A Solomons Islands political party says it fully supports a gender balance government.
At the official launch of the People's Alliance Party in Honiara, the party's parliamentary leader, Milner Tozaka, said the party was meeting requirements of the Political Parties Integrity Act, with a commitment to having women make up 10 percent of its members.
He says his party is also committed to the Convention on Elimination of Discrimination Against Women.
Mr Tozaka says the support for a gender balance administration shows the PAP is a solid and dynamic party, which has an "outstanding" record of performance in the country's development.


Mayor Bloomberg moves to expand high-tech surveillance to midtown Manhattan. But civil liberties groups are concerned, and some security experts question its value.
New York Police Department Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly, left, and New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg stand by during a news conference at the Lower Manhattan Security Coordination Center in New York on Sunday.
On the heels of breaking up an alleged bomb terror plot, New York is planning to place high-tech security cameras, license plate readers, and "weapons sensors" in midtown Manhattan.
Office workers and tourists – and possible terrorists – will have cameras watching their every move as they visit Macy's, shop for diamonds at Tiffany & Co., or gawk in Times Square. The apparatus, paid for by some $24 million in Department of Homeland Security funding, will expand a similar effort already underway in lower Manhattan where cameras focus on the Federal Reserve, the New York Stock Exchange, and the Brooklyn Bridge.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg, announcing the program Sunday, said the goal is to detect terrorism threats and deter pre-operational surveillance. Sensors will try to detect chemical, biological, and radiological threats.
But some terrorism experts have questioned whether a camera network will deter terrorists. They also say that sensors are known to give off "false positives."
Meanwhile, civil rights organizations are concerned that the project will be another encroachment on civil liberties.
"The fear is [that] the NYPD without any oversight or public scrutiny is creating a massive surveillance system, when we don't know if this is the best use of $125 million designed to keep us safe," says Donna Lieberman, executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU). The NYCLU has filed two lawsuits to try to get more public information about the program.
In March, New York Police Department (NYPD) commissioner Raymond Kelly indicated in testimony before the City Council that 1,000 police officers are involved in anti-terrorism work daily, and that he hoped to add 500 more cameras to the 500 already installed.
But there did not appear to be any discussion at the hearing about whether the effort is worthwhile or what kind of civil rights safeguards might be needed.
"There are legitimate arguments on all sides here," says Frank Cilluffo, head of George Washington University's Homeland Security Policy Institute in Washington. "What I would like to see is a broader discussion that brings in the average citizen."
Probably the largest use of security cameras is in London, which has put what it terms a "Ring of Steel" of thousands of security cameras all around the city. But some security experts question their effectiveness.
"They won't stop any terrorist," says Bruce Schneier, chief security technology officer at BT (formerly British Telecom) and a widely-published author on security. "None of them is going to look at a camera and say 'I better go get a real job.' "
The only time cameras reduce crime is in parking lots and laundromats, Mr. Schneier says.
"It only makes sense if the tactics and targets are few, but there are billions of targets ranging from shopping malls to restaurants and dozens of tactics," he adds.
However, Brian Jackson, associate director of the Homeland Security Research Program at the Rand Institute in Washington, says the cameras create "the possibility for prevention" of an attack. He says cameras add a level of concern for the terrorists.
"Surveillance is one ingredient that gives the terrorists more opportunities to make a mistake and be discovered," says Mr. Jackson.
As for using sensors that detect biological and radiological weapons , Mr. Cilluffo says they often give off false positives or false negatives. "They tend to be only successful in events that can easily be contained like the State of the Union address or conventions," he says. "Once they are in a more dynamic environment, I'm not sure where the science is on that."
But the science of cameras is progressing fast, raising the possibility of even more "Big Brother"-like scenarios.
"Cameras are everywhere and you can see them," says Schneier, "In ten years, you won't even be able to see them."
Read more about how New York started the surveillance system in lower Manhattan in 2007.


Japan is an exceedingly wealthy country with a large, robust, and technologically sophisticated shipbuilding industry. If it wants to supersede the Izumos with larger, more capable carriers then it can do so; the only obstacles are political.
The only serious obstacles to Japan’s construction of fleet carriers are political.
Japan has decided to refit its Izumo-class light carriers to operate the F-35B stealth fighter. So modified, the Izumos will carry about a dozen F-35Bs each, giving the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force a small but significant aviation combat capability.
In 2006 Japan laid down the first of two fourteen-thousand-ton Hyuga-class helicopter destroyers at IHI Marine United Yokohama Shipyard. In 2012, Japan laid down the twenty-thousand-ton Izumo, a light carrier in all but name, followed shortly by her sister Kaga. While the Hyugas could conceivably operate the F-35B, there is no indication thus far that the JMSDF intends to retrofit them.
During the same period, China (Japan’s most likely strategic competitor) acquired and refurbished an old Soviet STOBAR carrier, and then built another STOBAR carrier to a modified design. The sixty-thousand-ton Chinese carriers can carry more aircraft than the Izumos, but of older vintage than the F-35B. Between them, Liaoning and her as-yet-unnamed sister can carry some sixty J-15 “Flying Shark” fighters, in addition to helicopters and support aircraft. China’s future plans remain somewhat murky, but it is widely believed that the PLAN intends to build one or two ships to an advanced, conventional CATOBAR design, and then potentially move on to nuclear-propelled supercarriers. J-31 stealth fighters may eventually fly from the decks of these ships.
Long story short, the retrofit of the Izumos represents a real increase in capability for the JMSDF. Nonetheless, China is now several years ahead of Japan, not only in terms of the availability of platforms, but also in the development of naval aviation experience. Japan does not need to compete directly with China over the number of jets launched from flight decks, but China’s increasingly formidable naval aviation force seems to have had some influence on Japanese thinking. So, will Japan decide to compete?
The main questions are what such ships (which for the sake of convenience we will call “Shokaku” and “Zuikaku”) might look like. Japan is unlikely to order a large carrier from a foreign yard, and not just because very few countries can build such ships. Rather, Japan would want to develop and retain the expertise associated with the construction of large, modern aircraft carriers, a project that it has already begun with the Hyugas and Izumos.
Something like the sixty-five-thousand-ton Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carrier is not at all beyond Japanese shipbuilding capabilities. With the F-35B, such a ship would immediately be competitive with, and indeed likely superior to, China’s Liaoning-class aircraft carriers. However, the dependence on the F-35B would limit Japan’s options down the road. Unless Japan decided to develop its F-3 stealth fighter as a STOVL aircraft, the F-35B would be the only plausible shipborne fighter for the operational lifespan of Shokaku and Zuikaku. However, these ships could still operate an array of advanced unmanned aircraft, as well as any F-35B replacements developed by the United States. Experience gained by operating the F-35B with the Izumos would feed directly into a “Queen Elizabeth” style ship. Pilots and crew will develop invaluable experience with landings, takeoffs, and shipboard maintenance that Japan has lacked since 1945.
But unlike China, Japan enjoys the benefit of extensive military and industrial relationships with countries that currently operate aircraft carriers, including the United States and the United Kingdom. Thus, Japan does not necessarily need to take the kind of slow, methodical approach to carrier development that China has taken. Instead, Japan could build Shokaku and Zuikaku as full CATOBAR carriers. It can license or acquire the necessary technology (presumably EMALS launch systems) from the United States, and it could utilize the decks of USN supercarriers to develop the cadre of pilots and aircrew it would need to populate such carriers. If Japan decides to go the CATOBAR route, Shokaku and Zuikaku could become some of the world’s most formidable warships, outside of the Nimitz and Ford class supercarriers.
Although the ships would benefit from the range and power-generation capacity offered by nuclear propulsion, Japan lacks any experience with nuclear warships, even at the submarine level. But the United States operated conventional supercarriers for a very long time, under more demanding global requirements than a Japanese carrier would face. Moreover, a CATOBAR carrier would have the option of flying the F-35C or any other carrier-launched aircraft that Japan could develop or acquire in the future. This would give Shokaku and Zuikaku longer range and heavier punch than a Queen Elizabeth style STOBAR carrier.
To repeat: the only serious obstacles to Japan’s construction of fleet carriers are political. But political obstacles are still obstacles, and the appearance of Shokaku and Zuikaku would have significant repercussions at home and abroad. Indeed, the existence of such obstacles would seem to demand a gradual approach. Still, the decision to refit the Izumos to fly modern stealth attack aircraft suggests that the current Japanese government is willing to run some risks. There can be little doubt at this point that Japan will someday build a successor class to the Izumo; the only questions are when, and what those ships will look like.
Robert Farley, a frequent contributor to TNI, is the author of The Battleship Book. The views expressed here are his personal views and do not necessarily reflect those of the Department of Defense, the U.S. Army, the Army War College, or any other department or agency of the U.S. government.


KIEV (REUTERS) - A day after Ukraine's parliament voted to remove the president after three months of street protests, the whereabouts of Mr Viktor Yanukovych remained unknown on Sunday.
Mr Yanukovych abandoned the capital to the opposition on Saturday and denounced what he described as a coup after several days of bloodshed this week that claimed 82 lives.
His precise whereabouts on Sunday were still unknown. But residents in the eastern town of Donetsk, his stronghold, said that security had been reinforced along the main approach road to his private home in the town, suggesting he might be there.
His arch-rival Yulia Tymoshenko on Saturday hailed opposition demonstrators as "heroes" in an emotional speech in Kiev after she was released from jail.
Supporters cheered the former prime minister as she left the hospital where she had been held. When she spoke later in Kiev, her reception was mixed.
Her release marks a radical transformation in the former Soviet republic of 46 million people. Removal of the pro-Russian Yanukovych should pull Ukraine away from Moscow's orbit and closer to Europe.
It is also a reversal for Russian President Vladimir Putin's dream of recreating as much as possible of the Soviet Union in a new Eurasian Union. Moscow had counted on Mr Yanukovych to deliver Ukraine as a central member.
Members of the Ukrainian parliament, who abandoned Mr Yanukovych after a week's bloodshed, applauded and sang the national anthem after declaring him constitutionally unable to carry out his duties. An early election was set for May 25.
"This is a political knockout," opposition leader and retired world boxing champion Vitali Klitschko told reporters.
In a television interview the station said was conducted in the eastern city of Kharkiv, Mr Yanukovych said he would not resign or leave the country, and called decisions by parliament"illegal".
"The events witnessed by our country and the whole world are an example of a coup d'etat," he said, comparing it to the rise of the Nazis to power in Germany in the 1930s.
The 63-year-old Yanukovych, who looked pale and tired, said he would not sign any draft laws passed by the parliament into force. "I will not sign anything with bandits who terrorise the country," he said.
Interfax news agency said border guards refused to let Mr Yanukovych exit the country when he tried to take an unscheduled charter flight from Donetsk and he was eventually driven away by his own security guards.
"We have a legitimate, living president. We just don't know where he is," Oleh Tsaryov, a member of Mr Yanukovych's Party of regions, said grimly on Russian television.
At Mr Yanukovych's abandoned secret estate a short distance from Kiev, people flocked to take photographs of his private zoo with ostriches and deer, replica ancient Greek ruins, and lavish waterways and follies.
Despite Mr Yanukovych's defiance, the dismantling of his authority seemed all but complete. His Cabinet promised a transition to a new government, the police declared themselves behind the protesters and his arch-rival Tymoshenko went free.
Mrs Tymoshenko, with her trademark braided hair, waved to supporters from a car as she was driven out of the hospital in Kharkiv, where she has been treated for a bad back while serving a seven-year sentence since 2011.
Setting herself immediately on a collision course with Moscow, Mrs Tymoshenko said she was sure her country would join the European Union in the near future.
Economic and Monetary Affairs Commissioner Olli Rehn said on Sunday the EU was ready to offer "substantial financial assistance" once Ukraine had a new government.
"From a European point of view it is important that we provide a clear European perspective for the Ukrainian people who have shown their commitment to European values," Mr Rehn said after a meeting of the world's financial leaders in Sydney.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said "illegal extremist groups were refusing to disarm and in fact are taking Kiev under their control with the connivance of opposition leaders".
The White House said Washington was keen to see the country build a new government and hold early elections and welcomed Mrs Tymoshenko's release.
Thousands of opposition supporters stayed on Kiev's Independence Square, scene of nearly three months of protests, overnight singing patriotic songs and musing on the rollercoaster events.
Earlier, coffins - some of them open showing the victim face up - were displayed in front of the crowd as priests said prayers. People crossed themselves in front of makeshift shrines with candles and pictures of the dead. Two captured water cannon trucks were parked in the square, like trophies of war.
Carried on to a stage in a wheelchair, an emotional and tired-looking Tymoshenko told the protesters on the square, known as the Maidan: "You have no right to leave the Maidan ... Don't stop yet."
Showing glimpses of the fiery oratory that drove her to power, Mrs Tymoshenko shouted: "This is a Ukraine of different people. The ones who died on Maidan are our liberators, our heroes for centuries."
The response was mixed. Mrs Tymoshenko is a divisive figure in Ukraine, where many have become disillusioned with a political class they see as corrupt and elitist.
Small pockets of the crowd clapped and sang Mrs Tymoshenko's name, but the chants did not catch on. Whistles could be heard.
Elsewhere in the country large-scale fighting broke out when "EuroMaidan" activists were attacked by a pro-Yanukovych group, but the new provisional interior minister, Arsen Avakov, was later quoted as saying the situation was under control. TV reported clashes too in the Black Sea port of Kerch.
Earlier, the Ukrainian Cabinet said it was committed to a responsible transfer of power. Military and police leaders said they would not get involved in any internal conflict.
Mr Yanukovych enraged much of the population by turning away from the European Union to cultivate closer relations with Russia three months ago. On Friday, he made sweeping concessions in a deal brokered by European diplomats after days of street battles during which police snipers gunned down protesters.
But the deal, which called for early elections by the end of the year, was not enough to satisfy pro-Europe demonstrators on Independence Square. They wanted Mr Yanukovych out immediately in the wake of the bloodletting.
The release of Mrs Tymoshenko transforms Ukraine by giving the opposition a single leader who may become president, although Mr Klitschko and others also have claims.
Mrs Tymoshenko, 53, was jailed by a court under Mr Yanukovych over a natural gas deal with Russia she arranged while serving as premier before he took office. The EU had long considered her a political prisoner, and her freedom was one of the main demands it had for closer ties with Ukraine during years of negotiations that ended when Mr Yanukovych turned towards Moscow in November.
She had served as a leader of the "Orange Revolution" of mass demonstrations that overturned a fraudulent election victory for Mr Yanukovych in 2004, but after a divisive term as prime minister she lost to him in an election in 2010.


One of New Zealand's most influential art dealers has died.
Peter McLeavey, who was 79, set up his first gallery in Wellington in the 1960s.
He became the trusted friend of many of the country's top artists, including Colin McCahon, Toss Woollaston and Len Lye, whose work he promoted and sold.
Mr McLeavey had been battling Parkinson's Disease, but his biographer, Jill Trevelyan, said as recently as last month he was still helping hang exhibits at his Cuba Street gallery, such was his passion and dedication to the arts.
He was always looking for new talent to nurture and was pivotal in helping develop a public awareness and support for New Zealand artists, she said.


In celebration of launching an expanded Creative section, well-known video game streaming site Twitch kicked off an ultra-marathon of every episode of the seminal American landscape painting instructional show ‘Joy of Painting’ with Bob Ross.
Perhaps it is a surprise to no one, but the archives of the late Ross — who sported an afro, rehabilitated injured squirrels and spoke often about “happy little trees” — did incredibly well on the site. So much so that the company announced today that it will stream ‘Joy of Painting’ weekly for charity.
The company will continue this momentum by showing one whole season of ‘Joy of Painting,’ in order, on the /bobross channel every Monday from 3pm PST to 9:30PM PST. ‘The Joy of Painting’ spans an astounding 31 seasons, so even with Twitch’s aggressive play schedule, the episodes will only recycle every 7 months.
Additionally, on October 29 — Ross’s birthday — the channel will run an all-episodes marathon.
Twitch broadcasters are also invited to participate in the fun by restreaming the broadcast and painting right along with Mr. Ross.
Currently, there are ads on the /bobross channel, and Twitch says that the proceeds from the extended play of this channel will go to the rights holders of ‘The Joy of Painting’ and Twitch Creative community support, as well as charities. Specifically, money will go to San Francisco arts initiative Root Division as well as St. Jude.
The series starts with season one today.


Prime location next to US1/Dixie Highway in St. Johns Medical Park.
Newly Renovated Pool Home with Spa on the Nature Preserve and Lake View. Open Floorplan with a Large Kitchen that Overlooks the Family Room. Formal Living (Could be an Office).Was under contract, had multiple offers.Buyer's financing fell through.


A report into child abuse in the Dromore Diocese of the Catholic Church has found 35 allegations were levelled against 10 priests dating back to 1975.
The report also revealed no convictions have been made, but the cases have been reported to the police and social services.
Bishop John McAreavey addressed Mass-goers at Newry Cathedral where he expressed his sorrow over the mistreatment of children and the Catholic Church's handling of the cases.
The report by the National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church said three of the accused priests had died.
Of the remaining seven, the report said all are "out of ministry", but added that three "exercise limited ministry under tightly controlled and restricted conditions and never to children or young people".
Bishop McAreavey told Mass-goers: "In the past generation we have lived through a time when trust between churchgoers and church leaders has been badly damaged.
"The disclosures in report after report that children and young people had been abused in our church and the inadequate response of church leaders have caused deep distress and dismay. My thoughts today are particularly with these women and men and again I express to them my deepest sorrow for what they experienced."
Bishop McAreavey has been in post since 1999 in the diocese that covers Newry and parts of Armagh, and the audit said "most of the cases examined were managed under his leadership".
However, it was critical of the handling of cases under his predecessor Bishop Francis Brooks who died last year. The report said: "We do not intend to dwell on the management practices of the former bishop, but it should be noted that, from our review of the case records from that time, we believe that in some instances the practice followed placed too much emphasis on maintaining the good name of the accused priest rather than ensuring the safety of children."
The report made 12 recommendations on handling abuse allegations and dealing with victims. Bishop McAreavey said he accepted all the recommendations and said that most were already in place, while the remaining points were to be implemented.


Turkish President argues that if Trump called him before recognizing Jerusalem, he would not have made the move.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday that U.S. President Donald Trump should have called him before announcing his decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
“We made our call to the U.S. and are continuing to. There’s no reason not to have a meeting with Trump. Of course, we will call again. I wish that Trump calls us too,” Erdogan said in Ankara, according to the Hurriyet daily newspaper.
“From the beginning, we actually waited for them to call us before declaring these decisions, as the Organization of Islamic Cooperation term president,” he added.
“Turkey is among the countries that should be sought in this regard. I believe this mistake would not have been made if Mr. Trump had made his consultation with us. We can call him. But there is not yet a decision made [on doing so],” Erdogan said.
Erdogan has been one of the most vocal critics of Trump’s December 6 announcement that the U.S. recognizes Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
He warned the United States not to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, or to move its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, saying that any change to the status quo vis-à-vis Jerusalem would constitute a “red line” for Muslims.
He also threatened that his country would sever ties with Israel if Trump went through with the move. Erdogan later accused Israel of being a “terror state”.
The UN’s 193-member General Assembly adopted the resolution with an overwhelming majority of 128 members voting in favor.


I went to a cabin in the woods last week. After 14 years in the city, you need to get away from time to time — just shut everything off to keep the world from closing in on you.
I promised myself I wouldn’t read any work email (I failed), wouldn’t tweet (failed) and wouldn’t bring along any homework — I failed there too, but that one I don’t actually feel bad about. We’ve been following the progress of Nura headphones since they were an unsightly jumble of wires, with an exterior control box that did most of the heavy lifting.
The product’s customized sound profiles were a compelling idea executed well, but frankly, I had my doubts that the Australian startup would be able to connect all the dots required to get the product to market.
Of course, $4.6 million in seed funding and a $1.8 million Kickstarter go a long way when you’re building a pair of headphones. Early last month, the company popped by our San Francisco office to show us the final, shipping product. It looked and sounded impressive — and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on a pair. Thankfully, they delivered them just in time for my trip.
The Nuraphones have some pretty lofty aspirations and an equally high $399 price tag. They’re also far from the first pair of headphones to promise a custom sound profile — that seems to be all the rage in the industry these days. But even taking all of that into account, Nura’s first product hits the mark. Hardware is, as they say, hard — but while the startup seems built around one (admittedly cool) feature, it’s clear the company has put a lot of time, care and money into product execution.
That thoughtfulness (and did I mention $4.6 million in seed funding and an $1.8 million Kickstarter?) encompasses most of the product experience, right down to the packaging. The Nuraphones shipped in a nondescript cardboard box, with a paper foam container inside that looks a bit like a cardboard brain. Inside that is a large, hard case for the headphones themselves. It occupies a LOT of space in your backpack (the headphones aren’t collapsable, mind), but it’ll keep the headphones plenty safe and has a magnetic strap that snaps into place to keep it all closed.
The box has two compartments with four pouches inside, each sporting a cable designed for the headphones’ proprietary jack. There’s USB-C, microUSB and Lightning. The case itself has a silicone pouch with the charging cable inside. You’re going to want to keep those in sight, because you won’t be able to pop into the local electronics store to pick up a replacement.
A lot of thought clearly went into the headphone designs themselves, as well. They’re big, but not flashy. They’re all matte black, with round cups and a classically styled metal headband that echoes some of Sennheiser’s more understated over ear designs. Inside the rubbery cups are the Nuraphones’ strangest physical feature: small earbuds. Sort of the headphone behind the headphone. They’re malleable, but still make getting a good fit a bit a bit tough, especially during the setup process, which requires a perfect seal.
The free app will guide you through that process, with graphics indicating how well the headphones are positioned on your ear. I got it right almost immediately the first time I tried, but found myself constantly readjusting when I tried it again. Be warned, it can be a pretty frustrating process after the fifteenth time you’ve repositioned the cups on your ears.
The nuraphone plays a range of tones into the ear, and then measures a very faint sound that your ear generates in response to these tones called the Otoacoustic Emission (OAE). This tiny signal originates in the cochlea and vibrates the ear drum, turning it into a speaker and playing sound back out of your ear. Yes our ears make sound! This sound is about 10,000 times smaller than the sound that went in.
You can create multiple profiles on a single pair — in fact, that’s half the fun, hearing how friends and loved ones hear differently. In my own experience with the things, basically everyone else’s profile sounds terrible but your own. Ditto for the “generic” setting, which you can access by touching the metal on the left cup. The company also has a beta feature that will automatically detect the wearer when placed over their ears.
When it’s up and running and personalized, it sounds great. Individual instruments are far easier to make out and small, unfamiliar touches stand out in music you’ve heard a million times before. Maybe it’s an instrument buried low in the mix or the sound of a singer breathing or crowd chatter in a live recording. It’s remarkable, really, and hasn’t lost its novelty in the week and change that I’ve been playing with the headphones.
On top of that, the over ear cups provide what the company refers to as an “immersion mode,” which uses drivers to add a more encompassing bass sound, to simulate a live setting. There’s a slide in the app that lets you adjust from “gentle” to “front row.” I found myself however right around the middle at “normal” for most of my testing.
Taken together, it’s an impressive experience from a really differentiated product. The care and quality is quite high for a first time product from a brand new startup. Even so, $399 is a lot to ask for most users. I’d recommend getting a demo in person before diving in, if possible. Like most listeners, you’ll probably be pretty impressed with the results.


On the sideline, the Bulldogs were ready.
“We’re locking arms right there, saying a few prayers, and seeing what happens,” said quarterback Zach Kline, who started ahead of Chason Virgil and played the entire game.
Snap, hold, kick, block ... loss; 14-13 Rainbow Warriors.
Interim coach Eric Kiesau dissected the play on Sunday morning, watching it on video.
Fresno State is averaging only 3.3 yards per rushing play this season and has only nine rushing touchdowns, tied with Miami (Ohio) for 124th of 128 in the nation.
How that happens with a chance to break the longest losing streak in school history is mystifying, but Hawaii defensive end Viane Moala got one earlier this season in a victory over San Jose State. He also is 6-foot-7 and 270 pounds, all of that playing into why and how he was able to knife his way four yards past the line of scrimmage and right into the Bulldogs’ hearts.
The reality is, it is not that field goal block that crushed the Bulldogs but the field goal that came before it, a 27-yarder that Kroening knocked through without incident.
The good, the bad – The Bulldogs had a field goal attempt to win blocked at the end, but the game really was lost on the drive just before that when getting to the Hawaii 10-yard line only to settle for a field goal. They went 78 yards in 15 plays and took 5:58 off the clock only to stall once in the red zone, which has been a problem all season.
On first-and-10 from the 12, Dontel James rushed for two yards. Kline then missed Delvon Hardaway on second down and Treyvon Green on third down.
Rather than a touchdown and a two-score lead with 3:41 to play, the lead was only 13-7 after the Kroening field goal and Hawaii had the opening it needed to drive for a winning score.
But Fresno State has this season scored a touchdown on only 50 percent of its 32 trips into the red zone, the worst percentage in the Mountain West Conference.
It also has the lowest scoring percentage in the league, getting a touchdown (16) or a field goal (9) on 25 of its 32 trips into the red zone, 78.1 percent.
The Bulldogs have run the ball 54 times inside an opponent’s 20-yard line, gaining just 2.3 yards per play. They have thrown the ball 39 times down there, completing just 43.6 percent and averaging 2.5 yards per attempt.
One plays into the other.
“We just have to make plays down there,” Kiesau said. “Last night was the first night we actually ran the ball. But, collectively, the entire season, when you’re able to run the ball you’re able to set everything else up so it’s not so pass-oriented.
▪ Fresno State rushed for 214 yards against the Rainbow Warriors, but inside the red zone four rushing plays netted just seven yards including the lateral to left tackle Christian Cronk for the Bulldogs’ only touchdown.
Freshman Josh Hokit rushed for 97 yards on 18 plays, though he still could line at a position other than running back next season, having started the year at inside (Mike) linebacker and playing both outside linebacker positions in the Bulldogs’ 3-4.
Last night was the first night we actually ran the ball. But, collectively, the entire season, when you’re able to run the ball you’re able to set everything else up so it’s not so pass-oriented.
The key in there is the next year.
▪ Senior safety Stratton Brown had 10 tackles against the Rainbow Warriors, giving him 100 on the season.
He is the first Fresno State player with 100 tackles in a season since linebacker Ben Jacobs had 106 in 2009.
13 First-time starters this season for the Bulldogs.
Inside linebacker Jeff Camilli will very likely be the second – he had seven against Hawaii and has 96 this season.
Records are incomplete before 2005, but over the past 12 seasons the Bulldogs have not had two players with 100 or more tackles in the same season.
The closest the Bulldogs have come is 2008 when Jacobs had 113 tackles and linebacker Chris Carter had 88.
▪ The Bulldogs’ defense forced Hawaii to punt eight times – the most Fresno State had forced in a game and matching the most the Rainbow Warriors had punted in a game.
Hawaii threw an interception and punted three times on its first four possessions in the second half, then went on that 12-play, 76-yard touchdown drive to win the game.
It had run 17 plays and gained only 45 yards in the second half before that drive.
▪ Midway through the fourth quarter, Fresno State had a 10-7 lead despite averaging only 3.7 yards per play.
The Bulldogs have not won a game when averaging less than 4.0 yards per play – they are 0-11 – since beating UCLA 17-9 in the 2003 Silicon Valley Classic when they were at only 3.9 yards per play.


The Master Chief Collection's impending PC release is a massive undertaking, and Microsoft plans to hold tons of internal beta tests for the six-game Halo anthology.
At the recent Halo Championships event, 343 Industries recently announced Halo Insider program, a new initiative for testing out new Halo games. The program offers fans across Xbox One and PC the chance to try out new games like Halo: Infinite and the hugely anticipated PC version of Master Chief Collection in their fledgling states, and shape them over time with valuable feedback. Users can even test out the Steam version of the Master Chief Collection.
"Halo Insiders who choose to opt in to console or PC flighting will be considered for early access play sessions with in-development Halo games," the announcement reads. "Every improvement to Halo: The Master Chief Collection over the past year was the direct result of Insiders participating in flights and sharing feedback to the development team. Each public flight has specific goals, meaning not all Insiders will be selected for every flight."
The testing phases should be quite expansive. All six Master Chief Collection games won't release at the same time--Microsoft is instead staggering MCC's launch and will sell each game individually starting with Halo: Reach.
The games will be released in chronological order, so Halo: Combat Evolved will be next, followed by Halo 2, Halo 3: ODST, Halo 3, and Halo 4. Testing should be held for each individual game on PC, but Reach should be the only one tested on Xbox One.
Luckily Xbox LIVE Gold won't be required to play MCC on Steam.
Also remember Halo: Infinite (aka Halo 6) is coming to PC too, so there's a chance to play that ahead of release as well. You can sign up right now, but you'll have to agree to an NDA and submit spec details of your machine.
Anyone who signs up for the Xbox One version has to be part of the Xbox Preview Program...and which I highly advise you not to join. This program was responsible for two soft-bricks of my Xbox One that were frustrating to fix.


Wall Street was looking for earnings of 29 cents per share on a revenue of $1.15 billion.
Juniper Networks reported first quarter earnings after the bell on Tuesday.
Software defined networking: Hype or hope?
Sure, SDN is a great idea. But will it get industry support?
The networking equipment maker reported a net income of $110.6 million, or 22 cents per share (statement).
Non-GAAP earnings were 29 cents per share on a revenue of $1.17 billion, down eight percent sequentially but up 10 percent annually.
I am very pleased with the disciplined approach we have taken with our Integrated Operating Plan. We have sharpened our focus on Cloud-Builders and High IQ networks with the ensemble of our products in routing, switching, security, network management, control and analytics; we have implemented an optimized One-Juniper structure; and we introduced a robust capital allocation program. While there is still work to do, I am confident that we have the right strategy in place to drive profitable growth and deliver significant value to shareholders.
For the current quarter, Wall Street expects Juniper to deliver earnings of 36 cents per share on a revenue of $1.21 billion.
Juniper followed up with a revenue guidance range of $1.2 billion to $1.23 billion with earnings between 36 and 39 cents per share.


Phosphorescent is the stage name of American singer-songwriter Matthew Houck (born 1980). Originally from Huntsville, Alabama, Houck began recording and performing under this nickname in 2001 in Athens, Georgia. He is currently based in Nashville, Tennessee.


Meanwhile, Mrs Osei has sued the lawyer who is presenting the faceless petitioners.
“A declaration that the statements that Plaintiff “has constituted herself into the Commission’s Tender Review Committee contrary to the Procurement Act”, “unilaterally awarded a contract of about $25,000 to a South African company…to change and re-develop the Commission’s logo under the guise of rebranding…” set out in paragraphs 6, 18, 23, 27 of the petition attached to Defendant’s letter conveying the petition to His Excellency the President of the Republic of Ghana are defamatory of Plaintiff.
“A declaration that the statements that Plaintiff nearly pushed Ghana “to the precipices” by her “political posture” prior to the conduct of the 2016 General Elections, has a political bias and prejudice against Ghanaians who support the New Patriotic Party (NPP) by antagonizing the “NPP prior to the 2016 general elections brought embarrassment to the Commission” through her arrogant posture set out in paragraphs 3, 4, 14, 19 of the petition attached to Defendant’s letter conveying the petition to his Excellency the President of the Republic of Ghana are defamatory of Plaintiff.
“A declaration that the statements that Plaintiff “has been engaging in cronyism by awarding contracts to the tune of $14,310,961.00 to her cronies” the value of which contract sums exceed the approved threshold of the PPA the details of which statements are set out in paragraph 8 of the petition attached to Defendant’s letter conveying the contents of the petition to His Excellency the President of the Republic of Ghana are defamatory of Plaintiff.
“An injunction restraining the Defendant whether by himself, his servants or agents or otherwise from authorising permitting and/or causing to be published the same or similar words defamatory of the Plaintiffs.


They are the only known wild animal to show signs of this disease.
April 1, 2019, 2:08 p.m.
We used to think only humans suffered from Alzheimer's disease, that debilitating neurological disorder that most often strikes people over the age of 65. But, it turns out, we aren't alone after all. Dolphins have now also been found dead with Alzheimer's-like plaques in their brains, strongly indicating that they likely beached themselves as a result of the disease, reports ScienceAlert.
The discovery is an ominous warning to us all, because it also hints at a potential cause for Alzheimer's: the environmental toxin BMAA.
Each of the dozen or so cases of Alzheimer's identified in dolphins so far has also been associated with BMAA, which is produced by blue-green algal blooms common in dolphin habitats. This neurotoxin is easily caught up in the ocean food web, which the dolphins rely on more directly than we do, but humans also rely on it and may be susceptible to the same concern.
"Dolphins are an excellent sentinel species for toxic exposures in the marine environment," explained co-author Dr. Deborah Mash. "With increasing frequency and duration of cyanobacterial blooms in coastal waters, dolphins might provide early warning of toxic exposures that could impact human health."
The connection with BMAA isn't a total surprise. Previous experiments have shown that chronic BMAA dietary exposure can trigger neurodegenerative changes in both humans and non-human primates. Now we can add dolphins to that list.
While researchers aren't sure whether BMAA causes Alzheimer's-related amyloid plaques to develop in humans like it does in dolphins, we know this is a nasty substance associated with brain disease, and it's something that needs to be thoroughly investigated.
While blue-green algal blooms occur naturally, they can grow dramatically in warm water conditions. So as our oceans warm due to climate change, BMAA exposure will only increase.
"People should take simple steps to avoid cyanobacterial exposure," said co-author Paul Alan Cox.
That involves avoiding eating creatures that are at the top of the ocean food chain where BMAA can bioaccumulate. For instance, sharks have been shown to be high in BMAA, and those that consume shark fin soup or take cartilage pills are likely exposing themselves to this neurotoxin.
Dolphins are the only known wild animal to show signs of Alzheimer's.


MANCHESTER UNITED are reportedly keeping tabs on Porto ace Eder Militao as Jose Mourinho bids to bring a new defender to Old Trafford.
The Brazilian international has caught the attention of the Special One after impressing in his first season in Europe following a summer switch from Sao Paulo.
Militao, 20, has featured in 13 games in all competitions for Mourinho's former employers, where he has established himself as a key player under Sergio Conceicao.
Everton were linked with a move for him in September, but United look to sneak in front of the Merseyside club.
According to the Daily Record, the Red Devils have added the youngster to a list of possible recruits ahead of the New Year.
Militao - who can also operate as a defensive midfielder - is seen a cheaper alternative to United's desired targets.
Napoli star Kalidou Koulibaly is believed to be the number one target at the Theatre of Dreams, with reports suggesting United had a £77million offer knocked back by the Serie A side.
While Ajax starlet Matthijs de Ligt remains a possibility, though it is understood they face competition from Manchester City, Barcelona and Juventus.
Mourinho is desperate to sign a defender in the winter transfer window, with his side shipping 21 goals in just 13 Premier League games as they sit seventh in the table.
Chris Smalling and Victor Lindelof have been the preferred pairing this campaign, but the Swede faces a spell on the sidelines having picked up an injury against Crystal Palace.


tion uncovered many irreg-ularities. "The CEO was not accountable. Every time we tried to get information, we were turned down. We were concerned they were not meeting the [standards] we were supposed to meet," Mr. Butterworth told the committee.
Personnel problems trav-eled around ChildNet's food chain. Its CFO, also fired by the board, is accused of sub-mitting falsified invoices to the DCF for illegal pay-ments. Some 20 ChildNet workers may have invalid or suspended driver licenses, disqualifying them from transporting children.
ChildNet, which had shown much promise, needs new professional leadership and a housecleaning. At the same time, the DCF needs to find the right oversight bal-ance for the foster care-givers -- as in vigilance but not oppression.


It was recently announced that GW Pharmaceuticals, the company responsible for the development of a drug called Epidiolex, has had much success during the clinical trial phase of the FDA’s approval process. The medicine has been shown effective in reducing seizure frequency in test subjects suffering with a severe form of epilepsy called Lennox-Gasaut Syndrome.
Many of the respondents in the clinical trial had experienced lackluster results with other epilepsy medications, but 44 percent of the patients who used Epidiolex experienced fewer seizures, according to a report from the Washington Post.
Cannabidiol (CBD) is the non-intoxicating compound found in the cannabis plant. Several years ago, this component gained a lot of attention. A number of studies and personal trials show CBD to be a solid treatment for controlling seizures. Some lawmakers eventually began pushing for what is called “CBD-only” or “Low-THC” laws in order to give children from their respective states access this medicine. Several states have legalized marijuana in this manner. Meanwhile, GW Pharmaceuticals has been working with the United States government to bring their version of legal cannabidiol to market. The company has been involved with this process since 2013.
Interestingly, there is not much difference between how GW Pharmaceuticals plans to manufacture and distribute their epilepsy drug and how some companies in legal marijuana states are producing CBD concoctions for patients living with various forms of epilepsy. Perhaps the most common brand of CBD oil available in legal jurisdictions is Charlotte’s Web.
The only real difference is, as long as Epidiolex receives FDA approval, the drug will be distributed in all of the major pharmacies in the country. And regardless of prohibition laws, patients will have the ability to be prescribed this drug. These folks would simply drive to the local CVS or Walgreens and have their prescription filled.
“As a pharmaceutical product, it is the subject of rigorous and intense manufacturing controls. Patients have the reassurance that the product is what we say it is and what they think it is,” Justin Gover, GW’s chief executive officer, told the Post.
Unlike the CBD oil sold in legal marijuana states, most health insurance networks would cover Epidiolex. This is a good thing since the drug is expected to cost patients up to $60,000 per year.


ST. LOUIS — One St. Louis-area police officer resigned and another retired in the continued fallout from questionable police actions in the days after the fatal shooting of an unarmed black teenager in Ferguson, Missouri.
The moves bring to three the number of police officers whose conduct was called into question after the August 9 fatal shooting of Michael Brown, an African-American teen shot multiple times by a white police officer.
The three officers are: Lt. Ray Albers, who threatened and pointed an assault rifle at protesters; Dan Page, an officer caught on camera pushing a CNN correspondent before a video surfaced of him ranting about the Supreme Court and Muslims; and Matthew Pappert, an officer fired after making what his chief called “very … inappropriate” Facebook comments about the protests in Ferguson.
Albers, a 20-year veteran of the St. Ann, Missouri, police department, resigned Thursday, according to City Administrator Matt Conley.
Albers stepped down after the city’s board of police commissioners recommended to the board of aldermen that he be fired or resign, St. Ann Police Chief Aaron Jimenez told CNN on Saturday.
Albers was the officer who pointed a semiautomatic rifle at a Ferguson protester and threatened to kill him on August 19 — a tense moment caught on video and posted online.
In the video, Albers can be seen walking around with his assault rifle raised, then pointing it in the direction of protesters.
Protesters mocked the officer before was led away by another member of law enforcement.
A CNN crew also saw the officer point his weapon at those around him as he cursed, shouted and threatened people by saying he’d kill them unless they stayed away.
Page, an officer with the St. Louis County Police Department, retired effective August 25, according to St. Louis County police spokesman Brian Schellman.
Page was caught on camera pushing CNN’s Don Lemon. He was placed on administrative leave after a video surfaced of him ranting about the Supreme Court and Muslims, among other things.
This week, officials in the city of Glendale, Missouri, confirmed that Pappert was fired after making what his chief called “very … inappropriate” Facebook comments, according to a city official.
“These protesters should be put down like a rabid dog the first night,” Pappert wrote in one post, according to CNN affiliate KMOV. There were reportedly five inappropriate posts, KMOV said.
Pappert, a six-year veteran of the Glendale force, was originally suspended on August 22 after the comments came to light. An inquiry was initiated that day.
Glendale, like Ferguson, is a municipality in St. Louis County. The two suburbs are about 15 miles apart.
A week ago, Glendale Police Chief Jeffrey Beaton suspended Pappert and cited what he called the “inappropriate posts on his personal Facebook page,” according to the Webster-Kirkwood Times, an online news outlet in the area.
Police in the area have come under fire for their heavy-handed response to the Ferguson protests following Brown’s death.
An attorney for Pappert said his client was sorry for his online comments.


Hinesburg Police searched the home of a 15 year-old Shelburne student after peers reported him on two occasions with concerns of school threats.
Hinesburg Police searched the home of a male 15 year-old Champlain Valley Union High School student Thursday after peers reported he spoke about a school shooting, Hinesburg Police Chief Frank Koss said in a release Thursday afternoon.
"Based on the search conducted, there was nothing found to indicate any immediate means or documented intent to carry out any threat to CVU," Koss said. He added that several electronic devices were seized to look for any documents that would indicate a threat.
The district is off this week for a spring break.
The student, a Shelburne resident who was not identified by police, had been the subject of two reports. The first was made on Feb. 15, after a student told the administration the teen had sent a Snapchat indicating a possible school shooting. He was contacted by Shelburne Police the next morning and was temporarily suspended, Koss said.
The male student returned to school the following week and on Friday, Feb. 23, a different student reported that the unidentified teen had again "made a statement regarding a school shooting," Koss said. His locker and backpack were searched, but no threatening items were found and he remained at school, under supervision by school staff, for the rest of the day.
Classes were not disrupted after either report, Koss said.
Shelburne Police then conducted interviews, Koss said, and "based on the information received, as well as the nature of the threat, Hinesburg Police applied for and received a search warrant for the student’s residence."
Koss said the police will send a full report to school administrators and the State's Attorney's office.
Several districts around the state have been roiled by threats of school shootings over the past few weeks, following a mass shooting at a high school in Parkland, Florida that left 17 students and staff members dead.
Jack Sawyer, a former student police arrested on Feb. 15 for planning an attack on Fair Haven High School, has pleaded not guilty to first-degree attempted murder, aggravated assault with a weapon and two counts of aggravated attempted murder. Police said Sawyer kept a diary titled "The Journal of an Active Shooter" and had purchased a shotgun and ammunition.
A court hearing to determine whether he should remain in jail while being tried will continue Friday in Rutland.
Other threats resulted in citations of at least three students into court after threats directed at schools in Colchester, Essex and St. Albans.


I think that old line "You can't live with them, but you can't live without them" is really about IT vendors. We all need them and these days IT seems more reliant on vendors than ever before, not just for equipment, but also for IT development, services and support.
But from my earliest days as an IT manager, my relations with vendors were difficult and reactive and I don't think that is unusual. My seniors took a hard-nosed approach. "Don't worry about the contract," they'd say. "If they don't perform, just nuke 'em and swap them out." Or maybe the equally tough, "Just hold their feet to the fire. That never fails to bring 'em around."
Nuking vendors didn't seem like the best approach to me, not least of all because of the legal complications that I foresaw as a result of actually carrying out such a plan. Instead, I was trusting. If a vendor's representatives told me they would deliver a service or product at a certain time for a certain price, I took him at his word and moved on to address other duties.
If you've ever dealt with IT vendors, you probably know just how naive this approach was. Inevitably, some agreement wasn't quite met. Vendors that were late or whose service was below the level agreed upon were ready with lots of excuses. I heard account service managers cite snow days and other natural phenomena as reasons for failing to perform as required.
"We thought you knew what we were doing all along," one told me once, leaving me to think, "Actually, I thought you knew what you were doing, but I guess I was wrong." All of my attempts to move my complaints up the vendor hierarchy were short-circuited by unanswered phone calls and emails. Meanwhile, the vendor's account service managers would sympathise with me. They seemed to earn their keep by acting as heat shields for the higher-ups. I was getting nothing but empty promises.
I still didn't want to nuke the vendors, although a tactical strike against them did tempt me from time to time, but it was clear to me that my approach would have career-limiting consequences. If I didn't come up with a better way to achieve consistent and cost effective results from vendors, my credibility as an IT manager would steadily decline. I obviously didn't have my vendors' attention, so I decided that they needed some of mine.
The vendor that finally sent me over the edge had been contracted to send us many workstations for a call centre. They arrived just before the weekend, giving us time to set them up and have them ready for Monday business. But we quickly discovered that all the machines were incorrectly configured. It being the weekend, we could get no hands-on help from the vendor, so the local IT team set up a makeshift workbench and installed what was needed and put the equipment in place just minutes before the call centre opened on Monday morning. What should have been a one day, three shift conversion took two days and six shifts.


Local miners fill bags with gravel extracted from holes dug by Chinese mining machines in Ngoe Ngoe, Cameroon, Feb. 15, 2018.
Sidonie Maboue pulled her hands out of the muddy water and sat down on a piece of fabric next to the bags of gravel that she and three of her 12 children filled that day.
"This gravel will be crushed, then sifted,” said the 45-year-old widow as she prepared to nurse her 8-month-old baby who had been strapped to her back. “If we’re lucky, we can find gold, but it's difficult."
In a good month, she earns around $2.80 for her efforts.
Maboue works in the Kaye quarry, a gold mine abandoned by Chinese miners in early 2017 after two years in operation. Around her, a hundred people noisily searched for the yellow metal in the pits in Ngoe Ngoe, a village in East Cameroon with about 2,600 inhabitants.
Women hauled the earth, crushed the gravel and tended to the mechanized pumps that keep the holes from filling with water. Women and children collected the gravel from the muddy waters.
Last year, Maboue nearly lost her life when a hole collapsed at another open-air mine near Kaye where she was planning to collect gold. She takes these risks to feed her children, she said.
In that accident, nine prospectors were buried under almost 33 feet of earth in the mine excavated by Lu and Lang, a Chinese mining company banned from operating in Cameroon in April because it lacked a license.
The Ngoe Ngoe village leader, Yaya Moussa, remembered the tragedy.
"The Chinese arrived with [Cameroonian] law enforcement to drive the villagers out of the mine sites to better exploit our resources," he explained. "So the villagers were forced to come in the night, in the absence of the Chinese, to extract gold and find food for their families. It was during one of these nocturnal outings that the earth fell on them."
Sidonie Maboue, 45, a widow and mother, picks up small rocks from a mine site abandoned by Chinese miners. These pebbles are later crushed and sieved to collect gold.
Cameroonian law only permits local artisanal miners to search for gold using pans and other rudimentary equipment. But in recent years, Chinese operators who practice semi-mechanized artisanal exploration — including mechanical shovels and loaders, machines and chemicals that wash the gravel and other approaches — have altered the landscape significantly.
Local elites in Cameroon have partnered with the Chinese miners, according to the Center for Education, Training and Support for Development Initiatives in Cameroon, an NGO based in Yokadouma.
Once the local Cameroonian obtains permission to mine, Amougou said, he or she signs a contract with a Chinese operator to run the mine. The Chinese, in turn, bribe mining authorities and other officials so they can begin work.
The law also states that mining operators must close their holes after completing their digs. Chinese companies usually abandon their giant pits, leaving behind dangerous areas where people and domestic animals might fall and drown. The Chinese companies also pollute rivers with their chemicals and mining runoff, said Moussa.
Last year, 50 people died in abandoned open mining holes in the Ngoura, Bétaré Oya and Ngoe Ngoe localities in eastern Cameroon, according to the calculations of the Forests and Rural Development, a Cameroon-based environmental nonprofit. About 250 mining sites opened between 2012 and 2014 have not been filled, the group added.
This mining site in Ngoe Ngoe Village, East Cameroon, was abandoned by Chinese mining operators. Nine villagers seeking gold at night died there last year.
Locals rarely gain much from the Chinese investment in their region, others added.
Cameroonian government mining officials said they are trying to address the situation by using drones to investigate claims of other illegal mines, according to two officials who asked to remain anonymous because they did not have permission to speak to the press. They also said Lu and Lang did not have permission to work in the country.
Lu and Lang did not respond to a request for comment.
Still, the precedent was set more than a decade ago: Semi-mechanized artisanal mining was conducted for the first time in Cameroon in 2007 when the government requested that a South Korean company, C&K Mining, rescue 13 tons of gold that was likely to be washed away as officials pumped water into the impoundment behind Lom Pangar Dam in eastern Cameroon.
The authorities conceded the move would violate mining laws but said the situation was an emergency. The move served as a precedent for Chinese companies to engage in semi-mechanized artisanal mining.
Amougou and others said Lu and Lang is now operating a mine in Colomine in eastern Cameroon.
"The mining sector is a mafia," Amougou said. "This crime does not benefit Cameroon or Cameroonians, perhaps an elite who would have received 5 to 10 million CFA francs [$9,376 to $18,755]. It's shocking."
Christian Locka reported from Douala, Cameroon.


The rollout of click share can be seen as a follow up to the position metrics Google introduced last fall as average position has become less useful.
Click share is rolling out for Search campaigns in Google Ads.
To help advertisers get a fuller sense of how their text ads are performing, Google is bringing the click share metric to Search campaigns.
Represented as a percentage, click share is an indication of how many clicks your ads received out of the total number of times Google estimates your ads could been clicked. It helps show how effectively your ads are engaging users compared to the competition. Impression share, on the other hand, shows how effective you’ve been at getting your ads shown to users.
Average position, however, has become less and less useful with the removal of right rail ads. Depending on the number of ad slots available, an average position of 2.5 might actually mean the majority of your ads displayed at the bottom of the search results page, for example.
You might recall, Google recently introduced four new ad position metrics to help bring more clarity to ad performance relative to the actual position ads appear on the search result pages. “Contrary to common perception, average position is not meant to describe where the ad appears on the page. Average position reflects the order that your ad appears versus the other ads in the ad auction,” Google explained at the time.
Click share is a competitive metric that can help advertisers get deeper insights than average position is able to provide. Impression share and click share work well tandem. A high impression share and low click share, for example, likely indicates your budget and bids are plenty high but that your ads are not resonating with users as well as your competitors’.
Google has started rolling out click share to accounts, and product manager Pallavi Naresh said it will be available for all Search campaigns in the coming weeks.
Click share will be available at the campaign, ad group and keyword levels.


Businesses with job openings in technology, agriculture and customer service will be participating in JobFest on Thursday at the Mojave Air & Space Port in the Stuart O. Witt Event Center.
The job festival will be held from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.
Mojave JobFest: Thursday, March 8th at the Mojave Air & Space Port in the Stuart O. Witt Event Center, 1247 Poole St. in Mojave from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Bakersfield JobFest: Wednesday, March 14th at The Rabobank Convention Center, 1001 Truxtun Ave, Bakersfield, from 9:00 a.m. – Noon.
Lake Isabella JobFest: Thursday, March 29th from 9:00 a.m. – Noon at The Kern River Valley Veterans Hall, 6405 Lake Isabella Blvd.
Taft JobFest: Thursday, April 19th from 9:00 a.m. – Noon at The Historic Fort, 915 N. 10th Street, Taft.
Ridgecrest JobFest: Thursday, April 26th at the Kerr McGee Center, 100 W. California Ave in Ridgecrest from 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Shafter JobFest: Thursday, May 17th from 9:00 a.m. – Noon at the Shafter Veterans Hall, 309 California Avenue, Shafter.
Delano JobFest: Thursday, June 14th at Cesar Chavez High School, 800 Browning Road, in Delano, from 9:00 a.m. – Noon.


Airline frequent flyer miles can be used for future free travel. These programs are easy to join and make it simple to keep track of your total miles.
Most airlines offer a frequent flyer program that allows travelers to accumulate air miles in a frequent flyer account. Miles can be earned both by flying and by participating in various other spending opportunities, such as renting a car or using a mileage credit card. The miles can be used to book travel or upgrade a seat on future flights. Airline miles are like a type of currency, although there's technically no monetary value to them. Many travelers pick a favorite airline and prefer to keep all their miles in one place to help earn airline status and get free flights.
If you are already a member of a frequent flyer program, like American Airlines' AAdvantage or United Airlines' MileagePlus, and you have been including your frequent flyer number on your travel reservation, log in to your account to see your total number of miles, available online or in the airline's app. When you visit an airline's website, look for the login tab or box to access your account. For example on the United website, click on the MileagePlus tab. Most apps keep you logged in, so your total miles should immediately appear on the initial page. You should see both your total miles and the number of miles you've logged this year, as well as your airline status (if any).
Call the airline if you don't know your login for the website or app. Customer service will also be able to provide your mileage total.
If you haven't joined a frequent flyer program but do fly a lot, it's still possible to claim some miles. Fill out the enrollment form online for a specific airline (or for several if you have potential miles on various airlines) and keep track of your new membership number. Travelers must be 18 years old to join most frequent flyer programs. It's possible to request credit for recent flights as a new member, although some restrictions will likely apply. For example, United's MileagePlus program allows new members to request credit for qualifying flights that took place up to 30 days prior to the enrollment date. For a fee of $50, new members can ask for credit for flights up to six months prior. Check with your chosen airline for its policy on retroactive credit.
Once you have enough miles, you can book a free flight or use the miles to upgrade an existing reservation to business or first class. Each airline's website has a booking page for rewards bookings to check for possible flights. Be sure to log in to your mileage plus account before booking. Some airlines offer various types of rewards fares so it's always best to do some research and look into what option is the best use of your miles vs. your money. There are many dozens of websites that can help navigate using airline mileage programs, including The Points Guy and A View From The Wing.
Zemler, Emily. "How to Find Out How Many Air Miles Points You Have." Travel Tips - USA Today, https://traveltips.usatoday.com/out-many-air-miles-points-61414.html. 28 October 2017.


Judith “Judy” (Jackson) Swick, 68, of Decatur, Illinois, and formerly of Jasper County, Illinois, passed away at 5:05 p.m., Tuesday, December 18, 2018, at her home following a courageous battle with breast cancer.
Funeral services will be held at 12:00 p.m. (Noon), Saturday, December 29, 2018, at the Meyer Funeral Home in Newton, Illinois, with Mike Knepper officiating. Burial will be in the Chapel Cemetery near Falmouth, Illinois. Visitation will be held 2 hours before the service. The obituary can be viewed and condolences left at www.meyerfh.com.
Judith affectionately known as “Judy” was born on July 14, 1950, in Decatur, Illinois, the daughter of Donald E. Jackson and Lora L. (Camp) Jackson. She graduated from Newton Community High School in 1968, and later that year moved to Decatur and accepted a position as Secretary at Decatur House.
Judy married Russell “Russ” Swick on June 29, 1969. She was a loving family woman, mother, and grandmother.
Judy worked until her retirement from Hickory Point Bank in 2006, with 15 years of service. She enjoyed camping, fishing, gardening, time with family, and spending as much time as possible with her two adoring granddaughters.
Judy is survived by her husband, Russell Swick, of Decatur; her son, Timothy (Kristin) Swick, of Indianapolis, Indiana; her two granddaughters, Charlotte & Madeline Swick, of Indianapolis, Indiana; her mother-in-law, Joyce (Bonannen) Swick, brothers-and-sisters-in-law Ronald (Rebecca) Swick, Donald (Marilyn) Swick and Roger (Patti) Swick, all of Newton; and Beth (Tim) Biggs of Ballwin, Missouri; as well as many beloved nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts, and uncles.
Her family and friends will always remember her as a loyal, caring, loving, and thoughtful person.
Judy is preceded in death by her parents Don and Lora (Camp) Jackson and her brother Thomas Jackson.


Retail stores today could offer an outlet for people to buy CARE plumpy'nut packages for starving infants overseas.
Is cutting Food for Peace and other hunger fighting programs the right place to go with nearly 1 billion hungry.
If we are looking to make sound investments in foreign policy, then school feeding is the place to go.
Think of what school meals for children could mean for so many countries. It's healthier, more educated children.
The child hunger crisis that rages in the world today has deep implications for everyone's future.
Mercy Corps is urging support for the Roadmap to End Global Hunger and Promote Food Security Act of 2009.


Nearly one in five female federal employees say they have experienced sexual harassment in the workplace within the last two years, according to a recent survey, a figure that has dropped significantly over the last two decades.
Women were three times as likely to have experienced sexual harassment as men, according to the first survey of its kind from the Merit Systems Protection Board since 1994. In that year, 44 percent of women said they had experienced sexual harassment in the preceding two years, while 19 percent of men said the same. In 2016, the year in which MSPB conducted the most recent survey, those figures were 18 percent and 6 percent, respectively.
Female federal employees were most likely to have endured “unwelcome invasion of personal space,” with 12 percent of respondents indicating that had occurred. That is down from 24 percent in 1994. In that year, “unwelcome sexual teasing, jokes, comments or questions” was the most frequent form of harassment, with 37 percent of women saying they had experienced it. That dropped to 9 percent in 2016.
MSPB issued the results as part of its Merit Principles Survey in advance of an upcoming report containing the full data. The upcoming report will describe employees’ views on how agencies prevent and address sexual harassment, “risk factors” that increase the likelihood of exposure to harassment and strategies for rooting it out.
Federal employees appear to face less sexual harassment than their private sector counterparts. In a 2013 YouGov/Huffington Post survey, 13 percent of respondents said they had been sexually harassed by a superior, while 19 percent said the same of a non-superior. A 2015 Cosmopolitan survey found one in three women ages 18-34 had been sexually harassed at work. That survey polled 2,235 full and part-time female employees, while the Huffington Post survey polled 1,000 adults and had a margin of error of 4.2 percent.
MSPB noted the recent string of allegations against federal employees for sexual harassment.
The National Park Service has faced a litany of sexual harassment allegations, leading to multiple congressional hearings and promises for cultural changes from agency leadership. Lawmakers recently investigated claims of repeated sexual harassment at a Customs and Border Protection outpost and the Justice Department earlier this year was found to have paid out bonuses to 1,400 employees under investigation or being disciplined for cases involving stalking, peeping, inappropriate touching and inappropriate relationships with subordinates.


We can't ask these communities to trade one crisis for another. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Joe Manchin of West Virginia can show us the way forward.
In the past five years, we’ve experienced record temperatures, hurricanes, fires, floods, droughts, coastal erosion and escalating extinction threats to wildlife. How we respond to these cascading climate impacts will define our nation’s public health, public safety and economy for generations.
While the scientific consensus calls for dramatically reducing emissions in the next decade, bipartisan federal climate solutions have remained as elusive as the impacts are pervasive. We simply have no choice but make meaningful progress in Congress during this era of divided government. We need durable, climate solutions that work for all Americans.
This month, the Republican chair and the top Democrat on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Joe Manchin of West Virginia, held the first Senate hearing in seven years that focused on climate solutions. This was significant and not just for the time lapse. These two senators represent states with economies that are heavily dependent on fossil fuel production and facing high unemployment. Yet both called for urgent action on climate, even as they also rightfully and eloquently highlighted how climate impacts and transition costs are borne disproportionately by rural, minority and historically disadvantaged communities.
Green New Deal lends itself to mockery. But what's your climate change solution?
Kasich: Forget Green New Deal. We need solutions from free-market moderates.
Market mechanisms such as carbon pricing would absolutely accelerate the overall transition to cleaner sources of energy. But they would have very different effects in different parts of the nation, and too often these disproportional impacts on vulnerable communities and industries are an afterthought in policy discussions. We can neither ask nor expect these communities to trade one crisis for another.
Fossil-fuel intensive states and those with manufacturing and industrial facilities will face greater economic costs and transition impacts than more urban communities powered by lower-carbon sources of energy. Unless intentional, proactive steps are taken, the former will see increased near-term energy prices, even greater unemployment and limited opportunities for revitalization.
This is especially true in the communities that helped power the American Century through the production of coal. Workers there face some of the nation’s highest rates of unemployment, after decades of broken promises of better wages, pensions and health care.
Any climate solution should ensure that vulnerable communities and affected workers are first in line to work on emission-reduction projects, rebuilding America’s infrastructure, reclaiming degraded sites, decommissioning shuttered facilities, and manufacturing and deploying clean energy technologies — and ensuring that such jobs pay a family-sustaining wage.
To address regional disparities, we must drive significant revitalization investments into fossil-heavy communities. One approach would be to adopt technology-agnostic clean energy incentives that reward the amount of carbon reduced. This would accelerate deep early reductions by encouraging innovation and investment in the most affected areas. Location matters — an investment in West Virginia or Wyoming will reduce three to four times more emissions per megawatt hour than a comparable investment in California or New York. This initial approach would create a more level playing field and increase the likelihood of future bipartisan action.
A second area ripe for bipartisan cooperation is energy efficiency, especially in industrial facilities, commercial buildings, schools, hospitals and across the fossil-fuel sector and electrical grid. Energy efficiency remains the greatest opportunity for immediate emission reductions and supports well-paying jobs in every community that cannot be outsourced. Just like water infrastructure, we should accelerate energy-efficiency investments through revolving funds that are paid back with the cost savings.
Third, investments in natural infrastructure enjoy broad bipartisan support because they make communities and local economies more resilient to extreme weather, while also sequestering carbon naturally. Natural solutions include reforestation and improved forest management; sustainable agricultural practices; and the restoration of wetlands, grasslands and other essential landscapes and habitat. Those communities on the front lines should receive early investment.
Fourth, as transportation emissions eclipse those from power plants, we must strengthen fuel economy standards, electrify passenger and midsize vehicles, transition to sustainable, advanced biofuels for heavy-duty vehicles and airplanes, and expand public transit and trail systems.
Conventional wisdom is that nothing meaningful on climate can get done in Washington. While it may be unlikely that this Congress will pass comprehensive climate legislation, significant progress is possible by embedding climate solutions into policy priorities, such as rebuilding America’s infrastructure.
Sens. Murkowski and Manchin have shown they may be the perfect pair to forge a pragmatic path forward that leaves no communities behind.


Wipro, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Infosys, Bajaj Finance and HDFC Bank were among the top losers in the Nifty index.
NEW DELHI: Shares of RPG Life Sciences (down 5.67 per cent), Shriram EPC (down 4.88 per cent) and Johnson Controls-Hitachi Air Conditioning India (down 4.73 per cent) plunged up to 5 per cent on NSE in morning trade on Monday in an otherwise positive market.
Shares of Info Edge (down 4.23 per cent), Godawari Power (down 3.76 per cent), Tata Teleservices (Maharashtra) (down 3.70 per cent), JK Cement (down 3.70 per cent), S P Apparels (down 3.67 per cent), Indiabulls Ventures (down 3.37 per cent) and Dalmia Bharat (down 3.31 per cent) too declined significantly.
The NSE Nifty index was trading 24 points up at 11,302, while the BSE Sensex was up 98 points at 37,435 around 09:55 am.
In the Nifty pack, 27 stocks were in the green, while 23 stocks were in the red.
HPCL, State Bank of India, Vedanta, ONGC and ICICI Bank were among the top gainers in the Nifty index.


A new live-album series commemorates the eclectic roster of artists featured at NYC's the Bottom Line.
In January 1978, I moved to New York from Philadelphia to work at a free Long Island weekly, Good Times. I soon hit the pavement for my first, long night of music in Manhattan with my new editor and immediate friend, future Rolling Stone and MTV journalist Kurt Loder. Our first stop was the midtown offices of Mercury Records. The label was throwing a party for the great roots-and-party band NRBQ and their latest album, At Yankee Stadium, actually a studio record. The cuisine was appropriate: hot dogs served from a Sabrett street cart.
Kurt and I finished the evening on the Bowery — at Great Gildersleeves, where we saw a flamboyant glam-prog act, Novac, a.k.a. Phantom of the Organ; and at CBGB, in time for very late sets by the Nails, four years ahead of their New Wave hit “88 Lines About 44 Women” and singer-songwriter Steve Forbert, then on the verge of issuing his debut LP, Alive on Arrival. But in between the franks and the flaming barrels dotting the Bowery sidewalk, there was the Bottom Line, a 400-capacity club at West 4th and Mercer Streets, where I sat 10 feet away from Muddy Waters, then 64, as he fired his still-feral electric-Chicago mojo around the room.
Founded by Allan Pepper and Stanley Snadowsky, the Bottom Line opened in February 1974 and became a nexus of local rock & roll life: a Fillmore East–meets–the Stork Club where Bruce Springsteen and Patti Smith played career-defining stands in 1975 and the stars at the tables often outnumbered those on stage. Lou Reed taped his famously scabrous live album, Take No Prisoners, at the Bottom Line in May 1978, and ex–New York Doll David Johansen’s explosive bow as a solo artist that July was simulcast from the club, then issued as a collectible promo LP.
I quickly became a lucky regular, seeing (and frequently reviewing) hundreds of shows at the Bottom Line over the next 26 years, until mounting debt, a changing industry and an unforgiving landlord, New York University, forced the club to close in January 2004.
A 1980 appearance by Janis Ian captures the former Sixties folk-rock prodigy in the matured reflection of her Seventies hits — “Jesse,” “Stars,” “At Seventeen” — with a tenderly apt band. The late Harry Chapin was a Bottom Line favorite — a master of the story ballad with a booming baritone and cheerful, embracing stage manner — who hit a career milestone, 2,000 shows, during the January 8th–10th, 1981, run on his Archive two-CD set, recorded six months before his death. In two shows recorded in March and August of 2002, the North Carolina singer-guitarist Doc Watson is a warm, compelling argument for the original, Village folk revival as a movement without end, in a neighborhood already transformed by gentrification.
Willie Nile would surely still be working at the club if it was open: The two complete, crackling shows in his Archive package, are from 1980 and 2000 — the first from his concert debut with a full band, a New York–attitude Who with members of Television and Patti Smith’s group; the second reflecting the club’s loyalty to a good draw and evolving act well after the major labels took their money elsewhere.
On May 24th, 1990, Pepper and Snadowsky opened a series of master classes in songwriting, In Their Own Words, hosted by New York radio personality Vin Scelsa and featuring an interacting cast of artists — typically four a night; ultimately more than 140 across 37 shows up to 1996. In the thick of grunge and alternative rock, Scelsa interviewed top-shelf writers such as Graham Parker, Billy Bragg, Jimmy Webb, Arthur Alexander and Richard Thompson about their methods, struggles and hits, then had them demonstrate their wares, often in spontaneous collaborations.
I saw a few of those nights and can vouch that In Their Own Words, Volume 1 and Volume 2 are illuminating recreations of those gigs-in-the-round, pulling together kindred and disparate voices such as Dion, the Cars’ Ric Ocasek, Lucinda Williams, John Cale and Joey Ramone (breaking down the DNA of “I Wanna Be Sedated”). Scelsa also led a Harvard-level evening on May 18th, 1994, featuring Pete Seeger and the Byrds’ Roger McGuinn — who met for the first time that day — exchanging recollections of songs like “If I Had a Hammer” and “Eight Miles High,” then sharing choruses in “The Midnight Special” and “The Bells of Rhymney.” Ted Hawkins and Joe South (“Hush,'”Games People Play”) were also on that show but are not included on this two-CD set. With due respect, it is an instance of editing serving a greater, fluid narrative.
Nightclubs by their nature are transitory phenomena. But the best of them leave a mark. The Bottom Line lasted longer than most. Here is some of what you missed — and if you were there, why you kept coming back.


Yesterday we ran a piece exposing the scare tactics media like to use when discussing video games and violence. Flashy edits, buzzwords, complete ignorance, that sort of thing. Today Katie Couric, the host of the particular segment we analyzed, reached out to her Twitter followers to ask for the "positive side" of violent games.
Yesterday, Katie Couric did an hour-long exposé on the dangers of violent, addictive video games.
When I noticed her tweet, I went to look at the replies. Some were decent! Others...not so much. I decided it had to do with her particular brand of audience. She wasn't getting the full scope of the gamer audience, and that wouldn't be fair. So I retweeted her on Kotaku's official Twitter account. And boy, you guys did not disappoint.
It warms my heart to see so many people rally against the inexcusable ignorance in the media's coverage of video games. This will continue to be a thing if we don't speak up, so good on all of you who did.
And, of course, there were some jokes, snarky replies and, er, maybe some questionable ones, too!
Lastly, let's all remember to bring this up when people try to make a correlation between violent games and real-life violence. Because I'm honestly sick of people thinking they can ignore the facts we do have.


Winds of change for Russia's Black Sea Fleet?
Only a few countries are capable of an amphibious assault, and Russia is one of them. Therefore, one of the most impressive parts of the Black Sea Fleet’s training is a seaborne assault. This includes gunfire, air assault and a marines' attack.
Yet the Black Sea Fleet may be seeing its last decade in the Crimea.
Since the collapse of the Soviet Union and partition of the Navy, relations between Russia and Ukraine have deteriorated.
Marines seem uncomfortable talking on the subject, and almost any comment on the future of the Crimean fleet stirs up a verbal fight between the countries’ Foreign Ministries.
When the lease expires in ten years, Kiev wants the Russian Navy out. But Russia, as a founder of the Black Sea Fleet in the 18th century, wants to stay.
A commander says it is a political problem.
“The authorities of Novorossiysk understand how serious the situation is. In the future, their part of the Fleet may become the most vital on the south frontiers of Russia,” commented Aleksandr Kletskov, Vice Admiral of the Black Sea Fleet.
Upcoming parliamentary and presidential elections in both countries may change the wind for the Black Sea Fleet, and for now they are training side by side – most of them hoping the status quo will be preserved.


Street lighting may soon become safer, less expensive and more energy efficient under a proposal to lease LED street lights to replace conventional bulbs throughout town.
Department of Public Works Director Bill Chenard told selectmen this week that he is working with Arlington, Chelsea and possibly Woburn on a program to replace conventional bulbs with more efficient LEDs, or light-emitting diodes.
Natick would own the bulbs and be responsible for maintenance, but use the lease as a financing mechanism. The lease would allow workers to install the bulbs in 2,250 of the town’s 2,400 street lights by the end of the year, helping the town to secure a $143,000 grant from NStar that might expire if the lights are not installed, Chenard said.
Town Administrator Martha White said Thursday the town may eventually convert the 10-year lease to a bond, depending on interest rates.
White praised Chenard for being on the forefront of a movement toward LED technology, working with NStar to create a lower hourly charge for the LED street lights than for conventional lighting.
Chenard said the LEDs are estimated to pay for themselves in six years and last up to 10 times longer than traditional lights.
"This is a win, win, win," White said.
Some of the lights not covered under this plan already have LED bulbs. The town first experimented with LED street lights four years ago, Chenard said.
Through the partnership with the other communities, the changeover is expected cost less than $400 per light including installation, compared to more than $800 per light excluding installation costs under previous estimates, he said.
White said by banding together the communities can take advantage of bulk purchasing.
LED lights also improve safety, making it easier for drivers to see pedestrians and cyclists and police to read license plates, Chenard said.
"What we have out there now is poor color … light," he said. "They’re yellow. They’re all over the place."
Selectmen Chairman Paul Joseph said the program seems to make sense for many reasons.
"This sounds like no-brainer," he said.
The lease is expected to be before Town Meeting in October.


What are your thoughts after watching this video? Do you think Cara and Mady were just being stubborn teens? Tweet us @OKMagazine.


ALASTAIR COOK spoke of his pride at joining Test cricket’s all-time batting greats after he broke the 10,000-run barrier in England’s nine-wicket win over Sri Lanka at Chester-le-Street.
Cook became the first Englishman to score 10,000 Test runs as his unbeaten 47 helped England claim an unassailable 2-0 lead in their opening series of the summer.
The England skipper is one of only 12 players in the history of Test cricket to have achieved the landmark, and having managed just 31 runs in his first two innings of the summer, he admits reaching the seven-figure mark had been preying on his mind.
He broke into a broad grin as he flicked Nuwan Pradeep into the leg-side, before raising his bat to his family and friends who were gathered in the Don Robson Pavilion.
“It was a feeling of satisfaction,” said Cook, who also broke Mike Atherton’s record for the highest number of runs scored as England captain. “Clearly everyone has been talking about it over the last few weeks.
“Maybe I wasn’t able to do it in the style I might have wanted - it would have been fitting to do it with a bigger score - but that shouldn’t take away from it.
Cook has come through a number of testing moments during an England career that started when he made his five-day debut in India in 2006.
He succeeded Andrew Strauss as England skipper in 2012 and has maintained an average in the high-40s despite batting at the top of the order and facing the best new-ball bowlers in the world.
“The 10,000 has been a milestone that’s certainly driven me over the last few years,” he said. “As a batsman at the top of the order, you get tested in all conditions against the best bowlers in the world with the new ball, and I’m proud that I’ve managed to hang in for long enough and scored enough runs not to have got dropped.
“In one sense, you’ve still got things to prove, and Jimmy (Anderson) has always said that no matter how many wickets he gets, it’ll still be the same.
Cook’s team-mates were quick to pay tribute to his achievements, with Anderson leading the chorus of praise after picking up the Man-of-the-Match award.
The paceman reached a notable landmark himself this afternoon, with his dismissal of Rangana Herath, who was trapped leg before, representing his 450th Test wicket.
“It’s an amazing achievement and something that’s very special not just for Cooky, but for all the guys who have played with him and watched him along the way,” said Anderson.
Anderson finished with second-innings figures of 5-58 and was the pick of England’s bowlers by a distance as Sri Lanka threatened to make things difficult on a docile Riverside pitch.
Having failed to reach 120 in their three previous innings, the tourists made 475 to set England a victory target of 79. Alex Hales perished for 11, but Cook and Nick Compton successfully saw their side home.
“It’s been a good two weeks,” said Cook. “To win a game by an innings and then to win by nine wickets has been a good effort.
“It was tough actually. That pitch died a death, and was a bit more like Colombo than the Chester-le-Street we’ve known in the past. They made us work hard for it, but I suppose it’s sometimes a bit sweeter if you feel as though you’ve earned your beer tonight.
The final Test at Lord’s is now effectively a dead rubber, but England have named an unchanged 12-man squad for the game that starts a week on Thursday.


Ravindra Deo pays special attention to the BRS and expanded withdrawal options.
The nation's largest retirement plan is only getting larger.
The Thrift Savings Plan, Washington, the retirement system for 5.4 million federal employees and members of the uniformed services, saw its assets climb 8.9% year-over-year to $578.8 billion as of Sept. 30. That's up from $375.1 billion in 2013 and $210.6 billion in 2008.
Two recent pieces of legislation likely will ensure that growth continues.
The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016, which was passed in 2015, created a Blended Retirement System within the TSP for all uniformed services members who enter service on Jan. 1, 2018, or later. As of Jan. 23, the BRS has more than 408,000 participants, according to Kim Weaver, director of external affairs.
Moreover, following the passage of the TSP Modernization Act in 2017, the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board, which administers the TSP, will implement what Ms. Weaver called its "additional withdrawals project" in September.
The new withdrawal policies will give participants more options for how and when they can access money from their TSP accounts.
While the bill was being discussed, it was estimated that $9 billion is transferred out of the TSP every year into higher-fee accounts when employees leave the federal government. This legislation aims to stem that.
Established by Congress in 1986, the TSP, a defined contribution plan, offers participants five investment funds: four index funds managed by BlackRock (BLK) Inc. (BLK) and one fund made up of specially issued Treasury securities that is managed internally by the board.
Ravindra Deo took over as the board's executive director in 2017 after initially serving as its chief investment officer.
In a statement, Mr. Deo said that since starting his new role, he has focused on the BRS and expanding withdrawal options for all TSP participants, but those aren't the only changes coming to the TSP.
By the end of 2019, the board will issue a request for proposal seeking two investment managers to manage a portion of each of the index funds, according to Ms. Weaver.
"We're doing that, not because we have any concerns whatsoever with BlackRock, but it is more of a risk mitigation strategy," Ms. Weaver said. BlackRock is eligible to submit a bid once the RFP goes out and a decision will be reached sometime in 2020, she added.
Once the managers are selected, a change will be made to the TSP's I Fund — one of the index funds that invests in international equities — to incorporate emerging markets, Ms. Weaver said. After looking at making the change to its investment lineup five years ago, the board now feels there's sufficient liquidity in emerging markets to move forward, Ms. Weaver added.
Additionally, the new withdrawal policies that go into effect in September will give participants more options for how and when they can access money from their TSP accounts.
For example, currently, participants receiving monthly payments can only change the amount of those payments during an open season between Oct. 1 and Dec. 15. The new policy will allow participants to change the amount and frequency (monthly, quarterly, annually) of their installment payments at any time throughout the year. Also, participants will soon be able to take partial withdrawals while receiving post-separation installment payments.
"It's been an enormous lift for us," Ms. Weaver said of implementing the withdrawal policy.
One of the biggest changes to hit the TSP went into effect on Jan. 1, 2018.
With the creation of the Blended Retirement System, new service members are automatically enrolled in the plan, while those with less than 12 years of service as of Jan. 1, 2018, were eligible to join the BRS. Previously, members of the uniformed services had access to a defined benefit plan but had to serve at least 20 years to receive the annuity.
The payment amount was determined by their years of service and the average of their highest 36 months of basic pay.
Only a small portion of service members reached the 20-year plateau and the Department of Defense was concerned its employees weren't properly saving for retirement, Ms. Weaver said. The BRS offers service members a defined contribution option as part of the TSP as well as a reduced pension should they hit the 20-year mark.
And the number of separated participants — those who no longer work for the federal government but have elected to keep their money in the TSP — has also climbed in recent years to 1.46 million as of Sept. 30 from 1.11 million five years prior.
"We're low-cost, we're efficient, I think they're comfortable with us because they deal with us throughout their entire careers and we care about them and we try and show that," Ms. Weaver said of the TSP's 5.4 million participants.


Crew members of a US F-15E Strike Eagle were "momentarily disoriented" by a laser beam directed at the fighter jet as it was preparing to land at RAF Lakenheath in England, posing a "serious risk" to flight safety, Air Force officials said.
"On Wednesday evening, our aircrew were momentarily disoriented when a laser was directed at their F-15E Strike Eagle while on approach to land at RAF Lakenheath," a spokeswoman for the 48th Fighter Wing at RAF Lakenheath, told British media. The laser was not flashed into the pilot's eyes and the plane landed safely.
The aircrew saw what they recognized to be a laser reflecting off the aircraft," the spokeswoman said. "If you can imagine a laser pointer, that's what our aircrew saw, only it was amplified in intensity and size."
The British Defense Ministry was notified and a patrol was dispatched to the location, the Eastern Daily Press and Cambridge News reported Friday.
"Aiming a laser at an aircraft is a serious risk to flight safety. Many high-powered lasers can completely incapacitate pilots while flying," the spokeswoman said. "The irresponsible or malicious use of lasers can threaten the lives of aircrew, passengers, and even individuals on the ground should it result in an aircraft crash."
The British Defense Ministry said such "attacks" on aircraft "are a civil offense," the BBC reported. "These events are recorded and reported to the civilian police for action."
Last month, a Virgin Atlantic Flight from London's Heathrow airport en route to New York had to turn back after a laser beam hit the cockpit.
The British Airline Pilots Association, BALPA, subsequently called for handheld lasers to be classified as offensive weapons.
"Aircraft are attacked with lasers at an alarming rate and with lasers with ever-increasing strength," BALPA said. "Modern lasers have the power to blind, and certainly to act as a huge distraction and to dazzle the pilots during critical phases of flight."