldn’t be an excuse for his four-interception performance given that his mistakes are more a product of mental lapses and poor judgment.
Darnold said that he got “a lot of mental reps out there” on Wednesday, but mental reps aren’t enough for a guy with nine NFL games on his resumé to play the most pivotal position in team sports. He needs to practice.
Darnold has a strong constitution and a good head on his shoulders. My understanding is that the speed of the game has been a factor in recent weeks, but he’s never once even hinted that he needs to take a timeout and watch from the sidelines to re-calibrate. In fact, I’ve been told that the Jets had no thought whatsoever of benching Darnold unless he made it clear to the coaches that he needed a break.
Anyone who’s been around the ultra-competitive Darnold knows that he wasn’t going to tap out. So, he was in line to start the rest of the season. He’ll rightfully return as the Jets starter when he’s fully healthy, according to people familiar with the situation.
McCown should make a relatively seamless transition back in the saddle given how well he played as Gang Green’s starter last season before suffering a season-ending broken thumb in Denver last December. (Practice squad quarterback and former Giant backup Davis Webb will be elevated to the active roster as the No. 2 quarterback against the Bills).
Although McCown conceded that he’s fresher this late in the season due to limited wear and tear, there’s a conditioning component that shouldn’t be entirely dismissed when discussing a guy who hasn’t taken any snaps since the preseason finale on August 30. To that end, I was told that McCown ran gassers on his own between drills/segments at practice on Wednesday.
In the meantime, rest will be the best medicine for Darnold, who broke his left foot as a junior in high school. Bowles said that he was told that Darnold did not suffer a Lisfranc injury, which would have almost certainly shelved him for the rest of the season. The coach doesn’t believe that Darnold’s injury will require surgery, either.
Placing the pause button will certainly impact Darnold’s development. If he misses just one game, the impact will be minimal. It’s an altogether different story if he misses multiple games. Neither the team nor player has a definitive timetable for return.
But know this: When Sam Darnold is healthy, he’ll be under center again.


As we get to the final stretch of Brazil's 2014 World Cup Soccer Tournament the euphoria and adrenalin that the sport commands is all consuming and complete. For soccer (football) fans the world over the end-stage of the tournament is like being on steroids. It's that exciting an engaging.
But I would like to inject a note of sobriety in this entire fixation with the game and the peripheral issues that are just as germane and salient to it. Especially, the fact that its being played in a country riddled with mass protests, demonstrations, construction site fatalities, low wages for work and late completion of playing facilities and hotels.
Did Brazil bite off more than it could chew?
Perhaps, Brazil was set up to fail judging from the negative tabloid reporting and biased press coverage in rich, Western nations. It is as if they were applauding every failure, every setback and all of the pre-tournament snafus and blunders that the Brazilian government committed.
Perhaps the underlying issue is the perception by rich, European nations that soccer is "their thing" and that countries like South Africa and Brazil, emerging economies, are not equipped or suited to hold these billion dollar sporting showcase events.
If that's the case, there is some merit here. For one thing the cost to host a tournament like the World Cup Football Tournament is prohibitive and as in the case of Brazil come at the expense of putting money in healthcare, education and job creation. So host nations must spend enormous sums of money to build new stadiums, upgrade old ones and bring hotel, airports and transportation services I line with FIFA's demands.
So today in Brazil millions of poor and working class cannot afford the cost of a ticket to see their national team play. Brazil's police and security units have ruthlessly cracked down on protesters and engaged in a sustained pogrom in the slum areas of Rio called Favelas.
The protesters are angry and frustrated with their national government for spending an estimated $14 billion in public funs to host the World Cup. By contrast the cost of the games is equivalent to 61% of funding for education and 30% of the cost of healthcare.
Private companies, including those in the services and construction industries, will be the main beneficiaries of this public money. Adding to this cost is the forced evictions of the poor living in the favelas (slums) and the dispossession of indigenous people from their lands to build stadiums and parking lots.
To justify this violent response, the federal government has pushed to pass legislation that would criminalize all anti"'FIFA protests as "terrorism", with 12 to 30 year prison sentences for those convicted.
The state has deployed more than 200,000 troops, armed with such weapons as Israeli drones, German anti"'aircraft tanks, and rooftop missile defense systems, to protect the World Cup from protestors.
Add to this the fact that the often promised legacy of visitors, foreign investment, economic growth, modern infrastructure and the like, is not only not guaranteed but it also has been proven to be illusive and nonexistent at best. Only large multinational corporate sponsors benefit. The host country is often left holding the proverbial bag.
Look at South Africa for example. That country spent nearly $20 billion on the FIFA world cup but only recouped a measly $323 million. Of the projected 450,000 visitors that FIFA and its PR entourage said would flood to South Africa only 309,000 materialized. Economically, for South Africa the 2010 FIFA World Cup was a resounding flop.
But not only that. Many of the stadiums are now expensive white elephants -- a testimony to Neroian money splurging on grandiloquent structures that are useless after one or two events. I predict that the same will happen in Brazil. President Dilma Rousseff will be left holding an empty bag with tremendous social problems.
Remember that the Sochi Winter Olympics held in Russia at a staggering cost of $51 billion, even though today 18 million Russians live in poverty and migrant workers were paid less than $2/hour to build the necessary infrastructure.
An important, big picture, visionary approach weaving together technology, economics, evolution, science and personal relationships -- even happiness -- to describe a wave of change as significant as the invention of the printing press that is well under way -- a wave that could rescue the planet from the top-down system that afflicts the planet."


FOOTBALL league chiefs today opened the door for Tottenham to play at a FOURTH venue this season.
Spurs will play their Carabao Cup tie with Watford on September 26 at Stadium MK after their request was approved.
But incredibly, if they are drawn at home again if they beat the Hornets later this month, they can switch venues again.
League chiefs have prioritised Wembley as option one, White Hart Lane as option two and a neutral venue - to be decided - as option three.
The announcement was made on the EFL website, which read: "The rules of the Carabao Cup provide for the board of the EFL to consider the home club's request to play at neutral venues or to reverse the fixture.
"The decision to grant dispensation takes into account all relevant circumstances facing the home club at the time the fixture is scheduled to take place.
"The board fully considered Tottenham's request alongside strong representations from Watford - who formally asked the League to play the tie at Vicarage Road."
The League Two side's ground is 50 miles north of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and is over an hour's drive away.
Spurs have been forced to reschedule fixtures and play at Wembley this season after the opening of their new ground was delayed.
But the national stadium is not an option on September 26 due to Anthony Joshua's fight with Alexander Povetkin on September 22.
And it has been revealed that Tottenham could be forced to play their entire Premier League season at Wembley.
Regardless of the location, the Hornets will enter the clash with confidence after they beat the North London club 2-1 on Sunday.


Although videogames take place in fantasy realms, their characters reinforce real-world stereotypes.
Gamers come in all shapes and sizes. While the hobby is typically perceived to be male-focused, women now make up about half of all players, and research has shown that a higher percentage of black and Latino individuals turn on their consoles daily than any other race. Despite that, few people from those groups see themselves represented on-screen—and, if they do, the characters often can’t be controlled by the player.
When marginalized figures show up in games, they tend to fall into broad groups. Women are most likely represented as oversexualized, narrative-devoid love interests or damsels in distress. Black and Hispanic characters are predominantly created for sports titles—but when they appear in action or shooter games, they typically surface as violent criminals or are sexually promiscuous. The default for hero figures, by contrast, is a light-skinned, heterosexual fit man.
With videogames offering a judgement-free world where individuals can explore different identities, it’s vital that titles create universes underpinned by diversity. In the opinion of Melissa Boone, Xbox senior researcher at Microsoft, that cultural shift is finally beginning to happen.
Boone understands the need for diversity better than most. After earning her PhD from Columbia University in public health and social psychology, she spent a number of years studying HIV prevention in vulnerable and minority populations. After making the switch to the technology industry three years ago, she was hired by Microsoft to research representation and accessibility in their games—a transition that allows her to see her conclusions manifested quickly in the company’s titles.
One of the first studies she designed tested the significance of letting players customize characters.
Microsoft has begun putting those findings into practice and even updated some of its previous creations. Take, for instance, Chief Thunder, a playable Indigenous character in the head-to-head fighting game Killer Instinct. Thunder, a member of the Pacific Northwest’s Nez Perce tribe, was initially represented in a way that was not in line with his First Nations culture. After sending developers to consult with the tribe’s elders, Microsoft recently redesigned the character’s regalia, hairstyle, and body paint to bring it in line with their traditions.
For Boone, it’s important that players understand the effort that goes into making sure that the company’s games are both fun and inclusive.
Melissa Boone speaks on a panel titled “When art imitates reality: the value of diverse characters in games” at the Coalition (858 Beatty Street) on Saturday (January 26). More information is available here.


Play the cool commando styled arcade game, destroy buildings,Choppers and Police cars, people and much more. Just like in the arcade game called Rampage. Click on the game logo and wait for it to load.


Former Arctic Monkeys member Andy Nicholson is set to make his DJing debut in London this weekend (November 3).
The bassist is now regularly to be found behind the decks, and has supported his friends Reverend And The Makers in the past.
He will DJ for the first time in the capital at free night Filthy Few Live! vs Threads.
The event takes place at Hoxton Square Bar between 7pm and 2am.
For more information, go to Myspace.com/filthyfewuk.
Meanwhile, for the moment when Nicholson and Alex Turner reunited get this week’s issue of NME, which is out now.


The bold and beautiful Shruthy Menon has been engaged to Mumbai-based businessman Sahil Timbadia.
Shruthy Menon became a familiar face in Kerala after she started hosting the show Vodafone Comedy Stars. By then, Malayali audience realised that this gorgeous woman is the same train-singer in the movie Mulla. She has been applauded for her strong characters in movies like Kismath and Mulla. Though Shruthy herself has made it official through her social media posts that she has got engaged, we would like to give all the curious fans out there a little more sneak peek into her wedding plans with the information she shared with us.
Shruthy is engaged to her beau Sahil Timbadia, a businessman in the hospitality sector, who runs a couple of restaurants in Mumbai. She informed that any decision regarding the wedding has not been taken yet and that she will let her fans know every detail through her social media page. Shruthy, who is very particular about choosing roles, firmly assures, “Wedding will never keep me away from acting as I am extremely passionate about what I am doing in movies.” This could be one of the reasons for her bang-on performance in Kismath as a Dalit girl who falls in love with a Muslim guy younger to her, a role which was applauded and critically acclaimed.
From acting as a teenage lesbian in her very first film Sancharam directed by Ligy J. Pullappally, to portraying an unconventional bold character in Kismath, her character selection points out her fearless attitude on breaking taboos. The actress has a couple of projects lined up and has wrapped up shooting for Malayalam movie Chippy in which her character is a bold Kannur girl who sells chips on a hand cart and gets fascinated about something a group of children attempt to do. Shruthy is also in talks for taking up a Tamil movie. However, nothing has been confirmed on it yet.


Send calendar items four weeks before the event to Northwest Gardens, P.O. Box 1909, Seattle, WA 98111-1909; fax: 206-448-8216, Attn: Northwest Gardens; e-mail: nwgardens@seattlepi.com.
TODAY/SUN Swansons Nursery: 9701 15th Ave. N.W. 206-782-2543; or www.swansonsnursery.com. Seminars are free unless noted.
Today, 11 a.m. -- Tips for Less Strenuous Gardening: Explore gentle and easy ways to garden from a registered horticultural therapist. Free.
Today and Sunday -- Design Consultations: Register for a 20-minute consultation with a horticultural specialist and a member of the Swansons design team. Free. Must register: 206-782-2543.
Sunday, 11 a.m. -- Heathers with Brenda McIntosh: Learn how to care for heaths, heathers and callunas and how to integrate them successfully into a landscape. Free.
TODAY King County Master Gardener Demonstration Garden: 15416 S.E. 16th St., Bellevue. 425-485-5942.
Today, 10:30 a.m. -- Peonies, Siberian and Pacific Coast Irises with Jim and Ann Mossman.
SUN Seattle Tilth: Good Shepherd Center in Wallingford, 4649 Sunnyside Ave. N. Must register for all classes: 206-633-0451 Ext. 1 or www.seattletilth.org.
Sunday, 11 a.m. -- Fall Salad Gardening: Learn some easy techniques for creating a 4-foot-square fall garden. $18; $15 for members.
SEPT 2 Seattle Japanese Garden: 1075 Lake Washington Blvd. E., in the Washington Park Arboretum. 206-684-4725.
Sept. 2, 6:30 p.m. -- Moon Viewing: Live music, storytelling, dancing and poetry will accompany harvest moon viewing as well as access to the gardens. $10.
TODAY/SEPT 2 Squak Mt. Greenhouses and Nursery: 7600 Renton-Issaquah Road S.E., Issaquah. Register: 425-392-1025 or www.squakmtnursery.com.
Saturday, 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. -- Master Gardeners will help diagnose the insect, disease and any problems related to gardening.
Sept. 2, 2 p.m. -- Ornamental Grasses: Learn about the colors and textures that grasses can add to the garden.
TODAY Windmill Gardens: 5823 160th Ave. E. Sumner. 253-863-5843 or www.windmillgarden.com.
Saturday, 10 a.m. -- Planting a Whimsical Chair: Learn how to create a container by recycling an old chair, bring your own chair and other materials will be provided. $35. Must Register.
SEPT 2 Home Depot: Customers learn how to tackle home-improvement projects. Free. Reservations not required. www.homedepotclinics.com.
Sept. 2, 1 p.m. -- Tips and Products To Simplify Landscaping.
ONGOING WSU Master Gardeners: Members of the King County Extension of WSU Master Gardeners will be on hand to answer gardening questions every Saturday 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at Lowe's, 2700 Rainier Ave. S. Free. Information: 206-760-0832.
ONGOING Sogetsu Ikebana: Nobuko Relnick offers Japanese flower arrangement classes Tuesdays, 1-3 p.m. and 6:30-8:30, at 19112 152nd Ave. N.E., Woodinville, and on Thursdays at 5 p.m. at Pottery Northwest, 226 First Ave. N. $20 plus a $7 materials fee. 425-489-1992 or email: nrelnick@Comcast.net.
TODAY Open Garden Days at Little and Lewis Garden Gallery: This is the last of seven opportunities in the year to view the garden without an appointment, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at 1940 Wing Point Way on Bainbridge Island. Free. Information: 206-842-8327 or www.littleandlewis.com.
TODAY-SUN Puget Sound Dahlia Association Show: Growers from all over the Northwest will display thousands of booms, baskets and artistic arrangements, Saturday 9:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m.-6 p.m. at Factoria Mall in Bellevue. Information: www.pugetsounddahlias.org.
THUR Identifying Tree and Shrub Pests and Diseases: WSU Extension Educator Todd Murray will teach identification and effective measures of dealing with shrub and tree pests, 7-9 p.m. at WSU King County Extension Cougar Room, 919 S.W. Grady Way, Suite 120, Renton. Free. Register, 206-205-3130 or king.wsu.edu/enviro/events.htm.
SEPT 2-3 Seattle Dahlia Society Show: Hundreds of blooms will be exhibited at this year's annual free show, noon-5 p.m. at Lake City Community Center, 12531 28th Ave. N.E. Free. Information: 206-546-1522.
SEPT 7 Public Meeting on Green Lake Improvements: This is the first of three public meetings to discuss the planned improvements at Green Lake Park, 6-7:30 p.m. at the Green Lake Library, 7364 E. Green Lake Drive N. Information: 206-684-8414 or goto.seattlepi.com/r290.
ONGOING Weyerhaeuser's Pacific Rim Bonsai Collection: 33663 Weyerhaeuser Way S., Federal Way. Free. 253-924-5206 or www.Weyerhaeuser.com/bonsai/.
Today through Sept. 27 -- "Traditions and Transitions: Arts of the Earth." Featuring ceramic works and bonsai created in the Japanese tradition, evolving toward a contemporary aesthetic.
ONGOING Natural Lawn and Garden Hotline: Educators help with gardening and composting questions. Sponsored by Seattle Public Utilities. 206-633-0224 or email: info@lawnandgardenhotline.org.
ONGOING Master Gardener Hot Lines: Master Gardeners are available to answer your questions, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Monday-Friday; 425-357-6010 or walk in at 600 128th St. S.E., Everett (in McCollum Park). Information: gardening.wsu.edu. Kitsap County hot line and message phone: 360-337-7158. King County Master Gardener Phone Clinic, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., 206-296-3440.
ONGOING Horticulture scholarships: The Northwest Fuchsia Society offers scholarships to anyone attending an accredited school in horticulture, nursery management and the science of growing plants. For an application and guidelines, see a school counselor or write to Sally Williams, 11822 31st Place N.E., Seattle, WA 98125. 206-365-6887.
ONGOING King County Master Gardener Training: Applications for the 2007 WSU King County Extension Master Gardener training program are available at king.wsu.edu/gardening. In order to be considered, applications must be postmarked by Oct. 6. $135; Scholarships are available. e-mail: elaine.anderson@metrokc.gov, 206-205-3122.
ONGOING Dunn Gardens Docent Program: Trains docents to lead small public tours through these historic gardens. Information: 206-362-0933; e-mail: info@dunngardens.org or www.dunngardens.org.
ONGOING Washington Park Arboretum: Volunteer guides are needed to lead educational tours for the Sapling School Program. Guides are asked to commit to one three-hour shift a week for 10 weeks in the fall or spring. Information: 206-543-8801, www.uwbotanicgardens.org, or email: uwbgeduc@u.Washington.edu. Also, volunteers are needed for weeding, mulching, planting, pruning and other horticulture activities, Tuesdays, 12:30-3:30 p.m., year-round. Hand tools and work gloves provided. Contact David Zuckerman, grounds supervisor, 206-616-4050.
ONGOING Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden: Training provided and work shifts flexible to accommodate personal schedules. Opportunities include gift shop sales, tour guides, gardening, grant writing, clerical, building maintenance and more. 253-838-4646 (from Seattle), 253-927-6960 (from Tacoma) or www.rhodygarden.org.
ONGOING Bellevue Botanical Garden Society: Volunteers needed for special events, cashiering in the gift shop, data entry, docents (guiding tours), and to work with kids and assist staff teachers for the Living Lab Youth Education Program. Training provided. 425-451-3755.
ONGOING Evergreen Arboretum and Gardens: Volunteers needed for scheduled work parties, garden maintenance at the Arboretum, Legion Park, 145 Alverson Blvd., Everett. 425-257-8597 or www.evergreenarboretum.com.
ONGOING Kruckeberg Botanic Garden: Volunteers needed to help in various ways, including hospitality, garden maintenance and docents. 20312 15th Ave. N.W., Shoreline. www.kruckeberg.org; 206-542-4777.
ONGOING Seattle Japanese Garden: Learn about Japanese gardening at 1075 Lake Washington Blvd. E., in the Washington Park Arboretum. Contact: Kathy Blanchard at 206-684-4760.
ONGOING Seattle Youth Garden Works: Volunteer to work alongside homeless and low-income youths in the organic vegetable gardens in the South Park and University District sites. Volunteers are asked to model good work skills. 206-525-1213, Ext. 3133.
ONGOING Seattle Tilth Children's Garden: Volunteer to lead Earth Steward Garden Tours in the Children's Garden, a fun, hands-on garden field trip for preschool through sixth grade at the Good Shepherd Center, 4649 Sunnyside Ave. N., Wallingford. Volunteer training is free and ongoing. 206-633-0451, Ext. 2, or www.seattletilth.org.
ONGOING Volunteer Chore Services: Help low-income King County seniors with their yards. 425-284-8840 or e-mail: vc@ccsww.org.
ONGOING Columbia Lutheran Home: Now recruiting volunteers to help with gardening at Columbia Lutheran Home, 4700 Phinney Ave. N. Contact: Beth at 206-633-6177.
TODAY "Drop In" Tour of the Kubota Garden: The 25-acre Japanese American Kubota Garden offers free tours on the fourth Saturday of each month, 10 a.m. at Renton Ave. S. and 55th Ave. S. Free. Information: 206-725-5060 or www.Kubota.org.
ONGOING PowellsWood: The 40-acre private garden opens its gates for the summer, 430 S. Dash Point Road, a mile west of Pacific Highway S., Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. $5. Information: www.powellswood.org; 253-529-1620.
ONGOING Volunteer Park Conservatory: Docents lead 30- to 60-minute group tours that cover conservatory plant collections, architectural history, plant acquisition, production, and more, Tuesdays-Thursdays and Saturdays, at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.; 1400 E. Galer St. $25 per group; free for K-12 students; 206-322-4112; foc@volunteerparkconservatory.org.
ONGOING Highline SeaTac Botanical Garden: This 3-acre cottage-style garden is open daily during daylight hours. Free. Private guided group tours are available; North SeaTac Community Center, 13735 24th Ave. S. 206-824-7222 or www.highlinegarden.org.
ONGOING Bloedel Reserve: Reservations are required to tour the 150-acre reserve, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Wednesday-Sunday; closed Christmas Day and New Year's Day; 7571 N.E. Dolphin Drive, Bainbridge Island. 206-842-7631 or www.bloedelreserve.org.


There's nothing to fear when it comes to cicadas.
You don't have to take any precautions. The experts have no tips to help you deal with them.
Periodical cicadasDifferent species of these insects emerge every 13 years and every 17 years across parts of the eastern U.S.; in northern Illinois, they occur every 17 years.
Annual cicadasSome of these insects emerge from underground each year across the region.
The bottom line is this: They're unavoidable every summer, as one brood or another of annual cicadas emerges for four to six weeks, singing loud and proud as they mate and lay hundreds of eggs. And they're nearly harmless, both to our trees and to our ears, say experts in insects, the environment and the science of hearing.
Even every 17 years, when a much larger crop of periodical cicadas hits the region, the story's the same. Despite the atypically loud nature of their whirring-chirping-screeching sounds, cicadas are a natural part of life in northern Illinois. So, as one suburban entomologist says, "observe and enjoy."
"They're just an annual phenomenon," said Fredric Miller, a senior scientist in entomology at the Morton Arboretum in Lisle. "They just kind of remind us that summer's winding down."
This year's cicadas are what's referred to as "Dog Day Cicadas," Miller said, a type of insect that lives underground for two to 10 years as a nymph, then emerges for a short aboveground life of mating and nestling eggs into tree trunks.
"They show up in July and August," Miller said, with some sticking around as late as September. "They get quite noisy."
But that sound and fury is nothing compared with the spectacle the region experienced in 2007 and is set to see (and hear) again in 2024. That's when the calendar brings a separate breed called periodical cicadas, which emerge all at once in much higher numbers and make much more noise. But they have the same goal as the annuals -- find mates, lay eggs, continue the species.
"They follow this very set, almost-like-clockwork pattern, where every 17 years, you get huge emergences," said Andres Ortega, an ecologist with the DuPage County Forest Preserve District. "There are hundreds of thousands or millions emerging within that year."
Periodical cicadas typically start earlier in the season, emerging from their burrows in May or June for a short adult life of four to six weeks, dying by July. Then, even when it's the year of the 17-year periodicals, a brood of annuals will emerge to make more noise for the rest of the summer.
The sound creates nostalgia for some, like Miller, who said he remembers them fondly as a fixture of his back-to-school days growing up in the Midwest. But they spell a disturbance to others, says Dr. Regina Dziewior, an audiologist at Hearing Care of Palatine.
"Some people might just say, 'I can't stand the sound of cicadas,'" she said. "Others might say, 'They're the sound of summer.'"
While the nuisance doesn't come at a certain decibel level, Dziewior said she empathizes with those who find the cicada mating cry "really annoying and loud."
When 17-year cicadas emerge, she said, their calls can be as intense as 100 decibels.
"That's as loud as a car stereo playing at max volume," she said. "It's definitely loud."
If the hum of 17-year periodical cicadas were present in a work environment, where people must stay for hours at a time, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration would require hearing protection, she said. That regulation kicks in at 90 decibels for exposure lasting eight hours.
But in the outdoor environment, she said, cicadas are unlikely to harm anyone's hearing because people wouldn't subject themselves to the clatter for "an extreme amount of time."


Most Texas fans probably still remember the jaw-dropping hit Jefferson delivered on Josh Adams, Notre Dame running back, in the 2015 season opener against the Fighting Irish in South Bend. The highly-touted recruit from Poteet had thrust himself onto the national stage in only his first college game and looked to be on his way to stardom. Jefferson no doubt has star potential, but an underwhelming sophomore season in 2016 now leaves the junior linebacker with plenty to prove. Jefferson’s strength is rushing the passer, but he hasn’t played much out on the edge thus far. Look for how defensive coordinator Todd Orlando decides to utilize Jefferson in the Longhorns’ new defense this season.
Warren injured his knee in the fourth game of last season against Oklahoma State and missed the rest of the year. The junior running back also injured his hamstring in March and missed the rest of spring practice. But it’s not as if Warren wasn’t a productive player before the knee injury. In just four games, Warren ran for 366 yards and three touchdowns. With D’Onta Foreman now in the NFL, Warren is the leader in the backfield for the Longhorns and must stay healthy if he wants to follow in Foreman’s footsteps.
The Achilles heel of the Texas defense last season was the secondary, in part due to inconsistency from Longhorn cornerbacks. One of the corners who looked poised for a breakout sophomore year was Hill, who was an All-Big 12 Honorable Mention in 2015. But Hill regressed from a promising freshman season and only played in five games in 2016. Similar for many of his fellow junior teammates on the roster, 2017 offers Hill a chance to rebound from an underwhelming sophomore performance and make an impact.
By his own admission, Vahe knows he needs to bounce back in 2017. He lost his starting job for three games after starting the first seven games of the season. And during spring practice in March, Vahe delved into the struggles he had last season.
The junior left guard has the physical tools and plenty of potential, but he needs to improve this season to hold down his spot next to All-American Connor Williams in the fall.
Wide receiver may be the Longhorns’ deepest position on the roster. From sophomores Collin Johnson and Devin Duvernay to junior Jerrod Heard, Texas is loaded with talent on the perimeter. Lost in the thick of all this seems to be junior Burt, who shined as a freshman before disappearing his sophomore season. Burt struggled catching the ball in 2016 and ultimately lost his starting job. The track star can still be a factor in a crowded receiver core if he can build on the progress he showed as a freshman.


LUCKNOW: Visitors out for a shopping trip to Aminabad market were caught in hours-long snarls on Sunday. Makeshift shops encroaching the road and haphazardly parked vehicles only added to the problems of commuters.
Many shopkeepers parked their vehicles on roads instead of the parking lot triggering chaos on roads and leaving little space for commuters to move around.
The jams which started as early as 11am continued till Sunday evening. Zohaib, who owns a shop selling electrical equipment, said the Aminabad Crossing was choked for hours and it took him 50 minutes to reach Kaiserbagh from the crossing.
Akriti Shukla, a housewife, said, "I had come here to shop for clothes as the shops in Aminabad have a good variety but the traffic chaos spoiled our plans."
Circle officer (traffic) Chakresh Mishra said that the parking lot was full due to to which people had to park their vehicles on roads, which in turn led to the jams. "The inflow of visitors was also more as it was a Sunday," Mishra said.


China will soon become the world’s largest market for commercial telematics as government regulations and the nation’s supply-chain woes drive technology adoption, according to a new study by C.J. Driscoll & Associates.
The research and consulting firm predicted that the number of tracking devices installed in China will surpass the U.S. market by 2019, but it could happen as soon as 2017, depending on how aggressively the Chinese government establishes and enforces technology mandates, said Clem Driscoll, the firm’s president.
There are currently more than 5 million tracking devices using GPS technology and China’s BeiDou Navigation Satellite System to monitor commercial fleet vehicles, heavy equipment and other assets in China, the report found. That number will jump to more than 12 million by 2018, it said.
Despite China’s strong economic growth, the country continues to have “tremendous problems” with an inefficient transportation system, Driscoll said.
China’s logistics costs as a percentage of gross domestic product are more than twice the logistics costs in the United States, he said.
He said China’s transportation providers, the majority of which are owner-operators, tend to overload their trucks with more freight than they are built to carry due to delays and heavy traffic.
That in turn leads to accidents and trucks moving at very low speeds on the road, contributing further to the traffic problems, he said.
The government already is mandating that all trucks carrying hazardous materials be equipped with a tracking system, as well as certain types of buses, Driscoll said.
Meanwhile, the rapid growth of commercial vehicle production in China is expanding the potential market for telematics technology.
Driscoll said several overseas telematics suppliers are doing business in China today and other players also are interested in selling their products there.
“It’s not an easy market, but it’s such a fast-growing market that you can’t ignore it,” he said.


From Jerusalem to Jamaica, feelgood video homages to Happy by Pharrell Williams have spread like a fit of giggles on social media – and now British Muslims have their own version.
The Happy British Muslims video was put together by a group of young British Muslims called the Honesty Policy, with a very simple aim: to spread positivity and a bit of empowerment along the way.
Who exactly are the Honesty Policy? Well, we don't really know. They have chosen to remain anonymous. "Anonymity is a symbol of integrity, and integrity doesn't need a face," they state on their website. "We want to empower the previously disempowered individual. To give him/her the platform to feel as though he/she can positively plug into their community."
And what a plug it's been. Two days after the video was posted it has gained more than 570,000 views on YouTube, and counting. The responses have been overwhelmingly positive, with thousands of messages of support, though soured on occasion by the "Haram Squad" (Muslim killjoys who are quick to label everything as "haram" if they don't agree with it). The Honesty Policy crew say they are delighted with the outcome. "If this video has done anything, it is to galvanise a tremendous, unified and coherent community voice in its defence. Cross-cultural, inter-organisational, multi-ethnic; we have all become one. And what has been the unifying force? Happiness."
The video's participants include politicians, journalists (including this one), students, families and – dare I say it – community leaders. Even one of the most respected Muslim scholars in the UK, Timothy Winter of Cambridge University, also known as Abdul Hakim Murad, makes an appearance. Renowned among Muslim academics for his stoic nature, Winter doesn't dance, but poses with a sign reading "I'm happy!", adding to the comedy value for those who know him.
Earlier in the week, an article circulated online claiming Winter was trying to distance himself from the video, but he has since released a statement of support: "I'm delighted to see the outcome of the Happy British Muslims video, which has unlocked a remarkable tide of goodwill around the world, and significantly tilted the image of Muslims among many sceptics. Islamophobes must be grinding their teeth to see Muslims of different races and age-groups united by happiness. No one will produce a Sharia argument against jumping for joy!"
It's certainly a challenge to watch the video without breaking into a grin. I know my own attempt at the robot has afforded my friends some laughs (it made the edit, unfortunately). Soon after its release, one less cheerful critic asked: "What have they got to be happy about?" If the positive, joyful reactions to the video are anything to go by, it seems the answer is quite a lot.


Prosecutors in St. Louis, Missouri have dropped more than a dozen charges against three defendants accused of participating in a string of robberies in late 2013 on the eve of a court hearing on the police department’s use of a controversial spy tool.
The “Stingray” spy tool used by police departments across the United States has sparked criticism by privacy advocates, and the sudden dismissal of charges this month in St. Louis is now further causing concern among critics.
An officer with the St. Louis Police Department’s Intelligence Unit had been scheduled to deliver a deposition under oath on April 9 concerning tactics that authorities relied on to identify and ultimately charge four suspects with 14 counts of first-degree robbery and armed criminal action regarding a 2013 crime spree. The city’s Post-Dispatch newspaper reported over the weekend that investigators had traced a cell phone stolen during the wave to a hotel room only one day after it was reported stolen. Soon after, law enforcement charged the four individuals.
Yet charges against the three men were all dropped on April 8, the Post-Dispatch reported, presumably in lieu of having the cop be asked about Stingray on the stand.
“Prosecutors insist the charges’ dismissal was unrelated to the impending inquiry,” journalist Robert Patrick wrote for the newspaper. On the other hand, however, admissions from a public defender and recent disclosures about the use of cellsite simulators by law enforcement suggests otherwise.
RT has reported extensively in recent weeks about the increasingly prevalent use of the StingRay and others so-called IMSI-catcher devices among law enforcement agencies. The tools can hone in on cell phone signals and allow authorities to physically locate mobile devices of interest. “Cell site simulators,” as they are also known, can in some instances allow authorities to track down a targeted device—and the person who possess it—to within a few feet. Because the spy tools also capture details about other devices, however, use of the top-selling StingRay and similar products has become an increasing issue of debate.
But other documents, including non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) and official contracts between Harris Corp. and various law enforcement agencies across the US, have revealed in recent months that authorities are forbidden from discussing StingRay use, be it in court or elsewhere.
Megan Beesley, a public defender in the St. Louis case, told the Post-Dispatch that she raised concerns about the surveillance tool after reading in a report that a "proven law enforcement technique" had located the phone and ultimately allowed prosecutors to file charges. Beesley asked for specifics during a hearing in Nov. 2014 and in March 2015, the paper reported, but Det. John Anderson said a NDA prevented him from answering.
The woman charged with the three men in relation to the 2013 crime spree had previously pleaded guilty, the Post-Dispatch reported, but does not wants to rescind her plea. Brandon Pavelich, who was beat with a pistol during the crime spree, told the Post-Dispatch that prosecutors told him only that “legal issues” had sidelined the case.


(JTA) — A local town board will allow the expansion of an eruv to encompass the towns of Quiogue and Westhampton on Long Island, New York.
On Tuesday night, the Southampton town board announced that it will not appeal a June 30 decision by State Supreme Court Justice Joseph Farneti, who ruled that the ritual boundary — which allows observant Jews to perform certain activities in the public domain during Shabbat — would not violate the town’s signage rules.
An eruv was erected in nearby Westhampton Beach Village in August 2014. A group of local residents in 2007 sued the East End Eruv Association — which had teamed up with the Verizon telecommunications company and the Long Island Lighting Company to put up “lechis,” or plastic strips to designate the eruv. The lawsuit alleged that the boundary violated the separation of church and state. The group, which was called Jewish People for the Betterment of Westhampton Beach, lost the case in January.
The Southampton board’s decision will likely pave the way for an extension of the Westhampton Beach Village eruv, which could now surround Quiogue and Westhampton.
Southampton will also drop a case it had filed in the U.S. district court. 27east.com reported that Quoigue is still involved in litigation with the EEEA over the constitutionality of the lechis.


Hint: Berkshire Hathaway isn't one of them.
Warren Buffett has plenty to smile about so far in 2019. Unfortunately, Buffett's own Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE:BRK-A) (NYSE:BRK-B) isn't performing all that great, with shares basically flat year to date. However, Berkshire's biggest single holding, Apple, has delivered solid gains this year.
But the three best-performing Warren Buffett stocks are well ahead of Apple. StoneCo (NASDAQ:STNE), Liberty Latin America (NASDAQ:LILA), and Synchrony Financial (NYSE:SYF) have soared 40% or more so far this year. Here's why these Buffett stocks are such big winners -- and whether they're still smart picks for investors who aren't yet billionaires.
Shares of StoneCo are up a whopping 91% year to date. The Brazil-based financial technology company has been firing on all cylinders in 2019.
After a dismal performance last year following its initial public offering, StoneCo got off to a good start right out of the gate in January. The company announced some encouraging preliminary fourth-quarter operational metrics. StoneCo's momentum continued in February, with investment firm Zack's Research bumping its rating on the stock from a hold to a buy.
The real catalyst for StoneCo, though, came in March, with the company's fourth-quarter update. StoneCo blew analysts' expectations out of the water with revenue of $137.6 million and earnings per share of $0.27. Not every fintech company can grow rapidly and still remain profitable. StoneCo has been able to do so and also achieve excellent customer satisfaction levels along the way.
Another South American stock in Buffett's portfolio has also been a big winner in 2019. Liberty Latin America is up 44% so far this year.
The company is a leader in the Latin American telecommunications market, with operations in 20 countries. Liberty Latin America offers communications and entertainment services including digital video, broadband internet, and wireless phone services as well as information technology solutions such as data center hosting.
There were two primary factors behind Liberty Latin America's great year-to-date performance. Investors were pleased with the company's decision to abandon its talks with Millicom about a potential acquisition. The company also posted improvement in its fiscal 2018 results in February, with 2% year-over-year revenue growth and a lower operating loss than in the previous year.
Synchrony Financial ranks as the No. 3 best-performing stock in Berkshire's holdings for 2019 thus far. Shares of the big financial services company have risen 41% year to date.
The company's primary business is issuing private-label store credit cards. Synchrony's customers include a long list of well-known companies including Amazon.com, Harbor Freight, QVC, and Walgreens.
Synchrony's excellent performance this year stemmed in part from its renewal of a key relationship with one big customer, Sam's Club. The company lost Sam's Club owner Walmart as a customer in 2018. Synchrony also reported solid Q4 results in January, with net interest income rising 11% year over year to $4.3 billion.
It's hard to argue against Warren Buffett's stock picks, especially when they're performing really well. But I'm afraid that's what I'm going to have to do.
I'm not a big fan of Liberty Latin America. The company lost a boatload of money last year. Its stock is relatively expensive also, with shares trading at nearly 21 times expected earnings. Despite its strong performance so far this year, I don't think this stock is a great pick right now.
Technically, StoneCo wasn't a Buffett pick. The Wall Street Journal reported that Berkshire Hathaway portfolio manager Todd Combs chose StoneCo rather than Buffett. Of course, it's probably fair to say that Buffett wouldn't go along with Berkshire investing in a stock for which he was adamantly opposed.
Regardless of whether you consider StoneCo as a true Warren Buffett stock, I'm not sold on it at this point. It's very pricey, with a forward earnings multiple of 31.5. I like StoneCo's growth potential, but this is a stock I'd prefer to watch from the sidelines for now.
That leaves Synchrony Financial. On this Buffett stock, count me in. I like Synchrony's business model. And I especially like that the stock's risk level is lower thanks to the renewal of its relationship with Sam's Club. My hunch is that Synchrony Financial will continue to bring a smile to Warren Buffett's face for a long time to come.


LIVERPOOL fans have welcomed Thomas Lemar to the club… after he was left out of Monaco’s starting XI for the second game in a row.
Lemar has been linked with a move away from Monaco this month but the club insist he will stay put.
However the story has taken a turn after Lemar was left out of the squad for the match with Marseille today.
And Liverpool fans believe that to be a sign he is on his way to Anfield.
“WELCOME TO LIVERPOOL LEMAR!!! YNWA,” one fan wrote.
Lemar would act as a replacement for Philippe Coutinho who moved to Barcelona in a deal worth £142m earlier this month.
Lemar has also been linked with Arsenal after they tried to sign him on deadline day in the summer.
But their efforts have switched to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang after doing the Henrikh Mkhitaryan-Alexis Sanche swap deal last week.
Lemar, 22, Has scored just twice and has five assists in Ligue 1 this season and is rated at £90m.
But he impressed last term as Monaco won the league and reached the Champions League semi-finals before the fire sale in the summer.


The Olympic Delivery Authority is to hold talks with PR agencies as part of a drive to sell 2,800 homes in the Olympic village following the 2012 Games.
PRWeek has learned that representatives from the ODA are planning to meet agency bosses over the next two weeks to thrash out ideas.
A formal pitch process could follow.
After the Games, the athletes village will be converted into 2,800 new homes. Organisers hope to develop a ‘community feel’ in the area, with new parks, open space, transport links and community facilities including a state of the art school.
News of the PR talks come only days after the Mayor of Vancouver announced its winter Olympic village had been placed in receivership. Following Vancouver’s Games in February, developers tried to sell 1,018 units, but 454 remain unsold.
The ODA currently handles all comms around the Olympic village, including showing journalists the site when it is completed.
required to handle the PR after 2012.
An ODA spokesman confirmed: ‘All comms for the construction of the Olympic Park and venues, including the Olympic village, is led by the in-house ODA comms team and this will not change.
Freud Communications is the lead UK PR agency for the 2010 Olympics, with Hill & Knowlton and Edelman on the roster to handle specific projects.


Following in the footsteps of Fabolous, the Philly rapper pays homage to the golden era of hip hop in his new video for “Monster.” Director Spike Jordan paints a vivid picture of the 1980s, complete with bucket hats, tracksuits and skating at a roller rink. There’s also a pretty intense dice game going on throughout the clip that signifies Meek has been getting money for as long as he can remember.
Dreams Worth More Than Money is due out in June. Watch the video below.


You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown: 7:30 p.m. tomorrow, Stage 9 - Hutchinson, 9 S Main St, Hutchinson. Tickets are $10, $15, or $20 at tickets.vendini.com. Shows will be at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 8, 9, 10, 15, 16 and 17 and 2 p.m. Nov. 11 and 18. Sally Brown, joins Charlie Brown, Linus, Lucy, Schroeder, and Snoopy in this charming revue of vignettes and songs in this performance based on the Peanuts characters, created by cartoonist, Charles M. Schulz. Recommended for all audiences.
Meet the Author Gerri Hilger: 7-8:30 p.m. Nov. 8, Hutchinson Public Library, 901 N. Main St. Hutchinson. "Our Duty" is a historical novel about the adventures of two nurses from Kansas and their buddies during World War II. It is a touching story based on Gerri’s mother and her mother’s best friend. Refreshments will be served.
Mood Swings Band: 7:30-10 p.m. today, Hutch Rec Senior Center at Elmdale Park, 400 East Avenue E, Hutchinson. Cost: $6. For information: 785-282-0869.


-Hey there, I'm Josh Goldman, Senior Editor with CNET and this is the look at the Nikon COOLPIX S9100. Now like all point-and-shoot makers, Nikon continues to push just how much lens will be jammed into a compact camera. This one is packing a 25 mm wide angle lens with an 18X zoom, that's longer and wider than most in this category. It's also using a 12 mega pixel backside-illuminated CMOS sensor that improves low-light photo quality and shooting performance and this camera is fast. There is almost no shutter lag and its shot-to-shot time is barely more than a second. The only time it really slows down is when you pop up the flash. Actually using the camera is nice too, Nikon S series cameras are geared for point-and-shoot use. So you wont fine any manual controls, be on changing exposure compensation, ISO, or white balance. What you will find are a lot of automatic modes to help you get the best results without worrying too much about settings and that includes some special effects that can help spice up otherwise boring photos. S9100 also captures movies in full HD in 30 frames per second or high speed videos for a slow motion effect. Zoom lens works while shooting regular movies, but the movement gets picked up by the stereo mic on top, so in quite scenes you will hear it a bit. Otherwise, the clips are pretty good and photo quality is good too, but average for this type of camera. There's some lens distortion in the corners at the wide end and if you're a stickler for sharpness or fine details when photos are viewed in full resolution, well then this camera probably isn't for you, but for its price and shooting flexibility, most people after a descent snapshot, should be pretty happy with the results. I'm Josh Goldman and that's the Nikon COOLPIX S9100, thanks for watching.


TALLAHASSEE — The crowd packed into a committee room in the basement of the Florida House office building burst into applause last week after Rep. Randy Fine finished delivering an impassioned speech about preventing sewage from spilling into waterways.
“If the sergeant would get the fire extinguisher, I think Rep. Fine’s on fire,” joked the committee chairman, Rep. Chuck Clemons.
The importance of the issue also brought out some emotion in Clemons, who said he is "apoplectic" about the sewage spills fouling waterways around the state. Clemons went further. Tapping his fingers on the desk to punctuate his point, he talked about how essential the work is this year of the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Subcommittee, which approved some big environmental regulation bills last week.
Clemons mentioned a major sewage spill that recently fouled the Withlacoochee and Suwanee Rivers. Florida’s environmental treasures continue to be degraded, and Clemons said it’s time to act.
Whether it’s a sewage spill in the Suwannee, red tide in Southwest Florida, blue-green algae pouring into estuaries from Lake Okeechobee, algae-clogged freshwater springs or brown tide in the Indian River Lagoon, Florida’s waterways have been under assault.
There has been a lot of big talk from elected leaders about taking action, and big questions about how far Florida’s GOP-controlled Legislature is willing to go.
Last week provided an early glimpse of where the Legislature is headed when it comes to regulating the pollution sources that contribute to algae blooms and other water quality problems.
Substantial — and potentially costly — new regulations on polluters are on the table, something that wasn’t clear in the run-up to the 60-day session as Republican legislative leaders and new GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis talked about increasing funding for environmental remediation efforts, but largely avoided diving into the details of regulatory changes they might support.
Yet even as lawmakers began advancing tough new regulations last week on a bipartisan basis, the bills only address one of many pollution sources that contribute to algae problems. Environmental advocates continue to question whether the effort will evolve into something broader, or remain piecemeal and of limited effectiveness.
GOP leaders in both chambers say there is plenty more to come. But the clock is ticking.
DeSantis is pledging wholesale changes to how Florida approaches water quality issues.
But the biggest thing that lawmakers have delivered so far is a bill that slaps at municipal utilities for sewage spills. It would fine them $1 for each gallon spilled or force them to spend $2 on improving infrastructure. It also would require them to notify nearby homeowners when there's a spill.
The sewage spill legislation sponsored by state Sen. Joe Gruters, R-Sarasota, and Fine, R-Palm Bay, cleared committees in both chambers last week with the backing of environmental groups and unanimous bipartisan support, along with a bill that would boost permitting requirements for biosolids, or human waste left over from the municipal sewage treatment process.
Algae feed on the nutrients in human waste, so raw sewage spilling into waterways and biosolids leeching off farms — where they are used as fertilizer — and into groundwater or surface water can exacerbate algae problems.
Sewage spills remain a big problem across Florida, with 2.7 billion gallons of untreated human waste spilling into waterways over the last 10 years, including 33 million so far in 2019.
But municipal leaders say the sewage spill fines would be extremely costly for local taxpayers, and while environmental leaders support the legislation, they view it as just one piece of a much larger puzzle.
Beyond broken sewage pipes, nutrients can wash into waterways from a wide range of sources, from fertilizer in urban stormwater runoff to leaky septic tanks and farm runoff. Legislation has been filed to address many of these issues, but has yet to advance.
Gruters also has a bill, sponsored in the House by Bradenton GOP state Rep. Will Robinson, that would require septic tanks to be inspected every five years.
Since Robinson filed his bill four months ago, it has not moved through a single committee in the Florida House or Senate.
The septic tank legislation has attracted intense scrutiny. Robinson’s HB 85 is among the most lobbied bills in the Legislature, with 100 different lobbyist appearance forms filed in the House. Entities ranging from the Association of Florida Community Developers to the Florida Association of Realtors and a range of city governments have weighed in to sway lawmakers on the bill.
The septic tank proposal illustrates why it can be so hard to address water quality issues in Florida.
The Legislature approved septic tank inspection legislation back in 2010, but it was repealed the next year under former Gov. Rick Scott after pushback from homeowners and industry groups. Since then lawmakers have tried to get the bill passed again to no avail.
Fine carried the septic tank bill in 2017.
“Two years ago there were certain industry groups that were very, very opposed to the bill,” Fine said.
Realtors worried that homes could become more difficult to sell if they failed septic tank inspections. There also were concerns raised by individual homeowners about the cost of the inspections and replacing failed septic systems or hooking up to central sewer.
“We simply can’t go and impose upon all of these people in all of their homes some tremendous cost to have to tie in to a different system,” House Speaker Jose Oliva said last week.
Clemons and his counterpart in the Senate — Environment and Natural Resources Committee Chair Bill Montford — both say they are continuing to look at the septic issue.
Montford, D-Tallahassee, represents rural areas in the Panhandle where he said the cost of replacing a septic system can be more than the value of someone’s home.
Yet Florida’s 2.6 million septic tanks represent a huge threat to water quality.
Florida Atlantic University research scientist Brian Lapointe testified before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Environment and General Government in January that much of the state’s water quality problems are related to septic tanks.
Nearly four in 10 Florida residents rely on a septic tank, and many of these tanks are failing, leaching nutrients into groundwater that migrate into surface water.
“Septic systems are one of the leading sources of pollution in many water systems in Florida and need to be addressed,” Sen. Debbie Mayfield, R-Rockledge, wrote in a recent op-ed that cited Lapointe’s research.
While there is GOP support for cracking down on municipal sewage spills and — to some degree — septic tanks, there has been less talk about regulating farm runoff, whether it is fertilizer or animal waste, both of which feed algae blooms.
Another issue that has not garnered much attention is urban stormwater runoff, which can carry lawn fertilizer and other nutrients into waterways. State Rep. Margaret Good, D-Siesta Key, has yet to get a hearing on her proposal to tighten stormwater regulations.
Some also would like to see a broader discussion about growth management. Many legislative leaders oppose the idea of reining in growth, even as Florida's population continues to increase at a rapid pace, straining the state's natural resources.
But with DeSantis campaiging aggressively against Big Sugar, the lack of attention to agriculture as a culprit in degraded water quality is conspicuous.
Some environmentalists see the focus on human waste as partly an effort to change the subject from agriculture, which has strong support among many Republicans in the Legislature.
Farms are getting some degree of scrutiny. The biosolids bill that advanced last week would tighten permitting requirements on the spreading of human waste on farm fields. But biosolids are just one component of how farms can impact water quality.
But Albritton added that everything is on the table this year when it comes to addressing nutrient pollution.
Environmentalists frequently say they want the Legislature to look beyond a single source of pollution and develop broad water quality rules that look at farms, lawns, septic tanks, sewage pipes and other sources of excess nutrients.
Albritton said it takes time to develop substantive legislation, and a lot of vetting. He believes lawmakers will get there.


The Japanese began as favourites against Indonesia at Queen Elizabeth Stadium and lived up to expectations.
Takuro Hoki and Yugo Kobayashi gave them a perfect start by winning their men’s doubles match.
The duo secured a 21-11, 21-18 win over Frengky Wijaya Putra and Sabar Karyaman Gutama.
Sayaka Takahashi put Japan on the brink of victory when she won the women’s singles 21-15, 21-15 against Ruselli Hartawan.
Despite losing the opening game of the men’s singles, Kanta Tsuneyama eventually secured a 15-21, 21-17, 21-16 win over Shesar Hiren Rhustavito to secure Japan’s place in the final.
The final two matches in the tie were not played.
China matched Japan’s effort as they secured a 3-0 victory over Hong Kong.
He Jiting and Du Yue battled to a 21-10, 20-22, 21-14 win over Tang Chun Man and Ng Tsz Yau in the mixed doubles to put China in front.
Lu Guangzu then eased to a 21-18, 21-9 triumph in the men’s singles against Lee Cheuk Yiu.
China’s place in the final was assured when Han Chengkai and Zhou Haodong battled from a game down to beat Chang Tak Ching and Yeung Ming Nok.
The final is due to take place tomorrow.
Play will also continue at the Badminton World Federation Orléans Masters, a World Tour Super 100 tournament in France.
Dutchman Mark Caljouw saw his attempt to win the men's title for a third consecutive year come to an end.
He suffered a 21-19, 23-21 loss to France’s Thomas Rouxel in the men’s semi-finals.
Rouxel will face Koki Watanabe in the final, after the Japanese player beat Chinese qualifier Li Shifeng 21-16, 21-19.
Top seed Kirsty Gilmour of Scotland beat Turkey’s Neslihan Yiğit 23-25, 21-17, 21-16 in the women’s draw.
Japan’s Saena Kawakami overcame Chinese Taipei’s Sung Shuo-yun 21-15, 21-13 in the second semi-final.


The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) has been ordered to pay £5,000 each to four women for failing to investigate allegations of slavery.
The women, who had arrived in London from Nigeria as children, said they were beaten and emotionally abused by families they were forced to work for.
The High Court said the force's "failure to investigate" breached the women's human rights.
The Met said it deeply regretted the women did not get the service expected.
The force had originally argued it could not carry out an investigation because the women would not co-operate.
But the court dismissed this claim as "untenable".
Mr Justice Wyn Williams said in his judgment the Met "did nothing to commence an effective investigation".
"Their names were known to the police, they wanted their complaints to be investigated.
"They were directly affected by the failure to carry out an effective investigation."
The court heard the women were brought to the UK when they were aged between 11 and 15.
The women, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, said they were made to work for no pay in households in and around London between 1997 and 2006.
They complained that the police had infringed their rights under the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms by failing to investigate over a "significant" period of time.
Phillippa Kaufmann QC said: "They want an acknowledgement of how all of them have been treated and they want just satisfaction in the form of compensation."
She said that above all they want lessons to be learned so that others in the same predicament can be rescued.
Ms Kaufmann told the court the women were at all times "willing and prepared to have their allegations of abuse investigated".
"The problem is that... officers on the ground were repeatedly and, in every imaginable context, reluctant to discharge that duty and, whenever it was triggered, they repeatedly failed to take any steps to investigate the serious offences which were staring them in the face."
Ms Kaufmann said officers did not understand the very serious nature of the crimes and that there was a "worrying lack of concern" for the victims.
A spokesman for the women's solicitors, Bhatt Murphy, said after the ruling: "The Metropolitan Police Service has not apologised to any of the victims for failing to investigate their abusers in 2007.
"Instead it argued unsuccessfully in court that it did not owe a legal duty to investigate credible allegations of servitude unless those allegations were reported whilst the servitude was ongoing."
Following Friday's ruling, Scotland Yard it would consider the judgement.
In a statement, the force said: "The MPS takes all allegations of this nature seriously and the original matters alleged are now subject to a full and ongoing investigation by detectives from the SCD9 Human Exploitation and Organised Crime Command, which has already seen one woman jailed for 11.5 years for trafficking offences."
It said the way in which the Met investigates such crimes had changed significantly since the introduction in April 2010 of the dedicated unit of 39 detectives responsible for handling all human trafficking and immigration offences.


The Washington Examiner is quickly becoming a formidible publication with a bevy of first rate writers.
At least $53 million in federal funds have gone to ACORN activists since 1994, and the controversial group could get up to $8.5 billion more tax dollars despite being under investigation for voter registration fraud in a dozen states. The economic stimulus bill enacted in February contains $3 billion that the non-profit activist group (Snip) could receive, and 2010 federal budget contains another $5.5 billion that could also find its way into the group’s coffers.
Days ago ACORN workers were indicted in Nevada. Today they are charged with registration wrongdoing in Pennsylvania.
Seven Pittsburgh-area ACORN workers were charged with falsifying voter registration forms, with six accused of doing so to meet the group's alleged quota system before last year's general election.District Attorney Stephen Zappala Jr. said he's hoping the workers charged Thursday will help authorities determine whether Allegheny County ACORN officials will be charged with requiring the illegal quotas or otherwise directing that voter registrations be faked.[snip]Six suspects forged a total of 51 cards, a felony that carries up to seven years in prison. The same six also were charged with illegally accepting payments to meet a quota of 20 registrations per day — a misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail.


A man accused of stabbing a schoolgirl to death on the top deck of a bus has been deemed unfit to plead until later this year.
Tragic Christina Edkins, 16, was murdered as she made her way to school at 7.30am on March 7.
She died from a single stab wound to the heart in the apparently motiveless attack just seconds after sitting down on the number 9 bus in Birmingham city centre.
A court heard Phillip Simelane, 22, had been deemed unfit to plead or stand trial by doctors.
Simelane, from Walsall, West Mids., is accused of murdering Christina as she was travelling to her school Leasowes High School in Halesowen, West Mids.
He did not appear for the 15-minute hearing at Birmingham Crown Court yesterday morning.
Prosecutor Peter Grieve-Smith told the court further psychiatric assessments will be carried out and he expected Simelane to be able to enter a plea in two to four months.
Friends and family, including Christina’s dad Jason, were in court for the short hearing – wearing splashes of purple in memory of the teenager.
Simelane was remanded back into Reaside secure mental health hospital, in Solihull, West Mids., until his next court appearance on September 6.


The Motorola Razr phone is making a comeback. The once-popular flip phone is being revived as a smartphone with a foldable screen and a starting price of roughly $1,500, according to people familiar with the matter.
The phone’s maker, Lenovo Group Inc., is partnering with Verizon Communications Inc. on an exclusive deal to begin selling the new Razr devices in the U.S. as soon as February, the people said. The device is still being tested, and the timing of its release isn’t yet final and could change.
Lenovo, a Chinese computer maker that bought the Motorola Mobility handset business from Google in 2014, plans to manufacture about 200,000 of the new high-end phones, the people said.
The upgraded Razr is a sign of the wireless industry’s quest for niche products that will appeal to consumers increasingly content to hold on to their old smartphones longer as their functions become commoditized.
Motorola first released the ultrathin Razr V3 flip phone in 2004, and it became an overnight status symbol. Models of the phone were advertised by celebrities including Fergie and David Beckham. The company ended up selling more than 130 million units globally.
But Apple Inc.’s introduction of the touch-screen iPhone in 2007 upended the Razr and other best-selling devices from Nokia Corp. and BlackBerry Inc. Motorola’s sales fell and losses mounted, prompting the company to adopt Google’s Android software in 2009 and sell its cellphone business to Google in 2011.
Motorola has tried to revive the franchise before, including in 2011, when it launched a handset called the Droid Razr with Verizon. But Motorola’s share of the U.S. market it once dominated continued to slump. It had 5.9% of U.S. mobile-phone shipments at the end of the third quarter of 2018, according to IDC, down from 27.3% in 2004.
The Razr is part of a product road map for Verizon in 2019 that also includes some of the first smartphones compatible with faster 5G networks to hit the market, such as a version of Samsung Electronics Co.’s Galaxy phone and a Motorola phone with a clip-on modem that enables 5G service.
Motorola isn’t the only device maker to experiment with a foldable screen. Samsung plans to launch such a phone early this year, The Wall Street Journal has reported. That phone’s price tag also could surpass $1,500, according to people familiar with the matter.
Lenovo Chief Executive Yang Yuanqing hinted last year that another comeback was possible for the Razr. A patent granted to Motorola Mobility in August depicts a clamshell-style smartphone with a hinge. The patent filing, made in May 2017, describes a flexible screen that folds inward when the device closes but doesn’t crease.


Taylor Swift’s newest music video coming off her multi-platinum album 1989 is “Wildest Dreams,” a retro-inspired story whose accompanying lyrics detail the ever-tumultuous relationships we’ve come to expect from the predictable pop princess. And much like her redundant use of boy troubles and heartless cheaters as fodder for songwriting, it would seem as though Swift recycles elements of her music videos as well.
Directed by Joseph Kahn, “Wildest Dreams” is a romance novel-turned music video whose impeccable 1950s-era costume design and stunning camera work evokes an appetite for adventure in the Serengeti. Despite its indisputable high-quality visuals and evident aesthetic success, Swift’s newest video falls flat thanks to its lack of ingenuity and uncanny resemblance to virtually all of her other music videos to date.
From montages of lightning bolts to majestic footage of animals in motion, “Wildest Dreams” is as glamorous and captivating as the woman who sings the song. However, it is certainly something we have all seen before. Bearing a striking resemblance to the singer’s whimsical “Style” video, the new release features breathtaking shots of exotic African wildlife while Taylor dazzles in billowing ball gowns and flaunts in front of a green screen. Throw in an angry Taylor shouting at her lover du-jour, and you’ve got the template for every Taylor video in existence.
Unlike her “Style” video, “Wildest Dreams” actually boasts a structured storyline: Swift assumes the role of a tortured actress whose stunning Elizabeth Taylor looks and sheer bad luck land her in a love triangle with the handsome co-star (played by Scott Eastwood). In true Taylor fashion, clips of romantic rendez-vous and kisses in the rain flash in succession on the screen, along with the obligatory close-up image of a makeup-clad eye or two. After Swift’s character reminisces about each romantic encounter she shared with the hot-tempered movie hunk, these star-crossed lovers are ultimately separated by the complications of showbiz. How tragic.


WINNIPEG — University of Manitoba student-athletes are rallying against bullying to a group of Winnipeg students today.
The Bisons are speaking to Grade 4, 5 and 6 students at Gladstone School to deliver a message of anti-bullying, marking the 200th local school the Bisons have visited since the program began in 2006.
Bisons Against Bullying was started in conjunction with the University of Manitoba Athletes Council (UMAC) and consists of a free one-hour presentation on the issue.
The co-chairs for the 2017-2018 season are women’s hockey player Karissa Kirkup and Drew Cochrane of the men’s swimming team.
In the 2017 edition, five different schools around Winnipeg, including Principal Sparling School, Greenway School, Weston School and Earl Grey School have been visited prior to Gladstone.
Schools can request the Bisons attend to speak to their students about bullying by filling out a request online at GoBisons.ca.