Japan is having its FDR moment

doing so. Japan, in other words, wants to make its economic growth great again. To get out of the good-but-not-good-enough rut that its falling prices would have made even worse if it weren't for its rising debt, and get into a strong cycle of growth that makes prices rise and debt fall. It's a lot closer to that than you might think. Shinzo Abe's government, you see, has taken the revolutionary step of actually listening to economists. It's done what Paul Krugman and Ben Bernanke said it should all those years ago, and told the BOJ to do whatever it takes to get inflation back into positive territory. Now, it managed to do so for a little while, but only just. An ill-timed tax increase and the oil price crash sent prices back down again in rather short order. But these, as economists would tell us, are only transitory factors. They will pass. And when they do, the BOJ's strategy of buying stuff with newly printed money should push up prices just like it's pushed up employment. You can see that in the chart below. Ever since Abe announced that he was going to try to whip deflation, the share of Japanese 25- to 54-year-olds who are working has increased from 80.5 percent to an all-time high of 83.5 percent. By point of comparison, that's gone from 75.9 percent to 77.8 percent in the United States during that time. The good news, then, is that everything the BOJ's been doing would probably work if you gave it more time. The better news, though, is it's not satisfied with that, and is doing more to try to get it to work in less time. Now, maybe its latest measures won't actually speed things up. Maybe markets will interpret the BOJ's pledge to buy enough bonds to keep the 10-year yield at zero as an admission that there aren't enough bonds to buy anymore, since it wouldn't take a lot of buying to keep that promise right now. That, at least, seemed to be investors' initial response — although it's almost besides the point. What really matters is that the BOJ is showing us it wants more inflation, and that it's not going to give up trying to get it. Or, as a certain U.S. president might put it, that the only thing we have to fear is a fear of trying.


A guide to the best bars without TVs in the Washington area

at than a projection screen. Eat the Rich Derek Brown's three restaurants on Seventh Street NW are adverse to televisions: The Eat the Rich oyster bar and Mockingbird Hill sherry bar (currently being renovated) don't have them, while Southern Efficiency's lone screen is primarily used to show the Kentucky Derby. Otherwise, Brown says, "we rarely turn it on." The Gibson The trendsetting 14th and U cocktail bar -- unmarked outside, dark atmosphere inside -- has no screens to distract you from your drink and your date. Jack Rose While Jack Rose's popular rooftop deck and tiki bar have multiple televisions, there are no screens in the cavernous first-floor Saloon Bar, or in the cozy, speakeasy-like Dram and Grain in the basement. Lyman's Tavern While Lyman's does have a projection screen that's brought down for screenings of "The Walking Dead," it's turned off 99 percent of the time the pinball-centric bar is open. The Partisan Sister bars ChurchKey and the Sovereign combine craft beer and sports viewing, but the Partisan focuses on beer, wine and cocktails without distractions. Pizzeria Paradiso The Dupont Circle location of the craft beer and pizza bar doesn't have televisions. The ones in Old Town Alexandria and Georgetown do. PX You'll probably need a reservation to get into the famous speakeasy-like restaurant in Alexandria, but the cocktails and service are perfect for spoiling yourself for a night. Quarry House Tavern Quarry House's temporary digs, across the street from its fire-damaged Silver Spring basement location, don't have a television. (It does, however, have a patio.) Room 11 The classiest date spot in Columbia Heights combines a television-free bistro and bar with a large paved patio. The Saloon "No TV" is one of the "rules" posted outside the Saloon on U Street NW, along with edicts against standing at the bar, martinis and loud cellphone conversations. Regulars who love the grilled cheese and German beers wouldn't have it any other way. Wonderland Ballroom The Wonderland Ballroom has been a mainstay in Columbia Heights for 12 years. The entertainment schedule includes DJs, comedy, live music, karaoke and trivia -- no wonder televisions aren't needed. Read more: - Where to watch the presidential debate with food specials and drinking games - Where to find half-price food and drink deals every day of the week - If you’re going to Instagram your food, you may as well do it right. Here’s how.


Eat the Rich Derek Brown's three restaurants on Seventh Street NW are adverse to televisions: The Eat the Rich oyster bar and Mockingbird Hill sherry bar (currently being renovated) don't have them, while Southern Efficiency's lone screen is primarily used to show the Kentucky Derby. Otherwise, Brown says, "we rarely turn it on." The Gibson The trendsetting 14th and U cocktail bar -- unmarked outside, dark atmosphere inside -- has no screens to distract you from your drink and your date. Jack Rose While Jack Rose's popular rooftop deck and tiki bar have multiple televisions, there are no screens in the cavernous first-floor Saloon Bar, or in the cozy, speakeasy-like Dram and Grain in the basement. Lyman's Tavern While Lyman's does have a projection screen that's brought down for screenings of "The Walking Dead," it's turned off 99 percent of the time the pinball-centric bar is open. The Partisan Sister bars ChurchKey and the Sovereign combine craft beer and sports viewing, but the Partisan focuses on beer, wine and cocktails without distractions. Pizzeria Paradiso The two D.C. locations of the craft beer and pizza bar -- in Georgetown and Dupont Circle -- don't have televisions. The one in Old Town Alexandria does. PX You'll probably need a reservation to get into the famous speakeasy-like restaurant in Alexandria, but the cocktails and service are perfect for spoiling yourself for a night. Quarry House Tavern Quarry House's temporary digs, across the street from its fire-damaged Silver Spring basement location, don't have a television. (It does, however, have a patio.) Room 11 The classiest date spot in Columbia Heights combines a television-free bistro and bar with a large paved patio. The Saloon "No TV" is one of the "rules" posted outside the Saloon on U Street NW, along with edicts against standing at the bar, martinis and loud cellphone conversations. Regulars who love the grilled cheese and German beers wouldn't have it any other way. Wonderland Ballroom The Wonderland Ballroom has been a mainstay in Columbia Heights for 12 years. The entertainment schedule includes DJs, comedy, live music, karaoke and trivia -- no wonder televisions aren't needed. Read more: - Where to watch the presidential debate with food specials and drinking games - Where to find half-price food and drink deals every day of the week - If you’re going to Instagram your food, you may as well do it right. Here’s how.


Violent crime is rising. But that’s not the most provocative finding in the FBI’s big new report.

Tiffany West, 21, right, attends a candlelight vigil on July 22, 2015 for Wesley West, who was shot and killed in the Congress Heights neighborhood of Washington. (Photo by Amanda Voisard/For the Washington Post) Murders in the United States jumped 11 percent last year, according to federal data released Monday, but nonviolent crimes declined, an unusual divergence that's puzzling criminal justice experts. While an increase in homicide is usually associated with more minor crimes as well, that was not the case in 2015. The number of murders nationally increased by the largest percentage in decades, but violent crimes overall increased just 4 percent and property crimes declined 3 percent. Despite the increase, American streets remain safe relative to recent years. The rate of murder and manslaughter per 100,000 people (excluding negligent manslaughter) increased to 4.9 last year from 4.4 in 2014, which was the fewest of any year since at least 1961. In 1980, the rate exceeded 10 killings per 100,000. Still, what to make of the sudden increase in homicides is not clear. Some criminologists say the data is evidence against the "Ferguson effect" -- a popular theory that suggests homicides have increased because police have become reluctant to interact with potential criminals on the street. According to this argument, cops fear becoming involved in a violent altercation that could result in protests such as those in Ferguson, Mo., Baltimore and Charlotte, N.C. Police can deter potential criminals not just by being a watchful presence on patrol. They can stop people who appear to be involved in criminal activity, talking with them to gather information or to disperse people who are fighting. Police can also search civilians for firearms, knives or tools for breaking locks and windows. These activities make committing all kinds of crimes more difficult, not just homicide. If the increase in homicides were due to hesitance on the part of police to stop civilians, some criminologists say they would expect an increase in other "street crimes," including burglary and robbery. However, just 3.1 percent more cars were stolen last year, and the number of robberies increased just 1.4 percent. The number of burglaries declined 7.8 percent, according to the new federal data. "People who are talking about Ferguson effects -- why do you find it in homicide and not burglary?" asked Franklin Zimring, a criminologist at the University of California, Berkeley in an interview earlier this


The best Redskins stadium site in Virginia is about to go up for sale

already being targeted for something else. Now perhaps the best site in the county is becoming available: two forested, un-built parcels located along the Dulles Greenway on the doorstep of the planned Loudoun Gateway station west of Dulles Airport and 2 miles from the Redskins Ashburn headquarters. [Airport jet noise could be in Redskins’ future if new stadium goes to Virginia] Loudoun’s top economic development official, Buddy Rizer, called the property one of the county’s “most important assets” and said he expected it would be among the sites the team and other potential users would consider. A McAuliffe spokesman declined to comment. “It’s something we’re doing a lot of thinking and planning for to make sure that we get it right,” he said. “We think the opportunity here is immense.” For 32 years, the land has been controlled by businessman Chris Antigone, who bought the properties in partnership with his wife’s uncle, Sam Taustin, for a little under $2 million in 1984. Antigone initially laid out a grand plan for a mix of offices, homes, shopping and hotels called International City. Although nothing has been built there, the properties have recently been assessed at $86.8 million and could be worth as much as $377.2 million if developed under favorable zoning, according to court records. Antigone’s development vision, however, has not fared well recently. A county zoning update may bar him from building homes on the property due to noise concerns emanating from Washington Dulles International Airport. And more importantly, Antigone appears to have lost legal control of the properties to his partners, who are looking to sell. Sam Taustin died in 2002 and troubles started six years later when Dominion Power paid the two controlling companies, TAB I Associates and Dulles Greenway Associates, $507,000 for condemnation rights to some of the land. Antigone, owning a 63 percent majority stake, decided to keep the money in the companies. But Sam Taustin’s heirs, including his son Jay, wanted their share of the cash. They took Antigone to legal arbitration in 2011 and when that failed, sued to wrest control of the companies from him in 2011. After an eight-day trial late last year, Fairfax Circuit Court Judge David Schell forced Antigone out, finding that he had materially breached the companies’ operating agreements. Schell ruled in January that “the actions by Antigone shock the conscience” and the “unjust enrichment” by Antigone is staggering.


Trump says China is ‘the best ever’ at devaluing its currency. That’s no longer true.

cannot compete with us,” posted another. China’s state news agency Xinhua said Trump was using an age-old tactic — blame someone else for America’s problems. “When Trump talks about employment, he uses American politicians’ traditional techniques — talking about China!” Xinhua posted on its official social media account, before playing down his threats. “In recent years, on every presidential election, politicians will use not objective and inaccurate statements to describe China, hoping to incite voters' anger," Xinhua wrote. "However, it is just politicians' techniques. When they become presidents, they will adjust policies toward China. People who take these politicians' statements seriously, they lose." Some foreign-policy experts warn that Trump’s tepid support for America’s Asian allies Japan and South Korea could play into China’s hands. Trump himself mentioned both countries, along with Germany and Saudi Arabia, as nations who "we defend" but who do "not pay us." Clinton countered that Trump had caused many world leaders to raise concerns that the United States would not keep its word. "I want to reassure our allies in Japan and South Korea and elsewhere that we have mutual defense treaties and we will honor them," she said. In China, the exchange provoked some amusement. “Let’s support Trump, and let China dominate Asia,” one Weibo user posted. China came up a few more times during the debate, in reference to climate change, cyberhacking and North Korea. “Donald Trump thinks climate change is a hoax perpetrated by the Chinese,” Clinton said at one point. Trump objected: “I did not, I do not say that.” The truth, according to PolitiFact, is that Trump indeed made that claim in a tweet, but later retracted it, arguing it was a “joke.” Accusations that China has hacked into U.S. government and corporate computers to steal personal information and trade secrets has become a major sore point in the relationship between the two countries. Although Clinton mention China by name, her comments focused more on accusations against Russia, including that it hacked into the Democratic National Committee. Trump argued that there was no proof that the attack came from Russia, and he said it could have been almost anybody else, including China — or even "somebody sitting on their bed that weighs 400 pounds." He also called on China to dismantle North Korea’s nuclear program. "China should solve that problem for us. China should go into North Korea," he said. "China


The Daily 202: Why even Republicans think Clinton won the first debate

Iowa governor from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. Eastern. The no-funny-hats rule apparently no longer applies in the eighth year of one's presidency. Barack Obama addressed leaders of more than 500 Native Americans tribes at an eighth annual conference. "I hope I’ve done right by you,” he told the crowd at the White House, per Juliet Eilperin. (Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP) -- The Obama administration is settling lawsuits with 17 Native American tribes that accused the U.S. government of mismanaging funds and natural resources. The devastation in Aleppo keeps getting worse, and Russia is to blame. (Reuters) GET SMART FAST: - The Russians and the Syrians continued their barbaric, intensive airstrikes in Aleppo for the fourth day in a row, despite an emergency Security Council meeting at the U.N. - The Senate will vote tomorrow on overriding Obama’s veto of legislation that would allow families of 9/11 victims to sue Saudi Arabia. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he’s likely to get the necessary two-thirds support, and then the House will vote later this week. (Karoun Demirjian and Catherine Ho) - A Houston gunman wounded nine before being fatally shot by police. The shooter was a lawyer who was having unspecified issues with his law firm. (Mark Berman) - The 20-year-old man accused of fatally shooting five at a Washington state mall was charged with five counts of first-degree murder. Arcan Cetin, who evaded a manhunt for 24 hours following his Friday shooting rampage, appeared calm at his arraignment. (Jody Allard, M.L. Lyke and Amy B Wang) - NASA’s Hubble space telescope appears to have found active water plumes on Europa, suggesting that there may be geyser activity on Jupiter’s icy moon. (Rachel Feltman) - Crucial evidence is missing in the police shooting death of Keith Scott because one of the officers failed to activate his body camera equipment until more than 40 seconds into the encounter. The lapse is a violation of department policy and contributes to the lack of transparency surrounding Scott’s death last week. (Wesley Lowery) - Crime in the U.S. spiked to its highest rate in three years in 2015, with a 10 percent jump in homicides and a 4 percent rise in violent crime. It’s the largest one-year increase since 1968, but the numbers are centered around a few major cities. (Mark Berman) - The Labor Department is suing Palantir Technologies, claiming the company has “systemically


The more we learn about air pollution, the worse it gets

Pakistani motorcyclists ride through smoke on a street in Karachi on Sept. 27. Nine out of 10 people globally are breathing poor quality air, the World Health Organization said. (Rizwan Tabassum/AFP/Getty Images) The World Health Organization — which has previously found that indoor and outdoor air pollution killed a shocking 7 million people globally in 2012 — released a new analysis Tuesday underscoring the extent of the risk, which seems to grow worse and worse the more we learn about how damaging tiny airborne particles can be to our health. Most strikingly, the new report, which combines local data with a global model to determine the extent of deadly air pollution across the planet even in places where there are no instruments recording it, finds that 92 percent of people suffer under pollution levels that are worse than WHO standards (as of 2014). The vast majority of deaths are in developing countries. The document calls air pollution the “largest environmental risk factor.” Of greatest concern is a form of pollution called PM2.5, referring to particles smaller than 2.5 micrometers. The global health agency believes that a concentration greater than 10 micrograms per cubic meter of these fine particles in the air qualifies as dangerous. The great risk is that the particles are so small that they can be inhaled, travel into the lungs, and enter the bloodstream. “People think of air pollution as a respiratory disease,” said Carlos Dora, who heads the WHO’s air pollution team. “And in fact, it’s heart disease, strokes and cardiovascular. Because there’s very small particles that go into the blood. … The damage air pollution does to the vessels is similar to the damage that cholesterol or high blood pressure do. That has changed a lot the picture.” Dora said 10 years ago, few would have reached such conclusions about the severity of air pollution. But since then, he said, it is becoming clear that there are few causes of death that take a larger toll each year, including malaria and tuberculosis. The new report credits air pollution with “about one in every nine deaths annually.” The new model is allowing WHO to give increasingly fine-grained data about air pollution risks, by combining together over 3,000 actual ground measurements from across the world with satellite observations and an understanding of how air flows around the planet from place to place. “Based on the modelled data,


We just might have a real climate debate in this election. That’s bad news for Trump

by and for the Chinese in order to make U.S. manufacturing non-competitive. Clinton dinged Trump on this quite early in the debate, leading him to bizarrely deny it. Here’s the exchange: CLINTON: Take clean energy. Some country is going to be the clean- energy superpower of the 21st century. Donald thinks that climate change is a hoax perpetrated by the Chinese. I think it’s real. TRUMP: I did not. I did not. I do not say that. CLINTON: I think science is real. TRUMP: I do not say that. But the tweet is right there. Its own language implies a hoax, and in other cases, “hoax” is the actual word Trump used. It was the contradicting of his own tweet that really dug Trump into a hole, because this meant that the political press, often hesitant to dig into this science-infused issue, could simply point out the blatant contradiction in a binary fact-check manner. [A brief history of Donald Trump’s denialist position on climate change.] Accordingly, Trump’s campaign manager Kellyanne Conway had to defend him on climate issues Tuesday morning on CNN, where she basically said that he denies widely accepted science. More specifically, Conway stated “he believes that global warming is naturally occurring,” and when CNN’s Alisyn Camerota clarified whether that meant it isn’t caused by humans, she stated: “Correct.” There is an overwhelming scientific consensus that climate change is mainly caused by humans – or as the U.N.’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change put it in 2013: “It is extremely likely that human influence has been the dominant cause of the observed warming since the mid-20th century.” There is also growing fear about just how fast change could come – a place where uncertainty still persists — and how bad it will be. Trump’s vice presidential pick, Mike Pence, was also entrained. Later on CNN, he appeared to diverge somewhat from Conway, arguing that “there’s no question that the activities that take place in this country and in countries around the world have some impact on the environment and some impact on climate.” “Some impact” isn’t accurate either — as you can see above, human activities are the driving force — but Pence is here retreating to the more easily defended stance of a more practiced, but still skeptical, politician. The point is that all this puts the issue on the radar, and it could potentially be bad


This group of lawmakers is slamming the Obama administration for banning another drug

kratom in "treating withdrawal from addictive compounds." The researchers involved with that patent said that the active chemical in kratom "completely blocked all withdrawal symptoms and could provide a remarkable step-down-like treatment for people addicted to hardcore narcotics such as morphine, oxycodone or heroin" in a 2013 press release. Other research published The White House's Office of National Drug Control Policy referred inquiries to the Drug Enforcement Administration. The DEA did not respond to a request for comment. Kratom is a Southeast Asian plant that has shown promise as a potential replacement for highly addictive and deadly opiate painkillers. Anecdotal evidence suggests people can use the drug to wean themselves off opioids and alcohol, as well as to treat otherwise intractable chronic pain. But the DEA has said that these opiate-like effects are sufficient grounds to temporarily place the drug into schedule 1. In a Federal Register notice, the DEA cited more than 600 poison control center calls related to the drug between 2010 and 2015. It also noted 15 deaths linked to kratom use between 2014 and 2016, although a DEA spokesman later clarified that in only one of those cases was kratom the only drug involved. Scientists studying the drug's effects are worried that the DEA ban will stifle further research. Andrew Kruegel of Columbia University, who studies how compounds in kratom act on the brain's pain receptors, told Scientific American that he'll have to destroy all the kratom samples in his lab because he's not currently licensed to work with Schedule 1 substances. In a conference call with reporters on Tuesday, Kruegel said that "the new regulations will restrict our ability to pursue the development of new painkillers" that could replace the deadly opiates currently causing thousands of deaths annually. Kruegel's colleague, Susruta Majumdar of the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, said in the call that kratom research could lead to the "holy grail" of painkiller medicine -- a drug that's both effective at treating pain, and unlikely to be abused. But "a ban will definitely hinder our understanding" of how the compounds in kratom work. Other researchers have echoed similar concerns. Marc Swogger, a clinical psychologist at the University of Rochester Medical Center who has published research on kratom use, said in an interview earlier this month that "the research indicates that this is a pretty mild substance" and that "criminalizing kratom use is insane to me."


Elon Musk offers glimpse of plans to deliver humans to Mars

how one sustains a population on Mars,” said Phil Smith, a space analyst at the Tauri Group, a consulting firm. “Musk did provide some insight into manufacturing costs, pricing, and sources of funding, but I need to study those to see if they are realistic.” Musk said he would “make the biggest contribution I can” of his own wealth, and at one point he joked that the company might have to use Kickstarter, the online fundraising platform, to raise money. “As we show this dream is real ... I think the support will snowball over time,” Musk said. He said ultimately it would have to be a “public-private partnership” but while NASA is partnering but offering no funds on a first SpaceX mission, it has its own plan to get to Mars by the 2030s. Budget limitations could make even the agency’s mission difficult. Musk has also outlined an incredibly ambitious timeline, starting with the first launch of an unmanned craft as soon as 2018. That mission would be on the Falcon Heavy, which has yet to fly. And he conceded that he isn’t “always the best” at hitting the aggressive timelines he lays out for his dreams. Getting to Mars is exceedingly difficult. On average, it’s 140 million miles from Earth, though the planets come to within about 35 million miles of each other every 26 months. Even under the best circumstances it takes months to get there, Musk said SpaceX could do it in 80 days and eventually in 30. The deep space environment can also be tremendously harsh. Of the 43 robotic missions to Mars, including flybys, attempted by four different countries, only 18 have been total successes At a news conference later, Musk said that finding the cause of the Falcon 9 failure was “absolutely our highest priority” and that SpaceX is focused on flying astronauts safely. The Mars mission, for now, is a secondary or tertiary consideration, he said, that is taking up a small percentage of the company’s resources. The explosion followed a previous Falcon 9 failure last year, when a rocket blew up a couple of minutes into its flight. The Falcon 9 remains grounded while the investigation continues, meaning SpaceX’s government and commercial customers have to endure yet another costly delay. SpaceX has created travel-style posters to help create interest in its plans to colonize Mars. (Image courtesy of SpaceX) Still, while


Playboy’s interview with a Muslim woman mocks modesty and offends women

Playboy interviews Noor Tagouri. (Kate Warren/Playboy) In his 1966 debate with William Buckley about the “Playboy Philosophy,” Playboy magazine founder, Hugh Hefner, made clear that he opposes “religiously mandated, chastity-centered codes of sexual morality.” In fact, he opposes most any limit on public sexual expression, considering it fundamentally antithetical to freedom itself. It may come as a surprise, then, to learn that after more than half a century of exporting the Playboy concept of femininity and sexuality to the world, Playboy’s October 2016 issue features Noor Tagouri, a Muslim woman with a headscarf (or hijab), making the case for Muslim modesty. The interview is part of the magazine’s “Renegades” series that seeks to feature “men and women … [who have] risked it all — even their lives — to do what they love, showing us what can be accomplished if we break the rules.” The interview focuses on Tagouri’s quest to be the first anchor on commercial U.S. television to wear a Muslim headscarf. By featuring a Muslim woman among its profiles, Playboy capitalized on a now-prevalent trend among American Muslims, and especially American Muslim women, to appear “normal” at all costs. An Atlantic piece published Monday, “American Muslims Should Reject the Politics of Normalcy,” explains the phenomenon precisely. “Muslim women especially feel the burden to appear normal. … With all the negative assumptions they face about their religion, they must actively assert their lack of oppression, rather than simply living it out in their daily lives,” the article said. Muslim women in headscarves feel the pressure to prove to the world that they are intelligent and inspired, and that the hijab does not hold them back. And mainstream media, from Forbes to The Washington Post to Refinery29, has increasingly given these women the platform to share their story. Just last week, the fitness magazine, Women’s Runner, featured Rahaf Khatib, a headscarf-clad marathoner, on its cover. In response, the Muslim community has — rightfully — celebrated these opportunities to share its authentic narratives. And for some, the story in Playboy was just another example of that. But the Playboy interview is a step too far. It represents Muslim women, as purportedly represented by Tagouri, not on their own terms but in Playboy’s terms — and, in the process, mocks the very ethics and morals the hijab is religiously intended to reflect. The hijab, though politicized in a variety of contexts,


With costs spiraling out of control, Tokyo 2020 organizers eye drastic venue changes

The Tokyo Olympics could look drastically different than originally planned. (Toru Hanai/Reuters) In its winning bid for the 2020 Summer Olympics, organizers in Tokyo promised a compact Games, with 28 of the 31 competition venues within about a five-mile radius of the Olympic Village. But in the wake of soaring costs involved with building a number of temporary venues and other budgetary missteps, that promise is on the verge of being abandoned as organizers now may move a number of events away from Japan’s capital city — some of them hundreds of miles away. The Associated Press, in its retelling of news-service stories out of Tokyo, reported Wednesday that a Japanese government panel will recommend venue changes to a number of sports — including volleyball, swimming, rowing and canoe sprint — so that Olympic organizers can utilize existing venues instead of building new ones. The move comes as the cost of the 2020 Games has skyrocketed in recent years thanks to budget miscalculations and the fact that the Japanese government scrapped its initial plans for a new Olympic Stadium and started over from scratch, also because of spiraling costs. Yoshiro Mori, the president of the Tokyo organizing committee, said in July that costs for the seven planned temporary venues had risen to an estimated $2.6 billion, nearly four times the initial estimate of $690 million. Overall, the Games are forecast to exceed the original budget forecast of $3.5 billion. Tokyo 2020 organizers already had moved the venues for three sports outside of Tokyo to utilize existing facilities: — Basketball will be played at Saitama Super Arena, about 20 miles north of Tokyo. — Taekwondo will take place at Makuhari Messe, a convention center about 30 miles east of the city that also will host fencing, karate and wrestling. — Track cycling was moved to an existing velodrome in Izu, which is about a 90-mile drive from Tokyo. The move, announced last December, will save organizers $100 million in construction costs. Now at least four more sports could be moved: — The government panel will propose moving the rowing and canoe sprint events to Tome City, about 270 miles northeast of Tokyo, instead of holding them in Tokyo Bay. The original plan for the rowing and canoeing course, which would have been created from an existing water channel that bisects an island in Tokyo Bay, originally was estimated to cost somewhere


Elon Musk on mariachi bands, zero-G games, and why his Mars plan is like ‘Battlestar Galactica.’

On how what SpaceX is doing is a lot like the early days of the United States railroad system: “The goal of SpaceX is really to build the transport system. It's like building the Union Pacific Railroad. And once -- once that transport system is built, then there's a tremendous opportunity for anyone who wants to go to Mars and create something new or build the foundations of a new planet. So it's like who wants to sort of be, you know, among the founding members of a new planet and, like I said, build everything from iron refineries to the first pizza joint. You know, we will want them all. “And then things on Mars that people can't even imagine today that might be unique or would be unique to Mars. And -- but that's really where a tremendous amount of entrepreneurship and talent would flourish. Just as happened in California when the Union Pacific Railroad was completed. And when they were building the Union Pacific, a lot of people said, ‘Well, that's a super-dumb idea because there's no -- you know, hardly anybody lives in California.’ But now, I mean, today, [it's] the U.S. epicenter of technology development and entertainment. And it's the biggest state in the nation. But you need that transport link. If you can't get there, then none of those opportunities exist. Our goal is just to make sure you can get there.” On why the return trip to Earth will be free: “I think it's pretty important to give people the option of returning. The number of people who would be willing to move to Mars is much greater if they know that they have the option of returning, even if they never actually return. I mean, most of the people that went to the original English colonies in North America, they never returned to Europe, even once. “But some did. And just knowing that if you don't like it there, that you can come back, I think makes a big difference in people's willingness to go there in the first place. “In any case, we need the spaceship back. So it's coming. You can jump onboard or not. It's cool. You get a free return trip, if you want.” What do Burning Man, Michael Cera and an electric bus all have in common? They were all brought up during SpaceX’s latest Q&A session.


Why fast-food chains are making ‘increasingly outrageous’ creations to get you through the door

success of Starbucks's pumpkin spice latte, and other seasonal products, is less in the flavor and more in the type of marketing the company uses. Despite the effort these foods take to develop, most aren't intended to be sustainable as long-term menu additions. "It's almost never about making money off the product," said Darren Tristano, president of the food industry analysis firm Technomic. In fact, the bestselling items at fast-food restaurants tend not to be the wacky mashups, but the classic offerings -- Taco Bell's standard tacos and burritos, for example. The point of the limited-time offers, as Taco Bell's head of social insights, Ben Miller, told the Atlantic, is "getting people in the door." Tristano also said it's about taking money away from competitors and making companies seem innovative and appealing. So why do companies need to invent excuses for you to come in? The main reason is competition, and not just from their immediate fast-food brethren. Fast-casual restaurants such as Cava Grill, Chipotle and &pizza have moved in on the fast-food market and are growing at a faster rate, said Elizabeth Friend, a Euromonitor International strategy analyst. From 2014 to 2015, fast-casual brands grew at a rate of 10.2 percent, compared to 3.1 percent for the rest of the fast establishments. Years ago, a diner's only option for getting food quickly was the local drive-through. Now, "It's really easy to get food quickly with minimal effort," Friend said, pointing to such delivery apps as UberEats and GrubHub in addition to grocery stores with hot bars and prepared food offerings. "Convenience is a very strong factor," Tristano said. And if fast food isn't as convenient as other options, then brands have got to think of something else. A crazy fast-food item might be the only nudge a diner needs to walk into a Taco Bell or Burger King. If they've seen news coverage or a post on social media, the restaurant might later be at the top of their mind when they're trying to decide where to go. Why does it work? No doubt the visuals are especially compelling and share-worthy, which says as much about consumers as it does about the brands hawking them. "The vast majority of us, we don't have a lot of exciting things that happen to us" on a daily basis, said Brian Wansink, author of "Slim by Design" and the director of Cornell


8 new restaurants you probably haven’t tried yet

Steamed beef dumplings (mantu) at Afghan Bistro. (Dixie D. Vereen for The Washington Post) Want to know which new D.C.-area restaurants are worth your time and money? These fresh eateries get the nod of approval from The Post's critics. Afghan Bistro "Afghan Bistro has fewer than 50 seats, and word of mouth has helped fill them," says Post food critic Tom Sietsema. Don't be fooled by the restaurant's location in an unassuming Springfield strip mall -- this family affair is turning out some excellent dishes. The Gospel Bird fried chicken platter with greens, macaroni and cheese and biscuits at Sweet Home Cafe. (Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post) Sweet Home Cafe Early favorites at the new restaurant inside the National Museum of African American History and Culture include the buttermilk fried chicken, oyster pan roast and barbecue buffalo brisket sandwich. Bindaas is the new Indian street food sibling to Rasika. (Dixie D. Vereen for The Washington Post) Bindaas The Rasika team of chef Vikram Sunderam and owner Ashok Bajaj focuses on Indian street food, and the menu is full of gems, says Sietsema. Be sure to try the pao bhaji, shishito pepper pakora and shrimp uttapam. Chef Anthony Nelson in front of the hearth at Field & Main. (Dixie D. Vereen for The Washington Post) Field Main Neal and Star Wavra, formerly of the Ashby Inn, have set up shop in a charming former tavern in Marshall, Va., where much of the fare benefits from time in the wood-fueled hearth. Customers sample pizza at All-Purpose. (Dixie D. Vereen for The Washington Post) All-Purpose "The initial attraction here was pizza. It remains so," says Sietsema of the collaborative restaurant in Shaw from the teams behind the Red Hen and Boundary Stone. The Lot pizza at Timber Pizza Co. (Dixie D. Vereen for The Washington Post) Timber Pizza Co. Another spot with well-executed, creative pies. This attractive Petworth eatery comes from two co-owners with no prior pizza experience who started Timber as a mobile business. An assortment of pintxos (small bites) on display at La Cuchara. (Deb Lindsey for The Washington Post). La Cuchara "If there's a bigger, warmer environment for dining, I have yet to make its acquaintance," Sietsema says of the Basque restaurant in Baltimore that's offering some fun and refined plates. Anxo serves a menu of pintxos that pair well with its carefully selected list of ciders. (Deb Lindsey for The


Marijuana really can be deadly, but not in the way you probably expect

actual penalty may be. Sekaran notes that places like Colorado saw their marijuana-related arrest rates drop dramatically after legalization. Black Americans are much more likely to be at the receiving end of drug-related police encounters. A 2013 American Civil Liberties Union report noted that while blacks and whites smoke weed at similar rates, blacks are four times more likely to be arrested for it. Marijuana enforcement can be deadly for police officers, too. In 2011, members of a narcotics task force raided the home of a military veteran suspected of growing marijuana plants to self-medicate for post-traumatic stress disorder. After hearing his door broken down the veteran, Matthew Stewart, grabbed a handgun to defend himself and killed one of the task-force officers in the ensuing gunfight. It's not just initial police confrontations that can turn deadly as a result of suspected marijuana use. In 2013, the body of North Dakota college student named Andrew Sadek was found at the bottom of a river with a backpack full of rocks and a bullet wound in his head. His family says his death was related to his informant work, and have sued the sheriff's department for wrongful death. In a state where marijuana isn't fully legal, the simple presence of pot is enough to suggest a connection between the person holding it and the black market economy supplying it. That alone may be enough for an officer to initiate an encounter with that person in the hope of making inroads into that economy and taking down some of the larger players in it. Decriminalizing marijuana use, but not legalizing it completely, still allows for the "invasion of peoples' privacy and violations of their liberty. And it takes their lives," said the Drug Policy Alliance's Sekaran. "Ending marijuana prohibition wont get rid of all that, but it will take away a big tool used by law enforcement in real corrupt ways." The deaths of Scott, Hammond and others are a reminder that as long as a drug remains illegal, its mere presence is enough to trigger an encounter with law enforcement that could turn out deadly for individuals on either side of it. More from Wonkblog: An unprecedented number of states will vote on marijuana this fall The DEA wants to ban another plant. Researchers say the plan is 'insane' More than 1,000 world leaders say the drug war has been a disaster


D.C. Circulator extends hours to help Red Line riders during SafeTrack

The D.C. Circulator will operate on extended hours starting Oct. 2 to help riders come with the upcoming SafeTrack surge and Metro’s temporary moratorium on late-night service. (The Washington Post) The District Department of Transportation is extending hours of service on the DC Circulator to help offset the impact of the next planned Metro SafeTrack surge, which is scheduled to shutter Red Line service between Fort Totten and NoMa stations from Oct. 29 to Nov. 22. “The expanded D.C. Circulator service is designed to provide travelers with additional commuting options,” DDOT said in a statement Wednesday. Starting Sunday, the Circulator will stay open until 3 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays — an hour later than usual — for the routes that run from Georgetown to Union Station, and from Dupont through Georgetown to Rosslyn. The Circulator will also begin operating at 6 a.m. on weekdays — an hour earlier than usual — on the routes that run though Woodley Park-Adams Morgan-McPherson Square, Georgetown-Union Station, and Dupont-Georgetown-Rosslyn. Additionally, late-night service will begin operation on the entire stretch of the Georgetown-Union Station line. Currently, after 9 p.m., that route only operates west of McPherson Square. The schedule changes come as D.C. gears up for the impact of the 25-day surge, which will be the third to affect the Red Line. District officials are also seeking to provide alternate options for nightlife-seekers and late-shift workers who currently have few transportation options due to Metro’s temporary moratorium on late-night service.


Mystery Zika case in Utah was likely spread through sweat or tears

A biologist displays Aedes aegypti mosquito cells inoculated with the Zika virus in a laboratory in Campinas, Brazil. (Paulo Whitaker/Reuters) Update: Instead, he had remained at his father's side in the hospital. In a case study published Wednesday in The New England Journal of Medicine, the medical team who cared for both patients said it's likely the younger man contracted the virus through his father's sweat or tears. The older man had an unusually high level of virus in his blood, more than 100,000 times higher than that seen in samples of other infected people. The son had contact with his father's skin and wiped his eyes, "both without gloves," said Sankar Swaminathan, an infectious disease specialist at the University of Utah's School of Medicine who treated the two patients. No other family members or health care workers who had contact with the 73-year-old man reported a Zika infection. Swaminathan said the case offers critical new information for health care providers and researchers. In rare cases, when patients have severe Zika infections, "the levels of virus may very well be unprecedented, and the implication is that such cases may present increased risk for transmission through bodily fluids," he said. There only have been nine other Zika-related adult deaths in the Americas that have not been linked to Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare nervous system illness that causes muscle weakness and sometimes paralysis. Some of those nine individuals had serious underlying medical conditions or very weak immune systems, Swaminathan said. But that was not the case for the Utah man. The father had been treated for prostate cancer but did not have a severely weakened immune system when he became ill with Zika. However, he had previously been infected with dengue, a related virus. Some research in animals has suggested that previous dengue infections may worsen a subsequent Zika infection. It's possible that could have happened in this patient's case, triggering his severe infection, Swaminathan said. The father had traveled to the southwest coast of Mexico, where he got bitten by mosquitoes. After returning home, he became sick and was admitted to the hospital in shock, respiratory distress, a sore throat and conjunctivitis, or inflammation of the eyes. Swaminathan said most doctors treating someone with those symptoms might suspect illnesses such as pneumonia or sepsis, a complication from a life-threatening response to infection. But not Zika. "What this case tells me is


Father of ‘clock kid’ Ahmed Mohamed sues Glenn Beck, Fox and others for defamation

Duyne said on the show that Ahmed was not forthcoming to police and school officials about what he’d brought to school, and that his family didn’t respond to requests for records from the city. The lawsuit claims that wasn’t true. In response to Beck, Hanson said that Ahmed’s arrest was a publicity stunt by terrorists, and that someone persuaded the boy to bring the device to school. “They wanted people to react, and they wanted to portray this kid as an innocent victim,” Hanson said. “I think he was a pawn potentially by his father.” Over the next two months, Shapiro and Ferguson made similar statements on Fox News and Fox 4 News, respectively. “I think he used his son. He is one of those, you know, ‘I’m gonna point out anyone that’s against Islam type of guy. I’m going to cause problems.’ They preplanned this. It looked like a bomb. He also didn’t create a clock. He took a clock apart and he put it in a mini-briefcase to make it look like a bomb,” said Ferguson, who also said that Ahmed loved his newfound fame and compared him to the Kardashians. Fox and Shapiro declined to comment, citing a pending litigation. In an email response to The Washington Post, Hanson, of the Center for Security Policy, repeated statements he’d made about Ahmed’s father, saying he’s using his son “as a pawn in a political game.” “This lawsuit is just another example of that and worse an attempt to silence the truth tellers who expose the Islamist agenda,” Hanson said. “They will not silence us and we hope that others who may fear to speak up will be heartened when he prevail, and we will.” The center’s general counsel, David Yerushalmi, called the lawsuit “frivolous,” an example of “malicious prosecution” and “Islamist lawfare.” Beck, Van Duyne and Ferguson did not respond to inquiries from The Post. Mohamed’s lawyers also did not respond to a request for comment. The lawsuit demands that the defendants publicly retract statements they’d made about Ahmed’s arrest. Ahmed’s family also recently filed a civil rights lawsuit The boy and his family left Irving and moved to Qatar last October. READ MORE: Playboy’s interview with a Muslim woman mocks modesty and offends women As the nation debates the place of Islam, the CIA’s Muslim officers fight terrorism Donald Trump is bringing anti-Muslim prejudice into the mainstream


‘They put us through hell’: A Marine abused at boot camp explains why he spoke out

Former Pvt. Thomas Jacob Weaver, 21, first reported allegations of drill instructor abuse that have spawned widespread concern after the death of another recruit in March. (Photos courtesy the Weaver family) Former Pvt. Thomas Jacob Weaver was in bed late one night, near the end of his three months at Marine Corps boot camp, when several drill instructors burst into his platoon’s room. Many of them smelled like they had been drinking whiskey, he said, and they ordered the recruits to crawl over cement floors covered in laundry detergent. Soon after, the instructors left the room and then abruptly returned. One of them demanded to know where he could find “the terrorist.” Weaver knew immediately who he was talking about: a fellow Marine recruit who was Muslim. “We heard the door slam, and then we heard screaming, and then we heard loud noises, and then they left,” Weaver said. “And then I saw [the recruit] come back half-naked, and some of us ran over to check on him. And he told us that they had stuck him in the dryer for a couple of minutes and let him spin.” That night in July 2015 was one of the last experiences for Weaver at Parris Island, S.C., one of the military’s best-known boot camps. He graduated with plans to follow the footsteps of his uncles who had been Marines. Within months, he began suffering a breakdown. He was hospitalized with suicidal thoughts and refused to continue training at Pensacola, Fla. He was sent home with an “other-than-honorable” discharge, according to military documents. Marine Corps drill instructors conduct gear inspections with recruits on pick-up day, aboard Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, Calif. In November, he and his father, Troy, began fighting his discharge, saying his breakdown was the result of the abusive environment at Parris Island. “They say it’s a rite of passage to us,” said Weaver, 21, of the abuse. “That that’s why they put us through hell. But in no way is it benefiting us, or anything. It’s pointless. I just felt like someone has to say something, and I know I’m probably going to get a lot of flak and whatnot, but it’s the right thing to do.” Former Pvt. Thomas Jacob Weaver was a member of Platoon 3054, Lima Company, 3rd Recruit Training Battalion, shown here graduating from boot camp July 24, 2015. (Photo by Sgt. Jennifer


China plans world’s deepest high-speed rail station, right under the Great Wall

surface, with an underground construction area of 36,000 square meters, equal to five standard soccer fields, making it the deepest and largest high-speed railway station in the world," Chen Bin, director in charge of construction for China Railway No. 5 Engineering Group, told state media. China's superlatives rest on some semantic fine-tuning, though. The planned station would be the deepest high-speed rail stop, China says, but not the deepest station for passenger rail. In Kiev, for example, the Arsenalna subway platform is billed at more than 105 meters, or 344 feet, below the surface. Badaling will be one of 10 stations on the 110-mile route, designed to handle maximum speeds of 215 mph. There will also be a branch line to Chongli, which will host skiing events during the Olympics. There was controversy earlier this month when it was revealed that authorities had laid concrete over a crumbling section of the Great Wall in a restoration project criticized as “crude” and “ugly.” A villager sits on a paved-over section of the Great Wall of China. Several in the country criticized the restoration as "ugly."(AFP via Getty Images) But railway engineers said they will be careful to ensure this construction project does not damage the UNESCO world heritage site. "It will run through mountains where the Great Wall is winding, so we adopted some of the world's advanced explosion technologies to guarantee it would not affect the Great Wall," said Luo Duhao, chief engineer of the railway group for the Badaling section. China is in the midst of an ambitious program of railway construction in which it is expected to invest $400 billion to build a 10,000-mile network by 2020. Employees inspect a bullet train at a high-speed railway maintenance station in China in 2014. (Reuters) A subsequent inquiry revealed massive corruption in the railways ministry. Authorities say they have since tightened up safety procedures. On social media, many messages burst with pride. "This is no longer the phase for China to chase and surpass Europe and the United States," one wrote. "We set the standards. We have the best now!"“ But others were not as sure. "This is sinful and shameful! It is bad for fengshui in that royal region. It will destroy Beijing’s royal dragon vein!” wrote another, referring to the mountains around the capital, often described by locals as the dragon's vein. Congcong Zhang contributed to this report.


minutes, from more than three hours now. "The Badaling station will be located 102 meters below the surface, with an underground construction area of 36,000 square meters, equal to five standard soccer fields, making it the deepest and largest high-speed railway station in the world," Chen Bin, director in charge of construction for China Railway No 5 Engineering Group, told state media. China's superlatives rest on some semantic fine-tuning, however. The planned station would be the deepest high-speed rail stop, China says, but not the farthest underground station for passenger rail. In Kiev, for example, the Arsenalna subway platform is billed at more than 105 meters, or 344 feet, below the surface. Badaling will be one of 10 stations on the 110-mile route, designed to cope with maximum speeds of 215 miles an hour. There will also be a branch line to Chongli, which will host skiing events during the Olympics. There was controversy earlier this month when it was revealed that authorities had laid concrete over a crumbling section of the Great Wall in a restoration project criticized as “crude” and “ugly.” undefined But railway engineers said they will be careful to ensure this construction project does not damage the Unesco world heritage site. "It will run through mountains where the Great Wall is winding, so we adopted some of the world's advanced explosion technologies to guarantee it would not affect the Great Wall," said Luo Duhao, chief engineer of the railway group for the Badaling section. China has in the midst of an ambitious program of railway construction that is supposed to see it invest $400 billion to build in a 10,000-miles network by 2020. Employees inspect a bullet train at a high speed railway maintenance station, in Xi'an, China on Jan. 7, 2014. (REUTERS) A subsequent enquiry revealed massive corruption in the railways ministry. Authorities say they have since tightened up safety procedures. On social media, many messages burst with pride. "This is no longer the phase for China to chase and surpass Europe and the United States," one wrote. "We set the standards. We have the best now!"“ But others were not sure. "This is sinful and shameful! It is bad for fengshui in that royal region. It will destroy Beijing’s royal dragon vein!” wrote another, referring the mountains around the capital, often described by locals as the dragon's vein. Congcong Zhang contributed to this report.


Meet the senators and congressmen who support marijuana legalization

does find significant congressional support for a number of other marijuana-related policy changes. In addition to the members supporting legalization, 254 congressmen and senators support policies related to the decriminalization of marijuana, or to allowing marijuana for medical use. An additional 32 representatives and 22 senators have publicly declared support for states to set their own marijuana policies without federal interference. At the other end of the spectrum, 16 representatives and 16 senators received an 'F' grade from NORML, indicating "significant and vocal opposition to marijuana law reform." But overall, the scorecard shows strong majorities in Congress who have voiced support for at least some form of change to the nation's marijuana laws. 270 representatives and 60 senators received a "passing" grade of 'C' or higher, indicating they at least support the right of states set their own marijuana policies. While many marijuana reform measures have attracted bipartisan support in Congress, the scorecard does show a significant partisan split on marijuana policy: 92 percent of Democrats received a grade of 'C' or higher, compared to only 37 percent of Republicans. Among the 22 congressmen supporting full marijuana legalization only one, Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R.-Calif.) is a Republican. Conversely, among the 32 most vocal opponents of marijuana reform only one, Sen. Tom Carper (D.-Del.) is a Democrat. One reason Congress has been slow to move on marijuana reform is that for most voters, drug policy isn't as big a priority as traditional hot-button issues, like jobs, terrorism or healthcare. Still, the past few years have shown that voters do care enough about the issue to change marijuana laws via ballot initiatives. That can create problems when federal law doesn't keep pace with changes at the state level. The legal marijuana industry is already dealing with these problems: marijuana businesses still can't use the federal banking system. They're not able to apply for the same tax breaks available to other businesses, meaning many are paying effective tax rates of 70 percent or more. Since marijuana remains illegal at the federal level, some businesses are still dealing with the threat of DEA raids. If current trends continue, at some point enough states will have legalized marijuana that Congress would likely be forced to act to reconcile differences between state and federal policy. Many observers point to California -- the world's 6th-largest economy and home to 12 percent of the U.S. population -- as


Test redirect stage

Test redirect stage This is a developing story. It will be updated.


I-95 drivers will see vegetation turn brown, but it’s not an autumn thing

Interstate 95 drivers, if you can take your eyes from the car bumper ahead of you for just a second, you may be looking off to the side at Tree-of Heaven, Bradford Pear and Porcelainberry, among other species. But the Maryland State Highway Administration says that’s not good. Look familiar? Maryland wants to make it less so. It’s Porcelainberry along the Capital Beltway. (State Highway Administration) They’re among the invasives that line up along the interstates, and the SHA is expanding a program to zap them. The latest effort will focus on I-95 in Howard County. The results should be similar to what Capital Beltway drivers see in Montgomery County and what Route 50 drivers have seen near the Prince George’s/Anne Arundel County line. During the first part of the project, the sides of the highway are going to turn brown. The contractors on these projects use chain saws and clippers to attack the gnarly trees and vines. But they also use herbicide, resulting in the browning. The SHA says herbicide work is supervised by certified pesticide applicators. The first phase of the I-95 project is scheduled to be done in spring 2018. It’s a long process of removing and treating the vegetation, then monitoring and treating any regrowth. Then the crews go back and plant native trees and ground-cover. Milkweed is an example of the type of plant that goes in during the restoration. The work is very visible to motorists, but should not interfere with traffic, because it’s off to the sides and in medians. The invasive species have overtaken grassy areas along the highways in the past 15 years or so, SHA Director of Environmental Design Sonal Ram said in a statement about the start of the I-95 work. The invasives push out native plants, but the SHA doesn’t like them because they can reduce sight distances at some spots and block a driver’s vision of road signs. Some of the invasive species can wrap around trees and kill them, creating another hazard if the tree falls over. The vines also are a problem if they gum up the storm water drainage systems.


14 things to do in the D.C. area on the first weekend of October

Here are this weekend's best bets in nightlife, festivals, museums, music and much more around the Washington area. - Crazy idea? Dirty Habit opens Saturday - New to you: 8 restaurants worth checking out - A curator's picks: Food, music and fun in D.C. Smithsonian at 8: Glow in the Garden illuminates the Enid A. Haupt Garden and the Smithsonian Castle. (Kate Warren) Friday: Friday: Uncensored: The Cocktail Party at the Martin Luther King Jr. Library Through Saturday: Friday-Sunday: The East Building of the National Gallery of Art will reopen Friday with a cool blue statue on the terrace. (Bill O'Leary/The Washington Post) Friday-Sunday: Friday-Sunday: Saturday: Saturday: Taste of Georgetown Saturday: Saturday: Saturday: Saturday: Fruition - Labor of Love [Live] Saturday: Saturday-Sunday:


Bees are bold when they’re on a sugar buzz

to see what happen. Those who had been primed with sugar zipped right through, while their less lucky comrades meandered. And when they were "attacked" by a simulated predator (two sponges that momentarily clamped down and trapped them), the rewarded bees were quicker to go back about their business. This is what an optimistic bee looks like: Having gotten one good thing, it is more confident, less fearful and eager for more. To figure out the biological basis of this optimism, the scientists treated the bees with several chemicals that block various neurotransmitters associated with motivation, pleasure and rewards. One of them, a dopamine antagonist called fluphenazine, completely canceled out the positive effect of the sugar treat. That suggests that higher dopamine levels from the sugary jolt is what made the bees so inclined to expect the best. In an analysis for Science, animal cognition researchers Michael Mendl and Elizabeth Paul said it's possible that the so-called "optimism" may be just a sugar high. How can we know that the bees weren't flying faster because they were energetic after being fed? But Perry and his colleagues think this is unlikely. The bees' behavior didn't speed up overall in response to the sugar solution; they were as slow as ever getting to the blue card that signaled unappealing water. The fact that optimism — or something like it — exists in an invertebrate suggests that the feeling may have an evolutionary root, Mendl and Paul write. One function of "affective states," they say, could be to inform animals' decision-making strategies when balancing the need for food with the fear of predators. The finding also opens up a host of other questions: How exactly does dopamine induce the optimistic state? To what extent can this state be compared to optimism in humans? And most of all, if bees can act optimistically, can they be said to feel optimistic? "Whether 'emotion-like' states in insects are accompanied by emotional feelings remains unanswered," Mendl and Paul write, "but the possibility of insect consciousness is now the topic of exciting new theories and vigorous debate." Read more: Who is smart enough to decide how to improve the human species? How to save stale bread and chips with delicious chemistry Sequencing the genome creates so much data we don’t know what to do with it Happy anniversary, Ötzi: 25 years later, we’re still obsessed with the Iceman


IBM acquires Promontory, bringing cognitive computing to Washington

“Jeopardy!” contestant Ken Jennings faces off against IBM’s Watson behavioral computing system. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) International Business Machines (IBM) is acquiring Promontory Financial Group, an influential Washington bank advisory firm, the two companies announced today. Financial terms were not disclosed. The computing giant says it wants to apply the expertise of Promontory’s 600-odd consultants to its “Watson” system of artificial intelligence, “teaching” the company’s computer to operate better in the complex and evolving arts of financial and regulatory analysis. Watson is a cognitive computing system developed by IBM, which made headlines when it bested a champion on the television quiz show Jeopardy. Its chief innovation is in the way in which its complex algorithms absorb lessons from decisions made by human beings, and become more sophisticated. IBM is hoping to automate the expertise of Promontory’s experts and apply it to complex analysis of unwieldy financial data. “Automating and scaling is a great thing even with traditional technology, but it’s an awesome step function with a cognitive learning capability,” Promontory chief executive Gene Ludwig said in an interview. “There’s a potential for one and one makes three, or maybe 15.” Promontory, with 19 offices around the globe, has been troubleshooting for banks and financial services firms worldwide for more than a decade. The firm’s ranks are brimming with former regulators and Beltway insiders, and it has been critically scrutinized for the role it plays in what has been called the outsourcing of oversight. It’s customers, including IBM, see Promontory’s prominence in Washington as an advantage. “We’re excited to have a strong presence with [Promontory] now in Washington,” said Alistair Rennie, IBM’s general manager of industry Solutions. “They’re close to a lot of the institutions driving regulatory frameworks.” Some have said they are too close. Last year New York’s top bank regulator accused Promontory of softening a report it prepared on behalf of Britain-based Standard Chartered outlining the bank’s role in moving money from such countries as Sudan, Iran and Burma that faced sanctions from the United States. Acknowledging that “in certain instances” its actions “did not meet the department’s current requirements for consultants performing regulatory compliance work for entities supervised by the department,” Promontory agreed to pay $15 million and abstain from certain consulting engagements for six months. Promontory CEO Eugene “Gene” Ludwig says the sale has nothing to do with the fallout of his company’s tiff with regulators. “That’s long


Samsung’s ‘exploding’ washers raise serious questions about its quality control

A picture of a faulty washer, submitted to SaferProducts.gov. Samsung, still recovering from the messy recall of its premium Galaxy Note 7 smartphone, has disclosed that products from another major category are also prone to exploding — its washing machines. Consumers reported at least six models of its top-loading washing machines — some of which have operated without problems for years — have been known to explode, spin violently and levitate during the spin cycle, turning them into dangerous projectiles. Samsung has set up a website for customers to check if their machines are faulty, but has not issued a formal recall or released a full list of which models are affected. Descriptions of the faulty machines filed with the government are harrowing. "The machine jumped forward about two feet and turned 90 degrees," reads one report filed to SaferProducts.gov, where users can report faulty products to the government. "It slammed into the dryer, leaving a huge dent in the side of it." The washer then ripped the electrical outlet from its screws and bent it to the side, the report said. Others said their appliances ripped holes in the walls, or lodged pieces of plastic and metal in the drywall after exploding. A class-action lawsuit against Samsung over the appliances is in the works, but these reports also prompted the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission to issue a warning statement about the washers Wednesday. Samsung has suffered brand damage after recalling its Galaxy Note 7, which could explode during charging. The washer defects are unrelated to the battery issues Samsung faced with its smartphone. But the danger of both defects raises questions about the company's quality control, and could damage the company's brand significantly if consumers associate Samsung with dangerous products. A survey from strategy and design firm Branding Brand found that 34 percent of Samsung smartphone owners, drawn to the quality of its products, said they would not buy another phone from the company in light of the Galaxy Note 7 recall. That could be particularly damaging as Samsung, like other tech rivals, moves into a consumer electronics world, where everything is connected. Some washers that are affected by this defect can connect to users' smartphones, using the firm's "SmartCare" diagnostic technology. If consumers have doubts about one of a company's products, it can be damaging to the whole ecosystem of devices, said Chris Mason, chief executive and


Man channels Forrest Gump with plan to run 20,000 miles in three years to fight childhood obesity

to an immune disorder three months ago. Instead, Plunkett-Cole’s been living in an RV with his support crew, a fellow ultra-runner from England named Arthur Hayford-Taylor. Both are relying on crowdfund donations to keep the dream alive. So far, they’ve raised roughly $3,150 through PledgeSports.org. Plunkett-Cole says he’s preparing to run mostly alone while Hayford-Taylor, a 25-year-old musician, travels ahead to the agreed-upon destination with the RV each night. There, the runner can re-up his supplies and get some rest each day. “Arthur’s really got his work cut out [for him],” Plunkett-Cole said, admitting that his Asperger’s can make him a difficult person to be around for long periods of time. Ironically, it’s other people that Plunkett-Cole hopes to reach as he runs toward his goal that he aims to complete by the time he gets into his early 50s because “things get an awful lot harder.” Plunkett-Cole is aware of the growing epidemic of childhood obesity in both the United Kingdom and the United States, and he’s hoping his run might help curb the trend. One of the things he hopes to do during the run is visit schools along the way to talk about his journey, show pictures and inspire kids to get moving. Plunkett-Cole has already been doing that in the United Kingdom with great success. “I don’t refer to weight issues, but underneath it all it is a fact that we have an obesity epidemic… and one of the key drivers of that is a lack of exercise and activity,” he said. “The school visits are the difference I want to make.” He’s also hoping to inspire kids on the autism spectrum that their conditions don’t need to be viewed negatively. “If there are kids out there who do have similar issues, it’s to show them you can challenge those and you can do quite cool things,” he said. Plunkett-Cole broke the three-hour mark at the London Marathon earlier this year, but says he’ll have to scrap his plans, however, if he can’t last. Although he doesn’t like using the word “failure,” he says he’s prepared to handle the disappointment should he be unable to complete the run, either due to a serious injury or because of the strict parameters he’s set for himself regarding distances and times. To accomplish the 20,000-mile run, he said he’ll need to carefully pace himself. Plunkett-Cole has no intention of


Arizona cross-country team shows its mettle chasing down would-be thief

A would-be thief learned the hard way on Sunday that if you’re going to rob somebody, make sure there’s not a cross-country team around. That’s exactly what happened to Darren Clinton, 48, of Minneapolis, when he took his chances trying to swipe a backpack and a travel bag out of a hotel room in which the University of Arizona cross-country team was staying. The Wildcats were in the Twin Cities for the Roy Griak Invitational when all-American senior 800-meter runner Collins Kibet heard someone leaving the hotel room’s bathroom who turned out to be Clinton, according to Runner’s World. The senior then took off in pursuit. Kibet chased Clinton down five flights of stairs and out a side door, only to be confronted by a man with a knife, according to the police report. That man, holding the backpack and travel bag, was Clinton. Wildcats coach Tim Riley and five of Kibet’s teammates were eating breakfast at a restaurant across the street when they saw Kibet, who was running late, arguing with the man. “He was terrified” Arizona junior Patrick Leary said of Clinton. “He was so scared. He knew he was caught and just wanted to get away.” What happened next was even more surprising. Clinton dropped the bags, emptied his pockets and even gave up his own wallet. Then he ran toward a highway on-ramp with junior Bailey Roth in giving chase for about three-quarters of a mile. Police wound up catching Clinton near the highway and retrieved Roth’s watch and the wallet of a teammate. Clinton was charged with second-degree burglary, per Runner’s World. A Minneapolis Police Department spokesperson emailed a statement to the publication saying, “It is a great lesson. Never steal from a long distance track runner . . . You will be caught.” “We were pretty hyped to be honest,” Roth said. “We didn’t have a great race, and we have been working on our team dynamic. Afterward I told them, ‘Hey guys, our spirit is back.'” (H/T Runner’s World)


‘Without freedom you cannot have real peace’: Q&A with Shimon Peres in 2014

who is eligible for parole next year, after 30 years in federal prison. Why is Pollard so important to you and the Israelis? Many see him as a spy, a traitor, an American who sold secrets about the Soviet Union to Israel for money. A: I am a president who also gives pardons. Usually my considerations are humane. I have the same feeling towards him. I think he is a man who is sitting already 29 years. That is a long time to sit. And he is sick and there are limits. Q: Will you speak about Jonathan Pollard with President Obama? A: Yes. I have already spoken about this with Obama, but I will speak again. Q: You’ve known more U.S. presidents than Fidel Castro. A: I’ve worked with 10 presidents. It’s a record. I worked with Republicans and Democrats. All of them when it came to Israel were, movingly, friendly. From Truman, who was the first to recognize Israel 11 minutes after the U.N. resolution, to Obama. When it comes to the major issues of security and strategy, we are together, completely. Q: The U.S. branch of the Presbyterian church just voted to divest from three companies that do business with the Israeli military. I understand the Israeli position is that the Boycott Divestment Sanctions movement is about the delegitimization of Israel. But some people might see it favorably, because they want to push Israel in what they see as the right direction. And you have pushed this Israeli government as well. A: In any democratic country you have more than one view. The minute you try to threaten and use boycotts I think it is outside the democratic perception. Democracy wants to win by reason, not by arms or by any other material damage, because, look, I don’t have to remind you that I am totally for peace. It is my greatest dream. It was and will remain so. But I cannot forget that we have had to go through seven wars. Can any church help us to win a war? If you can’t help us win a war, then please don’t press us. Q: You and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas met earlier this month at the Vatican for a “prayer summit” with Pope Francis. What do you and Abbas talk about? Are you truly old friends? A: We are old and we are friends [Peres


‘Black moon’ rising: No, it’s not the apocalypse

an astrophysicist and author, told the Los Angeles Times. “Social media has a huge part to play. These things go viral.” First, the science. A black moon occurs when two new moons appear in the same month. This month’s first new moon came on Sept. 1, and its second will come Friday evening, rising just after 8 p.m. Eastern time. Black moons occur about every 32 months, according to Joe Rao of Space.com. The last was in March 2014, and there won’t be another in the Western Hemisphere until July 2019. One lunar cycle is 29.53 days, just shy of a month on Earth, meaning there’s usually a full moon and a new moon each month. A “blue moon” is the nickname for two full moons in a calendar month. Compared to other lunar events, the black moon is “somewhat unusual,” Rao said. Blue moons happen every two to three years. Super moons — defined as a full moon coming during the moon’s closest approach to Earth — happen four to six times a year. By contrast, super moon eclipses, such as the one that came last fall, happen every couple decades. And lunar tetrads — a series of four total eclipses occurring six months apart — are extremely rare, sometimes occurring centuries apart. What does any of this have to do with the apocalypse? Nothing. But as the public has become increasingly interested in the moon’s idiosyncrasies, so have the prophets of doom. Last year saw the completion of a rare blood moon tetrad, with four total lunar eclipses occurring in an 18-month period, spawning an array of theories about how it signaled the end of the world. One minister cited the rise of the Islamic State as evidence that the apocalypse was already on its way in. A series of books by Christian authors, one on a New York Times bestseller list, said it marked the second coming of Jesus. And one woman’s writings about the end of days even prompted an official response from the Church of Latter-day Saints. This time around, the prophecies aren’t quite as widespread, but they’re every bit as extreme. “Cancel your plans,” a headline on the Russian state-sponsored news outlet RT warns. “Rare black moon could mean end of world.” Another story in Catholic Online asks, “Is Friday’s black moon a sign of the apocalypse?” The article quotes a Bible verse saying


More and more people get their news via social media. Is that good or bad?

news and information. Younger voters, in particular, increasingly get their news from social media. According to a Pew Research Center survey conducted in January, 35 percent of respondents between ages 18 and 29 said that social media was the “most helpful” source of information about the presidential campaign. For those aged 30 to 49, social media ranked third, behind cable TV and news websites. Of course, much of the news on Facebook and Twitter comes from traditional news outlets such as CNN and the New York Times. But clearly, young people find social media especially useful, in part because they can follow news recommended by people in their social networks. A recent study by Eschelon Insights and Hart Research on behalf of BuzzFeed found that adults ages 18 to 49 trust news and political information shared from friends more than news delivered from other sources. Not surprisingly, social media is less popular among voters 50 and older, according to the Pew survey. Older Americans still depend primarily on television and other traditional news outlets to learn about elections. 2. Despite its growing popularity, social media’s influence on political participation remains unclear. Some research On the other hand, some work has found that social media can affect political engagement. A study conducted in Germany, Italy and Britain during the 2014 European Parliament elections found that citizens who were less interested in news and politics became more politically engaged online after coming across news and political information on social media. That included activities such as emailing a political leader, signing an online petition and encouraging friends to vote. There are differences between the U.S. and European election systems, of course, but this result suggests some connection between social media and political engagement. Since the voters who rely most heavily on social media for news and information tend to be young, we would expect them to be most influenced to participate in politics, if social media were to have that effect. Historically, youth turnout is lower, and turnout increases with age. One thing that helps increase the likelihood of voting is consuming news and political information. Could increased access to news via social media boost the turnout of younger voters? We don’t yet know. A common narrative from the 2008 presidential election was that the Obama campaign motivated younger voters through social media. Post-election studies, however, have not consistently been able to verify


One week. Hundreds of dead and wounded. How Afghan forces are struggling with heavy casualties.

rarely do U.S. advisers help with battlefield evacuations, instead sticking to training and “capacity building,” he said. “The amount of missions these guys are doing is a lot even by U.S. standards,” he said, adding that 40 Afghan air medics — with training ranging from ad-hoc EMTs to physician assistant levels — are responsible for caring for and recovering the majority of wounded Afghan security personnel. The Afghan security forces’ blossoming casualty numbers have been a sticking point for the top U.S. generals charged with overseeing the war. Last week, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Marine Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., told lawmakers that the Afghans have “taken far more casualties than we are comfortable with” and that the war in Afghanistan was a “stalemate.” On Friday, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, Army Gen. John Nicholson, echoed Dunford’s concern during a news conference at the Pentagon but would not provide specifics on the number of Afghan soldiers killed and wounded. In August, however, Nicholson said more than 900 Afghan security forces had been killed in July. August saw heaving fighting between Afghan forces and a resurgent Taliban. In the country’s southern Helmand province, the birthplace of the Taliban and a hub for the global opium trade, insurgent forces came within miles of the provincial capital of Lashkar Gah. On Aug. 23, an Army Special Forces soldier, Staff Sgt. Matthew V. Thompson, 28, was killed there when he stepped on improvised explosive device while fighting alongside his Afghan counterparts. In the northeast, Afghan troops spent much of August defending the city of Kunduz, an urban center that briefly fell to the Taliban last fall before it was retaken by U.S. and Afghan Special Operations forces. Afghanistan’s military has about 300,000 troops, but a lack of political will, corruption and poor leadership has allowed the exponentially smaller Taliban to take back significant chunks of ground since U.S.-led combat operations ended in the country in 2014. There are 9,800 U.S. troops in Afghanistan. In July, after assessing the country’s deteriorating security conditions, President Obama announced that 8,400 U.S. troops would remain into 2017, a far larger number than the small contingent of counter-terrorism forces that was originally set to remain post-2016. Related stories: An Afghan warlord comes out of the shadows to make peace. But few trust him Afghanistan has many problems. Its president may be one of them


Veep debate spotlights host: Longwood University

the school last fall. Hosting the debate, he said, coincided with an initiative to make citizenship “the North Star of our general education curriculum.” The Commission on Presidential Debates chose Longwood from among 16 finalists out of about 100 schools that expressed interest. “The demands that go onto the institution are extraordinary,” Michael D. McCurry, co-chairman of the commission, said. “You’ve got to have total, all-in commitment.” Longwood, McCurry said, has been “exceptional.” Reveley said the school budgeted about $5.5 million to stage the event and related activities, a massive enterprise that encompasses details such as having a complete backup source of electric power in place to ensure a seamless production for the national audience. Some expenses will be recouped. The rest is considered an investment in marketing, education and community-building. “It’s produced such energy for the campus,” Reveley said. “It’s a time students really will remember all their lives — an opportunity to see history unfold.” Beyond logistics, the university also has woven the debate and presidential campaign into its teaching. An intermediate French class will be live-tweeting the debate in French. A music appreciation class is studying music as political propaganda. A photography class is documenting the debate and other events on the campaign trail. And an economics class is using the campaign to study applied game theory. Classes took a one-week pause, starting Thursday, as Longwood geared up for the debate. Seven hundred students have enlisted as volunteers to help visitors navigate the campus and do their jobs. Longwood students Olivia Zaleski, at left, Emily Spittle and Lucas Robillard are volunteering at the vice presidential debate. (Nick Anderson/The Washington Post) Emily Spittle, 21, of Warrenton, Va., said she will be a “media room floater.” A senior majoring in graphic design, she was chosen for that duty because she is looking at a career in advertising and marketing. Spittle and others from Longwood drove three hours north to Washington on Wednesday for a symposium on the vice presidential debates at the Decatur House, about a block away from the White House. “I can’t wait to see the hubbub and activity,” Spittle said. “It’s a great way to show off the community of Longwood and the spirit.” Olivia Zaleski, 20, a junior from Midlothian, Va., and Lucas Robillard, 21, a senior from Charles Town, W.Va., said they would be wearing reflective orange vests on debate day to help with


Obama hails the vision of Shimon Peres: ‘His pursuit of peace was never naïve’

President Obama lauded Palestinian President Abbas's attendance at the funeral for Israeli statesman Shimon Peres and paid respect to his legacy of peace and justice. "Shimon never saw his dream of peace fulfilled," Obama said. "Now this work is in the hand of Israel's next generation." President Obama praised the late Israeli leader Shimon Peres at his funeral Friday, saying he showed the world “that justice and hope are the heart of the Zionist idea.” "And I know from my conversations with him that his pursuit of peace was never naïve,” Obama said, adding that even the anti-Semitism Peres witnessed as a child and his relatives' persecution during the Holocaust "would never harden his heart. It would never extinguish his faith. Instead, it broadened his moral imagination, and gave him the capacity to see all people as deserving of dignity and respect. It helped him see not just the world as it is, but the world as it should be." Peres, who shared a Nobel Peace Prize for efforts to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, died Wednesday at age 93. Obama noted that Peres, who served at the top of the Israeli government over half a century in virtually every one of its critical posts, embodied the nation’s trajectory in the modern era.. “I could not be more honored to be in Jerusalem to say farewell to my friend Shimon Peres who showed us that justice and hope are at the heart of the Zionist idea. A free life in a homeland regained. A secure life in a nation that can defend itself by itself. A full life in friendship with nations who can be counted on as allies, always,” he said. “A bountiful life, driven by simple pleasures of family and by big dreams. This was Shimon Peres's life. This is the State of Israel. This is the story of the Jewish people over the last century, and it was made possible by a founding generation that counts Shimon as one of its own." "Indeed, Shimon’s contribution to this nation is so fundamental, so pervasive, that perhaps sometimes they can be overlooked,” Obama added. The president had lowered flags at the White House to half-staff after Peres’ death, a sign of respect he had only offered for one other foreign leader, the late Nelson Mandela of South Africa. In his eulogy, Obama compared Peres to Mandela, and noted that during


‘I’m going to kill you.’ The often-forgotten boot camp scandals that dot Marine Corps history

A Marine Corps drill instructor greets recruits in San Diego. (Photo by Cpl. Angelica Annastas/ Marine Corps) Marine Sgt. Robert F. Henson chambered a round in his M-16 rifle, preparing to scare Pvt. Harry W. Hiscock during boot camp training at Parris Island, S.C. Henson had issued a threat to the struggling Marine recruit, fellow drill instructors would later recall: “I’m going to kill you.” Henson pulled the trigger and nothing came out, according to media accounts at the time. He’d doctored the rifle round inside to function as a blank. But Hiscock was told to say goodbye to his platoon, and Henson fired his weapon again thinking another blank was chambered. This time, a single bullet ripped through Hiscock’s left hand from 50 yards away. The Jan. 3, 1976, incident led to criminal convictions for Henson and several other drill instructors who attempted to cover up what happened. Coupled with another scandal in which a recruit suffered mortal injuries a few months earlier in San Diego, it also ushered in a new era in recruit training for the service. The cases are recalled now as the Marine Corps again copes with a scandal at Parris Island. Senior military officials are grappling with how to handle allegations of hazing and abuse in which up to 20 Marines could face criminal charges or administrative punishment. One drill instructor is accused of putting a recruit in an industrial-sized dryer last year and turning it on, as well as striking another prospective Marine — Raheel Siddiqui, 20 — in the face moments before he ran away and fell three stories to his death in March. Abuse at boot camp almost always conjures comparisons among Marines to the April 8, 1956, fiasco in Parris Island’s Ribbon Creek. In that case, a drill instructor frustrated with his platoon, then-Staff Sgt. Matthew C. McKeon, marched 71 recruits into murky waters at night after having several alcoholic drinks. Six of them drowned, prompting congressional investigations, the court-martial of McKeon and an array of reforms, including the establishment of drill instructor schools. McKeon ultimately was acquitted of manslaughter but convicted of negligent homicide and drinking on duty. The Ribbon Creek incident is still taught to drill instructors, and opened up a broader debate about what recruit training should entail. It occurred in the aftermath of the Korean War, in which drill instructors were charged with preparing a wave


of new recruits for combat. The Marine Corps rapidly expanded from about 74,000 Marines in 1950 at the outset of the war to 249,000 by the war’s end in 1953. Discussed less frequently, however, are the cases from the 1970s, which occurred as Marines adjusted to life after the jungle warfare of Vietnam. In Henson’s case, the drill instructor pleaded guilty to eight charges. He was sentenced to a bad-conduct discharge, 15 months of confinement and hard labor, demotion to private and forfeiture of pay and allowances, according to a New York Times report on his court-martial. In a controversial plea agreement, Henson’s confinement was reduced to two months. The other scandal at the time erupted after Pvt. Lynn E. McClure suffered a fatal blow to the head on Dec. 6, 1975, during unauthorized training at the Marine Corps’ West Coast boot camp in San Diego and died a few months later. His drill instructor, Staff Sgt. Harold Bronson, had ordered McClure’s fellow recruits to take turns hitting him with padded “pugil sticks” in unsanctioned fights, and McClure attempted to run away several times, according to a report by the independent Army Times. By all accounts, McClure was a troubled recruit. He was initially denied a chance to enlist after taking the Armed Services Vocational Battery (ASVAB) test and getting a 7 out of a possible 99 points, according to a 1976 memo from the Pentagon to the White House. He tried again two months later and scored a 59, but lied to recruiters and said he had never failed the test before. Bronson made him fight other recruits after he disappeared from boot camp three times. Bronson was acquitted of all charges he faced, including involuntary manslaughter, in a court-martial in June 1976. The defense portrayed the death as a training accident, while the prosecution said Bronson showed poor judgment by allowing the bouts to continue even after McClure attempted to run away. Like now, the 1970s scandals prompted senior Marine officials to say they would change recruit training. Gen. Louis H. Wilson, then the commandant of the Marine Corps, told People magazine in an interview the service’s reputation had “suffered tremendously” over what he considered “isolated incidents.” “Naturally, I am embarrassed and disheartened that such things can happen,” he said. “I am determined that they stop; we’re going to conduct our training with firmness, fairness and dignity.” But


This artist is using subversive stickers to call out misleading beer labels

Subversive beer labels created by artist Mike Van Hall. (Photo by Fritz Hahn) You're browsing the shelves at your local liquor store when you notice something slightly amiss: There's a bright, fluorescent sticker affixed to the six-pack of Goose Island IPA that says "THIS BEER IS NOT CRAFT." A few aisles over, a similar label has been slapped on a bottle of Against the Grain's scatologically-themed Brown Note brown ale, announcing "THIS LABEL IS OFFENSIVE." Welcome to the subversive and thought-provoking new world of craft beer vandalism, brought to you by artist Mike Van Hall and his Committee on Opprobriations. In recent years, Van Hall has become a go-to graphic designer for local breweries. His ongoing work for Baltimore's Stillwater Ales includes the creation of the sleek Yacht cans, and pulsing modernist labels for Nu-Tropic and Rockstar Farmer. He worked similar magic on DC Brau's Pink Pallet Jackcans. Off the shelves, he's crafted logos for Virginia's Aslin and Vanish breweries, and created dozens of bright, modernist posters celebrating dozens of varieties of individual hops. But his latest project, unveiled at the Snallygaster beer festival, is his most interesting and interactive: sheets of stickers bearing such slogans as "This beer is not craft," "This label is offensive to women," and, most insidiously, "Do not trust this product." The labels touch on subjects that often spark discussions in beer forums -- sexist images, Big Beer taking over smaller breweries to horn in on the craft market -- and provide a way for craft beer lovers to spread the discussion to their grocery store's beer aisle. "At its core, these stickers are really just me holding up a mirror to the beer world and giving people a tool to speak their mind instead of just stewing about an injustice they see," Van Hall wrote in an email. "I don’t expect I will always agree with how the stickers are used, but I didn’t make these for me." "I always try to motivate people’s curiosity as an artist. My art has a point of view certainly, but I work to mask that point of view as much as possible. These stickers are the most distilled form of my approach. Each presents a straightforward statement onto which anyone can heap their point of view. Achieving that balance of simplicity and flexibility is why I think this project works." It's easy to dismiss part of this


Trump says he will only lose Pennsylvania if there’s widespread voter fraud. That’s very wrong.

Donald Trump (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Update: This article originally ran when Donald Trump made comments about voter fraud in Pennsylvania in August. On a Saturday night rally in the state, he repeated the claim, so we're republishing it with some updated numbers. Donald Trump held a rally in Altoona, Pa., on Friday night, during which he told the audience that the only way Hillary Clinton could win the state was if "in certain sections of the state they cheat." CBS's Sopan Deb transcribed Trump's comments. We're gonna watch Pennsylvania. Go down to certain areas and watch and study and make sure other people don't come in and vote five times. ... The only way we can lose, in my opinion -- and I really mean this, Pennsylvania -- is if cheating goes on. I really believe it. Because I looked at Erie and it was the same thing as this. ... [L]et me just tell you, I looked over Pennsylvania. And I'm studying it. And we have some great people here. Some great leaders here of the Republican Party, and they're very concerned about that. And that's the way we can lose the state. And we have to call up law enforcement. And we have to have the sheriffs and the police chiefs and everybody watching. Because if we get cheated out of this election, if we get cheated out of a win in Pennsylvania, which is such a vital state, especially when I know what's happening here, folks. I know. She can't beat what's happening here. The only way they can beat it in my opinion -- and I mean this 100 percent -- if in certain sections of the state they cheat, OK? So I hope you people can sort of not just vote on the 8th, go around and look and watch other polling places and make sure that it's 100 percent fine, because without voter identification -- which is shocking, shocking that you don't have it. There is almost no actual in-person voter fraud. In a survey of 1 billion ballots cast between 2000 and 2014, 241 possible -- possible! -- fraudulent ballots were found. Several of those ballots were cast in elections in Pennsylvania where a man named "Joseph Cheeseboro" and another named "Joseph J. Cheeseborough" each cast a ballot. That's all that was uncovered in Pennsylvania. The "certain sections of the state" to which