From the latest PC numbers to the shakeup at Mozilla, here's what you missed yesterday.
Topping tech headlines on Wednesday, global PC shipments suffered their steepest year-over-year decline since IDC began tracking the PC market's quarterly performance in 1994, the research firm reported Wednesday.
PC makers shipped 76.3 million units in the first three months of the year, a 13.9 percent decline from the same period in 2012, IDC reported. The research firm had anticipated a major year-over-year drop-off in PC shipments but reality far surpassed IDC's pre-quarter forecast for a 7.7 percent decline. For more, see Personal Computing: Same Story, Different Day.
In other news, Mozilla announced on Wednesday that CEO Gary Kovacs will step down later this year. Kovacs will remain on the company's board of directors, and Mozilla is currently on the hunt for his successor.
Also making headlines Wednesday, the meteoric, week-old bull market for Bitcoins appears poised to tank at a hyper-accelerated pace. Just a day after Bitcoin prices were reaching $266, per trading site Mt. Gox, the bubble showed signs of popping violently for the virtual currency. Bitcoins were trading at a weighted average of $210 on the site as of Wednesday afternoon, but hit a low of $105 in subsequent hours of activity.
House Panel Approves CISPA Amidst Warnings From Reddit Co-Founder: A House panel yesterday approved a controversial cyber-security bill.
CBS Also Threatens to Yank Broadcast Stations Over Aereo: CBS this week said it too would pull broadcast stations from the airwaves in New York should streaming startup Aereo be allowed to continue operations.
South Korea Blames North Korea for Cyber Attack: Last month's mysterious cyber attack that crippled banks and television stations in South Korea was executed by North Korea's intelligence agency, according to official investigators based in Seoul.
Researchers Look to Replace Passwords With 'Passthoughts': Researchers from the UC Berkeley School of Information have been working on brain-controlled passwords.
Consumers Not Impressed With Facebook Home: Facebook recently unveiled Home, its new Android mobile experience, but it doesn't appear that most users will be rushing to get it.
ACLU Questions Whether IRS Is Reading Email Without a Warrant: As we approach the deadline for filing your 2012 taxes, the ACLU revealed that the Internal Revenue Service might be poring over more than just your tax returns.
Lawmakers Push NASA to Return to the Moon: A bipartisan group of legislators on Wednesday introduced a bill that would re-set the space agency's focus on returning astronauts to the Moon before attempting manned missions to Mars or a near-Earth asteroid.
Survey: Nearly 50 Percent of Teens Own an iPhone: Though some claim that Apple's mobile devices are losing their cool, the iPhone is actually gaining popularity among teenagers, according to a new study released by Piper Jaffray.
Disposable Phone Number 'Burner' App Lands on Android: With Burner, users can obtain disposable phone numbers for voice calls and texts.
Modern Combat 4: Zero Hour Hits Windows Phone 8: Get ready for battle, Windows Phone 8 gamers.


The volleyball team begins with a Lancaster scrimmage 4:30 p.m. Aug. 12 at home. The Lady Cougars travel to Rock Hill High School on Aug. 14 for a 5 p.m. scrimmage and will be at Nation Ford 5 p.m. Aug. 19.
The team will host the annual York Invitational Scrimmage on Aug. 21, with participating teams from throughout the county.
The Lady Cougars then host South Pointe 6:30 p.m. Aug. 26.
The girls’ tennis team will compete at Lancaster on Aug. 14 and host Chester on Aug. 19, with an Aug. 21 match against South Pointe at home. The Lady Cougars will be on the road Aug. 25 at South Pointe. All matches start 5 p.m.
The cross country team will travel to Forestview, N.C., on Aug. 27, for a 6 p.m. meet.
The runners will travel to Northwestern on Sept. 2 and host Clover on Sept. 9, both slated for 5 p.m.
For additional information, contact the school’s athletic department at 803-818-6244 or visit www. yorkathletics.org.
CLOVER The Clover Athletic Booster Club is reaching out to prospective members to bolster the organization’s support base.
“We hope you will join us today in supporting our CHS Blue Eagle athletic programs,” said club President Jeanine Schreiner. For details, email the group at cloverathleticboosterclub@gmail.com.
Booster club officers are: Julie Van Slambrook, vice president; Jamie McMackin, treasurer; Margaret Stevens, secretary; Beverly Archer, membership; Burnett Jenkins, membership at-large; Wanda Summit, football concessions; Alice Smith, basketball concessions; and Marybeth Shealy, past president.
CLOVER The 2014 Lake Wylie Athletic Association Basketball 101 Academy is slated for July 21-23 at Clover High School.
The camp, for rising fourth- through eighth-grade students, will be from 5-8 p.m. each day and the cost is $50.
Campers will be instructed on ball-handling, passing, defensive stance and positioning, shooting, playing without the ball and the importance of teamwork. Campers will be organized into teams and each team will play two games per night.
Bailey Jackson, head boys’ basketball coach at Clover High, and Blue Eagles players and coaches will provide instruction and lead drills.
To register by mail, make checks payable to LWAA and mail to Bailey Jackson, 417 Harvest Terrace, Clover, SC 29710. Details: bailey.jackson@clover.k12.sc.us.
YORK A 2014 Cougar Kickoff Dinner and Auction will be 7 p.m. Aug. 14 at the Garden Café.
Tickets, at $100 per couple, include dinner, a $1,000 door prize, disc jockey and cash bar.
Auction items include autographed Gamecock jerseys and helmets; Jadeveon Clowney autographed items; an autographed helmet from former Gamecock Stephon Gilmore, an NFL Buffalo Bills player; an autographed Michigan helmet; a football autographed by Clemson coach Dabo Swinney; a football autographed by the Panthers football team the year the team went to NFC Championship; beach weekends; a fishing trip; and more.
YORK The York Comprehensive High School Cougar baseball camp will be 9:30-11:30 a.m. July 21-23 at the York Recreation Complex.
The camp is for ages 7-13 and conducted by YCHS varsity coaches and players. The fee is $35 per child or $60 for two brothers.
Each participant will receive a camp T-shirt. Registration is at the York Recreation Center, 21 White Rose Lane. The deadline is July 17.


Legendary producer/rapper RZA, The Abbot of the Wu-Tang Clan, is responsible for creating the music behind some of the most sacred hip-hop albums of all time, such as Wu debut Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), Raekwon’s Only Built 4 Cuban Linx..., and GZA’s Liquid Swords. So it was only right that he bless us with a banging soundtrack for his upcoming Quentin Tarantino-produced martial arts film The Man with the Iron Fists, which he co-wrote and directed.
The soundtrack for the film features all the original living members of the Wu-Tang Clan (there’s even one song with six of them rhyming back-to-back on it) plus production and raps by RZA, as well as appearances by seasoned spitters Kool G Rap, Talib Kweli, and Pusha T.
There's also a heavy presence of new talent sprinkled throughout the project too, with guest spots from Wiz Khalifa, Danny Brown, Flatbush Zombies, and more. Not to mentions songs with Grammy-winners The Black Keys, Kanye West, and Corinne Bailey Rae.
Last week, we sat down with RZA in the Music Hall of Williamsburg’s basement bar area before his tour performance to get a track-by-track breakdown of The Man with the Iron Fists soundtrack, which will be officially released October 23. He shared the stories behind all of the songs, from how each artist got involved in the project to how the tracks are related to different scenes and themes in the movie. Bong bong.


Faced with litigation that has assumed "grave proportions", the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has directed the taxman to dispose of appeals cases where the tax demand is above Rs 50 crore on priority by the year-end.
The Central Action Plan (CAP) for 2018-19 acts as the policy action vision document for the Income Tax Department and is unveiled by the CBDT annually.
Faced with litigation that has assumed “grave proportions”, the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has directed the taxman to dispose of appeals cases where the tax demand is above Rs 50 crore on priority by the year-end. “Litigation is not only a cost on the credibility of a tax administration system but also an indicator of the robustness and fairness of a system of taxation. Litigation has been rising over the years and has now assumed grave proportions…,” the policy-making body for the tax department said in a recently released blueprint for the department.
The Central Action Plan (CAP) for 2018-19 acts as the policy action vision document for the Income Tax Department and is unveiled by the CBDT annually. In its latest issue, accessed by PTI, the CBDT said the demand “involved in appeal” before the first appellate authority of the department (Commissioner of Income Tax Appeals)– as on April 1, 2018– is Rs 6.38 lakh crore.
Out of this amount, higher appellate bodies like the ITAT, high courts and the Supreme Court have stayed a demand of Rs 87,035 crore, till the same time period, it said. “Such high volume of litigation has resulted in rendering a huge amount of tax as uncollectible. Besides, it is a major impediment towards creating an environment of tax certainty for taxpayers. It also involves infructuous costs on account of efforts to realise taxes blocked in these appeals,” the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) said in the action plan.
It added that the “substantial progress” made last year on this subject is required to be continued with renewed vigour so as to bring down the quantum of litigation and unblock the revenue involved. The Board directed the taxmen that ‘category A appeals’ involving demand of above Rs 50 crore and pending as on April 1, 2018 shall be disposed of by December this year.
The CBDT said these measures are required as there has been a reduction in overall litigation, particularly in cases involving very high quantum of demand, as also in cases with tax demand of less than Rs 10 lakh which have a wide-spread impact on taxpayers. “It is, therefore, reasonable to continue with a similar action strategy for the current fiscal, to meet the core objectives of budget collection, reduction in outstanding demand and litigation management,” the directive said.
The Board added in the CAP that each individual Commissioner (Appeals) “shall be expected to dispose of a minimum of 550 appeals” during the year. It said 2 additional reward units will be granted to the Commissioner (Appeals) for passing a quality order.
With regard to the pending litigation in higher appellate forums like the Income Tax Appellate Tribunals (ITATs), high courts and the Supreme Court, the directive asked the sub-regional chiefs to identify top 30 cases where a finality can be achieved faster. The grounds to select such cases will be the revenue potential, recurring nature of the (taxation) issue and stay granted in appeals or cases, it said.
The new action plan also seeks a renewed focus on filing strong prosecution complaints or charge sheets against tax evaders. “It has been noticed that proper attention has not been paid to prosecution cases resulting in long drawn prosecution proceeding before the courts and award of punishment in very small number of cases. There is a need to address this problem in a concerted and focused manner,” it said.
The Principal Commissioners of the ranges shall ensure drafting and filing of error-free prosecution complaints in consultation with standing counsel of the department and effective representation before courts by way of proper briefing to standing counsel, it said.
It said the regional departmental chiefs shall identify prosecution complaints pending for more than two years and that they will devise case-specific litigation strategy for effective representation to enable courts to take a final view on the matter at the earliest.


New workplaces, new food sources, new medicine–even an entirely new economic system. Here are 10 new ways we can start transforming the world for the better this year.
It will be easy to feel better about humanity when you read these 10 ideas. They’re all examples of how advances in science, technology, or simply a different kind of thinking can address the litany of challenges facing our societies today.
The ideas we have chosen to highlight aren’t about flying cars and food replicators, though we wish anyone who is working on those the best of luck. Many are about providing basic empathy and living conditions for everyone from office workers to slum dwellers in the developing world. We need these kinds of world changing ideas because the world still needs a lot of changing.
We need these kinds of world changing ideas because the world still needs a lot of changing.
It’s notable that most of the solutions are also solving problems of our own making. We need to revolutionize how to engineer plants because we’ve destroyed the environment so they won’t grow. We need to discover new antibiotics from the ocean because we’ve polluted our farms and bodies with too much medicine. We have to find new ways to take care of our office workers because we’ve made work a dreadful, never-ending grind. We need to create a new kind of business, because businesses have spent centuries being extractive, abusive entities.
People have been told we’re living in the future, but few people are actually seeing the future around them. Instead, most people on this planet are living in worlds that remain aggressively similar to the way they’ve always been, give or take the ability to check something on Wikipedia. We’re told that the technological innovations and brain power we currently employ have reshaped the world and improved people’s lives. Is it better to be living now than 50 years ago? Yes, but that’s surely cold comfort when you can’t pay a medical bill or the bank takes your house or you can’t buy food for your kids–or you simply weren’t lucky enough to be born in a rich country.
At some point, people are going to need to feel that this era of technological revolution is lifting them up, not just distracting them from the real problems they face day to day. One world changing idea you can read below is about creating a new economy powered by the automation and free knowledge that the information revolution has created. Let’s make sure we get there–and then we can focus on the more fun problems.
Job decisions, college admissions, health care decisions: All are now being fundamentally altered by your big data, and you might not even know.
For all the talk of the meaning and purpose of our jobs, most people see them merely as a means to an end. Only 29% of employees in North America say they’re engaged (worldwide, the number is 13%). And the reality is that a lot of work will soon be done by computer. Forty-seven percent of jobs are at risk over the next 20 years, one study showed.
Companies are recognizing that our work culture is incredibly damaging to employees’ mental health. Now they need to fix it for real–not just plaster over it with gimmicks.
The gene-editing tool could create drought-resistant grain or allergy-free peanuts. Will a society on edge about genetically modified food embrace this newest innovation?
In five years, there might be a little CRISPR-edited corn in your breakfast cereal or CRISPR-edited wheat in your pasta. CRISPR’d tomatoes and CRISPR’d pork might follow. There’s already a little CRISPR in your yogurt.
What Happens When We Become A Cashless Society?
Imagine a future where everything is seamlessly paid for via your phone. It’s a beautiful vision–with some dangerous unintended consequences.
The blockchain is coming–and it’s going to create huge benefits for the world’s poorest people, from financial access to property rights to controlling their identities.
According to many smart and knowledgeable people, the underlying system of bitcoin, known as the blockchain, is an idea of historical importance, with the potential to solve big social problems. In fact, it could be what makes the Internet what it was supposed to be before it was overrun by Facebook, the NSA, and countless scam-artists. If blockchain believers are right, the technology will enable an era of radical transparency, frictionless commerce, and genuine economic abundance.
What If We Paid People To Vote?
Low turnout drastically skews who is elected to lead our government. The best way to increase turnout might be cold, hard cash.


Ryan Reynolds and Scarlett Johansson are dreaming of adopting a baby from a third-world country.
most recently star of The Proposal, wed the star of He’s Just Not That Into You in September 2008. Johansson has long spoken about the benefits of adoption, not only for the to-be parents, but the goodwill that it creates across the globe.
We have one request here at SheKnows for Ryan Reynolds and Scarlett Johansson.
Although we are sure that these two are married, there seems to be a lack of photos of the two together. Could you two please attend each other’s premieres so we could run a photo of you two?
Don’t miss our interview with Ryan Reynolds here!
And you definitely don’t want to miss our interview with his wife, Scarlett Johansson here.
Matthew McConaughey expecting baby #2!


Bryce Harper, in pursuit of one of baseball's richest contracts, remains a free agent. For the moment, one of his suitors appears to have bowed out of the race to reel him in.
The Los Angeles Dodgers have been interested in Harper, but would reportedly prefer to lock him up with a deal in the four- or five-year range as opposed to the 10-year deal he and agent Scott Boras are seeking, according to Michael J. Duarte of NBC LA.
As such, the Washington Nationals, Harper's former team, are believed to be the favorites to sign the 26-year-old, sources told Duarte, adding that they'd be surprised if he signs elsewhere. The Nationals are reported to have recently increased their offer to the former National League MVP that is well in excess of $300 million.
No deal has been reached, however, and plenty of teams have been in pursuit of Harper's services this offseason. In addition to the Dodgers and Nationals, the Chicago White Sox and Philadelphia Phillies have been seen as the most serious contenders.


In two regattas ending the fall season, the Old Dominion Boat Club’s women’s first eight and men’s quad rowed to bronze place finishes at the Head of the Occoquan (HOTO), and the club’s lightweight men’s and women’s boats raced in the competitive Head of the Hooch in Chattanooga, Tenn.
The last races of the autumn brought the club’s totals for the season to three golds and three bronzes for the men; and one gold, two silver and four bronze for the women. The women’s first eight boat was the fastest team in the DMZ, said Coach Patrick Marquardt.
The club in Old Town Alexandria, which includes rowers from around the region, returned for the third time in the season to the Occoquan, fielding 13 boats. The lightweight men and women traveled south to the Chattahoochee River for a race cut short by the rough weather: Rowers went 2 kilometers instead of 5.
On the Occoquan, the men’s quad won the bronze with a time of 20.41.81, behind Resilient Rowing with a time of 20.27.89 and Walt Whitman, with a time of 20:33.32.
Also at the HOTO, the women’s first eight won a bronze, with a time of 18:59.03. Walt Whitman came in first with a time of 18:37.27, and BCC was second.
At the Head of the Hooch, the men’s and women’s lightweights faced rowers from all over the East Coast at the premier fall event for lightweight rowers. Lightweight men were 15th out of 33 and women were sixth out of 24. “I think the love that we have for each other makes us work harder that really showed during the race. We wanted to do well for each other,” said women’s coxswain Candace Goodman.
Men’s Coach Peter Stramese noted that if one added practices and regattas together, the high schoolers rowed the equivalent of the distance to Toronto, Canada.
Old Dominion Boat Club, founded in 1880, supports high school rowing programs around the region by offering young rowers a chance to compete and stay in shape against adult and college teams from up and down the East Coast.
This year, the club drew rowers from TC Williams, Bishop Ireton, Washington & Lee, Wakefield, James Madison, McLean, and Maret. Many of the rowers will face each other as competitors representing their schools in the spring season in the Virginia Scholastic Rowing Association.


Fresh from being fired in California's most notorious school mismanagement scandal, the superintendent of the Compton schools was hired to lead another district. Now, eight years later, he is suspected of running that second district so deeply into red ink that it is on the verge of state takeover.
J.L. Handy was fired from the Compton Unified School District in 1992. Within a year, the state assumed control of the financially and academically failing district. Mr. Handy was hired that same year to run the 900-student Emery Unified School District, in the town of Emeryville, between Berkeley and Oakland in northern California's East Bay area.
Now he's resigned in Emeryville, leaving behind a budget deficit of at least $1.4 million, two investigations, and a swath of shocked and angry people. The ripples from his departure have reached the state capital, where lawmakers are readying a request for as much as $3 million in bailout funds and the state superintendent of schools is preparing to appoint an administrator to run the beleaguered district.
Only two other times have state leaders found it necessary to install such an administrator, a move that renders the local school board powerless: in Compton and in the Coachella Valley Unified district. State education officials are disturbed that the same man was at the helm in two of the three teetering districts.
"We've seen poor oversight and administration now for the second time by the same guy," said Doug Stone, a state education department spokesman. "It's an exceedingly high batting average. In both places, the kids are the big-ticket losers."
Local police and prosecutors are investigating spending patterns in the district. Alameda County Deputy District Attorney Jeff Stark confirmed that Mr. Handy is a target of the probe, which he characterized as focusing on "abuse of public funds." He said additional targets could be identified, but he declined to divulge further details of the case.
Several California newspapers have reported that investigators have been examining Mr. Handy's alleged use of a district credit card for personal expenses, unexplained trips, and his management of bond-issue funds.
Mr. Handy could not be reached for comment.
A preliminary assessment by the state's Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team, the state's troubleshooters for failing districts, projected that Emery-ville, with an annual budget of about $8 million, will be $1.4 million in the hole at the end of the year.
The crisis team recommended the district seek $2 million to $3 million from the state, and state Assemblywoman Dion Aroner, a Democrat from Berkeley, was drafting a bailout bill.
Meanwhile, district officials are trying to stay afloat as best they can. Interim Superintendent Laura D. Alvarenga said she had "cut back everything we could possibly cut back." Most reductions came by transferring consulting jobs to district staff members.
"I feel very bad about the situation, but I'm very encouraged by the school community," Ms. Alvarenga said. "I go into the classrooms, and teachers are teaching and the students are learning. In spite of it all, people go on with their business."
Emeryville resident Christine Mingo said that school board members failed to keep proper tabs on the superintendent.
"Many of us had been trying to tell them that something was terribly askew," she said. "We pointed out all the money flowing through the schools, the new vehicles purchased, the landscaping that was changed twice, [while] the classrooms never received repair or renovation. But instead of asking questions, they did nothing. They just demeaned us when we tried to say it at meetings."
Board President Gisele Wolf maintained that board members had no reason to believe anything was amiss. Once Mr. Handy was hired, test scores began rising, and the schools "were cleaned up and looking good," she said. Yearly audits by the county department of education uncovered no problems, she said.
"We're very upset," Ms. Wolf said. "It's a terrible shock. This was something none of us knew anything about. We focused on children and education. Where was the county, asleep at the wheel? We're the whipping boys, we're on the front lines. But it really isn't the way it looks."
Alameda County Schools Superintendent Sheila Jordan said her office reviewed Emery's budget yearly and found no problem. "The books were cooked," she said. "We're not fraud investigators."
"Signs of Progress Slowly Emerge After Takeover in Compton, Calif.," Jan. 21, 1998.
"Academic Deficiences Force Takeover of Calif. District," Sept. 16, 1992.
The California Department of Education asked that the Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team intervene in the Emery Unified School District. FCMAT is a state-funded entity created to help California schools with financial management responsibilities.


The Joint Opposition, having failed to secure the post of Opposition Leader in parliament, for a second time, has devised another strategy by which it hopes to achieve this end. Speaker Karu Jayasuriya, at the very outset, gave a ruling that the JO cannot legally claim the post of Opposition Leader since it was elected to parliament on the SLFP/UPFA ticket. By virtue of the SLFP/UPFA joining hands with the UNP (which secured the majority seats at the General Election) to form a unity government, the JO, which is part of the SLFP/UPFA alliance is, therefore, excluded from claiming the Opposition Leader's post which rightfully went to the TNA which is the party with the next highest number of seats in parliament (after the SLFP/UPFA - UNP combine).
However, after a long interval, the same issue was revisited by the JO, occasioned by the exit from the government of 16 SLFP/UPFA parliamentarians, after the February LG election to make common cause with the JO, although this did not change the status quo. This bid too was shot down once again by the Speaker based on the earlier premise. Having been thwarted for the second time in its bid to secure the Opposition Leader's post, the JO members have now decided to sit as Independent MPs in parliament, believing that this would be the remedy for their interminable quest.
However, not all JO MPs will be enthusiastic about the fresh ploy. With the UPFA General Secretary Minister Mahinda Amaraweera broadly hinting about the fate that awaits the JO clique, should they decide to go Independent, panic buttons are already being pressed in the JO camp. Apparently as a face saving device, the JO has decided to appoint a committee, to decide on this whole matter of going Independent, headed by Prof. G. L. Peiris. But even the former Law Professor will know that the attempt is bound to flounder.
Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa himself is not sold on the idea, telling a group of journalists, the other day, that since it was the Speaker who had the final say, going by his (Speaker's) earlier ruling not much hope could be laid in the bid succeeding.
However, more than the Speaker, opposition to the move to go Independent is bound to come from the first time entrants to parliament from among the JO MPs such as Prasanna Ranaweera, D.V. Upul and a host of others. With disciplinary action that is bound to follow their contemplated move to go Independent and the inevitable expulsion from parliament, all the young Turks in the JO, having not yet completed five years as MPs would automatically forfeit their claim to a pension. Hence, the fresh ploy is bound to meet with fierce resistance. Not only that. The exit of the JO from parliament would see the entry of a new set of SLFP/UPFA MPs, next in line in the preference votes, who, no doubt, will be forced to toe the line of the party hierarchy. This means the new entrants will be made to join the unity government, leading to the strengthening of the Yahapalanaya regime with the addition of 70 more members to its ranks.
This will be the most likely outcome which will not be lost on the likes Prof. Peiris, who is entrusted with the task of going into the nitty-gritty of the ‘post Independent’ scenario.
This is doubly so because this time the Sirisena faction of the SLFP/UPFA means business. For the JO members to leave the alliance under which they were elected they have to communicate their decision in writing to the General Secretary. Minister Amaraweera has already made his intentions clear. Speaking to the media, at a function, he said that once he receives the letters he would send them to the Chairman of the Elections Commission Mahinda Deshapriya announcing the vacation of the parliamentary seats of all the signatories. Cabinet Spokesman Dr. Rajitha Senartne too said that the dream of the Joint Opposition to elect their own Opposition Leader replacing incumbent R. Sampanthan would never come to fruition because they will lose their parliamentary seats immediately after they resign from their SLFP membership. He told the Cabinet news briefing on Wednesday that the government was rubbing its hands in glee waiting to see how the JO would get about the task of accomplishing its mission after the Speaker placed a tight lid on the whole matter.
Like the Minister said, JO members elected to parliament under the SLFP/UPFA umbrella and then attempt to form a majority in the Opposition, by resigning from the party, to claim the Opposition Leader's post will be sacked by the General Secretary from the party and evicted from parliament. This reality though has not dawned on the likes of Udaya Gammanpila who is all gung ho about the JO going Independent to claim the Opposition Leader's post.
What step will the JO take next to bag the coveted post, no doubt, is being eagerly watched by the public.


The AFL this afternoon confirmed what had been in the works for some time: A number of rule changes for the 2019 season.
And although the almost universally-unpopular long goalsquare wasn’t among the list of tweaks, the new rules were met with plenty of criticism from the get-go.
Adelaide’s Brodie Smith was wondering about the same rule, indicating teammate Rory Laird may rack up even more disposal stats than he already does.
Brisbane young gun Cam Rayner wasn’t quite as jovial in his tone upon learning of the changes.
And away from the players, the league’s fans didn’t quite roll out the social media welcome mat for the list of tweaks.


A woman who went missing on Mangerton Mountain near Killarney yesterday afternoon has been rescued by Kerry Mountain Rescue.
The woman, who raised the alarm using her mobile phone at about 3.30pm yesterday, spent the night on the mountain in Killarney National Park after rescue teams failed to reach her due to poor weather conditions.
Gerry Christie, training officer with Kerry Mountain Rescue, said the woman was in a stable condition after spending a night outdoors on the mountain.
“She is walking down the mountain as we speak,” Mr Christie told The Irish Times this morning.
The rescue team has recommended the woman go to hospital for a check-up. While it is mild at ground level, temperatures are considerably lower on the mountain due to a combination of wind and rain and the rescue team is concerned that she may be suffering from hypothermia.
Mr Christie said “fairly horrendous” weather conditions on the mountain overnight prevented rescue teams from reaching the woman who was believed to be stuck on a mountain ridge.
“I was within 30 to 50 metres of her last night but it was hard to say with the wind and clouds,” said Mr Christie.
The woman was brought up to the summit using a rope and from there walked down the mountain to meet family members waiting at the base.
Mr Christie said a team of about 35 members was involved in the rescue.
He said Kerry Mountain Rescue receives up to 40 emergency call-outs a year and said it was unusual to leave someone on a mountain overnight.
“Moving in the dark last night was more dangerous than leaving her,” said Mr Christie.


The U.S. Senate race in Wisconsin is heating up, with the candidacy of State Sen. Leah Vukmir, R-5th district.
In her campaign announcement video, titled “The Wisconsin Way,” Vukmir highlighted her background and time in the state Legislature. At an event in Wauwatosa, she pointed to her many years of involvement in the conservative movement in southeastern Wisconsin. The central argument Vukmir will pitch to Republicans in the primary is that she’s a proven conservative who Wisconsinites know. It’s a very powerful case.
When it comes to selecting a Republican nominee in a primary, I always look for a record. The election for U.S. Senate is a critical race for Republicans. If Sen. Tammy Baldwin is defeated next November, the GOP will control both of Wisconsin’s seats.
I want a proven conservative to win that election. Leah Vukmir has a spectacular record of supporting conservative reforms. She has been a phenomenal senator at the state level and I expect the same if she is elected to serve as senator at the federal level.
Vukmir is an early favorite in the Republican primary for many reasons. When Walker left the Assembly in 2002 and became the Milwaukee county executive in a special election, Vukmir ran to replace him. She won the election and was elected to the upper house in 2010. In the legislature, she has been one of the main drivers of conservatism.
She stood by Walker during the political battles over Act 10. She has consistently voted for tax reductions to grow the Wisconsin economy. She has been a proponent of lifting the cap on Milwaukee parental choice for school vouchers. She has supported policies like right-to-work and voter ID. She is robustly pro-life. She has been fighting for law and order to protect the Wisconsin citizenry. Stances like these are why Vukmir has amassed over 100 endorsements in a short period of time.
Currently, it has been difficult for the Republicans in the U.S. Senate to pass their largest legislation. There’s a slim majority of two, and the repeal of Obamacare was halted by just three Republican senators. Had the majority been greater, the repealing and replacement of the health care law would’ve been successful. In times like these, it would be ideal to have someone like Leah Vukmir in the U.S. Senate.
Vukmir also benefits from the location of her district. The 5th district is located in conservative areas of the counties of Milwaukee and Waukesha. Republican voters in the right-leaning Milwaukee county suburbs know Vukmir well. While Milwaukee county has consistently been won by Democrats in recent years, it is often forgotten that the second-largest basket of Republican votes in Wisconsin elections comes out of it, simply due to its large population.
Having this kind of a base is imperative to winning any election in Wisconsin. It is a base that has handed Walker three victories in gubernatorial elections. Vukmir has represented this base for years. They know what she stands for and they will help mobilize her campaign against Baldwin.
Since the records of Vukmir and Walker are practically identical, she can also run on the work she has done with the governor. Those who vote for Walker will likely vote for Vukmir, giving her a big boost in the election. Baldwin, who has been weakened for her handling of problems occurring at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Tomah, has nothing positive to run on.
In the upcoming Senate election, Republicans cannot take any risks. It is important to have a candidate with a record of promoting conservative policies. It is for these reasons that Leah Vukmir is the candidate best-prepared to defeat Baldwin in 2018.


Political power shift revs up advocates for change.
A shift in Minnesota’s political landscape may finally afford Minnesotans the luxury of buying liquor on Sundays this year.
Some lawmakers say the new climate inside the Capitol offers the best chance yet to repeal the 80-year-old “blue law” that prohibits Sunday sales and has withstood all previous attempts at change. The catalyst: A Republican-controlled House full of newcomers led by Speaker Kurt Daudt, who recently voiced strong support for the change. A push for repeal in the GOP House, along with backing from DFL Gov. Mark Dayton, could compel the DFL-controlled Senate to go along, making seven-day-a-week sales a reality.
Minnesota remains one of just a dozen states that still block Sunday alcohol sales. The state’s grocery stores can’t even sell 3.2 beer — the only kind they’re allowed to carry — before 10 a.m. on Sundays. Liquor can be sold only in liquor stores, and some cities further control the market by restricting sales to municipal stores. The states surrounding Minnesota all allow Sunday sales.
Polls have consistently shown popular support for Sunday sales, but the state’s strong network of independently owned liquor stores has provided a potent roadblock, aided by Senate Democrats.
The DFL Senate may yet be able to block change from reaching Dayton’s desk. The governor made clear last year he’d sign a Sunday sales law.
Senate Majority Leader Tom Bakk, DFL-Cook, said he remains opposed to a repeal on behalf of municipal liquor stores — who say they would face overtime costs that would tax city budgets — and independent stores who don’t want to feel forced to stay open on Sundays. Bakk believes a Senate vote would be close and has been surprised by the change in the House.
“There’s never been an appetite before in the House to do that,” Bakk said.
Bakk wouldn’t commit to allowing a Senate floor vote even if the House passes the bill but said he would be open to allowing the Sunday sales of “growlers” (refillable beer containers) from taprooms, a measure that failed last year.
Daudt has switched sides since voting against a Sunday sales amendment in 2013 and thinks it could be the sleeper issue of the session. The newly elected speaker said he voted against the measure earlier because he had not heard from constituents eager for Sunday sales.
Still, he doesn’t intend to pressure his caucus to back a repeal.
“Folks can make up their minds on how it affects their district. We’ll let the process work itself out,” he said.
Municipal and independent liquor store owners have long wielded strong influence among lawmakers. Together, the Minnesota Licensed Beverage Association and Minnesota Municipal Beverage Association (MMBA) spent about $169,000 on lobbying in 2012 and 2013.
The groups scoff at the argument that Sunday sales would boost revenues, saying it would merely spread out six days of business across seven days, only costing more in labor.
However, not all liquor retailers are opposed to the ban. Maryland-based Total Wine & More, which has four locations in the Twin Cities, has pushed to repeal bans in many of the 16 states where it operates. Minnesota is no exception.
Last year, Reinert and Rep. Jenifer Loon, R-Eden Prairie, attempted a piecemeal approach to ending the ban with multiple bills — some would have ended the ban entirely, while others just eased it.
Sen. David Osmek, R-Mound, supports Sunday sales but is willing to amend the bill to keep liquor stores closed until noon on Sunday to mollify opposition. He also said he would consider prohibiting Sunday alcohol deliveries to stores if that would help. In 2014 an attempt at Sunday taproom sales of growlers ran into heavy opposition from Teamsters, who were concerned that the change in the law could reopen their labor contracts, interfering with wages and benefits.
Loon, who also plans to introduce a bill for a straightforward repeal, said the support of both Daudt and Dayton is “incredibly important” but is tempering her optimism.
Minnesota’s Sunday sales ban was enacted in 1935 — two years after Prohibition was repealed. The law that had imposed prohibition, the Volstead Act, got its name from the Minnesotan congressman, Andrew Volstead, who proposed it.
The last substantial attempt to repeal the ban on Sunday sales was in 2013, when a DFL-led House defeated the measure 106-21.
Rep. Joe Atkins, DFL-Inver Grove Heights, said he voted against repeal in the past, and likely would again, if only because of concerns from liquor store owners in his district, along with mayors of cities whose municipal liquor sales bolster the city budget.
Sen. Bill Ingebrigtsen, R-Alexandria, likely won’t be swayed on a potential repeal, no matter how it’s structured.
In the Minnesota House, where socially conservative support of a Sunday ban is being eroded by the GOP’s desire for a free market and less government, the 26 freshmen could make an impact.
Rep. Peggy Bennett, R-Albert Lea, said she believes businesses should be open only when they want to be, but wants to hear constituents before taking a stance. Rep. David Baker, R-Willmar, a business owner, is inclined to let businesses operate as they wish. But he’s concerned for the smaller stores in his conservative district.
Staff writer Patrick Condon contributed to this report.


Cary-Grove (5-0) defeated Jacobs (3-2) 45-14 to remain undefeated Friday, September 21, 2012 at Cary-Grove High School.
Members of the Cary-Grove poms look into the stands after performing during halftime of a game against Jacobs Friday, September 21, 2012 at Cary-Grove High School. Cary-Grove (5-0) defeated Jacobs (3-2) 45-14 to remain undefeated.


Summer vacation has just started and already there’s a catalog on my counter trying to convince me to purchase a backpack. I’ve barely finished unloading a forest full of crumpled paperwork, forgotten lunchboxes and a handful of broken crayons from my kid’s backpacks. I haven’t even started to contemplate new school supplies. When did June ever equal “back to soon time” during the year?
I swear that as a kid, the back-to-school shopping season didn’t start until early August. Summer went on forever with long and boring days that seemed like they would never end. Where having one day trip a month was something to look forward to. Nowadays, summer is oftentimes even busier than the school year with camps, classes, lessons, play dates and sleepovers.
Thanks to some online research, I discovered that backpacks are the first item parents search for once the last school bell rings. However, I found it interesting that the shopping season isn’t equal across the nation. It starts in the Deep South, then circles clockwise around the country. Shopping for shoes doesn’t start until August because who wants to buy new school shoes in June just so that your kiddo can ruin them by the first day of school?
So I’m not imagining that this back to school shopping season is getting earlier every year. Most companies probably think they are slyly reaching into our pockets, but I would argue most parents recognize this tactic. The companies’ that I want to support are those that understand that there is a time for back-to-school shopping, and that June is not one of them.
For crying out loud, let us have a summer!
Published: June 15, 2018, 3:35 p.m.


Kiara Glenn (1) defends against Taylor Fergen (4) on Saturday at John Brown. Jenna Price (right) defends the interior against JBU’s 5’10 Cameron Bailey (left). Southwestern Assemblies of God University rallied to upset John Brown University, 68-65, on Saturday in Siloam Springs, Ark. The win was their sixth-in-seven games and moved the Lady Lions to 14-7 overall and 8-5 in the Sooner Athletic Conference. Former Ennis star Kiara Glenn and Jenna Price, a Midlothian grad, were huge during a third quarter when they seized control of the game. Trailing the nationally ranked Golden Eagles, 37-32, they erupted for 17 unanswered points to lead, 49-37. During the run, which took only 4:29 off the game clock, SAGU made 7-of-10 shots. Read stories like this and more in your latest edition of The Ennis News. Be informed, subscribe today!
Posted by Deb on Feb 1 2019. Filed under SAGU. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.


Several utilities took the opportunity of Earth Day (Monday) to espouse environmental efforts. Southern (NYSE:SO) loaded on 139 MW of solar and 250 MW of wind to its energy portfolio. The utility currently produces around 1,350 MW of generation from solar, hydropower, biomass, and landfill methane gas, equivalent to around 2.9% of its total capacity.
Duke Energy (NYSE:DUK) released its sustainability report, updating shareholders on its $9 billion modernization project. The utility expects to retire 6,300 MW of coal capacity over the next few years and expects to own or purchase 6,000 MW of wind, solar, or biomass power by 2020.
PPL (NYSE:PPL) celebrated Earth Day with the opening of a unique "clean coal" facility that recovers around 300,000 tons of gypsum mineral annually to be used in fertilizers. "Innovative projects like this show how coal has and will continue to be a major contributor to the economic vitality of Kentucky and of the U.S., not just in the energy sector, but in science and innovation and now agriculture," said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) at the plant's grand opening. In the next five years, PPL expects to invest around $6 billion in its system.
In the blink of an eye, Q1 2013 is here and gone. Southern reported earnings this week, hitting sales expectations but missing slightly on earnings. Any longer-term progress was negated by a $333 million after-tax charge for increased construction costs at a new power plant. The company increased its dividend last week for the 12th year in a row, calling into question the sustainability of its current cash flow.
After upping its dividend earlier in the week, American Electric Power (NYSE:AEP) reported earnings on Friday, beating sales estimates and matching earnings expectations. Lackluster industrial demand and impending deregulation in Ohio are trouble spots for the utility, but overall rate increases and new transmission agreements mean that sustainable income isn't gone yet.
Dominion (NYSE:D) disappointed this quarter, missing on sales and reporting EPS 8.8% below analyst expectations. Regulated sales slumped, but $25 million in EBIT from the utility's Blue Racer midstream joint venture kept earnings from evaporating. Looking ahead, the utility hopes to save $100 million on operating expenses for fiscal 2013 as it continues to grow its transmission business.
The world of utilities is changing fast, and dividend stocks aren't the stable stalwarts they once were. Be sure to check back weekly for the latest on your portfolio's moves, and you'll be well on your way to electrifying earnings.


The Republican National Committee concedes in a sprawling report Monday that the GOP is seen as the party of “stuffy old men” and needs to change its ways.
Among the RNC’s proposed fixes: enacting comprehensive immigration reform, addressing middle-class economic anxieties head on and condensing a presidential primary process that saw Mitt Romney get battered for months ahead of the general election.
The committee also proposes major improvements to the party’s voter database and digital technology, which paled next to that of the Democrats and contributed to the party’s losses last year.
The suggestions are among dozens the committee makes in what RNC Chairman Reince Priebus has dubbed an “autopsy” of the party’s 2012 failures and a roadmap forward. Priebus unveiled the 98-page report at a news conference Monday morning at The National Press Club.
The report devotes many pages to the need to better connect with minority, female and young voters. Comprehensive immigration reform is a critical first step, it says.
Post-election focus groups with voters drove home the party’s shrinking demographic appeal, the report says.
“Asked to describe Republicans, they said that the Party is ‘scary,’ ‘narrow minded,’ and ‘out of touch’ and that we were a Party of ‘stuffy old men,’” it states.
Though it steers clear of the gay marriage debate, the report also says Republicans need to be more tolerant of gays if it is to have any chance among younger voters. People younger than 30 cast 5 million more votes for Barack Obama than Romney, it says.
“Already, there is a generational difference within the conservative movement about issues involving the treatment and the rights of gays — and for many younger voters, these issues are a gateway into whether the Party is a place they want to be,” it says.
The report is long on lists of ailments, but shorter on specific fixes. There are recommendations for better outreach and more focused efforts, but little discussion about the policies and specifics that the party would sell while reaching out to different types of voters.
Beyond immigration, it barely touches on policy. That was by design, according to the report, because it’s not the RNC’s purview. Still, policy is no small part of the GOP’s internal debate now, which underscores the limitations of what a party committee can do.
For instance, there are no references to abortion or Planned Parenthood — or any of the issues that were at the heart of the battle for female voters last year. The report says the GOP lost the “war on women” messaging but doesn’t make clear how the party should be on offense going forward.


One reader thinks the local team needs to replace lost talent and fast. What do you think?
So another quality Canary has flown the Carrow Road nest.
Attacking midfield star James Maddison transferred to Leicester City in a package said to be worth up to £24m.
If Norwich City are to be a force to be reckoned with in next season’s second tier, then his golden boots need to be filled quickly with a class replacement.
It’s a big ask – with Moritz Leitner a likely but average contender. The German midfielder didn’t exactly excel in City’s miserable 5-1 defeat at Sheffield Wednesday on the final day of the last Championship season.
It’s all very well sporting director Stuart Webber saying “the money was too good to turn down” (for Maddison) but it’s a recurring phrase I’ve heard many times since following the fortunes of City from the early 1970s and one of the reasons where the club find itself today - selling quality players without replicated replacements.
Over the decades City has become a stepping-stone club, regardless of board or manager, largely relying on revenue from quality players who move on, and in a money-driven industry I fear Norwich City is on the road to nowhere.


LINKED-IN Corporation president Belezar Ola has written Baguio City Mayor Mauricio Domogan anew asking for permission to set up carnival rides at Burnham Park.
Ola reiterated his request to the chief executive asking for the family oriented rides to be approved and transferred to a portion of Melvin Jones near the Ganza parking instead of the Children’s Park.
On March 11, Domogan in turn forwarded the letter to the city council for their action.
Vice Mayor Edison Bilog, however, aired his opposition to the project.
“I am against it kung ilalagay sa Burnham Park or any park for that matter. Let us stop the introduction of commercial activities in our parks. Let us implement our laws and ordinances,” Bilog said.
Councilor Elmer Datuin said the new request of Ola has been forwarded to the committee of Councilor Leandro Yangot, who was asked for his statement on the matter but did not reply.
In December, Ola requested for the operations of a carnival which was approved by the legislative body before the New Year with lone Lady Councilor Mylen Yaranon opposing the project.
The council approved the setup of the Ola carnival for January 7 until February 30 with operations to start February 1 till the end of May, paying a lease of P500,000 for a five-month stint at the city’s busiest park.
After the council approval, Domogan said he will not allow another carnival at Burnham Park and has since vetoed the decision of the city council.
The chief executive added the City Council can override his decision if they insist, but underscored his opposition stating problems which arose from the Ola operations in the past.


June 16 (UPI) -- Pope Francis on Saturday said those having abortions because a fetus has disabilities or malformations have a Nazi mindset.
In a speech to the Forum of Family Associations, celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, Francis also stressed God's vision of the family is between a man and a woman.
"The whole world has been scandalized by what the Nazis did. Today we do the same but with white gloves," Francis said. "I've heard that it's fashionable, or at least usual, that when in the first few months of pregnancy they do studies to see if the child is healthy or has something, the first offer is: let's send it away."
Prepared remarks tossed aside, Francis said it is "painful" to think society accepts killing children simply because they are sick or disabled.
"Children are the greatest gift," Francis said, even when they are sick. "Children must be received as they come, as God sends them."
On marriage, the pontiff said in modern society "one speaks of different types of family," defining the term in various ways but stressed, "the family in the image of God is only one, that of man and woman...marriage is a wonderful sacrament."


Moore has played most of his career in the area and would like to stay a little longer.
John Moore played three seasons with the Devils as a solid all-around defenseman. The former Ranger isn’t flashy, but he can log heavy minutes and help out on a heavy forecheck.
The former Ranger was signed to a three-year contract on July 1, 2015, after the Arizona Coyotes declined to tender him a qualifying offer.
For a team that battled injuries all season, Moore was never really a concern. He played in a career-high 81 games, one of only four players to play at least 80 during the regular season (Nico Hischier was the only player on the Devils to play in all 82 contests), he played with a few different defense partners and he averaged 20 minutes of ice time. It was a solid season for the 27-year-old Moore, a player who has always been exactly that: Solid.
It’s the same word Moore used to describe himself, his season and the role he played for the Devils.
During his tenure in New Jersey, Moore has proven to have a little offensive upside. He may not be a true two-way player, but his 23 goals and 36 assists over three seasons with the Devils is a contribution you can’t discount.
But that’s not what he’s known for, he’s known as a guy who can chase around a top line and make life difficult for them. It’s what he did for the Rangers and it’s what he did for the Devils over three seasons.
Moore has had a variety of defense partners and his game never changes, regardless of who is skating with him, but his left-handed shot fits perfectly on the second pairing where the Devils had trouble finding some consistency with a myriad of right-handers.
Moore is about to be a free agent in July but has made it clear that he wants to stay in New Jersey and help the Devils continue to build something special. He’s played in the area for a number of years, he knows the division and knows what it takes to win.
He wants to play more than 81 games, which was a career-high, and he feels he can stay in good enough shape to do so. The younger players are exciting to play with and they can benefit from a player like Moore. The only problem is that there are a few other free agent defensemen who might be splashier and flashier than him, like John Carlson.
But if the Devils are looking to remain solid on the blue line, they could do worse than Moore.


The Airline Quality Rating measures airline service in four areas: on-time arrivals, percentage of bags mishandled, the number of passengers bumped from flights and complaints filed with the U.S. Department of Transportation.
This year's report shows carriers improved their overall performance compared to 2017.
However, the study fails to track complaints posted on social media platforms, which have become a popular way for many travelers to voice their displeasure with airlines.
A Delta Air Lines jet taxis beyond parked Southwest Airlines planes at McCarran International Airport September 12, 2005 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
For all the griping and grousing you may hear about flying these days, a new report says the quality of airline service in the U.S. soared to a record high in 2018.
The annual Airline Quality Rating, which measures airline service in four areas, shows carriers improved their overall performance compared to 2017.
"It is the best year we ever had," said Dean Headley, professor emeritus at Wichita State University. "Three out of the four things that we track got better this year, so I would have to say it is doing well."
Headley, along with Brent Bowen from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, created the Airline Quality Rating in 1991 as a way to measure airline service based on four categories tracked by the U.S. Department of Transportation. Those categories — on-time arrivals, percentage of bags mishandled, the number of passengers bumped from flights and complaints filed with the DOT — are reported every month.
Two areas in particular stand out in this year's report. Complaints about airlines to the DOT dropped 23 percent, while the number of passengers bumped from oversold flights was cut in half. Following the controversy of a United Airlines passenger being dragged off of a plane in April 2017, U.S. carriers either abandoned or curtailed the number of flights they oversold.
Headley is not surprised airlines are now bumping fewer travelers. "That is encouraging for the flying public, I think," he said.
So which airlines topped the list in terms of service?
Delta jumped from second place to first, just ahead of JetBlue and Southwest Airlines. By comparison, Spirit, American and Frontier came in at the bottom of the latest Airline Quality Rating.
While the numbers are encouraging, the Airline Quality Rating fails to track complaints posted on Twitter or other social media platforms. That's become a popular way for many travelers to voice their displeasure with airlines for a variety of issues, from being bumped off a flight to losing a suitcase.
Headley acknowledges the inability to track social media complaints, but believes the study still shows flying in the U.S. is improving.
"The complaints that people might file tell us whether they are happy or not, and those complaints are down this year," said Headley.


Police Commissioner Mike Bush said the death toll from Friday's mass shootings in two mosques in Christchurch has risen.
The number of people who have died in mosque shootings is now 50, Mr Bush said.
"As of last night we were able to take all of the victims from both of those scenes and in doing so we have located a further victim, so that brings the number of those who have died to 50."
He said 50 were also injured, 36 remain in hospital with two in a critical condition. One child remains at Starship hospital.
On Friday, dozens of people were gunned down at two mosques in Christchurch.
Mr Bush confirmed that firearms in Mr Tarrant's possession were obtained under the New Zealand Arms Act firearms licence which he obtained in 2017 in New Zealand. Mr Bush said it was obvious that he had modified a Category A firearm.
Police said they do not believe the three other people arrested in Christchurch in the past two days were involved in the attacks.
Two people, a man and a woman, were arrested at a cordon with firearms in their car.
The woman was released yesterday, and a man has now been charged with firearms offences.
An 18-year-old man was also arrested and is due to appear in court tomorrow. He has been charged with inciting racial disharmony under the Human Rights Act.
Mr Bush said he was also not believed to have been involved in the shootings.
Another person from the Papanui area went to assist children in the area to get them to safety but did decide to arm themselves which was not the right approach, Mr Bush said. That person was later released.
Security around mosques will continue until police believe there is no threat, Mr Bush said.
"In terms of security right across the country, the New Zealand police and other emergency services remain absolutely vigilant to keep all New Zealanders and everyone who lives here and visits here safe from harm."
A list of the victims has been shared with families, but Mr Bush said that will not be released officially until the victims have been formally identified.
Mr Bush said victims' bodies have not yet been released to families.
"What we have to do is determine the cause of death so we've been working with pathologists and working with coroners and the Chief Coroner to complete that process, we have to be absolutely clear about the cause of death and confirm their identity before that can happen.
"But we are so aware of the cultural and religious needs so we are doing that as quickly and sensitively as possible."
Mr Bush said there were a large number of ethnic liaison officers working with religious leaders and other religious support people to give every support to victims' families.
Yesterday Mr Bush said the shooting were the action of a lone gunman.
He said police took 36 minutes from the time a call was received yesterday to have the offender in custody.
Mr Bush again praised the bravery of the two police officers in relation to shootings.
"Those two police officers acted with absolute courage, I'm so proud of what they've done, they've prevented further deaths and risked their lives to do so."
Mr Bush said the two officers were overwhelmed and humbled by the feedback they have been getting and their identities would be made public at some point.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said those in custody were not on any security watchlists.
The national security threat level has been increased from low to high for the first time in NZ's history.
The attacks on mosques in Christchurch have left 50 people dead, and another 50 injured.


LONDON (AFP) – You don't need a horoscope to predict a life of palaces and privilege for Britain's royal baby -- but astrologers say the future king will be a sensitive Cancerian who could help "transform" the royal family.
The child follows both his father Prince William and his late grandmother, Diana, princess of Wales, by being born under the sign of the crab.
William's wife Kate gave birth to the baby in London at 4:24 pm (1524 GMT) on Monday. Had the as yet unnamed Prince of Cambridge arrived just 34 minutes later, he would have been a Leo with a quite different astrological character.
As a Cancerian born under a full moon, the child is expected to have an unusually strong relationship with his parents and grandfather, Prince Charles, as well as sharing character traits with Diana.
Penny Thornton was Diana's astrologer for six years in the 1980s and has also met Prince William and studied his chart.
"Kate is a Capricorn and William a Cancerian, so straight off the bat you can see what a close bond these three will have," Thornton told AFP.
"Diana's imprint is also strong with the baby's ascendant-descendant axis picking up her Venus. I would also suggest that Charles will be a huge mentor for his grandson."
Baby Wales was born under a rare planetary configuration known as a "Kite", she added, suggesting he has a special talent and "powerful destiny".
There are few more potent fates than being king -- the job the baby will take on after Prince Charles and Prince William -- and Thornton said that the child could have a "transformational quality" as head of state.
"Obviously the monarchy as it is today is not appropriate in 50 years' time so he will be part of the change, much more informal," she said, adding that he would do "something that helps the world, heals."
This carries an echo of Diana, who frequently visited AIDS victims in London hospices and worked for a ban on landmines before her death in a Paris car crash in 1997.
"If he had not been born a future king, I think he would follow a career in research, medicine -- gynaecology, psychiatry -- an interest in how the planet works," Thornton added.
Other famous Cancerians include former South African President Nelson Mandela and, less auspiciously, Britain's King Edward VIII, whose abdication in 1936 to marry a US divorcee prompted a royal crisis.
If the future king had been born slightly later, his personality would have been significantly different -- Leos, whose sign is the lion, are typically seen as fiery, flamboyant and dramatic where Cancerians are more emotional.
Kate's mother Carole Middleton reportedly told friends the baby would be a Leo, while many journalists Monday also assumed this after the crossover point between the two star signs passed with no announcement of the birth.
Cancerians are renowned by astrologists to be protective and emotional, given that they are supposedly ruled by the moon, but are quick to retreat back within their shell.
But astrologer Patrick Arundell said the baby's actual birth sign would give him "regal power" and a "very special aura".
"Leo has the star quality but Cancer is very powerful," said Arundell.
"These people don't have to shout about their power. A cardinal sign like Cancer might not shout but people know they're there."
Astrologists argue it was always written in the stars that this special baby would be a Cancerian.
"People think 'here's a horoscope and this horoscope influences your life' but it's the other way round," Thornton said.
"The planets reflect who we are... the fact that it came right to the edge, he was never destined to be a Leo."
As with so many other elements of this royal baby's life, perhaps his astrological fate was firmly set from the start.


senators to their positions be canceled.
Constitution, which stipulates that senators must face election every six years.
who said it would undermine democracy.
refuse to be involved in such a scheme.
Sim. If he wants to meet me to discuss the issue, I am ready anytime."
or the Prime Minister or anyone except Prince Ranariddh."
King for a five year term.
vote, while the rest must be elected by the people.


WE’VE all heard the saying that an apple a day keeps the doctor away.
What we might not realise is that eating fruit also helps to satisfy our appetite and reduce the likelihood that we will become overweight or obese.
Data indicates that only 6% of children have one serve, or just one piece of fruit, each day.
If we include fruit juice, that figure rises to 19%.
However, that still means four out of five children do not consume any fruit each day.
With obesity and overweight levels at their highest ever on the Sunshine Coast, the need to encourage children and adults to eat at least one piece of fruit a day is paramount.
Parents of schoolchildren should pack a piece of fruit in their kids’ lunch boxes each day and actively encourage them to eat it.
Fruit is also a great snack for children when they arrive home from school.
Many canteens and tuckshops at schools either do not provide fruit or provide fruit that is unattractive.
For example, over-ripe bananas that look ready to be made into banana bread are not enticing to eat.
We are lucky in Queensland and particularly on the Coast to have fresh produce including fruits available daily.
Most shops stock a great variety of fruits, including apples, bananas and pears.
So instead of reaching for a sweet confectionary snack, reach for a piece of fruit as part of your morning and afternoon routines.
Professor John B Lowe is the Head of the School of Health and Sport Sciences at the University of the Sunshine Coast.
Is she a good baby?


Roz Purcell wore a design from her debut suit range Scribe By Roz to the VIP Style Awards. Her decision to shun a long gown earned her major kudos.
It's a classic case of who wore it better...you, or your boyfriend.
While New Year's celebrations more than likely filled your Twitter feed, an unlikely hero has emerged as the winner of the internet this week - Bressie.
The Voice of Ireland mentor showed he doesn't take himself too seriously as he posed in a suit designed by girlfriend Roz Purcell complete with plunging neckline and clutch (well, a washbag).
It looks like he's been taking posing tips from his model other half as she made sure the camera caught his good side in the hilarious photo.
The 34-year-old singer and RTE star shared the snap in response to a picture praising his other half's style influence with her Scribe by Roz suit collaboration, saying: "I did it better."
And it's safe to say he did.
Meanwhile, this year marked a successful year for the power couple as Roz's modelling career soars to new heights with her debut suit range nailing her style star status in Ireland and Bressie branched out into more music mentoring roles on RTE with Bressie's Teenage Kicks and he continued his mental health campaigning with the launch of his new website, My 1000 Hours.


WASHINGTON, Oct. 10—Job slowdowns by printers and photoengravers at Washington's three daily newspapers—The Washington Post, The Evening Star and The Daily News—are beginning to have serious ef fects.
Contracts of the Washington Newspaper Publisher Associa tion with Columbia Typographi cal Union Local 101 and Wash ington Photoengravers Local 17‐P expired at midnight Sept. 30.
The chief Issue in negotia tions with the printers is the newspapers’ practice of accept ing display advertising for which the type has been set elsewhere. The printers have an agreement with the publish ers that alL such type must eventually be set again in the print shop of the paper publish ing the advertisement. This duplicated type, called “bogus,” is then thrown away.
The printers contend, how ever, that not all such adver tisements are reset, a situation they say endangers the jobs of some members. They want a new contract that gives them authority to reset all prepared advertising before it appears in print.
In addition, the printers are asking for a four‐day week and a pay increase of $50 a week. The publishers have offered a raise of $33 a week over two years.
The photoengravers are ask ing a $60‐a‐week raise over two years.
Printers now earn $190 to $201 a week, depending on the work shift, and photoengravers earn $6 more than the printers on each shift.


Today: A mostly dry start to the week but often cloudy with patchy drizzle and hill fog affecting western and northern hills and coasts. Some brighter spells are possible in the south and east, but it will be breezier than Sunday. Maximum temperature 16 deg C.
Tonight: Some drizzle over Snowdonia and the Cambrians overnight, otherwise largely dry and mild with variable amounts of cloud. Winds will ease with some patchy fog in the south by dawn. Minimum temperature 11 deg C.


As little as two months ago, the announcement Monday that Penn National was buying fellow gaming company Pinnacle Entertainment would have been dead in the water in Pennsylvania.
The deal might still have happened, but Penn National (owner of Hollywood Casino in Grantville) probably wouldn't have been able to purchase Pinnacle's Pennsylvania property, The Meadows racetrack and casino in Washington County, because the state's gaming laws forbid state operators from owning more than one casino property.
That changed in October, when Gov. Tom Wolf signed the state's gambling expansion bill into law. In addition to providing for more gambling operations across the state, the law struck down the state's existing ownership restrictions.
The announced deal, which would quite possibly create the state's largest gaming operation -- controlling more than one-in-twelve table games and roughly a fifth of all slot machines in the state as of June 2017 -- will face scrutiny from state regulators.
The change in ownership of the Meadows will have to be approved by the state's Gaming Control Board after the organization conducts a due-diligence review of the proposed transaction, said Doug Harbach, spokesman for the board.
"Any change in ownership has to be approved by the board," he said. Harbach said there was no timetable, as of yet, to when that could happen.
"We're going to look at all aspects of the deal," he said. "The bottom line is: Is it in the best interests of the commonwealth?"
It is unlikely to be the last merger among casino operators either. Over the last decade, there have been a number of mergers within the industry, many of which have occurred within the county's largest gambling mecca -- Las Vegas.
While Penn National owns two casinos in Las Vegas, Pinnacle Entertainment doesn't have a footprint in the city although it is based there. But the merger of the two would mark the joining of two the largest owners of casinos outside the city, which when completed, will give Penn National control of 41 casinos and race tracks across the nation, with 53,000 slot machines, 1,300 tables, 8,300 hotel rooms and 35,000 employees, making it the nation's largest regional gambling operator.
That should result in huge cost savings for Penn National (company officials estimated $100 million in savings over the first two years) and could enable it to attract more gamblers through the new company's combined loyalty programs while increasing Penn National's geographic reach, which in turn could attract more regional gamblers to the company's premier resorts in Las Vegas.
The deal is expected to close in the second half of 2018, pending regulatory approval.


The healthcare sector has been subject to a rocky disruption during the past decade due to the advent of new digital technologies. The application of wearable monitors and artificial intelligence are changing the way human health is assessed.
A signal that healthcare is set to be heavily disrupted by artificial intelligence comes from a new report which indicates that AI for healthcare will be valued at $6.16 billion by 2022.
Health literacy is a major concern, even with greater access to digital information. This ranges from understanding conditions to knowing the side-effects of drugs. To address this, Toronto-based Novus Health it has partnered with iA Financial Group.
Continuous technological developments in healthcare have saved countless lives and improved the quality of life for even more, and signs are that healthcare will undergo further transformation. A leading expert provides some examples.
Non-adherence to medicine regimes is a health concern. When patients fail to complete course this can lead to a recurrence of a health condition. A new digital health blockchain solution is at hand, called CuraServe.
Apple has announced plans to will open up health record data to third-party iOS apps through a new API. The service, which will be available in October 2018, will enable users to share health data from over 500 hospitals/clinics with third-party apps.
London	- The British government has announced ambitious plans to prevent an estimated 22,000 cancer deaths by 2033, through the use of artificial intelligence to predict those individuals at greater risk of developing the disease.
Toronto	- A digital care package has been developed for substance use disorder. The platform has been made available to healthcare providers in Ontario.
Healthcare technology has a general problem with a lack of interoperability. As a result, patients and their caregivers face expensive consequences, such as hospital readmissions. The Chicago-based healthcare incubator MATTER is challenging this.
HP has announced a new range of computing devices aimed specifically at healthcare users. The company has developed notebooks which can be sanitized, making them ideal for frontline healthcare workers in hospitals. Security is also a high priority.
Assessing the health of athletes is important in the world of modern sport. The Winter Olympics offers a chance to test out some of the latest digital health innovations.
Bethesda	- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has begun to select participants for a new digital health software pilot program. The commencement of the scheme signals the importance that digital health is to play in U.S. healthcare.
Over 100 child health experts have signed a letter asking Facebook to withdraw its "Messenger Kids" app. The recently-launched app is aimed at children under the age of 13. The letter argues these children are too young to understand the dangers.
Many employers and health plans are looking to integrate coverage for innovative healthcare technology solutions. One platform is provided by WellDoc, which has partnered with a leading analytics company to address diabetes management and costs.
London	- For those worried about the possibility of having contracted a sexually transmitted disease but worried about a visit to a clinic, a digital service might be the answer. Such services are proving increasingly popular.
Ava, best known as the maker of its popular cycle-tracking Ava bracelet, has announced that results from a clinical study indicates that the device’s has potential for future use in pregnancy detection. We spoke with Ava Co-Founder Lea von Bidder.
Microsoft’s diversification strategy includes utilizing some of its resources to help improve the diagnosis of cancer to find cures for certain cancers. The research is based at Microsoft’s ‘biological computation’ labs in Cambridge, U.K.
A new study, by Ambra Health, found 1 in 3 patients in ther U.S. cannot easily access their medical records. This impacts on how patients interact with health technology, like the iWatch. To find out more, we spoke with Ambra's Morris Panner.
The company Propeller, who manufacture digital inhalers, has launched a free service for predicting asthma conditions. The service takes the form of a software package.
New York City	- Huddle is a video-based peer-to-peer support app designd to alter the way people communicate and learn about mental health issues. Huddle provides peer-to-peer advice and on-demand support. To find out more wer spoke with co-founder Dan Blackman.
Edinburgh	- A new study of the security vulnerabilities of fitness trackers signals that the health technology sector needs to go further in building safeguards to protect the data of users of fitness devices. The study focuses on Fitbits.
Watsi in action in rural Uganda assisting nurses and nuns.
On the left is the brain activation pattern for "death" in participants who had made a suicide attempt. The image in the right depicts the activation pattern for "death" in control participants.
This infographic describes the elements of Digital Health.
File photo: A person at his workplace, communicating via a Video Relay Service video.


The devastating blaze at the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris should serve as a "wake-up call" for India, a global heritage expert said Wednesday and suggested that the new government should conduct a "national-level fire audit" of museums and other cultural landmarks within 12 months in office.
Vinod Daniel, an India-born Australian and top museum specialist, also said that along with the central-level exercise, a state-level fire safety auditing should also be done as a large portion of India's cultural and architectural wealth are locally governed.
The iconic cathedral, part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is one of the most celebrated monuments globally.
On Monday, days ahead of the World Heritage Day (April 18), an inferno ripped through the over 850-year-old iconic Paris landmark destroying a large part of its roof and causing its central spire to collapse, leaving the world stunned.
Daniel, 57, who is a board member of the Paris-based International Council of Museums (ICOM), says while Indians have reacted very emotionally to the incident, which is important, but as a nation, India should take valuable lessons out of this loss and "assess its own fire safety and risk management capabilities".
"It should have been taken note of immediately but since elections are underway, we will have to wait for the new government. But, the next government, should conduct a national-level fire safety audit of museums and other cultural and architectural landmarks within the first 12 months of its office," Daniel told PTI in an interview.
The global museum expert said besides the UNESCO heritage sites, many old and iconic temples and other places of worship spread across the country are listed under state archaeology departments and therefore, state-level audits should be done in consonance with the national exercise.
Daniel had last December cautioned that a majority of museums and cultural repositories in India were at risk of suffering "grave damage" in the event of a major fire, and suggested that a disaster management plan be properly implemented by these institutions.
Daniel praised France's response to the colossal fire that gutted one its most monumental landmarks that has been celebrated in books, magazine and films.
Notre-Dame de Paris, meaning 'Our Lady of Paris', is a medieval Catholic cathedral consecrated to the Virgin Mary and considered to be one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture.
The famed gargoyles of the cathedral watching over the streets of Paris are some of the most enduring images of this landmark, celebrated in Victor Hugo's immortal classic 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame', which was adapted into a film in 1939.
Daniel praised the French response to the the colossal fire and said the firefighters trained in handling heritage objects and environment "mitigated the damage".
President Emmanuel Macron has vowed to rebuild Notre-Dame within five years. France's cathedrals have prepared to ring their bells on Wednesday to mark 48 hours since the devastating blaze began.
The ICOM board member recalled the fire last year at the National Museum in Brazil and the one which gutted the National Museum of Natural History in Delhi in 2016, saying the Notre Dame fire should now serve as a "wake-up call for India".
The Sydney-based expert said fire globally is the "number one threat" for any such building, roughly "one in 3,000 buildings" run that risk.
Also, at present, a majority of museums, old libraries and cultural repositories do not have a proper disaster management plan in place and hence, stand at risk of suffering grave damage in case of a major fire, as it happened in Brazil, Daniel said.
"And, that is why India needs to do the central-level and state-level audits, and then a budget should be allocated to ensure a timeline-based comprehensive risk management plan. And, these audits need to be done periodically," he said.
"We need to have comprehensive risk management guidelines and India needs to revisit its risk management strategy if we want to protect our heritage from such incidents," the Sydney-based expert said.
However, some of the museums, such as the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (formerly known as the Prince of Wales Museum of Western India), National Museum in Delhi and the Bihar Museum in Patna do have a management policy and a roadmap to deal with such incidents, he said.
Daniel, also chairman of AusHeritage, a non-profit cultural heritage network in Australia, said the first 24 hours after a disaster, be it fire or flood, is the "critical period for response".
He also suggested that besides having a good plan for safekeeping, museums should invest in documentation of artefacts and training of staff for proper handling of exhibits in the wake of a disaster.
"The Notre-Dame is extensively documented, be its old drawings, paintings, photographs, videos, and they will prove valuable in the restoration process," he said.
Daniel lamented that the incident will also leave a "bit of an emotional scar" for the people of Paris and visitors.
"I visit Paris every six months, and stay very near to the cathedral. I take morning walks, and next time when I go there, it would be sad to see the fire-ravaged landmark," he said.
The cathedral is part of the World Heritage site officially known as "Paris, Banks of the Seine", inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1991.


We all know someone who is very obsessed with their pet and likes to include them in as many human activities as possible.
Now, your furry friend can get in on the festive fun of advent calendars.
Pet advent calendars will be arriving in Aldi, and a dog version and a cat version will be available.
Each calendar has pet treats hidden behind each door, with a 24 day count down to Christmas day.
The calendars will be available in store from Sunday 4th November.


These bars are not low in calories, but they are made without wheat flour, so they are a great nosh for someone with allergies.
Place first five ingredients into a large bowl, mixing until well combined.
Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven.
Melt together chocolate chips and peanut butter in a small pot, stirring until smooth.
Spread evenly over bars and cut into small squares.


Thompson will attack Sky tonight during his Mactaggart lecture speech at the Media Guardian Edinburgh International Television Festival. Thompson will point to the vast scale of Sky and its influence over the UK broadcasting industry. He will compare the £2 billion the Corporation spends on programmes with the estimated £100 million Sky spends on original UK content. This is despite the BBC’s annual £3.6 billion licence fee being smaller than the £5.3 billion Sky earned last year. The BBC Director General is taking the gloves off and going on the offensive tonight, telling staff in a recent email that “it’s time to take on some of the BBC’s critics head-on”. Last year, News Corp director James Murdoch used the lecture to delivering a withering attack on the BBC, describing its scale as “chilling”.
Tonight’s keynote speech is seen as make-or-break for Thompson, who faces growing unrest among BBC staff. BBC employees are currently being balloted on whether to take strike action over plans to make their pensions less generous. And they smell double standards when top BBC managers opt to stay in London while the rank and file are forced to move to Salford, near Manchester. The BBC is moving more production to the north of England in order to stop the Corporation being such a metropolitan broadcaster.
In a nod to the challenges faced by the BBC’s commercial rivals, Thompson will call for the loosening of broadcasting regulations.
Among the great and the good of broadcasting gathered tonight in Scotland will be culture minister Jeremy Hunt and Pinewood Shepperton chairman Michael Grade. Controllers from all the major UK TV channels will be discussing their channel highlights.
This is a big public-speaking test for Thompson, who comes across badly in one-to-one interviews. He may be an intellectual but in person he mumbles and peppers his speech with lots of “you knows.” PD James, the octogenarian British crime author, demolished Thompson when she cross-examined him during BBC radio’s flagship Today news programme. Frankly, I’ve been appalled when listening to Thompson at how inarticulate he is. This from a man who’s paid £835,000 ($1.3 million) a year partly to enthuse staff with his vision for the BBC.


WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump asserted that he is a “very stable genius” in a series of tweets early Saturday responding to concerns expressed in Michael Wolff’s red-hot new book “Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House” that he has a diminished mental capacity.
Trump has been attacking the author and the book for days, but early on Saturday sent out a series of Twitter messages refuting the idea that he is unfit for office. The book portrays the President as easily distracted, unable to comprehend policy, and uninterested in reading.
“Now that Russian collusion, after one year of intense study, has proven to be a total hoax on the American public, the Democrats and their lapdogs, the Fake News Mainstream Media, are taking out the old Ronald Reagan playbook and screaming mental stability and intelligence…..” Trump wrote.
He then went on to say suggest that Hillary Clinton, who continues to be a target for him more than a year after he defeated her in the 2016 election, also questioned his mental state.
Trump is at Camp David for a summit with Republican leaders.
He also tweeted that Brian Ross, the ABC News investigative journalist, “should have been fired!” Ross returned to ABC News after his suspension for making a major error in a story about Michael Flynn, Trump’s former national security adviser who is now cooperating with Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation.


A bricklayer from Warwick was off work for eight weeks after he fell and broke his wrist when he was subjected to an unprovoked attack on his way home from a party with his wife.
At Warwick Crown Court his two attackers, Tobie Arundell and Samuel Biggs were both jailed for 12 months after a judge rejected an argument that the sentences could be suspended.
Arundell (23) of Raynsford Walk, Warwick, and Biggs (40) of Hockley Lane, Eastern Green, Coventry, had pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm on 55-year-old David Beverley.
Prosecutor Scott Coughtrie said that in June last year Mr Beverley and his wife had been to a club in Warwick for a friend’s 60th birthday celebration.
As they were walking home along Millers Road at about 11.30 that night, they came across another woman they knew – and Mr Beverley carried on walking while his wife stopped to talk to her.
At the junction with Wedgnock Green, he saw a group of men and could smell burning, so went over to speak to them and was told everything was okay.
He then became aware of someone running towards him, joined by a second man, and as they approached him, he pushed them away.
Mr Beverley was then knocked to the floor, fracturing his wrist as he put his arm out to break his fall, and he was then hit on his head and body as he lay on the ground.
After the attack he was able to get his feet and, covered in blood, made his way to the Warwick Hospital half a mile away, where he had to undergo surgery on his wrist, as a result of which he was off work for eight weeks.
Although he could not describe his attackers, someone who had seen the incident called the police and was able to name both Arundell and Biggs.
The witness said someone had shouted at Mr Beverley to ‘f*** off,’ and Biggs had then run over and hit him before being joined by Arundell – and they both began to punch him as he kicked out to try to defend himself.
When the two men were arrested, Arundell said he had been at a party earlier on, and claimed it was Mr Beverley who had approached him aggressively, and that he had defended himself.
Biggs, who was living in the area at the time, said he had had a friend round, and they had been drinking and smoked some cannabis, after which he claimed he had gone to bed and the next thing he recalled was being woken by the police.
Mr Coughtrie added that at the time Arundell was subject to a community order for common assault and also had a previous conviction for battery, while Biggs had convictions for fraud and causing damage.
Asking the judge to consider suspending any sentence, he added that Arundell had the offer of a job which was in limbo pending the outcome of the case.
Ramya Nagesh, for Biggs, said character references showed a completely different side to him, and his ‘appalling behaviour’ on that night was out of character.
She said that at the time he had resorted to alcohol to cope with an acrimonious break-up with his partner, but he has now moved in with his parents and cut down his drinking.
Jailing the two men, Recorder Anupama Thompson told them: “There is no doubt in my mind this offence crosses the custody threshold.
“I have been urged to suspend the sentences, and I have thought very hard about whether I can properly do so.


Promo models help sell a company's product.
1 What Is a Platform Stylist?
2 Can Being a Model Be a Side Job?
3 Approximately How Much Money Do Starting Models and Actors Make?
Promo models are hired by companies to spread the word about their products and/or services. Sometimes also called brand ambassadors, promo models have various duties, but each leads back to selling and promoting. Depending on the needs of the company, males and females can both serve as promo models. Typically, at least a high school education is required and sometimes a college education. Work as a promo model is offered on a sporadic or longer contract basis.
Appearance is important for the promo model. When you work in this field, you should be well groomed and neatly dressed. Although the demographic of a promo model is typically young and attractive, this varies according to the company's product image. At times, companies look for specific appearances that fit the image of their company.
A promo model's main objective is what is implied in the job title: promotion. Promotion is all about talking and selling. If you can approach anyone for a conversation, this job is right up your alley. Companies look for promo models who are friendly and assertive. Promotion involves performing activities like handing out samples, giving presentations and distributing fliers. You could carry out these tasks at events like a convention exhibit, car show or rock concert.
Along with selling, promo models educate potential customers about the features of the designated product or service. Learning the details first so you can share that knowledge is part of the promotion process. You could be simply told the facts about a product on the same day you're hired or have to attend training for higher-end jobs with more responsibility. Models who give presentations and represent big name automobile manufacturers at car shows are an example of higher-end jobs. Memorization skills and the ability to speak well are typically traits of a successful promo model.
For a job that can have unpredictable or sporadic hours, promotional modeling is a job that pays fairly well. It's not unusual to be reimbursed at least $15 per hour for your time as a promo model. Higher-end jobs requiring experience or those promoting luxury products to exclusive clientele offer as much as $50 per hour. The average range for this kind of modeling is around $20 per hour.
Scott, Gina. "Job Description of Promo Models." Work - Chron.com, http://work.chron.com/job-description-promo-models-23935.html. Accessed 22 April 2019.


Sharknado 3 next summer will touch down on not just one city but several, as the shlockfest’s second sequel takes on “the Feast Coast,” it was announced on Monday.
Or, will Daniel Radcliffe’s “dream” to appear in a Sharknado movie be realized if the toothy twisters actually target The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at — corporate synergy alert! — Universal Studios, Orlando?
Just as pressing a question: If it took, what, a road flare taped to a freon tank to neutralize Sharknado 2, what could possibly tame an entire string of sharknadoes crawling a coastline?! We’re gonna need a gross of M-80s and some chewing gum, my inner MacGyver tells me.
Sharknado 2: The Second One this past July sucked 3.9 million total viewers into its vortex — making it Syfy’s most watched original movie ever — with 1.6 mil landing in the 18-49 demo, up 180 percent versus the original telepic.


British border officials have seized 94 kilogrammes (207 pounds) of dried caterpillars from a man who claimed they were "for personal consumption", the Home Office said.
Officials at Gatwick Airport, south of London, found the bugs in the luggage of a 22-year-old man who flew in from Burkina Faso via Istanbul on February 23.
"When officers checked his luggage they discovered tens of thousands of dried caterpillars shrink-wrapped in cellophane, which had been packed into four hessian bags," the interior ministry said.
"The man claimed that they were for personal consumption and that they were to be used as food."
Insects are commonly eaten in many parts of Africa, Asia and Latin America.
But the caterpillars breached British rules on importing products of animal origin and will be destroyed.
"This was an unusual seizure but the vigilance of our officers has stopped these dried insects from entering the UK, and possibly posing a risk to our food chain," said Ingrid Smith of Britain's Border Force.
"I would warn travellers not to attempt to bring any products of animal origin into the UK without a permit, as they may not have been inspected to appropriate standards and may contain diseases."
Restrictions apply in Britain to the importation of meat, dairy, fish, eggs and honey, as well as some fruit, vegetables and plants.


For the first time ever, just over 1 billion smartphones shipped to vendors worldwide in 2013, double the number of just two years earlier, according to analyst, IDC.
The PC may not be dead, but it's not doing well.
Microsoft may be revealing the second generation of its Surface tablets during its developers' conference next month, according to a printed report.
The final numbers are in showing that PC makers shipped fewer machines last year than in 2011, and Windows 8 is among several factors being blamed by IDC for the decline, which is expected to continue this year.
Windows 8 will shoulder part of the blame for a worse-than-expected dip in Q4 PC sales because it didn't offer clear enough benefits that might spark a surge in PC buying, according to IDC.


Maroon 5 and Christina Aguilera unveil the music video for 'Moves Like Jagger'.
Adam Levine and Christina Aguilera have unveiled their 'Moves Like Jagger' music video.
The clip sees a shirtless Levine and Aguilera singing in front of the Union Jack while dancers imitate Mick Jagger's famous moves.
The promo also shows an early interview with the Rolling Stones singer, where he confesses: "I never thought I'd be doing it for two years."
Maroon 5 frontman Levine recently revealed that Jagger fully endorsed the track, adding: "We were lucky enough to get Mick's endorsement, as far as him giving us access to a bunch of different footage."
The song by the Voice mentors is currently number one on US iTunes and is released in the UK next week.